NARRATIVES OF SASKATOON

1882-1912

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The first school was opened this year as a voluntary one (1), under the management of J. W. Powers as teacher, followed by Mr. Davidson and Gerald Willoughby. The year closed and the winter passed without any marked event. At Xmas a police station was opened and has continued up to the present time. When the 1886 season for settlement opened, the injurious effects of the re- bellion made themselves apparent, and a decidedly dull season was opened with practically marking time. Some incidents of everyday life, of more or less importance in their influence, were taking place,-marrying and giv- ing in marriage,---but no great advance was made in any direction. THE TEMPERANCE COLONIZATION SOCIETY AND THE FOUN- DATION OF SASKATOON By JOHN N. LAKE (This was written by Mr. Lake in 1903 to supplement and correct the pre- vious narrative taken from the Phoenix). In July 1881, J. A. Livingston came into my office in Toronto and told me the Government were selling lands at $1.00 per acre in the North West and four of us at once subscribed for over 100,000 acres. Dr. Grant, of Queen's University, gave the enterprise a great impetus at the Toronto Ex- hibition in September, and by February we had applications from about 2000 subscribers for land. The Company was formed and application made and a grant of 2,000,000 acres was made as we supposed in a solid block, but we subsequently found we could not secure it in that shape. However. an expedition was ordered. I was appointed Commissioner, Mr. S. W. Hill was Adviser, being an experienced farmer, and associated with us were G. W. Grant as Assistant Commissioner, Frank L. Blake, Surveyor, Harry Goodwin, Mr. Tait and a Frenchman for cook, and a halfbreed to look after horses, etc. The latter three were picked up on the way. Mr. James Ham- ilton, his son Robert, and Mr. Peter Latham, accompanied us all the way. Mr. Eby and Clark (2) came by boat from Winnipeg to Prince Albert, then by trail. The outfit left the fourth siding west of Flat Creek where the Moose Mountain trail crossed the C.P.R., the farthest point to which the cars ran on the 6th of July, 1882. We had our own troubles every clay, for we were all "tender footers", and it took us till the 28th of the month to reach Clark's Crossing. We did not travel on Sunday, and generally had some sort of religious service at eleven. July 30th was Sunday. A beautiful day and very warm, 800 in the shade at 11 a.m. But we had preaching in John F. Clark's house. Persons present :~John F. Clark, who had come to the "Crossing" in 1880 from Guelph, G. W. Grant who led the sirging, S. W. Hi'l Jas. F. Eby (3) John Clark, Toronto, father of Mr. Frank Clark, known to most of you, Peter Latham, F. L. Blake, Surveyor, Harry Goodwin, Mr. Tait, the French cook and the half-breed helper. (The reason Mr. Hamilton and son were not with us was Hamilton's wagon broke down in the hills east of this, and Robt. had to come to the Crossing, and go back for him, he having stayed with the stuff. He was three or four days alone, had a gun, but no caps, hence his muzzle loader was no good to him). John N. Lake was the (1) Not 1885 but 1884. A committee of the Temperance Colony Pion- eers' Society raised $271.64 for the salary of the teacher. Much assistance came from the T. C. S. A building was raised. It was equipped with maps presented by the T. C. S. (2) John Clark, see below; to he distinguished from John F. Clark, of Clark's Crossing. (3) James M. Eby. . Page 15

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