Item
Michael McMonagle, Foundryman
Pilot
Jottings on the Street
No. 11
The Iron Foundry
Very few people outside of St. Andrews have the least idea that St. Andrews has an Iron Foundry; and consequently, many who would purchase “castings” here, go elsewhere to buy. Mr. Andrews Lamb is the present proprietor, having succeeded Mr. John Watson. The Foundry is situated on the West side of Water Street, and close to “Kennedy’s Hotel.” On Saturday morning last, we took a look through this establishment. Mr. Lamb pointed out a young man, Michael Mulligan, who was then engaged in “moulding” for a “casting” of an iron pot for a cook stove. This young “Moulder” is a native of the Town, and is described as possessing extra natural talent and native genius. His natural ability, with his present mechanical acquirements, enable him to perform work equal to almost any who have graduated in extensive Foundries in large Cities. We take pride in thus giving notoriety to native genius, and Charlotte County can produce many examples. Mr. Lamb is prepared to turn out Railroad Castings, Ships’ casting; Cook Stoves, Cylinder Stoves, and Franklin Stoves, large and small; and at prices less than can be bought in any other market. Some of his variety of Cook Stoves bear the name of—State, Provincial, West Wind, and Valley. The three last-named have “elevated ovens.” The “Cylinders,” are, Nos. “2.3, 5.” The “Furnace” has capacity to smelt three tons of iron at a “blast.” As Mr. Lamb will exchange Stoves and other articles from his Foundry for payments in exchange, such as Fish, etc., now that money is scarce, such an opportunity to those needing such articles should not be neglected. We commend, and recommend, the St. Andrews Foundry, to the patronage of our readers.
Pilot
July 9/1885
M. McMonagle has leased the St. Andrews Foundry.
“Sir John MacDonald moved to amend the resolution by making St. Andrews one of the harbours with which the short line shall connect.”
Pilot
Oct 22/1885
M. McMonagle has some new and good patterns for stoves, cheaper than can be imported.
Pilot
Oct 27/1887
M. McMonagle has a fine assortment of stoves at the foundry wareroom, also fire brick linings, and for farmers new improved root choppers.
Pilot
May 3, 1888
Michael McMonagle ad for storing stoves so they don’t rust.
Pilot
July 19/1888
We called at the St. Andrews Foundry recently, were the gentlemanly proprietor, M. M. McMonagle, showed us a fine assortment of stoves, both imported and of his own manufacture, also root cutters, of which he has sold and expects to sell a large number to the farmers. Our attention was called to the iron railing for ornamental fencing, coping, and for enclosure of lots in cemeteries, which embraces a number of neat designs and are manufactured at the foundry. Mr. McMonagle has orders for railing for several lots in the cemetery, and is prepared to offer his patrons special designs to select from.
St. Croix Courier
Sept 6/1888
I don’t suppose there are twenty of the many thousand readers of the widely circulated Courier who have not heard of the genius of the affable manager of the St. Andrews foundry. Within the last few years he has made inventions that established for him an enviable reputation. His latest achievement is the modelling and construction of a handsome and solid iron fence. Its design is complete and in appearance it can hardly be excelled. It encloses a lot forty feet square with an additional space of 14 x 16 feet. The gates bear with pleasing effect a representation of the weeping willow. The height of the fence is 3 feet, 3 inches, and provision is made that no part of it will be displaced by frost upheavals. The fence is to be placed in the cemetery at Richardsonville, Deer Island, to enclose the lots of the Richardson family of that place. Mr. McMonagle has more orders for fences of that kind than he can conveniently attend to just now.
