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

is celebrated for the quality of grain produced. One family, Hill and Sons, have three times carried off the world's prize for oats at the Chicago exhibi- tion, showing that the dogged resolution of the British spirit can overcome all obstacles. Seeing the crowd flocking into the Battleford district I was concerned about providing food for so many in excess of our usual population. Supplies of provisions were low. The usual spring shipments had not gone forward. I went to Winnipeg, placed the situation before the Cana- dian Pacific Railway and arranged with them to forward a car of provi- sions and groceries with express speed. I had the car loaded Thursday and on Sunday morning it was in Saskatoon. I had my freight teams awaiting and early Monday they were on the trail. My wagons got into Battleford as the first of the Colonists were arriving. The situation was saved. All this suffering was the result of Barr's overpowering greed. It was a stupendous blunder to induce people to settle in a district two hundred miles from a railway, especially a people unaccustomed to farm life. The florid pictures drawn by Barr of the preparations he had made for their welfare, promising them their own stores, their co-operative companies for tilling the land, the colony hospital, etc., were so alluring that he succeeded in beguiling them all. Had Barr been satisfied with the usual commissions given for inducing immigrants he would have been well repaid. He might have left others more experienced to cater to their wants, hut no, he thought he could keep his hands on all the money his people had to expend and this excessive grasping made him loose all. By the end of May, the colonists deposed Barr from the leadership and placed the Rev. J. Exton Lloyd in his place. During what one might call the formative period of the colony Lloyd proved a wonderful counsellor and a mountain of strength against discouragement. No wonder that they named their town Lloyd- minster. The next year a number came out to settle in the colony. This time they took the railway to Edmonton and tried floating their effects in scows down the river with disastrous results. With Barr's party were representatives of British newspaper syndicates. These correspondents chronicled every movement of the colonists, cabling long messages daily. The messages were published all over Britain, for great interest was taken in Barr's "Britannia" Colony. The name of Saska- toon was brought into prominence in British minds and was placed for good on the map as an important point in Saskatchewan. This publicity, at no cost to us, was a valuable factor in hastening the development of the town and surrounding country. The citizens realizing that the foundation had been laid, built up on it through a campaign of the Board of Trade broadcasting information relating to the district with most gratifying re- sults. These correspondents were a happy, genial lot of fellows. Those that followed up the party to their destination amused us greatly relating their experiences of prairie travel. In such detail had the news been given hat that little escapade of mine with Barr in the tent was cabled at great length. My friends in Scotland read it and imagined I had been guilty of some terrible misbehavior to be "kicked out" of Barr's tent. With the influx of settlers various business houses came into being. amongst them Isbister & Son in hardware, Fraser in harness, Young in fur- niture and Flanagan's Western Hotel all on Second Avenue. The Phoenix at this time had an item "The grading of Second Avenue will be a vast improvement. Now if we bad a few loads of gravel placed on top, and a sidewalk laid." In June the south east quarter of the school section adjoining the town was sold by auction. The portion on the west side brought one hundred and seven dollars an acre, thought to be an exorbitant price. Dr. Wil- loughby was the purchaser. It was immediately surveyed into town lots and called Riversdale. Confusion was found in having the Post Offices, Saskatoon and West Saskatoon. The Postmaster General asked for a new name for the office on the east side and Nutana was chosen, this I understand being an Indian name indicating "first born." This was an intimation that the west side Page 64

Home
Back ...................... ......................Next