Excerpts from Newfoundland Posts and Telegraphs daily news journals

Newfoundland Posts and Telegraphs 
April 1924 

Apr. 1:
Sealing messages indicate the "Terra Nova" is continuing to pick up her [catch of
seals on] pans and has on board 2500. Ship is having difficulty to do so owing to
rents in the ice.... The "Thetis" reports 100 yards more to blast and she will be free
[from the ice]. "Ranger" got free yesterday.... [and] reports [she is] in heavy sheet
ice, making slow progress steering north. A message from Change Islands states
that quite a few harps were secured there yesterday and the "Ranger" was 6 miles
off that place.

Apr. 4:
The following message has been received from Mayor BUTLER, Deer Lake by
the Dept. of Colonial Secretary: It is imperative that all possible steps be taken to
keep men from coming forward to this area until work has been arranged. Every
train brings scores, and at Deer Lake there are still over one hundred unemployed
who are overcrowding our camps to the discomfort of our workers. Conditions
are the same at Corner Brook and unless more drastic steps are taken the situation
will be most serious as our accommodation is hopelessly overcrowded now.

Apr. 5:
George DRAKE, aged 21, of Millers Passage, Fortune Bay and Frank LYNCH, 19,
of Curling were washed overboard from schooner "Electric Flash", bound from Bay
of Islands to Gloucester and drowned.

Apr. 14:
To all [telegraph] offices: Vessel named "Edward Gerald", two mast, barrel on
mainmast, light mainsail, dark foresail, and head sails left Wesleyville for seal fishery
first April and news of her is asked by Minister of Marine & Fisheries.

Apr. 17:
A message from "Sagona" last night states the position of that ship is six miles N. by
West of the Funks... "Thetis" reports in same vicinity as "Sagona", steamed through
thousands of bedlamers but ice too loose to put men out...

Apr. 19:
A message from Magistrate JEANS of Greenspond advises [that] two men of Fair
Islands, CUTLER and ROGERS, aged 21 and 17 years respectively, have perished
on ice. One body was recovered. Other particulars not known.

Apr. 22:
The "Neptune" finished discharging about 3 p.m. and weighed out about 20,000
[seals]. The ship is expected to sail north [again] on Saturday with sealers and will
proceed to White Bay for landsmen's seals.

Apr. 24:
The Warren administration lifted the duty and sales tax from kerosene, gasolene,
flour, pork, molasses, and beef, the removal coming effective from 9:30 this
morning. The reduction amounts in value to approximately $600,000.00 annually
and the object of the government in taking off these duties is to encourage the
greater prosecution of the fishery this year.

Apr. 25:
The House of Assembly opened yesterday in pursuance of the proclamation
previously issued... [and] that in order to make possible the removal of duties
[as above]... the government had decided to introduce legislation providing
for a corresponding reduction in expenditure and also that legislation would
be asked for in connection with a new pulp and paper project in the Gander
Valley and for the erection of a flour mill in the country.

[Mr. Harvey SMALL is noted here regarding a vote of confidence in the
government; he "was absent, being out of town".]

[We never did get our flour mill...]

Apr. 28:
Mr. A. JOLLIFFE, second engineer of the S.S. "Canadian Sapper" was found
dead at the government Railway Dock wharf on Saturday afternoon. A post
mortem examination disclosed death was due to drowning. He has been missing
since Thursday. It is supposed drowning was accidental.

Apr. 29:
A message from Magistrate COOK of Fogo to the Dept. of Justice reads as
follows: I have received from Frank SAUNDERS, Gander Bay, a telegram as
follows:  Stanley GILLINGHAM and Herbert FRANCIS left here Wednesday
enroute north-west Gander River. Squall [of] wind upset their boat eight miles
from Gander Lake, GILLINGHAM being drowned. Francis reached shore.
Search parties leaving today to recover body.

The Minister [of] Posts has received a report from Loon Bay that the body of
mail courier Patrick CLAIR was found in a water-logged boat in drift ice two
miles from there. Courier WELLS, who accompanied, and the mail, is missing.
A search for the missing courier and mail is being made.