Beacon
April 24, 1890
Gone to Blazes
St. Andrews Sardine Factory Disappears in Smoke
A fire with a very mysterious origin
The St. Andrews sardine factory, which started last summer with fair prospects of success, disappeared about four o’clock on Monday morning in a huge pillar of fire. The factory was located in the shed on the steamboat wharf. This building was erected about ten years ago by Messr. Merrit and Sons, of Houlton, Maine, who used it for three or four years as a warehouse for the storage of potatoes. Their lease expired in a month or two, and the building would have then become the property of Mr. Robert Ross, upon whose land it stood. How did the fire originate? That is one of the things “no fellow can understand,” for there had been no fire in the building for several months. Landlord Herbert, of the Argyll hotel, says that he looked outside of the window of his house about three o’clock, and there as then no sign of fire. Brakeman Stinson, who lives about midway between the Argyll and the wharf, was aroused a few minutes after 3 o’clock by the shouting of Mr. Wm. Storr, who had turned out early to make some repairs on the NBR locomotive, and his attention was attracted by the fire, as he was about passing Mr. Stinson’s house. Looking out, Mr. Stinson saw columns of flame pouring out of he windows of the factory. He hurried out, and in company with Mr. M McMonagle, who had also been awakened by the noise, hastened to the engine room. Mr. Stinson rang the alarm, while Mr. McMonagle endeavoured to get into the room where the hand engines were. The firemen quickly responded to the summons, and reached the engine to the fire. No 1 engine, Capt. Wm. Burton, arrived first, No 2. Capt Wm Whitlock, reaching the fire shortly afterwards.
Beacon
Jan 15, 1891
Article on Scott Act concerning Mr. McMonagle and others. Liquor seized.
Beacon
May 7/1891
Wandering cows are causing a great deal of annoyance, and in some cases injury.
M. McMonagle of the St. Andrews foundry, has secured permission from the St. Andrews Wharf Company to place a hoisting engine on the wharf to be used whenever required. The machine is now being fitted up, and will be ready by the time the wharf is repaired.
Beacon
June 18, 1891
A small schooner, the first of the railway coal fleet, arrived on Tuesday, with a cargo of 150 tons of Springhill coal on board. She has begun discharging at the railway wharf. Mr. McMonagle has placed s substantial hoisting engine on the wharf, which will be used in the discharge of these coal schooners.
Beacon
March 24/1892
The capacity of the hoisting engine on the railway wharf is being increased by the owner,
Mr. McMonagle, proprietor of the St. Andrews foundry.
Beacon
March 31/1892
There is a big pressure of coal at the railway wharf, and hoisting engine and horses are kept busily discharging the. Mr. McMonagle has increased the capacity of his engine, with the object of discharging two vessels at once. The change will necessitate an increase in the capacity of his boiler.
Beacon
April 7/1892
The coal vessels are being readily discharged by Mr. McMonagle’s double-barrelled steam hoister. From 150 to 200 tons a day are taken out by this means.
Beacon
May 12/1892
The CPR Freight Business
Mr. McMonagle, who has the contract for hoisting the coal from the coal vessels, has laid pipes to a well a short distance from the wharf, and draws from thence the water for his engine.
Beacon
Oct 27/1892
A series of terrible, ear-splitting shrieks came from the region of the St. Andrews foundry on Tuesday. Some people thought that the enterprising proprietor had recently added a steam siren or calliope to the foundry plant, and hastened down to examine it. They were considerably surprised to find that the noise was not caused by a siren or calliope, but came from the stentorian lungs of the foundryman, who had discovered a neighbour’s cow floundering in his well, and was anxious to get her out before the water became mixed with her milk. The cow was owned by James Heenan. By the aid of a rope, she was extricated from her uncomfortable position. The next time she goes browsing around the foundry-yard, toning up her system with iron filings, she will give the well a wide birth.
Beacon
Nov 24/1892
Oh the cow, the cow, the vagrant cow,
‘tis now she meandereth in search of a row;
if gates are left open, she is bound to get in,
and will masticate anything from rag carpet to tin;
she dedaubeth our yard, our street, our walk,
and seems knowing enough to be able to talk;
‘tis dangerous to leave one’s front door ajar,
for in it she’ll bolt, fine furniture to mar;
she respecteth no person, pound-keeper or law,
and all that seems left us is to jaw, jaw, jaw;
unless, like the man whose name we don’t tell,
we keep in our back-yard a deep, deep well
when that cow comes a nosing about,
whisking her tail and depressing her snout,
we’ll drop her so deep in that cool, shady retreat,
that henceforth and hereafter she’ll keep off the street.
