HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF ALBERTA

• WHOOP-UP COUNTRY. CHAPTER

Number 1 NEWSLETTER February, 1972 Membership in the Whoop-up Country Chapter, Historical Society of Alberta, which includes a subscription to the quarterly Alberta Historical Review, newsletters, and notice of meetings, can be obtained for $4.00 per year. Send membership dues to: Mrs. Lucille Dalke, Treasurer, Whoop-up Country Chapter, P. 0. Box 974, Lethbridge, Alberta SOCIETY OFFICERS FOR 1971-1972 President Alex Johnston, Marquis Hotel Past president Frank A. Russell, P.O. Box 326 Vice-president George Watson, 1409 - 9 Avenue So. Second vice-president Carlton Stewart, 1005 - 23 Street N. Secretary Mrs. Janet Girvan, 1126 - 13 St. So. Treasurer Mrs. Lucille Dalke, 638 - 9 St. So. Council Member (1974) A.L.H. Somerville, 1312 - 15 Av. So. Council Member (1974) George McKillop, 1219 - 6 Av. So. Council Member (1973) Clarence Geiger, 1265 - 5 Av. A So. Council Member (1973) Ray Schuler, 2630 - 22 Av. So. Council Member (1972) R. I. Baker, Box 14, Coaldale. Council Member (1972) Andrew Staysko, 1409 - 9 Av. A So. Social Convenor Mrs. Nora Everson, 1408 - 9 Av. A. So.

