LETHBRIDGE HISTORICAL SOCIETY THE LETHBRIDGE CHAPTER Of the Historical Society of Alberta

3«fe_. P.O. BOX 974 LETHBRIDGE. ALBERTA. TIJ 4A2

e Copyright 1993 fstfTterl NEWSLETTER ISSN 0638-7249 January 1993 Membership in the Historical Society of Alberta, including a subscription to the quarterly ALBERTA HISTORY: $20.00 per year single $25.00 a couple or family. Those members residing from Nanton south are also registered with the Lethbridge Historical Society and receive newsletters and notices. Your mailing label expiration date will be highlighted when it is time to renew) Please send your dues to the treasurer. LETHBRIDGE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OFFICERS FOR 1992 President George F. Kush Past President Douglas J. Card Vice-President Wm. (Bill) Lingard Secretary/Newsletter Editor Irma Dogterom Treasurer David J. Dowey Council Member (1995) Kathleen E. Miller Council Member (1995) Robert Shore Council Member (1994) Ralph Erdman Council Member (1994) Carlton R. Stewart Council Member (1993) Beatrice Hales Coundi Member (1993) Nora Holmes Regular meetings are held in the Theatre Gallery of the Lethbridge Public Library at 7:15 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of the month. Notices HIGH LEVEL BRIDGE The next regular meeting of the Lethbridge Historical Society will PHOTO CHALLENGE be held on January 26, 1993. The program will have George Kush, speaking on "Across the Medicine Line. Sitting Bull and The LHS Book Publishing Committee is contemplating the N.W.M.P." reprinting an updated version of C.P. Rail High Level Bridge at Lethbridge - by Alex Johnston, it was our 1976 publication Gordon Toiton will give a talk at the February 23,1993 meeting. commemorating the constructton of the bridge. We plan to use His subject will be The Rocky Mountain Rangers: one or more coloured photographs of today's Bridge for a new Alberta's Cowboy Cavalry in the rebellion of 1885. front/back cover. If you have a colour print or slide of a photo you think might be suitable, send it in. You could win yourself a March 1993 meeting. Due to the Kiwanis Music Festival, free copy of the new publication plus a "Photo Credit' inside if it will be necessary to change either the time or location. The your photo is selected and used in our publicatbn. present proposal is to move the date up one week to March 16. Anyone may enter - there are no restrictions: professional, amateur, novice, Society member - executive - book committee member - contest judge - non Society people - young - old - just The speaker for the Annual Meeting, held November 20, 1992, anyone! was George Goodstriker. Following an excellent meal, Mr. Goodstriker gave us additional food for thought on getting along Rules: ENTRIES WILL NOT BE RETURNED with our fellow man, whatever colour his skin might be. 1 Do not send originals or your negative - get a copy made. ********** 2 Send as many entries as you wish. 3 The judge's decision is final. Error: In the Nov. newsletter one line was inadvertently left out 4 Right of reproduction is freely given with each entry. in the bottom paragraph of the first page. It reads - "After his 5 Selected entries must freely provkie their original negative or arrival in Lethbridge, Deane became the major catalyst for slide for reprinting. community entertainment under the direction of Captain Deane 6 Entries must be received by March 15,1993. took place in the dining room of the NWMP Barracks...." It shoukJ read "After his arrival in Lethbridge, Deane became the To enter: major catalyst for community theatre In the town until the 1 Print your name, address and Phone #, as well as your photo mid 1890's. It all began on August 16, 1888, when I.D. # on the back of each entry. an evening of entertainment under the direction of Captain 2. Mail to: "High Level Bridge Photos" Deane took place in the dining nsom of the NWMP Barracks. " c/o Lethbridge Historical Society Sorry George, I missed that line entirely, I.D. Box 974 Lethbridge, Alberta, TIJ 4A2 From a copy of the Minutes of the Lethtmdge Horticultural Sodety found Treasurer Davki King, the new school promises to start off with a in the Senator Buchanan Room of the Lethbridge Public Ubrary. fairly large attendance, which promises to increase owing to the Lethbridge Horticultural Society increasing settlement on the garden tracts just east of the city." Endofquote A meeting was held on April 1st/09 at Oliver's Hall for the Taken from an early edition of the Lethbridge Herald, the purpose of forming an Horticultural Society for the city of previous article marks the beginning of 79 years of history for Lethbridge. After a few opening remarks by Mr. G. H. Johnston one small country school situated on the road running north and It was pro and sec. that Mr. R. Nimmons act as chairman & W. south on the east perimeter of the Lethbridge Correctional Appleby as secretary pro tern. Carried. Institute. McLean School did open in 1913, and continue Mr. Nimmons in giving his views of proposed Society urged operation until 1946 when consolklation of small rural schools each citizen to use individual effort as much as possible, & do moved the students to the newly constructed McNally School their utmost to make "Lethbridge Beautiful". three miles south. McNally School has now also been ctosed in Messrs. Fairfield, Clarke, Raley, Austin & others each gave its turn, and students are bussed elsewhere. their varied experience, & were unanimous in their expressions This small rural school had a good reputation. Some of the that the time had arrived for an Horticultural Society for students who completed their education at the Lethbridge Lethbridge. Mr. Geo. Taylor in giving his opinion, said, if private Collegiate Institute recall teachers commenting on the high citizens took their part in making the city Beautiful no doubt the standards set by teachers such as Jean Nicol, Miss Seargeant City Council would assist the Society financially. He also (Mrs. Nils Kloppenberg), Francis Parfitt (Mrs. Frank Webb), and handed in a copy of the Calgary Horticultural Society's Murray Robinson, to name only a few. (Others can be found in constitution & bye-laws for the guidance of committee. After the history of the school produced in 1987 entitled "McLean several other suggestions had been given Mrs. G. H. Johnston School District #2900,1913 -1946." Copies are available at the moved: That we proceed to organize an Horticultural Society for public library and in the City of Lethbridge Archives housed in the LethbrWge Sec by E. N. Higinbotham carried. Moved by Mr. O. Sir Alexander Gait Museum.) (The/xMiationisoutoiprint.) D. Austin. That clause 5 of Calgary Society be adopted. Sec by G. J. Johnston. Carried. The close proximity of McLean School district to the city, made it ideal for businessmen interested in land speculation. Election of Officers: Early land maps show the names of some of the first Lethbridge The following Officers & committee were unanimously elected: - citizens, such as Wm, R. Seattle, Banker, J. J. Devine, Realtor, Hon. Pres. Rev. Father Van Tighem. President: G. H. Johnston; C. J. Eckstorm, Hotelier, and W. V. Poapst, Businessman. 1st Vice-President R. Nimmons. 2nd vice-President. Geo. Some were short term owners, while others held title for ten or Taylor. Sec. Treas. W. Appleby. Executive committee. Mrs.. more years. The district had several small lot subdivisions (10 Rigby, Mrs. T. L. Clarke, Mrs. R. E. Sherlock, Mrs. G. H. acres), and owners came from as far away as cities in the U.S. Johnston. & Messrs Raley, E. N. Higinbotham, Fairfield Clarke, The school building is still standing, looking much the same Mitchell & Clayton. as it did except for the addition of a carport, as it is now a private ********** residence. Up until April of 1992, residents have had some connection with the original school. Now the last former pupil Doctor Mewburn was the first man to plant trees on his property, has moved out but before leaving, a final get together for former and on the blvd. in front of his house. CPR donated $1000.00 to students was held. After the party the following article was made the city to aid tree planting along the streets and avenues. available to those in attendance. (From Vol. 1 of Anne Pariseau Photo Collection) ** Farewell to McLean School ** ********** It was just a Irttle school for grades 1 to 8. The settlement in IMcLean School 1913 - 1992 by Ima Dogterom. the area had reached a point where a school was required for the "School Site Is Settled at Last From the Lethbridge Daily education of the children of the district. A one-room school was Herald, Monday September 8, 1913 constructed on Section 36, Township 8, Range 21, West of the 4th Meridian and named after the Honourable Archie McLean, McLean District ratepayers reached an agreement and will one of the Big Four instrumental in the founding of the Calgary build at once. Stampede. 78 years ago the little school contained one After six months during whfch two factions quarrelled over the classroom, a cloakroom, and little else. The plumbing took the location of the new school for the recently organized McLean form of h«o privies located behind the building. In 1925, the first School district in the irrigated tract district east of the city, the building was razed in an early morning fire, but was immediately site for the school has been decided on. It will be one mile north rebuilt on the same site. It continued as a one-room school until of the south west corner of section 36. 1936 when a 12 foot addition with a removable wall made it atwo- This was decided this morning at a meeting of the trustees of room school. For school functions such as the Christmas the district. Plans have already been prepared for a $2500.00 concert and community dances, however, the wall could be building and tenders will be called for immediately by H..M. and taken out to make a larger area available. W.A. Whiddington, architects who prepared the plans. If it is In 1946, McNally School was opened, approximately 3 miles possible to get the building ready in time, school will commence south on the same road. This consolidated school meant the with the new year. closing of such schools as Wilson Siding, River Junction, The faction in favor of the site further south won out at this McMahon and McLean. morning's meeting. A few of the largest taxpayers wanted the The McLean School buikJings and land were sold to Mr. Harry building on the North West corner of 36. The remainder, forming Boulton who owned the adjacent quarter section. Two of the the majority of the smaller ratepayers, wanted it on the Boulton boys, former pupils of McLean, had recently married, so southwest corner. They could not agree, and the Dept. of the school building was renovated to form two suites for Tom Education at Edmonton was asked to select the site. They Boulton with his wife Joan Hamilton, and Dick Boulton with his demurred, prefering rather that the ratepayers should settle the wife Dorine Hearne. The building remained a two family dwelling question among themselves. This has been done during the until 1960 when it was renovated again into a single family past week. Hon. A.J. McLean, after whom the district is named, dwelling for the youngest son, George "Bud" Boulton and wife being given credit for concilliating the two bodies. Frieda Hanzelik with their children. (Bud had also been a pupil at The trustees of the district are: Chairman C.R. Daniel. McLean School) Trustees J. Westbrook and C.H.Devine, and Secretary Now thirty years have come and gone, and another major much of a problem, which was interesting when surrounded by change is about to happen. Bud and Frieda are buikiing a new students remembering the pranks played on one another. home on the former George Brown property, and their son Robert Joe Maughn, Doug Smith and Hazel Black attended both the will be moving into the school. The last connectton with the old original school built in 1913. and the second school built after the McLean School will be broken. fire in 1925. They also must have attended school at the We visit with Bud and Frieda frequentiy and had been kidding Experimental Farm while the school was being rebuilt. them about a party to initiate their new home. Well, last week The afternoon started off with a musician, and the last person Frieda said she had been thinking about a party, but instead of to arrive was another 'musician', Joe Androkovich. He and Nellie 'warming' the new house, she wanted the have a farewell' to the (Dogterom) Mann played together for school dances when she old, and since the weather was nice at the present time, the was only a young girl. coming Sunday afternoon looked to be a good time. This kind of small country school is a thing of the past. The Out came the old pupil list from when we published the history hardships endured to get an education before consolidated of McLean School district (McLean School District #2900 1913- schools and bussing live on only in memory and story. Walking 1946). Since this was going to be very short notice, we decided miles across fields in all kinds of weather, spring rains, and to only phone former students who still lived in the Lethbridge winter snowstorms, is no longer necessary, but the heritage of area. the one-room school lives on today. We contacted about 75 people in all and had an enthusiastic The "Farewell" to old McLean School brought people from all response to our invitation. Comments like "Oh, I've driven by walks of life together. Forty six years after the school closed, and often wondered what it looks like inside.", and "I've just former pupils walked the hall again. itched to see how it's changed.", and "Can I bring something, oh I know, I'll bring the cake my mother used to take to dances.". When Frieda and Bud move to their new home it will be the end of another era for McLean School. A new generation will take up Well, with whirlwind preparations, on Sunday afternoon, residence in the building, but the "Old McLean School" will live February 2, 1992, the old school had it's best bib and tucker on, on in the hearts and minds of all those who attended it's fond An old school bench was pressed into service in the living room "Farewell". as extra seating, coffee and punch were all set out, and the guest book and name tags were ready. Thank you Frieda. It was a man/ellous idea, and thank you, Bud. I. myself, didn't attend McLean School, my husband did, The first to arrive were Scotty and Olive Train. While neither but the feelings generated in the old school rooms on Sunday had attended the school, Scotty had supplied the music for afternoon wrapped me like a warm blanket. I cant remember many of the old dances. He had worked for the Boulton family when I've been with a group that showed more respect for each and remained a family friend. It wasn't long till the rooms were other's differences, and genuine love for each other's good filled, and the noise level rose steadily as the old memories came qualities. They were a real tribute to the heritage of the one-room back. school house. "Do you remember the gold fish? Weren't they named after The folbwing people signed the Guest Book ^ three students?" Olive & Scotty Train; Jake & Irma Dogterom; Tom & loan Oh sure, they were Jack, Roy, and Francie, after the Craik Boulton; Doug & June (Hearne) Smith; Roy & Agnes Craik; (iazel boys and Francie Dogterom. Didnt 'Jack' die first? (Craik) Black; Irene (Kolibar) Douglas & Aubrey; Bill & Ena Craik; *** Francis Dogterom; John & Lucy (Bashford) McNeil; Etienne & "/ remember how you took pity on me, and sometimes gave Dorothy Wauters; Andy Androkovich; Niels & Nina Kloppenberg;. me a ride home on your bicycle. I was the only girt who walked Dorine (Hearne) & Dick Boulton; Willie Woo; Ray Dogterom; Anne that direction after school, and you made the boys stop teasing & Jack Craik; Don & Aileen Boulton; Joe R. Maughan; John & me with dead gophers." Irene Frouws; Chris (Aitken) & Norman Noss; Lollie & Margaret (Aitken) McLaine; Nellie (Dogterom) & George Mann; Abe & Tena Thiessen; Eugene & Virginia Wauters; George & Barbara Wilmot; "I remember howyou stopped that older boy from bullying us Dale & Audrey Wilson; Joe Androkovich. three little kids. You put him up agair)st the wall in the cloakroom,, and told him he wasnt going to get out until he (The week following the party, Nils Kloppenberg met with an accident promised to leave us little guys atone. You kept him there all in his home, and died shortly after.) recess, ~ or was it lunch hour?." ********** The Smith Farm "Remember Miss Parfitt (Mrs. Frankie Webb). She had just about everythifig in formaldehyde. She had Frar)cie skin a Sometimes described as the largest irrigated farm in the gopher once, and she showed me how to take the skin off a British Commonwealth, initially the Smith family of Lancashire, snake. She had the best science comer. Too bad she was out England owned 32 and one half sections of land, but lost or sold when you phoned." about 22 of those parcels. The Company farmed the remaining * * * sections until after Worid War II. when the land was sold to other owners, some of whom are still farming those same sections "That's little Dale Wilsonl. Are you sure? He was just a today. Uttle guy." According to a copy of a deed secured from the Land Office in Calgary, the initial purchase was from the Alberta "Do you live in Lethbridge now? I thought you were in Railway & Coal C<3.. It included the whole of sections 1. 2, 3. Calgary." 