SASKATCHEWAN AND ITS PEOPLE
1924

         
PERSONAL KNOWLEDGE OF THE EARLY EUROPEAN IMMIGRANT.  
    
THE GREAT WORK OF MR. THOMAS MACNUTT.

Crossing of the Little Saskatchewan.  They parted company, however,
as the prospects were bad, but Mr. MacNutt stuck, farming and dabbling in
small timber and grading contracts with more or less success, generally
less, as he puts it. In 1887 Mr. MacNutt took a large hay contract from
A. F. Eden, Land Commissioner of the Manitoba and North Western Rail-
way in the vicinity where he now resides, and was appointed Resident
Manager of some Colonization Schemes inaugurated by some one who
Mr. MacNutt describes as an "enthusiastic but unpractical individual." He
had previously located the Hungarians northeast of Minnedosa, and the
Scandinavians in the Riding Mountains.  The Commercial Colonization
Company was taken over by the Canada Settlers Colonization Company
which brought in a very large number of settlers, including many Ameri-
cans, who located from Langenburg to Foam Lake. Mr. MacNutt also
looked after the settlement of various "colonies" as well as individual
settlers, at the same time doing some farming although not on a very
ambitious scale. He also graded about eleven miles of road between Sal~
coats and Yorkton, giving employment to a good many settlers at a time
when money thus earned was very welcome.

		In 1902, Mr. MacNutt was elected to the North West Legislative As-
sembly, and in 1905 to the first Provincial Assembly of Saskatchewan, of
which he was the Speaker. He was re-elected in 1908, but resigned and
stood for the Dominion House. He was successful and was re-elected in
1911, and again in 1917 as a supporter of Union Government. In 1921
he was defeated as an Independent, and since then has not held any
political position of public importance, something which, probably at
seventy-four years of age he does not entirely regret.

		Mr. MacNutt was for years largely engaged in the settling of Europeans
as they came in batches into the Territories. In this work he showed a
knowledge and sympathy which was invaluable; and hundreds of prosper-
ous immigrants today have a feeling of gratitude and warm appreciation
for the man who was their "guide, philosopher and friend" in the days
when they were practically helpless but for some guiding and experienced
hand. He has very kindly put on record his experiences, and they have
a value and authenticity on the matters they deal with which could be
given probably by no other public man in Saskatchewan. It will be noted
that he also did a great deal of work in settling English speaking new-
comers, and here again he earned the respect and appreciation of all with
whom he came in contact.



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