Item

St. Croix Courier
April 8/1943
Shiretown Items
Memories
A letter writen on the stationery of the Gardner-Templeton Street Railway Co., and dated at East Templeton, Mass., shows in the letter-head the name of Louis Starkey as Treasurer and General Supt. Here is another St. Andrews boy who has made good. Louis was so much younger than myself that I had really forgotten himalthoug I remember his father, his three brothers and his sister Natalie quite well. By the time he was growing up I had finished school and left St. Andrews for several years. I am sure Louis’ letter will be of interest to others and is given in full herewith.
            “To the author of Shiretown Items:
Dear Sir:
It was with a gret deal of pleasure that I read the Saint Croix Courier of March 4th, and March 11th, especially the part telling about the St. Andrews of 40 years or more ago. The photograph of the water front brought back memories of mhy childhood, as the Mary Ellen and the Crandall were both there within my memory, although the Mary Ellen was farther down the beach. The Crusoe was completed and I enjoyed very much sailing with my father when he took out fishing and sailing parties. The two Starkey boys mentioned were my older brothers both of whom died when nineteen years of age, and before I left St. Andrews after the death of my father in 1901. My brother, Justin, sent me the papers. I believe he subscribes to it. Sincerely yours, Louis Starkey.”

Old Ships
Following is a list of old ship’s authentic records of which are still in existence, most of them having been built at Chamcook and St. Andrews.
Princess Victoria, ship, 561 tons. Built at St. Andrews, 1832, by J. Townshend.
Wilson, ship, 565 tons. Built at Chamcook, 1837, by J. R. Townshend. Sold Grenock.
Coronet, ship, 870 tons. Built at Chamcook by John Wilson, 1839. Sold Dublin, 1847.
Provincialist, ship, 880 tons. Built 1839 at Chamcook by Ed. Wilson.
John Moore, ship, 730 tons. Built at Chamcook 1841. Sold Liverpool, 1842.
William Bayard, ship, 802 tons. Built 1844 at Chamcook by John Wilson.
Alice Wilson, ship, 990 tons. Built 1847 at Chamcook, by John Wilson. Sold Liverpool.
Strang, bark, 418 tons. Built 1848 at St. Andrews, by J. and R. Townshend. Townshends and Steven Jarvis owners.
Silecia, bark, 844 tons. Built at St. Andrews, 1848, by J. Wilson. Owners Joseph and Edward Wilson
Cornelia, ship, 703 tons. Built at St. Andrews 1849, by J. and R. Townshend. Owners Robert Rankine and Townshends.
Isabella Stuart, ship, 643 tons. Built  1845 at Brandy Cove, by J. and R. Townshend.
Rienzl, ship, 912 tons. Built at St. Andrews, 1854, by J. and R. Townshend. Owner Robert Rankine, Dublin. Hail, Dublin 1868.
Lady of the lake, bark, 458 tons. Built at Chamcook by Townshends, 1840 Sailed many years between St. Andrews and Great Britain with Thomas Smith, Master.
Loodianah, ship, 915 tons. Built 1846 at St. Andrews by E. and J. Wilson, also owners.
Black Swan, ship, 896 tons. Built 1855, at St. Andrews by John Wilson (his last ship).
Anaconda, bark, 169 tons, Built 1856 at Chamcook. Thomas B. Wilson, owner.
Lammergier, ship, 703 tons. Built 1857 at St. Andrews by Bradford. Thomas Wilson owner.
Eldorado, ship, 977 tons. Built 1846 at St. George, by William Townshend and John Billings. Owned by Daniel Gilmore. Lloyds agent stated the Eldorado was one of the best colonial ships he had ever inspected (record in old time-book).
Virginia, brig, 193 tons. Built at St. Andrews 1856, by William Townshend. Hector MacKenzie owner.
Robert Ross, schooner, 128 tons. Built 1873 at St. Andrews by Townshends (their last ship).
Nell Gwyn, ship, 938 tons. Launched Nov. 27th, 1856. Owner Ed. Wilson.
Nellie Townshend, bark, 399 tons. Built at Chamcook. Launched Aug. 18th, 1864. Owner James W. Street.
Lady Milton, 903 tons. Built at St. Andrews 1856 by William Townshend and Charles short. Owners Ed. Wilson, St. Andrew and Joseph Wilson, Liverpool. Sold to Henry Barton, Liverpool, Feb. 1857.
Chimaera, brig, 205 tons. Built at Chamcook, 1859, by William Townshend. Owner Jas. W. Street.
Black Duck, 253 tons. Built 1856. Owner Robert Townshend, sold to George W. Houghton, Liverpool.

The Black Swan
There is a story connected with one of the ships in the foregoing list, the “Black Swan,” which may be worth telling. This shi was built at a yard near the foot of Edward Street, the yard being on the plot of ground now used as a vegatable and flower garden by Miss Leora Stinson. When the Black Swan was on the stock an old woman who used to come to gatehr chips made such anuisance of herself that she at last was orderd to stay way. Before leaving she put a curse on the place, the mena nd the ship in no uncertain terms. She declared that this ship would never be launced. She was launched, however, but with the greatest of difficulty, becoming stuck on the ways and requriing considerabl time, patience and ingenuity to get her in the water. The story goes that il luck followed the Black Swan ever after. Tehre are no records howeer to berar this out, but the records do show tha tshe was old in Liverpool for 600 pound ssterling Capt. Smith, grandfatehr of William Carson of St. Andrews, was her first master.

McConvey Home Razed
One of the old landmarks of the town, the McConvey house, upon which many days of labour had been spent in the building was laid low and disappreard  in two hours; and not by fire, but by a wrecking crew under the directio fo Henry McQuoid. The lot and old building had been recently purchased by Mrs. J. E. Winans, of Merchantville, N.J., who, with her husband, spend the summers here wit her mother mrs. John Stickney. A verandah is to be bilt on the southwest side fo the Stickney home and the removal of this old building will fgive a clar view of the harbour. As far back as anyone living can rember, this house belonged to th eMcConveys. Older folks can remember Bob McConvey, blacksmith,a nd grandfatehr of the recent owner, Margaret Mcconvey. A few of the oldest residents can remember Bob’s parents who lived her with him. After the death by drowning in 1881 of Andrws Craig, his widow, a sister of Mrs. McConvey, and her four small children moved into the house, an addition having been built to accommodaqte them. . . . But the most interesting fact in regard to this old house is that it was originally built at Castine, Maine, and was brought here ona crow sometime after the Americna revolution, probably about 1785. As far as I can learn, there now remain ony two of the several houses brought here at that time from Maine, the old O’Neill house towards the lower part of the town [Garnett house?] on Water Street and the house owned and occupied by Harry Boone.

Reported “Missing”
Another St. Andrews boy is gone, word having been received by mr. and Mrs. Henry McQuoid that their son, Raymond is missing. Raymond was with air forces in England and has taken part in many raid over enemy occupied countries in Europe. He narrowly escaped being lost in the raid on Dieppe, getting gback to his base slightly wounded and with his machien badly shatterd. Raymond was a very popular boy here with both young and old, and was one fo the most brilliant players on the Senator hockey team. He has done excellent work in the service and was once mentioned in dispatches. If there was any possible means of getting out of this mess alive, Raymond could be depended upon to do it. At  anyrate, every person in the community will continue to hope for the best until more definite word is received.

St. Croix Courier
May 20, 1943
Shiretown Items
Potent Stuff!
A ratehr startling incident occurred in our kichen a few das ago. An unbreakable glass which had been washed and set on the sinkboard to drain suddenly exploded with the noise of a large fire-creacker. The remais, after the explosion, lost all appearance of glass and resembled coase snow. My scientific friend explains the matter by stating that some disturbing factor in the life of the glass, possibly constant washing in hot water, had suddenly reached the point wher ecrystallization took place—that is, the glass returned to its origianl form. I was spekaing of the incident to a group of men, among which was a man (you know the type) who, no matter how good a story you tell can always go you one better. He said that during prohibition days he was invited to a friends’ hous to sample some home brew. The friend poured out about four fingers of a ratehr clody liquid in a water glas and passed it to him. He took a sniff and remarked that it smelled goo. After the customary “here’s good health,” he started to bend his elbow. But before the cup of cheer, or death, had reached his lips it flew into a thousand pieces with a violent explosion, most of  the liquor  going on his wite vest, which he was affectign at tht etime. His feelings at first were of alarm, but soon of unconscionable relief when he thought of what that stuff would have done to his stomach when it could shatter a thick water glass. He expected that his nice vest would be burned full of holes but after a little soap and water it was as good as new. You see there was no cause for alarm. Just another case of sudden crystallization—glass returned to its original form.

St. Croix Courier
June 17/1943
Shiretown Items
The Red Cross Dance held at the Algonquin Casino was a great success both socially and financially.  [so Casino was opened for selected events between 1942 and 45].  After expenses amounting to over 40.00 were paid 180.00 was left which will prove a welcome addition to the Red Cross treasury, as the funds were getting low.  Music was provided by a five-piece orchestra from R. A. F. Pennfield and the Casino was also secured at a very reasonable cost.

St. Croix Courier
June 24/1943
Shiretown Items
40 or 50 years ago, when great numbers of young people from St. Stephen and Calais would come into St. Andrews every summer on the weekend steamboat excursions, they would frequently make us awefully cross by calling St. Andrews sleepy hollow.  Our usual reply that they being used to the rattle of streetcars, the smoke and grime of the factories, the smell of the mudflats, they were unable to appreciate the smell of the clean beaches, the salt sea air and the quiet restful charm of a seaside town.  The truth is that the two industries, the weir and tourist industries, which sustained St. Andrews for the past 50 years, are not of the kind to cause very much stir in the town.  Dozens of men who perhaps had made perhaps from 10 to 100 dollars before breakfast from their weir would be seen loafing about the streets in the middle of the day, thus giving a rather untrue impression to strangers.  At one time there were 80 sardine weirs in the Bay and most of them did well.  Though fewer in numbers, the weirs here have been doing well again in recent years.  One took in 77 hogsheads one morning last week.  At 16.50 a hogshead one divided three ways represents a pretty satisfactory day’s work.  Most of this money is spent here and we all get our share of it sooner or later.

