Train in collision with cattle wagon
(The Daily Argosy: June 10, 1960)

AN ACCIDENT involving a passenger train and two cattle wagons occurred yesterday morning at Kitty Railway Station.
It is understood that the 7:35 o’clock train from Georgetown to Mahaica came into contact with two stationary cattle wagons, sending them some distance away from the point of impact.
Thirteen cows, which were in the wagons at the time, were injured.
One of them was taken off dead.

B.G’s population climbs to over half a million
(The Daily Argosy: May 21, 1960)

THE POPULATION of B.G. now stands at over half a million people, according to a recent countrywide census.
Preliminary figures show that there are more women than men.
There are 280,048 women and 278,721 men, comprising a total population of 558, 769.
The 1960 preliminary total disclosed that since the last census was taken in 1946, there has been an increase of nearly 50% in the population.

Man tells how companion saved his life in Ritz Hotel fire
(The Daily Argosy: January 12, 1960)

“SHE saved my life and now she is dead.”
So said Leslie Allen (32), a labourer of Kumakang Mountain who was seriously injured in the Ritz Hotel fire, as he wept while sitting in a chair in the Georgetown Hospital yesterday morning.
The dead woman  is Mrs. Patricia Cornelius, also called Patsy Anderson,  of Charlestown.
Allen, in telling the Daily Argosy his story, said that since he came to town, Patricia and himself were living in ‘Room 34’ on the top floor of the Ritz Hotel.
Allen went on to say that about 7:45pm on Sunday, Patricia asked him to take her to a cinema to see a picture.
They were forced to stay at home as she took ill shortly after.
He went on to say that they turned into bed shortly after, and while asleep, he felt a hand shaking him.
As he began to get up, he heard Patricia shouting to the top of her voice: “Leslie, the Hotel is on fire!”
They then dashed to the door, but as they opened it, they saw the raging flames rushing towards them.
They hurried back into the room and locked the door before breaking away a glass window on the northern side of the hotel.
Allen then leaped across to a half-completed building and tried to put a board for Patricia to escape.
As soon as he got over, he heard Patricia saying: “Go ahead Leslie, I cannot make it; I am going to die.”
Standing on the uncompleted building, Allen saw Patricia crash through the floor of the burning hotel to the fire below.
Allen received burns on his face and arms. He also sustained injuries on his arms as he smashed the window to make his escape.
Several persons who saw Allen when he leaped across to the concrete building, which is about eight feet from the hotel, ran to his assistance and brought him down safely.
He was then taken to the Central Fire Station in Water Street, where he got conveyance to the Georgetown Hospital and was admitted.

West Berbice policemen receive awards
(The Daily Argosy: January 10, 1960)

SGT. 4441 James Robertson, Detective Cpl. 5184 Carlton Augustus, and Detective Constable 5289 James Allen of Fort Wellington Police Station, Western Berbice, at Police Headquarters New Amsterdam on Wednesday afternoon received commendation and monetary awards presented by Senior Supt. James Phoenix, Officer-in-Charge of ‘B’ Division of the Police Force on behalf of the former Commissioner of Police, Mr. D. Matheson.
It was stated in the citation by the Commissioner that the awards were granted for commendable action during the investigation of a murder.
The case referred to was that of Joseph Williams (39) of Rosignol Village, West Berbice, who was charged with the murder of his wife, Marie Williams, of Rosignol on April 5, 1958.
He was found guilty at the Criminal Sessions on June 24, 1959, and sentenced to be hanged by his Lordship, Justice Phillips.

Three in one day
(The Daily Argosy: April 3, 1963)

HENS the world over produce consistently one egg a day; but the other day, Mrs. Muriel Fraser’s ordinary little hen laid… three in a single day!
Last week, Mrs. Fraser’s began its alternate second-laying spell at Stanleytown, West  Bank Demerara.
Twice the eggs were laid on the day expected; but on the third day, there were three …one the normal size, another the size of a table tennis ball, and the third a little bigger than a large-sized peanut.
When the GRAPHIC was told of this unusual phenomenon, the experts were contacted.
Said Mr. Veerasawmy of B.G. Stockfeeds Ltd: “This is not impossible; it once happened in England. I will not say that it is a normal situation.”
He explained that the hen, most likely, had strained to lay the first egg, and the force she had to used could have caused the others to pass freely.
An Official of the Ministry of Agriculture said: “This is not impossible; this is an atomic age.”

False pretence ‘expert’ jailed
(Guyana Graphic: January 3, 1973)

BYRON France, 34 of Newtown Street, described by Magistrate Ramsaran Sankar as a false pretence expert, was yesterday jailed for six months.
France, who was found guilty on a false pretence charge, swore to the Magistrate that should he be given a chance, he would lead a straight life and would not appear before the Court again.
But the Magistrate told him that he had a duty to perform on behalf of the public, and should he give France a chance, he would be lacking.
He said that France, from his 69 convictions, was quite obviously a false pretence expert, since 80 per cent of the convictions was for that offence.
The Court was told that on December 19 last, France went to William Wason and collected $40, promising to buy him a quantity of paint and paint oil, but failed to produce the articles.
France gave notice of appeal, which he was told to put in writing.

Miners and traders form association
(The Guyana  Graphic:  January 4, 1973)

SOME 3,000 tributors operating in the mining areas throughout Guyana will be represented by a new association formed recently.
The Guyana Association of Traders and Tributors has as Chairman of the Steering Committee Mr. C.V. Lampkin.
Other members include Mr. R. Lampkin, Mr. D. George, Mr. S. A. Wade, Mr. R. Savory, Mr. O. Lucas and Mr. K. Bancroft, M.P.
The Association aims, among other things, to arrange a programme of development for mining communities.
Within this plan, the mining areas will benefit from improved housing facilities, water supplies, recreational facilities, schools and other social amenities.
The Association plans to ask the government for representation on public corporation boards, and further to be assisted on the assistance to miners scheme, which was formed by the Ministry of Mines and Forests early last year.
A draft Constitution has been drawn up, and is to be ratified by weekend.
A representative from each mining community will be named on the Executive and General Committees.

7, 450 babies born at the PHG during last year
(Guyana Graphic: January 4, 1973)

ALTHOUGH a record number of patients were attended to at the Casualty and Out-Patients Departments of the Georgetown Hospital last year, statistics disclosed that there was a drop in the number of admissions to the Maternity Ward, and the number of babies born there.
It was also disclosed that there was less overcrowding in the Maternity Ward as against previous years.
There was also a decrease in the number of still births in the hospital.
An Official of the Georgetown Hospital said that more expectant mothers were turning to private hospitals, and that was probably responsible for the reduction in overcrowding and births and still births at the Hospital.
Statistics up to yearend showed that more than 260,000 patients were treated at the Casualty and Out-patient Departments.
The Casualty Department admitted 137,188 persons, as against 129,582 for the previous year.
Some 123, 705 patients were seen at the Out-Patients Department last year, as against 117,203 for the previous year.
In the Maternity Ward, 7,450 babies were born last year as against 7,536 for 1971.
There was a drop in the number of stillbirths from 296 for 1971, to 248 last year.
There was, however, an increase in the death rate at the hospital from 1,507 in 1971 to 1,631 in 1972.
(Clifford Stanley can be reached to discuss any of the foregoing articles at cliffantony@gmail.com or by telephone: 657-2043)