125 YEARS AGO

Thursday, January 10, 1884

• On Sunday morning last, as Thomas Torrance Jr. and another gentleman were returning from church in Shelburne and going up Coleman's Hill, about a mile south of the village, they spied what appeared to be the garments of a man lying in a corner just over the fence in a neighbouring field. They got out of their cutter and went to the spot, to find the body of a man frozen stiff, with a bottle containing a small quantity of whiskey and a cotton bag containing sundry articles by his side. They returned to Shelburne, announcing their awful discovery and notified Dr. Norton, coroner. A large number of citizens hastened to the spot and the deceased was at once recognized as Thomas H. Welsh, who arrived in town on Wednesday evening's train in an intoxicated condition and, after visiting several hotels and stores, had started southward from the corner opposite Jennings' hotel, doubtless intending to spend the night with friends. From the position of the body when found, it is supposed that Welsh had been directing his step to a neighbouring farmhouse for shelter and was overcome by the cold while in the very act of climbing the fence, and on falling down in the snow was unable to rise again.

100 YEARS AGO Thursday, January 7, 1909

• In municipal elections for the year 1909, Dr. T. Babe was elected reeve of Shelburne, defeating John Large by 161 votes to 106. In Melancthon, a four-man race for reeve resulted in a victory for Thomas Oldfield. In other reeveship races, Thomas Sime won in East Luther, Thomas Hewson in Orangeville, J. J. Reith in Grand Valley and J. H. Hosick in Amaranth.

• Dr. H. A. Bond, a graduate of Toronto University, who has spent six years in general medical practice, has sold his practice at Maxwell and removed to Shelburne. Dr. Bond, who comes well recommended, has rented Dr. Barr's office in the old Economist block, for the parliamentary term and will room in the same block.

• Richard Sanderson was found guilty last week by Police Magistrate Pattullo, of Orangeville, of having purloined a pair of driving gloves from the pocket of W. H. Dynes, reeve of Mono, when the latter was in Orangeville last November attending County Council, and was sentenced to three months in jail.

• Says the Shelburne Free Press: Much sympathy is expressed on all sides at W. A. Fenwick being forced to make an assignment. He should have made an assignment last summer instead of being forced by his creditors into holding an auction sale and then allow them to ship in a lot of worthless trash to be sold at his expense and injure his business. Mr. Fenwick bought heavily for the 1907 Christmas trade, and it being a failure he was left with an expensive stock on his hands which was slaughtered at the auction sale to make money for his shark creditors. One thing to Mr. Fenwick's credit, he owes no one in Shelburne who has not been paid in full. He has been an upright and honest citizen and will retain the esteem of a host of friends who will be pleased to see him in business again in the near future.

75 YEARS AGO Wednesday, January 11, 1934

• The weather has been quite doing its share at keeping the work of grading and widening Highway 9 and placing culverts from Primrose east, from getting in full swing to the point where a full quota of men will be required. The Ontario Department of Labour requires Dufferin County labour to be used except for a percentage of skilled labour.

• The Toronto-Owen Sound branch of the CPR is to have the latest in passenger seats from now on. It is thought that this move is made due to the fact that CNR recently put a parlour car on its Toronto-Owen Sound route. The new seats are said to be most comfortable.

50 YEARS AGO Wednesday, January 7, 1959

• The rabies epidemic in Dufferin continues to show a marked increase in cases affecting both animals and humans. Statistics prepared by the Dufferin County Health Unit showed that 109 cattle, 33 foxes, 12 sheep, four horses, three dogs, two cats, two skunks, one pig and one goat had been declared rabid, for a total of 167 at the end of the year.

25 YEARS AGO Wednesday, January 11, 1984

• Orangeville lawyer David Tilson was among more than 100 lawyers in Ontario who were appointed Queen's Counsel on New Year's Eve.

• Dufferin-Peel Roman Catholic Separate School Board is currently negotiating for a new site for a new elementary school on the Blind Line. Board Chairman Robert Hall says the site is just south of the Serra Residence (Good Shepherd Manor).

• Orangeville gave an overwhelming welcome to a special onehour Wintario program last week.