4,5.6.7. 10. 11.12, 13, 14, 15, 16. 17, 18. & 19. The south "I came back to Lethbridge after I retired." (Roy Craik) 1/2 of section 20, the whole of 21, 22. 23, 24, & 25. the NE 1/4 *** of section 26, and all of sections 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33. 34. 35, & 36. all in Township 8 Range 20 West of the 4th Did you go downstairs? Remember we made the hot Meridian. A total of 32.75 sections or 21, 760 acres. A chocolate we served after the dances down there! township equals 36 sections. The missing parcels were Only one former teacher was there that afternoon, Nina sections 8 & 9 . the north 1/2 of section 20. arid 3/4 of section (Seargeant) Kloppenberg. When chatting with her I asked her 26. Presumably these acres were already sold. (The Lanier about her teaching days in the old school. She had many good memories and insisted that none of her students had ever been family own sections 8 & 9 and purchased these parcels ca Some very colorful characters had a place on the 1910 from a previous owner.). administrative staff of the Provincial Jail including the late Tom Smith Farms Limited, Lethbridge, AB by Anoree Smith, who was the jail farm foreman for many ears. Douglas Houlton There is some confusion regarding the spelSng tsf Mrs. Houhon's name. She is Smith B. Sc. of he Lethbridge Canada Research Station staff, is sometime called Andrea, but her actual name was Andree. a son of the late Tom Smith, (and) was born within a stones throw The folbwing arttle was written about 1966 by Andree Houlton, of where he has made his life's work. He is also a son-in-law of wife of Steve Houlton, fong time manager for the Smith Farms Harry Hearne old timer of the McLean district, whom we all know Umited. The arthle came to light along with other material so well and respect. compiled with a view to publishing a history of the White School The Daniel Farm. area southeast of Lethbridge. (To date the history has not been completed, but is currently under review.) The Daniel (C.R. Daniel) Farm is also in this general area and enjoys a large spot in the early history of the present century. Part 1, McLean School Area McLean School Local history can be the most interesting reading to those in that area of which it is written, and can be made more so if the McLean School, just on the edge of the jail farm, was the seat writer adds sufficient color and background. of educatton for the area. The late Mrs. C. E. Cameron, wife of the late C. E. Cameron, old time Lethbridge lawyer was,.tho not In writing of a period of approximately 60 years or so, from the the first, one of the eariier teachers about 1917. C. R. Daniel, turn of the century that is 1900 to the present day, one is liable Fred King, G. O. Kerr, (Mgr. of the Smrth Farms) were the school to be a little inaccurate, but at the same time should try to stay board with Dr. Rivers as Secretary. with as truthful account as possible. The Rivers boys, some of the Daniel family, Beth FairfieW, all Dates may be a year out one way or another, it should be jail employee children. Niedermier family - Frank, George, Helen, remembered, when one is writing from memory (with) little Herb, and Bill. Also (the) Fred King giris - all four including Phyla advance notice, (and) time for research is limited. - now Mrs. Barclay who has a famous professional hockey player I intend to stay only with the area I am familiar with, and hope son " he has been for several years a defense man with Detroit what I write will not be cause for argument. This is an effort Red Wings, and is a Lethbridge Native Son. The George towards a centennial project towards a local history and may Snowden boys. Chris. Roland and Winston all attended this overlap areas on which others are writing. school. The Davey King boys, now of Coaldale district, all went The Experimental Farm to school at McLean, which was named after the Minister of Public Works in the Liberal government of that day. I, myself The Experimental Farm, now known officially as the Dominion attended from the opening of the school. My two sisters and of Canada Research Station, had a bare beginning, now beautiful brother also in due course. I mention these names as most of with trees, hedges, and landscaping made possible with these people have settled and raised their families within hailing application of irrigation water, which was made available by the distance of the school, which still stands and is used as a tapping of the St. Mary's River bringing water into the Magrath residence by the Bud Boulton family. The Boulton family went to area near the turn of the century, and made possible by the school there at a slightly later date. passing of the North West Irrigation Act by the parliament of Canada after extensive irrigation surveys were carried out, There are many other local people in this colorful McLean application was made by the Alberta Railway and Inigation Co., district worthy of mention especially the Jake Dogterom family, commonly known as the A.R. & I to divert water from St. Mary's' whose children went there. Jake and his wife Millie, children and River early in the year 1899. The main works canals, etc. were grandchildren have never moved, are still living on Jake's completed in 1901 and irrigation provided for about 600 acres original farm. (Two of the original six children stayed on the near Lethbrklge the same year. farm.) The Dominion Experimental Farm was started from the raw A very short distance from the school, about one mile, we prairie in 1905, half was put under irrigation, which was already have the Osmond family educated at McLean. Roland, Harold established in the area, balance was dry farmed for experimental and lleane still live around their mother on the farm acquired by plots. The boarding house was established and in operation the their late father in 1916. (Mrs. Osmond & Roland have since died.) same year for convenience of the workers hired by the The Androkovitch boys, Joe. Andrew, and Leslie are also superintendent, W. H. Fairfield, who with his wife and family were McLeanites. and farm within a mile east of the School, as I have housed there while waiting for the superintendent's house to be stated and now repeat, I mentioned these names to show how completed in 1906. This house has just recently been removed very little the distrct has changed in family names. from the ex. farm, after sixty years of continual use. The Christmas concert, organized by the teacher, was a Dr. E. H. Stridland was the first entomologist there and later highlight of the year. The kids were all dressed in their best was Professor of Entomology at the University of Alberta, clothes. With much giggling, each would march up in front to do Edmonton. Later on during his career he married Miss Alice his or her best. Mrs. Rivers would accompany the choruses on Fairfield. the old organ. Dr. Rivers very pompously acted as Chairman, Considerable more land has been acquired and what was the and after each performer would comment on the child in a very Dominion Government Experimental Station is now known as the humorous note, laughing so hard, that his large abdomen would Dominion of Canada Research Establishment for Agrteulture and jiggle like a bowl of jelly. It was held in the afternoon as no lamps were available. Livestock in the Dominion. The Provincial Jail Just across the road, a mile east of McLean School starts the Smith Farms. The Provincial Jail located in the same general area was built (Part two of this article will follow in the March Newsletter.) in 1908 and grounds devebped here are beautiful to behold, for ********** those passing by. Dr. Rivers was the first warden of this jail and both he and his The new book by Wm. Baker, Lethbridge Founding the family were well known to the writer. Both Dr. and Mrs. Rivers Community 1914 1918. launched at the October 27. 1992 and their okjest son Erie, late principal of the Erie Rivers School meeting is selling well. At a price of $7.95 its a good gift for in the town of Milk River, have passed on to the "Great Beyond". family and friends. Five copies are only $27.00 Another son St. Clair is now residing on the west coast. LETHBRIDGE HISTORICAL SOCIETY THE LETHBRIDGE CHAPTER Of the Historical Society of Alberta

P.O. BOX 974 LETHBRIDGE. ALBERTA. TIJ 4A2

a Copyright 199a ^•SB^JMSIUKIK NIEWSLCng^ ISSNnmR.7249 Marp.h19Q.1 Membership in the Historical Sodety of Alberta, including a subscription to the quarterly ALBERTA HISTORY: $20.00 per year single $25.00 a couple or family. Those members reskJing from Nanton south are also registered with the Lethbridge Historbal Sodety and receive newsletters and notices. Your mailing label expiration date will be highlighted when It is time to renew) Please send your dues to the treasurer. LETHBRIDGE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OFFICERS President George F. Kush Past President Douglas J. Card Vice-President Wm. (Bill) Lingard Secretary/Newsletter Editor Irma Dogterom Treasurer David J. Dowey Council Member (1995) Kathleen E. Miller Council Member (1995) Robert Shore Council Member (1994) Ralph Erdman Council Member (1994) Carlton R. Stewart Council Member (1993) Beatrice Hales Coundi Member n 993) Nora Holmes Regular meetings are held in the Theatre Gallery of the Lethbridge Public Library at 7:15 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of the month. Notices Notice of IMotion" Moved by Carly Stewart - At our March 1993 meeting you will be asked to approve the following: The The next regular meeting of the Lethbridge Historical Society will LHS approve the expenditure of not over $6,000.00 to reprint.5n be held on March 16, 1993. at the Lethbridge Public Library enhanced edition of the CP Rail High Level Bridge at Lethbridge, Theatre Gallery. Please note the change of date. A film night is first written in 1976, by Alex Johnston. planned. The April meeting will return to the fourth Tuesday, April 27th, with *************** Georgia Fooks as speaker for the evening. The Smith Farm, general information, by Irma Dogterom *************** It was said to be the largest irrigated farm in the British Cornmonwealth. Wm. Smith of Broughton, near Preston in the County of Spring Tour: Let's go to Fort Walsh June 5, 1993. Book Lancashire, England, identified as a banker on the documents, owned 12 now and reserve your seat. Bea Hales and Kay Miller are looking sections, a total of 7,680 acres of land. Mr. Smitii, purchased the land in after the arrangements. 1905, and with some assistance from a man named Hemelrick, intended to help young men from Lancashire, England relocate in Canada. Not *************** much is known of Mr. Hemelrick, but a 1925 map shows his name along with Mr. Smith, on three quarters of section 33-Tp 8-R20-w4. Remember! The photo challenge mentioned in the January Newsletter closes March 15. 1993. Be sure you have submitted George O. Kerr was hired as manager, an enterprising individual who introdu<^ new crops to the market. Due to the absentee ownership of your entry, as we would like to have additional pictures for the Wm. Smith the farm was sometimes mistakenly called the Kerr Farm. new edition of "C. P. Rail High Level Bridge" Also, if anyone has George Kerr managed the farm until Harold G. (Steve) Houlton became pictures taken during the construction of the C.P.R. Viaduct (The General Manager in 1924. High Level Bridge), please contact Carly Stewart at 328-4669. Any pictures submitted will not be returned. A display of the Mr. Wm. Smith died on October 30,1913 and ownership passed to Wm. Smith, Richard A. Smith, and John Peter Smith also of England. One entries is planned if quantity warrants one. source also lists Wilfred Thomas Smith, but his name is not on the title ******«*******i deed. These large holdings were operated from The Home Farm' (Sec. 31-8- Wim Vonkeman addressed the January meeting of the LHS to 20-w4th). Buildings were located here as early as 1906. By 1910 an solicit support to organize recognition of the old #8 Gait Mine "Aladdin' home was built on Section 4, later known as the 'Dairy Farm". as a historic site The intent is to establish a major tourist Richard R. Lee established a stock farm on Section 33 where Percheron attraction in conjunction with recognition of Lethbridge's mining horses and Shorthorn cattle were raised The farm also raised Clydesdale heritage. The buildings are in reasonable repair and the 80 acre horses for use until tractors were introduced in the late 1920's. site leaves room for many other related activities. (The old An irrigated farm operation of this size required many farm hands. Chinook Club restored as Fred Downer's home, would fit in very Married men were installed in houses on some sections, and the wives well.) He would appreciate any help you can offer. Anyone were then engaged to cook for other single men when they were woriSouthern Alberta Co-operative Association), about 1928 he was in The Smith Farm, from -Mdean School District «2900, 1913-1946" published in partiiership with Lou Bonnell at the stockyards, and for a brief period he 1987, by the McLean History Book Society operated a store, and also a restaurant in Letiibridge. He died in July of The Smitii Farm was described at onetime a s the largest imgated farm 1944. in ttie British Commonwealtii. From research by Pat Ross - 'William His involvement with the Smith Farms was of some duration, as an Smitii owned a block of 32 and a 1/2 sections of Tp. 8, Rg. 20, W of 4. By irrigation ditch which rantiirough tiie J . Dogterom farm was always called 1908 he had clear titie to 9 or 10 sections the rest having been sold or 'Ken's Ditoh' as late as tiie 1950's. (The ditch carried water to a section repossessed' Section 31 or tiie Home Farm was in the McLean School of tiie Smith Farm.) According tp some information, George Kerr was 'an district and warrants inclusion in our book. acquaintance of Mr. William Smitfi', and hence was hired as the first (This information may not be correct. The land listed is the manager of tfie Smitfi Farm. George was an enterprising individual who parcel given to the Alberta Railway & Coal Co. as a land grant. made an effort to promote new craps for tfie market In 1915-16, witfi the The Smith Farm acreage was located in township 8 and 9.) Ed. cooperation and help of W. H. Fairfield, he went into tfie bee business. He was very satisfied with the initial crop of 1,000 lbs. of honey which he sold From ttie Land Titie Office: tiirough George Kerr Grocery, Lethbridge. He also grew tomatoes as a commercial venture, an account of which enterprise was included in an July 27, 1908 William Smith, (Banker) Newsham House, Broughton eariy edition of tfie Letiibridge Herald. He was manager of tfie Smitii Farm near Preston, County of Lancashire, England. Owns 31-8-20, W of 4. until 1924, (1921) when Steve Houlton took over. I tiiink it can be assumed he left of his own volition to go into business for himself. August 21, 1914 William Smith of Preston, Richard Smith of Lancashire and John Peter Smith of Barrow in Fumess all in Lancashire Growing Tomatoes in Alberta (The Smith Farm) are executors of ttie will of William Smitii and are nowttie owners . Lethbridge Dally Herald. FaU. 1919 May 18, 1931 The Smith Farm Limited is listed as owner with The production of tomatoes in large quantities on the prairies does not mortgages being held by William, Richard A, John Peter and Wilfred appear to have been a success in tiie past but prairie people are of a Thomas Smitfi. These mortgages were all discharged in 1948-1953. type who are forever doing something which was never done before. June 16,1953 Harold George Houlton (Steve) becomes ttie owner of Messrs. G. O. Kerr and J. E. Tenill of Letiibridge, AB have observed for section 31. some years that tomatoes in small quantities were matured in the Lethbridge district and decided that there was no reason why the July 22,1960 Braat Bros, purchase this section. experiment should not be made on a commercial scale. As a result about 2 acres of tomatoes were set out last summer on land farmed by Mr. Kerr, September 21, 1975 the E. 1/2 of tiiis section is now owned by J. A. a few miles east of Letfibridge. The plants were started under glass in Jarvie Sand and Gravel. (A horse b-aining operation, witii large arena, is Letfibridge and set out on June 6, 7, & 8 at whichtime tiiey were from 6 to conductedttiere today, 1986) 8 inches in height Three tfiousand five hundred plants were set in tfie During the operation of the Smith Farm, Mr. Richard Smith was plot some of them 3 feet apart and some 4 feet apart. The experience of president of ttie company. One year he brought his family out but with tfie season seems to indicate that tiie four foot plant is preferable. the cokJ weather and primitive conditions Mrs. Smitti never made a return The soil secured was an old pasture which had since been in alfalfa and visit. Mr. Smith returned yeariy for a month or more, sometimes is protected by a wind break ofti'ees o n tfie westem side. It is a very rich accompanied by his nephew and son. It was said they couteitell ho w long loam witii a gentie soutii slope and of course is irrigated. The land was he was going to stay by tfie amount of whiskey he brought (no Canadian cultivated in tiie ordinary way and im'gated before planted and 3 times rye for tfiis English gentleman). Mr. R. Smith, while in Canada, did not aftenward. visit or entertain to any extent He took a keen interest in ttie operation of the farm and was willing and anxious to try various ventures that The first of the ripe fruit was available seven weeks after setting out appeared viable. tfie plants, or about tiie end of July. During tfie month of August from five Some crops grown were oats, wheat, alfalfa, potatoes, sugar beets, The buiMings on the home fami consisted of a bunkhouse, granaries, crested wheat grass for seed, honey, tomatoes, and pasture. Alttiough an elevator, stables, a blacksmitti shop and two residences joined by a ttie whole farm had inigation rights, some sections were not suitable for cook kitchen and targe dning room capable of seating 20 or 30 men. The flood inigation. It wastoo rolling . men would eat in shifts and if ttiere were too many, a couple of cook cars would be brought in. Andree Houltonremembers helping tfie cook and The first manager, George O. Ken- and his brother W. S. Ken-, (Who enjoying every moment of it baking bread every day, hand washing and was the blacksmith for ttie Smitfi Farms) went into ttie bee business in dying tfie dishes and preparing the vegetables with ttie help of a young 1915-1916, with the help of W.H. Fairfield, Superintendent of ttie chore boy who was paid $10.00 a montti plus room and board. How hot it Experimentel Stetion. By 1919, according to ttie LettibrWge Herald, they was witti tfie coal and wood-buming range. Breakfast was at 5:30, dinner had the largest apiary in the province, rendering a crop of two tons of at 12.