The Evening Advocate 1921

March 31, 1921, Page 7

The Peril on the Deep !
THREE BROTHERS GET ASTRAY FROM GOOSEBERRY COVE.
Ask that Messages be Promptly Delivered

(To the Editor)

Dear Sir:– Will you please insert in your valuable columns the following;

On the 2^nd of March three brothers, Benjamin, Joseph and Edgar Smith, left their homes at early morning to go out to the rocks near by bird hunting. They took no food or compass with them as the day was so beautiful and calm. After they got there a while they went further out in the bay to hunt for seals, but wind began to freshen up ad it became very foggy. They rowed and rowed about all day in the fog but could see no land until about 5 o’clock they saw the lighthouse at New Perlican and made for it. They got in there safe, but they were almost fatigued by that time as they were feeling very hungry. They had some ducks in their boat, and one of the brothers cut one up and they tried to eat it, but their poor stomachs wouldn’t partake of it. Just then they saw land and on arriving at the lighthouse they got some food and went to the telegraph office to send a message home before bed time, as they knew well that their families were uneasy about them. Two of three men were married, Benjamin and Joseph, and one unmarried, Edgar.

In company with those men their uncle, Peter Seward and son, were also out in the bay and about 1.3. They were talking to each other, and as they were hunting for seals the two boats got separated from each other and Peter Seward arrived home safe before night. When night came and the above named men had not arrived anxiety for the safety began to be felt by the whole population and their families. The men went out on the hills and fired guns after night fall as they did not know what to do as the wind veered north and it began to freeze. After the weary hours of the night passed the men flocked together at early dawn to go and search for the missing men. It was not long before two row boats set off to search around the rocks, Heart’s Ease and Green Island, for them. They came back soon after saying they could not find any trace of them. Then a motor boat, with a crew of eleven men and piloted by Eliol Balson, set out to Easter Head first and got Mr. Cooper, the keeper there, to spy around the bay. After finding no trace they proceeded to Winterton on the South Shore and wired around the settlements nearby to see if they could get any information concerning them, but for a while they seemed much discouraged, but before leaving Winterton a man came into the telegraph office and told them that a small boat had left Perlican for the North Shore. So they wired to Perlican and before leaving found out that they were there for the night and had left for home. This good news of their arrival cheered the men in search for them up a little and they too after a while left for home but met with a trying time of it crossing the bay as it was blowing a strong breeze. Before the motor boat and crew got home the three missing men had arrived, and needless to say, all interested felt more than glad to see them safe on shore again.

After the motor boat had left here about 9 o’clock, Mr. Wm. H. Seaward, Sr., went to Southport to send service messages to all over the bay. On arriving there he found that the office fire was in but the operator was at her home nearby. He asked her to come to the office immediately and send without delay the service messages to all offices in the bay. She took the message from him and on reading it over she said to him there is no need of me sending this, because there is a message here from one of these men to his mother, it came last night. He asked her if it was good news of them, but she did not care to tell, He asked her to tell him then if it was good news or not as all seemed to be uneasy about them, she then handed him the message saying that they got in at Perlican safe. She told him that there was 25 cents to be paid on the message which he said was alright. He came off in great haste to break the good news to their families and the public. On arriving at Mrs. Ann Smith’s, their mother, he opened the message which reads as follows: “We arrived at New Perlican alright. Don’t be uneasy.” (Sgd) B. Smith. The whole population of Gooseberry Cove and Butter Cove were much put out because all this anxiety and sorrow could have been avoided had this message been delivered at closing hour or before at night on the 2^nd of March. We earnestly ask that Government to please see to this. Before closing we sincerely thank the Lighthouse Keeper at New Perlican for his kindness to these men, and trusting to see this inserted in our valuable columns.

