MICHAEL J. MCGRATH.
 

	Business interests of Saskatoon have found a worthy and progressive
representative in Michael J. McGrath, who since 1914 has been super-
intendent of the Employment Service of Canada. He was born at Lucan,
Ontario, on the 25th of October, 1873, a son of James and Rebecca
(Fogarty) McGrath, likewise natives of Lucan. In early life the father
engaged in agricultural pursuits in Middlesex district, Ontario, and for
years his name was prominently and honorably associated with the de-
velopment of his native province along agricultural lines. Mr. and Mrs.
McGrath were killed by a passenger train while crossing the railroad
tracks on Christmas eve of the year 1880, and their death was a severe
shock to their family and many friends.
	Michael J. McGrath acquired his education in the public schools of
his birthplace and received a second-class teacher's certificate from the
high school there. He was a student at Assumption College, Sandwich,
Ontario, for a time and then went to the United States and located in
Detroit, where he learned the plumbing and heating business from the
ground up. He continued in that line of work in Detroit seven years and
then went firing on a locomotive for the Minnesota Logging Company.
Subsequently he fired on the Great Northern Railroad in Montana and
continued in railroad work for nine years.  At the time he withdrew
from railroad circles he was engineer for a passenger train from Lom-
bard to Lewiston, Montana. In 1907 he returned to Canada and came
to Saskatoon. He installed the machinery in a brewery here, the work
demanding his entire time and attention for a year, and he then home-
steaded. He worked on the homestead during the summer time and fol-
lowed his trade as steam fitter during the winter months. He brought
his land to a highly cultivated state and operated it successfully for a
period of five years, when he disposed of it, realizing on the sale a sub-
stantial profit. In 1912 Mr. McGrath went to work for the provincial
government as a factory inspector and was active in that capacity until
1914, when he accepted his present position as Superintendent of the
Employment Service of Canada.  Mr. McGrath is an enterprising and
progressive man, of genial manner and agreeable personality and he
enjoys the confidence and esteem  of' all with whom he has come into
contact.
	Mr. McGrath is a consistent communicant of the Roman Catholic
church.  He is an active member of the Knights of Columbus and is
readily conceded to be an exemplary member of the organization.  He
is one of the enterprising and progressive citizens of Saskatoon and
takes an active interest in everything pertaining to the development of
the municipality, or the well-being of its citizens. Mr. McGrath is un-
married.

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