St. Croix Courier
July 1/1943
This is not Funny
Some “Smarties” from the Pennfield Air Force are again at large in planes, diving through our door yards and skimming about the town below the tree tops. If this low flying is an essential part of their training, why don’t the stick to the wide open spaces ratehr thatn to terrify women and children about town with their antics. If they are just trying to show how smart they are they fail in their purpose as no oneknows who they are. A better way would be to write a piece to th epaper stating how clever they are and sign their names. The public would gladly take their word for it ratehr than ask for proof. If their object is to be funny they must have a rather depravd sense of humour. One day recently a plane which had been diving about town for half an hour was reported to have crashed near a weir must outside the harbour. A motor boat wa xommandeered, and rushed to render first aid, but no place was found. Men at the weir said it took a dive at them and then sailed out throuth Latete.

Shiretown Items
The Marina theatre is putting in new seats, upholstered and comfortable, with rows farther apart so that those with extra-long legs can sit comfortably in a natural position without wearing out the knees of their trousers on the seats immediately in front.
“Random Harvest” is the feature for this week.

St. Croix Courier
July 15, 1945
Shiretown Items
Edwin P. Mallory
We were indeed sorry to hear of the death in Montreal of Ed. Mallory, a boyhood friend and schoolmate. Ed. was to have retired this fall to enjoy a well-earned rest after manyyears spent in office work with the CNR. He left here as a young man to enlist in the boer War. He remained in South Africa for several years and met his wife there. Returning to Canada he secured employment with CNR and rose to a respectable position in the office fo the president, to which service he has givethe best years of his life. Trhoughotu his entire life he had no hobby other than his work, and the preoblem of how he would spend his time during his enforced leisure afer retiring, and to which he has given much thought during the past year or tow has been thus suddenly solved for him by a power which doeth all things well.

St. Croix Courier
Aug 19/1943
Shiretown Items
Business on north side of Water Street between King and William in 1880.  In the corner building where Cockburn’s drug store is now situated was a residence occupied by G. F. Campbell.  Next to the shop now occupied by Cottage Craft was the post office.  The public stood on the sidewalk to receive their mail from a small wicket about 8 by 10 inches.  Richard Keay was office clerk.  In the shop now unoccupied was Mrs. Ingraham’s Candy Shop.  Next, where the Wren’s Drug Store now does business was Whitlock’s Hardware Store run by John Polleys.   The next building, now Hewitt’s restaurant, was Eddie Saunders’ Fruit and Candy.  Next to that was Thomas Milligan’s Candy, Schoolbooks and Stationery.  In the next to Mrs. Collins, with ? furnishings and woollen goods was Ms. Hanson’s Cobbling Shop with a small stock of boots and shoes.  Stickney’s Jewellery and Watch Repair came next.  The store is still in the family, being at present under the management of Walter Stickney with a stock of Wedgwood.  The next shop, now Mr. Dougherty’s Restaurant, was occupied by another Mrs. Ingraham, with a Confectionary, Cakes and Pastry.  The next shop, now Earl McCaughey’s Law Office, which was occupied in 1890 by Cockburn’s Drug Store, was not listed.  The store on the corner, now the Maritime Electric Headquarters, was a grocery store run by Barnum Campbell.  The only business places above William Street at the present time are McDowell’s Variety store on the corner; Hazen McDowell Barber next, and further uptown on the next block, McQuoid’s Service Station and Taxi Stand.  At the time of which my correspondent writes there were thirteen grog shops in SA, where a schooner of beer could be had for nickel, a glass of hard liquor for a dime, and a square-face of Holland gin for 60 cents. Now liquor is sold under government control, and because of war-time restrictions we are limited to 12 pints of beer per week, one quart of hard liquor per month, and one quart of wine per week.

St. Croix Courier
Aug 26/1943
Shiretown Items
On Vocational Guidance
Donald Worrell, a former member of the club, was guest speaker at Kiwanis last week, giving an interesting and practical talk on Vocational Guidance. Don is now on the permanent staff of the Vocational School in Saint John. He has taken courses in Guidance and Counselling at Columbia and receivd his MA from that university last year. He believe that in time this important branch of education will be introduced into all the larger schools of the province, but fears that it will never accomplioshe the ends the public is being led to expect of it from reading well written magazine articles. . . .

Golf tournament for Red Cross
The Algonquin Golf Club held a tournament last week for the benefit of the Red Cross with receipts amounting to 40.00.  The trophy donated by the Canadian Golf Assoc was won by R. R. McLernon, with a net score of 68.  Dave Caughey and John O’Neill tied for second place at 69.

St. Croix Courier
Sept 9, 1943
Shiretown Items
It’s Still a Mystery
I know of quite a number of cases where a man who had been out on a racket had the misfortune to lose his artificial denture. Occassionally we read of someone losing his hat, though perhaps not under exactly similar circumstances. Butwhat I think is more unusual is for a man to arrive home minus his shoes! A young man here, who had one evening  been imbibing too freely, recently had that sad experience. On dressing next morning he first learned that his shoes were missing. They were not about the hosue so he slipped  on an old pair of rubbers, having no other shoes, and started up street to investigate a search. He remembered loitering in a  store doorway for a while during the night and called there to explain his misfortune to the clerk. The soliticious clerk had not seen the shoes but promised to make inquiries and render all possible assistance in their recovery. He did. Within an hour the young man received a half dozen telephone calls from person swho had learned of his loss and had found a pair of shoes. He rean bout town examining the collection of worn-out brogues which had been hunted up for the occasion and shown to him in great seriousness. But of course in time he becme suspicious and refused to answer any more calls. The shoes were finally found on the door-step of a maiden lady, whose character is beyond reproach and who has long since reached the age of discretion. How they got ther eis a mystery as the young man claims he never was near the place in his life. He sys the experience has been a lesson to him however and in the futurre he will never drink anything stronger than lemon extract.

St. Croix Courier
November 11, 1943
Shiretown Items
Fuel Supply
He coal supply in St. Andrews has pretty well kept up with demand and users of this kind of fuel have little to compalin of. But for those who depend chiefly on wood for heir warmth the situation couldnot be muchworse. Some families have no fuel except pieces of drift wood they gatehr from the beach or  afew armfuls from time to time that their good neighbors bring in from their own scent supply. The town Council has done everything possible in an attempt to ease the situation, but so far without mch results. They are willing to take any kind of wood from anybody who can supply it, and see that it is distributed to those in need, even if the town loses money in the transaction. No person in this community has ever suffered from cold or hunger. If they have not the bar necessiteis of life, nd no money to buy such, they are always suspplied in reasoanble quantities by the town. But this year money is of no value in the wood question. Wood simply can’t be bought at the price fixed by the W. P. T. B. Personally I have tried every place I could think of since las spring and all I have been able to get to date is one load of doty white birch nd one load of green softwood slabs! At the suggestion of a visitor I even went so far as to hold a stick of wood in my hand and wish on the New Moon, but alas! Without results. I wrote to a man who was said to have over one thousand cords of dry wood on hand. His reply was that he had the wood but the fuel controller had directed it all to St. Stephen and Milltown. To date none has been directed to St. Andrews. The wood now being cut by government employees should help some if they are able to delvier it this winter. Bu the sitation for next year doesn’t appear any brighter.

St. Croix Courier
Nov 18, 1943
Shiretown Items
Historic new Brunswick
I was much interested in reading “Historical Guide to New Brunswick” by Dr. J. C. Webster, which was sent to me by Major W. F. McStay of Moncton. It gives a couple of lines to St. Andrws in three places, mentioning thus briefly the building of the blockhouses here during the war of 1812, the start of N.B’s first railway, and the introduction of cottage craft. But in a sketch of the Loyalists of New Brunswick it makes no mention of St. andrews at all, which as far as I know is the only other town of the province outside of Saint John and Fredericton which was founded by the Loyalists. For many years St. Andrws rivalled Saint John in ship-building, in lubering nd in trade with the old country. Had the railway from here to Quebec been completed as planned, the metropolis of the province might now be at the mouth of the St. Croix river instead of the Saint John. It is a fact that just previous to the beginning of the World War in 1914 money had been voted by the parlaiment of Canada  to devleop the harbour at the mouth of the St. Croix. Reliable enginners and master mariners of world wide experience are all agreed that here is an ideal location for a world port. A natural landlocked harbour of sufficient size and depth tro accommodate the merchant marine of the world. A natural habour where without dredging miles of docks could be built to load and unload thelargest ships now afloat. No winter fogs, comparatiely free from ice in the severest seasons and offering the shortest rail haul from the west. But he acceptance or rejection of all government projets is determined by political expediency. Heads are counted and the community which can offer the most votes gets the plums.

St. Croix Courier
Dec 16, 1943
Shiretown Items
Absentee Reporting
It was with much regret that because of dietetic rules, I was obliged to turn down an invitation to the “Old-time Moose Hunters’ Banquet” held last Wednesday evening at the home of S. J. Anning. The main course consisted of roast venison with all the fixin’s, and no doub the aperitif would be a bowl of sparkling punch. . . . [Mr. Worrell died of a massive hemorrhage from his stomach ulcer]

St. Croix Courier
Jan 20/1944
Shiretown Items—Margot Redmond
Some news of Margot Redmond should be of interest to St. Andrews folks.  Margot has spent her summers here since she was a small child and now that her parents own a home in SA, where they spend the greater part of the year we feel justified in calling her a real St. Andrews girl.  As all of us ordinary hard working folks who have the pleasure of knowing her personally can testify, here is a girl whom wealth and luxury have not spoiled.  During recent years her chief joy has been to sail about the harbour, the river or the bay in her little boat, sometimes alone, but usually with a retired master mariner to serve as ballast or to offer occasional advice.  When her country’s call came she volunteered for service with a Canadian Medial Corps.  The night before sailing for England a rather mean-spirited burglar broke into her flat in Montreal and carried off practically everything she had planned to take with her.  She got a complete new outfit in London and set sail again.  Her ship was torpedoed in the Mediterranean and once more she lost everything, except the clothes in which she stood—her favorite slacks and tennis shoes.  Was rescued by an American ship, to board which it was necessary to climb a fifty foot rope ladder with a high sea running.  When the ship rolled the ladder with its occupant would swing out a dozen feet and come back with a thud.  “No place for a lady!” do you say?  No indeed, unless, as in this case the lady is an experienced sailor, a fine athlete and has plenty of physical courage.  Margot is not permitted to say where she is now but has given the following hints in a recent letter to her parent.  She is where they specialize, or did formerly, in multi-colored ice cream, and from her room she can look out over a bay, which next to Passamaquoddy, is the most beautiful stretch of water in the world.  Margot is in the pink, but naturally longs for home and the uneventful life in St. Andrews.  Her leisure moments, which are infrequent, owing to her multifarious duties, she devotes to the capture and destruction of fleas which are ever present in countless numbers in this once proud and beautiful city.  Cheerio, Margot and a safe return!

