35 YEARS AGO: Part of bridge to remain for recreation

35 years ago

Feb. 1, 1973 – Highways Minister Leonard Pace said a portion of the old Victoria Bridge across Bear River would be left for recreational use.

The Digby Annapolis Basin Tourism and Recreation Association had proposed using the bridge for sports fishing.

Digby Municipal Council voted to slash its welfare costs. No one waiting for unemployment insurance benefits would qualify for welfare, and anyone on welfare who refused a job offer would be cut off immediately.

Municipal councilors also passed a resolution calling for reinstatement of the death sentence for all convicted of murder. A free vote was scheduled in Parliament.

Digby scallop fisherman Wiley Robinson was advocating a three-year ban on scallop fishing in the Bay of Fundy to protect depleted stocks.

MLA Joe Casey said a previous petition for a year-round ban had led to closure in 1971, but fishermen were soon saying it was too great a hardship and asked for just a summer closure.

Fourteen teams from Digby and Bear River competed in a bonspiel at the Digby club. Winners were the rink of Mr. and Mrs. Kelsey Raymond, Luella Haines and Roger Tidd.

Little Cinema was showing ‘Ryan’s Daughter’, with stars Robert Mitchum and Sarah Miles.

50 years ago

Jan. 30, 1958 – Digby Municipal Council took the first steps towards enabling a multi-million dollar power development proposed by Nova Scotia Power for the Sissiboo River.

Councillors gave their approval to the sale of production and generating assets of the Digby County Power Board for a price not less than $250,000. The sale also required approval of other power board partners, Clare, the town of Digby and the village of Weymouth.

George Bartlett of Deep Brook was dismantling an old parlour organ in the community school and found a label indicating it had been manufactured in 1880 by Annapolis Organ Co. of Annapolis Royal. It came with a five-year warranty.

More than 1,000 spectators attended the official opening and first hockey game at the new artificial ice rink at St. Anne’s College in Church Point. The college team defeated one from HMCS Cornwallis, 8-3. ‘The Wings of Eagles was playing at the Capitol Theatre, with stars John Wayne, Dan Daley and Maureen O’Hara.

60 years ago

Jan. 29, 1948 – Milton Turnbull, a partner in the Turnbull Bros. grocery, was nominated for mayor in the town election, joining H.M. Warne on the ballot. Warne had taken out an advertisement saying he had been nominated against his will. He said he would vote for Turnbull and asked voters not to vote for him.

Digby County Power Board chairman H.H. Marshall advised municipal council that an immediate increase in generating capacity was needed to meet growing demands for electricity. The previous summer’s drought meant the board had to buy electricity from the Nova Scotia Power Commission.

Marshall said the previous year had seen 358 customers added, and power lines extended to Weymouth Falls, Marshalltown, South and North Range, Gulliver’s Cove and Doucetteville.

Prince’s Store added a new dry cleaning service with pressing ‘while you wait”.

At the Capitol was ‘Caesar and Cleopatra’, Hollywood’s adaptation of the George Bernard Shaw play. Stars were Vivien Leigh and Claude Raines.