NARRATIVES OF SASKATOON

1882-1912

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were no bylaws and our first duty was to make the necessary bylaws to govern the town of Saskatoon. We were still faced with the problem of borrowing more than the $25,000.00 assessment would permit. I approached Premier Haultain and the government passed a special act for us to make a new assessment which we did in August. Considering the assessment in February was $125,000.00 and the one made early in August was $250,000.00, one can see how Saskatoon was growing at that time. The council started out with the idea of conserving for the community all utilities, that we would grant no franchise for such utilities as electric lighting and other concessions generally given to corporations. The first money bylaw voted was for $10,000.00 which we passed that season and that bylaw provided for grading streets, laying a certain amount of plank side- walks, providing a municipal building (which is still standing, across the street from McMillan's store) in which was housed the council chamber, municipal offices, fire ball and police. We purchased, as well, a gasoline fire engine and provided water reservoirs to draw upon in case of fire. In addition to that we purchased what is known as City Park-52 acres. I re- member at the time considerable discussion took place before deciding that we should pay $1500.00 for these 52 acres on which the City Hospital is built and King Edward School. The argument we used in favor of the purchase was not only the benefit of securing this large acreage for Park purposes, but as well that the depression that started in about Fifth avenue and con- tinued through the park to the river was the natural outlet for a trunk sewer into the river, and that it was likely it would only be a few years until we would be putting in sewers and our controlling this natural outlet we would save more than $1500.00 in excavating for sewer over any other possible outlet and this was the deciding factor in favor of purchase. I was mayor in 1903 and was elected again in 1904 by acclamation. In looking over some records of 1904 I have come across a letter from the Secretary of the then Governor General of Canada. He drove in from Battleford and I entertained him by driving him around the village in a democrat wagon and he was very appreciative. He wrote the letter which I still have, expressing his appreciation. I will pass on to 1905 which was the year that Mr. Isbister, our late postmaster, was mayor. There was nothing of very great moment took place during that period; there was no great change in policy. In 1906, my friend, Mr. James Clinkskill, was elected mayor of Saska- toon. It was with a great deal of pressure that Mr. Clinkskill was brought into service at that time and I was one of his council. Shortly after Mr. Clinkskill took office he took the lead in taking steps with the view of our becoming incorporated as a city and that was brought about on July 1st, 1906. In the early part of 1906 it was decided that we were going to make an effort to have an electric plant and get in sewer and water but we were very near losing our electric franchise during that time. There was a gentleman by the name of Wiley who came to Saskatoon and undertook to get the electric franchise and it had gone so far that the solicitor was in- structed to draw the agreement and a special meeting was called to pass upon it. I felt, personally, that the matter was sprung a little suddenly upon us. I felt that I had not sufficient knowledge to vote or act on such a valuable concession as to give away the electric franchise for Saskatoon. At the meeting I moved that the matter be referred to Mr. Chipman, a consulting engineer of Toronto, feeling that his advice would be against granting the franchise. I then boarded the train and went to Moose Jaw and as I knew the mayor there got introduced to his electric superintendent and in two days got a good knowledge of their electrical system and I then came back to Saskatoon and wrote for the paper the only article I ever have written before or since, with the result that when the matter came up before the council we decided to hold the franchise for the City. On the 1st July there was the election for the City mayor and aldermen. At the same time there was a bylaw voted upon for $250,000.00 to make such improvements as putting in water works, sewers and electric plant. Mr. Clinkskill continued as Mayor of the city. The aldermen's names are on record at the City Hall. Page 90

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