EVOLUTION OF TOWNS AND VILLAGES..
The following stories of the beginning and growth of the towns of
Moosomin and Qu'Appelle have a special value, as they are typical of the
early history of all the towns in the province.
THIRTY-FIVE YEARS' RECOLLECTIONS OF THE UPS AND DOWNS OF THE TOWN
OF MOOSOMIN AND SURROUNDING COUNTRY.
By John McCurdy.
At the opening of the year 1882-the year in which Moosomin had its
birth-Brandon was the western end for all commercial and passenger
traffic on the C. P. R. The place for outfitting for the incoming settlers
of that year, west of Brandon, was a siding then known as Flat Creek, now
Oak Lake. To this point all 'construction material was carried in prep-
aration for the record mileage of railroad building of that year.
By June, 1882, the rails had reached as far west as section 33, town-
ship 13, range 31, west of the 1st Meridian, where a siding was put
down and known among the railroad men as Siding No.4, and which
presently became the Moosomin townsite, named, I believe, after an Indian
Chief.
A large construction camp remained here and from this base the road-
bed was pushed many miles west. Two large boarding places under
canvas accommodated many of the railroad officials, and also proved a
good resting place for weary land seekers, and others in pursuit of busi-
ness locations.
Among railroad men and others, in search of locations for future en-
terprise, Siding No.4 was much talked of as likely to become one of the
very best. The soil for miles around was well adapted for agricultural
purposes; wood and water were to be had in abundance; and these con-
ditions, aided by the fact that the trails of the Hudson's Bay Company,
between Fort Pelly, Fort Ellice and the Moose Mountain reserves, joined
at this point, gave, in the opinion of railroad men and others, the con-
viction that the site would become one of the best for commercial enter-
prise.
A detachment of the North West Mounted Police, in charge of Ser-
geant Norris, was upon the ground. A Land Office, under canvas, was
opened up in charge of Land Officer Gordon, and this proved a great con-
venience to the land seekers.
The rails had not been laid many days when enterprising men in
search of business locations came upon the ground. Mr. R. D. McNaugh-
ton, accompanied by Mr. James Whiting, arrived from New Brunswick
and were the first to open under canvas a general store. Mr. McNaughton
had a carload of merchandise which reached Brandon as early as April,
and by stages. he got it pushed west, first to Flat Creek, then to Virden,
and finally to Moosomin, at which point it arrived the first week of July.
Here Mr. McNaughton located and eventually became one of the mer-
chant princes of the West.
In less than a month a couple of young men from Toronto, Ontario,
opened under canvas the second general store, with the firm name of
Carroll and Maulson. Both these places did a thriving business from their
opening.
A record year in many respects was 1882. First, it was the year of
the great flood. Swollen streams and great sloughs were to be seen on
every hand, making travel both tiresome and dangerous. In the second
place, there was the great rush of Canadian and British Isles settlers,
who came in by trainloads. Many of the Canadians came equipped for
the land-hunting trip; others had to outfit at Brandon; while all the Old
Country arrivals equipped either at Winnipeg or Brandon.
The goals of the new comers that year were the Qu'Appelle Valley,
Souris District, or Moose Mountain. Very many who set out for these
districts never reached the desired haven. Becoming weary of ox travel
and innumerable trails, they finally settled upon any land that looked
good to them. In this way the Moosomin district got a large number of
its early settlers; and the land to the North and South of the town was
rapidly taken up. The settlers of that year were English speaking, almost
without exception, and Moosomin district began and remained a com-
munity of English speaking people.
The C. P. R. authorities began at once the erection of a station. house,
section house and water tank. The workmen engaged in this work, to-
gether with the constant stream of land seekers, gave a large trade to
the stopping places and the merchant tents.
It was the latter part of October before the civil engineer, A. E. Struth-
ers, and his men arrived to survey and plan the site for the future town.