Beacon
May 25, 1893
M. McMonagle, who now discharges the coal vessels, has further contracted with the railway to load the coal on the cars.
Beacon
June 1/1893
M.. McMonagle is boring for a well near the railroad wharf, with which to supply water for his hoisting engine.
Beacon
March 29, 1894
CPR coal business
Supt. Timmerman talks with the Beacon
Coal will be Landed here
The CPR people have given the contract to supply that road with 70,000 tons of coal this year to the Joggins Mines company. The coal is all to be landed here, but t is not generally known what means will be adopted to bring it to Saint John. The Cumberland Coal Company have been bringing the coal here in their barges. The Joggins company have none. It is said that the Joggins coal will be given to the CPR cheaper than the Springhill produce, which costs about $3,50 per ton, hauled to Saint John. It is said that after the Cumberland company barge have brought 8,000 more tons of coal here, the contract between the Cumberland company and the CPR will expire—SJ Telegraph
In order to ascertain how much of truth there was in the above paragraph, the Beacon sought an interview with Mr. H. P. Timmerman, Superintendent of the Atlantic Division, at Saint John on Saturday. Mr. Timmerman very courteously outline the CPR plans for the approaching season, so far as the coal business is concerned. He stated that he annual consumption of coal on this division of the CPR was about 70,000 tons, or in the neighborhood of 6,000 tons per month. This year Joggins company have received the contract for supplying the road. Instead of all the coal being landed at Saint John , as the Telegraph says, one half will be forwarded to St. Andrews. Mr. Timmerman says that he finds it pays to divide the coal supply between the two places. T he coal will probably be shipped in schooners, the Joggins Company having no barges.
While the CPR has nothing to complain about in the way Mr. McMonagle handles the coal at the wharf at SA, Mr. Timmerman says that disappointing result have followed from storing the coal here. He says that the railway people would like to give employment to the laborers here, but they don’t seem to want work, and now the road has been forced to bring in men from outside to assist in taking the coal from the dump. So unsatisfactory is this condition of affairs that no coal will be dumped here in future, but it will be carried through by cars as fast as they can furnish them.
Beacon
April 5/1894
The phosphate schooner Elwood Burton, from Boston, discharged 4,000 barrels here in less than 17 hours. McMonagle’s steam hoisting engine was used. It is to be doubted if in a larger port she would have received any more prompt despatch.
Beacon
Aug 9/1894
The coal business is booming just now, and the coal wharf cannot accommodate all the vessel that are in need of berths. Mr. McMonagle, who has the contract for discharging the vessels, has added a windmill pump to his plant.
Beacon
May 30/1895
M. McMonagle constructing a windmill for use at Kennedy’s hotel. The proprietor of Kennedy’s hotel is about to place a large water tank in the upper story of his hotel, to be filled with windmill power. this tank will be at once an additional protection against fire and a convenience to the guests of the house.
Beacon
Dec 5/1895
McMonagle’s hoisting engine discharged 210 barrels from the schooner Annie Laura in one hour yesterday.
Beacon
Sept 24/1896
Was it Murder?
Michael McMonagle Meets Death in St. Croix River
Indians Say he was drowned while trying to rescue one of them—others declare Indians murdered him for his money—Indians Arrested
It was a sad day in St. Andrews on Thursday when news reached town that Michael McMonagle, foundryman, had been drowned the night before from a canoe in the St. Croix. The story of the tragedy, as told to the Beacon by Lola, one of the Indians who was in the ill-fated canoe, is as follows:
During Wednesday afternoon, the deceased visited the Indian camps and persuaded three of the Indians to start for Eastport with him. The names of the three were Lola, the celebrated Indian runner, John Stevens and Wallace Nicholas, all strapping young men. They set sail about 4 o’clock and ran across to the American shore without any mishap. They then took to the paddles, Stevens paddling in the bow and Nicholas in the stern of the canoe. Off Frost Cove, and about three hundred yards from the shore, Nicholas split his paddle and plunged headlong overboard. As he came up alongside, McMonagle seized him by the breast of his shirt, and against the protests of the others, attempted to drag him in to the craft. The usual result followed—the canoe upset—and all four men were struggling in the water. It was now dusk, so that the accident was not visible from the shore. Stevens, one of the Indians, says that he dove twice after McMonagle and brought him to the surface and urged him to hold on to the canoe until help would come from the shore. When he went down a third time, the Indian made another dive, going down fifteen feet or more. he could see nothing of his companion, and when he returned to the surface he was himself almost exhausted. The Indians had been in the water but a short time when a boat from the shore, manned by two men named Pottle and another named Robson, put off to the rescue. They took them and their canoe ashore, but nothing could be seen of poor McMonagle—who thus lost his life while engaged in the noble task of endeavouring to rescue a fellow-being. The deceased was a young man of about forty years of age, and was unmarried. For about ten years he has been proprietor of the St. Andrews stove foundry. He was a very useful man in his business, just in all his dealings, an had many estimable traits in his character. His aged mother, his two sisters and brother have the entire sympathy of the community in their terrible bereavement. The deceased was a member of the St. Andrews Foresters courts.
