FATHER GILLIES AND THE HEBRIDEANS.
Father Gillies, who now in an honored and peaceful old age lives in
semi-retirement at Regina, deserves a front niche in the temple of Sas-
katchewan worthies, not only as a devoted priest, but as the guide, phil-
osopher and friend, the counsellor and sustainer of a band of Hebridean
pioneers, who, but for him might have followed the example of three simi-
lar settlements, and have become disintegrated under the early hardships
and discouragements which met them on their introduction to the west.
In 1883 there arrived in the Wapella district forty-seven souls, hailing
with a few exceptions from the Island of Benbecula in the Hebrides.
These were the founders of what afterwards became an important settle-
ment. These pioneers deserve to have their names recorded, for they have
been well-described as "simple, God-fearing and loving men and women,
most of whom have gone to their reward after leading upright lives, and
fighting the battle of life in a way to make their descendants proud of
them". They were Donald McDiarmid; Roderick McDonald, his wife
Mary and children; Donald McDonald, his wife Christy, and daughter
Kate; William McPherson and his wife Marion; Lachlan McPherson and
his wife Christy; Donald McDonald and his wife Effie and four children;
Angus McCormick and his wife Marion and three sons and one daughter;
Alexander McPherson, his wife Effie and one child; Alexander McDonald
and his wife Catherine; Donald McKay, a bachelor of twenty; John Bu-
chanan, a bachelor of thirty-six and Archie McDonald, another bachelor
of twenty. In the following year (1884) two hundred and forty souls
arrived. Monsignor Tache, the great Archbishop of St. Boniface, desiring
to provide for the spiritual care of these good Gaelic people wrote to Nova
Scotia, where so many Gaelic speaking Canadians are to be found, but
there were only two in the College who answered the requirements. One
of them was Mr. Gillies, and he and his colleague answered to the call.
The latter however did not remain permanently. Mr. Gillies, gently
raised and a stranger to anything crude and hard, was at first inclined
to be dismayed by the conditions, but encouraged by the Archbishop, he
remained and for some thirty years he labored in his wide parish. His
duties were extremely arduous and although not naturally of the most
robust physique he never spared himself. Not only did he fulfil the duties
of a parish priest, he also held the following offices: Member of the Board
of Education of the North West Territories; Member of the Board of
Examiners of Teachers; Member of the Board of School Inspectors and
of the Educational Council. As a school inspector he made long journeys
over rough trails in all kinds of weather, so that his health was seriously
endangered. When the Diocese of Regina was formed with the present
greatly-loved and esteemed Archbishop Mathieu as its first Bishop, Father
Gillies, the most widely known and respected priest in the province, be-
came the first Rector of the Cathedral parish of Regina. Mr. James N.
McKinnon, who has done a public service by writing a "Short History
of the Pioneer Scotch Settlers of St. Andrews, Sask." says well of the
parting: "Naturally the parting between priest and people was marked
by keen sorrow and tears, for such ties, welded by long years of service,
and mutual understanding, are always hard to break, but the people had
the consolation that the promotion was well deserved, and in a way de-
sirable, as it would widen the sphere of their former pastor's usefulness
in the Master's service, and still leave him near enough to keep their
mutual interests and regard very much alive."
Father Gillies has given a great example of priestly and personal
service, and in the "sere and yellow leaf" [sic]he has the respect and admira-
tion of all, and the love and veneration of many.
JEAN LOUIS LEGARE OF WOOD MOUNTAIN AND WILLOW BUNCH.
To tell of Wood Mountain is to tell of Jean Louis Legare. Wood Moun-
tain is an old Metis settlement ninety miles south of Moose Jaw, and for
the purposes of this notice, it may be spoken of, almost interchangeably
as Willow Bunch. It is many years ago since the Franco-Indian hunter
made a home, a meeting place and a point of departure, of Wood Moun-
tam; and it has always been a scene of the labors of a devoted priesthood.