By this time several parties were in waiting for the locating of street
corners and lot stakes, to begin buildings suitable for their various
callings. Two livery and feed stables we're erected at once. D. H. Mc-
Callum, from Elgin County, Ontario, was the proprietor of the first;
the second was built by Geo. Dunn, a native of the Emerald Isle. An
annex was put to the stable, in which he opened up a butcher business for
the convenience of the citizens, and this accommodatinggentleman would
leave the grooming of a horse to cut a dinner steak, at a moment's no-
tice. This condition was soon improved by the coming to town of Mr.
James Inglis, who purchased that end of Mr. Dunn's business. Mr. Inglis
was shortly after joined in business by Mr. H. Smith who was just out
from England. Mr. Smith was a practical butcher and the personifica-
tion of cleanliness in his business. This firm developed an extensive
wholesale and retail trade, which they carried on for many years.
A blacksmith's shop was the next utility established in the growing
town and it opened for business on November 1st. About this time a
pool room and barber shop were opened for business. Meanwhile R. D.
McNaughton and Carroll and Maulson were busy erecting buildings for
their respective businesses, as the weather was getting wintry.
E. M. Rossiter, a late arrival from the Emerald Isle, began the build-
ing of a hotel, which for many years was known as the "Grosvenor";
and by way of introduction to the public, he invited a large number of
the citizens to a Christmas Dinner. The joke came at the end, the good
host collecting fifty cents per head from his retiring guests.
About this time Dr. R. J. Rutledge took up his residence in town and
began the practice of his newly-acquired profession, being a graduate of
McGill, Montreal, of that year. As a pioneer doctor he did a great work,
enduring many long and cold drives over countless miles of prairie to
relieve the ills of human kind. He married Miss Hill, an English lady,
and practised his profession for over twenty years at Moosomin, after
which he and his family removed to California, there to resume his work.
The Doctor's large heart and genial disposition made for him a large
circle of friends. But from those qualities he failed to reap that financial
reward that was his just due.
Among the 1882 settlers were two clergymen who located upon home-
steads. One, Moses Demick, located about seven miles northeast of the
town. He was a Methodist from Ontario; the other was W. Nichol, who
came from Manchester, England, and who was a Congregationalist in the
Old Country. Mr. Nichol and his good wife were of Irish birth. He
joined up here with the Presbyterian body, and was the pioneer preacher
of the place. Although not ordained, he held services every Sunday morn-
ing in a private residence, owned by a North West hunter and trapper
by the name of Struther. He used to come into town with an ox and a
native, home-made sled. As an instance of early privation, Mrs. Nichol,
a lady of exceptionally fine qualities, and of no small poetic gifts, often, in
relating her experience, would tell of partaking of their breakfast with
the thermometer registering fifteen degrees below zero upon the table.
Nichol, being Irish, built an Irishman's house out of sods, putting thereon
a thatched roof. The place was large but had no floor in the room used
as a kitchen and dining-room; and naturally it was cold.
Rev. Demick came into town in the spring of 1883, and began to gather
up those of the Methodist denomination; as also did the Rev. Mr. Sargant
(subsequently Dean of Qu'Appelle) of the Anglican Church, who rounded
up the scattered people of that persuasion. Thus, early in the experience
of the community, began the work of creeds, which gave the place a strong
cast of Churchianity, in place of a vital and strong life-giving Christian-
ity; but Moosomin's experience in this respect was no exception to many
other places in the new West.
Another settler of more than ordinary calibre was J. R. Neff. Coming
from St. George, Ontario, this gentleman represented some capitalists of
Toronto and. St. George. Mr. Neff purchased two sections of land on the
north side of the town. He also homesteaded and pre-empted a half sec-
tion adjoining the townsite on the south side, and upon this he erected
a commodious home where he and his family resided for many years. In
the spring of 1883 Mr. Neff returned from Ontario with a full equipment
for farming upon a large scale, including twelve teams of horses. As
another of the unforeseen experiences of the pioneers, Mr. Neff suffered
the loss of all his horses by fire during one noon hour shortly after his
arrival. Mr. Neff's dauntless nature did not allow him to long mourn
the setback, for he set out for Ontario and soon returned with a like num-
her of horses, to replace those he had lost. With J. R. was associated his
brother Oliver.