-00 noon, and supper at 6:00 p.m. This made it neariy a 14 hour day. honey worth $2000.00. Intfie growing seasonttiey woul d have as many as 65 inigators. It was The same year 1919, in a sheltered area witfi a soutfi slope, George Hood" irrigation, accomplished witti shovels and canvas or sack dams, no Ken- and J.E. Tenill planted two acres oftomatoes, han^esting 500to 600 sprinkler systems. Horses were used for the big shovels or slips. pounds each d£ty from August to the middle of September. There was a yield estimate of 35000 pounds for ttie year. Early tomatoes bringing 25 A cagetype dipping vat for ttie control of mange in cattie was focated cents a pound and ttie later crop 15 cents, averaging $2600.00 per acre. on the Home Farm. The animals were endosed in a cage, tiien tfie cage was lowered into ttie vat completely immersing tfie animals. The vat was According to Andree Houlton, while fanning with horses in tfie eariy full of a warm water, sulphur mixture heated by the steam engine. When years, ttie farni had as many as 300 Percheron and Clydesdale horses tfie cage wasraised b y eitfier horse or steam engine the animals were all and colts raised on 33-8-20 along with Shorthom cattle. Richard Lee yellow from the sulphur. This dipping vat was used by some of ttie area established tfiis stock fami. They won prizes in the 1919 Coaldale farmers. The treatment was made compulsory by a government Exhibition. regulation for ttie conti-ol of mange. Frederick Cross painted a picture of The farm was practically self sufficient The dairy herd of about 10 tfiis activity. cows on section 4 supplied the cook house with milk, cream, and butter By 1929-30 horses were being phased out two Case model L tractors The meat supplies were obtained from tfie cattie, pigs, sheep and poultry and two combines were boughtto replace th e horses. raised on the farm. The large garden suppliedtiie vegetables . In 1947 it was decided to dissolve the company and sell tiie land, Many of tfie sections had houses and other fann buildings. Hired fami stock, machinery etc. Mr. Richard Smith was 91 at the time. families lived there and were pemiitted to have a cow and grow a garden. When work was being done ontfiat sectio n ttie work crew would sleep in Acknowledgments: Lethbridge Herald, Andree Houlton, Tapes from the hayloft on the fresh hay. They were warm, protected from the the Lethbridge Archives, Pat Ross, Dora Hoad, and the Land Titles elements, and very comfortable. The resident farm wife would undertake Office, Calgary. to feed the crew of seventeen or more men. This was a tremendous undertaking for her, with no modem conveniences, such as hot and cold running water, a washing machine, indoor plumbing, and certainly no George W. Cutforth of Lethbridge, purchased some of the dishwasher. Smith Farm and has kindly provided this iriformation. One of ttiese hard worthing wives was Mrs. Anderson mother of seven As I am one of ttie farmers who purchased some of ttie Smitti Farms I children. She also had to gattier and prepare the vegetables from her would like to say tfiat I bought approximately a section of "Smith Farms garden and look after her children. She lived to be 91, which proves the Limited" directiy from the farm manager, Steve Houlton, in tfie fall of old adage hard wort< never killed anyone', but what an undertaking. They nineteen forty seven (1947). If I remember con-ectiy, tfie land numbers of did get paid a small sum for this work. tfietfire^fluarters were Sec. 4-9-20, just soutfi of tfie drainage dteh, and ttie ottier quarter was situated at 6-9-20. Being a dryland farmer up until Harold G. (Steve) Houlton, an Englishman, came out to Canada in 1908 tfiattime, I must admit I had a lot to leam about irrigation. After a couple and moved into the local area in 1920, working as head irrigator for ttie of years I acquired a block of land on the Blood reserve, which I broke Smith Farms, then considered ttie largest and most advanced irrigation and farmed for twenty years. I sold the irrigation in nineteen forty nine to farm in Canada. Steve became general manager in 1924, a position he Mr. Kubota of Raymond, who was a well experienced man in regard to held until 1947. In 1933, tiie Smitii Farm under manager Steve Houlton, irrigation. The one quarter in Sec. 6 was sold to Mr. Ken Ringland of won ttie Canadian Championship attfie Toronto Royal Winter Fair, witii an Lettibridge. It makes me feel great to know I have had a small part of this entiy of Reward Wheat, and Steve became Canada's Wheat King. He tiemendous irrigation project. was one of ttie original directors of the Alberta Beet Growers Association. (The selling price of the land, as told to Ralph Erdman, was He helped to organize ttie St Mary Milk River Irrigation District he was approximately $90.00 per acre.) presented with the King George VI Coronation Medal for distinguished ********** community service, and became president of ttie Lethbridge Fair Board in ttie 1940's. In 1947 he purchased 31-8-20 of the Smitii Famis for his own Regarding the Land Grant home. Later he sen/ed on council of ttie Municipal District of Lethbridge Sections 1,2, 3,4, 5, 6. 7, 10,11,12, 13,14,15, 16,17,18, & 19. The and County of Lettibridge, later becoming Reeve. He died in 1971. soutfi 1/2 of 20, the whde of 21, 22, 23, 24. & 25, ttie NE 1/4 of section 26, All of 27, 28, 29, 30, 31,32, 33, 34, 35, & 36 - all in Township 8 Range Jack Blenner Hassett was secretary treasurer from 1934 - 1944, 20 West of tfie 4tti Meridian. (21, 760 acres) 32.75 sections in all. This having taken over from Mr. Leversedge, a daily diary was kept and a was land grantedto tfie Albert a Railway & Coal Co. in 1901. great deal of correspondence between R. Smitti in England and ttie Farm was carried on. Accounts were systematically kept and checked. Smitii Missing sections were 8 & 9 (Kentucky Farms and Ike Lanier in 1976) was very meticulous and kept a close tab on everything that went on. The north half of section 20 (Moedt & Gutyas) George Gunn Sinclair walked for Smith Farm as a bookkeeper 3/4 of section 26 (Alex and Amold Bodie) around 1922. After his Smith Farm position he woriied for the C. P. Chariie Lanier said his his family anived in 1919 and bought sec. 9 from R. HIS wife. Vera Sinclair, a music teacher wastfie sister of June William Howart Coriy, and Section 8 from a man named Wilde. Harold Carpenter. Vera died in 1974 at age 72. Long said tfiat Section 8 was broken in 1904 by John Silver, and was tiie first section broken in tfiis area. I Again in 1933, Mr. Smitii on one of his visits to 'The Fami in ttie Bloody Colonies" as he refen-ed to it emphasized tiieir best paying crop to be The section purchased from Corry, had been purchased by that family sugar beets. They raised 50 acres yeariy and hoped to increase that in 1911 from the Royal Trust Company, who purchased it fromtfie Alberta acreage. Railway & Coal Co. in 1907. Following theti-ail of tills land brings in tfie names of Herman Conklin Cony and Ernest Elmer Corry, followed by This shrewd Old Country visitor, a man of wide experience and Roscoe Conklin, George Henderson, William Howard Cony and finally influence complains of ttie banks not being fair witti ttie farmer, taxes too Thomas S. Lanier. Copies of documents received from tfie Land Tities high. In 1907 his Co. paid $70 in taxes and in 1933,ttiey pai d $3000. He office in Calgary by Emest R. Cony and kindly supplied to me, are very also felt ttie cost of transporting produce to markets was too high. difficult to discern, but tfie main names are readable. Charies Roland (Sound familiar?) They exported beef to England and realized at least a Daniel is mentioned, but tfiis is likely In connection witfi his real estate cent a pound over the Canadian market price. (The above information business, as his name is also on tfie Smitti Farm documents. from a 1933 Letfibridge Herald.) LETHBRIDGE HISTORICAL SOCIETY THE LETHBRIDGE CHAPTER Of the Historical Society of Alberta

9 CwyrUhl 1993 liEijsgca. NBASLErreR ISSN0838^7249 Mav1993 Membership in tiie Historical Sodety of Alberta, induding a subscription to tfie quarteriy ALBERTA HISTORY: $20.00 per year single $25.00 a couple or family. Those members reskling from Nanton south are also registered witfi the Lethbridge Historical Sodety and receive newsletters and notk»s. Your mailing label expiration date will be highlighted when it istime to renew) Pleas e send your duesto tfie b-easurer . LETHBRIDGE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OFFICERS President George F. Kush Past PreskJent Douglas J. Card Vice-President Wm. (Bill) Lingard Secretary/Newsletter Editor Irma Dogterom Treasurer David J. Dowey Council Member (1995) Kathleen E. Miller Council Member (1995) Robert Shore Council Member (1994) Ralph Erdman Council Member (1994) Carlton R. Stewart Council Member (1993) Beatrice Hales Council Member f 1993) Nora Holmes Regular meetings are held in the Theatre Gallen/ of the Lethbridge Public Library at 7:15 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of the month. Notices were called) would check in and set up displays in specially reserved The April meeting of the LHS is scheduled for April 27th in the showrooms. Maple Creek merchants would shuffle through their Theatre Gallery of the Public Library. Georgia Fooks will speak on stock, and the next evening the itinerant salesmen would drag their "The Contribution of the Mormon settlers to southem Alberta". six foot trunks across the road and take the train to the next town." The next regular meeting of the LHS will be held on October 26 in the Lethbridge PubUc Library Theatre Gallery. The November annual Our newest publication meeting will be a dinner meeting. "The CP Rail High Level Bridge at Lethbridge", is *************** scheduled for release in May. A ceremony to launch this new Spring Tour To Fort Walsh June 5, 1993. Details included enhanced edition will be held near the High Level Bridge on May 1. with this Newsletter. The fort has been restored to its 1882 period, An order form is enclosed with this newsletter. and Far well's Trading Post has been restored to its 1872 period, hiterpretive programs are available. With regard to the supper stop The Historical Society of Alberta Annual Meeting is at the Commercial Hotel, the following description is taken from "Welcome Home: Travels in Smalltown Canada", by Stuart McLean, scheduled for May 28,29, and 30 at Lac Le Biche. Registration published by Viking, cl992. will take place Friday evening. Herb & Agnes Sherman Dunham are planning to attend. If anyone else is interested in "Maple Creek Sask. ~ Commercial Hotel on Pacific Avenue. It faces going, please contact George Kush. the railroad yards, the town's two grain elevators and the auction ring. The Commercial is well over 100 years old and a landmark of The annual meeting will be held Saturday moming at 9:30, local history. The lobby floor is black and white marble tile. The foUowed by the keynote address given by Jacques Dalibard, heavy wood and leather chairs have been by the front door since Executive Director of Heritage Canada. After the luncheon, 1883. A buffalo head hangs over the door to the dining room, a sessions will be about Alberta's Cultural Mosaic. Presentations moose head beside the entrance to the bar. Also mounted around the will focus on the diverse ethnic and cultural groups who have lobby are two antelope, a burrowing owl, a hawk, two mule deer, a lynx, a couple of pheasant, a sage hen and a grouse. A collection of lived and worked in the Lac Le Biche area for over a century. peaked hats adorn a set of antlers behind the front desk. Beside that On Saturday night there will be an Awards Banquet which will is a framed copy of the front page of the Great Falls Tribune dated take the form of a Fish Fry, somediing the area is famous for, Oct. 26, 1926. The headline that day reported the death from "an followed by multicultural entertamment attack of heart disease" of the great cowboy artist, C. H. Russell. On Sunday moming you will be served a pancake breakfast Russell, or so the hotel owner tells me, painted at least three pictures followed by a tour of the Lac Le Biche mission, a designated in his room in the Commercial in the early 1900's. The sign on the National Heritage site. The deadline for registrations is May 1, stairway (there is no elevator) says "Your shoes must be clean before going upstairs". Over the sign someone has stuck a notice and the cost is $95.00 for members, or $115.00 for non- reminding everyone that "Only registered guests are allowed upst^s members. An information package will be included with the next after 11 P.M.". In the 1940's commercial travellers (dnmimers, they issue of Alberta History and should be in the mail by April 10th. Preservation of Gait Mine #8 Site as fresh fuel constantly was ^ded. These fires created the material we The city of Lethbridge started from a mining base which eventually know as red shale, a constituent of cinder blocks and utilized on changed to the agricultural base of today. It has the unusual history many city pathways and baseball diamonds. of going from an industrial centre to an agricultural centre. The city Another familiar site was a dark blue Miners' Bus, which travelled its is located where it is, not because a river crossing was available here, route through the ciQ' picking up No. 8 miners for the next shift and or because the railroad was near, but only due to the discovery of coal dropping off those from the last. along the Oldman River banks. The #8 mine site is the only A pillar of coal was left imd«r ttie CPR tracks, which crosses the area remaining piece of that part of the city's history. A group is occupied by the underground workings. Abo, a pillar of coal 460 m attempting to ensure preservation of the old #8 mine site. wide was left imder the west end of the CP Rail High Level Bridge. Approximately ten buildings on the site are constructed of red brick and still in good repair. The present Sir Alexander Gait Museum By December 1937, the mine worked four days per week on 1100 had its origin in a group of interested and dedicated people who saw toimes per day output. Much attention was being given to the need, and today the city has a first class museum. If you can offer electrification and modernization of the mine, initially by changing any help with this present project, please contact Wim Vonkamen at steam hoists to electrically driven hoists. Publicity was sought but 732-4067 in Picnire Butte. photo flash bulbs on press cameras had the potential to be dangerous and a gas detector reading was required before pictures were taken *************** underground. Subsequently photographer George Hunter took Gait Mine #8 several pictures of diesel locomotives, Anderson Boys coal cutters, and Clarkson loading machines in use in No. 8 mine. Mine No 1464 from Lethbridge Its Coal Industry a publication of the Lethbridge Historical Society Pictures relatingt o the site can be found on Poor roof conditions, particularly in the area south of the CPR pages 77 & 93. (I have reprinted the article in its entirety as the author is tracks, were discussed as early as September 1938 when a workman, much more competent than myself at writing local history.) Robert Bowman, was killed by a rockfall. Another rockfall killed Located in Lsd 2 (airshaft) and 3 (hoisting shaft)* Sec 2, Twp 9, Rge John Filchak in 1940. Actually the worst conditions were in the 22, this mine, called Gait Mine #8, produced a total of 3 187 403 northeast section. There bentonite in the floor caused heaving and toimes of coal. The seam was encountered at depths of 62 to 142 m was the cause of the early closing of the mine in favor of Gait No. and consisted of 8 cm bone, 58 cm coal, one cm clay, 72 cm coal, 10. The mine used much timber for roof support. Discussion of bad and 8 cm bone. The workings included Secs 34 and 35, Twp 8, Rge roof conditions, squeeze and bottom heaving occurs again and again 22, and Secs 2, 3, 10, and 11, Twp 9, Rge 22. in the reports on this mine. In December 1946, for example, the