Priests have travelled long journeys in terrific weather to say mass at
Wood Mountain. It was also famous as a boundary post for the North
West Mounted Police; and it will always be associated with the American
Indians who came over with Sitting Bull, after the wiping out of General
Custer and his command by that remarkable warrior. From this district
spreading to the Cypress Hills, countless skins of buffalo, bear and wolf
have been shipped. The railroad is there now, and there are modern
towns and villages; but nothing will ever dispel the air of border ro-
mance that hangs over Wood Mountain. The untutored Indian in all his
barbaric freedom, the dauntless hunters and traders,-French, American,
English,-and the equally courageous and dauntless priest; and the police
post and its red riders ensuring justice and protection to all-red river
carts, oxen, ponies, moccasins, blankets, feathers, beads, leggings, tepees,
log shacks, braves, squaws and naked children playing in the sun, the
feast, the buffalo, the bear, the flint gun, the Winchester, the how and
arrow, the coming and going to and from the American side, the trading,
sometimes the carouse and the quarrel-red, white and Metis, all mixed
in the great natural life of the border, but with never the influence of the
cassock wholly withdrawn, such was Wood Mountain, and amid it all
moved Louis Legare the honorable, strong, truthful French Canadian
trader who had the confidence of Indian and white, for his tongue was
never split and his influence was always for good.
It was about the year 1870 that Jean Louis Legare arrived at Wood
Mountain, and undoubtedly to him, more than to any other man is due
the establishment of Willow Bunch and the surrounding trade centres of
today. It is good to know that he lived until 1918, and saw and partici-
pated in the fruits of his labors. In 1871 he went into partnership with
George Fisher, an English speaking trader of the mixed race, belonging
to a well-known and much respected family. They established a trading
post at Wood Mountain. In the winter they collected as many skins as
possible, and in the spring a train of Red River carts carried their pelts
to St. Francis Xavier in Manitoba, and the train would return laden with
supplies.
The courses of the buffalo were capricious, and hunters and traders
alike had to follow the shaggy monsters. In 1875-76 the bison had almost
totally abandoned Wood Mountain, and the Metis followed them to the
Cypress Hills, which now became a general meeting place for all the
boundary Indians both American and Canadian. Then came what is called
the Custer Massacre on the American side. Three or four years before,
the Cypress Hills slaughter of Indians by American traders had occurred.
The Custer affair and the coming of Sitting Bull and his warriors to Fort
Walsh has been dealt with elsewhere, but we may say here that after his
victory over Custer, Sitting Bull sent scouts over the Canadian border
ahead of him. Legare tells of the arrival of a body of these scouts at
Wood Mountain. His account runs:
"On November 17th, I was in my store with two of my men when a
dozen savages on horseback appeared. Little Knife was at their head.
Without dismounting they came straight to the window ana stared at us.
They were covered from head to foot in buffalo robes. They stayed look-
ing at us for at least half an hour but we took not the slightest notice
of their presence. At last Little Knife came in leaving the door open and
stayed a long time looking at us. Presently without appearing to see us
he advanced quietly to the centre of the room, sat down on the floor and
called in his companions one after the other. All came in leaving the
door open as he had done. As for me I took care to say no word and make
no gesture, but waited quietly to see what they would do. This lasted
for two hours when suddenly at a bound Little Knife was on his feet. He
then came to us, shook hands and returned to his place. His companions
did the same. Then one of them named Crow having turned to the four
cardinal points spoke thus: 'We have come from the American frontier
because we cannot sleep there in peace and we have learned that the Great
Woman (Queen Victoria) is good to her children. That is why we have
come to this country to be able to sleep in peace'. He then went on to say
that they were in great need and offered to treat with me for cartridges,
tobacco, powder, etc. In order to get rid of them I gave them $30 worth
of goods and they went away".
The scouts returned to Sitting Bull and reported the roads free and
the next day they returned with 70 tents and camped around the store
of Jean Louis, as they called him.
