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C R A N D A .G . P . A . T R U N K R A IL W A Y O F CANADA. (Form 2r>28; I M i pT 'A COM MU ATION TIC *>| «5? E x p / / i r e s y ' C o u p o n a tta tt a h e d o n tltf c / ? T h is T i c k e t t 6 FlFTY-*OUfl Paasakea betwieT " ^ tifi in tl*** t ar» o f th e 0 . I . U allw u jvu foJeft tu lli« CoiKtHion* < t> « baek. growing with * · * . O A K V IL L E ... growing with O K . V F H \1, M A K A O E T t THERE ALWAYS HAVE BEEN COMMUTERS People were commuting between Oakville and Toronto nearly threequarters of a century ago, accord ing to the date on the commuta tion ticket reproduced here, May 3, 1884. Holder of the ticket was Alex Williams, whom someone in Oakville may remember. While the ticket normally entitled the holder to 54 trips between Toronto and Oakville, this one was apparently limited to 36. The Grand Trunk Railway was absorbed by the CNR about 1920. The ticket was sup plied by Deputy-Reeve Herbert Merry, chairman of the Centennial Committee. C A N A D A ARNOLD DANFIELD and COMPANY LIMITED First Trains Puffed Thru Town Of Oakville In 1855 By P. W. THOMPSON Throughout the whole century of its existence as an incorporated town Oakville has been served by a railway. It was on December 3, 1855, that the first train passed through Oakville, while a big crowd of admiring citizens looked on. The opening of the railway, the Great Western, was marked by a celebration at Toronto on Decem ber 2 0 , which was attended by a good number of Oakville people, who went on a special train from Hamilton, which stopped here. Three Each Way In those days six trains stopped at Oakville daily, three going in each direction. Strange as it may seem, the trains made the trip to Toronto and Hamilton as quickly as trains today. When tsiey ran on time they got to Toronto in 38 minutes, and to Hamilton in 32. The fare from Toronto to Hamil ton was the same as that paid by stage-coach and steamer passen gers, 2 shillings and sixpence. A shilling extra was charged passen gers without tickets. Each train carried first and sec ond class cars -- " passenger emi grant cars" they were called. Most of the engines were built in Eng land, and each bore a name, such as " Ontario" or " Kent" , and was operated by a permanent engineer. They were painted a dark green, and banded with strips of highly p o l i s h e d brass. Each engine was equipped' with jP whistle, but had no bell. Its funnel-shaped smoke, stack was .designed to keep down the sparks from the wood fire. Laidlaw, kept a conservatory of flowers in his premises, and his daughter gave music lessons at the station up until the eighteen nine ties. The beams and foundation of the frame building which served as a station until the new build ing was opened last year were those of the original structure. gus, to connect Oakville with the farming country in the back part of Halton and a section of Welling ton. They obtained a charter from parliament in 1855, and the com pany was incorporated under the name of the Oakville and Arthur Railway. But the ambitious plan never materialized. Ancient Trestle The bridge over the Sixteen Mile Creek originally consisted of a wooden trestle. This was replaced with an iron structure, resting on stone abutments, in 1880. It was two years later that the Great Western Railway was amalgamated with the Grand Trunk Railway. The Grand Trunk was absorb ed into the Canadian National Railways about 1920. About the same time as the Great Western Railway started running through Oakville, a group of 28 merchants and hotel owners projected a scheme for a railway line between Oakville and Arthur, in Wellington County north of Fer Wide Influence The opening of the railway through Oakville had a tremenrous influence upon the commun ity's future. In the years that fol lowed the shipments through the port declined steadily, and the town's population dropped. About half a century later, however, the trend began to be reversed, as Toronto people, attracted by Oak ville's advantages as a residen tial town, began to settle here, using the railway to commute daily to their work in the city. At present several hundred commu ters travel back and forth by train every day, in addition to those who make the trip by car. Trans Canada Wholesale Distributors of Wood Burners These engines burned large quantities of cordwood, which was piled along the tracks at every station. A circular steam-driven saw for cutting the local supply of wood was located on the 7th Line near the tracks, and the wood was piled along Dundas Street to the toll-gate that stood at the junc tion of the 6 th Line. Tre railway cars were heated by wood stoves which were kept going full blast, even though nearly all the men passengers wore heavy fur coats in winter. Stage-coaches carrying passen gers and mail made daily trips to the Oakville station from northern parts of the county. The station master and his family lived right in the building. Oakville's first station master was Matthew Me Murtrie. His successor, Walter EEWOOD PAVING LIMITED Asphalt Paving DRIVEWAYS PARKING AREAS INDUSTRIAL PAVING , . . for people who want nothing but the very best a few o f the uses o f this decor ative plastic laminite is in restaurants, homes, high class furniture. 71 color* and patterns; in 21 sizes. · K Y S -I T E TRAYS Plastic serving trays in plain colour* and attractive patterns -- long-wear ing and durable. · C E L L U L O ID N IT R A T E Town Painted Red For Queen Vic's Jubilee On June 21, 1887, Oakville was in Festive array for the golden jubilee of the good Queen Victoria, who was celebrating the 50th an niversary of her accession to the throne. The loyal citizenry went all out to decorate the town in a manner befitting the great occa sion. The results of theirv efforts were described by the editor of the Oakville Star, in the following pic turesque manner: " Not since the noble red man, in war paint and feathers, roamed the banks of the Sweet Sixteen has Oakville presented such a scene of dazzling splendor as it did on the morning of the never-to-beforgotten Jubilee. Colborne Street was arched from end to end. Flags fluttered from scores of windows, from the top of telegraph and tele phone poles nad from the pinnacle of fame. Almost every place of business had its crescent of ever greens and many-hued streamers, rivalling the rainbow in depth of color and novelty effect." The day's program started with an address at St. Jude's Church, after which the town's school chil dren, headed by the band, marched to the Agricultural Hall at the fair grounds, now Victoria Hall. Each youngster was given a medal bear ing the queen's head. After a dinner which the enthusiastic editor praised as " worthy of Delmonico's" (a famous New York restaurant), there were speeches, and ball games between the local White Oaks and teams from To ronto and Hamilton. The afternoon's activities were followed by a supper served to hundreds of people, and the even ing's program included songs, re citations, and Highland dances. The glorious day was brought to a fitting close with a display of fire works and a royal salute. i F o r optometric frames, baskets, etc. · L M ETAL M O U L D IN G S A ll types for all uses. EXTEND THEIR BEST WISHES at H orn* wrl* P to p U ROADand STREET PAVING TO OAKVILLE ON ITS 1 0 0 th VI. 5-1484 box 335 Oakville EXTEND THEIR BEST WISHES TO LOCAL FORMICA DEALER BIRTHDAY and Company Limited McLeod Tile and Linoleum 2 Kerr St. OAKVILLE on its 100th Birthday Sixth Line Arnold VI. 4-3267