St. Croix Courier
January 27, 1944
Shiretown Items
One for the Old Folks
The meeting of the County Council here last week has recalled to my mnd the first time the xistence and importance of this august body politic was brough tto my notice. It was away back in the gay nineties. St. Andrws was not incorporated at that time and the town’s municipal afairs alogn with those of the parish were entirely in th ehands of two concillor electd annually. There was an agitation at the time for the intstallation of a system of waterworks for the town. Two candidates were moninated in support of the project and two in opposition, and just prior to th eelction a public meeting was held in Stevenson’s hall for the aspirants to air their views and to solicit the patronage of the rate payers. Unfortunately I c annot recall the names of three of the candidates (I remarked in a recent item that we remember only what interests us) but I do distinctly remember Nathan Blakeney, one of the opposition. Mr. Blakeney was a farmer on the outskirts of the town, being at that time the owner and proprietor of what is now known as “Clubrig,” the summer home of Senator Wilson. Now I cannot recall one word that Mr. Blakeney said at that meeting but the picture of his strong and imposing figure on the platform and his earnest and sincer emanner are still as clear as if the incident had happened last week. I do remmember that he opposed high taxes and denounced waterworks and every person connected therewith in no uncertain terms. Mr. Blakeney and his runing mate were elected and the question of waterworks was buried for anotehr thirty years. As a sort of a sequel to these stirring events a forty verse poem, words and music, was composed by a local artist, and rendered with appropriate dance steps at a concerd held during the next Christmas holiday season, by the versaeile and popular comedians of that period Joseph Handy and Charles Kennedy. I remember the tune quite wll but onl one verse with chorus, which proves again that we only remember what interests us. The verse that I recall refrs to the electio of Mr. Blakeney and the coming meeting of the County Council and I give it herewith along with the chorus. I hope that th ememories of the older folks, especially those who ar scattered far and wide, may be stirred by the recolletion of these perhaps trivial incidents of bygone days. Perhaps someone can furnish some more verses of the song. As far as I know it had no name but shall call it

Ool-e-i Ool-eay!
The Councillors will meet ssoon in the Shiretown
And Blakeney’ll be there a-wearing his crown;
He swore when elected early last fall,
That down’d come expenses taxes and all.

Ool-e-ay, ool-e-i, ool-e-i, ool-e-ay
With my skiddamarink, a humta a boomta re-ay;
Ool-e-ay, ool-e-i, ool-e-i, ool-e-ay,
The pride of the house is my mother’s babee!

Lady Bell Ringer
For the first time in the history of the town we have an official lady bell-ringer. But whether it is Elizabeth Mallory or Wilma Halliday is difficult to determine. Do they do it separately, jointly or severally? It seems a pretty heavy job for one slight female. The only other instance of one of the fair sex ringing the old town bell that I can recall is when Edna Clinch rang it for Oby Conley’s fire. Remember that Edna? Here are the present curcumstances. The bell-ringer Herb Greenlaw is taken sick. He notifies Frank Mallory, Town Clerk to engage a substiture as the old bell must ring out its message four times a day as usual. Norman Johnson, the Town Marshal, undertakes to do the ringing at 7 am and 1 pm, if Mr Mallory will look after 12 and 5 o’clock until a regular substiture can be engaged. Mr. Mallory, who is also County Secretary goets tied up at the Council meetings so his office girls, feeling tha the show must go on try ttheir hand at the bell rope! It all goes to show how much the old town bell means to us all and how ready the folks living in a small community are to step into the breach in tiems of trouble and carry on. Mr. Greenlaw has been taken to the hospital for a serious operatio and it is the hope of everyone that he may pull safely through, be completely restored to health and sooner or later be back once more on the job he has carried on so faithfully for many years.

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.

More of the Same
A few years later than the period of the foregoing item but still before the turn of the century the “Andraeleo Club” was organized for the Roman Catholic boys under the direction of the much beloved Father O’Flaherty. Strangers to St. Andrews frequently ask the meaning and origin of the name. I have it from one of the charter members that it was a coined word taken from the Greek andrae, meaning man, and the Latin leo, meaning lion. The implied object of the Andraeleo Club was to develop supermen, those having all the best attributes of both men and lions. Although the chief attraction was a well equipped gymnasium, considerable attention was also paid to the study of dramatics and the game of chess of which Father O’Flaherty was an acknowledge master in those days. Each year the club put on a show, sometimes a well-played drama, and sometimes a variety show with singing, dancing and exhibitions of gymnastics. The club developed some fine gymnasts among whom I remember John Bolger and Leo Howland who could both do the “flying cut-off” and the “giant-swing” on the horizontal bar, very difficult stunts. The tune and most of the words of an Irish song “I met my friend Patrick McKenna, one evening on Washington street,” introduced in one of those shows by Andrew Craig, can still be remembered by the old folks. After the Andraeleo club had been flourishing for a couple of years, but still in the nineties, the protestant boys organzied a club known as the Victorian Athletic Association with Rev. J. C. Berrie as the first president.
            This club prospered for several years and also developed some fine athletes. One of them, who does not wish his name mentioned, was good enough to win a gold medal when he later went to a large city. There were sixty competitors and eighteeen acrobatic and athletic events (three each night for six nights) and the medal, which this old fellow still treasures, bears, besides his own name and the name of the club, the inscription “All-around indoor athletic proficienty, first prize.” [is this Mr. Worrell himself?]
            But enough of the past. Le tus get to the present day problem. The Boy Scouts, thanks to the enterprise of former Scoutmaster Reve. William Ideson and the generosity of Miss Van Horne, have a fine scout hall and a commodious well-equiped gymnasium. Oowing to lack of finance sand a competent director the gym is now standing idle. The present Scoutmaster, Carl Medcof, feels that one evening a week for meetings and Saturday afternoons for hikes is all the time he can afford for this work. The Kiwanis expressed themselves as willing to assist in the financing, providing a capable young man could be found to accept the durties of assistant scoutmaster and look after the symnasium work for two or three nights in the week. Another difficulty may be to obtain rubber soled shoes which would be absolutely exxential before going on th efloor. It is understood that the sym would be open to all boys and girls of th etown but ony to be used under supervision. Let us hope that a solution may be found and hat our young folks may be provided with this healthful and pleasant recreation.

St. Croix Courier
Feb 17, 1944
Shiretown Items
Mutilation
A drive or walk out Reed Avenue just now is enough to make one’s heart ache. The trees along this beautiful approach to the town have been “trimmed” by the Light Co. But trimmed is not the work. “Mutiliated” seems even too mild a term. These trees were panted by the late Mrs. Hayter Reed, and have been nursed along all these years until they were things of beauty. No doub the Light company’s franchise gives them authority to trim the trees along thei right of way. But there seemed no need to cut ten feet of these beautiful shade trees when afoot or two each year would have suffice.d If the town council ahd been consulted before the work was done, surely some arrangments could have been made for placing those lines in a cable or at least to have trimmed the tres in a reasonable way. It has been well said that some people’s taste is all in their mouth.

St. Croix Courier
March 2, 1944
Shiretown Items
From the “Bay Pilot,” 1882
The erection of a goose pound on the Market Square was bad enough. What will the feeling now be when an attempt is made to turn our square over to the aborigines, for now in addition to the goose pound ther stands upon it the wigwam of the painted savage. What next?

St. Croix Courier
March 16, 1944
Shiretown Items
Saxby Gale
Carl Medcof, a member of the club, entertained the Kiwanis last week with an interesting talk on the Saxby Gale. Several other members also contributed some facts gathered from the old folks about town who can remember that big wind or 1869. The speaker quoted the original prediction of S. M. Saxby, Instructor of Engineers of the Royal Navy, which appeared in the London papers in November 1868. “I beg to sae with regard to 1869 at 7 am October 5th, the moon will be at the part of her orbit which is nearest th earth. Her attraction will therfore be at its maximum force. At noon of the same day the moon will be on the earth’s equator,  circumstance which never occurs without market disturbance and at 2 pm of the same day lines drawn from the earth’s centre would cut the sun and the moon in the same arc of right ascension. The moon’s attraction, and the sun’s attraction will therefore be acting in the same direction. In other words, the new moon will be on the earth’s equator when in perigee and nothing more threateing can, I can occur without miracle.” Further warming were given in Sept. 1869. Some wscoffed at the prediction as nonsense, but many others all over the world took the matter seriously and made suitable preparations. Ships at docks were more firmly secured and those moored in harbour put out extra anchors. In expectation of extremely high tides goods were removed from storehouses on wharves. But strange to say the Ba of Fundy region was the only part of the world to be honored by a disturbance of the elemens, and in this area boats, wharves, buildings, trees and humans got quite a shaking up. The roofs of many buildings were blown off and in some cases entire buildings were removed to a new resting place. Seeral vessels were capsized and many washed ashore and quite a numbe rof lives lost. Trees were flattened to the ground over considerable areas. Dyke lands were overflowed by the excessive tide, dykes destroyed and cattle lost. In Charlotte county and adjacent U.S. coast the gale was most severe. One hundred and twenty-one vessels were beached near St. Andrews, Calais, Machias and Eastport. Near Point Lepreau the barque Genii was wrecked and eleven lives lost, St. Andrws and St. George suffered to a great extent, houses were unroofed, completely demolished and streets blocked with debris of th gale. Af St. George the roof of the armoury was carried  distanc e of a hundred yards.  The spire of the Episcopal church at St. Stephen was blown over and the building badly wrecked. A church at Milltown was destroyed and the reailway bride blow into the falls. On Grand Manan, Deer Island and Campbello wind and tide caused much damage. On Campobello alone some eighty buildings composed of sheds, barns and fish houses were estroyed. The storm arrived on the evening of October 4th, coming from the south-east, and being apparently of tropical origin. In the New England states it took the form of a neavy rainfall there beign a total precipation of eight inches recorded in Ne Hampshire. Since the inception fo the forecast branch of the Canadian Meteorolicial Service, not one of these storm of tropicla origin has reached the Maritime Provinces without ample warning and display of storm signals. Had the present system of warning to mariners been in force, the gal of Oct 4th, 1869, would not have lef the rcord of loss of life and shipping enumerated. Take the instance of the barque Genii alone, with  a display of storm signals, which certainly would have been made well in advance of the gale, this vessel would undobutedly have remained in port and the appalling diaster averted.