We remain,
All Interested
Gooseberry Cove, Mar. 3, 1921

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April 27, 1921, Page 6

ONE HUNDRED YEARS OLD

Mrs. Jane Benson At Gooseberry Cove Celebrates Her 100th Birthday

CONGRATULATIONS TO HER

Gooseberry Cove

April 1^st 1921

Dear Sir:- Will you please permit me space in your valuable columns to report the following which is about an old lady who is now at the ripe old age of 100 years, whose name is Mrs. Jane Benson, widow of David Benson, Hillview.

She was born at Grates Cove in the year of 1821 and was the daughter of George and Mary Cooper. Her mother died when she was 3 years old. She then went to live with he Aunt. When she was 14 years old she went housekeeper for her father and three brothers. She lived with them until she was 21 years old, then she was married to Mr. David Benson.

She is the mother of ten children, seven sons and three daughters, she also adopted three others, two girls and one boy, namely Mary Benson who was married to Mr. Ambrose Brewer, Susanna Cooper who married Mr. Thomas Churchill late of Hillview, Random, T.B., and Mr. Eli Frost who died out in Spain, during the great war. All her own children are died except her youngest daughter, Lydia who is married to Mr. William H. Seward Sr. of Gooseberry Cove, Random, T.B., with whom she has lived this past 28 years.

All her children were married except two, one son who died at the age of 8 months and another son at the age of 27 years. She is the grand mother of 28 grand-children and great grand mother of 60.

For 47 years she lived at Grates Cove with her family, then she removed to Northern Bight, now renamed Hillview, and her family was the first inhabitants of the above named place, where she lived 25 years. Her husband died ten years before she left Hillview to come and live with her daughter, Mrs. Seward. She was 100 years old the 15^th of March 1921, and is now able to get up and dress and walk down stairs without any assistance, and can take up her youngest great grand child and feed him.

It would do one good to hear her tell of her experiences in Grates Cove and elsewhere. Of all the hardships that she has gone through she has it well and comfortable now in her old days, because her daughter has done all in her power to make her so. Before finishing this I would like to say that most of her grandchildren have been good to her including those who are now residing at Brooklyn, New York, namely Mrs. Rev. Kenneth Richards nee Miss Laura Maud Benson, and her brother Allan G.G. Benson, who was Customs Officers at Clarenville for quite a time past, and Hudson Benson, who is living with his sister, also others residing at Hillview and Southport, T.B.

Trusting to see this inserted in your valuable columns and thanking you for space.

I remain, L.S.S.

(We are glad to have this letter telling of Mrs. Benson. How much better is it to record the virtues of each other while alive and well. We hope Mrs. Benson will live many more years yet. Are there any others who have reached the century mark? – Ed.)

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June 9, 1921

Acknowledgement
Dear Sir,
     We would thank you to publish our sincere thanks and the allowing of names of those who contributed in any way to an appeal from our Lodge on behalf of one of its members Bro. Albert Benson who with his father lost their house with all its contents by fire in the month of July 1920.  Signed on behalf of ‘Caribou Hill” L.O.L. St. Jones Within, Silas Tucker.  Worship Master Guy King Secretary.

Collected by Elias Blundon and Benone Robbins
Hillview

 Mrs George Critch article clothes
Mrs Jordon Stoyles article clothes
Mrs Newman Frost article clothes
 
Queens Cove
Mrs. James Cram, 1 blanket, and article clothes
Mrs. James Jacobs, 1 quilt
Mrs. Eleaner Gregory, 1 blanket and article clothes
 
Collected by Wm. G. Blundon
Hatchet Cove

 
Island Cove

 
Long Beach

 
Collected by Boyd King, David Benson, William Tucker
Little Heart’s Ease

 
 Torburn [Loreburn]
Collected by Caleb Meadus

 
St. Jones Within
Collected by William Butt

 
Articles of Clothing.
Mrs. Esau Benson, Mrs.  J. Tucker, Mrs.  J. Rodges, Mrs. Silas Tucker, Mrs. A.J. Tucker, Mrs. J. Ivany, Mrs. Wm. Ivany, Mrs. Charles Toop.
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November 1, 1921

Man is Electrocuted
Touched Electric Light and Struck Down, – Insensible
Interference with Wires Results in Death

The touching of a harmless looking electric light socket caused the death of John Churchill, a young married man, at his home, Prince of Wales Street, last evening. The victim of the strange tragedy was stricken at 7:30 and died at 11 o’clock, after Dr. Cluney MacPherson, who was called to attend him, had worked unceasingly for more than two hours in an effort to bring about resuscitation.

