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

odd portion on the north-west corner, consisting of fifteen acres, on which I was instructed by Council to bid up to two hundred dollars an acre, to be used for a park, but it went over this figure, as we did not get it. In January, 1906, the National Trust Company bought the corner of Second Avenue and Twentieth Street for $9,300.00, being high water mark for property in that locality. In February, J. F. Cairns sold his store building at the corner of Second Avenue and Twenty-first Street, and im- mediately started building on the balance of his lot. The Bank of Commerce was the purchaser. The Bank of Montreal and the Northern Bank opened branches about this time, giving us five char- tered banks in Saskatoon. For myself, as early as September, 1903, I had bought from John Braithwaite four lots on the corner of First Avenue and Twenty-first Street for $2,000. It was thought at the time to be a very high price. In September, 1904, 1 had an architect in Winnipeg prepare plans for a large store on this corner. I intended to build in the spring. Shortly after I heard a rumor that the Government was looking for a site for their Post Office. They had purchased a site from J. F. Cairns adjoining his store on the corner of Second Avenue and Twenty-first Street, but it was con- demned as being too small for the purpose. I made an offer of part of my property, above mentioned, on the corner of First Avenue and Twenty- first Street. It was accepted, and here was built the Post Office of which I have spoken above. I retained fifty feet on Twenty-first Street for my own use. I had got $9,000 for the corner site, and still had fifty feet front- age and one hundred feet in depth left for my store. In January of the present year (1906) I had purchased the building in which I was conducting my store business from James Leslie for four thousand dollars, and in July 1 sold it to D. Kennedy for eight thousand dollars, with the privilege of occupying it till my new building on Twenty- first Street was completed. I was ridiculed at building so far out and on a cross street, but I figured it out that when the Post Office would be built on the corner adjoining me that it would be all right. Then the C.N.R. put their station beside me. Today the Real Estate men put their finger on that spot and call it the centre of the city. We moved into the new store on Twenty-first Street in January, 1907. At this date we were quite isolated. There were no buildings except our own on the street between First and Second Avenue. Many people doubted the wisdom of that location, but it came out all right. About this time Oliver and Kempthorne's store on Second Avenue was burned down. This was the biggest fire up to that time, $54,000.00 being the damage. Our gasoline engine and the tanks of water prevented the fire from spreading. I cannot refrain from making a few more personal references. The Governor-General, Earl Grey, visited Saskatoon on the 29th August, 1906. Great preparations were made for his entertainment, but owing to an accident which befell him in Winnipeg, in which his eye had been injured by the bursting of an electric light bulb, the programme could not be carried out. We presented him with an address at the station, and he made his reply and received a few in his car. The Countess went for a drive in an automobile around the city. I got Hartley Chubb, who owned one of the few cars in Saskatoon at that time, to drive us. When we returned and left Lady Grey at the station, he started his car away from the station, but when he had gone but a few yards it came to a halt. His supply of gasoline had run out. I wondered what a pickle we would have been in if this had occurred when we were out a few miles and Lady Grey and my wife had been compelled to walk back to the station. The school children were assembled at the station and sang patriotic songs; they had mottos on banners: "We grow every day," "Coming men and women," and made a good appearance. At the corner of Twentieth Street and First Avenue an immense arch was erected, covered with wheat sheaves; it was very effective. A much respected citizen, Mr. Thomas Copland, died on the 20th July, 1906. He was called "the father of Saskatoon," having come to the district Page 75

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