St. Croix Courier
March 30/1944
Shiretown Items
Kiwanis Educational Work
(hisory of the Kiwanis in St. Andrews and its various good works)

Old Stuff
Readers of the Courier may recall a picture of the derelict schooner “mary Ellen” appearing in the paper a year or so ago. Here is a story which started with trip on that old schooner and eneed on te Klondike trail. The Mary ellen sailed from St. Andrews one day abut sixty years aago for Saint John [1884?] where she took on a coargo for New York. Capt. Clarke was master, Harry Maloney mate, and one member of the crew was Arthur Mowatt. While in Saint John the mate collected a lot of junk to take along to sel in New York for his own personal profit. When they reached New Yorkk, Mowatt and anotehr member of the crew wanted to go ashore but had no money. They appealed to the cpatain but “nothing doing” said he till the end of the tri home when they all would be paid off. But next day while the cpatian and mate wer at dinner a small boat manned by a couple of Jews pulled alongside and inquired if they had any junk to sell. Mowatt and his companion thought this was their chance for a ticket ashore. While his companion passed down the junk Mowatt balanced a large piece of pig-iron on the rail threating to sink the Jews if they did not pay. At length the stuff was all aborad and the dickering began. The Jews offered $10 and the men wanted $20. As the time was limited and the mate likely to appear at any minute they were obliged to comprmose at $15. Just how the money was spent was not mentioned by the narrator. Many years later, Mowatt, who had gone west shortly afer this trip on the Mary ellen, was returning from the Klondike pretty well heeled and came upon a man resting by the side of the trail who looked to be down and out. On making inquiries he learned that the man had no food and no money and was abut all’in. Mowatt gave him some food and as he watched him eat he thought the man’s face looked familiar. He asked him his name and the chap in distress said he was Harry Maloney from St. Andrews, New Brunswick. “Well, well,” said Mowatt, “I owe you $20.” “And who might you be?” asked Maloney. “Nobody owes me any money.” “My name is Arthur Mowatt,” was the reply. “Don’t you remember that junk tha tdisappeared off the Mary Ellen in New York? I sold it and blew in the money.” Harry recalled the mystery of the junk and was glad to accept the $20 which took him to Vancovuer from which poin the in time worked his way home a sadder, poorer but wiser man, who rarely spoke of his experience on the “Trail of ’98.” Mowatt, who is now 83 years of age, has recently arrived from the west, after many years’ absence, and plans to spend the summer with his sister, Miss Lillian Mowatt, at his old home in Chamcook.

St. Croix Courier
April 13, 1 944
Shiretown Items
Humblest Apologies
In the recent story in this column which gave a sketch of the experiences of the late Harry Maloney during the Klondike gold rush, if I gave the reader the impression that the latter was a tramp, as is stated in a letter from his daughter, Mrs. E. M. Tremblay, nothing could be fartehr from my intention. I took it from the story as I heard it that Mr. Maloney was one of the many thousands of men who went through the hardships of those exciting years ony to be disillustioned in the end. I consider every man who followe that trail of ’98 a hero, whether he returned well heeled with gold or came back broke, as ninety-nine out of a hundred did. It has always been through the courage and adventurous spirit of such men as these that new and far off lands have been opened up to civilization. And he man who meets with hard luck, gains nothing and even loses what he had, and at last succeeds in working his way out, I believe to be the greatest hero of them all. A tramp, according to Webster,, is a “begging or a theirving vagrant” lower in the strate of human society than a “hobo” who is called a “Migratory worker.” But the unfortunate part of the story is that, according to Mrs. Temblay, and also on the testimony of William Carson, a veteran of that gold rush with whom I talked after the story appeared, there is no truth in it! Mr. Maloney went on the trip in the company of his brother –in-law and two other men from Boston. They were all well supplied with funds and continued together throughoutout the entire trip until their return to Boston, after which Mr. Maloney continued on to his home in St. Andrws. In justice to Mr. Mowatt I wish to stae that I did not get the story directly from him and afer a few tellings a yarn is laible to become distorted or exaggerated.

St. Croix Courier
May 11, 1944
Shiretown Items
At the regular meeting of Kowanis Club last week the speaker was F. L. Mallory, a member of the club, who gave an interesting sketch of town affairs from the time of incorporation in 1903 till the year 1907. Prior to the holding of a plebiscite othe boundaries of the town were fized by Sheriff R. A. Stuart. As laid out at that time they cincluded Minister’s Island and the Van Horne estate. However at the request of Sir William the island was left outside except for school purposes. Of the first board of aldermen elected A. B. O’Neill is the only one still living. When the first s chool board was appointed A. B. O’Neill was one fo the members and has served cotinually every since, a fine record of over forty years of public service. I his inaugural address Mayor snodgreass expressed the hope that sewers might e installed in th town. It was not until 1912 however that after nine years of discussion for an against, bonds were issued and a partial system of sewers laid. The first town clerk, E. B. Polleys, was paid $50 a year. The first marshal, Robert Worrell, [probably father of Fred Worrell, I know his name was Robert] received $200 per annum, providing that he collected that much in fines under the Scott Act—no fines, no salary! First boar dof assessors were J. A. Shirley, T. A. Hartt, D. C. Rollins, J. S. Magee bell ringer, and F. H. Grimmer, town treasurer at $00 a year. In the summer of 1904 the ringin fo the town bell was discontinued for three weeks owing to the illness of a guest at Kennedy’s hotel. During this period the bell of the Anglical church was substituted and four tiems each day its soft musical tones could be heard calling the workmen to labour and refreshment, and from refreshment to labour again. The question of field rivers, pound and pound-keeper was always a live one in those days and occupied much of the time fo the council. The grass along the street sides was more succulent at that time, being uncontaninated by the dust from passing cars. It was permited nd was customary to tether cows along the stret to kee the herbage cropped short, but frequently cattle which had been insecurely tied would be found wandering about the streets or regaling themsvles in someone’s garden. Off to the pound they were taken and $1.00 paid for their release. Part of this fine went to the field river and part to the pound keeper and it has been said that cows securely tied on the street side at night were often found in the pound next morning! (who could blame those poorly paid town officials if they did raise the odd dollar surreptitiously when a full quart of the finest Holland gin, good for an all night session, could be purchased for 60 cents?) On Sept 4th, 1904, one of the hand fire engines, manned by two dozen of the ablest men in town, was taken to Calais to compete in the firemen’s sports and made afine showing against the more modern equipment of the border towns. A young Chinaman, who had been taken along as mascot, caused some stir when the immigration officer got wind of it. He was smuggled safely across the river in a small boat and spent a lonesome and unhappy day in St. Stephenm, where he was later picke dup by the returning firemen. In January, 1905, a public meeting was held to discuss the possibility of establishing an Electric Light Plant bu tnothing came of it. In 1905 the assessemnt for school purpose was $2500. The question of rent from “the Commons”, a knotty problem since the towns’ incorporation was at length adjusted to the satisfaction of both town and parish. A proposal to extend the town limites to include the whole prish was discussed but turned donw. In 1906 a granite concern made overtures to the town with regard to establishing a plant here, but their conditions, a free site, a cash bonus of $3000 and exemption from taxation for a period of years wer not acceptalbe to the council. In 1907 the CPR made a proposal for an Electric Light plant but nothing came of it. The question of a deep sea wharf came up almost annually. In a word the recrods show that those former councils had the best interests of St. Andrews at heart and the seeds that they sowed in those infertile years have since produced tanglble results.

St. Croix Courier
June 8/1944
A fine looking, high-stepping and well-matched pair of driving horses, the property of Edward MacKay, have recently appeared on the streets here with the veteran horseman, Fred Shutt, at the controls. Time was when a dozen such beautiful turnouts could be seen here on any fine day during the summer months. Let us hope Mr. MacKay’s example may be followed by other summer residents. Cars which have their uses, have now become commonplace, and for real class and distinctive style there is nothing like a well-matched pair.

St. Croix Courier
July 13/1944
Shiretown Items
Getting Home
May years ago, I once went on a fishign trip to lake Utopia with Judge cockburn. We took along Dave Maxwell of St. George as guide and preceptor and, after a long niht spent alternately in fishing and toasting our shins at a blazing beach fire, we returned home with s tring of twenty good sized speckled beauties. As we came over Humes Hill behind the Judge’s finely matched pair of blacks and caught the first glimpse of the town and the sparkling blue waters of the Passmaquoddy , my companion turned to me and said: “One of the fienst features of a fishing tip is the getting home!” I was so forcibly struck with the truth of the statement that I have n=ever forgotten it and have often wondered if it does not apply equally well to any pleasure trip. We pan for a year enjoying our trip allthe while in anticipation, we visit our friends or dear ones and enjoy every minut eof it, yet there is ssomething in that moment of arriving once more at our very own home which touches the deepest of our emotions. It may be the most unpretnetious of homes, the house may nee dpainting, the roof may leak and we may be in need of a new kitche range, but neverthelsss it is Home. The Mos tunhappy character I ever met in fiction was a lad who had been transpanted from alittle atoll in the South Seas to a large city in the United Stae. The charms of the city meant nothing to him, he contantly longed for his own grass hut, the simple carefree life to which he was used—and home. No truer words were ver spoken than those of John Howard Payne, “be it ever so humble, ther’s no place like home.”

St. Croix Courier
July 20/1944
Shiretown Items—Other Fires and Other Matters (History of St. Andrews fires)
The recent, disastrous fire at the ship yard has started old-times discussing other bad fires we have had here. A mistake we all make is our failure during our youth to keep a record of all important local events. it is so satisfying in later years to be able to produce day and ate with accompanying evidence sufficient to settle all arguments. All group pictures, especially school pictures, should have the date and the names of the pupils written on the back. I saw a school picture recently, taken about forty years ago, and the only person I could definitely identify was Caddie Norris. In a recent discussion of the date of the Argyle hotel fire one man who was born in 1894 said he remembered quite definitely seeing the fire. Personally I was sure it occurred in the spring of 1891 or ’92. But Bert Rigby could recall the exact date, March 25, 1892, as he started for Boston next day, a lad of nineteen, leaving home for the first time to make his own way in the world—an important event to him and easily remembered. There was a sardine factory burned at the head of the steamboat wharf about 1892, and another on what is now called Doon’s wharf, sometimes in the nineties. Does any reader recall the dates of those fires? And to go back still farther there was a bad fire near the site of the recently destroyed ship yard about 1850. Could any old-timer furnish the date of that one? Ship building was booming here at the time and there was also a nice industry in making ropes. The “Rope-walk”,” as it was called, was a long low building extending from the head of what is now known as the DeWolfe wharf, diagonally across the lot where the present office of the Vaughn Co. is located up to Water street, where afterwards was erected the large building known as the “Gove” building, built at the time the railway was started here, in 1852. A ship was being built at about the same place from which the recent ones have been launched and caught fire from a ot of tar which boiled over near at hand. Very little fire fighting equipment was available in those days and the ship, almost ready for launching, was completely destroyed. The “Rope-Walk” also caught and was burned to the ground, and as the last burning embers were extinguished, so perished another thriving industry. It just seems that SA, though ideally located with he best of water and rail connections to all points, was not intended to be an industrial centre. The Railway Machine Shop, located at the site of the present Y was burned once and rebuilt. it was afterwards torn down and removed to McAdam, a more central location. Anyone remember the dates of those events? As to our recent loss, it is understood that unless further contracts are arranged beyond the three ships in view, the company will not rebuild. Her is an opportunity for our county member to prove that he has some influence at Ottawa. St. Andrews is a lovely spot in which to live—ideal climate and beautiful scenery. But these may be considered our luxuries. For the bare necessities of life, food, fuel and clothing, we need some hard cash and this indispensable requirement, the “sine qua non” of our existence, Nature fails to provide. Shall we be like Mr. Micawber, just sit back and wait for “something to turn up,” or shall we through our Town Councils and County Board of Trade exert some pressure on the power that be and try to restore this industry which for a few years has brought prosperity to this small community and has been of definite benefit in our county as a whole?

