-
& ROSS THE ISLAND
olman’s Catalogue
ates Back 53 Years
By NEIL A. MATHESON
: Provincial-Farm: Editor :
HOLMAN’S CATALOGUE furnished winter reading for peonle all across this province when I was a.boy. Many”
- Is théhour. | whiled away “‘buying"’ items from one of those catalogues when I was small, and didn't. have one cent. let alone. the proverbial ‘‘two cents to rub together."’
I dropped into Roy Carter's ‘‘Blue ‘Goose’ restaurant one evening a few weeks ago and he showed me one from 1913 that’s as good as new, The genial Mr. Carter was good enouch to loan it to me for a really good look
Women's Editor Audrey Jenkins is doing the story: or the ladies’ items—I believe that our. Bill Tavlor has _photo- graphed some of the styles and you'll likely. see Audrey's : story and the pictures on the women's page later this week-
I just_ barely remember the high necks ladies wore on “waists’’ at.that time—they came. high around the neck, as this catalogue-reveals, There was one \’-neck one adver- tised, and that must have been considered very naughty in- deed. fete’.I leave.the women's items to the capable typewritter of Audrey, just one more male observation.
NOT IN ANY. pictured ladiés garment illustration were you ever allowed to glimpse even a tiny bit of a women’s leg: Even inthe corset advertisement,and these featured wasp waists for the most part, the legs. were camouflaged | 80 they could not be seen. But the mingling of the .sexes was not interuppted by the covering up. of -the ladies’ charms.—none was even >suggestively visible, They courted each other, married and did the:same things, apparently as we did in my courting days and-as the young peoplée~are
_, doing even now, even when so much of the. female. body is exposed -at times it makes one wonder just where the baring process will. stop. ;
Prices Of 1913 Are Recalled
ENOUGH OF WOMEN'S things, let's look’at some prices of 53 vears ago- A--high grade screen door sold for $1.50, cheaper ones went at 85 cents. Seediess raisins were 12 packages for $1.30. Cotfee was 35 to 45 cents a pound, camp ~———— eoffee—it came in’ bottles=-was~20-cents-for~a small one, or
40 cents for a big one—but no size information was given. They also sold ‘Essence of coffee’’ in those days, at 20 cents * a bottle. Choice tea was 40 cents a pound. “Self rising buckwheat, for griddle cakes", was 15 cents a package and “it needed neither salt, yeast or baking er.” ee
A cow. bell was 30-cents, a 25-gallon milk can<$4.60, solid steel spades sold at 75 cents, a post-hole: digger at 1.20, :
4 , The ‘‘best house paint’’ cost $1.80 a gallon and ‘‘best barn
paint’ was 98 cents a gallon. Handsaws. were~90 cents to
- $2.00. “‘Best front door locks’’ sold at $1.89 a set, lesser ones : for 59 cents; padlocks were 20-30 cents. ike
*- Highest quality 3-ply roofing was $2.25 a roll. Beaver-
? board was the big item in wallboards then. No price was
‘: quoted. But-the catalogue said “it takes the place of latha; = plaster and wall paper.’’ A fancy metallic ceiling was shown and I recall-an uncle of mine did the ceiling, and also the
: kitchen walls of a new house with it when I was just a boy.
Shoe Repairs Done At Home
; COBBLER SETS—for shoe repair—sold.at 60 cents. They . * {ncluded. three lasts for various sized shoes, a hammer, a knife, “sewing, pegging and stabbing awlis ‘‘two packages of \ pails, and a sheet of instructions. These sets were used in .most homes then. My mother was widowed when her family ‘was-small; I don’t think she had any particular skills at that sort of thing; but she did all of the cobbling (Shoe repairs) that: was- needed at our. home: It was grim necessity; most . people just didn't have any. money to spend on things that | ould be} done.at home. r : ‘A note book, or ‘scribblers were unknown, we did our “writing in school on slates.-The catalogue priced slates at | to 10 cents each, the bigger™ slates were nine by 13 mches. Slate pencils were 12 for five cents. For present day Feaders, slates would be filled with writing, then it was erased and you had a clean slate to start work all over again. ~~ \~ “fhe -recommended- practice was to” haye a small <bottle of waker and a cloth to wipe the writing off the slate, but ‘“éther methods were more widely used at times. A spit on the \ 4 slate and! a rubbing with a sweater sleeve pulled over the and was one method that I recall.
