Excerpts from the Canadian Freeman 1897

The Canadian Freeman was a newspaper published in Kingston, Ontario.
I believe it was first published in 1885.

The Canadian Freeman
Volume XIII
$51.00 per year

Transcribed by ???

March 24, 1897
It is said that a very serious type of diphtheria has been prevalent on Howe Island. One child died from the disease and four others are very ill. Two of the Sisters of the House of Providence have gone down to attend the sick children.

June 16, 1897
Mr. John Driscoll, jr. has been appointed Treasurer of Howe Island.

The Howe Island Township Council will pay the bills of the Beaubien family, contracted during illness from diphtheria, amount to $95.00

The County Council considers the assessment of Wolfe Island not high enough. For a township that has to pay taxes in support of railroads, etc., which other townships enjoy, ordinary people are of opinion that Wolfe Island is paying its full share of the County Municipal expenses, and that the proposal to value the Island property at $660,400 is “Out of Sight” of the taxpayers, many of whom say the Wolfe Island, Howe Island and Simcoe Island combined would not sell for that amount.

August 18 1897
Miss LaChance of Howe Island, commenced her duties as teacher at Brewer’s Mills on Monday.

Miss Etta Foley, second daughter of Reeve John Foley, of Howe Island, and Mr. John Pickett, were married by Rev. Father O’Gorman on Monday of last week. Miss Ellen Pickett and Mr. R. Foley assisted the bride and groom respectively. Among the guests at the wedding were Mr. and Mrs. James Norris, Mr. and Mrs. A. Simpson, Mr. and Mrs. John Fitzgerald and Miss O’Brien.

September 22, 1897
Last spring Robert Gillespie, of Howe Island, sowed two bushels of rye which this fall yielded 106 bushels.

October 6 1897
In the near future a number of Howe Island’s fairest daughters will change their names and go into house keeping on their own account.

October 27 1897
Howe Island Bridge- The Ontario Government Engineer, Mr. Aylesworth, is in this district at present, looking after the colonization roads. He was down to Howe Island last Wednesday looking after the work done on a road there by Government grant and found everything satisfactory. The engineer still contends that a good bridge could be built from Howe Island to the main land for $30,000.00. The Dominion Government Engineer estimated the work of $70,000.00 and consequently a damper was cast on the scheme, as the water was controlled by the Lower House. The people of that district still have hopes of getting thus much needed convenience.

November 17 1897
On Tuesday of last week lightening struck the house and barns of Mr. L. Rushford at Howe Island and killed three horses. The hired man, John Lesky, was knocked down while in the act of entering the barn. On recovering he put out the fire in the building. The lightening entered the roof of the residence and the ? just escaped striking Mrs. Rushford, Jr. who was doing some work at the time. The ceiling over her head fell down. From the second story the lightening passed down stairs, smashed the stove over which Mrs. Rushford, Sr. was working and killed a dog underneath. Mr. Rushford’s loss will amount to a considerable sum.

December 1, 1897
An Ottawa paper says: Ross Murphy and James O’Reilly are both novices at the game, having kicked a ball for the first time this season. Murphy is a Kingstonian, 17 years old and weights 175. Mr. O’Reilly is a big, strapping, good-natured fellow, whose whole heart is in the game. He is full of sand, and never gets hurt although right in the centre of the battle at all times, he also is a Kingstonian, weighs 175 pounds. He has played in three games in all games.

December 15, 1897
Mr. John Bieof, of Howe Island, have recovered the fur robe thought to have been stolen. It was left with weigh master Donnelly of the market.

December 29, 1897
Mr. Michael Quinn, formerly nightwatchman, was 83 years of age last Thursday. Though seriously ill, his lungs are as sound and his life may be prolong for some time to come.

Mr. Wm Robinson, Stephen Street, son of Mr. John Robinson, reported to have died on Sunday, is rapidly recovering from a severe attack of pneumonia.

The Islands: Island Stories: Excerpts from Canadian Freeman 1897