Large as the farming operations of these gentlemen were, they erected
a store on Main Street and opened up with a general stock of merchandise,
under the name of The Moosomin Farming & Trading Company, Mr. 0.
Neff taking charge of this end of the company's business. They also
represented the North West Land Company as townsite and farm land
agents. The fall of 1884 Mr. Neff harvested a crop of five
hundred acres.
The mercantile end of the enterprise was sold to -Richard Tees, a Mon-
treal man, after two years' business, and Mr. J. R. Neff continued his
former operations.
The appointment of Mr. S. F. Bedford, Inspector for the North West
Land Company, to the position of Manager of the newly-established Ex-
perimental Farm at Brandon, caused Mr. Bedford's resignation as repre-
sentative of the district in the North West Council. Mr. J. R. Neff was
elected to represent the district, and shortly after accepted the appoint-
ment as Executive head of the Public Works Department in the Haultain
Administration of that day.
Another settler of that date was Mr. John McGuirl, a man of vim
and "get", who opened up in the furniture business. He had been a me-
chanic in the east and also started a sash and door factory, planing mill,
etc., and developed a fair trade in the manufacture of furniture, specializ-
ing in church and lodge room furnishings.
When the new Legislative Assembly building was ready for the fur-
niture, Mr. McGuirl submitted a sample of his work to Lieut.-Governor
Dewdney, and was awarded the contract for the desks and furnishings for
the new Legislative Hall.
I shall have to go back again to the fall and winter of '82 and
'83.
Joseph Daniels, our first postmaster, was among the fortune hunters of
1882. He was a postmaster in the east and appeared to have his appoint-
ment as such in his pocket when he came west. After land-bunting, he
came to Moosomin and opened a Post Office in Carroll and Maulson's tent,
afterwards moving into their new building. He went east, leaving the
post office work in charge of the above named firm. Early in 1883 he
returned and erected a building on South Front Street, where for many
years he attended to his Post Office work.
Many single men who entered in '82 for homesteads, having nothing
to hold them to the farm, moved into town for the winter, erecting tem-
porary shacks of such size as was required by the number of occupants.
By setting up bachelors' quarters, in this way, quite an addition was
given to the town population, and it worked to the advantage of all, espe-
cially as building was carried on all through the winter.
The Spring of 1883 opened with a rush and many new buildings were
erected. Settlers who had selected land the previous summer and gone
east again, now returned with their families and farming outfits, and
their arriving and getting out upon their farms made the town one of the
busiest places west of Brandon.
Mr. John Hewgill, a homesteader of '82, spent the summer of that year
at Brandon. He arrived in Moosomin in February, 1883, and began the
erection of a building on South Front Street. He was joined later
by hisbrother Thomas, and the brothers opened a general store. John repre-
sented Harris & Son of Brantford, Ont., with a full line of agricultural
implements, and was the first implement agent in the town.
John Hind was the next to enter the field, representing W. Johnston
of Brandon. After some few years Mr. Hind gave Vancouver a trial but
soon returned to Moosomin and started up in the lumber business which
be conducted until his death in 1907. His son took hold of the business
and in 1907 he had one of the largest and best equipped lumber yards in
the Province of Saskatchewan.
The early spring saw no less than seven implement concerns with
agents at Moosomin, catering to the wants of incoming settlers.
A drug and stationery business was opened up by F. T. Carman, who
had previously been in business at Emerson, Manitoba. Mr. Richard
Chappell opened up in the stove and tinware business, but shortly after
sold out to A. S. Smith who came west from St. Mary's, Ont. Mr. Smith
had lived in Portage la Prairie, but seeking newer fields he came west to
Mcosomin, and took over the Chappell business, Mr. Chappell going out
upon his homestead.
