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Paving the way: “Just 28 Gas Wagons now in City of Trail”

In June 1916, the City of Trail was adapting to an influx of automobiles
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Trail was the first interior city to have concrete paved streets. Bay and Riverside Avenues were paved in 1926 at a cost of $40,000. The rest of downtown and all of Rossland Avenue were paved in 1927. Photo: Trail Historical Society

Paved roads must have been a civic priority in the early days, as this excerpt from the Trail Times, dated June 16, 1916, alludes to.

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“Just 28 Gas Wagons now in City of Trail”

This year the number of motor cars in Trail seems to be on the increase all the time. According to the provincial police records there are 28 cars in Trail - Rossland also having 28.

Almost every week someone brings in a new car, and it seems likely that a motor club will be formed here in the near future. Appended is a list of the cars and their registered owners in Trail.

B.O. Bean McLaughlin-Buick; S. Butler, McLaughlin-Buick; Archie Donaldson, McLaughlin-Buick; F.G. Morin, McLaughlin-Buick; D. Priore, McLaughlin-Buick; J.M. Husey, Overland; John Justini, Overland; L.F. Tyson, Overland; Carr & Hoeffer, Cadillac; Mike Buterac, Franklin; R.H. Stewart, Dodge; John Craig, Ford; Noble Binns, Ford.

(McLaughlin Motor Car Company Limited was a Canadian manufacturer of automobiles headquartered in Oshawa, ON. Founded by Robert McLaughlin as a carriage manufacturing company, in 1907, the business grew to include the manufacture of McLaughlin automobiles with Buick engines. In 1915, with the addition of Chevrolet vehicles, the carriage end of the business was sold. McLaughlin was acquired by General Motors in 1918 and it became General Motors of Canada, a subsidiary of the American-based company.)



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Sheri Regnier

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