RANSOM L. SLATER.
 


	One of the leading merchants of Moose Jaw is Ransom L. Slater who
came to this city thirty years ago and founded a business as a tailor,
which later grew into one of the largest men's clothing and furnishings
stores in Moose Jaw. Before coming to the west Mr. Slater had had
considerable experience as a tailor in Ontario and was, therefore, well
qualified to conduct a successful business of this nature. Born in Moun-
tain township, Dundas county, Ontario, on May 13, 1872, he is the sixth
child of Hiram and Alice (Bolton) Slater, both of whom are deceased.
His parents were natives of that province, where they lived all of their
lives, the father passing away at the age of seventy-four and the mother
living to celebrate the ninetieth anniversary of her birth.  They were
active members of the Methodist church and reared their nine children-
six sons and three daughters-in that faith. The father was an Orange-
man, and a Conservative in politics, in which he took quite an active part
in local affairs for years. He was an educated man and well read for a
person of his generation. By occupation he was a farmer, so it came
about that his children spent the first years of their life in the country.
Ransom L. Slater is one of the seven living children of this couple.
	Ransom L. Slater was educated in the public schools of Mountain
township and also attended the village school in Inkerman. At the early
age of fourteen, however, he put aside his textbooks to take up the
tailor's trade and went to Cardinal, Ontario, where he set about learning
the secrets of that craft.
	It was in 1893 that Mr. Slater first came out to Moose Jaw to open
a tailoring establishment, which he continued with success for about four
years. He saw a larger opportunity for advancement in the men's retail
furnishings and clothing trade, however, and accordingly transferred his
attention to that field, which has been an exceedingly profitable one. In
1921 Mr. Slater took M. E. York into partnership with him and today
the two men are conducting a large business in men's clothing and fur-
nishings. They carry a large stock of well selected goods that will meet
the requirements of the most fastidious of tastes, as well as the needs of
the ordinary working man and they enjoy a wide reputation for the
excellent quality and fair prices of their goods. This large trade is the
fruit of twenty-five years of hard work on the part of Mr. Slater, who
early came to the conclusion that his best advertisement was a well pleased
customer and he has always made the aim of his establishment reliable
goods and the best of service. In addition to this clothing establishment
Mr. Slater is financially interested in the Manley-Slater Auto Company
of Moose Jaw, of which he is vice president. This firm has one of the
foremost automobile agencies in the province, acting as sales agents and
distributors for the products of the Ford Motor Car Company, and also
carries radio equipment, for which there is a large demand.
	Mr. Slater was married to Miss Florence Powell, in 1894, and they
are the parents of a daughter: Phyllis~ who is still in school. Mrs. Slater
was born and educated at Brockton, Ontario. She is a strong Methodist
and is now serving on the board of her church, with which her husband
is also affiliated. He is a Mason of high rank, having takendegrees in
both the York and the Scottish Rites and he is a Noble of the Mystic
Shrine. The Independent Order of Odd Fellows also claims him as one
of its members, while socially he belongs to the Prairie and Moose Jaw
Golf Clubs. Outside of his family and social interests Mr. Slater devotes
his whole attention to his business affairs, whose extensive and important
character require the services of an executive of ability. His position in
the commercial circles of Moose Jaw today is an enviable one and one
of which he is highly deserving, for he has made his way to the front by
dint of his own unaided efforts.



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