John Smithers opened up a harness business about this time and had a
great trade that year in his line. In addition to these named there were
six general stores, four livery, sale and feed stables, four hotels and two
blacksmith shops, bake shop, jewelry store by J. M. White, shoemaker and
tailor shop, and every one busy as nailers.
Next among the needs of the new community was a building for the
holding of religious services. A general subscription was taken up on the
condition that the building would he open to all denominations. It was
also to be used for school purposes for the few children of that (lay. On
the erection of the building, school was opened, and for that and the fol-
lowing year the school was supported by the parents of the children in
attendance.
This utilitarian idea lived but a short life. The subscriptions fell short
of the amount necessary for the completion of the building, and to go on
with, funds were secured from the Church Building Fund of the Presby-
terian body. The result of this was that the property soon fell into their
hands.
In the fall of '82 the land office removed to Qu'Appelle, another land
agent from Souris district coming to Moosomin in the person of J. J. Mc-
Hugh. This individual made himself obnoxious to the pioneers by styling
himself a Deputy Timber Inspector, and he began demanding that any and
every person wishing to get himself or others a load of firewood had to
obtain a permit to cut it, even on his own homestead. The fee was twenty-
five cents per load. This was made more objectionable as he wanted an
affidavit for every load the applicant had cut from the beginning of his
settlement and a like fee for the same. This was nothing but a hold-up
on McHugh's part, there having been nothing, to cut that could be classed
as timber. What was gathered was in a large measure material which
had been over-run by fire, and was only so much fuel for any future fire
running over the prairie. This treatment soon brought strong objections
from the settlers, especially the Canadian portion, who looked upon these
tactics as a usurpation of authority out of all harmony with the timber
laws. Steps were taken that soon put an end to Mr. McHugh's useful-
ness in and about Moosomin.
Next upon the ground under the land department, was E. Brokovski,
who was a Dominion Land Intelligence Officer, a J. P., Civil and Mechani-
cal Engineer, Notary Public, etc. This general-purpose man, in summer
time, wore a white helmet hat, and upon the arrival of all daylight trains
would be found sitting upon his pony as erect as a life-guardsman in full
view of the passengers. However, he was a good soul, helpful in every
possible way and he could not be denied his little hobby. Mrs. Brokovski
was a Canadian by birth, a Toronto lady, of good education and fair musi-
cal talent and she became a much esteemed and very helpful citizen. As
stated Brokovski was an Intelligence Officer and had associated with him
two guides, who took charge of incoming settlers, driving them to the
vacant lands open for homesteading.
Another family from Ingersoll, Ont., named Crisp, settled upon land
a short distance from town. This family consisted of two grown-up
daughters and several sons, and having the necessary capital they soon
got into farming in a large way.
The young ladies with up-to-date advantages in education soon became
leaders in the social life of the place. One became the wife of R. D. Mc-
Naughton, the other the wife of Mr. Marshall Smith. They both lived for
many years energetic and useful lives in the best interest of the com
munity. In this way, from the earliest beginnings a good social life was
formed that gave to Moosomin a standing in this respect over many towns
of the West.
The first sitting of the District Court held in Moosomin was held in the
Presbyterian Church April 24th, 1885, Judge Richardson presiding.
Moosomin was early favoured by the publishing of a local newspaper.
October 2nd, 1884, was the date of the first issue, under the
editorship of
three practical printers, named Nulty, Beer and Leaper. The paper was
well conducted and became a very useful acquisition to the town and sur-
rounding country, and though it has several times changed owners, it has
never missed a weekly issue in the forty years.
The School Ordinance enacted by the Northwest Assembly was taken
advantage of shortly after the passing of the Act, and a school district
was formed, and an election was held February 2nd, 1885, for the election
of public school trustees, when Joseph Daniel, John Hewgill and A. G.
McCallum were elected for that year. A building was erected and Thomas
Dickie then residing on a farm, but a qualified teacher, was put in charge.
Trustee John Hew gill became one of the first school inspectors under the
School Ordinance, which position he held with credit to himself and satis-
faction to the Education Department until his untimely death in the fall
of 1916 by the overturning of his automobile.