It was not until after the arrival of the Sioux at Wood Mountain that
the Mounted Police of the Cypress Hills post heard of the massacre of
Custer. Major Walsh then went to meet them at Wood Mountain at the
head of a detachment of 25 men. But after long pourparlers, seeing that
their intentions were peaceful and that their one object was to get pro-
tection from the Americans, he judged it better not to molest them as
long as they kept the peace on the frontier.
The Sioux continued to arrive at Wood Mountain but at the same time
the buffalo retired and for want of the necessities of life the savages had
recourse to stealing, and compelled the merchants to give them goods
without hope of payment.
In 1877 the Metis of Cypress Mountains moved to Wood Mountain, and
in the same year Father Hugonard arrived from Qu'Appelle with some
families from that mission, so that Legare was no longer the only French-
man living among the Metis. The Indians were, however, a constant
source of anxiety, on many occasions giving proof of their barbarity when
refused what they desired. It was a miracle that Major Walsh and Legare
escaped being killed by them and no doubt this was owing to their great
courage for which the Sioux had great respect as well as for their known
firmness an uprightness.
In 1879 the buffalo having left the neighborhood, the Metis followed
them over the border. Here they were attacked by the Americans and
taken prisoners. Some days later they were told that as they had in-
vaded American territory, furnished arms and munitions to the Indians
of the United States, they would not be allowed to return to Canada. The
Metis, terrified, sent a messenger to Major Walsh who hastened to their
assistance. He followed the American General to the banks of the Mis-
souri and then summoned him in the name of the Queen to set the Metis
free at once. The general submitted and the Metis were given their choice
of returning to Canada or remaining in America. Two groups of them
decided for the latter and the third returned with Walsh to Canada.
After these events General Miles reported to the American Govern-
ment his conviction that it would cost less to feed the Indians than to
make war upon them. In consequence of this some of the smaller chiefs
were brought over and finally of the 4,000 Indians who had crossed the
frontier in 1876 only 500 remained faithful to Sitting Bull who still re-
mained refractory in spite of all the efforts of the government. At last
Legare prepared a great banquet for them and then spoke to them as fol-
lows: "I was the first to take your hand on your arrival here and I have
been your friend ever since. The American Government offers an amnesty
and if you do not believe me send as many delegates as you like to enquire.
I will furnish the money for the journey both ways. We will start in
five days". Most of the band were in favor of this action and 30 dele-
gates were chosen. On the day named they started, but on the next Legare
saw a band of Sioux coming towards him. The chief, a nephew of Sitting
Bull, came to him, shook him roughly and said: "We know what you
mean to do with these men you are taking to Buford; you mean to sell
them by the pound for you have chosen the fattest". The result was that
16 of them turned back and only 14 remained with Legare. In the mean-
time Sitting Bull went to Qu'Appelle to ask for a reserve there. This was
refused and things went from bad to worse. Many of the older and weak-
er Indians fell by the wayside never to rise again. Then, at last, Sitting
Bull came to Legare and said "If you will give me what I ask, I will do
what you want". "What do you ask"" said Legare. "Three hundred
dollars" replied the chief. Finally he agreed to accept the half of this
sum and they prepared to leave, Sitting Bull saying to Legare, "You are
brave, we are content and shall be grateful to you".
In 1879 a great prairie fire destroyed all the forage for a considerable
distance around Wood Mountain and many of the Metis looked elsewhere
for a home. Among these was Andre Gaudry who settled in the Willow
Bunch district. His description of the beauty and fertility of this dis-
trict decided Legare to put up a house and store there also. With him
went about 30 other families.
At about this same time events were preparing which were to change
the whole face of the Wes~the choice of Regina as capital of the North
West Territories and the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway.
With the arrival of the railway closes the cycle of savagery and begins
the era of civilization. As the iron road advanced through the plains,
colonists followed, towns and villages were built, the soil was opened by
the plough, fur animals disappeared, Metis and savages retreated and
their social and political importance no longer preponderated.
The railway arrived at Winnipeg in 1881 and in 1882 the line, pass-
ing by Brandon, was pushed on to Regina. The work required numerous
teams and work people and these were provisioned by the Metis of Wil-
low Bunch. In the spring of 1883 Pascal Bonneau put up a two-story
shop on Broad Street, the first established at Regina.
