Genealogy, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, Pioneer,Saskatchewan history, Temperance Colony, Temperance Colonization Society, Pioneers,John N. Lake, John Lake, Saskatoon history, Saskatoon Gen Web, |
you had difficulty finding a place where the water was not dripping. It was
inhabited by the most prolific families of certain unnameable insects I
ever came across. These objectionable creatures were not unknown at the
other stopping places but this particular place "snatched the confectionery"
in this regard. Many a time I have seen lady passengers sit up all night in
a chair, rather than occupy any of the sleeping places,I could not give
them the courtesy of being called beds. I invariably lay on the floor with
my own robe for covering. At a nigger circle one night in Battleford one of
the Police boys got off a good joke. He had a little stuffed article tied to a
string asking Mr. Johnsing to guess what it was. After futile efforts to
name it, he told him, "It am a greatly scarce specimen of de Tomma De-
wanna or bed bug from the Central Station!" I spent a very anxious night
on one occasion at this place. I was going from Battleford to Saskatoon.
On the road were a number of tinhorn gamblers who had been attending
race meeting at Battleford. They arrived at the house before us. When
we got there the party was sitting round the table playing stud poker.
They played continuously till the rigs came around in the morning to take
them away. Even during the supper time and breakfast they played, one
or two at a time feeding. I was carrying three thousand dollars of currency
in my valise and felt nervous that any of them should imagine so much
money was within their reach. I slept on the floor in a corner with my
valise under my head; continuous sleep was out of the question. I would
dose off for a few minutes, when an altercation would take place in regard
to play; after a furious fusilade of oaths and curses, they would resume
play again. It was a relief to get aboard the stage again in the morning.
About 28 miles from Battleford a stop was made for a meal at the Buf-
falo Head, so called because an old bone head of a buffalo was stuck on
the peak of the roof. A drive of three hours and we reached Battleford.
This last drive was very picturesque. It was along the river through well-
wooded valleys. On the way, eighteen creeks had to be crossed. These
were small streams arising in the Eagle Hills running into the river. When
I was member for that district it used to take all my appropriation keeping
the little bridges passable.
The stage drivers were a fine lot of fellows. They did their best to
make the passengers comfortable, in the winter putting hot rocks under
the robes and wrapping them up well. They were very entertaining with
their stories of hard trips and comical passengers.
I am told that the old Swift Current trail is just about obliterated. I
know the Battleford to Saskatoon trail cannot be followed. I went over it
about fourteen years ago and I had to go around fences and through farm
yards; in one place a farmer has placed his house right across the trail.
Although this trail is a definite surveyed trail and is supposed to be for
NARRATIVE OF EX-MAYOR RUSSELL WILSON
(The importance of this statement, apart from its human interest, lies in
the fact that we can see in it the phases in the development of the district
-"pioneer-farming", ranching and finally the wheat farming which made for
the growth of the City of Saskatoon as the distributing centre for a pros-
perous population).
I first heard of Saskatchewan when I was quite small. My father had
Saskatchewan in mind as he considered it would be the centre of the in-
dustrial district, partly on account of the Hudson's Bay Co. Another rea-
Page 51
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NARRATIVES OF SASKATOON1882-1912Genealogy, Saskatoon, Pioneer, Saskatchewan history, Temperance Colony, Temperance Colonization Society, Pioneers,John N. Lake, John Lake, Saskatoon history, Saskatoon Gen Web, Saskatoon Genealogy BY MEN OF THE CITY PREPARED BY A COMMITTEE OF THE HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION OF SASKATOON PUBLISHED BY THE UNIVERSITY BOOK-STORE |
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