“Well, if this doesn’t
beat all. Canada. Misnamed by Kipling as The Lady of Snows, with weather as
balmy as Southern California, and the sun shing almost warm enough to tempt the
ladies to raise their parasols to protect their faces from the blistering heat.
Times have changed my
old Hamiltonian, since you and the Spectator were in the heyday of youth. Then
we had winter begin in November, and kept on doing business on the cold storage
plan right straight through till the natal anniversary of the Old Lady of
Windsor.
“Now Winter has no
beginning to speak of, for we gather second crops of strawberries when the boys
and girls should be, according to the old seasons, tramping over hill and dale
on snow shoes, and flying down steep hills on toboggans.
“This kind of weather
settles the question of Hamilton as a famous winter resort. Indeed, it is a
glorious town to live in at any season of the year.”
“Big Offerings on the
Market : Such a Busy Scene Was Never Witnessed By Even the Oldest Inhabitant”
Hamilton Spectator. December 22, 1900.
Saturday, December 22,
1900 was the last full market day before Christmas Day. The meat and vegetable
stands, at the downtown Market Square, were heavily patronized by shoppers
making their final purchases in order to make their upcoming Christmas dinners,
the best meal of the year:
“Of course, every man,
woman and child went through the market this morning; they would not be loyal
to Hamilton traditions if they missed the greatest display of the year. While
exhibit of beef is not as large as usual for Christmas, yet it keeps up the
record for quality. Just think of sticking the carving knife into such fat,
juicy roasts, with the rich gravy following the course of the knife. It makes
one’s mouth water even to think of it.
“There is richness enough
in the meat line in the market to give the whole town dyspepsia for the next
month to come, and we would advise the apothecaries to renew their stock of
tablets, for there will be a great run on them.”1
1 “Hamilton
Spectator. December 22, 1900.
Outside of the meat
market hall, vendors were doing a brisk trade in turkeys for the Christmas
table. Wagons full of turkeys were soon emptied as scores of men and women made
their purchases and rushed off, bumping into each other while holding large
birds by one leg:
“But what a happy,
good-natured crowd it was, everybody laughing and speaking words of cheer to
friends they met as they hurried along. The old goose of Christmas was not much
in evidence. Hamiltonians eat turkey nowadays at Christmas. Nothing is too good
for them.”1
Indeed all stalls at
Hamilton Market that were year were busy. Besides the meat and vegetable stalls,
the fruit vegetable and flower vendors did a brisk trade:
“Those who have watched
the markets say today was positively the biggest known. The wagons spread out
for blocks in all directions from the market square, and they all carried
something good to eat, so there was no danger of a famine for their citizens.”1
The reporter sent by the Spectator to describe
the scene on the market on December 22 1900, was sure that anything that could
possibly be needed for the Christmas table could be purchased on the Hamilton
market at “prices within the reach of even the poorest:”
“What feasting there
will be next Tuesday, and while the dinners are being cooked, the fragrant
odors from thousands of Hamilton kitchens will ascend as sweet incense and waft
with them the prayers of a thankful people that Christmas comes once a year.”1
A Times reporter was
also sent to the Hamilton Market:
“A magnificent
Christmas display of produce attracted thousands of people to the Central
Market today. The Weather was ideal for both buyers and sellers, and the big
square presented a decidedly gala appearance.
“So great was the
attendance of farmers that all the side streets off the big square were lined
for blocks with country rigs.
“While there was no
combined effort to decorate the Central market hall, there was a magnificent
display of meats of all kinds most attractively arranged, and there were also
several magnificent carcasses of Christmas beef, weighing from 1200 to 1600
pounds and bearing the prize tickets won by the cattle at this year’s fair. The
Lawry stalls in the big hall looked very handsome as the result of artistic
decoration.”3
3 “For
Thousands of Xmas Dinners : Magnificent Display of Produce on Central Market.”
Hamilton Times. December
22, 1900
The Lawry display on
the Hamilton Market received further attention in the Times published two days
later:
“Lawry & Son,
Limited stalls in the market hall building look exceptionally fine. Their
display of meats is very choice, and they show two carcasses weighing 2,265 and
1,625 respectively. They have their place all lighted with gas, having put in
three chandeliers and a row of lights with colored globes on the outside of
their stalls.
“The display, to say
the least, is magnificent, and goes to show how this progressive firm is
advancing.”3.3
3.3 “A Fine
Market Display.”
Hamilton Times.
December 24, 1900.
A selection of brief
items from a particularly lengthy “Tea Table Gossip” which appeared on December
24, 1900”
“No paper tomorrow.
“Fralick & Co. presented each of their
employees with a Christmas turkey.
“J. Wallace & Son presented to each one of
their employees a Christmas present in cash.
“Mrs. Stiff, Aberdeen avenue, reports that
seven chickens were stolen from her hen house on Saturday night.