Arrested in suspicion of murder.
In consequence of reports while came from the neighborhood of the crowning accident to the effect that the men in the canoe had been seen quarrelling just before the craft was capsized and that one of them had struck another occupant of the canoe with his paddle, Attorney-General Mitchell wired an order to Sheriff Stuart on Friday to have the three Indians arrested on suspicion of murder, pending an investigation. When the telegram came the Indians were being examined by a commission from the Forester body in which order the deceased half a policy of insurance for $1000. the told the Foresters practically the same story as told to the Beacon the day previous.
Deputy Sheriff Chase made the arrest about six o’clock Friday afternoon. The Indians were a little surprised but showed no evidence of fear. A report that John Stevens had struck Wallace Nicholas on the arm with his paddle and knocked him overboard led to Sheriff Stuart sending for Dr. Wade to make an examination of the Indian’s arm. He found one of the arms a little swollen, but this welling, the Indian declared, was caused by his falling upon the beach. A St. Stephen despatch to the Telegraph on Friday said:--“the report of the drowning of Mr. McMonagle near Gleason’s Point, Maine, proves to be a murder case. Mr. McMonagle had some $80 in his pocket. The Indians who were taking him across from St. Andrews to Pleasant Point knew this and demanded it. The were refused and one of them struck McMonagle over the head several times and threw him overboard, striking him again and sinking him. This was listened to by three Calais men who were drifting nearby in the yacht Ferry Point. These men were /Thomas Mahar,, Freeman Cox and Dennis Harrington, who claim it made their blood run cold to hear the cries for mercy.” There are few in St. Andrews who give an credence to this story. In the first place no person knows how much money Mr. McMonagle had on his person. None of his family knows, and his business associate is alike ignorant on the point. Secondly, the men who have circulated the story do not bear the very best reputation themselves. Harrington will be remembered as a individual who spent six months in St. Andrews Jail for perjury. Mahar bears an unenviable notoriety in connection with Scott Act matters. Cox’s reputation is not of the best either. Any story that such men tell must be accepted with a very large grain of salt. When the Indians were asked if they had seen anything of this Calais sloop they said that they had seen one half a mile away, but it was utterly impossible for its occupants to have heard anything from the canoe.
Indians taken to Calais
On Monday morning, Sheriff Foster, accompanied by Attorney McKusick, came drown from Calais to take over the three Indians. they had not taken the precaution to arm themselves with a warrant or some other authority so that the Jailer did not feel justified in letting the prisoners out of his keeping until a telegraphic permit had been received from the Attorney-General. In conversation with the Beacon, Sheriff Foster stated that the chief testimony against the Indians came from Mahar, Cox and Harrington, and as the reputation is shady not very much credence is placed in it. the Sheriff says that a great many reports are in circulation, and it will be difficult to arrive at the true facts until an investigation is held. Another Indian named Sebattis Tomah, who is supposed to have been in ? with the St. Andrews Indians, was arrested on Friday at Peter Dana’s point, but Sheriff Foster thinks from the statements he had received since his arrest that the Indian will be able to disprove any connection with the case. the three Indians from St. Andrews went up river in the Standish on Monday afternoon. So eager were they to go that, fearing they would miss the boat, they ran away from the constable who was accompanying them, reaching the steamer nearly one hundred yards ahead of them. The Indians have been committed for trial, though the evidence against them is of a very flimsy character. Every effort has been made to find the body of deceased but in vain.