In 1883 ten families of Scottish Crofters, thirty-eight souls in all, were
sent out by Lady Gordon Cathcart and located under the supervision of the
North West Land Co., upon land a short distance west of Moosomin, a
quarter section being allotted to each family. The following May (1884),
thirty-seven families and ten single persons numbering in all two hun-
dred and twenty-nine souls, were located in the same way, Mr. S. F. Bed-
ford, inspector for the North West Land Co., having charge of the work.
When Mr. Bedford became the district representative in the Legislative
Council he was prone to boast that he represented a larger number of
agriculturists than any member of the Council, and was the only member
that could say he had four families upon one section of land at that date.
Those Scottish Crofters were accustomed to struggle in their native land
and the necessity for self-denial and hard work was only a spur to these
hardy sons of toil. Many were the trials they were called upon to endure
in those early years. Frosted crops, low prices, pursued by collectors for
unavoidable debts incurred in the purchase of implements, and the neces-
sities for setting up a home, made their lives anything but a bed of roses,
but perseverance and Scottish tenacity knew no surrender, so they toiled
on, clinging to the land which gave them ultimately their reward. Many
of the original heads of families have moved into town to enjoy the fruits
of their struggles; the younger ones still farming have good improved
farms, well stocked, and every needed comfort.
How different with another colony of eighteen families coming from
the East End of London, Eng., and sent out by Baroness Burdett Coutts!
This colony arrived May, 1884, in charge of the North West Land Co., Mr.
Bedford locating them south and east of the town a quarter section to
each family, from which their transportation charges had been deducted.
A yoke of cattle, one wagon, one plow and a set of harrows were provided
for every two families. This arrangement did not work out very satis-
factorily. The majority of the heads of these families were mechanics in
London. Farm work was utterly foreign to them; their land allottments
were scrubby, needing much hard work to fit it for cultivation. Under
such conditions city men soon tired and began drifting into the town, tak
ing up work at their former trades, and but two or three families re-
mained upon the land to make any success of the undertaking.
The year 1885 is known as Rebellion Year. Moosomin took a conspicu-
ous part in that trouble. Major Boulton, at that time a resident of Bins-
carth, Man., organized what was known as Boulton's Scouts. The troop
was equipped at Moosomin, many of our young men in town and district
joining up with the corps and going through the campaign, after which
the troop was disbanded and horses and equipment were sold by puhlic
auction at Moosomin.
In 1885 a general election for the North West Council was held. Up
to this date Moosomin district was included in a district reaching as far
west as Broadview, and Mr. Claude Hamilton of Broadview was the rep-
resentative. Moosomin and the country around it, including Fleming and
Wapella, believed that the population of the eastern end warranted the
making of a new district and steps were taken by the calling of several
meetings, at which resolutions were passed asking that the Lieutenant Gov-
ernor be petitioned to set aside thirty townships as a new electoral dis-
trict. The Governor granted the prayer of the petitioners and beginning
at the boundary of Manitoba westward to range 34 west of the second
meridian from township 11, to township 16 on the north, was by procla-
mation of Lieutenant Governor Dewdney formed as a constituency to be
known as the Moosomin Electoral district. Nomination day was Septem-
ber 7th, when Mr. S. F. Bedford's name, and that of Mr. C. M. Slater, a
farmer living near Wapella, were nominated to contest the newly formed
district. Mr. Slater, however, withdrew from the contest after a week's
canvassing and Mr. Bedford was declared elected by acclamation.
In these early years a grist mill was thought to be a necessity in every
progressive community, so Moosomin got busy and raised a thousand dol-
lars by local subscriptions to bonus any person who would erect and oper-
ate a mill. A taker was soon found who was a practical miller. This man
took up a young Englishman living in Moosomin, who was anything but
practical, but he possessed a small capital, and together they purchased a
mill then standing idle in southern Manitoba, brought it to Moosomin,
put it up and began to operate it, but the life of the undertaking was very
short. Mr. George Smith of Ottawa, having land interests in the district
had advanced the projectors some capital and he finally took the property
over, and sent a new manager from Ottawa who overhauled and enlarged
the mill, putting in new and modern machinery. The mill was in opera-
tion for several years. Mr. Smith's death and the refusal of his executors
to continue the operation brought it to a close.