‘Sunlight soap was a big item then and it sold for five eents for a twin-bar. The same item sells now for 37 cents, Roy Carter tells me.
¢ :
An
STRAIGHT RAZORS were the man ving tool then and they cost up to $2.00 each. But the Gillette safety razor was coming into use, apparently. And it sold for $5.00, It was silver plated, which made it expensive. I recall that users were urged not to strop or hone the razor blades that time. Most people did though.
: Minard’s Liminent: was a household remedy and it sold at 2% cents a bottle. A washing machine sold for $5.89—it was hand powered— the price with wringer was $8.35. A washboard was 25 to 40 cents.
.. An ice-cream freezer, was $1.25. You put the cream and the added flavorings, etc. into the metal bowl which had a - beater arrangement inside that turned as you turned the trank. -You packed ice and salt in the space between the - metal bowl and the strongly-reinforced wooden bucket into which the bowl fitted... : eis But a few old-timers, like myself; can remember when they made ice-cream in a half-gallon biscuit can. You fitted the ice and salt around the can, in a large basin, “or some similar container: you, placed the palm of your hand flat on the covered top of the ‘can and turned the can back and forth, as long as your wrist would stand the strain; ‘Then you'd probably take off the cover, scrape the frozen cream off the inside of the can, then turn it some more: You repeated that performance until you had ice cream inside. It was a laborious process, but the product tasted all the better for having made it yourself.
Farm Items Were Low Priced
; ' : A SET OF driving harness for ‘a horse cost $15, with breaststrap; with collar and hames it was $17: Team harness with breeching cost $33. The best horse collars came for $3.45, a work pad and breeching was $5.75. ~ A hay fork was $2.50 and a hay carrier. $5.. Wire hay rope sold for the three cents a foot for five-sixteenth size. The three-eight inch size ‘cost four cents. ; =~ A Lowden cow stanchion cost: $1.30. The stanchion setup tould be arranged so that every cow in a row of stalls could ‘be released at the same time, the catalogue said =~ A steel gate, four feet high, 12 feet long, sold for $4.68, Men's shoes had high box toes, for the most part, many were buttoned instead of. laced, and the heels. were high.- Td'liken them to the "Cuban heels’? ladies wear now. The Prices ran from $1.75, to $5.00 for the really expensive’ ones. : Men's hats sold for-25 cents to $1.25. Fur felts ran as high as $2.00 Men’s suits sold for $10 and $11.50, a really good one cost as much as $17, “Motor style’ raincoats, or topcoats, came al! the way down a man’s leg to well below the calf. . HOLMAN’S WERE Offering the Hercules bed spring at §3 25 and it was guaranteed for 25 years. I remeniber they used to advertise this spring in The Guardian,’ with some. «huge weight pictured atop the spring Memory tells -me it as a barre! of flour. which weighed 200 pounds, or a barrel . of lime, which weighed 425. I think it was a lime barrel, but my memory is hazy If any reader can correct me on that one I would appreciate it ' . A daisy barrel churn cost’$8.75 and. a cylinder churn wa $2.00. Beautiful extension dining-room tables sold at $7.00. Waltham watches were the real thing in those days, and the 17-jewel watch cost $15.75 | There are many other things but space is running out.” f hope many of vou enjoy this reference to merchandising @f 53 vears ago. My thanks again to Rov Carter for making the'catalocue available I'll he bringigg it back within a day or so - x :
ce : = were both acting judges during ee: 4 u ; P.E.I. Delegates the competitions held at Varsity ones) eats bod « Stadium on August 27; where all your printing Have Returned jamong the many teams compet- needs. * ing was one from. Australia. | Mr and Mrs R -RruceMac- Mrs. MacLeod also attended the | GUA je “Caren have returned to Char- conference ‘ | iL RDIAN PATRIOT lottetown .after attending -the The annual competition wil | C E N TR AL
First Aid International seminar be held in Baltimore, Marland in 1967.