Beacon
October 1/1896
Body Not yet Found.
Lola and His Companions Awaiting Trial in Machias Jail
Though every effort has been made to bring to the surface the body of poor Michael McMonagle, the river waters have so far refused to give up their dead. The Indians Lola, Nicholas, and Stevens, who are held on suspicion of having foully dealt with the unfortunate man, are now locked up in Machias Jail, awaiting their trial, which will come off this month. The evidence of the witnesses at the preliminary investigation was very conflicting. The chief witnesses against the Indians were Freeman Cox and Dennis Harrington, two Calais toughs. The swore they saw the canoe containing the Indians and McMonagle off Lewis’s Cove, and heard them arguing. Fog coming up they did not see the canoe again until about seven o’clock, when they saw that McMonagle and an Indian were disputing. McMonagle told the Indians to land him at St. Andrews or it would be worse for him. The Indian threatened to kill McMonagle, and after hot words on both sides repeatedly struck him with a paddle, in spite of his appeals for mercy. McMonagle in an unconscious condition, was thrown overboard but, revived by the water, loudly shouted for assistance. He was again struck by the Indian and soon afterwards sank. This yearn was not swallowed very readily by the court, more particularly as it was shown that there was no fog that night and also that Cox and Harrington had been drinking quite heavily during that day. the story told by the witnessed from Perry was exactly the reverse. they saw the canoe containing the Indians and McMonagle upset by the breaking of the paddle. they put off in a boat and when the reached the spot were informed that McMonagle had sunk, the Indians expressing deep regret at his death. After consuming the entire day, Judge Rounds and R. J. McGarrigle, counsel for the Indians, waived further examination, and they were sent up for trial. The Indians are in excellent spirits and their friends are confident that t the trial their innocence will be clearly brought out. The Department of Indian Affairs has offered to place counsel at their disposal.
Beacon
Oct 8/1896
The Dead Rises. Body of Michael McMonagle washes ashore on Maine Beach. details.
Autopsy Discloses No Evidence of Foul Play—Money Found Intact in his Pocket. Body Badly decomposed. Brought to St. Andrews for Burial.
On Monday, nineteen days had elapsed since the fateful day when Michael McMonagle, foundryman, of SA, lost his life in the St. Croix river. His friends had despaired of ever recovering his body, but on Monday night their despair gave place to other feelings when a telegram signed by Gove and Sons, of Perry, Maine, arrived, containing the information that a body answering the description of the deceased had been washed ashore on the Maine shore of the St. Croix a short distance from where their accident is supposed to have occurred. Bright and early on Tuesday morning a number of friends of the lat Mr. McMonagle set sail in a large sloop for Perry, expecting to be able to identify and bring back the body the same day. Amongst those who went over were Henry Quinn, George Langmaid, Wheeler Mallock, Thomas Rooney, Thomas Howe, Her. Ross, Charles Judge and William Shaw. A Beacon representative accompanied them.
On visiting Frost, Cove, it was learned that the body had been discovered about 4 o’clock Monday afternoon by a son of Jason A. Robson, who was down on the beach hauling rockweed, The promptly circulated the news of the discovery and willing hands soon lifted the body up to a safe place on the beach. Acting under advice of the authorities, the body just as it was found was placed upon a wagon and conveyed to Perry, Maine, where it was placed in the hearse house, under the care of Mr. J. F Gove, one of the select-men of the parish.
The St. Andrews men turned their boat’s head toward Perry, reaching it about 11 o’clock. They found the body still immured in the hearse house, awaiting the result of an autopsy that Dr. Horace Johan, of Eastport, and Dr. Holland, of Calais, had been ordered to make. It was nearly noon when physicians entered up their task. Before beginning, the St. Andrews friends of the deceased were permitted to view the body. Though every vestige of flesh had been stripped off the head, they had not the slightest difficulty in identifying the body by the clothing that was upon it.
