NARRATIVES OF SASKATOON

1882-1912

Genealogy, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, Pioneer,Saskatchewan history, Temperance Colony, Temperance Colonization Society, Pioneers,John N. Lake, John Lake, Saskatoon history, Saskatoon Gen Web, Genealogy, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, Pioneer,Saskatchewan history, Temperance Colony, Temperance Colonization Society, Saskatoon history, Saskatoon Gen Web

the police force, which he left in 1889. After a short residence in Battleford he came to Saskatoon, engaging in various enterprises. A bye-election [sic] to fill the vacancy in the Territorial Assembly caused by the death of Sinclair was called for the 9th of December. Ben Chubb had been in the field canvassing for some time. There was a decided feeling around Saskatoon against his candidature. A public meeting was held on the 22nd of November to select a candidate. I was strongly urged to stand but was very indifferent about doing so. However, I allowed my name to be put up with the others to a vote. The persons nominated at this meet- ing were Dr. Willoughby, Klassen (from Rosthern) and myself. Chubb would not allow his name to, go to a ballot he said he was going to run anyway, and did not need any support from Saskatoon people. The ballot resulted in nineteen for Willoughby, five for Chubb (although his name was withdrawn) and fifty-nine for me. I accepted Chubb's challenge and pro- ceeded to my canvass. I found the most hearty response in and around Saskatoon and was confident of a large majority in that part of the district. Nominations were made on the 29th of November. On B. Chubb's paper were the names: T. Kyle, J. Porier, J. 0. Brawley, R. Marcotte and E. J. Fisher. On my paper, R. W. Dulmage, Arch. Smith, D. Lusk, J. Caswell, J. W. Stewart, Joe Fletcher, Jas. Leslie and D. Caswell. I went north amongst the Mennonites where Chubb expected to get support enough to offset the Saskatoon vote. I found that these people had been led to be- lieve the contest was being run on Dominion political lines, and they were decidedly hostile to my candidature, although very kind and hospitable to- ward me personally. At the town of Rosthern I could depend on very few supporters. Affairs looked serious for me. Two days before the election a few of my friends from Saskatoon went up to camp in the country till after polling was over. The only possible hope was to induce as many as possible to ignore the election and refrain from voting, on the plea that it was not a question of Dominion politics. The Mennonites as a rule, partic- ularly the orthodox section, were indifferent to exercising their vote and on this forlorn hope we had to depend. I had a little adventure on my trip through the Mennonite settlement. John Caswell agreed to drive us, as he claimed to know the trails and some of the people. We drove through the Osler settlement on to Hague follow- ing the trail along the railroad. The snow was deep off the trail, but the road being well travelled, the sleighing was good as far as Hague. From Hague we struck out west and north west. In the afternoon we stopped at a house to get a meal when we were ready to start a snow storm came up with a high wind. Caswell was not very sure of the trail and before we made a couple of miles we floundered into a drift in which our horses were about buried. The day was well advanced darkness was coming on quickly. Accordingly we decided it was taking chances to try to make the next house about ten miles off, and turned back to the house we had left to spend the night. The folk agreed to put us up for the night. The house was about sixteen feet by twenty-four feet, made of boards one storey high with a shanty roof. It was banked high around with snow to keep out the cold. The family consisted of the man and his wife, one son about twenty, another about seventeen (who was an imbecile) and a daughter about twenty-two years old. The old man could speak a little English, the others none at all. When bed time arrived I wondered where we were to sleep. Preparations began by taking the table outside; then a big mattress filled with feathers was placed on the floor; another similar mattress was put on top of it; between the two we were expected to creep in and make ourselves comfortable. There were three bedsteads, one occupied by the man and wife, one opposite to it by the girl and the two boys in another at the end of these. It was warm enough between the mattresses, but as these had been filled with feathers direct from the fowls, when the heat from our bodies affected the feathers the odor was like sleepmg in a hencoop. The old man was the victim of a bad cough. During the night as he expector- ated profusely and was indifferent as to direction. I lay in constant dread of some disaster happening and was always relieved when I heard the flop on the floor. In the morning the storm had not abated; it was folly to think Page 59

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