Some years after another milling enterprise was launched. Two gen-
tlemen named Sutcliff and Muir, British by birth, but naturalized Ameri-
cans, came from the state of Minnesota, bought the old mill property and
erected a mill having a capacity of two hundred barrels a day, the town
agreeing to give a bonus of $5,000.00. This ran along for a number of
years. High cost of fuel, small capital margin, together with the ever
increasing pressure of the larger mills, with the advantages of electrical
power put this and many other small mills out of business.
In the year 1887 Moosomin was made the judicial center for Eastern
Assiniboia, Mr. E. L. Wetmore, Q. C. of New Brunswick received the ap-
pointment of Judge for the newly formed court district. George B. Mur-
phy of Qu'Appelle was appointed sheriff, and 0. Neff of Moosomin to the
position of Clerk of the Court. This event increased the number of law-
yers in the town, which with the addition of the Court Officials gave a
new impetus to the social life of the community. Judge Wetmore held his
position until the reorganization of the Territories took place under the
Automony Act of 1904, after which a Supreme Court for Saskatchewan
was organized and Judge Wetmore removed to Regina to become the first
Chief Justice of the newly organized Court.
After thirty or more years Sheriff Murphy died respected and beloved
by all. Mr. 0. Neff held the Clerkship for over twenty-one years, when
a new regulation was introduced, disqualifying any other than a qualified
attorney from holding the office of Court Clerk, and Mr. Neff retired.
While I am on the subject of Courts, let me say a word for Moosomin's
quota to this new order of Court adjustment standing with the Bar Asso-
ciation of that time. Moosomin not only furnished the first Chief Justice,
but also two Justices, J. T. Brown and Justice Elwood for the Supreme
Court; and three Judges for the lower court of the Province, viz.: Judge
Forbes for Prince Albert, and Judge McLorg for Saskatoon, also Judge
Wylie for Estevan.
The North West Assembly in November, 1887, passed an Act granting
the town of Moosomin the power to become an incorporated municipality.
This was taken advantage of early in 1888 and preparations were made
for the holding of its first municipal election to elect a Mayor and six
Councillors. The following citizens were elected: Mayor, Joseph Daniel;
Councillors, A. S. Smith, J. C. McArthur, N. G. McCallum, W. Maulson,
L.D. Keown, J. M. White; F. F. Forbes, an attorney practicing law in
Moosomin received the appointment of town clerk.
Up to now volunteer gifts and labor had provided liberally for plank
walks and street repairs. The sanitary condition was becoming bad; pro-
tection from fire was needed, but fear of taxation was also great, and a
rider was put into the Act of Incorporation withholding the power to issue
bonds for any purposes. This rider was afterwards removed to allow the
town to grant a bonus of $5,000 to the previously mentioned mill adven-
ture under the firm name of Sutcliff and Muir.
In 1888 a machine shop business was opened up under the firm name
of McCurdy and Tucker. Later on Mr. Tucker retired. A foundry was
added to the business. A shop of such size and in that line of work was
not to be found between Brandon and Calgary, outside of the C. P. R.
shop at Moose Jaw. Even with this wide field the conditions were so
unfavorable through the standardising of machinery the expensive fuel
for power and the short seasons for working that after several years'
effort it became evident that the prairie country was no place for such a
line of enterprise. Mr. John McGuirl's effort as a manufacturer had a
like experience. The lesson learned was that the suitability of the envi-
ronment is a large factor in the success of any enterprise.
In 1890 a destructive fire of incendiary origin wiped out one side of
Main Street. No less than seven business places were destroyed. The
properties were soon rebuilt, stone and brick taking the place of the
wooden structures of early days. It gave the street a more modern as
well as a more substantial character, and greatly improved the appear-
ance of the town.