After the body had thus been viewed the doors were closed and the autopsy was begun, the Beacon representative being the only person permitted to be present with the physicians. the body was clothed in dark blue serge pants and vest, a pair of no. 7 brown canvas shoes, a light cotton shirt with a small figured spot in it, and the usual under clothing. A careful examination was made of the clothing. the best was almost completely deprived of its button, having evidently been worn away by the action of the gravel on the beach. the pocket of the vest were empty. It was stated by some of his friend that the usually carried a wallet in an inside pocket of his vest, but there was non inside pocket in the best he had on. In the right hand pants pocket a $10 Bank of Nova Scotia Bill and a $10 US silver certificate were found, also a 5 cent Canadian piece, and some fragments of paper, which upon being pieced together, turned out to be receipt given b y T. R. Wren to Michael McMonagle for $2.72 Forester dues for June and July. In the left hand pocket there was s copper cent and in the hip pocket a large white handkerchief, and a fragment of a second handkerchief, with a broad red striped border upon it. A pearl collar button was found in his shirt and a pearl cuff button similar in design in the cuff of one of his shirt sleeves. An examination of the body itself showed that the exposed parts were in pretty had shape, while that part of the trunk that was covered with clothing was fairly well preserved. A most critical examination was made of the skull externally and internal and not the slightest evidence was discoverable of any violence prior to death. On this point both physician were very positive. An external and internal examination of the body made also made and there was no evidence found of any would or puncture or violence upon it or of any condition that would lead to the belief that the man had come to his death by any other means than by drowning. At the close of the autopsy, the medical examiner swathed the body in cotton and the door of the death chamber was closed, pending the arrival of Sheriff Foster, who wired to Perry that he was on his way thither from Machias, where court for the trial of the alleged Indian murderers was being held. It was nearly five o’clock Tuesday afternoon when the Sheriff reached the scene. He decided to hand over the body to eh deceased friends, and Henry Quinn accompanied him back to Machias to give evidence respecting it. About 9:30 Tuesday night, the boat containing the body, reached St. Andrews. The remains were taken in charge by a committee of the Forester county and conveyed to undertaker Rigby’s establishment, where they were coffined, after which they were taken to his late home. the funeral on Wednesday morning at ten o’clock, was held under the auspices of the Forester body. There was a large attendance of Foresters in regalia and a large concourse of friends. the Forester burial service was repeated at the grave.
beacon
Oct 15/1896
The McMonagle Case. The three Indians dismissed for lack of evidence.
The three Indians, Lola, Stevens and Nicholas, who were with Michael McMonagle when he met his fate in the St. Croix river several week ago, and who were arrested by the Maine authorities on a charge of murder in that connection, were put upon trial at Machias, Maine, last week, but the evidence against them was not sufficiently strong to support the charge and on Thursday they were dismissed by Judge Strout. Lola is at present at Pleasant Point very ill.
Beacon
June 17/1897
The scrap iron which has been accumulating around the St. Andrews foundry from time immemorial, is being shipped to Saint John. it is said that the administrators of the estate of the late M. McMonagle will close up the foundry.
Beacon
Oct 14/1897
Lola Again a Prisoner
This time He is Charged with Assaulting a Yong Indian Woman
Lola, the Indian who was in the canoe with the late Michael McMonagle, of St. Andrews, when the latter met his fate about a year ago, and who was supposed by many to have been instrumental in his death, has evidently forgotten the temperance lesson which that regrettable incident taught him.
After getting clear of the courts in the McMonagle matter, Lola never returned to St. Andrews, but took up his home at Pleasant Point, Maine, where he has since remained.
Little has been heard here of his doings since then, but, it would seem from the accompany despatch that he has not been living the life that a good Indian should:--
Eastport, Oct 6—Numerous Indians from Pleasant Point village, Perry, were here all day Tuesday. Lola, T. Lola, their recently appointed deputy sheriff, had been arrested early in the day b Indian Policeman Joe D. Socabasion, for assaulting the young wife of Governor Joe L. Dana at her home Friday evening, during the temporary absence of her husband.
Mrs. Dana was much frightened at the sheriff, who entered her house, intoxicated, and not until the next day did she tell of the intrusion. The officer at the Point was notified and a warrant was secured for the arrest of Lola. He fled to this city and was not located by Socabasion, until Tuesday, when he was locked up. He was arraigned late at police headquarters before Trial Justice J. H. McFaul. Lola pleaded guilt to the assault and was fined $10 and costs, which he paid.