“The Hamilton Electric Light & Power Co.
is giving each of its employees one day’s wages as a Christmas present.
“The J. McPherson & Co.’s employees were
each presented with a five dollar bill this morning. There are about 300
employees.
“A glass showcase in front of Eastwood’s book
store was broken open last night, and ten books and some periodicals were stolen.
“It is reported that a great quantity of goods
were stolen in the big stores when the electric lights were out.
“P.C. English broke up a gang of forty crap
shooters at the corner of MacNab and Picton streets yesterday. The shooters ran
away when he was about 100 yards away.
“The Mallard Gun Club will hold a shoot at the
west end grounds on Christmas day at one o’clock. There will be a team shoot
for a supper. Shooters are cordially invited.
“The south and west conductors and motormen of
the City Street Railway wish to thank Mr. Reginald Kennedy for his kindness in
presenting each man with a turkey.
“Wesley Hendershot thinks he mafde a record on
Saturday. He sold 509 turkeys, besides a large number of geese, ducks and
chickens. He would like to hear from anyone who did better.
“One of the daintiest Christmas dinner
bills-of-fare ever published will be seen at the Royal tomorrow. It is in book
form, on fine royal purple card, tied with ribbon of the same color and printed
in gold on the title page and the menu in silver. The title page is in album
style, a view of the dining room, in green being shown. The Royal will serve
wine with every course at Christmas dinner.
“Tuesday being Christmas day, the Hamilton
post office will be open for delivery of correspondence from 6 a.m. until 11
a.m. and 6 to 7 p.m. All mails will be closed and dispatched and the street
letter boxes will be cleared as on ordinary days. The letter carriers will make
their early morning delivery only.
Saturday evening, December 22, 1900, the users
of electricity in the city of Hamilton were greatly inconvenienced by a power
failure which occurred between 6 and 7 o’clock:
“The light of the new
century was, at that time, the light that failed, and, with their stores
crowded with Christmas buyers, the merchants who did not have gas to fall back
upon were compelled to take chances while they hunted for coal oil lamps and
fallow candles to furnish light enough to see to make change by and prevent the
operations of those Christmas trade hangers-on who love darkness better than
light for the reason that their deeds are evil.”2
2 “Its Usual
Luck : Electric People Have Trouble With Power at Critical Time.”
Hamilton Spectator. December 24, 1900
The cause of the power
failure was the breakdown of a main switch at the Cataract Power Company’s
Victoria Avenue distributing station. Caused by the overloading of the circuit,
the power breakdown was suspiciously regarded by many citizens who were fully
aware of the protracted dispute between City of Hamilton officials and the
Cataract Power Company over disputed accounts.
About half-past six o’clock,
during the height of the power failure, a farmer was driving down John Street South,
near Hunter Street. Owing to the fact that the street lights were out, the farmer
did not see that the barriers of the Toronto, Hamilton and Buffalo railway were
down, and he proceeded to drive right through them. A freight train was
approaching the crossing at the time and he only means of escaping a collision
was for the farmer to drive his horses and wagon right through the second set
of gates across the tracks. The wagon had just cleared the tracks when the
train whizzed past.
The next morning, Sunday
December 23, 1900, church services across the city were less fully attended
because of inclement weather. The heavy rains and cold temperatures discouraged
all but the heartiest from attending.
On Monday, December 24,
1900, the various national societies operating in Hamilton held their annual
distributions of Christmas cheer to the city’s poor.
Around 1:30 p.m., there
was a hive of activity around 128 King Street West, where members of the St.
George’s Society provided over 200 needy families with the makings of fine
Christmas dinners. Altogether 2,500 pounds of beef, 1000 pounds of flour, 500
pounds of sugar, 500 pounds of raisins, 125 pounds of tea and 150 loaves of
bread had been assembled for distribution. As there were fewer applicants for
assistance than expected, the St. George’s Society was able to fill all
requests, leaving enough left over to make large donations to various other
charitable institutions of the city.
Besides the St. George’s
Society, food was distributed to those in need by the Irish Protestant Benevolent
Society, the St. Andrew’s Society and the St. Vincent de Paul Society. Altogether
the poor of Hamilton were well-provided for and no family in need would have to
do without a proper meal on Christmas day.
The Post Office at King
and John streets had been very busy for weeks and the pace accelerated even more
as Christmas day was imminent:
“This has been the
busiest Christmas season in the history of the Hamilton post office. All day
Saturday there was a rush of people who were sending away letters, and packages
of all shapes and sizes, and hundreds of dollars were expended in stamps. The
distributing clerks worked hard from early morning until late at night. All
last week, the mail was constantly increasing in volume, but the Hamilton
staff, which has the reputation of being among the most expert in Canada, kept
up with the rush of work. Saturday night the British mail arrived, and, in
order to get the thousands of packages and letters it contained in readiness
for distribution today, the entire staff of letter carriers assisted the
regular office staff, working all yesterday afternoon.