St. Croix Courier
August 17, 1944
Shiretown items
Charlie
The many friends here of Motosuku Akagi, more familiarly known here as “Charlie the Jap” or “Motorcycle Charlie” have learned with thregret of his serious accident at Camp Utopia in which he was badly burned about the face and neck. He was using a blow torch and some gasoline near at hand caught fire. In trying to extinguish he blaze Charlie’s clothing caught and before the flame could be smothered by those who rushed to his assistance he became badly burned. Charlie is Canadian born and is one of the few good Japs. He had lived in St. Andrews for quite a number of years previous to the war, working as a motor mechanic at which trade he has few if any superiors, and jointed up at the beginning of the war. He spent a year at Camp Sussex and then went overseas where he stayed until about a year ago. Since that time he has been in service at Camp Utopia. He married a local girl, Mona Homan, and has two children. Mrs. Akagi is the granddaughter of the well known and well remembered Passamquoddy Indian, John Nicholas—hunter, trapper, guide and romancer.

St. Croix Courier
Aug 24/1944
But disastrous as this loss [shipyard] has been to SA, we still have much to be thankful for. We still have our homes and we still have our summer folks who if possible this season have been more generous than ever. Every church and society in town which has conducted any function this summer for the purpose of raising money has been generously supported. [$8,000.00 to date]

St. Croix Courier
Aug 31/1944
Shiretown Items—Dickson-Kenwin
(“Glimpses of Life,” an entertainment at Casino sponsored by St. Andrews Women’s Canadian Club. Interesting performances by actor Dickson-Kenwin of London, England.)
“Glimpses of Life,” an entertainment sponsored by the St. Andrews Women’s Canadian Club and held at the Algonquin Casino, was well patronized and the proceeds are to be used for the benefit of the Charlotte county Children’s Aid Society. The program consisted of a selection of character studies by Dickson-Kenwin of London, England, who is completing a tour of Canada doing similar programs. This noted actor’s portrayal of such characters as Mathias, the fear-haunted burgomaster, Falstaff, Hamlet, and Cardinal Woolsey were as convincing examples of dramatic art as one might hope to see. To keep the audience in a receptive mood, and by way of displaying his versatility, the player interspersed a number of short humorous sketches. He also proved himself an adept at imitating various common sounds, such as planing and sawing wood—and the now almost forgotten one of drawing a cork. Without a doubt Dickson-Kenwin is an actor of the highest order and the Women of the Canadian Club are to be congratulated in bringing him here.

St. Croix Courier
September 7, 1944
Shiretown Items
House Warming
On election night, a dozen or more women, with oil lamps trimmed, were seen winding their way hillward in the direction of the Algonquin. Our first though was that, like Diogenes of old, they were in search of an honest man. But we noticed that most of them had arrived at the age where almost any man would do. Furher investigagtion and inquiries next day disclosed the fact that they were going to a “house warming,” the lamps were not for the purpose of heat, however, but for light. Heber Stuart had that day purchase the Ganone cottage and Mrs. Stuart had invited some of her friends in to look it over.  The power ws off, bu the kitchen ragne was in place and plent of wood in the basement. The chief entertainment  was the keeping of a close chick on th election return by telephone. When the report came in at ten o’clock that the Conservatives were leading in the county, the two lone adherents of that party among the guest agave a good imitation of the once popular snake dance, but when at 10:30 the Liberal candidates forged ahead the same two ladies wer almost moved to tear. At eleven o’clock refreshments which the guests had brought along were enoyed, and tea, served by the hostess, was suipped with suspicion after the first swallow. It transpired that lump sugr found in a side board drawer and served generously with tea turned out to be saltpetre or moth balls,according to some of the guests. All were agreed that the sbustance was not sugar. No fatalities resulted however and agood time was had b all. Mr. and Mrs. Stuart left for their home in Baltimore the next day but plan on a long stay in their newly acquired summer home when next season rolls around.

St. Croix Courier
Sept 14, 1944
Shiretown Items
Dog-Fish
Speaking of accordions, a boatman here was telling me of a fishing trip on which this box-like instrument played a prominent part. While “toot” Wren was here on his annual holiday this summer, he was anxious to have a day off in th eriver hand-lining for haddock. He interviewed an old-timer who claimed to know the exact spot where this delectable fish could be caught and who affored, at a price, to make all arrangments for the trip. A boart was engaged and the party set sail or atarted the motor, to be more correct. As his equipment, the old-timer took along an accordion and a pair of field glasses. Having reache the mouth of the river the boat was run off with Niger Reef block and the Kirk steeple directly in line. The old fellow adjusted his binocular and started up the river. At length when the McRoberts Hosue came into view he gave the order to drop anchor, declaring that they were now direclty over a school of haddock. Hooks were baited, lines were cast and soon the dog-fish in unlimited numbers were rolling over the gunwale—but never a haddock. After an hour of this the old fellow in order to save his face suggested a tune on the accordion. The others said it would have to be good to pay up for the poor results in fishing. After a few preliminary flourishes he opened up the accordion and produced four quarts of Montreal beer! Dog-fish and haddock were forgotten and as the beer gurgled down four dry and thirsty throats all were agreed that it was the nicest playing accordion they had ever seen or heard.

St. Croix Courier
Sept 21, 1944
Shiretown items
Information Please!
A very interesting letter written to the Mayor of St. Andrews (R. F. Keay) has been handed to me to use as I see fit and I am having it published here in full in the hopes that some reader may know some facts bearing on the case. I am curious to know it the Capt. Starkey weremember as the builder and master of the “Crusoe,” would be the person of the firm “Starkey and Inch” which flourished in the 60’s and 70’s. If so he would be a comparatively young man at the time. One fo his sons, Louis, from whom I had aninteresting letter a year or so ago, is living in the States and is a reader of the Courier so he may be able to tell us something. Here is the letter from H. M. Starkey of Kent, Washington:
“To introduce myself, I will say I am a native of Queens county, NB, was born in 1862 and have lived in the west since 1881. My great-grandfatehr and his brother were Loyalists and landed in Saint John in th epsring of 1783. They took up homesteads on the upper Washedomoak, where my great-grandfater, Mordecai Starkey, remained and raised a large family. Many of his descendant sare living there and others are scattered over the west and the New England States. His brother, Kezekia, only remained two years and left for New Jersey their former home and was not heard from afterwards. A short time ago I read in an old Vancouver paper of one Harrry Mowatt (now deceased) a native of St. Andrews, who was an apprentice at Starkey and Inch’s shipyard in your city. This was somewhat about the 60’s or 70’s of the last century. Afterwards he was captain of sailing vessels, among them the “Timandra,” “Salicia,” “Christina,” the “Andromeda,” and others. In the west he got into steam and was Port Captain for the Canadian Pacific at Vancouver. The name Starkey appearing as one of the shipbuilding firm in St. Andrews gave rise to a suspicion that he might be a descendatn of Hezekiah Starkey who may have got that far on his way to his former home, and for some reason changed his mind and remained in that location. The old paper also said that the shipbuilding company was of St. Andrews and Saint John. I can remember very plainly all the Starkeys of the first and second genration, and am sure none had interests in shipbuilding in the port of Saint John. My father and uncle operated ayard where we lived and built a number of large schooners. The yard in your city was apparently a large outfit as large ships were turned out there. There may be still old-timers who remember that far back, or there may be some of the Starkey family living in your city who could throw some light on the matter. If you could put me in touch with someone who would know something of the history of that family it would do me a favor as I have never been able to learn what becameof my great-uncle. Thanking you for whatever trouble I have put you to, I am yours sincerely, H. M. Starkey, Route 5, Box 460, Kent, Washington.”
            If I remember correctly, I have heard Thomas Pendlebury, still living here, speak of the “Christina,” mentioned in the above letter. Once when she was lying at Street and Forster’s wharf Tom climbed the top mast and hung his cap on the peak. There is also a Miss Fortune, formerly of St. Andrews, now living in Boston, who may remember something of these matters. I am told that Miss Fortune is now 97, is as bright as a button, and is a regular and interested reader of this column. I at least expect to hear from Louis Starkey, who I am sure will be interested in the foregoing.

St. Croix Courier
Nov 9, 1944
Shiretown Items
Kickapoo Indian Sagwa
It is a long time since we had a visit from a travelling medicien company. Do they still flourish elsewhere in more lucrative fields, or are they gone obut not forgotten? Among the many troups that visied St. Andrews in those former years perhaps the most famous and most entertraining was the company which dispensed the wonderful concoctions known as Kickapoo Indian Oil and Kickapoo Indian Sagwa. They carried their own “big Top” and while in St. Andrews set it up on a vacant lot on Water Street, where the Seaside Garage now sands. It probably wasn’t as big as the present permanent building but in retrospect it seems like an enormous tentn capable fo seating hundreds of people. Children must have been admitted free, or at least for a small sum as I remember attending for all the shows. Three or four Indian braves, all in war-paint, were the chief attraction. They probably came from Pleasant Point, Maine, and no doubt could speak English and were perfectly civilized. But to us small boys they were the wildest of wild Indians, and we would sometimes awake in the night with their terrible war cries ringing in our ears and be so thankful to find ourselves snug inour own bed and in no danger of being scalped. There was a male quartette to furnish harmony and a ventrilogquist with two dummies, a darky and an Irishman, who provided plenty of fun. But  to the adults the highlight of the evening was the sale of Sagwa and Oil, worthless trash, no doubt, but which the famous “doctor” salesman made them beleibve to be the elixirs of life. The oil was a sure cure for rheumatism, and all external pains, while the Sagwa taken internally in generous doeses would restore youth, and vigor and assur ethe user of a healthy old age—so said the “doctor.” When sales began to lag an extra bottle was gibven free with each purchase. And the person to buy the last bottle each night was given $5.00! How the gullible folks tried for that five dollars. Some would buy ten or twelve bottles near the end of the eving at $1.00 per, in hopes of being the last and so get the prixze. But there was always someone to buy the odd bottle to keep the game oing. What a game, and what a fake, but what fun           I wonder if anyone survies who tired a bottle. How about you, Tom? Or you, Owen?