February Meeting Postponed to March 7th.—The regular February meeting of the Society has been postponed until March 7th to suit guest speakers. It will be held on March 7th, then, at 8:00 p. m. in the Assembly Room of the Sir Alexander Gait Museum. Speakers for the occasion will be Wilbur P. Werner, Cut Bank, Montana, and Pat Sanderson, Sunburst. These men will speak on "Lewis and Clark", famed explorers of the early 19th century. They recommend that members who will be at the meeting read that part of the Lewis and Clark Journals that deals with the period from July 21 to July 26, 1806. This is the period during which Lewis came up Cut Bank Creek to Camp Disappointment and when a fight between Peigans and Lewis' men took place on the Two Medicine Creek. The Journals may be found in the Lethbridge Public Library. (Lewis was looking for the height of land between the Missouri and Saskatchewan River water­ sheds on this trip but didn't come quite far enough north. He describes the Sweetgrass Hills, which he could see clearly from the location. During the fight on the Two Medicines, two young Peigan warriors were killed, the start of a long-lasting enmity between the Americans and the Blackfoot Confederacy. All in all, the story is a south Alberta, as well as a north Montana, one.) The Guest Speakers.—Both speakers are active in a variety of ways in their communities. Pat Sanderson—Was born in Joliet, Montana (near Deer Lodge), in 1907 and worked as a coal miner in that area until 1935. Then he moved to Oilmont, in Toole County, and now resides at Sunburst. He married Mayme Irvine in 1929 and they have three daughters and one son; another daughter died in an accident in 1955. Mr. Sanderson has been very active in community affairs, having served as a member of the Oilmont School Board for 12 years. He is a past chairman of Toole County Democratic Central Committee, past governor of the Shelby Moose Lodge, past president of the Coutts-Sweetgrass Lions Club (the only truly International Lions Club), and chairman of the Salvation Army for the Sunburst area. He is presently serving as Camping and Activities Chairman of the.Nu-ooh-oka District of the Boy Scouts of America, is holder of the Silver Beaver Award in scouting, and is a 21-year scouter veteran. Wilbur P. Werner—Was educated in country schools, at Sacred Heart Academy, University of Omaha, and at Creighton University in Nebraska. In 1937 he hitch-hiked to Montana, stopped at Cut Bank, and has been practicing law there since that date. He has served as County Attorney of Glacier County for the past 7h years; as City Attorney for Cut Bank for 2 years; as City Attorney for the town of Browning for 2 years; and is presently a United States Magistrate. Mr. Werner has served his community outside his profession. He is a Past Exalted Ruler of BPOE 1632 at Cut Bank; Past Grand Knight and District Deputy of the Knights of Columbus; Past District Chairman of Nu-ooh-ska District, Boy Scouts of America and is presently on the North Central Council of Boy Scouts of America and Advancement Chairman for the Nu-ooh-ska District. Mr. Werner is a Vice President of the Montana Historical Society. Mr. Werner is married with five children. He proudly reports eight American grandchildren and three Canadian grandchildren. ******* THE STAFFORD FAMILY /The account that follows was taken mostly from a Golden Jubilee issue of the Lethbridge Herald of July 11th, 1935. At that time there were gathered together by the Old-Timers' Association a collection of photographs and stories of men, women, and families who came to Lethbridge from 1882 to 1885. One of the earliest of these was William Stafford and his family. The subdivision known as Staffordville, now part of the North Side, commemorates him, as does the present Stafford Drive. W. S. Russell, Q. C, and J. C. Peat, both of Lethbridge, are grandsons while Mr. George Watson was connected with the family, his grandmother having been a half-sister of William Stafford. The Stafford ranch home in the riverbottom, remodeled by removal of the upper story, is the home of the Dick Gra^^ family, Mr. Gray being a prominent Lethbridge businessman and operator of Valley Feeders Ltd_^/ William Stafford was the first Mines Superintendant for the North Western Coal and Navigation Company. He opened the Drift Mines at the riverbottom and Nos. 1, 2, and 3 shafts of the Gait Mines. He was bom at Patna, Ayrshire, Scotland, in 1842. His father, an English mining engineer and geologist, had come to Scotland earlier and, being widowed, remarried there. William Stafford was the only son of this union and, after a Scottish education, he followed his father's calling. He married Jane Gibb, who was born in Auchinlech, Ayrshire, Scotland, on December 31st, 1863. Four years later he emigrated to Westville, Nova Scotia, to become manager of coal mines in that area and resided there with his wife and three child­ ren until 1882. In that year William Stafford was engaged by Sir Alexander Gait to come west as the first manager and superintendant of the North Western Coal and Navigation Company. (The westward trip was made with a party consisting of his son, William, and a group of hand- picked associates—miners known to him—over the Whoop-up Trail to Fort Macleod.) Mr. Stafford immediately embarked on a thorough reconnaissance along the Bow, Belly, and Saskatchewan Rivers, eventually selecting a site on the Belly River, at a point then known as The Coal Banks, for the first mine. He began work, tunnelling directly into the face of the seam, at a point now directly under the CPR Bridge._ By December, 1882, coal was being taken from the mine, the beginning of the Gait Coal Co. ^More Important, this activity fixed the eventual location of the City of Lethbridge because miners homes and other businesses were built in the riverbottom area, moving _to the upper level after the building of a narrow gauge railway to Medicine Hat in 1885_^/ Markets were found as far afield as Fort Benton and Medicine Hat with river barges supplying the first transport. In 1883 Mr. Stafford returned to Nova Scotia, bringing back with him to Coal Banks his wife, the remainder of his family, and another group of selected miners. Two additional mines were opened along the river north of tlie original diggings and the family settled at the Coal Banks. In 1894 Mr. Stafford became Inspector of Mines and was succeeded as Mines Superintendant by W. D. L. Hardie. By this time also he had become Interested in ranching and resigned from the company to follow that pursuit. A spacious ranch house, which was to become a community and social centre, was built in the riverbottom north of the present traffic bridge. And to provide accommodation for the increasing number of miners, he purchased and sub-divided as lots for miners houses, the area that became known as Staffordville. Real estate, as well as ranching, occupied much of Mr. Stafford's time after his resignation from the coal company and, at the time of his death on May 12, 1907, he was operating a private coal mine north of Lethbridge near Carmangay. Mr. Stafford was the first chairman of the School Board in Lethbridge in 1886 and was one of the first managers of the First Presbyterian Church in 1885. He is buried in the family plot in Mountain View Cemetery, Lethbridge. Tribute by Rev. John McLean.—"William Stafford was a man of brains and energy, cool, clear­ headed, and sympathetic. He never had an accident from fire damp in any mine he had charge of, and was so careful of the lives and welfare of the miners and their families that he erected a powder magazine a mile from the mine and worked there several times daily for the necessary 'charge', never entrusting that bit of work to anyone lest there might be a mishap and an explosion." As mentioned above, Mrs. Stafford and the remainder of the family came west with Mr. Stafford in 1883. A home was built at 'Coal Banks' for the family, where they resided until 1888, moving to the large house north of the traffic bridge known as the Stafford Ranch. After the death of Mr. Stafford In 1907, the family moved to the city where Mrs. Stafford died on March 24, 1925. Tribute by Mrs. Charles McKillop.