Reminiscences of a Raconteur, Between the '40s and the '20sHam, George H. (George Henry)
History
Reminiscences of a Raconteur, Between the '40s and the '20s
Ham, George H. (George Henry)
Canada; Ham, George H. (George Henry), 1847-1926; Journalists -- Canada -- Biography
Returning to the newspapers—in a later day came the _Sun_, the _World_,
edited by W. F. Maclean, M.P., the _Empire_, both afterwards absorbed by
the _Mail_, and the _Telegram_, the last and highly successful venture
of John Ross Robertson. John Ross in this enterprise made municipal
politics his specialty, and woe to the man he opposed. One candidate for
the mayoralty to whom he objected was Angus Morrison. Mr. Morrison was
not a good or strictly coherent speaker. John Ross went after him by
printing verbatim reports of his campaign speeches, and thus did him no
end of harm.
Toronto’s Chief Magistrates.
Toronto’s mayors have been of all types and of all brands of politics.
Next to Tommy Church, the most tenacious was Francis H. Metcalfe,
“Square Toes” as he was called, who had five terms. Mayor Church has had
six, and is now enjoying his seventh. He toes the line with even greater
energy than did Mr. Metcalfe. “Square Toes” was a notable member of the
Orange Order, and the joke was on him when he had to give protection to
the Catholic processions that celebrated the Papal Jubilee. E. F. Clarke
and Horatio C. Hocken were also chiefs of the Orange Order. Ned Clarke
was taken away all too early.
* * * * *
Some of the mayors had a good streak of humor. Mayor McMurrich was one
of these. It falls to the lot of the mayor to give names to the
foundlings coming under the protection of the city. One newspaper man,
Ephraim Roden, had criticised Mr. McMurrich in the course of his
journalistic duties. Shortly afterwards a colored foundling had to be
named, and the mayor conferred upon it the full name of his critic. Mr.
Withrow was a mayoralty candidate but was not elected.
* * * * *
I remember coming to one of the exhibitions which preceded the
establishment of the Industrial. It was held just where the
Massey-Harris factories and yards are on King street. King street west
then ended at Strachan avenue, and big gates, where King street stopped,
guarded the entrance to the fair grounds. The most notable feature of
the Fair was the glass structure known as the Crystal Palace. Here all
the best exhibits—the quilts, the amateur paintings, the cakes by the
farmer’s wife, the sewing machines, the pumpkins, the parlor organs and
the stoves were displayed. Outside on the grounds were agricultural
implements, animals none too well housed, and mud—for the weather as a
rule was hostile to the Fair. Mr. Withrow and some other leading spirits
worked for the transfer of the Exhibition to the Garrison Common, and
now Toronto has the big show of the country—if not of the continent.
”Ned”—Hon. Edward Farrer.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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