St. Croix Courier
Dec 7/1944
Shiretown Items
Old Records
In has been interesting looking through the first day book of O’Neill’s Market running from 1823 to 1828. Very few names are found correspondng with those of the present time here. Everything was sold, from broadcloth to brandy and buttons to beef. The terms “Senior” and “Junior” were evidently not in vogue in those days. I see where young Daniel Stinson got an eight-pound roast of beefor four shillings. Geroge Swift and H. Hatch were cutomers—probably the fathers of the men of the same names we recall from boyhood. Collector Campbell and sheriff Andrews are mentioned, also John Mowatt, probably the fatehr of the John we remember. Liquor was sold by the gallon then—no coupons required—rum at five shillings and finest imported brandy at nine shillings. Imagine a whole gallon of properly aged rum for $1.25! Doesn’t it make your moth water? But most interesting of all in this old book are the names of the ships which the store stocked regularly with provisions. Just to mention a few: Brig Cassock, Brig. Hero, Ship St. Andrews, Ship Perseverance, Brig Fames, Ship Harmony, Brig Nemesis, Ship Cumberland, Ship Wanderer and Brig Nancy, capt. Paul.

What did Paul Say?
The mention of Brig Nancy, Capt. Paul, in the last item may recall to older folks an amusing true story handed down from those far-off days. It seems that a clergyman in one of our churches here at that time had been accustomed to engage passage to Saint John from time to time with the said Capt. Paul in the good ship “Nancy.” One Sunday mornign before church he sent his gardener down to the dock to interview Paul and arrange for a passage to Saint John next day. After faithfully carrying out his errand the gardener returned to attend the mornign service. Perhaps because of late hours the night before, or possibly from the effects of a dry and long winded sermon, the gardener went sound asleep in his pew. The preacher was expounding about the Apostle Paul. To emphasize a particualr point he exclaimed: “What did Paul say?” The gardener, unnoticed by the parson, stirred uneasily in his seat. Again in a louder voice the speaker roared: “and what did Paul say?” The gardener, only half awake by this time, called out to the consternation of all, “He said he wouldn’t take you again till you paid him for the last trip!”

St. Croix Courier
Jan 18, 1945
Shiretown Items
Going Over Big
The St. Andrews Mens Club is proving a decided success. The membersip is increasing so reapidly that plans are already being discussed for enlarging the rooms. There are now 70 paid up members and good prospects for more. A series of tournaments is now in progress embracing chess, chickers, brigdge, cribbage and forty-fives and members are taking hold whith much enthusiasm. The rounds of cribbage nd fortyfives seem to furnish most fun for both players and spectators. Tehre is always prenty of “blowing” beforehand, plenty ofkidding during the game and plenty of excuses to offer by the defeated parties. A hot round Saturday evening beween a man who claims he has beaten the inventor of th game and anoher who said except for restrictions of the by-laws he would place a side bet of $1,000, provided much amusement. To their apparent surposie they broke even and both blamed the cards for the unexpected results.

A Christmas Story
Christmas stories generaly spear previous to the annual festival, but as this one is somewhat different from the usual variety it may fit in now just as well. Most of these stories relate to the Christmas spirit, but this one concerns Christmas spirits, usually called Christmas cheer. A gentlemen who lives some distance from the source of supply, after doing some errands about town on the day before Christmas, found that  upon proceeding to make the most important purchaes of the day he had come away from home without his ration book. He trudge home and related his misfortune to his wife. She hustled around and got his coupons which he stuffed in a pocket and startd out again. Arriving at his destination he boldly gave his order and passed in his ration book. The clerk on looking over the book said he was sorry but it didn’t entitle him to any liquor. The customer declared he hadn’t bought anything all month and consequently must be entitled to what he called for. The clerk, evidently believing in the modern axiom that the customer is always wrong, then said: “It doesn’t matter what you’ve bought or haven’t bought, all I have to go by is the book and it doesn’t entitle you to any liquor.” The ruffled customer then expressed his opinion of government in general and clerk in particualr, emphasizing his remarks with some choice expressions picked up in France durign the first world war. The clerk, who was also in that scrap, came back with something just as good. He passed the book out to an interested garageman who, was waiting to be served and asked his opinion. After looking the book over the latter handed if back saying: “of course you are the boss here can do what you like but he would get service if he came to me—I think the book is all right.” The irate customer, thinking he detected a slight twinkle in the garageman’s eye, asked the clerk to give him his book. On close inspection it was found to be his book of gasoline coupons!

St. Croix Courier
Feb 1/1945
Shiretown Items
Poem on Cottage Craft

Silver Engraving
The Men’s Club now has 104 members and at the monthly meeting last Friday evening decided with the permssion of the proprietor to move back a parititon and enlarge the room. . . .

St. Croix Courier
Feb 8, 1945
Shiretown Items
[Mr. Worrell gives some tips on how to write, drawn from famous examples such as Robert Louis Stevenson and Benjamin Franklin; basically, work hard at it. In response to an inquiry from a budding writer]

St. Andrews Hotel
The subscriber having fitted up that large and commodious building at the corner of Wate and Edward streets, owned and formerly occupied by Christopher Scott, Esq., for the purpose of accommodating permanent boarders and travellers, in superior style, respectuflly solicits a share of the public  custom and patronage. Comfortable rooms and beds, and the best table and liquors the town can afford, with good attendance, may be relied on.
John Sargent
St. Andrews,, May 13, 1831
(Taken from the St. Andrews Courant)

St. Croix Courier
Feb 15, 1945
Shiretown Items
Reading the Label
The cleverly written item, “It pays to read the label” in last week’s Calais Briefs was expecially amusing to us down here as we can tell a story of who got into difficulties by reading and  believing the label. We were glad to learn also that “Fly Dope” is good for something as it certainly, at least any that we have tried, is no good to repel the abominable black fly, the bane of all inland fishermen. Last summer the owner of one of our summer homes was having some painting done and ordered a quart of turpentine at the hardware store. A bottle was delivered and left on th ekitchen able. A little later it wa notice dby the maid, unwrapped, an found to be, according to the label, a fine brand of Scotch Whisky. It was removed to the wine close, or wheever such precioous goods are kept in this particualr cottage, and later in the day discovered by by a guest at the house who was a bit out of sorts and thought that a good drink, properly prepared, was just what he needed. He mixed the drink and downed it in one gulp. Although this gentleman had had a long experience with all kinds of liquors he admitted to himself that he had never tasted anything quite so bad before. And soon he began to feel even sicker nd more distressed. Just then the hostess arrived to whom he complaiend of feeling ill. “what you need is a good drink,” said she. “I though so myself,” said he  “but after taking one I feel much worse than before.” “I’ll mix you one that will do the trick” said she, and it nearly did. Another generous dose of the same turpentine, clerely camoflaged, poured hastily “down the brook” was nearly sufficient to murder even a man of strong constitution let alone an unfortuante hwo at the moment considered himself an invalid. The hostess became alarmed, sniffed the bottle, discovered the error, called in the medico, and then got the hardware dealer on the wire. I have no record of her remarks to the latter but can believe she said plenty and left him in no doubts in regard to her opinion of any man who would send out such a poisonous tasting sbustitue in a bottle labelled “Fine Old Scotch Whiskey.”

St. Croix Courier
Feb 22, 1945
Shiretown Items
Regular Monthly Meeting
[report on tournaments at Men’s Club.]
Dr. J. F. Worrell was the winner in the chess tourney, making 27 points out of a possible 30.

St. Croix Courier
March 1, 1945
Shiretown Items
Correction
In an item last week in this column it was stated that the Scout gymnasium was donated by Miss Van Horne. On good authority I have been told that onl the land and the Scout Hall were given by Miss Van Horne, and the at the cost of the gymnasium was met by donatiosn from various individuals solicited by Rev. W. Ideson, who was Scoutmaster at that time. Much of the labour also was contributed by local help.

St. Croix Courier
March 8, 1945
Shiretown Items
Speed Writing
I must confess that as a rule in putting things down on paper expecially in writing letter my aim is not grace, artistic effects or even legibility, but speed. Yes, I have a typewriter, but it was bought second ahnd man years ago and now has all the disabilities of, and needs as much coaxing, as a worn-ut car. For this reason alone I seldom use it and as a further reason I find that my thoughts do not flow as easily  through the keys of a typewriter as they do from the point of a pen. The editor has never complained about these notes, which are always done by hand, possibly becaue I actually show up a bit for this work, or herhaps, as my friend Theo once expressed it, he does not feel “that we are such intimate friends that we can insult each other with impunity.” In answering a bunch of letter I usually start in moderately and with the best intentions, but by the time I reach the fifth or sixth my pen is literaryy flying to keep up with my thoughts and to get the job done.

One Worth Quoting
Not long ago I wrote a letter to very dear friend and I feel that his reply, recently received, is worth printing here word for word. Whether he composed it himself, got help from some college professor or selected it from some collection of letters by famous men, matters not. In any case I consider it a gem. And perhaps the finest feature of it is its proof of the sincere and intimate friendship that has existed between us for many many years. Here is what he wrote: “It was very plesant to me to get a letter from you the other day. Perhaps I should have found it pleasanter if I had been able to decipher it. I don’t think that I  mastered anything beyond the date (which I knew) and the signature (which I guessed at). There’s a singular and perpetual charm in a leter of yours; it never grows old, it never loses its novelty. Other letter are read and thrown away and forgotten, but yours are kept forever—unread. One of them will last a reasonable man a lifetime.”