—Mrs. Stafford was one of the grandest women. She left Nova Scotia where she and her family enjoyed the best of social, educational, medicinal, and rliglous privileges, for the call of the West. From the time of her coming, she Interested herself in western conditions and her home was always open and a welcome waited all. She was a great spirit, a friend to all, and her name is a household word in the homes of all old- timers, and when she passed to her reward she was mourned by all." The members of the Stafford family were: William Stafford Jr., who came west with his father in 1882, later left Lethbridge, and lived in Vancouver. Henry Stafford, who contacted typhoid fever within three weeks of the family arrival in Coal Banks, died, and is burled in the 'Stafford Graveyard' in the riverbottom. R. H. Stafford, who lived most of his adult life in Vancouver. David Stafford, who in 1935 resided at Headquarters in B. C. Mrs. H. E. Kelley, in 1935 residing in Calgary. J. W. Stafford, in 1935 resided in Edmonton. George Stafford, in 1935 resided in Lethbridge Mrs. N. B. Peat, born in Lethbridge and lived in the city all her life, died in 1971. John Stafford, married Mary McKay. He was employed by the North Western Coal and Navigation Company and was a member of the first Lethbridge Colliery band. He died August 11, 1917. Agnes Stafford, married A. M. Ross, moving to Juneau, Alaska, as pioneers, later residing in Seattle, Washington, where she died February 26, 1925. A. B. Stafford, married Mary Donalda Mclntyre. He was employed in the C. F. Conybeare office. He later resigned and went to the Yukon in the Gold Rush of '98. When he returned he went into the hardware business. In 1915 he enlisted in the Great War and was promoted to the rank of Major in February, 1916. He went overseas in command of the 39th Battery, being killed in action June 17, 1917. Henrietta Stafford, was the first white child born in 'Coal Banks' on October 31, 1884. She died at the age of seven. Elliott Stafford, worked for many years as a civil engineer with the C.P.R. He died January 21th, 1919. Additional comments on some mesibers of the family are: William Stafford Jr. married Marion Ash, who died at an early age. Mrs. Ben Russell of Vancouver was a daughter. After leaving the North Western Coal and Navigation Company, he went into ranching, later retiring to Vancouver. Richard Stafford was employed by the North Western Coal and Navigation Company, later resigning. He went to the Yukon during the early gold rush. After retirement he lived in Vancouver. George Stafford married Catherine Gold. He was an employee of the first electric light plant in Lethbridge and, in 1935, was an engineer at the Lethbridge Laundry. David Stafford married Janet Dunlop of Nova Scotia. He served his apprenticeship with the A. R. & I. In 1935 he was Master Mechanic for a large corporation at Headquarters, B. C. Jean Stafford, later Mrs. H. E. Kelley, was only two years old when the family arrived in Lethbridge. She took an active part in community affairs and was musically inclined. J. W. Stafford married Catherine Robertson. He entered the Civil Service in the Dominion Lands Office branch, served in Lethbridge and Ottawa and, in 1935, was in charge of the Provincial Land Department, Edmonton. Annie Stafford was a native daughter. She was educated in Lethbridge and married Norman B. Peat. ******* GALT GARDENS Gait Gardens, the heart of the city of Lethbridge, encircled with tall trees of many varieties and accented with color in beds of variegated flowers are the largest formal gardens and the most beautiful between Winnipeg and Vancouver. Eight to ten acres of brown prairie in 1880 where bull teams were staked for freighting goods over the southern part of Alberta has been converted into a beauty spot with lobelia lending a gay note of color and the formality of long stretches of grass is relieved by clusters of silver birches, elm, ash, and golden willow. In 1885 this piece of land was reserved for a park, being given to the city by Sir Alexander Gait, one of the Fathers of Confederation after whom the gardens were named. Trees were planted surrounding the large area in 1898 with buckets of water being carried to give them the required moisture. These trees were dug by citizens of the city from the river­ bottom and have now grown to a majectic height. Irrigation was introduced into Lethbridge in 1901 and the garden acreage benefitted from it and the foundation was laid for the present park. During the mayoralty of Ellas Adams in 1911 the idea of making a city park was formulated and in 1912, when George Hatch was mayor, the dream began to materialize. Bushes, trees, and flower borders were planted and sidewalks laid. Centering the park a square of 100 feet was held for many years by the Gait Company to prevent the property being cut into lots and it is in that square, with blue spruces forming a sombre background, relieved by quantities of red Cana lilies, a memorial tablet has been erected in memory of the boys of Lethbridge and district who lost their lives in the Great War. FRonting the tablet is a border of lobelia reflecting the glory of the August skies. A cairn to "Nick" Sheran, pioneer coal operator, is also in the park. There are no driveways through the park. It is kept as a beauty spot for nature lovers and proves a haven of rest and shade for shoppers and those dwelling in apartments. The Board of Trade building and the Carnegie Library are the only two buildings bordering the park. ******* The first automobile in Lethbridge was owned by Elliott T. Gait and the second by Manfred Freeman, former commissioner of public utilities. ******* The first bank in Lethbridge was the Union Bank. This was the first chartered bank west of Winnipeg. ******* Thomas McPherson drove the first locomotive into Lethbridge in August, 1885. Only 43 working days had been occupied in laying the track for the narrow gauge railway line between Leth­ bridge and Dunmore, a distance of 109 miles. ******* The first saddlery and harness shop was operated by Sam Horner and Henry Hutchinson. ******* W. D. McDougall was the first shoemaker. He set up in business in 1885. ******* The Gait Company operated a sawmill on the river bottom at a spot beneath the present high level bridge. Mining props and railway ties were floated down from the company's timber limit on the south branch of the Old Man River. The last season of these operations was in 1890. ******* The first druggist in Fort Macleod and Lethbridge, and the first postmaster in Lethbridge, was John D. Higlnbotham. Mr. Hlginbotham wrote "When The West Was Young" a valuable reference on early-day Lethbridge, now long out of print. ******* The first City Manager was John Tait Watson, who served from September 1, 1928, until he retired at the end of July, 1948, several months after his 71st birthday. Previously he was chief engineer of the city's power plant for 11 years. ******* First mayor of the Town of Lethbridge, in 1891, was Charles A. Magrath, who came to the West in 1885 as a land surveyor and land agent with the North Western Coal and Navigation Company, the venture which was founded by the Gait interests and which in 1889 was absorbed by the Alberta Railway and Coal Company. He helped organize the Lethbridge Board of Trade in 1889 with the purpose of securing the incorporation of Lethbridge as a town and was elected the Board's first president in 1889 and 1890. ******* HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF ALBERTA