“This morning there
appeared to be no let up to the volume of post office business, but at noon
today, the staff was well up with the work of distributing and dispatching>’3.2
3.2 “Heavy Mail
Business : Unprecedented Rush at the Hamilton Post Office.”
Hamilton Times. December
24, 1900.
The Times, on the day
before Christmas, carried the following editorial:
“Tomorrow, the last
Christmas Day of the nineteenth century, will not be lacking the joy and
gladness with which the idea of Christmas is connected. The Canadian people
have had a period of industrial and commercial prosperity, which implies
financial ability to indulge in the comforts and luxuries which are needed to
make Christmas pass off pleasantly. The hopes of the little ones who hang up
their stockings are not liable to be disappointed when times are good and
employment is plentiful; and the grown-up folks will exchange tokens of love
and friendship without feeling that they are doing more than they can afford.
“Locally, we have to celebrate
our Christmas without any jingle of sleigh bells, for the old-fashioned winter,
with hard frost and deep snow, has failed to put in an appearance in Hamilton.
Most of us had hoped that the war in South Africa would be entirely ended before
Christmas Day, for thoughts of ‘peace on earth, good will toward men’ do not
chime will with reports of Beyer’s and Delaney’s defeat by French and Clements;
but we can at least rejoice that the war is, to all appearance, near its end,
and it can only end in the right way. Canada has done her duty toward the
Empire in her time of trouble, and we can rejoice with our kin beyond the sea
when the sword goes back in the scabbard to stay there.
“Meanwhile, with a sense
of duty accomplished and with little fear of foreign or domestic complications
to disturb our peace, let us, one and all, dismiss our cares and unite to enjoy
a Happy Christmas.”3
3 “Christmas”
Hamilton Times. December 24, 1900.
The Times, also on
Christmas Eve, carried a reminder to Hamilton sports fans, that relatively
little would be happening in the city for them on Christmas day:
“There will not be much
in the way of Christmas sport tomorrow, except running and shooting. The
devotees of curling, skating and hockey will have to be content with the
engagement of their roast turkey and plum pudding, and the hope that Jack Frost
will make it up to them by New Year day.
“The curlers are also
bowlers, most of them, and up to Saturday it looked as if they might have a
game of the lawn on Christmas day. That would not exactly be a new thing, for
it has ben seen before in Hamilton, but the change in the weather on Sunday has
put it out of the question.”3.1
3.1 “Sports”
Hamilton Times. December 24, 1900.
“The last Christmas of
the closing century has come and gone, and today the youngsters are recounting
the surprises of the Christmas morning, while the elders are discussing the advisability
of taking something of sugar-coated nature to aid an impaired digestive
apparatus. It was a pretty sort of Christmas for most people, and most people
seemed to take a heap of enjoyment out of it. The city was the home for the
time being of thousands of wandering ones – sons and daughters who, during the
balance of the year dwell in other places, but make it a point to be home at
Christmastime. The youngsters had their good time, Santa Claus coming to
brighten the day in most homes where the little folks live. Mother and father
had a good time, the former because she had the family all around her and could
once again cook a meal for the whole flock, and the latter because he could
give himself up to the unalloyed enjoyment of a day off with the kids.
“After the Santa Claus
excitement of the early morning, the day was passed quietly enough by the
stay-at-homes, and those who went out found enough to keep them interested in
the road racing at Victoria Park and elsewhere, in the churches and at the theaters.
“How the Day Was Passed
: Something of the Doings of Hamilton Folks Over the Christmas Time.”
Hamilton Spectator. December 26, 1900.
“In no place does
Christmas mean more than to the citizens on the hill overlooking the city. For
many weeks before the event, busy minds have been devising ways and means, and
cunning hands have been executing, by a variety of methods, how best to make it
the brightest and most cheerful day of the year.
“To the ordinary
observer, it bears none of the traditional hallmarks of an asylum for the
insane. On the contrary, it has all the appearance of a great co-operative
organization conducted on socialistic principles. Absolute equality is the
keynote of its management. Rich and poor fare alike, and all fare sumptuously on
Christmas day. Imagine, if you can, the numbers of turkeys and geese required
to feed about 1,200 people, not to speak of the plum pudding, fruit and
confectionery which also contributed to the meal.
“Many loads of evergreen
have been hauled from a distance and woven into ropes by many willing hands to
festoon the halls and corridors in endless forms. Intermingling with this are
the hanging baskets and flowers in great profusion, giving the whole the
appearance of a bower of beauty. Added to all this are the works of art which
arrest your attention everywhere, in draperies, needlework, crochet work, and
embroidery, all bearing evidence of design, taste and skill of the highest
order. Nooks and angles are utilized everywhere for cosy corners, and enriched with
beautiful easy cushions in most elaborate designs.”
“Christmas at the
Asylum : Festivities This Year the Most Satisfactory.”
Hamilton
Spectator. December 26, 1900.
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