In 1898, citizens rush to put out fire on Ashcroft bridge

May 07, 2023

The second bridge in Ashcroft, pictured here in 1899 looking west, was the site of several fires in 1898. (Photo credit: Ashcroft Museum and Archives)

Blaze at the centre of the wooden bridge spotted by a teamster who spread the alarm

125 YEARS AGO: MAY 21 TO JUNE 9, 1898

Thompson Bridge Fire: The bridge across the Thompson river [in Ashcroft] was ablaze Friday noon, and had it not been for the quick attention of several of our citizens we would not now be able to cross. The fire was in the centre of the bridge and was noticed by a teamster who was crossing, and when he arrived in town he informed a crowd who hastily went to the scene with buckets and ropes. This is about the fourth time the bridge has been on fire, and the flames have always been extinguished just in time. It no doubt comes from the carelessness of persons throwing lighted cigar or cigarette stubs on the bridge, which soon starts a blaze, fanned as it is by the continual breeze blowing up the river. The splinters and debris on the bridge are very dry and are easily ignited. The cleaning of the bridge should be looked to more closely as without this bridge the town of Ashcroft would suffer greatly. A few persons can remember the inconvenience when the bridge was washed away by the high water of 1894.

Ferry Broke Loose: Last Friday evening, the ferry boat at Spences Bridge broke loose and rushed down the Thompson River, carrying two passengers and the ferryman with it. The passengers stayed with the scow until about three miles this side of Drynock, and made shore with difficulty. The third man, known as Sailor Jack, went further down where he made shore. It is reported that Sailor Jack went through the Jaws of Death, near Gladwin, with the scow. The scow entered the Fraser river at Lytton, 25 miles distant, in two-and-a-half hours after breaking loose. This is the second time this ferry has been lost. The government might as well build a bridge and settle the matter, as the expense of keeping the ferry going and the building of new ones every year would soon pay for the bridge. There is considerable travel at this point and the inconvenience of having no way to get across the river will be great to the travelling public. Every day a number of school children have had to cross on this ferry, and if it had broken loose with a load of children it would have been impossible to save them all, if any.

Street Work Needed: Why not ask the superintendent of public works for this district to spend a few of the many dollars collected in taxes in Ashcroft by doing some work on the streets? The rocks should be taken out of Brink Street, and Railroad Avenue should be leveled and graded. The good book says "Ask and ye shall receive," and in this world of ours the men that hustle win, and towns likewise.

New Ashcroft School: A new school house will shortly be under way for the accommodation of the children of this vicinity. A letter received yesterday from Mr. Gore asks the school board to advise him of their views so that plans might be drawn and arrangements made for beginning the building at once. We desire and should accept nothing less than a good one.

Left Town: A man named Sullivan, alias Foster, created a disturbance Monday night and was placed in durance vile [long term incarceration] by Constable D.G. Sutherland. He was brought before F.W. Foster, J.P., Wednesday morning and was given very short notice to leave town. He has not been seen since.

100 YEARS AGO: MAY 19 TO JUNE 9, 1923

Dispute Over Fence Leads To Tragedy; Man Confessing To Killing At Clinton Alleges Neighbour Fired Several Shots At Him First: C. Hawkins, the pre-emptor who was captured by Provincial police officials following a two-day chase after the disappearance of Bernard Duggan, a rancher near 150 Mile House, and the subsequent finding of his body, is reported to have confessed to the killing. According to the story said to have been told to the police, Hawkins, who recently came to the district from the United States, declared that he killed his neighbour in self-defence after Duggan had fired three shots at him. The men had had trouble over a line fence between Duggan's land and that recently taken up by Hawkins. They met on the road on Thursday morning and an argumenmt ensued. Duggan, according to the alleged confession of Hawkins, drew a revolver and fired several shots at him. Hawkins rushed the other and closed with him. They struggled and fought in the dust of the roadway for the weapon, Hawkins finally wresting it from the grasp of the other. He then turned it on Duggan and shot him dead with his own gun.

Mrs. Frye Acquitted: After a trial lasting all day on Wednesday in Kamloops, during which about six witnesses for the defence were examined, the jury returned a verdict of not guilty for Mrs. Frye, accused of the murder of her husband last November at Albreda, 170 miles north of Kamloops on the C.N.R. railway. The verdict was a very favourable one judging by the manner of the crowd which jammed the court room during the trial. The jury deliberated only about 15 minutes. Mrs. Frye is about 45 years of age and shot her husband in self-defence after years of ill-treatment and abuse. She has several children, the oldest a boy of about 20. Two of the children gave evidence at the trial, and the accused woman went into the witness box on her own behalf.