Prince Edward Island was represented in the competition
workshop and competitions from August 22 to 27 at the Royal York Hotel tn Toronto -
Mr and'Mrs MacLaren and alse Norman MacLeod, . eity,/ couche, which placed wel] in the
: day
ae (Magistrate
f
‘Accused’ ~~
A North Wiltshire resident, Craig Andrew Smith. charged with havirtg possession of stolen goods .was remanded to Friday, |September 9 when he appeared |before Magistrate A.J. Haslam QC in City Police court yester- day,
| Appearing for the accused was Charles MacQuaid, QC, while John Nicholson, QC, represented the crown. : .
| Richard Casford, city, charg- ed with driving a motor vehicle without due care and attention \wag fined $60 and costs or 90 The accused was also fin-
jed $50 and costs or 30 days on a
icharge of driving a motor veh- |
jicle without an operator's li- icence. ;
John Edward Richard. city, jand Lawrence G. Anderson, city jwere each fined $10 and costs or jfive days on-charges. of speed- Ing.
| 2 Island Men
Has Annual Meeting
o ‘
Remands a sland News Page “Stern Trawler
|
«" 2~The Guardian, Charlottetown; Thurs., Sept. 8, 1966-7
Liberal Association.
The $750,000 stern — trawler | Gulf Gunn, latest addition to. the | “(Georgetown fishing fleet of | \Gulf Garden Foods, will visit _\Charlottetown and Summerside lover the weekend and will be (open to the general: public for in- ;spection of the ultra modern ves- | sel. She will be alongside the | jrailway wharf while in. Charlot-
L O'LEARY — The annual jmeeting, special speakers in. |@fOwn. —
meeting of the West Prince Li-/cluded R. MacNeil, O'Leary; | The visit to the two centres is beral. Association was held ‘at/Douglas Adams, Summerside; /being made so that Islanders jthe United Church Youth Center |Aubin Gallant, Tignish; Hon. nea see for themselves the pro— in O'Leary Tuesday evening. |Robert’ Campbell, Alberton; | duct berg turndd out at the | James :Wallace, Cascumpec, |Prosper A. Arsenault, Howlan; /Bathurst Marine — shipbuilding ipresided over the meeting at-|Harris Rogers, Coleman: and Concern and the highly technical tended by some 200 persons. Premier Alex Campbell. — eae ie een ir | It was decided to divide ‘the | Premier ‘Campbell, .in his ad-/C TN 0) 1 ne Pres ay off- first and second. districts of dress, dealt briefly with the pro |* Ta addition.
|Prince into separate associations |Posed provincial road paving . ie es . menremett |with Carman MacNeil, Tyne |progtam for the next five years, aasdes Toolk wi a visit ‘Valley, elected president of the |2Md talked at some length on the | Wh sebeeicitie te ccateial ae 'second district“Liberal Associa- |importance of the elected repre. A% # Cea oO ACE
j |s@ntatives maintainmg close |!@nd labor with- the job oppor- tion, and Mr. Wallace, being | ' g tunitiesto be found ‘at thee toa lelectéd president of the first dis- |Contact with all Islanders in or-coocetown concerns ' \trict* of Prince Liberal Associa- |der to keep the. government. in- |} ' :
ice formed about the. needs and! Gulf Gunn will begin its Char- ti lottetown visit with a lunch hour
‘Will Visit Here
lfrom 1.00 to 6.00 p.m.
‘| prestigious
{Catholic philosophy and theology
-|Church in the Modern World.”
~|morning, “accompanied by — his
; Were $5.00 Each | Is Appointed
ie
.| Let us design your let-
by a first aid team from Mis |
‘Named Recently
Dr. John H ‘John. Eldon’ Green, Charlottetown have recently be- ing elected as members of the- Michaelmas Con- ference of St. Michael's College, ancaffiliate of the University of Toronto, ; z. | Their election to thit select | group represents national ~re- + cognition~of--their standing -with> in their respective professons, and of their: contribution in .oth- er areas of community endeav- our. Both men' have been es pecially active .in the field of education, and-have been identi- fied with a group advocating the union of St. Dunstan's Uni- versity and Prince of Wales Col- lege into one combined. univer- sity serving’ the entire populat- |: ion of. the province. ore a The Michaelmas -° Conference is an annual meeting of. about 30 ranking Canadian Catholics in business, policies and profession- al life, and is sponsored by a group of St- Michael's College graduates for the purpose of ex- amining the relationship between
and the circumstances of | con- temporary social life. It ineludes such outstanding personalities as Dr. J. J. Deutsch, Dr. Francis J, Leddy, Senator John Con- nolly Dr. Laurence Lynch, - and others. This year the Confer- ence will appraise the statement of the Vatican Council on ‘The
The selection of the two Island men represents unusual recognit- ion for this province, since there are “only three persons from the Atlantic provinces” within — the membership ‘of the Conference- Mr. Green left for Toronto this
wife, while Dr. Maloney leaves
on Thursday. - The Conference concludes on Sunday.
