125 YEARS AGO Thursday, February 19, 1885

• Dufferin County Council has fixed Dr. Lewis’ salary as jail physician as $100 per annum.

The report of the special committee on communications from the counties of Victoria, Oxford and Welland was presented, read and adopted after amendment. In compliance with communications and in the interests of the several municipalities of Dufferin, the committee reported having drawn up a memorial to the House of Commons, praying that the municipalities may be relieved of the burden of the debenture debt incurred by them in aid of the Toronto & Bruce, Hamilton & Northwestern and Credit Valley railways, as they have been declared to be “railways in the interest of the Dominion.” In reference to the communication from Welland, asking the Council to cooperate with them to secure a uniform freight and passenger rate on railways, the committee suggested that the said memorial be signed by the Warden and Clerk and be transmitted to the Member for Centre Wellington for presentation to the House of Commons, and asking the co-operation of the Members for Cardwell, Simcoe, East Grey, and North Wellington in aid of said petition.

• The C.P.R. will run cheap excursions to Ottawa and Montreal from Toronto on Tuesday next, Feb. 17th: to Ottawa and return $4, to Montreal and return, $5.

100 YEARS AGO Thursday, February 10, 1910

• The Bell and Mono Mills Telephone companies, which have been doing business on a toll basis, have agreed to a free interchange of business. Thus the 70 Mono Mills subscribers will be able to reach all the Bell subscribers in Orangeville and vice-versa.

• W. R. Ruddy has disposed of the Grand Central Hotel in Orangeville, to G. M. Englert, formerly of the Credit Forks club house. Mr. Ruddy has conducted the Grand Central for several years. The Orangeville Sun says: “Mr. Englert is an active, energetic man and the reputation of the hotel will not suffer at his hands.”

• Early Sunday of last week fire was discovered in Thomas Robinson’s two-story brick building on Dundalk’s main street, occupied by J. D. Brown as a General Store, and with it was destroyed the next building to the west, also a brick structure, owned by James and Charles Lamon, and occupied by C. W. Mitchell, merchant tailor, C. G. Kearns on the first floor and D. H. Palmer, photographer, upstairs. Thomas Robinson’s insurance of $1500 on the building is less than half its value. The Lamon building was practically new and its insurance of $2500 also falls short of its value.

• The annual meeting of Dufferin Farmers’ Mutual Fire Insurance Co. was held in Shelburne town hall last Saturday. The report for the year 1909 showed that $4,300.43 had been paid for losses. This company was incorporated May 24, 1895. The insurance in force on December 31, was $3,932,155.00., and the number of policies 2,240.

• Dufferin County Council has endorsed the proposed establishing of an agriculture department in connection with Orangeville High School.

• The scrutiny of votes on the local option bylaw in Orangeville, before Judge McCarthy last Friday, occupied the court’s attention for the entire day. The judge reserved decision on the contested votes and each side is confident.

75 YEARS AGO Wednesday, February 14, 1935

• Miss Nellie DeCou, of Detroit, a former teacher in Shelburne High School, has been holidaying in Florida and Texas. The trip from Detroit was made by auto.

• The cost of keeping its county highways open for winter motor traffic is estimated by the Bruce Highway Committee at about $10 per mile per month.

• Last Wednesday night brought the first winter carnival to Horning’s Mills and was one long to be remembered. Despite –20º F. weather, a great crowd was present and seldom has there been a better or more enjoyable evening spent in these parts.

50 YEARS AGO Wednesday, February 10, 1960

• There was a good attendance of policy holders at the 65th annual meeting of Dufferin Farmers’ Mutual Fire Insurance Co., held in the assembly room of Shelburne Public Library last Saturday afternoon. The meeting included a discussion re the necessity of a careful installation of all electrical wiring, the comment being made that the cheapest job can mean the highest cost in the long run.

• Dundalk Herald Editor Frank Macintyre has been proclaimed Ontario’s Weekly Newspaper man of 1960.

25 YEARS AGO Wednesday, February 13, 1985

• Work started last week on 70 non-profit residential units immediately south of Orangeville’s Rotary Park.

• Orangeville’s Dominion store is one of 93 outlets to change hands in a province-wide takeover by A&P Food Stores.