"Great Jubilation Here Over Glorious News : Since Seven O’clock the Men, Women and Children Have Done Nothing But Cheer and Yell Hurrah for Butler : Never Before Was There Such a Scene of Wild and Continued Enthusiasm – It Excelled Exciting Election Times : Salute Fired by the Fourth Field Battery on the Gore – There Will Be Another Big Celebration This Evening ”
There was no holding the loyal citizens of this fair city on this stormy day, not even the almost impassable snow barriers being sufficient to keep them off the streets. Ladysmith had been relieved and that settled it. Nothing could prevent the people from giving vent to their unbounded enthusiasm in the ways that suited them best, and from the early hour when the first news came and was given to the public by the Spectator, on and all through the day the citizens of this loyal Canadian city have given themselves up to jubilation of the most sincere sort. It was an hour long waited for and an hour many times delayed. For 188 days the citizens had daily read of the gallant defense of Gen. White’s garrison in the surrounded city and of the apparently futile yet continuously determined attempts of Gen. Butler and his brave forces to cut their way through the massed Boer regiments which surrounded the city. No field of action in the whole South African campaign had been so closely watched as the one around Ladysmith, and in no one has the interest of Hamilton people been more deeply centred. Hamilton people put their trust early in the campaign in Butler, and though there was rejoicing when Lord Roberts effected the capture of Cronje and his host, there was in reserve a greater outburst of heartfelt enthusiasm for the relief of Ladysmith, whenever it might occur.
The news reached Hamilton by telephone from the C. P. R. offices in Toronto at about 6:45 this morning. It was too early for many people to be on the streets, and most men who were on the streets were handling snow shovels in front of their own homes. When the message came from Toronto, the central telephone office here gave it out, in accordance with Mayor Teetzel’s arrangement, to everyone who had a whistle to blow. The Canada Coloured Cotton Company whistle and the Grand Trunk engine whistles were the first to break the stillness of the snow-laden air, and these were quickly augmented by the whistles of the engines of the T. H. & B. and the various factories. There was a suspicion at first in the minds of people that a railway accident had occurred, but quickly the good news dawned on them, and in most instances they left their snow shoveling and hurried through the big snow drifts to the centre of the city to confirm their suspicions of cause for rejoicing. From seven o’clock there was a constant stream of humanity coming up the street railway tracks to the city’s centre, from east, west, north and south and within an hour, there were more people on the streets than are usually there at midday.
The first proof of the authenticity of the rumour that the anxious received was from the first edition of the Spectator, which, as usual, was on the streets away ahead of the other local papers. It was just ten minutes past seven this morning when the newsboys started out with the Spectator’s first edition announcing the war office statement of the relief of Ladysmith and the papers were bought up by the thousands. A second and third edition followed in quick order, as rapidly as the dispatches were received from the war office, and these too were eagerly scanned.
But as a general rule the people were satisfied when they read the first dispatch. That was sufficient for a jubilation, and a jubilation it was. Flags were hauled out, and from every flagpole and in front of every business house, the union jack and multi-coloured bunting was rapidly displayed. Acting on Mayor Teetzel’s suggestion, the fire alarm bell was started ringing at an early hour and the big bell in the city hall tower followed. It was Ald. Hill, chairman of the markets committee, who hauled up Mayor Teetzel’s new Ladysmith flag to the top of the city hall flagstaff, and it was the same gentleman, assisted by Detective Donald Campbell, who struck the first blow on the big bell. From that on through the morning, the air was punctuated by the firing of guns, the ringing of bells, fireworks and smaller noises that joined in and made the occasion one never to be forgotten in the lives of those who participated in it.
There was no system or order in the demonstration of the morning. It was simply a time where every man, woman and child felt that he and she was too happy to keep still, and the only way to find relief was by marching up and down the crowded streets, shouting if they had nothing to make a noise with and making a noise if they had the necessary machine. Bells of all sorts were carried by the joyous ones, from the hand bell of the public school to the dinner bell in the hands of the small boy. Everyone had a flag of some sort, and most of the paraders wore large Ladysmith relief badges, supplied by Stanley Mills, and which were all sold out before the noon hour, though the supply on hand was enormous. Though the streets were almost impassable on account of the heavy snow, the people didn’t seem to know it, and with heads up and eyes front, they stumbled along through drifts and over slippery places with an abandon that was positively enjoyable, especially in the case of the women, who were just as numerous and joyful as the men.
When the news was given out in the schools, there was great excitement and the teachers had all they could do to hold the patriotic youngsters. The head masters in the various district schools gathered the children together, and besides telling them the joyful tidings, delivered patriotic addresses. The children sang the Maple Leaf, Soldiers of the Queen and the National Anthem, and were dismissed for the day. At the Collegiate institute J. B. Turner, the assistant principal, assembled the students in the big hall, and there were patriotic speeches and much singing of patriotic songs. The students were then dismissed. Rev. Father Holden carried out the same program in the separate schools, and in a very short time after the young folks were dismissed, they were on their way up to the centre of the city in procession, carrying flags, shouting and singing the right sort of music to march by on such a happy occasion. The young women of the collegiate were as enthusiastic as the young men, and a small army of them marched to the post office early in the morning, where they sang and cheered until Adam Brown made his appearance and delivered a short address. Then they dispersed all over the city, taking possession of express and caters’ sleighs and thoroughly enjoying themselves.
