August 8: Fort William:
Fort William regularly provided electric light services to military offices and associations free of charge. Here, Fort William is asked by the Women’s Patriotic Society and the Red Cross to provide lighting to McKellar Park for the upcoming Women’s Patriotic Auxiliary Field Day. The motion is carried with Fort William agreeing to “provide the necessary power for lighting the entrance to McKellar Park and the dancing platform, free of cost […].”
August 14: Port Arthur:
In May, Port Arthur City Council brought forward a suggestion made by the Indian Agent, Russell Brown, that clothing no longer in use by the 94th and 96th battalion might be provided to “destitute Indians” in the District. Here, council discusses a letter received from Military Secretary from the Department of Militia and Defense regarding the same issue.
August 14: Port Arthur:
Port Arthur and Fort William both provided funds to former municipal employees who enlisted to serve overseas. Here, one of those men, Police Court Clerk Henry Edward Alfred Rogers, thanks Council for their grant of $100.
August 14: Port Arthur:
Port Arthur City Council responds to correspondence from the City of Niagara Falls regarding pensions for soldiers after the war. The Council would “heartily endorse” the resolution. This issue was discussed by Forth William in July.
August 14: Port Arthur:
Port Arthur City Council receives a letter from Canada Bond Corporation regarding a new War Loan.
August 14: Port Arthur:
Municipalities like Port Arthur assessed all properties for an annual tax, and were empowered to collect unpaid taxes by seizing funds, goods, or even the property itself. (Although procedures are different, municipalities still have these basic rights today.)
In 1916 legislation was amended due to the war. The Assessment Act was amended stating, “the council of a local municipality may, by resolution, direct that during the present war and for six months thereafter, arrears of taxes in the municipality may not be collected by distress and sale of goods and chattels and that all arrears of taxes may be collected under The Assessment Act in the same manner as if there were no goods and chattels liable to distress and sale”. (Statues of Ontario, 6 George v. Chapter 24, Section 28) Arrears on taxes were not to be collected by selling peoples’ goods or property during the war and 6 months after. This change was not revoked until May 1920.
August 14: Port Arthur:
The highway from the border crossing at Pigeon River, which we know as Highway 61 today, was completed in 1916. Construction had started in 1913, funded by the Department of Mines and Resources. As the highway was nearing completion, Port Arthur City Council requests that the 141st Battalion provide assistance, in the form of 100 men for 10 days.
August 22: Fort William:
The trouble with Canadian Car & Foundry continues as the City puts the company on notice of default. The City claims the company has breached sections 3 and 5 of an agreement signed in May 1912. The sections are explained above and pertain to the schedule of completion and operations. Specifically, section three states, “[t]he said plant and equipment […] shall be completed, ready for operation within thirty (30) months from the date the company is bound to commence the construction there under the terms of the agreement.” Similarly, section five requires the company to employ “a sufficient number of men for a sufficient number of working days to equal one thousand (1000) men for twelve hundred and fifty (1250) working days” for a period of five years after commencing operations. [TBA 4139-21] Since the company had yet to commence operations, the City has put the company on notice. See the above notice signed by Mayor Murphy and City Clerk A.M. McNaughton.
Back in April 1916 the management of the Canadian Car & Foundry Company had suggested dismantling their Fort William plant and selling some of the equipment to the Russian Government. This suggestion was denied by Fort William City Council, which strongly preferred seeing the plant completed and used to manufacture munitions or other material for the war effort.
August 22: Fort William:
The City Treasurer sent a letter suggesting that the Council should invest a portion of its sinking funds in the Canadian War Loan. The Council subscribes for $250,000 of the new War Loan. Although the name may be misleading, a ‘Sinking Fund’ refers to monies set aside for the repayment of debt or replacement of assets, much like a present day reserve fund.
August 28: Port Arthur:
Port Arthur City Council receives a letter from J.T. White, solicitor of the Provincial Treasury, regarding the provincial War Tax. The City Treasurer is authorized to issue a cheque for $15,523 for 1915 taxes. An interest payment on this War Tax bill will be discussed in September 1916.
August 28: Port Arthur:
Port Arthur City Council instructs the Treasurer to invest $100,000 of Sinking Funds in the New Canadian War Loan. A similar suggestion was made by Fort William’s City Treasurer earlier that week.
August 28: Port Arthur:
A letter from the Special Committee of the Senate regarding agriculture, industry and trade promotion was received by the City of Port Arthur. The letter is referred over to the Civic Improvement League, along with a pamphlet regarding Ontario’s Forest Protection System.
World War One Thunder Bay Centennial Project 