Meeting At Hope On Road Question: Nine up-country boards of trade are being invited by the Vancouver Automobile Club to attend a meeting at Hope during the week of June 18 to discuss the immediate construction by the Provincial Government of a road to connect Vancouver with the interior of the province. The meeting will be for the purpose of discussing the matter of a road thoroughly. Early completion of some road will be urged, if the delegates are in accord with the feeling of the Vancouver Automobile Club, which has for years recommended that a highway linking the Coast and the Interior be opened up.

75 YEARS AGO: MAY 20 TO JUNE 10, 1948

All Rivers Over Record High: The Bonaparte River is again on the rampage from Mound Ranch to Cache Creek, a distance of 30 miles. It has reached an all-time high and is steadily rising. On the Hat Creek road the Robertson Creek bridge was washed out. Hat Creek is running at a record high. In the Bonaparte Valley, so far the hardest hit, farmers all along its course are losing fertile level land that has been producing crops for fifty years. The river is cutting new channels through the land. Dams are practically all washed out and irrigation ditches washed away. Reports are that there is plenty of snow up at the river sources yet.

Governor General At Clinton: All roads led to Clinton on Monday, when visitors from Ashcroft, Williams Lake, Lillooet, Lone Butte, Quesnel, and Lytton thronged the streets of this Cariboo town to catch a glimpse and welcome the Governor General and his party. Before we go any further we would like to say here that we’ve seen a lot of receptions put on, but residents of Clinton and the Canadian Legion excelled themselves, and each and every one up there deserve personally to be congratulated. They made a grand job of it, and we all feel mighty proud of them… Their Excellencies posed graciously for a considerable time to allow private citizens to get some snaps. The Governor General [Harold Alexander, 1st Earl Alexander of Tunis and a senior British Army officer in the First and Second World Wars] requested a ride on Lambert Good's pony, and discarding his general's cap, he donned Good's ten gallon hat and accompanied by Ed. Loring, Hank Pollard, and Roger Baker rode down Clinton's main street like an old time rider.

New Road Being Built At Clinton: An interesting walk at present is to follow the stakes marking the relocation of the road leading out of Clinton going south. The stakes follow a gentle curve through the big field south of town, they cross the creek about a quarter mile south of the present bridge. From there the line runs over the hill and dale till it joins the present road exactly where is situated the "Welcome sign" on top of the hill. It is hard to realize that the new road, when completed, will have only a six per cent grade. In constructing the new road it will be necessary to move 48,000 yards of gravel. The building of this piece of road will not be started until fall.

Letter Box Banking Is At Your Service: If you find visiting the Bank of Montreal inconvenient, Hilary Littler, local manager, invites you to do your banking business by mail. You can forward your pass-book with your savings. The B of M will bring it up-to-date and return it promptly. This service can save you time, bother, and extra money.

50 YEARS AGO: MAY 17 to JUNE 7, 1973

Train Derailed Near Thompson Siding: Twenty-six cars of an 85 unit CN coal train derailed near Basque siding near Ashcroft Sunday afternoon, tearing up 900 feet of track and pitching seven fully loaded cars into the Thompson River. The wreck also caused considerable damage to the superstructure of a rail bridge crossing the river, but no estimate of total damage has been made yet. Officials suspect a "sun kink", a warp in the rail caused by high temperatures, may have caused the derailment.

Has Lytton A Firebug?: Lytton's fourteenth fire in less than a year took place at 2:30 a.m. Friday morning. Arson is suspected on all occasions. The unoccupied trailer, situated on the Greto property, at 1st and Fraser Street, was completely destroyed in the early morning blaze. The town folk are indeed greatly disturbed about these continuous mystery fires.

Walhachin Without Water: If the residents of Ashcroft find their drinking water is tasting a little funny this week, it is nothing to be alarmed about. It is just caused by the residents of Walhachin bathing and doing their laundry in the river. Walhachin's water was turned off Sunday to fix some leaks in the wooden pipe after the town water supply dropped to nearly nil. It was known that the leaks were in a 500 foot stretch of prehistoric pipe (found to be dated 1901). Every able-bodied man should be prepared to help [install new pipe] on Saturday. Most of the townspeople have accepted our situation intelligently and philosophically, knowing that no one finds being without water the least bit convenient. Naturally the loudest criticism comes from those who will not lift a finger to help.

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