During all these years there had been no organized education for the
children. The first school was built at Willow Bunch in 1886; this was
a free Catholic school and from 40 to 50 children were enrolled the first
year. With the organization of the province the citizens of Willow Bunch
seized the opportunity of placing themselves under the jurisdiction of the
new province of Saskatchewan, and in 1907 a school district was organ-
ized under the name of Sitkala. This was the twenty-third erected in
Saskatchewan.
With the establishment of the Post Office in or about the year 1894
and a telegraphic service in 1904, life at Willow Bunch was greatly im-
proved.
After the Riel rebellion the townships were divided into homesteads
but of the 1,886 only 22 had been claimed in 1905. However, with the
arrival of the crowds of immigrants the Metis began to see that they must
bestir themselves. The first land agent was appointed in 1901 and in
1910 the municipality was organized. Since then progress in every way
Bull, came to him, shook him roughly and said: "We know what you
mean to do with these men you are taking to Buford; you mean to sell
them by the pound for you have chosen the fattest". The result was that
16 of them turned back and only 14 remained with Legare. In the mean-
time Sitting Bull went to Qu'Appelle to ask for a reserve there. This was
refused and things went from bad to worse. Many of the older and weak-
er Indians fell by the wayside never to rise again. Then, at last, Sitting
Bull came to Legare and said "If you will give me what I ask, I will do
what you want". "What do you ask"" said Legare. "Three hundred
dollars" replied the chief. Finally he agreed to accept the half of this
sum and they prepared to leave, Sitting Bull saying to Legare, "You are
brave, we are content and shall be grateful to you".
In 1879 a great prairie fire destroyed all the forage for a considerable
distance around Wood Mountain and many of the Metis looked elsewhere
for a home. Among these was Andre Gaudry who settled in the Willow
Bunch district. His description of the beauty and fertility of this dis-
trict decided Legare to put up a house and store there also. With him
went about 30 other families.
At about this same time events were preparing which were to change
the whole face of the West the choice of Regina as capital of the North
West Territories and the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway.
With the arrival of the railway closes the cycle of savagery and begins
the era of civilization. As the iron road advanced through the plains,
colonists followed, towns and villages were built, the soil was opened by
the plough, fur animals disappeared, Metis and savages retreated and
their social and political importance no longer preponderated.
The railway arrived at Winnipeg in 1881 and in 1882 the line, pass-
ing by Brandon, was pushed on to Regina. The work required numerous
teams and work people and these were provisioned by the Metis of Wil-
low Bunch. In the spring of 1883 Pascal Bonneau put up a two-story
shop on Broad Street, the first established at Regina.
During all these years there had been no organized education for the
children. The first school was built at Willow Bunch in 1886; this was
a free Catholic school and from 40 to 50 children were enrolled the first
year. With the organization of the province the citizens of Willow Bunch
seized the opportunity of placing themselves under the jurisdiction of the
new province of Saskatchewan, and in 1907 a school district was organ-
ized under the name of Sitkala. This was the twenty-third erected in
Saskatchewan.
With the establishment of the Post Office in or about the year 1894
and a telegraphic service in 1904, life at Willow Bunch was greatly im-
proved.
After the Riel rebellion the townships were divided into homesteads
but of the 1,886 only 22 had been claimed in 1905. However, with the
arrival of the crowds of immigrants the Metis began to see that they must
bestir themselves. The first land agent was appointed in 1901 and in
1910 the municipality was organized. Since then progress in every way
has been rapid. The arrival of the C. P. R. at Verwood (12 miles from
Willow Bunch) had the greatest influence on the economic conditions of
the district. Before this the nearest station was Moose Jaw, a distance
of 90 miles, and it often took a week to make the return journey.
In 1910 the C. N. R. arrived at Bengough, 30 miles east of Willow Bunch.
