Looking back - 1986: 74 year-old stonemason helps out the town

Details

Published on Tuesday, September 27, 2016

Press Archives: At age 74, Frank McLachlan constructed cairns marking entrance onto Mountain Avenue. Helper Andy Macsymic can be seen in the background.

By Cecil Pittman

The Neepawa Press

80 years ago, Friday, Sept. 25, 1936: Many citizens turned out Wednesday afternoon to meet Lord Tweedsmuir, the governor-general of Canada, when he passed through Neepawa on the C.N.R. on his way to Prince Albert. When he stepped off the train, he was met by mayor WG. Pollock. After the train started, he stood on the observation platform and waved farewell to all who had come to welcome him on his first visit to Neepawa. The general impression he gave was that he was a very fine type of gentleman.

70 years ago, Thursday Sept. 26, 1946: Three men were instantly killed and three seriously injured on Saturday night when a Canadian Pacific Railway freight train crashed into the rear of another freight train ahead, about one-half mile west of Carbery station. Six cars of grain and lumber were thrown into the ditch and grain heaped high about the scene. The impact threw the engine of one train at right angles to the track and the tender was forced into the ground. Engineer Knipe and fireman Gurski were pinned between the tender and engine and had to be cut loose by acetylene torch. Mr. Gurski had to have one leg amputated. The others suffered severe burns. All were rushed to Brandon hospital.

60 years ago, Thursday Sept. 27, 1956: Butter entries of the Manitoba Co-Operative creamery at Glenella, recently won two third and one second prize at the Toronto exhibition, it was announced recently. The creamery is under the management of Mr. Webster and congratulations are due to him and his staff.

50 years ago, Friday Sept. 30, 1966: Construction of a new Manitoba Telephone System building in Neepawa is expected to be under way within approximately one month, it was learned this week. MTS spokesman in Winnipeg commented Wednesday that architects’ plans for the Neepawa building, which will incorporate automatic dialing equipment for the town, are now in the final stages. Tenders should be called within a week, which will allow for a start on construction by the end of October or early November. While details of the new building are not yet available, it will be 43 feet by 43 feet in size, a one-story structure of reinforced concrete and brick, designed to allow for future expansion both vertically and horizontally. The building will be located on the corner of Brown and Hamilton, adjacent to the Roxy theatre.

40 years ago, Thursday, Sept. 23, 1976: Ex-Winnipeg Jet Bobby Ash has been hired as Neepawa’s new sports facilities manager. Mr. Ash, his wife Susan, five year-old Dana and one year-old Deron, will be moving to Neepawa early in October, when Mr. Ash officially assumes his duties. He’s looking forward to the job. He explained that he’s been involved in sports all his life and sees the job as a new phase in his career.  Mr. Ash is originally from Broadview, Sask. however he’s lived most of his life in Brandon, where he attended school and played junior hockey.

30 years ago, Thursday, Sept. 25, 1986: At 74, Frank McLachlan still occasional plies his stone masonry trade. In this case, he is building the cairns marking the entrance onto Mountain Avenue from Highway 16, which is part of Neepawa’s main street Manitoba project. “I kind of enjoy getting out and knowing I can still do it,” said the stonemason. “I should be out golfing, but my golf game isn’t that good, so I’m doing this.”

20 years ago, Monday, Sept. 24, 1996: Transportation Safety Board investigators have yet to determine why part of an 85-car train slid off the rails when it was switched to a side track five kilometers east of Minnedosa last Thursday. Six cars slipped off the tracks when engineers attempted to switch the five-locomotive Canadian Pacific train from the main track to a sidetrack at 12:35 am. “For some reason, the emergency brake activated and the train fell off the track,” said CP spokesman Steve Morris of Calgary.

10 years ago, Monday, Sept. 25, 2006: In what was called “a historic event” the town of Neepawa and rural municipalities of Langford, Lansdowne, Glenella and Rosedale signed a tax sharing agreement for the new personal care home.  The agreement, which was already worked out before the 2002 municipal elections, calls for Neepawa to cover 51.8 per cent of the community contribution. Langford will be responsible for 9.1 per cent, Lansdowne 8.7 per cent, Glenella 5.6 per cent and Rosedale 24.8 per cent.