January 21st, 1898
West of the Capital.
Notes from Placentia Bay.
Capt. Carroll arrived here on Wednesday night last from Placentia Bay in the schooner Nonpariel, with a three-parts cargo of fish for Job Brothers & Co. The captain left Oderin last. He has been in different harbors round the Bay collecting fish, and visited Placentia, Paradise and Petite Forte. At the latter place he was speaking to Capt. Joe Brown, in the 90-ton Gloucester schooner Carrie M. Babston, who is now in the Bay for his third load of herring. Capt. Joe is high liner so far, having taken to Gloucester already this winter one load of herring from Bonne Bay and a load also from Placentia.
The people in the Bay are delighted with the good result of the American treaty in herring so far, and the amount of money thereby put into circulation has warded off the bad times that would otherwise prevail. Capt. Carroll takes a freight from Harvey & Co.’s, for Geo. Knowling, Esq., to Placentia Bay next week, and will then go to Placentia and outfit for the Gulf seal fishery, sailing from Channel with a crew of 12 men. We wish him as full a measure of success as his pluck and daring deserve.
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May 9, 1898
SHIPPING DISASTER. Loss of the Schooner “Avalanche.”
The schooner Avalanche, belonging to James Frost, of Random, Trinity Bay, was lost near the “Bulls” Cape Saint Mary’s, on Thursday last; the master and crew of six men saving themselves in the boat. The disaster occurred a half mile from the shore, and so suddenly, in the heavy north-east gale, that the crew had no time to save anything, escaping only in the clothing they wore. They had been engaged in the herring fishery of Sound Island and were returning when tin; accident occurred.
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May 9, 1898
SUPPLYING BAIT.
A small fishing smack belonging 14 John Soper of Random, Trinity Bay, has been employed the past winter at Sound Island, Placentia Bay, supplying American schooners and others with frozen and green herring. Only three hands—the master, his son and a fisherman—were engaged in the venture and navigated the frail craft around the coast, commencing the voyage in November and terminating it last week. They caught and disposed of over one hundred barrels, getting 80 cents a barrel for the fish in a green state and 25 cents a basket for it frozen, four baskets equalling a barrel.
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May 12, 1898, Page 4
SUPREME COURT
The value of the schooner Avalanche, of Random, T. B., recently lost off Cape St. Mary’s, is set down at $1,200, including outfit. She was 45 tons burthen.
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May 14, 1898
A fine schooner, of about 45 tons, was launched at Long Beach, Trinity Bay, on Thursday week by Mr. William Vey, the builder. She will be employed in the Labrador fishery.
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May 14, 1898
Mr. William Flynn, of Heart’s Ease, is again in town at his usual spring business, and he is looking very well. He intends to run the fishery business again this summer “for all it is worth.” We wish him success.
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May 14, 1898
A New Church – Mr. John Day [Vey], of Long Beach, Trinity Bay, laid the foundation of a new Church of England church in that settlement the past winter. He expects to have the building finished early next fall.
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May 17, 1898
Seven new schooners were built and launched at the South West Arm of the past winter. Mr. John Vardy built a 25-ton schooner for a coaster between Trinity Bay and St. John’s.
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August 12, 1898
House Burnt Down – On Monday last at Northern Bight, T.B., a station house was destroyed by fire. All the property and a considerable amount of money was annihilated. Two young men residing in the house lost all their clothing.
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December 5, 1898
Marine Notes
Quite a number of new schooners will be built in and around Random, T.B., the coming winter. Mr. Ambrose is building a fine schooner at Northern Bight, and Mr. Solomon Drodge a vessel for trading and coasting at Heart’s Ease. Mr. E. Seward will build one at Clarenville.
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December 12, 1898
New Schooners – Mr. Edmund Seward is about to build a new schooner at Clarenville the coming winter. Mr. Vardy, of Hickman’s Harbor, will probably build one also.
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December 17, 1898
THE FROSTY PARTY.
People of Random Incensed Against the Government.
Editor Evening Telegram.
Dear Sir,—Please allow me a small space in your paper to tell the public of our grievances hero. A sum of $900 was granted by the Tory Government last fall to build a road from Northern Bight to the Railway. Mr. Norman Frost was given control of the money and had the appointment of the walking bosses’. The special grant was sent to Stephen Smith, John Vey and Norman Frost, and as the latter had power to appoint the bosses, you may be sure he did justice to the family of Frosts. His own brothers— James and Levi were appointed walking bosses, and two of his nephews also got special jobs, Eleven bosses were appointed to spend $500. The road does not appear to be of much benefit, to the public, but of great benefit to the Frosts, as it goes directly to their mill. The people of Random are very much obliged to the Tory Government for the way they are treating them. It looks as if there were no people there but the Frosts. We all know, of course, that when Winter reigns frosts generally come to the front. Otherwise a Frost would not be made a mail carrier, another Frost Chairman of the Road Board, another Frost Postmaster, and Nehemiah Frost a J.P. For these reasons, when the Tory Party come to Random again to look for support from the people, they will get a regular freezing out. Instead of calling this place , the Government, now they are changing the names of places, should call it Frosts’ Bits, with the accent on the last word.
Yours truly, LIBERAL. Northern Bight. Dec. 12th, 1898.
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Transcribed by Wanda Garrett and Lester Green, September 2014; Last update November 2022
These transcriptions may contain human errors. As always, confirm these as you would any other source material.