A Glimpse of PICTOU COUNTRY

August 1867

BRIEF LOCALS – The “Morning Glor y Band” of hope had a picnic at Fraser’s Mountain on Thursday last. They marched in line through the street presenting quite a appearance. – Large fields of grain throughout the County are “white into the harvest.” Dry weather for a week would prover a great boom to our farmers. – We are informed that the potato blight has made an appearance in some parts of the County – The coal trade is unusually dull at this moment. – The activity in shipping coal, which prevailed in the latter part of July and first part of this month has died away. Considerable activities in house building prevailed in Pictou and New Glasgow at present time. August 31, 1867

CRICKET MATCH – A Cricket Match between the “Thistle” of Halifax and “Caledonia” of Pictou Cricket Club was partly played in Pictou on the 6th inst, but owing to some misunderstanding between the captains, the Match was brought to a close. At the ending the “Thistle” was leading by 10 runs. August 7, 1867

TERRIBLE BLAST – We learn that a man named McLeod was seriously injured on Monday last at the works of the Montreal & Pictou Coal Company, by a premature explosion of a blast of gun powder. Another man working with him was slightly burned at the time August 21, 1867

FALSE ACCUSATION – We observe that our contemporary Pictou County paper, The Colonial Standard accuses us of giving false account of the meetings lately throughout this county. We deny the charge. We hold that our statements are perfectly true, and we imagine it will require veracious and trustworthy authority than the Standard to prove them otherwise. We attendees a number of meetings personally for the express purpose of arriving at correct conclusions in the matter. August 7, 1867

GALE – Last night we were visited one by the heaviest gales experienced for years. It commenced near midnight and increased in fur y until after daylight, when it began to subside. The street were strewed with limbs blown from ornamental trees in large quantities. The roofs of several newly erected buildings were considerably damaged and an uncovered frame in New Glasgow, met its immediate fate and was blown to pieces. It is not known how far the ravages have extended. It is feared the serious disasters among shipping will be reported. August 3, 1867

CATTLE KILLED – We learn that within the last few days several cattle have been killed and others injured, by locomotives, on the railway track at Albion Mines (Stellarton). Why are cattle allowed to stray on the track? Is the unfinished state of the railway fencing or want of cattle guards at crossings, the reason why such and similar accidents are of frequent occurrences? August 17, 1867

SCOTCH VOCALIST – As will be seen by a notice in an advertising column. Mr. Kennedy, the celebrated scotch vocalist will give an enter tainment in New Glasgow, on Thursday evening and in Pictou on the following night. We obser ve the Halifax papers speak in a very eulogistic terms of his singing ability. We have no doubt his countrymen in this part of the province will be pleased to patronize his entertainment. August 17, 1867

ELECTION 1867 – A series of meetings have been held during the past week in the Eastern Sections of the county, at which the Candidates on both sides were represented. On Monday there was a meeting at Middle River. On Tuesday a meeting was held at Big Brook (Lorne) where are large number of electors assembled to hear the questions of the day discussed. We will only say that the enthusiasm manifested by the union party fully justifies the belief that polling day will demonstrate that the people there all right, and that they establish the fact by a full and conclusive vote for the Union ticket. August 6 ,1867

CURIOSITY – Last week it was reported that Mr. J.R.P. Fraser has in his garden a pear tree which blossoms and bears fruit regularly twice a year. The second growth of fruit only attains about half the size , and does not fully ripe until the New Year. The pear is then ver y delicious. August 21, 1867

CAPE JOHN LOSS – Since the gale last week, five men belonging to Cape John have been missing. They went out in a fishing boat and have been doubtless been lost. Their names were Charles Strumberg, John McLeod and Paul McDonald, farmers of Cape John. Charles Strumberg , teacher in the River John Academy, and David Strumberg. The Charlottetown Islander states that their boat has been picked up at Point Prim. August 10, 1867