Warm and Dry
Perhaps no greater disappointment can be experienced by long suffering humanity than that which is felt by a man who has learned to love the effects of alcoholic stimulants, who has looked forward to a good drink at the end of his day’s work, only to have it snatched from his hand by fortuitous circumstance. Under the present regulations, any man who likes his liquor himself and is also quite generous with his friends is likely to find things becoming quite dry toward the end of the month.  When a freidn happens in to his place of subisness with coupons for a quart of wine which he offers to buy on the shares, the proposition is accepted with alacrity. While the friend was after the wine the proprietor thought it would make things more dosy for its consumption to start a little fire. He was still engaged in laying the fire when the friend returned and passed him the wine. Just then a customer came throug hthe door and the bottle was quickly hidden in the stove. (The customer probably had an excessively thirsty look). The friend went out to do some errands saying he would be back shortly. The customer’s wants were attended to and he went off. The proprietor then stepped out for a few minutes himself to return and find catastrophe. Another friend had dropped in and noticing the fire all ready to light had touched it off all innocent of the secret lying within. The proprietor arrived just in time to hear the explosion as the bottle burst and caused the fire to roar merrily. He newcomer, who had started to laugh when the cause of the explosion was explained, soon was made to fel that he was an intruder, a despoiler, and in general a public nuisance. He could offer no means of redress-money he had, but no coupons. The original friend returned and the three dry and disconsolate men sat around the stove for a while commisserating each other on their misfortune. They cursed the law’s restrictions and the war which was the excuse for its necessity. Finally the party broke up with the decision, at least outwardly expressed, that they didn’t care much for wine anyway.

St. Croix Courier
March 22/1945
Shiretown Items
Old Steamboats
There was an inquiry in The Courier a couple of weeks ago about the steamer “Nequasset” and for the following information about this boat and others of those far-off days I am indebted to D. G. Hanson collector at the Port of St. Andrews, and R. b. Clark of Toronto, who has made a hobby of collecting data about old steamships on the North Ataltnic Coast.  The records at the Custom House show tat the “Nequasset” was plying hereabout as early as 1845. She was operated by a company afterwards known as he Frontier Steamboatr Co,pany, andwas followed by the Queen, the Bell Brown, Charls Houghton, Rose Standish, all side-wheelers, and th efollowign screw steamers: J. M. Todd, Lillie, Jeanette, henry F. Eaton. These boats ran between Calais and Eastport, touching at St. Adrews, and connected with steamship line running between Saint John, Portland and Boston. The first steamer on the New England coast was the Patent, which arrived at portland July 7, 1823. In the same year the Kennebec Steam Navigation Company was organized and became the first of the various companies now combined as the Eastern Shtemship Lines. The first steamer to operate on regular schedule between Saint John and the States was the Royal Tar; a wooden side-wheeler 164 feet long which made the first trip in 1836. She only ran as far as Portland, where connection was made with other steamers to Boston. This boat was wrecked in 1838 near Saint John and replace dby the Gazelle, also lost in 1838. Then appeared the North America, built in England, and a superior boat to her forerunners; her subsequent history is not known. Various competing intersts operated boats, from 1843 until after the Civil War but no permanent companies were organzied until about this time when the Internation Steamboat Company appeared and operate the New England, New Brunswick, City of Portland, and Falworth,until 1882, when the State of Maine was place in service to be followed next year by the Cumberland. The Falworth, had been burned at Saint John andth New England was wrecked on the Wolves. The New Brunswick was taken to Boston and ended her days as an excursion steamer in the harobur there. Coming back to the Nequasset, an entry at the Custom House dated August 30, 1845, gives the captain’s name as Michiner. An entry of March 15, 1850, states the master was at that that time Captain Pine and on April 14, 1851 Captain Cary. According to Mr. Clark’s letter, one of these captsins, probably Michiner, was quite a young man at the time and afterwards became a captain on one of the outside boats running from Saint John to the States. Steamers plying between St. Andrews and Saint John at that time were the Admiral, Frank, Linnaeus, and William Stroud.

St. Croix Courier
March 21, 1945
Shiretown Items
What! No Garlic?
The description in Calais Briefs of the “Dagwood sandwich,” so called, made the mouth water and the teardrops start when I thought of the days that are no more—the days when I could eat a delightful mess like that and get away with it. [ref. to the ulcer that will eventually kill him] I have a suspicion that a girl here in a local restaurant may have made the original of that now stardard article about ten years ago. She was alone in the restaurant just before closing time and I has asked for a “western” and a cup of coffee. She said she had never made a western but thought it contained quite a variety of ingredients. I suggested soe do her best, and after a time, with all sorts of delicious odors floating in from the kitchen, she returned with  a monstrous, four-decker and announced that she had used everyting she could find in the kitchen. As I recall it contained no cheese, nor salami (whatever that is) but it had hamburger mixed with egg and fried onions, fried bacon with tomatoes, raw onions, chopped celery and cucumber, and a layer of fried mushrooms, with dash of paprika, tomato ketchup and Wordestire sauce for seasoning.

St. Croix Courier
April 12/1945
More about old St. Andrews ships and shipping.

St. Croix Courier
April 26/1945
Shiretown Items
Water Supply (Old aqueduct discovered in St. Andrews.)
It may be news to the younger generation here in St. Andrews that we had a system of waterworks long before a public supply was introduced in St. Stephen. In looking over some old papers sent to me by a friend I came across an editorial in the Courier of May 2, 1872, which strongly advocates the introduction of a water supply for the Town of St. Stephen along the lines suggested by William Cananagh. This plan was to lay aqueducts of Norway pine from a suitable point on Dennis Stream in a direct line to Church Hill and thence through the principal streets, with branch pipes made of the same material with smaller bore. The editorial goes on to say: “There is an aqueduct of this description in St. Andrews which we believe has been in use for over forty years [1832], by which almost half the town is supplied with water from one spring.” As far as I can learn no records exist of this original system of water supply for St. Andrews. When our present system of water and sewers was introduced here in more recent years the remains of the old aqueduct were found in various places throughout the town. No one with whom I have talked seems to know anything very definite about the matter. If any readers here, or elsewhere can supply any scraps of information I should be pleased to hear from them. Unfortunately two of our citizens, Eber Polleys and James Cummings, who were noted for their knowledge of local history, have long since passed to their reward. Contrary, however, to the statement quoted from the Courier, I think there was more than one source or supply here. I am told that the well on the property now belonging to Robert Stinson supplied the district immediately below and extended up and down Queen and Water Streets. On my own property which was built in 1859 a circular opening about a foot in diameter was provided for the entrance of the aqueduct to the cellar. The wood has long since rotted away and the entrance is still there. The supply in this case must have come from the head of Princess Royal Street or possibly the head of King Street where it is known there was a spring with a good flow of water. Our present water supply comes from Chamcook Lake and was introduced about 25 years ago. I think SS’s first supply was from the St. Croix River but now is from a spring at Maxwell’s crossing. Perhaps “Talk of the Town” can give us the straight of this with the dates.

St. Croix Courier
May 3/1945
Shiretown Items
The Aqueduct (Details of old aqueduct discovered.)
A reader has furnished me with the following interesting information about the water system which existed here a hundred or more years ago. Appended here is a copy of the Act pass on march 8, 1830, which my good friend copied from “Acts of the General Assembly, 1786-1838,” one of the interesting old books in her library. She also states that an aqueduct of wood, which evidently was installed at a later period when the machine shop was built here, extended from a well on the Andrew Lamb property at the head of King and Princess Royal streets to the railway machine shop which was located just south or south-east of the station. This wooden pipeline crossed Augustus street near Montague and the wood was still sound when the street was opened there about 20 years ago. The John Aymar who is mentioned in the Act, was a block and spar maker who had a shop at the corner of Water and Frederick streets (SA Directory 1865-66), and who lived in the house now occupied by Robert Stinson and family at the corner of Princess Royal and Montague Streets. Many the evening I spent as a youngster coasting on what we called “Marr’s” (or Meagher’s) hill without knowing or caring the origin of the name. The first, and unaccented syllable of the name “Aymar” had been dropped by the boys of that period and the name thus abbreviated or corrupted, although perhaps Mr. Aymar had not been dead for more than 20 years.
            “Cap. XVIII Acts General Assembly 1786-1838
            “An Act to grant John Aymar the privilege of supplying the Town of St. Andrews with water by pipes. Passed March 1830.
            “Whereas the conveyance of water by pipes to the several houses in the town plot of St. Andrews would be highly beneficial to the public, and is a measure universally desired; and John Aymar, an inhabitant of the said Town, is desirous to obtain the privilege of supplying the same by pipes as aforesaid:
            “Be it enacted by the President, Council and Assembly, that the privilege of carrying water ot the houses of the inhabitants of St. Andrews in pipes, through the several streets thereof, be and the same is herby granted to John Aymar, so long as he shall keep the same in operation and good repair. Provided always tha the said John Aymar, shall at his own coasts and charge, and without unnecessary delay, repair and make good any and every injury or damage thereby one to said streets or any part thereof.
            “And be it further enacted that the said John Aymar shall make and keep in good repair proper openings and (plugs to be used only in case of fire) in all such places where his pipes extend, as the Firewards of the Town of St. Andrews may direct or approve. the said Firewards to be accountable for the actual expense thereof.
            “And be it further enacted that if the said John Aymar should neglect so to make and adjust proper plugs on the requisition of the said Firewards, that it should be lawful for them, the said Firewards, to cause the same to be done and completed accordingly.
            “And be it further enacted that this Act shall continue and be in force for the term of fifteen years, and no longer.”

St. Croix Courier
May 10/1945
Shiretown Items
R. J. Hewitt Restaurant sold to Claude Lord of Deer Island. Largest and best situated eating place in town. Ira Stinson founder. “For years this meeting and eating place was known as ‘Ira’s,’ more recently as ‘Pat’s,’ and now we suppose it will be called ‘Claudie’s’ and will have to compete with ‘Bill’s’ and ‘Mel’s.’”

