100 YEARS AGO Thursday, September 12, 1907

• The beginning of what promises to be a searching series of inquests at the instance of the Attorney General's Department into the causes that led to the wreck at the Horseshoe Curve near Caledon village on Sept. 3 was commenced on Wednesday night of last week by the Chief Coroner of Toronto, Dr. Arthur Jukes Johnson, at the Ellis undertaking establishment on College Street, Toronto. The inquest was particularly concerned with the death of Richard Bell, 65, of Melancthon Township, who died at the Western Hospital from the effects of injuries received in the wreck. Frederick Bell, son of the deceased, who had identified the body, stated that he had left his father at the C.P.R.'s Corbetton Station at 7 a.m. but the special train bound for Toronto Exhibition was late and he did not wait to see him off.

When the inquest resumed Thursday night, the general testimony was to the effect that the ill-fated train must have been travelling at an excessive rate of speed. The principal evidence was that advanced by Engineer George Hodge, who could not definitely account for the catastrophe, for he admitted that his engine was in good condition, the brakes were working satisfactorily, and as far as he could see the tracks were all right. According to his version, he had taken all necessary precautions to safely negotiate the dangerous "Horseshoe" curve, having shut off steam before descending the incline. In taking the curve, however, he had experienced a jerk which shot him forward and this movement evidently released the brake. On recovering himself, he had applied the emergency brake as he felt the engine leaving the tracks, but it was too late to avert disaster. According to Hodge, the train was only travelling at 15 or 20 miles an hour. A freight engineer since January, he had only once previously run a passenger train on the line. Although he said his hours of work averaged nine or 10, the coroner pointed out that the witness had already been working 11 hours at the time of the accident.

A Caledon dispatch of Tuesday states that at the inquest there, witness after witness, including several who were on the ill-fated train, testified that the excursion train was trying to take the sharp curve at tremendous speed. In all, there were about 50 witnesses present for examination by Crown Attorney McFadden.

• Funerals of three of the victims of the Horseshoe wreck were held last week. James Banks, a wellknown resident of Perm, was buried in Laurel Cemetery following a cortege that passed through Shelburne Thursday noon. The body of Robert Carr of Amaranth, a son of one of Shelburne's pioneers, was interred in Shelburne Cemetery following a funeral Thursday afternoon, and that of Richard Bell of Shrigley, Melancthon Township, was conveyed to Badjeros Cemetery following a funeral at his home.

• Word has been received of the death of D. J. Mongovan, editor of the Dufferin Post, at his home in Orangeville on Monday night. Reporting the death in its Tuesday edition, the Toronto Star said of him: "Though blind from his youth up, this man of untiring energy successfully edited a newspaper which spared not its foes and was counted a live factor in every political fight in Dufferin."

75 YEARS AGO Thursday, September 15, 1932

• With good luck, the McGregor Construction Co. will have the paving of Highway 10 south to the Corbetton corner completed this week. The "Detour" sign will be liable to be seen at the Melancthon corner in a few days now, with traffic diverted west to the Back Line.

• The choir of St. Paul's Anglican Church, Shelburne, was entertained at the home of Mr. and Mrs. A. T. Simons to honour Miss Bernice Smith and Mr. Fred White, who are shortly to be married and will reside in Shelburne.

50 YEARS AGO Wednesday, September11, 1957

• An attendance record was set at Centre Dufferin District High School when the school began its 1957-58 term, with 251 students enrolled, including 101 in Grade 9. In an attempt to accommodate the students, classes are being held in the teachers' room and gymnasium balcony. At Orangeville District Secondary School the enrolment is also up, at 475 pupils, compared with 428 last year.

• Albert E. Wrigglesworth of Shelburne, who survived the Horseshoe train wreck in Caledon 50 years ago, visited the site and was shown the abandoned railbed by William Murdoch, owner of the "Horseshoe Farm."

25 YEARS AGO Wednesday, September 15, 1982

• A waiting list is in effect for the Jean Hamlyn day care centre on McCarthy Street, Orangeville, with 65 children aged 2 to 5 enrolled.

• Training of Dufferin Area Hospital's ambulance trauma team is "going great," says ambulance supervisor Arnold Weavers. The program is to be in operation in November.