January 13, 1921
What was happening a century ago this week from the front page of the Cowichan Leader.
January 13, 1921
The big news story of the day was the forthcoming municipal elections. A.C Aitken had been nominated for the reeveship of the Municipality of North Cowichan by incumbent A.A.B. Herd (said to have been a surprise) and Thomas Pitt was returned by acclamation to the mayor’s chair in Duncan for a third term. All the aldermanic seats of both municipalities and those of school trustees and police commissioners were up for grabs by incumbents and newcomers.
1920 had been a good year for the giant sawmill at Genoa Bay with nearly 13 million feet of lumber having been shipped to the “four corners of the globe”. Remember, this was just one sawmill in a valley of sawmills, albeit a big one!
Local fruit growers were looking forward to the future, the Duncan-Nanaimo branch having met at the Agricultural Hall with some 30 growers present. 1920 had been a year of tariffs, high freight rates and a sugar shortage but they’d been endured if not overcome. With the aid of a $3000 grant from the provincial government, a $1 membership fee and a charge of one-quarter-cent per pound on plums and other fruit, the association was in the black, its members further encouraged by favourable prices for their products. It was anticipated that prices would soften in 1921 because overall production was expected to double. It’s interesting to note that local tree fruits hadn’t done as well thanks to competition from the Okanagan.
Despite very inclement weather the Library Committee of the Cowichan Women’s Institute held a successful Book Tea and took in 60 donated books and cash, all to the piano accompaniment of Mrs. H.G. Grainger, and Mrs. H.P. Swan’s vocals, “The Heart of a Rose,” and “Any Time’s Kissing Time.” Mrs. Muriel Wade sang “Perhaps” and “He’s Such a little Fellow,” and there were two more songs by Mr. W.H. de B. Hopkins and a recitation by his wife, “The Bald headed Man.”
A new board of directors had been elected for the Cowichan Public Library, headed by Miss M.E. Wilson, and the Cowichan Women’s Institute also had a new board.
A.J. Marlow, manager of the Bank of Commerce, was off to a new posting in Prince Rupert, his replacement being Kenneth V. Munro from Chilliwack. It wasn’t known if Marlow’s northern posting was to be temporary or permanent. While in charge of the Duncan branch he’d also opened two satellites, in Cobble Hill and Chemainus. The Leader said he’d be missed and wished him well: “Under his charge the business of the bank has greatly increased... In an unobtrusive yet telling manner [he] has been a steadying and progressive influence in the community.”
“Open Your Eyes,” a much advertised film dealing with the social evil (which one was unspecified) was showing at the Duncan Opera House.
Mr. And Mrs. George G. Henderson were leaving for Michigan where Mrs. Henderson’s mother was seriously ill and Cobble Hill poultry farmer J.J. Dougan had won 12 honours for his Leghorns at a Victoria show where breeders also discussed giving their flocks a two-week respite before entering them in provincial competitions on the Mainland.
The question of a possible merger between the Cowichan Agricultural Society and the Cowichan Creamery Co-operative Association remained on the front burner, with resistance being shown by poultry men who feared that such a union would weaken their position in the overall organization, that they’d be “swamped by the larger society”.
A discussion of finances led to the curious fact that the Society had been retailing, of all things, anthracite coal for Evans, Coleman & Evans. 1920 had shown a slight profit but the Vancouver wholesaler had started to undercut them by selling coal to “preferred” local customers for 50 cents a ton less than the profit-point for the CAS. As a consequence there appeared to be no appetite by members for also selling third-party wheat. Mrs. B.C. Walker wanted the annual poultry show to be held in November rather than September when birds weren’t at their best and she favoured “utility bird” judges over exhibition judges for working-class chickens. This recommendation was heartily endorsed by those present.
Members were reminded to view the Cowichan Creamery Co-op as “the backbone of the community” and to give it their fullest assistance and encouragement at all times. This, apparently, in response to murmurs of going it alone by poultry farmers if the two groups did amalgamate.
Thirty parishioners of St. John’s Church, Duncan, finally decided to erect a bell in the church in memory of its members who perished in the recent Great War. Another topic of discussion was the immediate need to pay off the balance owing on the “motor car” which the church had purchased to enable the Rev. A. Bischlager to visit outlying areas of the parish or the vehicle would have to be returned.
Sahtlam and Gibbins-Vimy Road area members of the Farmers’ Union met to discuss opening a public market and starting a pruning school. Also discussed was the need of a community centre on Gibbins Road, this meeting having had to be held outdoors for lack of same.
Badminton was in full swing at the Agricultural Hall: “Heretofore lovers of sports of all kinds have been deprived of any indoor pastime”. Two courts had been marked out in the ballroom and a third one was planned. 25 men and women had signed up for the growing sport and racquets were provided by the Hall. The public was urged to sign up quickly as memberships were closing.
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