St. Croix Courier
May 10/1945
fShiretown Items—Attracting Tourists (Attracting tourists essential to town. Details on streets, bathing beach, etc. Algonquin food prices upscale.)
In the none too distant future we may reasonably expect a renewal of the tourist traffic into Canada and now is the time to consider how we may best provide for their comfort and pleasure so they may leave us with regrets and with a firm resolve to return many times over the years. The tourist trade means much to us here in St. Andrews. We should try in every way possible to add to the attractions so lavishly provided by nature that the same people will come again and again, as well as seeing that all their friends are informed of what we have to offer. As a town we have done much in this respect. We have a good system of sewers, a water supply which for quantity and quality cannot be surpassed, and where formerly visitors wallowed through mud in wet weather and choked with dust in dry, we have now a fine cement pavement entering the town and running the entire length of the main street. And had it not been for the intervention of the war a suitable bathing beach with convenient houses and other facilities would have ere this been in operation for transient visitors. As individuals we have tried as far as it is within our means to keep our places looking attractive to add to the general beauty of the town. But there is one phase of the situation in which we perhaps have not been doing our best. Every man is first of all looking after his own welfare and his own interests and should know best how to run his own business, and for that reason one always hesitates to criticize. Let is be understood therefore that what I am about to say is not a personal opinion formed from personal experience but rather the result of inquiries among visitors to St. Andrews during the past 25 or 30 years, and has no reference to the war years when conditions have been difficult for those directly concerned. Perhaps it should not be, but it nevertheless is a fact, that for about ninety-five percent of us one of the chief pleasures and comforts and joys of life is the food we eat. We go to a picnic or party and our most lasting memory is the delicious food we enjoyed. We take a trip to a neighboring town or city of the province, or farther afield, and a year afterward we can recall the food, good or bad, how it was cooked, how it was served, whether the table cloth was clean and whether the waitress was neat and tidy and courteous. My inquiries have been made among visitors eating at all of the various restaurants and all of the hotels, including the Algonquin. I have never heard a complaint about the cost of a meal, about the way it was served or the cleanness of the surroundings, but have listened to scores of diatribes on the quality and quantity of the food, and this goes for the Algonquin as well as for the less pretentious eating places. Some of those interrogated were non-committal, some expressed themselves as being satisfied, and some had the odd word of praise. When Mrs. Orr was pastry cook at “Pat’s” her coconut cream pie was famous and tourists frequently returned after the passage of a year to ask for it. Visitors have told me that “Bill’s” lobster salads were unsurpassed. Personally, I have had a turkey dinner at “Mel’s” which I would consider good enough to satisfy anybody. So there you have it, folks, all offered in the best interests of the town. When the usual variety of food is again procured and prices are no longer controlled, give the visitors plenty and of good quality at a price that warrants at fair profit and they’ll come back. And one last word—if possible specialize on some particular item, even if it be produced and served at no profit. Such will serve as advertising and keep them coming. Experience in charge of a restaurant or hotel might prove that his advice is all wrong but if there is any truth in this axiom of former days that “this customer is always right,” it is at least worth considering.

St. Croix Courier
May 17, 1945
Shiretown Items
Celebrating Victory
St. Andrews took two days off from regular labours to celebrate the victory in Europe. On Monday afternoon flags and streamers began to appear all over town as a signal of public rrejoicing. All through the night the old town bell rang out its joyful notes at frequent intervals and the fire siren sounded is mournful wails. Exurberant youths and oldsters with no less enthusiasm succeeded in keeping the twnspeople awake most of the night. On Tuesday morning a service of Thanksgiving held in the Anglican church was largely attended. In he afternoon a parade headd by tracy Johnston, our local comedian, in costume and with an effigy of Hitler dragging by the neck, made a circuit of the town. Tracy was followed by a band made up of represenatatives of at least three generations of bandsmen—boys in the vigor of youth, men in the prime of life, and old fellows with their bald heads and false teeth were in there blowing their heads off, mostly local talent, but one from Deer Island, one from St. Stepen and one from as far away as Boston. They made a big noise and besides the regular selectiosn of band music played “jam sessions” including everting from “Tipperary” to “How Dry I Am.” The band was followed by the veterans of the first World War—after them came the High School Cadets in uniform, next the girl Cuides and stringou tfor miles behind were gaily decorated cars containing civilians. After circualting about the town for an houre a halt wa made at the public square where hundred of people were assembled. The band played a few more selctions and Tracy after a suitably vitupertive address touched a match to the already much hanged Hitelr, and whetehr from the quality of oil which the assasin had used in saturating the body or from the vile and stinking life the victim had led, the fume arising from the effigy stank in a manner capable of affending the most hardened nostrils. After this exhibition a couple of hours were spent in holding foot races for the children. In the evening anoehr band concert and fireworks were enjhoyed, and then a dance lasting well beyond midnight. Wednesday was spent mostly in recuperating but in the evening the same conglomerate band played again for an hour, their program being interspersed with songs by the childrne. Altogether it was “a great two days” and long to be remembered.

St. Croix Courier
May 24/1945
Shiretown Items—The Commodore (Kennedy’s sold and reopened (June 1) as Commodore. Remodelled etc.)
Kennedy’s Hotel, built in 1880 and for many years operated by Angus Kennedy, afterwards by his son, Frank, and more recently by Miss Amelia, has been sold ot Gerald O’Brien, of Saint John and henceforth will be known as “The Commodore.” We like the name—it has an inviting sound—and is appropriate to the hotel’s situation on the seaboard. According to the cards just printed the Commodore is already famous for its lobsters. That should be a reputation easy to maintain here in SA, where fresh live lobsters can be procured any day in the week, the year round. It is a dish which, properly served and in sufficient quantity, should satisfy the palate of the most fastidious epicure. U understand tha the proprietor has secured the services of an excellent cook which is the “sine qua non” of a successful eating place. The kitchen is being remodelled and as funds permit more bathrooms and other additions will be provided to add to the comfort of the guests. The hotel is to be opened on June 1, will continue till late in the fall and if business warrants will remain open the year round. Beside the income from permanent summer guests there should be a good trade in transients from SS, Calais and Saint John , providing the dining room service is made sufficiently attractive. The manger is not a stranger to SA, having had charge, during the too brief shipyard days, of the electric wiring in several of the minesweepers built here. He is a young man with progressive ideas and plenty of pep, has a pleasing personality and should make a popular proprietor. It goes without saying that the people of St. Andrews wish Jerry and the Commodore the best of luck.

St. Croix Courier
June 21/1945
Shiretown Items
Cheap Sale
Jack and Bert, two gentlemen of leisure, sat on a bench on the public square one morning talking over their recent experiences with salmon in Chamcook Lake. While thus engaged a stranger aproached and took a set near them on the next bench. He was crrying over his arm an overcoat with along tear down the side and th epocke treipped loose and hanging. After a few moments Jack turned to Bert and remarked casually that he had missed  chance at a great bargain that morning because he had no money on him—said he could have bought a real good overcoat for two dollars. Even Bert was deceived by the seriousness of the speaker, not realizing that te remark was for the benfit of the nearby stranger, and declared that there must be something wrong the coat. Jack emphasized that it was a particualry good coat, a little too small for himself, but that he would have bough tit on spec if he had had two dolars with him. The stranger, who had been drinking in the conversation, approached and insquired where the gentleman with the coat for sale might be found. “Well, if you are interested,” said Jack, “you’ll find him at ‘The Gables,’ just up the street. Inquire for Mr. Kennedy, the American Customs officer.” “What color is the coat?” asked the stranger. “Navy blue” said Jack. “Mr. Kennedy has just been supplied with a new coat and thught the old one too good to gthrow away. Of course it has brass buttons on it but that’s a matter easily remedied.” The stranger thanked him kindly and started dorthwith for The Gables.” Jack ducked for home and warned Bert not to tell the stranger where he lived. Fortunately for the vistor’s peace of mind Mr. Kennedy was not at home and the former was obliged to leave town with his badly torn coat, no doubt with many regrets at the wonderful chance he had missed!

Shiretown Items—Visits Old Home (History of William Knijff of Holland)
Having left Holland at the tender age of four years, Willem Knijff had little recollection of his native village of Lekerkirk (near Rotterdam) but it was a great and pleasant experience to visit those almost forgotten scenes of his childhood and look up some of his mother’s people. He found the home of one of his aunts and came upon her as she was working in the garden. He said: “Hello, there” in English. She raised her head, and repeated his greeting in Dutch. She advanced and carefully inspected this young man dressed in the uniform of corporal in the Netherlands Army and at length declared: “You must be Willem Knijff. Yes, I am sure you are little Willem.” No longer little, but now a strapping solder of 23 years old, [1922] Willem was overjoyed at the greeting, and spent several happy hours with his folks. Willem’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. A. A. Knijff, came to Canada 19 years ago. They lived for a short time at Grand Manan, a little while at Bayside, then moved to St. Andrews where they have since made their home. Mr. Knijff fought in the Boer War against us and often refers jokingly to the vagaries of life which can induce one to establish a home among his hoe-time enemies and find that they are good people, friendly and lovable. Those who have read the history of the Boer War written by a Dutch soldier, know that their cause was just. They fought to preserve their homes and country and we fought for gold and diamonds. As Willem had been born in Holland and had never been naturalized as a Canadian citizen he got a call from the Netherlands Army early in the war. He began his training at the Dutch Military Depot in Stratford, ON, and completed it in “England. He was sent to India, then back to England, took part in the invasion with the American air-borne troops, was attached to British Commandos at the capture of Walcheren Island, returned to England to recover from an injury sustained there and was again in Holland at the final liberation. One day while on Walcheren Island, Willem was browsing around a village with a couple of Canadian soldier sand met a native who thought he could speak English. The boys listened to a rather fruitless and disjointed harangue about some place of interest they should visit and when their informant got through Willem spoke in Dutch, saying: “If you would peak in your own language I think we could understand better what you are talking about.” The native’s eyes stuck out as he replied in astonishment: “Can you boys speak Dutch?” “Sure” said Bill, “everybody in Canada can speak Dutch!”

St. Croix Courier
July 12, 1945
Shiretown Items
The Spoofer
I met a well-dressed stranger on the street one day who said: “Pardon me, but do you live here?” “Yes, sir,” I replied, “even in the winter time.” (Gordon and Jack please take notice) “Thank you—“ began again the stranger. “Not at all” said I,, “it’s a pleasure, I assure you.” A little discomposed, but continuing the visitor said: “Yes, yes indeed, but I just wanted to inquire if you know where Mr. So-and-so lives.” “Right at the head of this street,” said I. “I was told at the hed of King Street. Is this King Street?” “That’s right,” said I. “Well, do you happen to know if Mr. So-and-so has any wood to sell?” “I wouldn’t’ suppose so,” said I, “he is one of our prominent summer residents and if he does any business at all, which I doubt, it would be more likely to be in stocks and bonds and real estate.” “I was told by a gentleman up the street So-and-so sold wood.” “Was your informatn a stout, elderly gentleman dressed with black, soft hat, black coat and grey trousers?” “That’s right,” said the stranger. “And did he have a very sanctimonios and truthful air?” “Right again,” replied the vistor. “Was he somewhat clerical in appearance and wering eye glasses?” “That’s the man.” “Aha!” said I, “the spoofer at work again.” “Do you imply,” said the stranger, “that this gentleman was deceiving me?” “Nothing surer,” said I. “He is our local practical joker who is no respecter of person,s and sho, though never telling a falsehood to do anyone an injury,, is very careful always to void the truth except under the mot exenuating circumstances. Take my advice, sir, and look for your wood elsewhere.”