— WHOOP-UP COUNTRY, CHAPTER

Number 2 NEWSLETTER April, 1972

Membership in the Whoop-up Country Chapter, Historical Society of Alberta, which includes a subscription to the quarterly Alberta Historical Review, newsletters, and notice of meetings, can be obtained for $4.00 per year. Send membership dues to: Mrs. Lucille Dalke, Treasurer, Whoop-up Country Chapter, P. 0. Box 974, Lethbridge, Alberta

SOCIETY OFFICERS FOR 1971-1972 President Alex Johnston, Marquis Hotel Past President Frank A. Russell, Box 326 Vice-president George Watson, 1409-9th Avenue S Second Vice-president Carlton Stewart, 1005 - 23 St N Secretary Vacant Treasurer Mrs. Lucille Dalke, 638 - 9 St S Council Member (1974) A. H. L. Somerville, 1312-15 St S Council Member (1974) George McKillop, 1219 - 6 Av S Council Member (1973) Clarence Geiger, 1265-5AvAS Council Member (1973) Ray Schuler, 2630 - 22 Av S Council Member (1972) R. I. Baker, Box 14, Coaldale Council Member (1972) Andrew Staysko, 1404 - 9 Av A S Social Convenor Mrs. Nora Everson, 1408 - 9 Av A £

APRIL MEETING OF SOCIETY The regular April meeting of the Society will be held on Tuesday, April 25th, at 8:00 p.m., in the Assembly Room of the Sir Alexander Gait Museum. The program will consist of the premiere showing of a Society-sponsored film on "The Whoop-up Trail" as well as the showing of slides on the Trail. The film has been prepared by Carlton Stewart, Vice-president. Come to the meeting and see how the Whoop-up Trail looks today, 100 years after it saw active use. ******* THE GALT ENTERPRISES IN SOUTHERN ALBERTA Two sons of Sir Alexander Tillock Gait followed the lure of the West. John Gait, in 1882 formed a partnership with his cousin, George F. Gait, and set up a wholesale and import business in Winnipeg. Elliott T. Gait, in 1879, entered the Department of the Interior at Ottawa, was transferred to the West, and was made Assistant Indian Commissioner with headquarters at Reglna. During his 1897 travels, Elliott Gait saw the coal mine being worked by Nicholas Sheran at the "Coalbanks", made a preliminary survey of coal outcrops in the region, and took samples east for analysis. Results were so good that he forwarded the report to his father, Sir Alexander, with a view to securing the cooperation of the latter and his friends in its development. Sir Alexander Gait was attracted to the proposal and brought it to the attention of English friends. William Lethbridge, a publisher from Devon and member of the distributing firm of W. H. Smith and Son, took an interest, as did his partner, the Honorable W. H. Smith, and William Ashmead Bartlett Burdett-Coutts, a young American who had recently married the aged but immensely wealthy Baroness Angela Burdett-Coutts. Each member isubscrlbed 2,000 Ga,lt Enterprises Railtvays Irrigation Main Canals

