June 3, 1920
What was happening a century ago this week from the front page of the Cowichan Leader.
June 3, 1920
The big news story of the day, “Jersey Breeders to Convene,” is yet another sign of changing times and tastes. Back in 1920, people wanted butterfat in their milk and Jersey cows were the preferred breed. Today it’s Holsteins with their almost-skim milk and little cream.
At Tansor, right beside the E&N Railway tracks, a new sawmill was about to go into operation. Although electricity had been a fact of life for years, the mill’s equipment was steam-powered thanks to nearby Evans Creek, with an estimated production output of 10-13,000 feet per day. The company estimated a three-year supply of timber from the John N. Evans estate and the defunct Cowichan Waterworks Co.
The new mill was a family affair, owned and operated by three Truesdales and with two Evanses as sawyer and woods superintendent respectively.
There was a move afoot to have the B.C. Telephone Co. install its own poles along the Island Highway instead of leaving it to its subscribers to do it themselves(!)
A pageant staged by the Hudson’s Bay Co. in Victoria included two Cowichan Valley pioneers as special guests. David Evans, Somenos, arrived in 1862 and James Flett, Duncan, was born in Victoria in 1857.
The Duncan Board of Trade arranged to lease part of the Agricultural Society’s grounds behind the Cowichan Mound for a picnic site, complained of several “blind corners” along the Island Highway and criticized the provincial government for its unwillingness to contribute to repairs of the Maple Bay public wharf.
They also were in discussion with the Vancouver Island Development Association about improving and encouraging tourism with rail and ship excursions.
Duncan City Council approved S.H. Samuelson’s request to buy sufficient electricity to operate a 5 h.p. motor for cutting cord wood. His was the second such application in a month. Electricity had to be apportioned with care as the City’s two diesel generators had a maximum output of 200 h.p. The Cowichan Creamery, its largest customer, drew 50 h.p. alone. As daily consumption ranged from 10-50 h.p., the City did have a surplus although a new sawmill was expected to want to use 30-50 h.p. daily.
Another reason for the City’s caution was the cost of extending existing power lines to remote consumers.
Locally produced and acted “Lady Huntworth’s Experiment” at the Duncan Opera House rated a rave review for its scintillating humour and satire.
There was a Masquerade Ball at the Opera House too, with Plimley’s Orchestra. Miss Victoria Wylde was adjudged the best dressed lady and Eli Plaskett won a prize for his Charlie Chaplin costume. Master Henderson, dressed as a bottle, was also cited.
As further evidence of the Valley’s agricultural dependence the 30 members of the United Flockmasters of B.C. met to plan the Fall Fair.
Before JP Dr. Watson Dykes and H.W. Bevan, 18-year-old John Teusz of Ladysmith pleaded guilty to stealing a pair of boots from C. Ogden’s Duncan store and was sentenced to 30 days’ hard labour at Oakalla.
Finally, Lieut.-Cmdr. J.A.S. Blackwood, RN, “has returned to Duncan from a visit to England”.