Royal visit triggers public holiday on both sides of the river

From the archives of the Sault Ste. Marie Public Library:

On September 4, 1919, royalty came to Sault Ste. Marie when the Prince of Wales dropped in for a visit.

Prince Edward, the eldest son of King George V, was on a royal tour of Canada and planned to stop in the Sault for a few hours.  To say that anticipation was high in the lead-up to his arrival would be an understatement.

Mayor Boyd proclaimed the day a public holiday – at least until 2:30 pm, at which point the Prince would be back on the train, on his way north toward Lake Nipigon. Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. also planned a holiday, with the intent that Americans would have the opportunity to come across the river for the celebrations.

Crews had been hard at work beautifying the city: they planted rows of evergreen trees and put up signs, including some in Welsh.  Workers built several arches drawing attention to historical sites, welcoming the Prince to the city, and highlighting local industry – including a large Algoma Steel Corporation arch and a pulp board-covered one from the Spanish River Pulp and Paper Company.

Residents and business owners decorated their buildings with colourful displays of bunting and flags. The decorating was impressive and apparently “helped some” with the appearance of the C.P.R. station, according to a Sault Star reporter.

The fanfare only increased once the Prince arrived. A Sault Star article covering the event reported that approximately 10,000 people from the Sault and surrounding area “shouted a hearty welcome” to the Prince of Wales when his train arrived at the station.

At the station, he was introduced to several officials and political figures, including Sir William Hearst.  From the station, he set out on a tour of the city, preceded by the city’s two motorcycle police officers who worked to clear the way of any people.  Crowds filled the sidewalks, roadways, porches, and windows along the route, and authorities found it challenging to keep them back as they jostled for a better view.

First, the Prince stopped at the high school, Sault Collegiate, for the official reception, where a children’s choir, band, and a line of veterans waited to meet him.  Among the veterans present were several First World War medal recipients, whom the Prince decorated in a medal ceremony. Also present was Sergeant William Merrifield, V.C., who headed up the veterans’ line.

As the Prince of Wales interacted with the public, he gave out hundreds of handshakes – often with his left, because he had injured his right with too much handshaking during previous stops on his travels.

During his tour of the city, he visited the canal, standing close to the edge to watch the locks in action.  He got a clear view of the rapids; some of the gates had been opened, raising the water level in the St. Mary’s River by approximately two feet, in an effort to show him the might of the water.

While in the city, he also viewed the paper mill and the steel plant with great interest. The latter left him somewhat the worse for wear – he apparently suffered the effects of having steel dust in the eyes, but his physician assured the media that he was expected to recover in a few days.

From there, it was back to the train station, and he was on his way to points north. Meanwhile, a large portion of the crowd that assembled descended upon the theatres, in the mood for more entertainment.  There was “no place to go but the matinees,” said the Sault Star, declaring the day a good opportunity for the movies.

The Prince of Wales would be crowned King Edward VIII in 1936. He famously abdicated the throne after less than a year as king to marry Wallis Simpson, an American divorcee.

Each week, the Sault Ste. Marie Public Library and its Archives provides SooToday readers with a glimpse of the city’s past.

Find out more of what the Public Library has to offer at www.ssmpl.ca and look for more Remember This? columns here