mine had much difficulty as a result of creep acting on the roadways. Owner-Operators were: One result was to block cross cuts and cut off the flow of air to the Canadian Pacific Railway 1934-35 rooms. Lethbridge Collieries Ltd. 1935-57 A mine inspector said the 1946 creep was the worst he had ever seen. Abandoned 12 February 1957 And he noted in relation to roof condirions, "Management is fully The fiood of 1908 caused a delay of a year or more in completion of aware of the dangers that might arise from a sudden collapse of the the Lethbridge Viaduct, the structure we now know as the CP Rail roof. You would be surprised if you saw the amount of timbers that High Level Bridge. This delay meant that development would not are being used at the coal faces, and on roadways at this mine, twice proceed on 3240 ha of proven coal lands at the west end of the as much as any other mine in the province." On 18 January 1947, an proposed bridge. The Alberta Railway and Irrigation Company inspection memo noted 'The squeeze condition at the Gait Mine decided instead to develop its property north of the City of #1464 has not improved any." On 12 December 1949 the inspector Lethbridge. Thus Gait Mine No. 6 began producing coal in 1909 and noted "Heaving of the floor is as bad as ever." And on 1 December was shut down in 1935. And Gait Mine No. 8 was not developed 1951, 'They have their troubles at this mine, with water and creep." until 1934-35, shutting down in its tum in 1957. Sinking of shafts Much correspondence dealt with permission to install new equipment began in September 1934 and the main hoisting shaft was sunk to in the mine. On 21 May 1941, for example, installation of a coal by 26 December 1934. In the ensuing months, equipment from crushing plant and two air cleaning tables was proposed. Davidson, Gait Mine No. 6 was moved by rail and set up at No. 8. mine manager, estimated that the refuse picked both in the mine and On 6 April 1935, work was progressmg at Hardieville m the in the tipple would yield 27 250 toimes of coal per year if crushed dismantling of Gait No. 6 mine (Mine No. 0003), which had operated and cleaned. By 25 July 1942, the unit was operational and there since 1909. One of the biggest jobs was the removal of the consisted of a crusher, a triple-deck vibrating screen and two air No. 6 tipple to a new site at Gait No. 8 mine, across the river from cleaning tables. Cleaned coal was stoker-sized, for which there was a Lethbridge. The tipple had been constructed in 1910 by the Link good market. Mine inspectors thought that No. 8 was the only Belt organization of Chicago and was being dismantled under the domestic coal mine with air cleaning tables. supervision of George Rush. (Rush said he had never been on a job As the Second World War (1939-45) went on, delivery times for where his crews lost so much time from the wind.) Fifty men were equipment and parts grew longer (41 weeks for a 40 HP motor, for involved in tearing down the huge steel structure, after which it was example) and the parts increasingly hard to get. There was some moved by rail the new site. It was redesigned and considerable slight relaxation of widely used U. S. standards by the mines branch additional equipment was embodied in it before it was put to use at and much innovation on the part of local suppliers. Gait No. 8. (Part of it was still standing in 1989.) The use of hard hats and protective steel-toed shoes was on the The 9 December 1935 explosion in the mine at Coalhurst, which was mcrease by July 1943 and although such use was not mandatory and to be closed on 1 April 1936, speeded up development of Gait No. 8 miners bought their own protective gear, albeit at cost. Gloves to as many of the Coalhurst miners moved to the new mine to work. protect against crushed fingers, goggles to protect eyes, and shin John Marshall Davidson, formerly manger of Mine No. 0174 was guards were used as needed. appointed manager of Mine No. 1464, effective 6 March 1936. Another recurring theme was the wartime shortage of miners. On 8 Although other mines were working in the region. Gait Mine No. 8 October 1942 it was noted that "there was a shortage of miners and was probable the mine most familiar to Lethbridgians in the mid- the mine is away behind in filling orders." Output was about 1100 1930's and later. Its tipple and water tower stood out like tonnes per day and the mine worked six days per week. The jjroblem exclamation points on the westem horizon. The waste rock, bone, continued even after the war. On 4 October 1948. John M. and impure coal, dump>ed over the edge of the bank into the coulee, Davidson, general manager of Lethbridge Collieries Limited, wrote, reached nearly to No. 3, (now 3A) Highway, then the main entrance "We are hopelessly down for the lack of men at Gait No. 8 and are mto Lethbridge from the west and north. The material ignited by absolutely swamped with orders." He went on to point out that "We spontaneous combustion and, in consequence, bumed for many years have in the area Polish D.P.'s (Displaced Persons, as immigrants from war-torn Europe were then called) some with mining place as soon as seasonal market no longer warrants production from experience, who are working on beet contracts." With Mmes Branch two mines, and in any event not later than March 31. Removal of approval, Davidson set up a training scheme whereby "green men" equipment and filling of shafts to follow immediately." All work worked tmder the closest of supervision from holders of Miner's was completed by 10 May. Certificates and under direct supervision of the fireboss. The men One of the disadvantages encountered when No. 8 was closed and were mostly Polish with a few German immigrants, all young, production was concentrated at No. 10 was the inferior nature of the mtelligent, in good physical condition and (important at the time) coal cleaning plant at the latter, particularly when it came to the were strong anti-Commtmists. The intent was to train miners small sizes (egg and nut) of coal. Shortly after closure of No. 8 the quickly and begin to replace the increasing number taking air and spiral six-storey cleaning plant was dismantled and re­ retirement. The training program started on the moming of 18 assembled at No. 10. Rather than contract out dismantling, moving October 1948 and all indications were that it was successful. and reassembling the plant, it was done by inexperienc^ colliery The installation of up-to-date equipment had never ceased. On 13 workers. It was a complete success. The imtrained men soon became December 1949 permission was sought by general manager J. M. accustomed to the unfamiliar work and heights and did a first class Davidson "to uistall two 100-HP North British Flameproof Diesel job under the direction of James (Jim) Webster, electrician Locomotives in Gait No. 8 for two purposes: man haul on each side Lethbridge Collieries, and Howard Pierson, foreman. of mine in accordance with plans submitted; and feeding cars to the In summary, the first coal was brought to the surface at No. 8 on 26 loading end of conveyors onto which is loading a Clarkson Red Bird December 1935. The mine closed on 12 Febmary 1957 when Loader on butt entries on the east side." Approval was given on 16 members of the last shift left the mine at about 3:00 p.m. Watohing January 1950 and the locomotives were operating in the mine by the wind-up operation were mine manager Adam G. Donaldson and July. Constant checking showed not a trace of carbon monoxide in company manager R. Donald Livingstone. Five hundred empty mine the mine from the diesel fumes. cars were lined up in storage on the prairie. Mine machinery was to A report of 30 June 1950 noted "Output per man is down, due to so be dismantied preparatory to closing the shaft. Among the last to many faults. At present there are 12 entries crossing faults." make the joumey to the surface were Alex Veres, Louis Slotta, An interesting coal storage project was conducted at No. 8 not long George Latvat, Joseph Rapach, Tony Norgusta, and Mike Zizich, all before it closed. We are indebted to R. Donald Livingstone for members of the original 1935 crew. details of the experiment. He wrote: {This information was gathered by the late Alex Johnston, who was "An experiment to store lump coal without oxidarion and the responsible for so much of the historical material which has been resultant degradation of the product was carried out at No. 8. An made available to the general public of the Lethbridge area.) initial attempt to place the coal in a trench and cover it with straw to The land surrounding the former tipple and mine buildings is in exclude the sun proved ineffectual. private hands, and no price has been set to purchase tiie site to my "This was followed by a new procedure which proved to be very knowledge. However, tiiis is the last surviving mine site with any beneficial and was later used in the Drumheller field. The procedure artifacts of note in the Lethbridge area. Now is the time to look into allowed the building of a sizable stockpile during the slack summer its preservation and maintenance. Editor period ready for the fall and winter rush. In addition to being able to *************** supply the market at an appropriate time, it allowed miners' services More about Mr. William Smith of the Smith Farm to be utilized during normally slack times and thus prevent the dreaded lay-offs. Up to 27 000 tonnes a year were eventually stored Limited. at Gait Mine No. 10. Recent correspondence received from England gives additional "The procedure was as follows: As the coal was received from the information about William Smith, the purchaser of the 12 mine, it was run over the tipple and the 2.5 cm size (slack) was sections of land which began this large enterprise. Unfortunately separated from the oversize (lump). These sizes were loaded at the English archives and libraries were not able to supply separate chutes and transported by truck to the storage area. The coal information about Richard Smith who inherited the farm along could not be piled higher than about 2.7 m lest heating and with two otiiers when WilUam Smith died in October 1913. spontaneous combustion take place. A ramp was built up which the liunp tmck backed to discharge the load onto the pile. The ramp was William Smith, bom 1849, went to work for the firm of moved forward as the pile grew to a predetermined length, when a Jeremiah Walmsley at the age of 14, later becoming a partner and new windrow was started. A second ramp allowed the slack coal to be head officer. He was elected to the town Council in 1890, and discharged on top of the lump coal, thus forming a protective layer was extremely popular, becoming Mayor after his first year on to prevent oxidation and degradation. In the fall the pile was loaded council. He introduced an 'open door" policy, under which people out by a front end loader, dimiped on a belt conveyor and fed back who had never been inside the town hall were invited to come in. into flie tipple screening and cleanmg plant. He also served as an Member of Parliament for North Lonsdale. "The coal stored perfectly and thus the feast or famine type of market Mr. Smith was a very wealthy man, and was known for his could be satisfied. So successftil was the operation that E. A. Lovett, philanthropy. As mayor he arranged for a Christmas dinner a director of Lethbridge Collieries Ltd. and an owner of a Drumheller which served as many as 30(X) of tiie area poor. When a local mine, came to Lethbridge, viewed the arrangements and immediately church was endeavoring to raise money for repairs, he offered to retumed to Drumheller where the system was put into practice, thus pay for the rebuilding of the entire church. He was always nullifying the competitive edge Lethbridge had enjoyed." The first mdication of closure and abandonment was in a letter of 28 uiterested in agriculture and offered prizes to local agricultural December 1956 to the director of mines from R. Donald Livingstone, groups and to schools related to these interests. general manager, when he requested, "forward us a copy of the form William Smitii married Ellen Verity on May 14, 1872 and tiie required under Section 109 (1) of the Coal Mines Regulation Act couple had five children, two boys and tiiree girls. The eldest 1955 for the abandonment of a mine." Completed forms were sent to son died in infancy, tiie second son, W.B.Smitii. inherited tiie Edmonton on 16 January 1957 and showed the intention to abandon Smitii Farm along witii two of William's brotiiers, Richard and the entire underground workings of No. 8 mine. Reason for abandonment was given as "Decrease in coal production enables the John Peter. The tiireedaughter s are only known by tiieirmarrie d requirements (of the market) to be obtained from one mine (Mine No. names O'Bryen, Wareing, and George Hemekyk. 1263) thus increasing efficiency. Plans called for "Cessation of all The newspaper cUpping found earlier in tiie local archives, says mining, recovering of valuable equipment, blocking of shaft bottom William Smith had asked 'Mr. Hemeh-yk' to look after his and filling of hoisting and air shafts. Cessation of mining to take interests in soutiiem Alberta while he was in England persuading his tenants sons to come to Canada to farm. The only references the Letiibridge Pemmican Club. Wh«i Ralph travels to outiets in tiic to tiie name Hemelryk found in old local newspapers is to the surrounding area, he wears three hats. He checks bluebird nesting birth of two daughters to Mr. and Mrs. G. E. Hemelryk. I sites on tiie way, and takes botii Lethbridge Historical Society and personally feel tiiere must be a connection betweoi tiie Hemekyk Archaeological Society publications. who married William Smith's second daughter, and the Mr. His untiring efforts on our behalf are much appreciated. Hemelryk of tiie newspaper clii^ing. It is not a common name. Correction: The issue number on the March Newsletter was Have you written the National Archives lately? Greg incorrect. The number should have been 2, not 3. Ellis and myself were botii very impressed witii the response we *************** received from tiie enquiries in England. The first letter was LOCAL HISTORY planned! Did you, your parents, written to Lancashire requesting any information concOTiing Mr. or grandparents attend Allenby, McMahon, White or William Smith and tiie possible emigration of sons of tenants to Wilson Siding schools? A committee has been established Canada. A reply was received witiiin 30 days saying tiiey had with a view to publishing a local histoiy of the area, and a get- no information but giving us anotiier suggested source. The togetiier is planned for July 23, 24, & 25 at McNally School letter sent to the second source, was answered again within the soutiieast of Letiibridge. For more mformation call Goldie Snowden montii, with a copy of the obituary of William Smitii and a note at 327-9465 or Barbara Bond at 381-0864. that the request had been forward^ to anotiier possible source of information. This tiiurd source sent a copy of a second d)ituary, The quilt registry held at tiie Bowman Art Centre on March 20 a copy of tiie obimary of his motiier, a copy of a photograph of was well attended, with approximately 140 quilts being registered. William Smitii, a copy of a clipping dealing witii an Easter Each item was photographed, and two pages of information were Festival funded by Smith, a copy of a 14 page booklet detailing taken, such as the background history of tiie quilt - where and when tiie platform of Smith when he ran for parliament, and a copy of it was made, the reason it was made, how it came to southem Alberta, a second seven page booklet also giving his political platform. ete. Specific details regarding the construction of the quilt were also This librarian had also included a family tree going back to his written down, such as the fabrics and pattem. great great grandparents for our information. The information gathered will be stored at the Glenbow Museum in Calgary, and is to be made available for research. The reason I was impressed, stems from my own correspondence *************** with tiie National Archives in Ottawa. I wrote a letter in October 1992 requesting any information about tiie Canadian The Queen's Castles! Govemment Elevator at Lethbridge, now owned by Cargill and A recent fire at the Royal castle caused a furor regarding who is known as The Alberta Terminal Elevator at Letiibridge". In late responsible for insurance and repair. The property does not belong December I was sent a copy of a list of files which might or to the Queen, it belongs to the British government, and as such might not have information on the subject I requested, along should be insured by the govemment. In Canada, you cannot insure witii the names of researchers who would look into these files for property you do not own, and I would assume the same holds tme in a fee. One of tiie files appeared to deal witii tiie Lethbridge Great Britain. On the same basis, the owner is responsible for Elevator between 1930 and 1942. As constmction was finished repairs. I recently came across a short article in a December 1948 and tiie elevator opened in 1931,1 wrote back immediately to issue of the Lethbridge Herald. inquire the cost of that entire file. I am still waiting for a reply. "ROYAL PROPERTY PROFITS BRITAIN When tills response is compared with that received from England, Ever since 1760, when George HI agreed to exchange