Was Digging Cellar

John Churchill, who resided with his father on Prince of Wales’ Street, was engaged with his brother Everett in digging a cellar beneath the house and he was about to continue on the job shortly after 7 o’clock last night when he received injuries that resulted in his death some three hours afterwards.

In order to obtain sufficient light to enable him to work young Churchill connected a long cord to a socket in the house and so brought his portable light out through a window intending to drop it into the cellar. Having switched on the light he grasped the socket in his bare hand and received a shock which prostrated him. His brother, who was in the house at the moment, heard his scream as he fell unconscious and rushed out to see his brother lying on the ground. On attempting to raise him, Everett also received a shock but not such a severe one as to disable him entirely and grasping a board from a nearby pile, he severed the cord of the light which the stricken man still held in his hand.

Dr. Macpherson Called.

Unconscious and apparently dead John Churchill was carried into the house and Dr. Macpherson, who was summoned, was quickly in attendance. The medical man did everything that science could suggest in an effort to bring about resuscitation and for two hours or more he worked unceasingly but without result and about 11 o’clock the young man passed away without having regained consciousness. His brother who received a shock also suffered severely and was ill during the night. This morning, however, he was reported as almost fully recovered.

Wires were Grounded

The explanation for such a heavy voltage as that which caused the fatality is that some time during the day the frame of an umbrella was thrown over the wires, coming in contact with uninsulated parts and causing them to “ground” so that when the unfortunate man Churchill touched the unprotected socket while standing on the wet ground his body helped to form a circuit with the tragic result as told above.

Others Narrowly Escaped.

Earlier in the evening Mr. T. Davis who keeps a store nearby had a narrow escape. He went to turn on the lights in his store and received a severe shock. Fortunately standing on the floor of his shop, which was dry, and beyond being thrown to the floor he was not injured. Further up the street a woman received a shock in like manner. Had either of these people been standing on the wet ground, they too would probably have suffered the fate of Churchill.

It is apparent that undue tampering with the daner charged wires was responsible for the death of last night’s victim and perhaps it is not too much to hope that some person in authority will now see to it that the possibility of such a happening in the future will be, if not altogether obviated, at least minimized to as great an extent as may be.

Underground Wires.

This and other recent fatalities from the same cause have given rise to considerable comment as to the undesirability of the dangerous overhead wires and the question is asked why, in a city like this, where the problem of right-of-way should be anything but a difficult one, could we not have all underground wiring. It is obvious that as conditions exist to-day, a great deal more attention must be given to electric wires throughout the city if other fatal accidents are to be averted.

The deceased man leaves besides a wife and child, his father and mother, Ambrose and Margaret Churchill, four brother and two sisters to whom the Advocate extends sincere sympathy.

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November 18, 1921

Directory of schooners at St. John’s now

Royal Huntress, Random, T.B., Llewellyn Bartlett, brick to P.J. Shea; sails next week.

J.S.C., St. Jones, Random, T.B., Chas. Tucker, fish to Baine Johnston; sails next week

Pansy, Frost master, Bay de Verde, discharging fish at Crosbie and Co’s.

Mary Kate, Vey master, Hillview, T.B.; discharging fish at Delgado’s.

Little Gem, Styles master, Hillview, T.B.; taking provisions at Bowring’s

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Transcribed by Wanda Garrett, Valerie Johnson and Emily Seward. Last updated October 2022

These transcriptions may contain human errors. As always, confirm these as you would any other source material.