PORT PERRY STAR ye CENTENNIAL EDITION Bigelow's Royal Arcade, visited by Elizabeth Christie in 1871. The winter scene shows a corner of the house in which the Bigelows first resided. It was moved to 100 Perry Street. From The Pages Of Miss Christie's Diary § A glance at life in Port Perry in 1871 from the diary of Miss Elizabeth Christie of Epsom. Miss Christie was a sister of Mr. Peter Christie who was Reeve of Reach township for many terms and Warden of Ontario County in 1881. Elizabeth Christie died in 1944 at the age of 101 years. Thursday, May 11, 1871 A nice warm day. Kate (sister) and | took old Foxie and drove to Port Perry. Visited the stores. Mr. Bigelow was very accomodating, took us over his whole establishment. Seemed very anxious that we should trade there. Mr. C. James was especially attentive, sent home samples of tea. We bought ourselves a dress apiece -- very pretty grey material at 20 ct./yd. On our way home we called (for the first time) on Mrs. W. Tummonds. She seems a nice pleasant body Saturday, May 27, 1871 Mory Reynolds and | drove to Port Perry with 21 Ibs. butter. made a deposit of $100. in the Ontario Bank in (brother) Duncan's This millinery shop is not the one visited by Miss Christie in 1871 -- but it is thought to be the millinery section of Jones & Co. who operated a dry goods store in the Mersco premises in the 1890's. time planned the south side of Queen Street between Lilla and Ella Streets in- cluding Crandell and Caleb. Since Crandel! had sold the land to Mr. Bigelow in the first place, and since Crandeil's portion turned out to be somewhat swampy, there would seem to be an element of 'sour grapes im the charges. This wes typical of the criticism that was to hound Mr. Bige low throughout his career, especially with regard to his part in the building of the railway. Since the railway marked the end of Prince Albert as a commercial centre, it is not surprising to find in an editorial im the Prince Albert Observer, December 18, 1871, the following: "(The report of the speeches in Ire- land's Hall at the nomination meeting) . . . Will be found interesting and not a little instructive, showing as it does the depths of villainy and deception to which dishonest knaves will descend in order to forward their own a bominably selfish ends, while it also affords a key to the solution of the otherwise difficult problem how so many small-hearted, ignorant numskulls make rich; how the ranks of our codfish aristocracy are recruited, and men who have not brains enough to stick together manage to accumulate wealth." Mr. Bigelow was a man able to give as well as receive on the debating floor, as it seems from this report of part of his speech at the above-mentioned meeting. (Mr. Allison was opposing him for Reeve for 1872)" ~ Mr. Bigelow went on to state that having purchased 50 acres of land from Mr. Crandell, he laid it out in village lots, and making the erection of buildings an indispensable condition of purchase. What had he (Bigelow) not done for the village; he had spent his means wrought night and day for the securing of the railway, and while his opponent was anoozing in bed with his arms around his ja ande he (Bigelow) was driving through mud and mire at midnight hours. -- He said he would leave the matter in the hands of the people for the present and would only say to the é@lectors that it is better to choose a living lion than a dead dog. At his death in 1917, Mr. Bigelow left his wife, the formér Miss Elizabeth Paxton, whom he had married in 1854, two sons, Charles and Thomas, of Detroit, who were both highly successful real estate brokers there, and his daughter, Mrs. W. H. Mc Caw of Port Perry. Of his eight McCaw grand-daughters, four make their homes in Port Perry today, Mrs. A. Carnegie, Mrs. D. Carnegie, Mrs. H. Emmerson and Mrs. H. Nasmith. Their families and fellow townsmen alike enjoy a life here which wouldhave been vastly different had Bigelow not devoted his life to its development. Joseph Bigelow had lived through years when opportunity presented itself on all sides to all men. Few men seized them © §6successfully, and brought so many projects to completion. Fewer still, in doing so, have so stimulated and charged the lives and economy of their fellow citizens. The flags on public buildings in Port Perry flew at half-mast in his honour at the time of his death. He really had been a living tion! name. We went down to the boat landing to look at the Anglo-Saxon bringing logs. | bought a Gypsy summer hat -- white hat with black lace, white rose and riband. Miss Mackenzie trimmed it. | also bought Mary and | a pair of white gloves apiece. Called at Mrs. Duncan McKercher's and had tea. Our drive was very pleasant. The lake and island looked charming. Week of June 3 - 10 (Port Perry's incorporation approved June 9) Nothing of importance happened this past week . CONGRATULATIONS to the Village of Port Perry on the occasion of your 100th BIRTHDAY # from the members of Lake Scugog Regatta Association