the income it falls far short of public service as I understand it from his estates, known as the Crown lands, for an annual civil list, *************** the state has made a regular jM-ofit on the Throne. A century ago these lands, many of them in the west end of London were worth Meet Your Executive about 200,000 pounds a year. In 1948, tiiey brought in 1,958,813 Ralph Lamb it Erdman is a very hard worker on behalf of tiie pounds, and when all expenses had been paid, 960,000 pounds went Lethbridge Historical Society. As part of the Book Committee he to the Exchequer. travels to various outiets in the soutii taking recent publications and King George VI received 410,000 pounds out of which he had to pay old favourites to venues such as the Head-Smashed-hi Buffalo Jump, the salaries, expenses and upkeep of the palaces and a substantial tiie Fort Macleod museum, etc. Witiiin tiie city he looks after figure for Royal bounty. keeping local vendors supplied with our books. Even the Royal parks and pleasure gardens belong to the Treasury. Bom July 19, 1913, at Barons, AB, Ralph is tiie son of Gustav and For the year 1945-46 they produced a surplus of 34,519 pounds, Magda Erdman. He attended school in Barons, and graduated from the which was 6,000 pounds more than was expected, and this year a Qaresholm School of Agriculture in 1930. He went on to obtain a slightiy greater profit has been forecast." B. Sc. in Agriculture at tiie Univ. of Alberta in 1936, and a M. Sc. in It seems the British Government elected not to carry insurance on 1938. Through the years he used his knowledge, working on Soil these valuable properties, because the premiums were toohigh . Now Surveys for flie University of Alberta from 1936 to 1947, and as a they must suffer tiie consequences of their actions, the same as any Soil Specialist at the Letiibridge Research Station from 1947 to home owner would, in the event he decided not to insure his home. 1949. in 1949 he retumed to farming in the Barons district where he became interested in exhibiting grain. His efforts brought him tiie 1961 World's Wheat Grand Championship at the Toronto Royal *************** Winter Fair. "My husband has the sttangest hobby," said Mrs. Smith to a friend, Ralph was married in 1950 to Karin Suitso. They have one daughter "and I never knew anytiiing about it until yesterday. In his desk I Kathryn Anne Beveridge, a staff member at flie University of found a queer lookmg ticket inscribed Mudhorse 10 to 1. I asked him Victoria, and two lovely (and clever) grandchildren. (As a what it was and he told me it was a relic of a lost race. Isn't it grandmotiier myself, I wouldn't ever dispute tiiat, Ralph.) interesting. I had no idea he was interested in archaeology. It just goes to show that husbands don't tell us everything!" His numerous other interests include photography, the Archaeological Society of Alberta, Director of the Lethbridge Centre of the Moimtain Bluebird Conservation Group, and he is a member of LETHBRIDGE HISTORICAL SOCIETY THE LETHBRIDGE CHAPTER Of the Historical Society of Alberta

P.O. BOX 974 LETHBRIDGE. ALBERTA. TIJ 4A2

e CoovfUlhl 1993 MJTter4 NBA/SLETTER ISSN06a8-7249 Julv1993 Membership In the Historical Sodety of Alberta, Induding a subscription to the quarterly ALBERTA HISTORY: $20.00 per year single $25.00 a couple or family. Those members residing from Nanton south are also registered with the Lethbridge Historical Society and receive newsletters and notices. Your mailing label expiration date will be highlighted when It Is time to renew) Please send your dues to the treasurer. LETHBRIDGE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OFFICERS President George F. Kush Past President Douglas J. Card Vice-President Wm. (Bill) Lingard Secretary/Newsletter Editor Irma Dogterom Treasurer David J. Dowey Council Member (1995) Kathleen E. Miller Council Member (1995) Robert Shore Council Member (1994) Ralph Erdman Council Member (1994) Carlton R. Stewart Council Member (1993) Beatrice Hales Council Member f 1993) NoraHdmes Regular meetings are held in the Theatre Gallen/ of the Lethbridge Public Libran/ at 7:15 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of the month. lUleetings and other Notices arrived back in Lethbridge at 9:15 p.m. Bea Hales and Kay Miller are Alex Johnston Lectures - Early plans indicate it will be held to be commended for their efforts in organizing a great day. Thursday September 30tii 1993, likely at the Lethbridge Public ******************** Library Theatre Gallery. Dr. David Breen is slated for the guest lecturer, speaking on early ranching in Southern Alberta. More CP Rail High Level Bridge information in the September newsletter. at Lethbridge The next regular meeting of the Lethbridge Historical Society will be held on October 26. 1993 at tiie Library Theatre Gallery 7:15 New Book Launched! P.M. A limited number of people were on hand at the High Level Bridge on May 1 to launch our latest publication, tiie new enhanced edition of The November (Annual Meeting) of the Society will again tiie CP Rail High Level Bridge at Lethbridge. A few take tiie form of a Banquet. Erickson's has been booked and the date invited guests enjoyed the trip across the bridge with two engines will be November 25tii 1993. More news in the next newsletter. and three cabooses for tiie ceremony, followed later by a less formal ******************** ceremony at the site of the fallen rail on tiie coulee slopes beneath Reminder!! flie bridge. The Alex Johnston Award of Merit nominations: We wish to thank CP Rail and die volunteer engineers and conductors for their donated equipment and time. The launch received news Awarded annually to a Society membei who have given extra effort coverage in tiie Letiibridge Herald and on CFAC-TV. of the Society. Past recipients are: Ralph Eidman, June Carpenter, Lucille Dalke, Jim Carpenter, Douglas Card, Andy Staysko, George Do you know any railroad Watson, Carlton R. Stewart, and D. Tracy Anderson. buffs or friends? Written nominations for tiie 1993 award should be sent to: Here's your opportunity to give them or other friends or family a copy of tills informative book, a super gift at really low prices. The June Carpenter at 2117 14 Ave. S. Ledibridge, AB TIK 0V3 new edition sells for $5.95 Cash and Carry, or $7.95 for mail orders Nominations to be received by 30 September, 1993. of single copies. Orders for 5 copies are S18.00 Cash and Carry (tiiat's only $3.60 per copy), & $23.00 for 5 copies mailed. Prices ******************** are in Canadian funds for Canadian addresses, and U. S. funds for U. S. addresses. Pickup your copies at the next regular Society meeting Our Fort Walsh bus tour was held Saturday June 5di. 46 people or arrange with Ralph Erdman or Carly Stewart to get your copies - took part in a most enjoyable outing. The weather was perfect. After their phone and addresses are shown above. a stop at Medicine Hat for juice and a snack, the bus arrived at Fort Walsh at noon. Following lunch, the gioup was split, one half Our book mailing costs have increased by about 300% in the average touring Farwell's post, while the other toured the Fort and then the case in the last two months. We hope this does not hurt our book groups reversed. Supper at the Commercial Hotel was excellent. We sales, which are the foundation of our Societies' existence. Politicians and their Salaries bar-room is located on left side of corridor, with entry from office, and on tiie right side is a gentiemen's sitting room. Following along Editor's note: Today we hear a great deal about cutbacks and the hall are a number of apartments until the large dining-room is restraint, yet at the same time our elected ofHcials continue to have reached, and tiien follow pantry, kitehen, etc. On the floor above is privileges not available to the general public. One of these is a comfortable parlor, with access to balcony, and apartments the collecting a pension before they have stopped working, and anotiier whole length of the building, with bath room, lavatory, etc., at rear. is being in a position to vote themselves a raise in salary. The Altogether, there are 32 beds, beside the numerous other apartments following, taken from the Montreal Gazette of August 4, 1905, and offices making an appreciative addition to the hotel came to our attention recently. accommodation of the town. The bar fixtures have not yet arrived CONDEMNS INCREASES but are first-class, in keeping with the furnishing throughout. The hotel is efficientiy lighted, and steam heated throughout, the Ex-Mayor R. Wilson Smith Gives Views on Indemnity. apartments are handsomely fumished, and every arrangement appears to have been made for ensuring the comforts of guests. First-class Ex-Mayor R. Wilson-Smith, while favoring generous grants to the cuisine and excellent service are promised. Mr. Eckstorm has a high Prime Minister and leader of the Opposition is strongly opposed to reputation as a successful hotel man and there is every reason to tiie increase just voted to senators and members of the House of expect that under his management, the hotel will prove satisfactory Commons, as well as the retiring allowance to Privy Councillors. to its patrons and a sound fmancial investment for the owner, Mr. G. "It is a delicate question to consider," he said, yesterday, Rowe, and tiie leasers Messrs. Eckstorm and Sick. "nevertheless, I cannot refrains from saying that I consider the ******************** recent vote of Parliament as unnecessary, unjustifiable and unprecedented. It is at all events difficult to cite an instance in which Telephone Service In Lethbridge an item of expenditure amounting to from $340,000 to $350,000 a year was adopted so unanimously and even without discussion. We "Lethbridge got a telephone system in 1891. The first in southem must remember that seeking parliamentary honors is entirely Alberta." From Singing Wires, by Tony Cashman voluntary and the sessional indemnity of $1,500 paid up to now is more than ample to compensate the great majority of the members The first switthboards were set out in grids and required an operator who would not probably eam that much in a year at theii own who made a manual connection from the caller to the number business. required. The first telephone service began in Lethbridge in 1890, but how numbers were assigned, is not known. In 1904 telephone "Canada is a young country," the ex-Mayor went on, "with a small #1 was Piche and Miron, who operated a butcher shop on Round population, and, of couise, cannot begin to be compared with the Street, just south of the Hudson Bay Co. store. One of the first United States, for instance in this respect. It was, indeed, peculiar telephones was located in the Gait Mine office, but the numl>er proceedings on the part of the members, for I make no distinction in assigned to the Alberta Railway and Irrigation Collieries in the 1904 a political sense, to have voted themselves an extra annual directory is #52. indenmity of about 65 per cent. Roughly speaking the senatois and members previously received about $540,000, but the increase Other early telephone numbers were: brings the sum up to $886,000. Putting the matter in anotiier way, #2 TTie City Secretary Treasurer (C.B. Bowman) & tiie the increased indemnity would pay the interest on say $12,000,000, Police Station shared this number which amount, it seems to me, could well be utilized in some #5 G. W. Robinson & Co. Bookstore on Round Street. necessary improvements to our harbors or waterways. The payment #8 A. R. & I. General Office at tiie sution of pensions of $3,500 per annum to ex-members who have held #9 Clark House (Wm. Henderson, Prop.) Round Street office five years is unprecedented, and it means that if any of them go #10 Bank of Montreal on Redpath Street back to Parliament as some of them have already, they will receive #14 Coaldale Hotel on Round Street $6,000 per annum. I am not sure however, in case they took office #15 & 16 C.P.R. Freight shed & Ticket Office again, if they would then be entitled to the pension as well as their #17 Letiibridge Hotel (Wm. Henderson, Prop.) Round St. salaries as ministers. I would like to add, howevei, that I consider #19 Roman Catholic Convent on Coutts Street that the position of Premier of the Dominion should carry with it a #24 R.N.W.M.P. on Dufferin Street salary consistent with the dignity of the position, and tiiat it should #29 Electric Light Station be a least $25,000." End of quote. Of the first 150 listings, only 43 were in ordinary homes. These names reflect the wealthier residents of the city, such as: C.F.P. It seems the general public has had 88 years to bring about a change Conybeare, Wm. Oliver, W.D.L. Hardie, J. D. Higinbotiiam, P. L. in the method of governing M.P.'s salaries, and nothing has changed. Naismitii, R. Sage, Elliott T. Gait, Job Reed, C. A. Magratii, Fred ******************** Downer, Geoige Rogers, etc. Rural subscribeis to telephone service included names such as C. R. The Hotel Dallas (From the Lethbridge Herald of October 20, 1904) Daniels (#105), Westbiook Bros. (#310), D.J. Whimey (#405); W. The Hotel Dallas will be open for business next Monday under the A. Tiffin (#410), T. S. Lanier (#510), G. H. Snowden (#1005), and C. management of Mr. C. J. Eckstorm. This fme hotel is a valuable S. Noble (#2112). In 1918 tiiere were 126 mral numbers listed addition to the business blocks in town and an improvement to a including 12 numbers in the 2100 group which all served the Noble portion of the main street that seems destined to have the effect of Foundation Ltd. drawing otiier business blocks in tiie same direction. The exterior of Letiibridge telephone numbers in 1904 consisted of from one to the building is not of an imposing description, but what may be three digits, but the number of subscribers increased, and in 1913 lacking to this respect outside, is fully compensated for by tiie four digits were in use. By 1922, all subscribers had four digit convenient arrangement of the interior. The hotel is 115 feet in numbers. In 1933, rural numbers are shown with a 91 prefix length with a frontage on Round street of 40 feet, two storeys high followed by the four regular digits. The first five digit city listings and large basement. It is substantially built of brick with stone appear in 1953, and in 1956, the prefix Fairfax was introduced. In dressings and plastered throughout tiie interior. On botii tiie ground and upper floor, a hallway mns centially nearly the entire length of 1963 Fairfax was dropped in favour of the numerical listing of 327 or the building, the offices and apartments being located on either 328. By 1974 tiie prefix 329 was m use and in 1979, 320 was added. side.There are two front entries, one gives access to the bar, and the With the expansion of the city to the west side in the early 1980's, othei to the office and stairway to the upper floor. There is also a another telephone prefix, 381, was added in 1984. 