As before stated Jean Louis Legare lived to see the realization of his
dearest wishes, dying in 1918. He was proverbial for his uprightness and
frankness, he never deceived anyone and the Indians especially appre-
ciated this trait. One of them said one day, "Among the white men the
only straightforward ones are the priests and you". The day after his
death the Sioux of Wood Mountain sent his son this telegram: "We de-
plore bitterly the loss of our old friend".
MR. R. H. WILLIAMS (REGINA).
An esteemed correspondent sends us a copy of the Canadian Club
Magazine, dated Oct., 1923, with a suggestion that we give a permanent
place to the following sketch by Jack Fairley of Mr. R. H. Williams, as a
Saskatchewan Pioneer of the first rank. We have more than pleasure in
acceding to this request. Those who are familiar with R. H. Williams
and Sons great departmental store in Regina will be especially interested
in the story of its founder's early battles with pioneer conditions.
The story of a Regina pioneer who began selling lemonade to Indians
from the tail of an ox-cart at a Dominion Day celebration before there
was a Regina, and now heads a million dollar mercantile concern bearing
his name, besides other important property interests, is told in good news-
paper style by Jack Fairley in a special publication of some years ago.
It is a good story, this, of the coming of R. H. Williams to the West and
his part in the building of Regina. Mr. Wilams, who has been four times
Mayor of Regina, who was born in Toronto in 1852 but as a boy was taken
out as a homesteader into Simcoe County and there learned to handle
horses, cut and yard logs and gained an insight into the lumber and build-
ing business which stood him in good stead when he came to the new
country. When he married on reaching voting age, Miss Mary Susan
Reid, he found he could use some extra money and went out to hustle for
orders for fruit trees. Then he and his wife answered the western call
and arrived at St. Boniface, April 1st, 1881, before the C. P. R. had
crossed the Red River into Winnipeg. Mr. Fairley now tells the story:
"For a solid year he worked in Winnipeg carpentering or anything
that was doing. At the end of that period he had saved some money and
joined a party bound for the prairie country. His contribution was a Red
River cart that cost $29, a big red ox that set him back $100 and a har-
ness for the ox that cost $9. In addition he secured a general supply of
provisions. In June, 1882, the party left Winnipeg, Mrs. Williams and
three young children remained behind. The outfit was shipped by rail
as far as Flat Creek (Oak Lake), the western terminus of the C. P. R.
at that period, after the red ox had put up a terriffic battle against enter-
ing a box car. Arrived in Flat Creek the country was found to be mostly
under water, but an extra $40 persuaded the train crew that it would not
be too much trouble to carry the outfit a few miles further west to the
actual end of the steel.
"They were finally unloaded over a twelve foot embankment, a de-
barkation that the red ox absolutely refused until he was blindfolded with
bags and considerable pressure was brought to bear from behind. Then
they were off on the last lap. The ox was hitched to the Red River cart
wearing the nine dollar harness, and R. H. was in the driver's seat. They
steered a westerly course following as closely as possible the old Hudson
Bay trail and heading for Qu'Appelle, the popular port for prairie schoon-
ers. And they arrived at the end of their journey without encountering
anything more exciting than a few bands of Indians. They found the
West, the land of adventure and romance, the land of the Indian and the
buffalo, and the land of wealth for those with courage, faith and ability
to win it.
"Two days after the arrival at the Fort came Dominion Day and the
Indians of the entire district had been summoned by the Hudson Bay
factors to celebrate. The pioneer party had about two-thirds of a box
of lemons left over and Mr. Williams conceived the idea of selling lem-
onade to the tribesmen. After securing permission from the law, the
N. W. M. P.-that was before royal was the lead-off name-and the Hud-
son's Bay Co., the future Regina merchant went across the valley to the
fort, a cluster of log huts, rigged up the tailboard of the cart as a counter
and dispensed lemonade at 25 cents a drink. When the lemons were gone he
had $43 in his jeans and every Indian and breed that could get within
hailing distance had his first lemonade under his blanket.
"A few days later Mr. Williams again took the road and seated in his
little Red River cart, and hauled by his big red ox, went a-homesteading.