Looking back over thirty-five years I find that town and country re-
tain their earlier characteristics as an English speaking community. With
much sympathy we recall the efforts of many earlier settlers who, bring-
ing with them ample means, endeavoured to adapt themselves into pioneer
agricultural life, yet after years of labor and financial loss, were com-
pelled to give up the fight. The district has three exceptions to this ex-
perience. Among the settlers of 1882 we still have Mr. George Garmison,
Thomas Wild and Richard Cuil living upon their homesteads, but
with increased holdings, fine homes, good barns, with every comfort and
convenience which they now enjoy, their experiences have been both
trying and costly.
Another class of settlers of those early years were a number of young
men just through with school days receiving remittances from home, while
they were endeavoring to possess an estate in the great west. The great
majority of them proved total failures as far as being agriculturists was
concerned. Among the Canadian portion of early settlers of 1882 we
have with us still and still farming in a large way with the most up-to-date
equipment, Mr. R. J. Phin of Guelph, Ont., Mr. D. Osborn, whose native
place is St. George, Ont., J. R. Thompson from the Ottawa district, John
Pillworth of Port Hope, Ont., and Joseph Fisher from the western part of
Ontario. These men have the finest of homes, fitted with every modern
appliance, some of them even with electric light.
The district was not wanting in enterprise when the earlier days gave
frosted crops and markets unorganized. The ruling price of wheat even
when we were fortunate enough to have it good was for No.1 Hard, but
48 or 49 cents per bushel, and when in addition we had to team it from
five to fifty miles to market, in many cases with oxen; under these tests
of endurance, I repeat great enterprise was shown by the bringing into
operation of three cheese factories in the district, contributory to the town,
while some other settlers went raising hogs, all endeavoring to increase
the earnings of the farm. But uncertain markets and high freight rates
soon tired the inexperienced operators and sent them back to
struggle
with the wheat growing.
Moosomin from its early days gained a reputation for a good school.
This reputation as an educational centre it has continued to hold and at
present it has two school buildings, viz.: the public school and the col-
legiate that would do credit to a much larger place.
There are a great many fine residences in the town, perhaps a greater
proportion than can be seen in a good many towns of a much larger popu-
lation in the West.
There are five churches of different denominations. The Methodist and
Presbyterian are large brick structures. There are two chartered banks,
the Union Bank of Canada and the Canadian Bank of Commerce, as well
as the large representation of the fraternal societies. The L. 0. Order
was the first.
In the years of struggle already referred to many gave up their farms,
but looking back over the years that have passed, we see that to them that
persevered the reward has come. Today fine homes, large barns and good
stock with an assured independence are the portion of a large number of
our pioneers. Especially is this the case where previous to coming West,
the occupation was farm work.
Of those that were pioneers in business, few remain, R. D. McNaugh-
ton carried on his extensive business for many years. He then took Mr.
Whiting and Marshall Smith (his brothers-in-law) into the business, but
some years after Mr. Smith withdrew and moved to Vancouver. Mr. Mc-
Naughton feeling the need of rest, formed a joint stock company, named
the R. D. McNaughton Co., Ltd., Mr. Whiting increased his holdings and
became manager while the remaining stock was taken by the heads of the
several departments. Mr. McNaughton withdrew, moving to Montreal
where he had two sons attending McGill University. The firm still has
a large trade and is known as one of the substantial businesses of the West.
Another of the pioneer businesses was set up by F. T. Carman (Drug
and Stationery). He carried it on until his death in 1892 when it was
taken over by Mr. W. Lennington, then a young man from England. Mr.
Lennington still continues and has a store which for appearance and get-up
is not surpassed by any in the West. The business begun in 1883
by the
late A. S. Smith is a large and well furnished store and still enjoys a good
trade, and these are all that remain of the 1882 and 1883 pioneer
firms or
businesses.
Bibliography follows:
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