1915-01-02oo

In 1915, just as it had been for some years before and would be for some years afterward after, the Hamilton Times carried a daily feature, headlined “The Man In Overalls.”

Made up a series of brief observations on matters of interests to Hamiltonians, the Man in Overalls’ views were usually just a sentence or two.

Following is a collection of items from The Man In Overalls features appearing in issues of the Hamilton Times from January 2 to January 7, 1915. (Where explanations are needed, such are provided in parenthesis, where no explanation is needed, the Man in Overall’s comments stand alone.)

 

From January 2, 1915 :

“ ‘Votes  for Women are on the way.

“ We will need better fire protection on the mountain when the hospital is built up there.

“ The sneak thief seems to have lots of employment in the city at present. Look after your cash.

“ Don’t forget to pray for peace this week.

“ The January thaw, as usual, scared the life out of sleighing.

“ The third contingent may be the last. May be your last chance. (Two contingents of Canadians soldiers had already be raised to fight in the Great War. The third would not be the last.)

“ Perhaps it was intended that the Canadians should suffer all the horrors of war at Salisbury Plain before being sent to the front.

“ When are we going to get that belt line around the bay? (It was fully intended that Hamilton’s city boundaries would circle around the Hamilton harbor. A Hamilton Street Railway street car line, a belt line, continuously circled from Hamilton’s downtown to the far eastern section of the city, looping back downtown etc. etc. The Man in Overalls wondered if the time had come for something similar to run around the bay.)

“ Home Chat’s thought for today : Most of us are good at making excuses for ourselves. The majority are a little too good at it.”

 

From January 4, 1915 :

" Now, get to work for the unemployed.
"The week of prayer. Let there be peace with victory.
"The war is now in its sixth month, and it looks as if it may run into its sixth year.
"Already we have had a fair share of winter weather. That may shorten up the spring, which often lingers in winter's lap.
"Nothing unites a people like patriotism.

From January 5, 1915 :

“Take an axe to that sidewalk. Somebody may break a leg. (An ice storm had made walking on city streets a challenge.)

“ Hang on to your resolutions. If good, they are worth keeping.

“ It’s good to be at peace with all the world. I don’t even bear a grudge against my greatest enemy, if there is such a person.

“ This is the week of prayer and intercession for victory and peace. We can all help here.

“ This early winter may mean an early spring.

“We should have a parade of fire horses or something as a formal opening of the John street fire station.

“ I hope Mayor Allan will be allowed to take home with him the City Hall cat. It has been a consistent friend to him, (John Allan had been replaced as Mayor of Hamilton on January 1, 1915)

“ Nobody seems to know if the city military guards got a hot dinner or not on Christmas day.

“Take hot water cloths to thaw out frozen pipes.

 

From January 6, 1915:

“ Too many fires. Be careful.

“ When I get my back up about the street cars, I walk until the grouch wears itself out

“The home guard drill has been the making of me. I feel as if I could walk to Toronto and back and never miss a step.

“ Those chaps who stand round and sneer at the home guards should be sent to the trenches.

“ I would like to present an iron cross to the man who takes care that his horse is well shod these days. (So that horses could use the frozen city streets without falling)

“Well, I won’t sorry when this cruel war is over.

“Home Chat’s thought for today : The unhappy people are those who, because they look on it in the wrong way, are unable to take any interest in the work fate has given them to do.”