Scale = 35 miles to I inch

MAP OF THE GALT ENTERPRISES IN THE WEST

pounds to meet preliminary expenses. Nicholas Bryant, a mining engineer from Nova Scotia, was hired to conduct initial surveys of the western coal fields. (Bryant later brought west Wm. Stafford, first Mining Superintendant.) Four promising 320-acre coal locations were leased from the Canadian government in 1882. Two of these were at Coalbanks (modern Lethbridge), one was at Woodpecker (modern Barnwell), and one at Blackfoot Crossing (modern Cluny). A company was organized, the Northwestern Coal and Navigation Company, with William Lethbridge as president and a capital of 50,000 pounds to mine and market the coal. (The company has been called the North Western, Northwest, or North West Coal and Navigation Company in various-reports.) In DEcember, 1882, William Stafford opened Drift Mines Nos. 1 and 2, Coal Lease No. 4, at a point in the riverbottom at Lethbridge now marked by a "Miner's Cairn". For the timbering of the mine and to provide lumber for company buildings, a timber limit of 50 square miles was obtained in the Porcupine Hills. A portable saw mill was brought from eastern Canada by steamer up the Missouri River to Fort Benton, and thence by bull team to' the limit. To transport timbers from the limit to Lethbridge, the company purchased a bull-train and a mule-train of its own. The bull-train consisted of four teams, each of 16 oxen, pulling three wagons capable of carrying 11 tons, or 44 tons for the train. The mules, bought in St. Louis, likewise were divided into four teams, each of 16 mules, drawing the same load. On a good day the bulls made about 12 miles, the mules, 18 miles. The company moved Its portable saw mill from the Porcupines to Lethbridge about 1883 and continued to operate it there until about 1888. In June, 1891, Charles Ora Card purchased the saw mill machinery and moved it to the Lee's Creek colony. Additional timber limits were secured on the Northwest Branch of the Oldman River, where railroad ties were obtained In addition to mine timbers. Still later, when the company decided to ship in lumber from the Bow valley, it secured timber limit "N", west of Banff. Lake Louise was within that timber limit. The next problem was to transport the coal to market—the Canadian Pacific Railway then being built across the plains. Gait and his associates decided to use the river and to float the coal in steamboats and barges downriver to Medicine Hat, where the CPR was to cross the South Saskatchewan. Captain Todd, an experienced river captain from Pittsburgh, was brought in as advisor and said the scheme was feasible. Early in 1883 timbers were hauled from the Porcupine Hills to Lethbridge and a steamer, the Baroness, named after the Baroness Burdett- Coutts, was built. It was 173 feet long, 30 feet in the beam, drew about 24 inches of water, and was designed to handle six barges with a capacity of about 1,000 tons of coal. At the same time, timbers for a second steamer, the Alberta, were brought by CPR to Medicine Hat. In spring 1884 the Baroness was floated downriver to Medicine Hat where both steamers received their machinery, brought in by rail from Pittsburgh. About 3,000 tons of coal were delivered to the CPR by boat and barge during the short navigation season of 1884. Difficulties can be guessed at from the fact that a steamer could make the trip downriver from Lethbridge in eight hours but took five days to return. Therefore, Gait's attention turned to a railway. The CPR indicated Its willingness to sign an agreement to take 20,000 tons of coal, at five dollars per ton, per year for five years, dell'vered in Dunmore. Also, the CPR promised reasonable freight rates on coal to points along their line. Gait proposed to build a narrow gauge railway, three feet instead of the usual four feet, eight and one-half Inches, from Lethbridge to Dunmore, a distance of 109 miles. At Ottawa, he succeeded in getting a promise of land grants, cut from the usual 6,400 acres to 3,840 acres per mile, and the privilege of buying 10,000 acres of coal land in and around Lethbridge at $10 per acre. The capital of the company was doubled, the greater part being subscribed in London. The railway began in spring, 1885, and was completed in September. In May Lethbridge was planned and staked out. Streets were 100 feet wide. A 10-acre space was provided in the center of the original townslte,first intended to be a turning ground for bull and mule trains taking freight from the railway. (Later the plot was used for sports, then converted to Gait Gardens.) During the Riel Rebellion of 1885 the company steamers were used in the transport of men and supplies. All travelled to Edmonton and one, the Alberta, returned to Lethbridge. Another service rendered by the company was to build North-WEst Mounted Police posts at Fort Macleod, Medicine Hat, and Maple Creek, all of which were completed in 1885. For several years the company operated ferries at Lethbridge, Kipp, and Fort Macleod. A mail stage was run between Medicine Hat, Lethbridge, and Fort Macleod, a distance of 140 miles. With relays of horses every 30 miles the distance was covered in 24 hours. Depression Instead of prosperity followed completion of the CPR in 1886. Western Canada did not offer sufficient markets for Gait coal and the company looked to the United States. In 1889 the Alberta Railway and Coal Company was formed, absorbing the Northwest Coal and Navigation Company. It obtained a charter to build a narrow gauge road from Lethbridge to Coutts, a distance of 65 miles, for which the company received a land grant of 6,400 acres per mile. In Montana a charter was secured, in the name of the Great Falls and Canada Railway Company, to build 135 miles of line from Coutts to Great Falls. The road was completed in September, 1890. As a result of all the land grants the company found Itself with over 800,000 acres in its possession. It was essential to sell or settle a large part as soon as possible to meet current outlays and to create local markets. This was not an easy task in view of depression and the arid nature of the lands in question. The Lethbridge Land Company may have been formed about this time. Gait and his associates realized the possibilities of irrigation on a large scale. The Belly and St. Mary Rivers flowed through their holdings and much land could be irrigated easily. Help was received from Mormon settlers on Lee's Creek (modern Cardston). The Mormons had pioneered modern western irrigation, running water on land in Utah as early as the 1840's. They had developed a labor system that largely overcame difficulties of finance. Canals were dug by the common labor of settlers, each doing work in proportion to the number of acres to be irrigated. Companies were formed and stock issued on that basis. Only a common religious tie and a highly organized system of government could have made such a system work. In 1892 the Alberta Railway and Coal Company was given the right to construct irrigation works. A year later a separate company, the Alberta Irrigation Company, was chartered for the purpose. (The company was reorganized in 1899 as the Canadian North West Irrigation Company.) In 1897 George G. Anderson of Denver was employed to find the cost and feasibility of an irrigation system sufficient to bring the company's waste lands into use. It was decided to proceed with the work. The main canal was completed from the St. Mary's River to Lethbridge, a distance of 90 miles, by August, 1900, and many miles of laterals were dug in the Immediately following years. The irrigation districts lay at right angles to the company's Montana line (see map). Thus it was decided to build a railway to give easy access to these districts. A narrow gauge road was built by the St. Mary's River Railway Company to run from Stirling to Cardston, 47 miles southwest. Still further to assist settlement the company in 1901 aided Jesse Knight in establishing the sugar beet industry in southern Alberta. (The Industry died out during WWl but began again with the development of better varieties and fertilizers during the 1920's.) In March, 1893, the company undertook the erection of about 60 miles of telephone line from Lethbridge to Cardston and on to the NWMP post on the St. Mary River, a few miles north of the Boundary. A subsidy was secured from Ottawa sufficient to pay for the wire and erection of poles. Mormon settlers cut poles in the foothills and delivered them along the line as staked out. The line was completed in 1894. Further expansion of the company occurred in 1902 when 500,000 acres of land adjoining te company's holdings were purchased for $3.00 per acre, subject to a rebate conditional upon the company spending $700,000 on irrigation development. This involved the enlarging of the St. Mary's canal and the building of a new canal from the Milk River. In March, 1901, the company engaged W. H. Fairfield, then in Wyoming, to start a model irrigated farm a few miles southeast of Lethbridge. Later the company donated 400 acres to the Canadian Department of Agriculture to start the Experimental Station, W. H. Fairfield becoming its first Superintendant. (THe Experimental Station was amalgamated with the Science Service Entomological Laboratory to become the Research Station.) In 1890 Gait had built and endowed a hospital, enlarged and a residence for nurses added by Elliott Gait. The property was transferred to the City of Lethbridge in 1913. In 1904 the four companies. Alberta Railway & Coal Company, Canadian North West Irrigation Company, Lethbridge Land Company (?), and the St. Mary's River Railway Company, were consolidated into the Alberta Railway and Irrigation Company, In 1905 A. M. Nanton took over as Managing Director because Elliott Gait's health had failed. The CPK was in control by 1908 and owned the amalgamated company outright by 1911. Previously, In 1893, the CPR had bought the line from Lethbridge to Dunmore. The Coutts-Great Falls line was sold in 1901 to J. J. Hill of the Great Northern Railway. In all the Gaits formed five or six companies in connection with the southern Alberta enterprises. It would have been easy to have secured legislation to extend the powers of any one company. THe trouble was that shareholders would not take on further financing. Companies were: Northwestern Coal & Navigation Company, formed 1882, absorbed by A. R. & C. in 1889; Alberta Railway & Coal Company, formed 1889, absorbed by A. R. & I. in 1904; Lethbridge Land Company, established about 1890, absorbed by A. R. & I. in 1904 (there is some doubt about the existence of this company); Alberta Irrigation Company, formed 1893, became the Canadian North West Irrigation Company in 1899, absorbed by A. R. & I. in 1904; Great Falls £> Canada Railway Company, formed 1889, sold to J. J. Hill in 1901; St. Mary's River Railway Company, formed 1898, absorbed by A. R. & I. in 1904; Alberta Railway & Irrigation Company, formed 1904, absorbed by CPR about 1911. HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF ALBERTA

