At 12.05, Monday morning, Aug. 6th, a construction truck owned by the McFarland Co. ran off highway 44 at what used to be known as the Big Hill. In spite of the high embankment there since the grade was lowered, the driver was not hurt. It is said he was Returning to Ottawa at the time and that he was working at the Carp airport. A tow truck from Carp pulled the machine back onto the road. So far as the local area is concerned and so far as information goes, there were few traffic accidents over the Civic Holiday weekend. There was a regatta at Rideau Ferry on Monday and one was held at Arnprior on Saturday, July 28th.
King’s Highway 44 was a short collector highway which connected Highway 15 at Almonte to Highway 17 near Carp. The history of Highway 44 dates back to the late 1930s, when a new King’s Highway was assumed in Carleton and Lanark Counties. The highway existed up until the late 1990s, when it was downloaded to the County of Lanark and the Regional Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton, which was later amalgamated into the new City of Ottawa.
The proposed route of Highway 44 was first shown on a series of Preliminary Route Plans dated October, 1937. The proposed highway extended from the Highway 17 Junction near Carp westerly to Almonte, where the route connected to Highway 29 (later known as Highway 15). The route was first assumed by the Department of Highways of Ontario (DHO) on April 13, 1938, although the section of the road passing through Almonte was not assumed by the DHO. That section of the route remained under municipal jurisdiction. Highway 44 was originally 23 km in length, including the non-assumed section of the highway through Almonte. Highway 44 was primarily a gravel road when it was first designated as a King’s Highway in 1938. Only the section of the highway running from Highway 29 into Almonte was paved. The balance of the highway was paved during various highway reconstruction projects which took place between 1944 and 1951. In 1965, a major realignment of Highway 17 took place west of Carp. This relocation of Highway 17 had a considerable impact on the route of Highway 44. The Carp Bypass opened to traffic on November 9, 1965. As a result, approximately 7 km of Highway 44 was absorbed into the route of Highway 17 in 1965. From 1965 until 1997, Highway 44 ended at the Highway 17 Junction west of Carp.
On March 31, 1997, the entire route of Highway 44 was downloaded. The road is now officially known as Lanark County Road 49 and Ottawa Road 49, although the road is still occasionally referred to as “Highway 44” by motorists. Services are only available in Almonte and just east of the Highway 417 Interchange. Unless posted otherwise, the speed limit on Highway 44 is 80 km/h (50 mph).
Bill McIntosh and Orland Moses hooking up the team. Most teamsters will tell you: the neck yoke gets hooked first and unhooked last. How far the links are hooked from the D/ring depends on your team.
Mr. Salter owned the Queen’s Hotel in Carleton Place and during the decades, he and Mrs. Chatterton swapped ownership back and forth through the years. Who knew what was going on between the two of them? On the 31st of March in 1932 Mr. Salter was very lucky he did not lose his life that day when he drove Mr. Hambly of Ottawa who was a guest of the hotel to Lake Park on Mississippi Lake.
The horse was going at a great clip as he turned in to stop at the front door. But the horse had other ideas and turned in sharp and the cutter struck a stone and the occupants were thrown out. Mr. Salter’s head struck the hard road and he was knocked out cold. There was a large gash on his head from back to front and the blood flowed from the gash.
Friends flocked around and he was carried into the Queen’s Hotel and Dr. Sinclair was summoned and Salter’s wounds were dressed and word was he suffered great pain.
Dec. 15, 1871 – A lad of 14 years, Charles Boyle, son of a widow residing in Almonte, came to a violent death in the following manner. He was attending a threshing machine on Monday when he came hastily out of the barn and put two span of horses in motion. Before the driver could succeed in stopping them the unfortunate lad was caught in the coupling which attached the horse power to the spindle driving the machine, and which dragged him roughly around. His leg was badly broken also his ankle, his neck badly cut, besides other injuries. He lived only two hours after the accident.
July 20, 1888- On Friday morning, Findlay and Thomas McIntyre were drawing in hay and the horses became frightened and ran away across the field, jumping the fence and Thomas who was on the wagon, was thrown to the ground and dragged for several yards and when his brother Findlay reached the spot he found him insensible. He breathed only a few minutes and passed away.
November, 1841 – William Burley, Constable for Division #5, Bathurst District, while on the discharge of his duties, in returning home at a late hour on the night of Saturday, 13th, was unfortunately killed by falling from his horse about two miles distant from Fitzroy Harbor on the road to the village of Pakenham.