1989 brought the ladies' stairway from the apartments above to the dining room. The most recent prefix addition needed for use by some of the larger subscribers such as the University of Lethbridge, the Junioi College, Pratt Whimey, etc. The new technology in use in tiieir inter-office the Mormon settlers of tiie Cardston district and the Mounted Police. telephones requires a special prefix, 382. Charles A. Magrath was a piime mover. The telephone directory of 1904 listed subscribers alphabetically, C.A. Magrath approached Charles Ora Card, the leader of the with only minor entries to designate the nature of the business. The Mormon settiers. A key to the proposal was for the settiers to cut directory of 1918 contains 29 pages, and businesses could pay for a the poles. If they would contribute this endeavor, Magrath would go larger size, bold type to bring their names to the attention of the to Ottawa and promote the telephone as a method of communicating general public The classified directory, or the "Yellow Pages" as we with border detachments. He approached Colonel Fred WHte, the now call them, was introduced in 1920.. comptroller of the Mounted Police, and the Mounties were able to get a special appropriation of $21,000.00 through parliament "for aid to Initially telephone service in the city was all one line for each telephone line from Letiibridge to Cardston and extensions, 70 miles subscriber, but the war of 1939-1945 brought "Party Line" service at a rate of $30.00 per mile, on condition that govemment messages into use. A neighbour across the street allowed our family to have a shall be sent free". connecting line stmng so we could have a telephone. I can't recall how tiie rings differed, or if we heard the other party's ring, but it was January 3, 1894 the founders filed notice of intention to apply for a shared line, which is of course a "Party Line". letters patent to operate the Lethbridge and Cardston Telephone Co. Ltd. Mr. Magrath was one director, the rest were from the Mormon The current Lethbridge directory covers southem Alberta from the community at Cardston. Bishop Card, O. L. Robinson, J. W. Taylor, border on the soutii, w Claresholm, Carmangay, and Enchant on the Heber Allen, and Richaid Pilling. Consttuction was complete on north, and from the B.C. boundary on the west, to Grassy Lake on June 27. the east. The telephone book of 1904 containing just 10 pages would fit in a single column of the present 426 page directory. In 1896 the Mounted Police took over the railroad telegiaph line from Lethbridge to Macleod and rebuilt it at a cost of $800.00. The Chailie Tumei, a Winnipeg boy, latei manager of the Lethbridge fiist intention was to run it as a telegraph line, but on consideration system, came to Alberta as a telegraph repairman, working along the that a telegiaph lequiied trained operatois, while anyone could lines of the Noith West Coal and Navigation Co., and the Albeita answer a telephone, the twenty nine miles of the Lethbiidge Foit Railway and Inigation Co. He made exu-a money promoting the Macleod Dominion Telegiaph service was taken ovei by the NWMP telephone, selling for the Bell Telephone Co. His fu-st sale was in and equipped for operation by telephone in the interest of that Fort Macleod in November of 1887. D. J. Campbell bought two service telephones and ran a line from his office to the fort. *************** Charlie promoted putting Macleod and Lethbridge on a common exchange. The Lethbridge News of August 29, 1888 reported McLean Mutual Telephone System arrangements foi a telephone exchange with twenty five people by G. R. (Bud) Boulton showing interest. Befoie the exchange could be installed, Lethbridge had to get incoiporated. This was done in late 1890, and Telephone service in tiie rural area surrounding Lethbridge ^ Charlie became moie involved, as he was elected to the first council. was somewhat different due to the distance between ; Bylaw #3 of the new municipality granted a franchise to the Bell subscribers. During the depression years of 1929 to 1939 Telephone Co. of Canada. It was passed March 13, 1891. many farmers found it impossible to coruinue to pay the telephone rates set by the telephone company, and of ' Poles had to be planted deep enough to lesist our winds, tiiey couldn't course if you don't pay your bill, you lose the service. cross our park (Gait Gardens), were not to interfere with traffic; had When many subscribers dropped off, the distance between to be on the east side of streets going nortii-south, and the nortii side connections made the service unprofitable to ttie parent of streets going east-west. The wiies were to be strung at least company. The following article is taken from "McLean eighteen feet above tiie ground and tiie city could use tiie poles for a School District No. 2900 1913-1946". fire alaim system. The system called foi twenty seven miles of wire witii an individual line to each subscriber. Kenny McDonald came In 1880 Bell Telephone Company of Canada received a chartei to out from the Winnipeg office to build it. operate toll lines and exchanges all across Canada. In 1885 they started operations in Alberta. The city fathers were asked to show their support by putting phones in the town office. The council agreed providing they received a It is interesting to note, in tiiese early days buffalo were a problem, reduced rate. The business late at the time was $30.00 pei year. The often knocking the poles down and when the wires tangled in their city got phones foi $25.00 per year, the residential rate. horns they would make off with many feet of wiie, this lequiied a repair man to come from considerable distance to repair tiie damage. The company installed one telephone in the home of James McKay It has also been said tiie "moccasin line" of the Indians was faster ajid In the rivei valley as a toll phone. The idea was the miners could more reliable in these early days save themselves a climb foi a nickel. Response was so brisk, and the merchants found it so profitable, that when the company decided By 1891 phones came to Lethbiidge. These lines mainly seived tiie to remove the phone, the merchants chipped in to keep it going. It city as this was far more profitable than stiinging miles of line to seems friends of McKay had been using the phone and not paying scattered farms. their nickel. The Bell Telephone, although it did all it promised, was nevei The Letiibridge switch board was said to be one of a kind. The popular on the piairies. It was a big corporation and people were opeiatoi on duty would answei a call with "Hello: and then "Ring more in favoui of public oi coopeiative owneiship. them up". The operatoi connected the lines and the callei did his own In 1903, when Bell asked the Northwest Teiritories for an oidinance ringing. When a caller rang central, a littie brass tag on the board to properly exercise the poweis and privileges granted to it by the dropped down, revealing the number of the caller. The board charter, it was the 'last straw'. Powers and privileges were fighting accommodated one hundred phones. If #6 called, a plug was inserted woids in tiie west, especially when the charter had been issued by the in that hole and a companion plug was inserted in die number hole of federal govemment in tiie east practically giving Bell a monopoly in the party he wished to speak with. With one tum of the crank, the this area of communications (seems we in the west have always been brass tag was revealed and stayed in view until replaced by the touchy about monopolies, large corporations and taking orders from operatoi. The system started with seventy five subscribeis but in the east). four years it had dropped to thirty three. The Provincial government decided to build its own system, however The Lethbridge aiea south was the leadei in long distance telephone the federal government would not give the province the tight to service in Albeita, due to the coopeiation of the Letiibridge boosteis. expropriate BeU. Alberta offered to buy Bell out but Bell would not making it necessary for people to "cut in" and ask to have tiie Ime, sell. The Alberto Provincial Govemment or A.P.G.later A.G.T. was sometimes politely and sometimes not, depending on how long tiiey formed to compete and eventually knock out Bell. AGT proceeded to had bcMi waiting.By the late 1960's, and early 70's, many new install lines in the cities and also to service the rural communities. developments were taking place such as underground lines, Bell was eventually forced out. AGT worked well for a number of microwave systems, direct dialing and the end of the party lines, to years till the depression of the 1930s when "takeout" orders mounted name a few. Witii these changes it also meant an end to the mral daily. All of the mral systems were in financial trouble. The mumal systems and as tiie new complicated equipment that was Govemment offered tiie rurals for sale. They were to operate within necessary to tie all the lines into the AGT system became available, certain guidelines and were not allowed to make a profit. flie mutuals became history. The McLean Mutual Telephone is born: The end of tiie McLean Mutual Telephone Co. Ltd. took place at tiie home of Harold and Bonnie Osmond on May, 29, 1972. Bonnie was The first meeting was held Oct. 16, 1936 in the McLean School. the secretary. It was moved by Bud Boulton, that shares held by Board members were shareholders who have not contributed to the Mutual within the last President ~ H. Boulton five years be notified that their share is nil, as fliey are in arrears as Secretary Treasurer ~ J. Dogterom set forth by the letter dated May 18, 1972. Also moved by Bud Directors: H. Snowden, J. Brindley, and Thomas Neve Boulton that two weeks after inactive subscribers have been notified, funds be distributed among active shareholders and the books be D. Lepp moved the Company be organized with capital of $500.00 closed and that AGT be notified to cancel our chartei. Here is another to be made up of 20 shares of $25.00 each. President H. Boulton example of a father creating a business and the son destroying it." proposed the Company formed be called McLean Mutual Telephone. Editor ... Telephone service is not the same in all countries of the This to some may not seem of any great significance as the school world. When travelling in the Netherlands in 1980, my husband and never had a phone installation. The contribution that the school I were attempting to reach a contact number for a square dance group made was that it was a meeting place for many different functions, in a nearby village. I asked his cousin to place the call, as neither of whether they were business or social. us spoke any Dutch. Tiie first time she tried, there was no answer, The McLean Mutual consisted of two lines, 15 and 16. On 16 were but we persisted, requesting her to continue to try the number at Mrs. A. J. Snowden, Androkovich, H. Snowden, Brindley, Stewart, intervals in hopes we could make contact with a Dutch square dance Osmond, Meech, C. Dogterom, Drinkall, Neve, Kane, and Gschaid. club. She seemed somewhat reluctant after several tries, and Line 15 consisted of N.P. Tracy, H. Boulton, Maughan, Hadford, eventually we found out why. She would be charged for every call, Lepp, Koop, Downs, Hay, and Jack Dogterom. The subscribeis even though we had not reached the party we were trying to contact. changed over the years. There weie othei mutuals in the distiict. On We, of course, apologized profusely and explained to her thcU we can the 10 line were Lamb, Heame, Sujjerioi Honey, etc. The Jail had it's phone any number of times including long distance, without charge, own.Winston Snowden recalls as a young boy, a man digging post if we do not reach the party at the other end of the line. holes by hand. A day or so later when he had prepared enough, a crew of 3 01 4 men would set the poles. Later another crew would string The telephone is a modem tool which we take for gianted in our daily the wire, as each farmei or business received his phone installation lives. When it was first introduced, some adults weie reluctant to use and someone further on wished to have a phone he would be this device which could carry their woids across the stieet. Now, responsible for the cost of installation to his residence from the last with modem technology, we can dial diiect to oui friends across the subsciiber. country, or on the other side of the world. Someday, with the advances of computers, micro chips, and lasei beams, we will likely The number of subscribers on a mral system were kept to 10 or 12. be able to dial diiect to astronauts on a space station. Who knows, E With tills many subscribers on a line there were times when it was T may still call home. difficult to fmd the system free. If you adhered to the code of ethics, a three minute call was acceptable, but many went on long past this. TIME IS MONEY! ^ # Illustration taken from the 1927 You do not tolerate telephone diiectoiy. waste in your busi­ ness or home! An Extension Telepbone Saves time & energy! Its cost ?. A few cents a day!

^.. "•-. Alb«rta QovaranMiit Tafophon^s "The Silent Partner" ' LETHBRIDGE HISTORICAL SOCIETY THE LETHBRIDGE CHAPTER Of the Historical Society of Alberta

P.O. 80X974 LETHBRIDGE. ALBERTA. TIJ 4A2

C CBPYflght 1993 f^rtbsrS NEWSI^TTFR KSN083&-7249 September1993 Membersh^ In the HistoricaJ Sodey of Alberta, indudng a subscription to the quarteriy ALBERTA HISTORY: $20.00 per year single $25.00 a couple or family. Those members residing from Nanton south ate also registered with the Lethbridge Historical Society and receive newsletters and notices. Your mailing label expiration date will be highlighted when ft is time to renew) Please send your dues to the treasurer. LETHBRIDGE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OFFICERS President George F. Kush Past President Douglas J. Card Vice-President Wm. (Bill) Lingard Secretary/Newsletter Editor Irma Dogterom Treasurer David J. Dowey Council Member (1995) Kathleen E. Miller Council Member (1995) Robert Shore Coundi Member (1994) Ralph Erdman Council Member (1994) Carlton R. Stewart Council Member (1993) Beatrice Hales CcMjndl Member M993> Nota Holmes Regular meetings are held in the Theatre Gallery of the Lethbridge Public Library at 7:15 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of the month.t Notices & Meetings The new edition of the CP Rail High Lev^i Bridge book is selling well (Cash & Carry $5.95 or 5/$18.0p). The next regular meeting of the LHS will be held on October 26, The cover picture shows the bridge at its finest, and makes 4n at 7:15 in the Lethbridge Public Library Theatre Gallery. Mildred excellent souvenir for visitors to the area. This structure, wf^h Byrne will be speaking on the history of the Senior Centre. we are inclined to take for granted, is truly a great landmarf^n Don't forget the annual meeting scheduled for Thursday, the city. Recently, I was standing under the bridge with a visitor November 25th at Erickson's Family Restaurant. Bill Baker '& from Seattle, when a particularly long freight passed over IL He Co' will entertain with Wine, Women & Song, Themes in the life of was awed by the sensation of power which was transmitted by Supt. R. Burton Deane of the North West Mounted Police. vibration to us on the ground below, and found it difficult to believe that the bridge has not required any upgrading to handle fe************** the freight volume carried on it today. If you haven't been under The Alex Johnston Lecture series is planned for the bridge recently, it is well worth the excursion. Thursday, September 30th, 1993. Dr. David Breen Is slated as *************** the guest lecturer, speaking on Pioneer ranching in Southern Alberta. Mail Order Houses

fe********** Millions of American households are filled with items from the Sears catalogue, but the town of Carlinville, Illinois has an entire Reminder: Nominations for the Alex Johnston neighbourhood where the houses themselves came from the Big Award of Merit are due by September 30, 1993. Please direct Book. 152 houses on nine blocks in the Standard Additton, are your suggestions of worthy society members In writing to: the world's largest cluster of homes ordered out of the Sears catalogue. June Carpenter at 2117 14 Ave. S. Lethbridge, AB TIK 0V3 Sears sold about 100,000 mail-order houses from 1908 to 1940, primarily in the Midwest and the East. For a few thousand ******* 4 dollars, buyers got floor plans, pre-cut lumber, nails, paint, doors, light fixtures ~ all delivered to the nearest railroad station. DANCE BACK IN TIME tO the HlUSiC Of tiie Sears even provkled the mortgage services. Alberta Ranch Boys. The Lethbridge Historical Society and the Sir Alexander Gait The reason for the large number of homes in one area lies with Museum invite you to the 2nd annual Harvest Ball to be the opening of two coal mines near Carlinville seventy five years hekJ Oct. 2, 1993, at McNally School approximately five miles ago. The company needed homes for its workers, and ordered southeast of the city. Dancing from 8:00 to 12:00 p.m. with a no what it needed from the 1918 Sears catalogue. The company host bar. Tickets are $15.00 per person. For more information buiK the houses and rented them to its workers. call the Gait Museum at 320-3898. or D. Card at 327-4757. The Sears Roebuck Company of the United States offered everything from modest six room houses at $765.00 to the 'Magnolia', a southern style mansion complete with Gothic There were three fireplaces, two downstairs, and one on'the columns and servants quarters, for $5,000.00 second floor in the master bedroom. Upstairs there was a central hall. Two large bedrooms separated by a bathroom on The T. Eaton Company of Canada also sold Mail-Order homes. the east, and one large bedroom and bath, with two smaller They were offered in the company's Winnipeg catatog distributed bedrooms adjoining it, on the west side of the house. The third in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta. floor contained hwo large rooms, one a playroom and the other Between 1912 and 1932 the Eaton's catalogue offered several was the domain of my brother Chuck. It was a spacious, hundred house plans and would also prepare plans to order, then comfortable home for a large family and for entertaining. ship out everything to bulk! the house including the nails. The many balconies, the portecochere, and the classic Packages for rural school houses in three sizes were also Corinthian pillars all gave this house a well balanced attractive available, with prices ranging from $683.63 to $822.09. A appearance set amid five acres of lawn and trees.' prosperous farmer coukJ also order a barn. For $1,084.00 one *************** could order a "general purpose barn 30 ft. wide, 52 ft. long, 14 ft. to the eaves". The package Included lumber, millwork, paint, shingles, hardware, nails, hay carrier outfit (50 feet) and litter PATTER, PATTER WENT THE PARSON carrier. The following article was received in June/93, a most welcome submission from W. M. Baker. The editor welcomes any and all Sort of a giant Do-It-Yourself kit, these houses are still to be submissions for the newslener. found today. The large home situated north of the jail, built by C. R. Daniel, is also a "Mail-Order" home. As Superintetident of the Lethbridge Division of the Mounted Police a century ago, R. Burton According to Sheila (Daniel) Petherbridge, the plans were Deane was involved in a wide range of activities. ordered from a Lumberman's Catalogue published by a firm of architects in Minneapolis, and cost $5.00. Ail lumber was cut Some episodes tickled his funny bone and and numbered, then shipped by rail to be assembled here. enlivened his reports. The following is but one Unfortunately the square footage of the house is not known, but example. it was a most imposing structure when first erected. Now it's Prof William M. Baker grandeur is hidden by the many trees planted after irrigation [Extract from Monthly Report, January, 1891, by