Under Capt. Tidswell, the Fourth Field battery assembled at 9:30, and, with two guns marched to King street east, and, in front of the Waldorf hotel, and alongside Sir John A. Macdonald’s monument, fired a salute. The shock of the firing guns cracked some glass in the neighbouring stores, but it was a day on which little things like that were to be forgotten. It remained for the Sons of England band, led by its bandmaster, H. A. Stares, to form the celebration of the morning into something like order. The band, of its own option, paraded at an early hour and marched around the Gore playing patriotic airs. It serenaded the newspaper offices, Adam Brown and Mayor Teetzel, and then went back to the band room, where the members had refreshments and listened to patriotic addresses. While the band was on the streets, it was followed by the crowd, and several thousand people – men, women and children – joined in the airs played – Soldiers of the Queen, the Maple Leaf, the British Grenadiers and the National Anthem. It was a great day for the band, and the bandsmen didn’t seem to mind a bit that there was no money in it for them. They were out because they were sons of England.
When the band serenaded Adam Brown at the post office, Mr. Brown came to the entrance and made a speech, which was enthusiastically applauded and cheered. Mr. Brown’s speech, in brief, was as follows :
“Sons of England, Ireland and Scotland, sons of Canada, every one of you Britons to the core, I thank you for that cheer, and the Sons of England band for the compliment paid me. This is a great day for the empire and for Canada. Our country is engaged in the greatest war of the century for liberty and the right. (Cheers.) The colonies have responded splendidly to the call from the mother Queen, and among them Canada has done most nobly. All honour to her brave sons – (cheers) – the distinguished place of honour in the great charge which resulted in the surrender of Conje and his army was given by Gen. Roberts to the Royal Canadian regiment, in the daring charge they made. (Cheers.) It will live in British history forever.
“Well done Canada! Her brave boys have covered themselves with glory. The crushing of Conje sent dismay into the enemy’s camp, and today we thank God for the success of British arms under Gen. Butler in relieving the brave White and his gallant garrison at Ladysmith. (Cheers.) The empire is one – every colony is ready at the bugle call. Were it needed to maintain the empire, Canada would send a hundred thousand men to defend it. (Cheers.) We mourn our mighty dead who have fallen, but their names will live for all time as heroes who have given their lives for Queen and country. (Cheers.) All hearts go out in sympathy for the wounded. The country will take care of them.
“Well may we cheer today for the glorious news – Ladysmith relieved. (Cheers.) God save the Queen, the noblest woman that lives today (Cheers.) Go on shouting Canada for ever, Britain over all.” (Loud cheering.)
Mr. Lancefield proposed three cheers for Mr. Brown, which were given as only Britons can give them.
It would be impossible to describe individually all the decorations on the various businesses and public buildings. It is enough to say that they were all generous and good looking as they were plentiful. The desire to do something was evidenced even down on the water front, where all the frozen in vessels were covered with flags and bunting. There might have been a bigger display of flags at the city hall had it not been that early in the morning an army of about 500 young men and women stormed the building, marched to the top flat, where there was a regular store house of bunting and flags ready to be put out, and devastated it, carrying off the flags as trophies, and waving them on the streets wherever they went. The invading army was led by two well-known women.
What went on the morning continued all the afternoon, only more so, and there is every promise that tonight will see the city more wildly enthusiastic than ever. This afternoon all the factories and workshops are closed, and the city’s army of mechanics are on the streets, joining with the crowd of the morning to do honour to the occasion. Most of the stores are closed, also, it being impossible to do any business. Tonight, there is to be a programme of events. The Thirteenth regiment has ordered to parade, and with it will be the Thirteenth band. There will be a procession and Mayor Teetzel has made the request that citizens generally join in the parade, following the soldiers and the band. The members of the Fourth Field battery are also unofficially asked to parade. With the procession will be a big display of fireworks, and, in spite of the cold and snow, there promises to be the hottest sort of hot time in the old town tonight. The battalion order is as follows :
Order
March 1, 1900 – The battalion will parade with great coats at the drill hall at 7:30 this evening.
By order,
W. O. TIDSWELL, Captain, Adjutant.
To this is added the following request from the military authorities :
Request
The Thirteenth regiment will leave the drill hall at 8 o’clock this evening. Societies, factory employees and citizens are requested to form up on the side streets between the drill hall and the city hall, and fall in rear of the Thirteenth battalion as they pass, so as to make the procession one worthy of the occasion. Bring your torches and fireworks
Route of the Procession
The route of the procession will be : James street to Main street, Main street to Bay street to King street, King street to Wellington street, Wellington street to Main street, Main street to James street, James street to drill hall.
Notes
There will be no “weather permitting” about the procession tonight. It will come off despite of the weather.
There will be no rehearsal at St. John’s church tonight, as the Sons of England band will be in the big procession.
There were any number of camera fiends out this morning getting snapshots of the unusual scene, and a number of them were women too.
Mayor Teetzel wishes to return thanks to the telephone companies and to the citizens generally for the way in which they all aided in making the celebration in Hamilton a success.
The celebration of the relief of Ladysmith will be the one occasion in the lives of many Hamilton women when they forgot, or didn’t care, for propriety, but waded through snow drifts with their skirts, just the same as their husbands and brothers.
At the wheel and bolt works this morning, the men had a local celebration. Headed by J. Montgomery, the men of the bolt works went over to the wheel works and serenaded the men there. Afterwards the wheel works men, headed by Billie Plum, returned the compliment, and this afternoon, they are all up town joining in the general celebration.
There was a big celebration at Waterdown this morning, a procession being formed, bells rung and whistles blown, while the local band made music to march to. This afternoon, Dr. McGregor marched into the city with fifteen mounted men from the town on the Flamboro heights, and he promises that he and his braves will be in it when the big procession is formed tonight, with its torchlights and fireworks.