Feb., 1870 – A young man named Corkerry, 6th Line Ramsay, was driving a sleigh loaded with wood and when descending a hill part of the load fell off the sleigh taking Corkerry along with it. The horses took fright and started off. The young man was thrown in front of one of the runners on the sleigh and was dragged in that position for some distance when the sleigh passed over his body, crushing it severely. This accident was witnessed by two men in front who stopped the horses and went to his assistance. He lingered for 24 hours when death put an end to his sufferings.
June 27, 1873 – A fatal accident by a runaway horse occurred at Hopetown in the township of Lanark last week. It appears that the horse, on being tied to a post, became frightened and in some way pulled out the post and ran off. John Stewart of that place on seeing this ran around the building for the purpose of stopping the horse but came in contact with it, receiving such a wound on the breast that it caused his death in a few hours.
Photo Number: MAT004600 Photographer: unknown Location: Carleton Place, ON Railway Name: CANADIAN PACIFIC RAILWAY CO. Date: 1898-00-00 Caption: Part of a wreck scene in the vicinity of the shops in Carleton Place. Negative envelope shows 1900-1910. Subject: Wreck Collection: Matting
No matter where I searched I could not find a record of this accident… but I did not want to lose the photo.
A terrible collision with loss of life occurred three miles east of Smiths Falls between three and four o’clock Tuesday morning. As near as can be learned it occurred in this way. A freight was going west, followed by an engine running light, which, in turn, was followed at the normal distance by another freight train. A number of cars broke loose from the first train, and, after some delay, were picked up by the light engine, and ere warning could be given the rear train came round a curve in the road and dashed at full speed into the light engine and runaway cars doing great damage to both engines and telescoping the cars, which then took fire and several were totally consumed. The driver, Charlie Sims and the Fireman, William Wilson, both of Carleton Place, and both on the rear train were killed. An auxiliary train from Smiths Falls with doctor McCallum, CPR surgeon was soon on the spot. Sims was dead before his arrival, but his body was so caught in the wreck that it could not be got out. Wilson was taken to Smiths Falls but was so badly hurt that he dies a few minutes after his arrival there.
It is understood that an inquest will be held at once. Superintendent Leonard happened to be at Smiths Falls and visited the wreck on the auxilliary train.
The 3.45 train for Montreal proceeded by way of Ottawa. The local for Montreal was delayed three or four hours while the line was being cleared of the wreck. Also reported in the Citizen of 1 March 1898.
Brian Hand, eleven-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. J. Hand, Union Street was saved from drowning in the Mississippi River not far from his home by the prompt action of Mrs. Wm. Tuffin and Constable A. R. Mitchell.
Brian had tried to rescue a boat but the current was too strong and the boat went over the falls. He clung to a rock and his shouts for help were heard by Mrs. Win. Tuffin who was crossing the back bridge. She called Constable Mitchell who went into the water with a rope to bring the boy to safety. He was at the point of exhaustion by the time he was brought to shore. The current is very strong at this point especially this year when the water is high. Further, it is no place for boating. June 2-1960 Almonte Gazette
The community was shocked’ at the sudden death by electrocution jon Thursday evening, May 26th, of Floyd S. Dennie, 27-year-old resident of Blakeney. An employee of the Producers Dairy, Almonte, he was assisting Joe Sensenstein, local electrician in erecting a TV aerial on a trailer owned by Jim McMillan on Mr. Thos. Fulton’s farm in Pakenham Township.
When raising the aerial, it came in contact with a 4500 volt Hydro electric wire and Floyd who was nearest the serial received the full jolt. Both he and Mr. Sensenstein were thrown to the ground. Both men quickly recovered and sat up. Floyd spoke a few words asking if his companion was alright and then collapsed and died. Dr. M. Spacek of Pakenham attended and found Mr. Dennie dead on his arrival. Dr. A. A. Metcalfe, coroner, was called and after consultation with Crown Attorney, Mr. J. A. B. Dulmage, Q.C. of Smiths Falls, announced that no inquest would be held.
O.P.P. officers investigated the fatality. Mr. Dennie was a son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Dennie of Almonte. Besides his parents, he leaves his wife, the former Rita Larkin and three small children. Also surviving are four brothers, and one sister, Carmen and George of Almonte; Earl of Carleton Place, Clarence of Smiths Falls and Verna, Mrs. Mike Cardinal of Newboro. June 2-1960 Almonte Gazette
One day last week Mr. William. Smith, who was a superintendent of the Rosamond Woollen Mill, had a very narrow escape from what might have proved to be a very serious, if not a fatal accident.