Lola is known as the swiftest Long distance runner in eastern Maine and is a fairly well educated young man, with wife and children living at the village.
St. Croix Courier
March 12, 1942
Shiretown Items
Some Local History
When a reader writes a long letter—twenty closely written pages of ordinary sized “notepaper—and begins it “Just as soon as the Courier comes I turn to the Shiretown Items”, when he states that he is old enough to clearly remember the Saxby Gale (1869), when he tells of many interesting personal experiences during his boyhood and youth spent here; and when he says that although he has covered a lot of ground since leaving St. Andrews he has never found a place that he liked as well as the old home town, it seems that his letter should have public recognition. The wrier was W. F. McStay, now living in Moncton. I have never known nor met this old friend of St. Andrews as he left here before I came in 1889, but if he ever visits here I hope he will look me up. He says he had a letter recently from William Brown, another native son probably remembered by the older folks before my time. Mr. Brown’s father was Collector of Customs here and Thomas Stinson whom we younger fellows can well remember as a customs officer began work with him. Mr. McStay was living at the corner of Princess Royal and Carleton streets at the time of the big gale. He says every shade tree in town was uprooted and flattened to the ground. He was much interested in the picture of Fort Tipperary, appearing recently in the Courier, and remembers the band that used to practise there. He says there were 400 soldiers stationed there at one time and his grandfather Dr. McStay was the army doctor. He as a vivid recollection of wonderful coasting on Kirk Hill, of wharves lined with ships, loading or unloading; of sham fights the solders used to have; of marching to the cemetery and back on a soft day in winter with a new pair of shoes which were ruined. He remembers Harold Stickney’s father, who also just have been musician as the writers claims he could swear by note. The old armoury, destroyed by fire, had a wonderful bell. It could be heard, in St. Stephen when the wind was blowing upriver. After the fire the bell was melted down and everybody in town had a ring made from it, cast by Mike McMonagle at his foundry. (I wonder if anybody in town has one of those old rings!) Mr. McStay speaks of Jim Handy, organizer of fox hunts on Minister’s Island; of the launching of the Annie P. Odell; of single scull races between Bob Brown and Harry Jones in their fifty-foot racing shells. Mr. McStay worked in the machine shop here and recalls the names of some more of the old wood-burner locomotives, the “Shamrock,” the “thistle,” the “Rose” and the “Manners Sutton.” He remembers the old river boats including the Belle Brown. When the weather was thick Eber Polleys was engaged to stand on the wharf and blow bugle-calls in answer to the steamer’s whistle so she could find her way in. . . . Mr. McStay tells of an interesting local incident connected with the so-called “Trent Affair,” of 1861 as told to him by his father who was an eyewitness. The people of St. Andrews had known nothing of this affair which nearly caused war between United States and Great Britain and were much surprised when a British troop ship steamed in to the harbour. Several hundred soldiers were put ashore and formed on at Gove’s hall near the depot headed by a military band. They marched to the head of the town, then down again with fixed bayonets, the band playing and the soldiers singing, “We’ll grease our bayonets on the Rebels ‘way down in Dixie.” Then they boarded the train with the local inhabitants none the wiser,; but after a few days they were back again, boarded their ship and sailed away never to return. The Trent affair, thanks to wise heads, had been settled amicably.
St. Croix Courier
March 4/1943
A piece by J. F. W., author of Shiretown Items.
The above photograph of a bit of waterfront in St. Andrews was taken by the late W. D. MacKay about 1890, of which a copy was made by Archie Shirley to serve the present purpose. Many the happy hour I have spent playing around those two old schooners. Having come from inland I was of necessity always obliged to serve before the mast as a greenhorn. More experienced boys my own age or younger composed the officers. Frank Guerney always wanted to be captain. A tough captain he was, ordering us aloft in all kinds of weather. Leo Armstrong was usually the cook, and his unvaried menu of raw clams at times becoming monotonous, we were forced to forced to supplement it with soda crackers filched from our mothers’ pantries. In our imaginations we sailed the distant seas to far-off unknown lands.