Island Native -
-Reyv.,.J: Lorne MacDonald, OMI, a former native of Char- lottetown has recently’ been ap- pointed vicar provinci#l and superior of the Oblate order in the district of Peru, South America.
Father MacDonald was a member of St. Peter's: province, Ottawa, ofthe Oblates of Mary Immaculate. In August he re- ceived his doctorate,-in social work from Brandeis. University, Walthan, Mass.’ 4
e has lectured for several years at the “University of Ot- tawa School of Social Welfare at St. Parick’s College.
Father MacDonald attended Queen Square School in Charlot- tetown and graduated- from St. Dunstan's’ University in 1950.
He is the son.of Mr. and Mrs. Allan J. MacDonald, 82 Douglas Street, Charlottetown. «
New Company Incorporated
At Georgetown © OTTAWA — A new private company, with head office at
\Georgetown, P.EI., has receiv- jed its letters patent from the
| Secretary of State for Canada. | Prince’ Wur Farms “Ltd. has) jbeen incorporated by Albert Bissionette, Jaime Wilson Dun- ton, Jean-Louis Tetrault, Denise QOuelette and Kathleen Higgins. | Authorized capital is 50,060 common shares without nomin-
al or par value. soa
competition and who noted that they considered it an honor to take part in the world wide |competition of first aiders.
toto) ae
RUS
PRINTERY |
PHONE 4-8506
To Peru Post |
lit was agreed that both of the {wants of everyone : jnew associations would have a | ect Grou representative from each poll , To Sel P ire thecnlew executives, ahd that Maloney and jthey would hold organizational both - of ;meétings within the next month. feet a
| Following the business of the than Belgium.
cruise on Friday for a number
+ of invited guests’ and a press
BIGGER THAN BELGIUM party. Later -that afternoon the
Lake Baykal in eastern Sibe- | vessel” will welcome « aboard
ria reaches a depth. of 5,315 members of the trades classes
and covers an area larger at the Vocational: Institute for ‘specially conducted tours.
\
ua
we suggested-everything’s bac there. There's catching up
for being pati
— But all-our. services are operating — freight, passenger, __. express and telecommunications. And we're working
‘ t e hel
e
69 betes. =. co
° | Citadel Work | Oe
j on the $100.000_ buildin
Is Progressing ln 1.00 adn
Mono e_nee Saran er
The vessel will be open for in-|year.
ispection by the public from 10.00; The contractor for the buildin; °
a.m. ‘o 7 p.m. while at Summer-/|is Square-K Construction 0:
army Cmadel wnicR is neing erected at the corner of Fitzroy Prince Streets in Charlotte-
is progressing on schedule early this
Hie
On Saturday from 10 am. to 7. p.m. the aa will be open_to-side____- ee — : ae the public, and again on Sunday Visitors w able to tou oe : 7 naan the vessel at their leisure: and GOATS DON’T CARE
Sunday evening the vessel will get 2 full explanation of the me-| The goat is the most wide. sail to Summerside. where an-of- |thod of fishing and the techni-| spread domestic animal of the ficial and press group will be en- |ques involved in: handling the | world and flourishes everywhere tertained at lunch on Monday. 'catch. exeept in polar regions.
>
‘For a safe; profitable investment, ‘Buy DEBENTURES |
GS 2%
TMB EASTERN CANADA SAVINGS AND LOAN COMPANY
Charlottetown
2 4 met ‘ ; Debentures are sold in amounts ef $100. and up and are oll authorized for the investment ef Trust Funds. =
136 Richmond Street.
‘
£
L- ¢ ; : o
sak i ; ieee ter , Ss
ent!
+ eas r
t's been a trying time. And we'd be less than honest. if = oe
k to-normal. Byt we're: getting to.do. Details to iron out. ee
- around the clock to make up for lost time. '
t ~e
SS - Sorry for the inconveniences. : oo re
4 } 1 : ees
lee
We're glad to be serving you again.
9
°