100 YEARS AGO Thursday, March 11, 1909

• Clark & Hannah's fine grain elevator in Orangeville's CPR yards was left a smoking heap of ruins, with the firemen still playing on it Saturday morning. It was about 3:30 p.m. Friday when the fire was discovered breaking out of the top story. The alarm was given at once and the fire brigade responded promptly. Between 15,000 and 20,000 bushels of grain, including wheat, barley, oats and peas, were destroyed. The elevator was about 40 feet high, entirely of wood, and since it was completely destroyed salvage from the grain will be very small. The large coal warehouse of Clark & Hannah, immediately to the south, escaped owing to its steel roof. Directly to the north are the coal sheds of J. R. Lathwell which were full of coal, but these were also saved. The elevator was insured for only $2,000 with the Royal Insurance Company.

• On Thursday of last week at Osgoode Hall, J. B. MacKenzie applied for a mandatory order to compel Judge McCarthy, of Orangeville, to take evidence in the quo warranto proceedings instituted by W. Hewson against the election of Dr. W. Riddell as reeve of Orangeville. After hearing argument his Lordship suggested counsel for both sides should confer, and finally the motion was dropped without costs, the court directing that the master try the case at Toronto or Orangeville.

• George Marlatt, of Shelburne, was awarded $800 damages and costs by the jury at the civil assizes in Toronto on Tuesday, against the Robert Elder Carriage Co. for injuries sustained in falling down an elevator shaft at the firm's premises on November 20 last.

• The skating fraternity from the Shelburne area and a goodly turnout from Orangeville and Dundalk attended the masquerade carnival at the Shelburne rink Tuesday evening. The turnout was the best ever, from wee tots just out of the cradle to the hoary headed town fathers, some of whom were more than spectators of the brilliant affair. To particularize on the merits of various costumes would be impossible. The band was out in uniform to direct the measure at intervals, but the band uniforms and music were not a circumstance compared with the interest in discovering the identity of the cleverly masked skaters.

• An Orangeville resident has invented a gate with a purpose of protecting level crossings, in which it is claimed the gate can be lowered 1/2 mile distant from an approaching train and raised again immediately after the train passes, and which can be operated by trains in either direction on any number of tracks, weather conditions having no effect. A signal can be given by a bell when the train is a half-mile or more distant.

75 YEARS AGO Wednesday, March 15, 1934

• It would appear that those who are good growers of potatoes in Dufferin County are rather favourably situated this year. Mr. O. W. Lachaine, inspector for certification, reports that most of the tubers seed, particularly in Shelburne district, have come through storage in good shape and are sufficiently free of disease to be graded certified tubers. In view of the fact that this is not true in many other good potato growing sections, it would appear that local growers of certified tubers will have a good market for their tubers this season.

• Motor traffic is beginning to move north from Shelburne this week as far as Horning's Mills, and it was expected that on Tuesday the road north to Honeywood would be opened to permit cars to travel the entire distance.

50 YEARS AGO Wednesday, March 11, 1959

• Earl Rowe Park, located just west of Alliston, has been added to the provincial parks system and work in development is now going on. The park consists of 100 acres, on the Boyne River. A portion of this area was donated to the province by Hon. Earl Rowe for public use early last year and additional land was acquired to provide sufficient space for planned development for outdoor recreational activities.

• This winter's snowfall is now well ahead of the record winter of 1947 with the weather station at Redickville reporting total snowfall to date of 160 inches. Snowfall for the whole of the 1947 "blockade" winter was 156 inches.

25 YEARS AGO Wednesday, March 14, 1984

• Sunday's snow storm and treacherous high winds turned many southern Ontario highways into huge parking lots or in some cases junk yards. Shelburne OPP say highways 24 and 10 north were closed at 8:30 Sunday morning and highway 10, between Orangeville and Primrose, followed 90 minutes later.

• Orangeville Council agreed Monday to write the Ministry of Transportation and Communications "strongly suggesting" that Highway 10 be widened immediately between the town and Caledon Village.

• The strike at Canada Wire and Cable has entered its third week.