The two schooners in the picture, which no doubt had been built many years before, in the shipyards of St. Andrews and given long and faithful service, in the time of which I write all lay high and dry on the beach in their last days in peace and repose. The one on the right is the Crandall, H. P. Crandall I think; and the other is the Mary Ellen. On the extreme left is the home of Mr. Starkey, ship carpenter, . . . schooner yacht Crusoe which he was then building. The square partly finished house on the left in the background was being built by Theodore Holmes. The small house in the center foreground was occupied by James Ross and family. Behind it to the left is the stove foundry, then operated by Michael McMonagle, called Mike Mulligan.
Behind Ross’s to the right is the home of Bat Donaghue, then conductor on the railway. And the large house further back was the home of Patsy Sheehan. I have forgotten who lived in the house showing just over the stern of the Crandall, unless it was Thomas Pendlebury, the present occupant, who has been there for a long time.
Also I notice the railway running up the waterfront, which was “the extension.” The wharf in the center was later extended by B. F. DeWolfe and is now known as the upper CPR wharf, and has rails running out to its end. Where the Crandall rests is now occupied by a thriving industry.
St. Croix Courier
Feb 10/1944
Shiretown Items
Gymnasiums Past and Present
A discussion at Kiwanis last week in regard to the re-opening of the gymnasium owned, and formerl operated by the Boy Scouts association, just naturally set my mind travelling far down the avenues of the past. The first gym I can recall was located in the hall over “Mulligan’s” foundry. I don’t remember much about it, being too young at the time to be admitted to membership. But two older fellows, Eddie Coakley and Ned McGrath, to whom for some time I had been offering a sort of her-worship owing to their kindness to a msall boy, di doccasionally invite me in to watch the proceedings. Tehre was one fellow in the club who was as strong as an ox but just as clumsy, and evidently during his boyhood training the first part of the injunction “Mens sana in corpore sano” had been woefully neglected. In a word he was a wee bit simple. The rest of the boys, or young men as they were, took ivery advantage of this fact and had plenty of fun with him. When he made a lift, from one hundred nd fifty to two hundred pounds would be added to the recorded weight. When he tried the running broad jump, the tape measur ealways showed that he was about two feet ahead of anyone else. Even the scales in some mysterious manner added about 75 lbs. to his weight. And he swallowed it all. Encourage by the others he soon, in his own opinion, became the boxing champion of the club. He had a blow, his own invention, which he called the “pivot.” He would swing clumsily all th way around on one heel, arms extended at the sides like human semaphores. His opponent, having plenty of time, would step in so that the back of the big right paw as it came around would strike him on the shoulder. He would then fall to the floor—down for the count—and his seconds would work over him with wet sponges, smelling salts and apparently as a last resort a mouthful of hard liquor in an effort to revive him. It usually requird the second and sometimes the third mojthful before the defeated gladiator opened his eyes. As a climax to these sparring fiascos a time bomb in the shape of a bag of flour, and one of the boys impersonating the clock, was arranged at the endge of a trap-door in the ceiling. This bout was to definitely decide the club championship. The ring was marked off with chalk dirctly beneath the trap-door. If I remember rightly “Gull” Bolger was opposing the pseudo-champion on this occasion. The participants were stripped to the waist and weighted in with gret ceremony and solumnity. It was found tha the claimant to the title was two onces overweight, but “Gull” waived all lsuch minor technicalities and the bout was started. After five or six rounds with indierent results, even the famous “pivot” having failed to produce the usal knockout, the man of ox-like qualities took on a worried look and his torseo was glistenign with sweat. He was then manoeuvred directly under the trap, the signal was given and down came the floru! The unfortunte simp was nearly smothered and needless to say never boxed again. I never did know who dumped the flour on that never-to-be-forgotten occasion. I wonder if he is still in the land of the living1 What a joy it would be to get a letter from him.
St. Croix Courier
March 27/1952
News Notes: covered rinks: First one in St. Andrews thought to be “in an old building behind McMonagle’s foundry, which occupied the site of the present Seaside Inn tennis courts. That rink operated in the years 1903 and 1904.” Source F. L. Mallory