came to this area. Superintendent R. Burton Deane for Division K of the North West Mounted Police, located in National Archives of Canada, RG18 "Norland" the C.R. Daniel Home, from McLean School (RCMP Papers), vol. 1217, file 221-91.] District #2900 1913-1946 On the 22nd inst. we had quite a little romance here which was Our home was somewhat of a landmark and a monument to the not altogether devoid of amusement. I happened to be in town expansive, speculative, thriving era when Lethbridge was about 9 a.m. when Insp. Casey brought me a note which had booming and the rich irrigated farmlands to the east were rapidly been sent to the barracks in great haste. being settled. My parents chose the plans for Norland from "A Lumberman's Catalogue' for $5.00, published by a firm of architects in Minneapolis. It seems to have been the original pre-fab, with all lumber cut and numbered and shipped by freight "Dear Capt. to be assembled here. Satisfactory insulation of the house was Miss Dowser only sixteen years of age is just now at the achieved by constructing two walls with an eight inch air space station running off I am told with a young fellow. Her mother between, keeping the house cool in summer and cozy in winter. knows nothing about It. Can you stop this evil please. Our large cistern outside the screened back porch, was filled by irrigation water flowing through a ditch of gravel and sand to fill Yrs.Father Van Tighem" one compartment, before slowly filtering through a brick wall to settle in another compartment The basement contained an I told Insp Casey to inform the girl's mother and to accompany engine room, the heart beat of the house. Here a pump brought her to the station in case she wished to stop her daughter's water from the cistern to a holding tank and pumped it throughout flitting where a little "bluff" on his part if necessary would be quite the house. There was a vacuum cleaner system which sufficient to induce the girl to leave the train so as to give us time consisted of a large tank and an engine, which when started, to think it over. Insp. Casey must have bestirred himself drew the dirt through pipes to the tank in the engine room. There considerable. He had on leaving barracks to find me ordered a were three permanent fixtures on each floor to which a long hose N.C.O. to the station and he himself found the girl's father and was connected to scoop up the dust. This was a rather took him to the train. Took him into the car, unearthed the lady complicated system because it was controlled from the from her seclusion and said to the old man, "This your girl"? basement and the hoses were heavy and cumbersome, so it was "Yes". "Do you want her to go home?" "Yes". "Then you had replaced by the electric vacuum when it came on the market. better go home with your father." "I won't go home but I'll go off the train" said the girl, and she did. The chandeliers were wired for electricity, although acetylene An uncommonly fine looking, well developed young woman of gas, made in the engine room, lit our house for several years. Our first electricity was supplied by the jail, a rather dim and full 16 summers. uncertain source, but a thrill nonetheless. In winter we needed In the conversation which ensued the bridegroom elect no alarm, for the shaking of the ashes around 6:30 a.m. was the expressed his readiness to marry the girl at once. It appears signal to rise and shine, as surely as the bawling calves were in that the girl's parents had refused their consent to the marriage summer. The steam heat generated from the coal burning and the moonlight flitting was for the purpose of being married in furnace did a fine job in keeping the house comfortable. the States. The old father now gave his consent, the bridegroom A special feature of the interior on the main floor, was the three started off to get his licence and then to fetch the C of E. parson. large rooms which could be separated by closing doors which The girl's mother turned up In the Interval, would not give her were recessed into the wall, or when they were opened there was consent to the match in any way, and started off for the priest one large area. Our living room contained a semicircular The bridegroom with the parson, put In an appearance at the glassed-in area, where many plants thrived. Children loved to rendezvous first, and the ceremony proceeded. Presently a slide down the banister of the graceful mahogany staircase. knock came at the door. "Hurry up' said the bride, "wind 'em up' Seiid the door keeper. Patter patter went the parson and in chokecherries and bullberries. Dried fruits, prunes, apples, walked the priest with feelings which can be gauged by his raisins, etc. were staples. All supplies were purchased in subsequent remark to Insp Casey that he would rather have quantity as a 22 mile round trip to town was not often made by seen the lady walking the streets like a harlot than have seen her team. married In that way. The Russells had 7 children, 6 boys and 1 giri. (One boy was drowned in the river in the flood of 1903, and 2 were killed overseas in World War I.) There were no schools In the area Mrs. George F. Russell (nee Isabella Anna Bell) (very little population) so the Russells hired governesses who Written April 1980 by Cynthia Russell "lived in". They were women who wanted to come west, and this (From A Briaf History d River Junction School, compiled by Grace (Dryden) Alexander. way the children were educated. They were a family of "readers". Fred Russell served overseas In World War I also, came home In 1882 George Frank Russell came west with a survey party and farmed at home and with his brothers. His son Frank now from Ottawa, where he had lived since infancy when his parents came to Canada from Leicestershire, England, in 1862. They has the original homestead and pre-emption, and holdings surveyed the line from Winnipeg across, and sun/eyed the Sth acquired by the family over the years. Frank's children are the meridian which runs through Waterton Park. At the end of the Sth generation of the family in the area. season they could go back east, but George Russell decided to The fact that they are there is due to the courage and stay. He started a blacksmith shop in Fort Macleod, and later in persistence of Isabella Anne Bell Russell, who was determined 1885 came to Lethbridge and had a shop where the Oliver Block that the family carry on, when many times her husband was now stands. discouraged, and she was terrified of early conditions, but she never admitted to it. In the fall of 1885, he went back to Ottawa, and on March 3, *************** 1886 married Isabella Anne Bell, and came directly to Lethbridge. They travelled from Medicine Hat to Lethbridge on The following article is included in the newsletter to inform our the newly completed narrow gauge railway. In 1887 they took up readers of the existence of another entity in the city interested in permanent residence on their homestead on the south side of preserving our heritage. Lethbridge has a different history in the Pot Hole Creek where it joins the St. Marys' River. that it has reversed the common trend. Instead of moving from Mrs. Russell was a most courageous woman. She had led a an agricultural base to an industrial one, it started with an sheltered life as the only daughter of a school teacher and later, industrial base and has moved to an agricultural one. Our unique road master in Ottawa. On the ranch she was surrounded by history should be preserved for future generations, so they will Indians. (The reserve across the river and Paddy Hassen, a be aware of the various facets of our past Editor squawman across the creek.) This was just after the Riel Rebellion, and many Indians were in a dangerous mood. Her stories of encounters with Indians were quite humorous. COAL — A FORGOTTEN LEGACY? She was always kind to the women who came to visit her, giving When visitors come to Lethbridge, they sometimes wonder them tea, cake, and tobacco (and carefully sweeping as soon as why the city is located where it is. After all, there appears to be they were gone). She felt very sorry for the women, as she knew nothing particularly special about the geographical landscape they had a very hard life. She put up with no nonsense from the that would prompt its nineteenth-century founders to plop the men. The Medicine Man, whom she disliked, wanted to come in city down on the open high ground above yet another stretch of one day, and when she told him to go away, he stuck his western coulees. At first glance, any other southern Alberta mocassined foot in the door. She jumped on it, and he hastily town would appear to be as logically placed as this one. It is only pulled it out and fled. when they are told that Lethbridge began as a coal town, and that it was the primitive hacking and hewing of Nicholas Sheran Another time, after her mother had come to live with her that initiated an interest in the area later elaborated by Alexander (Jessie Fleming Bell), she had fed a number of Indian visitors, and Elliot Gait and their companies, that visitors begin to and she told them to go, and they would not, so, as it was getting appreciate why the city developed where it did. late and her mother was quite worried, Mrs, Russell went to where their horses were tied, untied them and gave them a slap, While some seem satisfied with the "origins of coal mining" and away they ran. Her mother was sure the Indians would explanation of the city's location, keener visitors come back with murder them, but Mrs. Russell said "Nonsense. It will take them a more complex set of questions. Why did coal mining all night to find their horses." disappear? Why didn't the town disappear or decline with the end of a coal economy? Since the town did survive and slowly One day she had her hand hooked rugs airing in the yard as prosper, why is there so little industrial character left to a she was cleaning house. A group of Indian men came by and community that began from an industrial base? Why is there so .picked them up. She saw them, ran after them and told them to little physical remnant of coal culture left? bring them back. They threw them down. She told them to pick them up and take them back. They protested, but did take them Most city and area residents probably have some difficulty back. This was a real triumph, as Indian men hated to take answering these more complex questions, and most probably orders from a woman. She only weighed 110 pounds, but every get no further than pointing out how competing coal mines one of them pure spunk. (Incidentally - nothing was wasted. opened in other western locations, and how coal was then Worn clothing was cut into strips and hooked into burlap for floor supplanted altogether by other fuels in the last half century. But coverings.) even those who know some of the particulars of this community's coal mining history may not appreciate some of the The homestead was on water, there was coal on the land, and unique and interesting aspects of coal culture in Lethbridge. they raised a garden, cattle, and chickens, and were as self- sufficient as possible. One way to get some cash was to burn They may not fully recognize, for example, that the Gait lime rock with heat from the coal, in holes made in the river bank. companies, the early middle-class business men of the town who The lime was to make cement for building. The water for the depended on the economy of the mine, and many of the mining household was hauled in pails from the river. There was no families themselves conspired in their desire to create a electricity (it went through with Calgary Power In 1928). No permanent, stable community in Lethbridge — rather than settle refrigeration except the ice put up In the milk house to cool for the boom and bust of the traditional Canadian minir^g cream and milk and store perishables. Fruit was a scarce item, company town. It is easy to overlook the fact that many early so they made use of native "service berries" (saskatoon^), mining families attempted to parlay their mining wages into real property that they could establish a farm on, that many mine sites and tourist attractions and organizations in irfimigrant miners really sought to gain an eventual foothold on Alberta. the land, or that even mine union development (so prominent a Third, in order to realize its commitments the Society will part of our history) was directed at creating a living wage and seek continued support of dedicated volunteers and healthy working conditions for families In order that they could be "partners in purpose, seeking extensive private, citizens of a permanent community rather than a floating, corporate and community support, and assistance from migrant work force. all levels of Government We are even less apt to enjoy with our visitors the interesting irony that while Lethbridge began in the dirt and soot of an industrial economy It transformed itself into a "clean industry" James Tagg July 22,1993 agricultural, service economy, thereby standing on Its head the usual historical evolution from rural, agricultural community A general meeting of the new society is planned for origins to industrial development and growth. When Lethbridge September. We earnestly solicit your support. adopted the slogan "Coal Town in Wheat Country' for the 1912 •••»•*•*•****** International Dry Land Farming Congress, It was celebrating Its unique industrial/agricultural culture while attempting to Meet Your Executive: CarltOn ROSS Stewart accelerate its place in the sun of worldwide wheat growing. It is, in fact, this transition from coal to farming that dominates the Born Sept. 5,1937 in Holland Manitoba, Carly lived at Holland history of European settlement in Lethbridge. until 1948, when his family moved to Lethbridge for one year, before going on to Strathmore. They came back to Lethbridge in Because there is real social value in preserving a sense of this 1950 and he has been here ever since. historical evolution and the special role that coal mining played in it, It is unfortunate that a visual presence of a coal mining past His father was John Harold Stewart, a trucker and carpenter, has slipped from our view. It is true that the early drift mine and his mother was Myrtle Harrison from a farming family in entrances are still visible in Indian Battle Park, that the buildings Manitoba. of the Gait # 8 Mine still stand on our western horizon, and that Cariy married Barbara Anne Cuell in 1959 and they have two the Gait Museum and Archives maintain records and display children, Russell Greg born in 1962. David Ross born in 1963, materials documenting our coal mining past. But in the main, a and four grandchildren - Maria Ann, Wesley Allen, Thomas John visitor to this city can (and many now do) leave this city without Edward, and Alyccia Evelyn Ann. even knowing that Coal mining ever existed here. As other communities move to celebrate aspects of the historic past Carly has worked in various aspects of the printing business often less immediately relevant to their regions evolution than since his early start as a paperboy for the Lethbridge Herald and coal is to Lethbridge (e. g., Cardston - Remington Carriage Is currently employed at Haul All Equipment in north Lethbridge Museum; Ft. Macleod - the fort and Head Smashed In; as the Technical Information Coordinator. Crowsnest Pass - Frank Slide Interpretive Centre and the developing Eco-Museum), we languish in a kind of outdated A member of the Lethbridge Historical Society for 26 years, he embarrassment about our working-class, industrial origins when has served in every capacity from Director to President. His we should be promoting the heritage of coal culture. efforts on the Book Committee have been especially valuable as he has assisted with at least 30 publications including our most For these reasons, a small group of individuals have been recent book. working over the past few months on the establishment of a society committed to the preservation, maintenance and Carly has also been a member of the Archaeological Society promotion of the Historic Gait # 8 Site; dedicated to the for about 20 years serving in various positions in that interpretation of that site, and the history of coal mining, coal organization. miners and their families; and committed to investigating ways His many interests include photography, astronomy, and means to develop the historic and tourism potential of the paleontology, and geography, and these have taken him along site in coordination with other local heritage and tourism many hiking trails, and to parks, such as Ayres Rock in activities and initiatives. To accomplish this mission, the Australia, and Devil's Tower in Wyoming. In 1970 his objectives of the "Gait # 8 Mine Historic Site Society" are: photographic talents were applied to a twenty minute 16mm First, to seek cooperation with all parties involved or to sound movie telling the story of the Whoop Up Trail. Cariy has become involve, to ensure: currently expressed an interest in a Geography Society membership should such a group be formed In Letht}ridge. a) that the area with the remaining buildings of the former Gait # 8 Mine Site will become available to the With his somewhat puckish sense of humour, he designed the Society as soon as possible and will be designated as 'Wind Gauge' which is now located at the Tourist information an Historic Site; Centre on the south entrance to the city. b) that the adjacent area will be developed in a manner In recognition of his efforts on behalf of the community, he that does not interfere with the Integrity of the Site but received the Alberta Historical Society Award in 1987, was rather will support the mandate of the Society and will nominated for the Alberta Historical Resources Foundation improve the visitation and viability of the Site. award in 1987, and awarded the LHS Alex Johnston Award of Second, a commitment to: Merit in 1991. a) having the historic buildings primarily used for We are very fortunate to have such a willing worker, with such historic interpretative programs and related activities; varied talents expending his efforts on our behalf. b) honouring the mandate of the Sir Alexander Gait *************** Museum regarding the interpretation of the history of Lethbridge and area; seeking cooperation with the The Lethbridge Terminal Elevator museum for the development of the programs of the Society, as an extension of the museum programs; The papers received from the National Archives give much information about the early years of this landmark, however they c) avoiding unnecessary duplication of programs while do not include any pictures. Do you know of, or have, any early networi