He located at what is now Balcarres, where he put up a rough hut for
himself and a better one for the ox. That completed, he cut some hay
for the horned beast and leaving him to eat his head off, set out for Regina
or what is now Regina. From here he returned to Winnipeg to visit the
family, pack the household effects and return in mass formation to the
prairies. Regina was named Regina on the day the family arrived. That
ceremony safely accomplished, though Mr. Williams had nothing to do
with it, he pitched his tent pending the time that lumber would arrive
when a real shack could be erected. For while he had been in Winnipeg
he had arranged to act as agent for a lumber company.
"The shack was built. It stood between Broad and Osler streets on
what is now South Railway. The little home was completed in Septem-
ber. He then entered the building business and shortly after his own
home was finished built the first Regina hotel, called the Commercial. The
hostel was operated as such for about a year when it was sold to the late
R. B. Fergusson, moved to South Railway Street and used as a furniture
store. With the arrival of more lumber in the city Mr. Williams built
himself a house. It stood on Broad Street where the Independent Laun-
dry now stands. That house is still doing business as a dwelling and
stands at the corner of Halifax Street and Sixteenth Avenue.
"Mr. Fairley's narrative goes on to tell of Mr. Williams' exchanging
the Balcarres homestead for one in Albert Street where the first G. T. P.
station was located. Here he failed to find water, though he put up a
shack and lived there the first winter. On leaving the Balcarres place
the ox was sold for $100 but the cart remains in the family as a souvenir.
"In the winter of 1883-84 and while still on the homestead Mr. Williams,
in partnership with Mr. D. Murphy, took the contract to build one of the
first Indian Industrial schools to he erected in the West, near the mouth
of High River in the district now known as Alberta. The building still
stands, 25 miles east of Calgary on the Bow River. When the building
party organized, J. K. R. Williams was left in a private school here in
Regina. Mrs. Williams went along to cook for the crowd. Lumber was
bought and horses to draw it to the destination, though the lumber had
to be rafted quite a distance, an operation that resulted in the loss of
several thousand feet. Calgary was then known as Old Calgary and was
marked by a Hudson Bay fort.
"Mr. and Mrs. Williams, two children and eight workmen started over-
land for the site of the school that was to be. After considerable diffi-
culty they crossed intervening creeks, rafted the lumber and finally made
camp. On arrival they met one of the first white settlers of the West,
the late Father Lacombe. It was a new country in those days, yet this
man had lived in the neighborhood 35 years even then, working tire-
lessly among the Indian tribes.
"Father Lacombe was able to give the party advice as to how to handle
the Indians. In the summer months while the building was going up
bands of Blackfeet were constantly passing arrayed in full war paint, for
they were then preparing to join Louis Riel in his famous rebellion move-
ment. The Indians passed within a stone's throw in order to ford the
river. Sometimes as many as 500 would be in a hand. It was rather a
terrifying experience for Mrs. Williams, but acting on the advice of
Father Lacombe they had no truck with the Indians, giving them nothing
and asking nothing from them. The work was at last completed and the
builders returned to Regina. The horses went into the government trans-
port system used during the rebellion to carry supplies to the troops.
"At that period in the history of Regina there was no water save that
drawn from Pile '0 Bones, now dignified with the name Wascana Creek.
An Indian pony was bought, and hitched to the cart. The combination
made the first water system of the city. The water brought one dollar a
barrel on the open market. The barrels were brought from Winnipeg
with some household effects. The owner was offered and refused $3 each
for them when they were empty of even Wascana Creek water.
"Everybody used to borrow the pony and cart in those days when the
family washing was extra heavy. One day a restaurant keeper secured
the rig and set sail for the creek. When he had filled the barrels to ca-
pacity the pony thought it was time to go. He started on the dead run
and when he brought up the cart was a wreck. There was not an ounce of
metal in the cart makeup and the wood went into several stoves.
"And speaking of wood, that kind of fuel was brought from the bluffs
around Edenwold in the winter of 1882-83 and cost $12 a load, and the
load was small. The first ton of coal that R. H. Williams bought in Regina
set him back $25.
