April 24, 1876

“The revival of verandah building has commenced on King street, it having been found that awnings would not sufficiently protect goods exposed in the windows. How do they do in other towns where there are neither?”

Toronto Globe   April 24, 1876

Rivalry among newspapers was an ongoing thing between the two Hamilton daily newspapers the Spectator and the Times.

The Toronto Globe had a reporter assigned to write up major Hamilton stories, like murders and the like for that paper. On an ongoing basis there would appear a small column every issue called Notes from Hamilton .

The rather sarcastic reference by the Globe  reporter to new verandahs being built in front of some downtown stores in Hamilton provoked the following response by the man from the Spec :

“A query and answer – The intelligent (?) Hamilton correspondent of the Globe, referring to the fact that verandahs are found necessary in Hamilton to protect goods exposed in the windows, awnings having proved insufficient, asketh “How do they do in other towns where they have neither?” Answer : “They have no such goods in other towns to expose, and if they had, no such sun to spoil them.” O correspondent! Thou dost but expose they ignorance. “

Sunday April 23, 1876 was St. George’s day and it was an occasion for members of the St. George’s Benevolent Society, in company with some of their brethren in other such societies to gather, parade en masse to take part in a special service at the Hamilton Anglican cathedral :

 “Yesterday was St. George’s day, dear to the heart of every Englishman. At half-past two o’clock, according to advertisement, the St. George’s Society, accompanied by the Irish Protestant Benevolent Society and the Ancient Order of Foresters, met at Mechanics’ Hall and paraded to Christ Church Cathedral to hear the annual sermon of the Society. The Cathedral was very full, and the services deeply impressive. The lessons were read by the Rev. Dean Geddes, and the sermon was most eloquently preached by the Rev. Septimus Jones, of Toronto. At the close a collection was taken up, when the handsome sum of $80 was realized. After the service, the Societies marched back to Mechanics’ Hall where votes of thanks were returned to the officers and the sister Societies for the interest they had displayed in celebrating the day. It will be borne in mind that the annual dinner of the Society will be held this evening in the International Hotel.”

It must have been a relatively slow news day given the following two items having space in the April 24, 1876 edition of the Spectator:

“This morning, Mr. Thomas Stock, of Waterdown, sold in the market to Mr. Dingle, butcher, four fat cattle remarkable for their size and weight. One of them a grade Durham bull weighed 2200 lbs., and the three others – heifers – weighed together 4,000 lbs. They were stall fed, under Mr. Stock’s direct supervision.”

“This great tragedian, Barney Sullivan, passed through this city yesterday by special train en route to Toronto, where he plays during the week.”

The final item quoted this day was short, just one sentence long. But it was an important one for the local economy:

“The schooner Garibaldi left this port on Saturday afternoon – the first vessel of the season – with a cargo of wheat for Kingston.”