•^ WHOOP-UP COUNTRY, CHAPTER

Number 3 NEWSLETTER June, 1972

Membership in the Whoop-up Country Chapter, Historical Society of Alberta, which Includes a subscription to the quarterly Alberta Historical Review, newsletters, and notice of meetings, can be obtained for $4.00 per year. Send membership dues to: Mrs. Lucille Dalke, Treasurer, Whoop-up Country Chapter, P. 0. Box 974, Lethbridge, Alberta

SOCIETY OFFICERS FOR 1971-1972 President Alex Johnston, Marquis Hotel Past President Frank A. Russell, Box 326 Vice-president George Watson, 1409-9th Av. So. Second vice-president Carlton Stewart, 1005-23rd St. N. Secretary Vacant Treasurer (and Acting Secretary) Mrs. Lucille Dalke, 638-9th St So. Council Member (1974) A. H. L. Somerville, 1312-15 St. So Council Member (1974) George McKillop, 1219-6th Av. So. Council Member (1973) Clarence Geiger, 1265-5th Av A So. Council Member (1973) Ray Schuler, 2630-22nd Av. So. Council Member (1972) R. I. Baker, Box 14, Coaldale Council Member (1972) Andrew Staysko, 1404-9th Av. A So. Social Convenor Mrs. Nora Everson, 1408-9th Av . A. So.