"Regina has been called muddy by people who never saw it in the
days before pavements became fashionable. Regina mud was a curse in
those days and Mr. Williams as an enterprising citizen, in company with
Daniel Murphy who is still in the building business in the city, started to
take up a subscription to build a sidewalk. When they had the money
they started to build. The first walk that graced this fair city pointed
north and south and extended along what is now Broad Street to South
Railway. Two planks were laid on the bald prairie with a space left be-
tween for a third when finances became easier. The third plank was
never laid. Anyway, two people could pass by turning slightly sideways
at the exact time of passing.
"It has been mentioned that Mr. Williams was a builder. In 1886
he was still following the business and in that year he built a home for
the commissioner of the N. W. M. P. The house is now occupied by the
assistant commissioner. At the same time he built several other buildings
at the barracks. Some of them still stand, some of them have been burned.
And just touching on police affairs it might be mentioned that Mr. Will-
iams built the cell that Louis Riel occupied during the time of the famous
rebellion leader's trial, in the old courthouse on the corner of Victoria
Avenue and Scarth Street.
"Six years after Mr. Williams' arrival in the city he secured the con-
tract for the erection of the Mounted Police buildings at Macleod, with
Charles Willoughby as a partner. He had to make the trip to the scene
of his operation by stage coach, the regular old-fashioned kind that novels
and motion pictures have made famous. The four horses went on the
lope with the driver flourishing a long-lashed whip. There were no
bridges across the Old Man River and the same lack was suffered by the
Belly River. On this particular trip one of the rivers had been crossed in
safety and on the far bank the driver, a man named Pollinger, changed
from a light rig to the heavy coach. Mr. Williams helped to transfer
the baggage and mail. The hero of the story chose to sit on the high
seat with the driver. Before a start was made Pollinger went inside the
coach while the president of the R. H. Williams Company was given the
task of holding the four wild bronchos. He was assisted in his task by
various commands that came from the bowels of the hack, sounds that
became mo~e violent as time passed. The driver finally climbed to his
seat in an ugly mood, swirling his long whip, the team plunged, the coach
lurched and they were off. At the first stop, called Kip, for a change of
steeds, Pollinger spoke to the keeper of the stopping place and the latter
approaching Mr. Williams, said: "Are you the Rev. Mr. Blank"" He
was. turned away with an evasive answer and shortly after the journey
was resumed.
"At the destination, Fort Macleod, the passenger was hustled to a
room as quickly as he arrived. It was in the late fall and the passenger
was cold. He figured he wanted a drink and went after it. He found a
little bar and ordered his refreshment. Just as he was about to toss it
off, in walked Pollinger, who was immediately invited to have a drop.
With a string of oaths the driver accepted the invitation and as the liquor
made him talk, he said: 'You are the deceivenist man I ever met. I
figured you for a preacher from the start. 'Member just after we crossed
the river: Well, I crawled into the coach to have a drink where you couldn't
see me, and consarn you, you were sitting on the corkscrew.'
'Which was the only time I was ever taken for a minister in this or
any other country,' said Mr. Williams, in telling the story.
"The lumber for the building at Macleod was secured from a little
sawmill up in the foothills owned by Peter McLaren, of Ontario. The
mill was closed down, but the foreman consented to start up and Mr.
Williams was the first to show him how to saw shiplap, specified in the
contract.
"One of the last building contracts undertaken by Mr. Williams was
that of the first exhibition buildings on the present site for the territorial
exhibition.
"When the year 1891 rolled around Mr. Williams organized the firm,
the Regina Lumber and Supply Company. He was president of the com-
pany which had eleven years in the various districts. At the end of the
four years he sold out his interest in the lumber business to devote all his
time to the store.
"The first real start in the mercantile business was made when he
bought a partnership in a little store on South Railway Street with Alex
Sheppard. The store is where W. E. Arens carries on a drug business
right now. Mr. Sheppard was Scotch and when the building was enlarged
and the new partner entered, they looked around for a name. Mr. Will-
iams suggested 'Glasgow House' because his partner was Scotch. It met
instant favor with Mr. Sheppard and the name stuck. It is probably
as widely known as any firm name in the West today. In those days
J. K. R. Williams, now vice president and general manager of the com-
pany, was carrying parcels.