PO. BOX 974 LETHBRIDGE. ALBERTA. TIJ 4A2

g Ccpyrighl 1gg3 HJTberS NBA^-FnER ISSN 0838-7249 Novemberl 993 Membership in the Historical Society of Alberta, including a subscription to the quarteriy ALBERTA HISTORY: $20.00 per year single $25.00 a couple or family. Those members residing from Nanton south are also registered with the Lethbridge Historical Society and receive newsletters and notices. Your mailing label expiration date will be highlighted when it is time to renew) Please send your dues to the treasurer. LETHBRIDGE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OFFICERS President George F. (Josephine) Kush Past President Douglas J.(Claudia) Card Vice-President Bill (Juanita) Lingard Secretary/Newsletter Editor Irma (Jake) Dogterom Treasurer David J. (Gerry) Dowey Council Member (1995) Kathleen E. (Fred) Miller Council Member (1995) Robert (Emerice) Shore Council Member (1994) Ralph Erdman Council Member (1994) Carlton R. (Barbara) Stewart Council Member (1993) Beatrice Hales Council Member (1993) Nora Holmes Hist. Soc. of Alberta Rep. Gordon (Rose> Toiton Regular meetings are held in the Theatre Gallen^ of the Lethbridge Public Libran^ at 7:15 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of the month. Notices & Meetings The Raymond Roundup history book is now The October Meeting of the Lethbridge Historical taking orders. It has 1100 pages, 2200 biographies, 1500 Society is to be held Tuesday October 26, in the pictures, and 15 chapters. The books are selling for Lethbridge Public Library Theatre Gallery. The speaker for $65.00 per hardbound copy. Send your order to the evening is Mildred Byrne, and her topic is The History Raymond Roundup History Book, c/o Lawerence Turner, of the Lethbridge Senior Centre. A good turn out is Box 301, Raymond, AB. TOK 2S0 anticipated at this first meeting for the 1993/94 season. ********** Square Dancing in Lethbridge by irma Dogterom The annual meeting and election of officers is In the early 1950's, square dancing was one of the main areas scheduled for Thursday, November 25th at Erickson's Family of recreation in the Lethbridge area. Approximately 1500 Restaurant. Bill Baker *& Co.' will entertain with: Wine, Women & people in the city belonged to one club or another. Some Song. Themes in the life of Supt. R. Burton Deane of the North West Mounted Police. Nora Holmes is looking after reservations. clubs were so popular, they had a waiting list and it could See you there! take a year for your name to come up. A newsletter was sent by each club executive to tell of approaching dances Lethbridge is also hosting the annual meeting of the and perhaps invite another club to attend a particular dance Alberta Historical Society June 3, 4, & 5, 1994. as guests. (These newsletters cost two cents to mail.) Keep these dates open Dances consisted of a mixture of square dances, round dances and old-time dances, such as the Vaieta Waltz or ********** Heel & Toe Polka. Recycle!! Do you have an extra copy of The Square dancing was so popular, club membership was Badge and the Blotter, by James Carpenter, limited by the hall capacity of where the club held its published about 1974? If you do, or know of any, dances. The Royal Canadian Legion dance group was please bring them to a meeting of the Lethbridge Historical limited to 200 members due to the capacity of the hall. Society. This volume is out of print but we have had a few The first annual International Folk & Square Dance requests for copies. Festival was held in 1951. This became an annual event with as many as 1000 dancers attending. Later it was In June of 1952, a street dance was planned for enlarged to include a buffet supper for those attending. Coronation Day, with the area selected to be Third Avenue The supper was served at the Sports Centre at 5:30 South between Fifth and Seventh Streets. The weather between the afternoon and evening dance sessions. did not cooperate however, and the dance had to be The music for the Festival was a combination of live music moved to the Lethbridge Arena. There were about 1800 by such groups as Les Handley's Homesteaders, Blair people in attendance. Holland's Western Entertainers, The Happy Four On June 24, 1953, square dancers from the Gingdenim Orchestra, Eddie and Art Dietrich and Arnold Ames, and Club of Fort Macleod and the Allemande Left Club of records for the special dances. Lethbridge were on hand to promenade with Robert Stack The square dance callers came from Lethbridge and the as he stepped from the plane. surrounding area. Bud Momberg (Cut Bank), Charlie Clark That same week, a Jamboree was held at the Waterton (Stirling), A.Y. Stone (Picture Butte), , Claude Roberts Lakes Pavilion, sponsored by the Waterton Lakes-E-Dos. (Woolford), Doug McColl (Alix), Jim Coutts (Fort Macleod), The club president at the time was W.W. "Bill" MacLeod. Lee Orr (Orton), Walter Degenstein (Fort Macleod), Ken Top square dance callers of South Alberta were in Sparks (High River), Evan Hall (Taber), Frank Dorward (High attendance. A workshop was held in the afternoon from River), and Johnny Gibbons, George Scotter, Dee Reed, two to five, followed by a dance in the evening. Many clubs Joan Williams, Bill Savage, Bert Leys, and Jim Fairfield (all planned a picnic supper for the interval. Over 300 dancers of Lethbridge). An event of this magnitude took a lot of turned out. planning. The following month (July, 1953), a Square Dance In 1953 a meeting was called and the Federation of Competition Street Dance was held in Cardston with a first Southern Alberta Callers was formed. Its aim was to prize of $72.00 for the best square. The second prize was establish standards of styling and dancing so club $48.00 and third brought $24.00. An entry fee of $5.00 members could more easily travel from club to club and find was charged which was refunded after the square dances done the same. There were 23 clubs represented completed the dance. Just what the criteria was for "the at the first meeting. They came from Lethbridge and the best square" was not listed. surrounding area including Coutts, Claresholm, Pincher The early square dance clubs supported many good Creek, Spring Coulee, Iron Springs, Magrath, Turin, causes with benefit dances and donations. The Callew Barrhill, Picture Butte, Cardston, and New Dayton. There Coach, The Canadian Legion Polio Fund, the Montana were many other clubs in Southern Alberta who were not Society for Crippled Children, all had support from local represented at that first meeting, and many of the small callers and dancers. towns had clubs who did not sent a representative. Each club would have its regular 'Club Callers" and as Most clubs combined 'Round' dancing and 'Square' dancing, but some were just Round Dance Clubs. Ernie today, would sometimes invite 'Guest Callers' to call. Meads, a local round dance cuer, called for the United Sometimes the dances were only open to members of the Church Balance & Twirl Club. He later moved to San Diego club, but usually all were welcome to attend. Guest callers where he continued to teach round dancing under the came from other clubs in the area, Montana, Texas, and same name, ~ The Balance and Twirl Club. Calgary, and one of the most popular was Les Gotcher of Sun Valley California. He called for more than fifty dances An item from a CJOC News Broadcast in April 1954, in the southern area, and had taught square dancing to called attention to two Lethbridge Square Dance callers such movie stars as Jennifer Jones, Van Johnson.Danny who were going to be the first Canadian callers to attempt a Kaye and Hedy Lamarr. Les had a record company called U.S. tour. Jim Fairfield and Dee Reed planned a tour of ten Black Mountain Records. dances in the U.S., starting from the annual square dance convention in Dallas Texas on April 7, 8, & 9. They Club dances used recorded music, but on occasion a live planned to join a cavalcade of 1000 vehicles about 400 band was available. An early newspaper headline miles north of Dallas. The cavalcade was to put on street announced that Don Messer & His Islanders would be in dances en route. 15,000 square dancers were expected Lethbridge and were going to supply the music for a local square dance. The dance to be held "at what is probably to gather at Dallas. Following the convention the the country's only drive-in dance floor". Weather Lethbridge callers would start their tour. permitting the popular band was to play at the new outdoor In 1953 "Square 'N Round" dance magazine, a U. S. concrete dance floor at the Fort Whoop-Up Guest ranch. publication, named Janet Sherman of the Cardston area to Cars could drive up and park all around the outside of the be the youngest caller for Western Dances in America. floor. In the event of rain, the dance was to be moved to Janet was five years old, and had called five different the Sports Centre. Local callers Jim Fairfield, Johnny dances. Her father taught her while laid up at the farm Gibbons, Dee Reed and Jerry Hammond were to be home one spring. She called for dances at Cardston, featured with the Messer group. Waterton Park and Hillspring. It is interesting to note that at least three women were Allied Van Lines sponsored a weekly news column for involved in square dance calling in the early fifties, namely dance clubs. The column was called Wheelin' Around with Joan Williams and Dorothy Wellwood of Lethbridge, and Allied Vans Ltd. and appeared in each Friday paper. Clubs Hazel Leishman of Hillspring. could send notices of coming events for free publicity. The square dance clubs combined with the local Gladioli Alberta embraced the idea, and along with the Wandering Festival flower show to hold a fall festival. A delegation Squares, began to promote it. went to the weather office to ask which weekend in August On July 1, 1967, the Red Deer Square Dance Club, on had the best record for good weather. The weekend behalf of the area clubs, held a Centennial Dance - The chosen had seen fine weather consistently for the last fifty Centennial Capers ~ in the Red Deer Arena. The scant years. It must have been time for a change in weather profit from it was used to defray the cost of the Stettler cycles, as Ken McGregor, one of those early organizers, Arena for the Wandering Squares "Centennial Weekend said it certainly didn't hold true after it was selected for the Campout" at Buffalo Lake. At the Monday morning get- dance weekend. Rain was the order of the day for the next together, the idea of the Federation was bandied around. several years. A pro tem committee was sitruck to get the ball rolling. This The committee in charge of the Square Dance Festival committee was comprised of members from all over would lay a large plywood floor out at the Exhibition Alberta. You old timers might recognize some of the grounds, and take it up again after the weekend was over. names: • In inclement weather, the dance was moved to an available John Mitchel, Claude Diehi, Gus Kwaczek, Bill hall. Savage, (Lethbridge dancers) Ed Furneaux, Howard An organization grew out of the Gladioli and Square McDonald, Chris Balding, Bill Mullen, Hal Thomas and Ivan Dance Festival, which celebrated its Twenty Fifth Sheppy. With Ivan Sheppy as chairman, this committee Anniversary this year at a Square Dance Convention in held their first meeting in Lethbridge in conjunction with Strathmore. On Saturday, September 4, 1993 more than the Gladioli Festival. It was decided that, in order to get the 1000 dancers met in the Strathmore Family Recreation show on the road, "Federation" would hold its first Centre, to dance to callers and cuers from all over Alberta. convention in Red Deer in 1969. This would allow all In 1951 square dance calls consisted of about 50 basic square dancers to have their say in running the movements which could be learned in about 10 weeks. organization. So on the Thanksgiving Weekend in 1969 Modern square dancing has evolved to over 100 seventeen squares did their thing in Red Deer. The movements, and requires more lessons to learn the first convention was jointly sponsored by the Red Deer Square level, followed by much practice and further teaching to Dance Club and the Bucks and Does. Cost? Four dollars attain the Advanced or Challenge Level. However, once for adults, a buck and a half for teens. The following year you learn to Square Dance, you can dance anywhere in the thirty-four squares followed Jerry Potts on the Whoop-Up world. English is the language of Square Dancing. 1978 Trail to Lethbridge with the Southern Alberta Western saw the first Canadian National Convention held in Dance Association as Hosts. The federation was on its Edmonton. (Again Alberta was leading the way.) One of way. the most popular callers on the program was from Japan. You have all heard the saying "The more things change The 25th Convention of the Alberta the more they stay the same." Financing for the Federation saw a concem. Has that Changed? I think not. Square and Round Dance Federation. It received "seed money: from the Wandering Squares and A brief history by Olive Walker ol Calgary, given at the Opening Ceremonies of the 25th Annual Square Dance Convention held on the Latxmr Day Weekend, 1993. indirectly from Red Deer Centennial Capers, Association. Attenders at the First Convention were from the Peace Twenty-five years of Conventions? In a world of so much River Country in the North to Medicine Hat in the South, change, unrest and hardship, this record is quite from Hinton in the West to Lloydminster in the East - and remarkable. the report goes on to say "and even from Saskatchewan". When the Planning Committee for this '93 Convention We are still getting dancers from these areas and even from was struck, one of our first concerns was "How do we Manitoba and B. C. honor the "pioneers" of this Annual Gathering?" Plans, as The first convention did not meet expenses. Sounds always seem to be the way, started very "high class". Big familiar? The reasons given at the time were: The plaques should be presented to all the "Pioneers". Weil, at inclement weather, The shortage of dancers, & The high least fancy certificates. Then realism set in. How do you cost of accommodations, (quoted at $216.00). The facts find all the Pioneers, how do you make sure none are hold true today. Just add a zero behind the 216 for missed, and what qualifying criteria do you use? After accommodations. One thing, however has changed. At much talking, record searching, more talking, the Planning one time program callers and instructors were admitted Committee decided to hand that big ball of wax to the free. Federation Executive. This will be done at the Annual General Meeting tomorrow. These days we hear so much about "Role Statements, Mission Statements, etc." and all the committees, and During my reading, researching and talking, I certainly boards that must be formed to put together an organization learned a lot about Federation and the "birth" of the of any kind. In 1969 things were much simpler: Conventions. The Federation was formed: In 1967 a Friendship train of Square Dancers began to wind its way from Halifax to Victoria and return, picking up to improve communication between Alberta Square Dancers along its way. This gave thought to the Associations, Clubs and Dancers. idea that there should be some co-ordinating body to took to promote a Federation and help finance after the well being of this very pleasant pastime. Central Federation work. to have a united and more effective voice for the extreme west end, entered by a broad flight of stairs Square Dancing when dealing with Provincial and from fourth avenue which was to be fitted into quarters for Federal Governments, Press, Radio and T. V. an up to date billiard hall and bariaer shop or club for some All those things were discussed back in 1969 and we are lodge or society. Leading up from the basement at the rear still discussing them. The birth and growing pains have not was a spacious fully cemented court. been easy. Six stores occupied the ground floor, while the second storey contained offices for many prominent businesses of A unanimous mandate was given to continue the the day Hogg and Goodman, Virtue and Patterson, J. S. Conventions. It was felt that the Federation should not Kiri

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