BRIEF HISTORY OF LETHBRIDGE FIRE DEPARTMENT by Fire Inspector D. Kometz The Lethbridge Fire Department began in 1886 as a volunteer effort, in a building located at the site of the present No. 1 Fireball. Men from all walks of life turned out to a fire at the sound of an alarm with hand drawn and hand operated equipment. It was not until 1903 that horse drawn equipment was put into service and even this was taken to the fire by the first team of horses to arrive at the hall. The team used was paid $5.00 for each run made. In 1906 Lethbridge was incorporated as a city and a steam engine pump was purchased, part of which is still located at the Sir Alexander Gait Museum. This forced the hiring of a steam engineer and the appointment of Thomas Kroning as Chief of the Department. The Department took great strides around 1909 by progressing to a full-time paid depart­ ment under the direction of Chief Kilkeny. Twenty men were hired, to work 24 hours a day, and to operate five pieces of equipment that included an ambulance. In actual fact, with all 20 men turning out immediately to all fires, their first response was 6 men better than we have today. It was at this time also that the present Headquarters building was constructed; it housed at the time the City offices and the Police Department. Number 2 Station was constructed on 13th Street North. Chief Hardy took over in 1911 and brought in the first motor driven equipment with units arriving in 1913, 1917, and 1919. These were all chain driven, solid tired units. In 1924 'the two-platoon system was adopted whereby the men worked only 10 hours on day shift and 14 hours on night shift, 7 days a week. (The hours of work per man over the years since have been rduced to the present 42-hour week.) In 1925 a Webb triple combination truck was received which included a 65-foot ladder. The ladder was later mounted on a newer truck and can still be seen around town, now owned by a local restaurant. Chief Lindsay was appointed In 1935 and carried on until 1944 when Chief W. H. Short took over. Much equipment was purchased and improvements made during Chief Short's administration. Some of the equipment is still in service, such as a '47 LaFrance Pump, a '55 85-foot aerial ladder, and a '61 LaFrance Pump. In 1962 our present chief, Chief W. L. Russell, was appointed and again many improvements were made, for example, the opening of No. 3 Fireball in 1963, the beginning of the Fire Prev­ ention Bureau in 1964, and purchase of new equipment including a '67 squad car, 2 half-ton trucks, 2 ambulances, 2 pumpers, a rescue boat, plus much new and improved small equipment. The year 1970 saw the old No. 2 Station on 13th Street North demolished with a new No. 2 Station being built in the Industrial Park area of the City. A new 100-foot aerial is on order. ******* HISTORY OF CIVIC GOVERNMENT IN LETHBRIDGE By T. L. "Tommy" Ferguson- Originally Lethbridge was a "Company Town", owned and operated by the North-West Coal & Navigation Company. It can be assumed that, from the date of the official naming of the Post Office on October 15, 1885, all development was controlled in some way through the officer: of the coal company. It does appear that all commercial operations, other than the coal and railway operations, were privately operated. However, there was an active Board of Trade and its members presented a petition to the Government of the North-West Territories in Reglna in 1890 asking that Lethbridge be incorpor­ ated as a town. The petition was favorably received and, at the third session of the first Legislative Assembly of the North-West Territories, an ordinance was passed to incorporate the town. It was given royal assent by Lieutenant-Governor Joseph Royal on November 29, 1890. The ordinance outlined the land to be included in the new town, which covered the area starting at the Belly River (later re-named the Oldman), thence easterly along what is now 5th Avenue North to 13th Street North, north on 13th Street to 9th Avenue North, east on 9th Avenue to 28th Street North, thence south to 10th Avenue South (now called South Parkside Drive), thence westerly to the river. Being a company town, the owners apparently agreed to the incorporation with the reser­ vation that a section be included which exempted from taxation for a period of 20 years, except for school taxes, all of the coal worked properties of the North-West Coal & Navigation Co. and the railway lines of the Alberta Railway & Coal Company. The only exceptions were dwellings or rentable buildings that were not directly connected with coal mining or railway operations. When the Ordinance received royal assent, and in accordance with its provisions, the Lieutenant-Governor in Council appointed a Returning Officer, Stephen Alexander, to take the votes of the people on the question as to whether or not the ordinance was to come into force and Lethbridge to become an incorporated community. The vote was taken on December 29, 1890. Unfortunately, I have been unable to find any record of the votes for and against the incorporation. It did carry, however, and on January 15, 1891, a further proclamation was issued setting January 26th as nomination day, and February 2nd as election day, with the results to be declared at noon on February 3rd and the first meeting of the new council to be held on the same day at 2:00 p.m. Charles Alexander Magrath, the first Mayor, and the six new Councillers were duly sworn and the Mayor included these remarks in his inaugural address, "Though coal mining is at present our only industry yet we are safe in predicting that others will be started in the near future... An abundance of pure crystal water is to be found running past our town, an absolute requisite for any manufacturing industry... In conclusion it is hardly necessary for me to add that, as elected public servants, elected to carry out the will of the people, we are expected to lay aside all personal interests and work together in harmony in order that the future citizens of Lethbridge may be able to look back with pride on her first civic officers." At a later meeting committees were appointed to cover the various functions of civic administration as follows: Finance; Assessment & Taxation; Fire, water & Light; License & Police; and. Health. Each of these committees would report in detail at each Council meeting and their reports would be accepted by Council as a whole if they were in agreement. •This form of government continued until the Province of Alberta was formed in 1905. With the formation of the province, application