"Mr. Williams was not altogether satisfied with the progress of the
business and he offered to sell his share to Mr. Sheppard. The offer was
refused and Mr. Williams bought out Mr. Sheppard. In 1889 a new store
was built east of the original stand. F. J. Robinson occupies the store
today.
"Came the year 1910 and the present building on Eleventh Avenue
was occupied. The site was first occupied by a public school building.
By a queer turn of fate Mr. Williams had been a member of the school
board that selected the site for the school twenty years previous. He bid
it in at public auction when he wanted it for himself, paying $39,600.
And by another turn of fate Alex Sheppard, his first partner, was the
auctioneer. J. W. Smith, another of Regina's first business men, was the
contending bidder."
REGINA PIONEERS.
An old-timers' dinner was held in Regina in December, 1923, pre-
sided over by Mr. Eddy, who is one of the princes among the pioneers.
The register of this highly interesting and successful function helps us in
giving the names of some of the Regina pioneers. The guests included
among many: Sir Frederick Haultain, Colonel James McAra, James Bal-
four, K. C.; T. R. Brown, J. R. C. Honeyman, Mrs. William McKillop,
J. B. Parker, R. E. A. Leech, Charles Martin, John Malcolmson, Indian
Commissioner Graham, Captain Heffernan, L. C. Craigle, Daniel Brown,
R. Rolston, D. Kirby, Mrs. Agnes Skelton (Battleford), S. B. Jamieson,
E. C. Cullum, A. Bannister and Mrs. Bannister, James Eadie, Sam Beach,
0.Banjafield, G. Brown, W. F. Eddy, Mrs. John Dale (Silton, 1873),
Robert Sinton, Frank Whitmore, Finlay Kennedy, A. C. Garner, J. C.
Moore, F. Bredin, H. R. Gollnick, A. McCannell, N A. McCannell, A. B.
Fleming, George Mollard, J. D. Ross (Lumsden, 1880), E. McCarthy,
R. H. Williams, A. B. Dunnett, E. S. Weeks, Mrs. W. J. Gould (Moose
Jaw, daughter of H. J. Moberley, Duck Lake, 1861), George Burns (Con-
die), and Mrs. Burns, C. H. Burns, Mr. and Mrs. J. M. Duncan, D. H. Gil-
lespie, Mr. and Mrs. Forsyth, Mrs. J. E. Tanner, Mr. and Mrs. Duncan,
C. McIntyre, Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton, Mr. and Mrs. Russel Williams, Mr.
and Mrs. G. H. Barr, Mrs. L. Dawson, Mr. and Mrs. W. M. Longworthy,
R.D. Fraser, Mr. and Mrs. John Dougans, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Wil-
loughby, Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Williams, Mrs. W. F. Eddy, Mrs. H. W.
Holquist, J. D. Mclnnis, A. C. Paterson, W. H. Ellis, Robert Martin and
Mrs. Martin, W. D. Craig and Mrs. Craig, Mr. and Mrs. J. K. R. Williams,
D. W. Caswell (Wolseley), John Anderson, T. Mutrie and Mrs. Mutrie,
T. H. Cochrane, Mrs. J. W. Martin, Mrs. N. W. Anderson, James and
Mrs. Simpson, Frank Binnie, Charles Slinn, F. G. England and Mrs.
England, G. A. Faulkner, Mrs. R. E. Tinning, Gilbert Smith (1878), Mr.
Justice James McKay, Hugo Carss, William Balfour and Mrs. Balfour,
W. E. Cooney and Mrs. Cooney, F. W. Smith and Mrs. Smith, J. L. Mc-
Lellan, Charles Wilson, W. T. Balfour, G. H. Kidd, R. Rowson, James
Grassick and Mrs. Grassick, Mrs. Austin Bothwell.
Bibliography follows: