NARRATIVES OF SASKATOON

1882-1912

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alone, in event of no one being around he would after pouring out a second portion drink both to his own reflection in the mirror! In the Civic elections held on 13th Decemeber, 1909, W. Hopkins was re-elected mayor defeating J. A. Alexander by 101 votes. The year closed with prospects brightening. The money stringency was beginning slowly to pass away. There was a good wheat crop averaging twenty-one bushels per acre for the Province and the price was fairly good. The new year of 1910 opened with everyone feeling hopeful. The City Council outlined expenditure improvements aggregating two hundred thousand dollars and in April the University Board of Governors let the contract for buildings costing about six hundred thousand dollars. The outlook for employment of labor was bright as many private buildings were projected in addition to city and University works. On the 4th of May, the first sod of the University work was turned without any ceremony, by Chancellor Wetmore. The Premier, Sir Wilfred Laurier, visited Saskatoon and was given a civic reception. The City was decorated, arches being erected at different points. It was certainly a whole hearted welcome to the distinguished statesman. The effort cost the City a matter of six thousand dollars. Sir Wilfred also laid the corner stone at the University and Saint Paul's church. During the ceremony at the University a spectacular view was obtained of a fire on the West Side. The tanks and warehouses of the Winnipeg Oil Company were destroyed. Delegates from the City Council to the Convention of Union of Muni- cipalities took part in the discussion regarding the commission form of City Government and were so impressed with the idea that a bylaw was drawn up and passed providing for a system of that kind for the City of Saskatoon, to come into force in 1911. It provided for three Commissioners, one the Mayor elected by the ratepayers, the other two to be appointed by the Council. Before the 1910 Council went out of office Chas. Curtiss and W. B. Neil were appointed Commissioners. That Saskatoon was becoming noted as a distributing centre was well evidenced by the number of large warehouses being erected by wholesale firms during this year. Implement houses, grocery and hardware firms had erected, or were constructing, large and substantial premises. The total building permits issued were of a value of $2,646,496.00 The City was on the eve of the greatest expansion in its history. Real estate was advancing in price and showed great activity. When the Civic elections were held in December 1 was induced to be- come a candidate for Mayor, and was elected by ninety three of a major- ity, my opponent being Mr. Robert Mcintosh. Under the bylaw passed by the Council of 1910 the Mayor was ex-officio one of the Commissioners. I recognized that there was a demand on the part of the citizens for a more active policy in the matter of developments of public improvements and utilities, and the Council elected were imbued with the same desire. My anticipations as to the responsibility of the Commissioners acting as mana- gers of the Civic business was shortlived. Some of the Aldermen who were opposed to the Commission form of Government succeeded in having the bylaw amended by striking out the provision of a two-thirds majority being required to reject a report of the Commissioners, thereby limiting the re- sponsibility of that body and insisting on certain business being laid before some of the former committees before being submitted to the Council. To my mind this was taking out the keystone of the fabric of Commission form of Government and reverting to the former system of Committees of the Council. However, I endeavored to carry out the work as well as I could under the circumstances. Before the Commissioners had organized, there was some friction between the Council and Curtiss, who had been appointed by the former Council, and he resigned, Alderman Snell being appointed in his stead. The importance of improving the quality of the water pumped from the river had been under consideration by the former Council, and the City Engineer was instructed, while on his vacation, to inspect various filtration plants and to report. The result of his inspection was embodied in a Page 80

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