While walking through one of the lower rooms of the mill he stepped into an open trap door but his arms caught on the floor and prevented him front going entirely through. He was quickly extricated from his perilous position. Had he gone through, his escape from instant death could only have been averted by a miracle, as he would have dropped on some machinery underneath and perished.
Mr. Hugh McGillivray, while working on Frost & Wood’s new storehouse at Smith’s Falls, fell between two joists the floor and broke two ribs. A board on which he was standing gave way caused the accident.
Author’s Note-
Many old mills did not have stairs- just trap doors and ladders. Sometimes there was the odd hidden mattress under a trap door for those hoping to take a snooze working long hours.
In doing research for trap doors a Miss Jones from Leeds UK is doing trap door art. I kid you not.
Photo of the Franktown Station where the horses and cattle went to market from the book Beckwith Then and Now
February 3, 1880 – head-on collision at Franktown Ottawa Citizen 6 Feb 1880 It appears that the train which arrives here at 7.40 in the evening is timed to cross the express going to Ottawa at Carleton Place Junction but last evening the Grand Trunk train was over an hour late and the Ottawa train waited for it. After waiting at Carleton Place for some time, the conductor of the express coming south received an order from the train dispatcher to cross the Ottawa train at Franktown.
The above train proceeded to Franktown and the conductor and engineer went into the station to receive their orders. The station master was out, he having gone down the track to signal the train coming from the south. The conductor and engineer on coming out of the station house heard the other train coming, when the engineer jumped on his engine and reversed her, but by this time the train from the south was in close proximity and a collision could not be avoided.
The engineer and fireman of the express coming south jumped and the two engines came together with a crash. The engine on the Ottawa train was not much damaged but the other was badly smashed, but not bad enough to stop its backward motion. It ran the train back for nearly two miles, the only employee on board being a brakeman who at last succeeded in stopping the train. The night was very stormy and signals could only be observed a short distance. An investigation will be held when further particulars may be expected.
Photo from the Carleton Place Canadian from the Wanda Lee Morrison and the late Joan Kehoe collection.
1969, January 21 – 34 cars derailed between Carleton Place and Almonte, Canadian Pacific Chalk River subdivision.
This was caused by a broken wheel on the fifth car behind the locomotives. Ottawa Journal 1969
CARLETON PLACE- Attempts to clear the $500,000 wreckage of 34 freight cars piled up at a level crossing near here Tuesday continued this morning under the threat of an explosion from two overturned propane gas tankers.
Provincial police kept guard over the area, about three miles north of here on Highway 29 at the CPR crossing, as about 50 men and two giant cranes hauled twisted box cars from the clogged line.
The highway remained closed to traffic today while other trains were rerouted.
The two tankers were not ruptured in the massive 3.30 p.m. derailment, but police kept hundreds of curious spectators well back from the scene in the event leaking gas might explode.
Both police and railway officials were astonished that there had been no injuries.
One of the first cars to derail left the tracks just before the level crossing and sliced across the highway only a few feet in front of a waiting school bus.
Box cars stacked up
Other cars ripped up sections of the highway, railway lines and wooden ties as they piled up, and in some cases, landed on top of one another.
One freight car landed with its steel wheels on top of a tanker.
Two hydro poles were sliced through by other cars. The top section of ome pole was left dangling over the line supported only by the high-voltage cables.
Complete wheel assemblies of many cars were torn off as they piled into one another and lay strewn along the tracks among sections of line, twisted cars and splintered ties.
Train Crash Theory – Wheel is Blamed
A crack which caused the leading wheel of either the fourth or fifth car to come off is believed to be to blame for the $500,000 freight train crash near Carleton Place yesterday.
It is known that at least eight rails between Almonte and the accident scene were broken.
Faulty wheel likely
This could have been caused by the faulty wheel running out of line and pounding against the rail as the east bound train headed for Carleton Place, said one railway employee.
The 60-car freight train left Chalk River several hours before. Its speed at the time of the accident was estimated to be about 45 m.p.h.
George G. Sayer, assistant superintendent for the Smiths Falls division of CPR, said work crews were concentrating their efforts to pulling cars away from the tracks and repairing breaks so regular traffic, which had been diverted to other lines, could again travel the main line.
Mr. Sayer said he hoped the two cranes, one brought in from Smiths Falls and the other from Sudbury, could pull the two tankers back on to the tracks and pull them away by sometime this afternoon.
“The line should be open again by about 5 p.m. today,” he said, adding that the general freight being carried by the train could then be hauled away and the other cars righted and moved later this week.
Mr. Sayer said there was, as far as he could tell, little damage to the cargo.
