125 YEARS AGO Thursday, September 4, 1884

• Bears are rather numerous in Luther this summer. Some time ago Abram McKinney shot two old ones and captured three cubs near the marsh, and two weeks ago, while drawing in hay, John Desmore saw a large one crossing the road. He at once borrowed a rifle from a neighbour and gave pursuit, and did not go far before he overtook his bearship and despatched him with a bullet. The bear weighed 400 pounds.

• Anglicans of north Mono have a new place of worship with the opening in August of St. James Church, Primrose, in the parish of Elba, Diocese of Toronto. The three opening services August 18 were all well attended. The new church is of red brick at the corner of 30 Side Road and Prince of Wales Road.

100 YEARS AGO Thursday, September 2, 1909

• Says the PORT ELGIN TIMES: "Many more automobiles have been travelling along Bruce County roads this year than ever before, and it is doubtful if the feelings of antagonism held by the farmer against the automobilist are being lessened to any appreciable extent. As a general rule the automobile drivers are considerate and careful, but occasionally one comes along who seems to have no road manners and he spoils everything."

• A large automobile balked about five miles west of Orangeville last Friday, a broken piston rod causing the trouble. The driver paid a farmer $5.00 to haul the machine into town and then shipped it to Toronto on a flat car.

• At a meeting of Shelburne Public Library Board last Friday evening, it was decided to place a special order of about 20 new books on the shelves about the first of October. This is in the way of an experiment to see if the members appreciate some new works to wile away the cold evenings of fall and early winter.

• The Dufferin Light and Power Company is completing its transmission line from Shelburne to Orangeville and installing a 100 kilowatt single phase transformer at Orangeville. They are also increasing the generating equipment at Horning's Mills. The company now supplies lighting load to Shelburne and Orangeville and transformation equipment is being built with a view to the erection of a larger power house in the near future.

• Shelburne property owners last Friday voted strongly in favour of a bylaw to provide for the extension, improvement and repairs of the waterworks system to meet present and future needs and provide for the issue of $6,000 in debentures. The vote was 111 for and four against. The contract for the steel trestle work and new water tank has already been awarded to a Sarnia firm and it is expected that work will be commenced at an early date.

75 YEARS AGO Wednesday, September 6, 1934

• Legislation designed to relieve municipalities of highway taxation levies and free counties from paying 20 per cent of the capital and maintenance costs of highways was forecast last week by Premier Mitchell Hepburn, who said the entire cost of provincial highway construction will be borne by the government.

50 YEARS AGO Wednesday, September 2, 1959

• Ownership of the Orangeville Banner has been assumed by Thomson Newspapers Limited, the well-known daily and weekly newspaper chain owned by Roy Thomson. The McKitrick family has been associated with the Banner since 1895, two years after its founding. In its long years of service the paper has grown with the community.

• At a meeting of the Dufferin County Roads Committee on August 21, a delegation of 25 Mulmur residents requested that No. 10 Sideroad, between Whitfield and Mansfield, be made an improved road under the Ontario Department of Highways. Ken Wallace, spokesman for the delegation, pointed out that the road is very hilly in places, narrow and rough in spots, and is quite hazardous under winter driving conditions. It was also pointed out that the road had been improved by Dufferin County between Masonville and Whitfield about two years ago. The delegation was asked to prepare a formal petition and have it signed by as many ratepayers as possible.

25 YEARS AGO Wednesday, September 5, 1984

• Orangeville's Dufferin Senior Northmen lacrosse team has brought the President's Cup back home, defeating Kitchener Kodiaks 14-6 in Kitchener Monday night. The Northmen previously won the Canadian senior lacrosse championship in 1981 and 1982, but last year suffered a bitter 13-10 loss to Calgary, which eventually emerged as champions.

• About 450 people turned out last week to hear the three candidates for Wellington-Dufferin-Simcoe in the Sept. 4 federal election, Progressive Conservative incumbent Perrin Beatty, Liberal Harry Greene and the NDP's Sandy Young.