One eye-witness, Bill Ritchie, 32, a Bell Telephone employee from Almonte, was driving north toward the level crossing when he saw the red signal lights begin flashing.
“I saw the train swaying so I stopped about 500 feet from the tracks,” he said. “The next thing I saw were freight cars flying through the air like cardboard boxes in a high wind. It was terrifying.”
He said a couple of cars shot across the highway “while the others piled up on the north side like magazines thrown on the floor.”
“There was a hell of a crash and snow flying in the air. A lot landed on my truck so I jumped out and after a minute or two ran up to the tracks. I thought people would be hurt,” said Mr.Ritchie.
He said that by the time he got there, people from the locomotive, that had shot through the crossing pulling three cars and dragging a fourth without wheels, met him.
“One box car just missed the school bus, which luckily didn’t have any children aboard, and another cut into the hydro poles and the warning flashers,” said Mr. Richie.
“There was a ball of fire in the sky when one hydro pole was cut off,” said Mr. Ritchie, who added that he and a work-mate then flagged down cars until police arrived.
1974, June 5 – Eastbound freight train #76 derailed the last 16 cars of its 73-car train at Almonte. The cars ended up over the bridge into the Mississippi River, and hit the flour mill at the highway 44 crossing.
Lin Jones –E.P. Clement. my grandfather has many pics of Almonte of old.
Ottawa Citizen 5 June 1974 ALMONTE (Staff) The last 16 cars of a CP Rail freight train jumped the track while crossing a bridge and smashed into a flour warehouse here early today. The derailment caused extensive damage but no injuries.mThe end of the 73-car north-bound train swung off the track at 3.35 a.m. walloping a warehouse adjacent to the Almonte Flour Company mill.
Two empty tank cars tumbled into the Mississippi River. Few of the derailed cars were carrying freight, a CP Rail spokesman said. The wayward train uprooted more than 800 feet of track and blocked Highway 44, the town’s main traffic artery. The highway remains closed today as work crews struggle to clear away the wreckage. The warehouse, constructed in 1820, is a local landmark near the centre of town. It was vacant when the accident occurred.Mill manager Jack Harris described the accident as spectacular. “Incredibly, no one was hurt,” he said.
The train was making its regular run between Chalk River and Smiths Falls. The two CP trains scheduled to pass through Almonte today will be rerouted over CN tracks, the CP spokesman said. CP Rail is investigating the derailment but has not yet determined the cause. Damage has not been estimated.
3 brothers …all from Franktown ( left- right : Ab Lowe, Bill Lowe, Phineas Lowe) Taken after moving west to new land offered in Saskatchewan. My grandfather moved back to the family farm in Franktown. They all left by train from station in Franktown
It seems in the old days people used to jump from trains a lot in this area, and many a mishap happened. I have read at least a dozen accounts today of people having terrible accidents. The man of the hour that seem to come to the rescue all the time was our very own Dr. Preston of Bridge Street.
Newton Switzer of Ashton exhibited a remarkable piece of fortitude after getting his right foot caught off by a passing train in April of 1899. Switzer was on the No. 7 train at 3 am on the way to Carleton Place. After passing the railway bridge the train slowed up so the young fellow decided to jump off a platform of the slowly moving train at Anable’s Crossing. He missed his footing and fell under the train.
When he realized he could not stand up, he mechanically picked up his severed member, put it under his arm, and dragged himself to Samuel Dunfield’s house. Another week, another train mishap, and Dr. Preston from Carleton Place was the one that was always called. Throughout the whole ordeal it was said the brave young man never lost consciousness. Dr. Preston said he exhibited remarkable pluck.
Dr. Preston’s office was located at 104 Bridge Street. The property was originally owned by Edmund Morphy. Later owners include James McDiarmid, Allan McDonald, John McEwen, Archibald Gillies and Alexander Forbes Stewart. Stewart sold the property to Dr. Richard F. Preston in 1883 for $1,000. This site was listed as “vacant” in town assessment roles of 1885 – 1889. From 1890 – 1897 it was listed as “unfinished”. The home originally had a stable behind it, kept by a Mr. Halpenny who drove the buggy for the doctor.– Carleton Place and Beckwith Heritage Museum
Aalaya Walker was visiting a friend in St. Petersburg Monday when they decided they wanted some late-night chicken and waffles. Walker began preheating the oven — unaware that her friend, JJ Sandy, 25, was storing a magazine from his .45-caliber Glock 21 in the oven. JJSandy-yet another genius with a weapon!
Photo of the Franktown Station where the horses and cattle went to market from the book 
lindaseccaspina 