was made for a City Charter and this was granted on May 9, 1906. Provision was made that the existing Council members would continue in office, three Aldermen until the end of 1906, and the Mayor and three Aldermen to the end of 1907. There were apparently no complications in the change-over from a town to a city. During the next few years some accomplishments were made that are still visible. Adams and Henderson Parks were established when the city acquired the necessary land from the Alberta Railway & Irrigation Company. The Agricultural Grounds were moved from what is now Gyro Park and was then known as Victoria Park to the present location east of Henderson Lake, where the world's Dry Farming Congress was held in 1912. Lethbridge moved along through the Boom years, prior to the start of World War 1. The opening up of great areas of land in close proximity of Lethbridge to homesteaders in 1911 and 1912 made this city a jumping off place for southern Alberta. With the booming economy, which as soon to fall flat on its face, changes in the form of civic government came before the ople of Lethbridge. A type of commission form of government was being tried in many places and the people of Lethbridge decided they would convert to this new type of civic administration with three elected commissioners taking over the operation of the city. These would be the Mayor, who would be also the Commissioner of Finance, a Commissioner of Public Works, and a Commissioner of Public Utilities. Application was made to the Legislature for a new Charter Incorporating this new form of civic government and on March 25, 1913, a new Lethbridge Charter was assented to and came Into force. The first elections were to be held on the second Monday in December with the Mayor being elected for a term of four years, the Commissioner of Public Works for three years, and the Commissioner of Public Upilities for two years. There would be no elections in 1914 and thereafter only one office would become vacant in each year commencing in 1915 and the person elected would hold that position for three years. These commissioners would, of course, appoint all the required administration positions such as City Clerk, City Solicitor, Auditors, City Engineer, City Treasurer, License Inspectors, Assessors, and so on. A study of the minutes of the meetings of the Commissioners held during this form of administration is quite interesting in that there were only three voting members and business must have been handled with dispatch. Meetings could be arranged to suit the convenience of the Commissioners although they did hold them usually at times convenient to the general public. The Commissioners were actually full-time employees. Comparative positions in our present administrative set-up would be Finance Director, Engineering Director, and Utilities Director. After a period of years, rumblings of discontent were heard. True elections were held each year but there was only one position to fill. Eventually the rumblings reached the stage where a change was felt necessary and on March 28, 1922, legislation was enacted by the Provincial government authorizing the election of three advisory commissioners who would become part of City Council. These men were elected for the first time immediately after the passing of the enabling legislation with the one receiving the highest number of votes to hold office to December 31, 1925, the second to DEcember 31, 1924, and the third to December 31, 1923. Each of the advisory Commissioners would receive $5.00 per meeting attended. X might add that the Mayor's salary was set at $4,000 and each of the full-time Commissioners at $3,500. A review of the situation with regard to civic government again came up and on January 10, 27, Council passed a resolution arranging that a plebiscite be held as to the possibility of ^. nstituting a City Manager form of government. The voting was held on October 7, 1927, and 1,464 voted in favor and 318 against the proposal. Immediate application was made for a new charter. This was granted and assented to on March 21, 1928, to become effective on July 1st of that year. Under this charter the electors would choose seven councillers. From this number one would be elected by the seven as Mayor. The Council would appoint a City Manager who would be responsible for the entire operation of the city. Council would retain the right to appoint certain key officials, such as City Clerk, Solicitor, Auditor, Treasurer, etc. This form of government is still in effect in the City with the exception that, in 1961, following the results of a plebiscite, the ratepayers asked that they be allowed to elect the Mayor. At the election held in October, 1962, the Mayor was elected by the voters and it has continued in that form. (If I may be permitted to say so, without prejudice. It is my personal opinion that this deviation is away from the true form of Managerial Government at the municipal level.) And now we have to backtrack a little to get the existing provincial legislation into perspective. Immediately after the ending of World War 2, the provincial government began work on a uniform act to cover all cities in the province. This was to be known as the City Act and was to place all the cities in the province on the same basis. You can appreciate that all cities in the province had their own individual charter or act and some were given powers to do certain things that others could not. Often in the attracting of industry, certain cities could compete unfairly by offering concessions that others could not. The work involved was tremendous. Drafts of the new act were drawn up and studied, revised and rewritten,and started all over again until all were in agreement. Some of the provisions in some city acts were carried over into the new act, for example, the City of Lethbridge was granted continuance of the power to prepare a voters list for non-property owners by a system of voluntary registration and this continues. The act came into force on January 1, 1952. Lethbridge also retained the right to elect a Mayor from among the elected Aldermen. In 1955 the uniform city act was revised and re-enacted with some minor changes. Lethbridge still retained its two special rights. However, after the pleliscite of 1961 showed that the people wished to elect their own Mayor an application had to be made to the ^egislature to have the permissive section repealed. This was done during the 1962 session of e legislature. In 1967 it was decided that the City Act would be repealed and a new act instituted to be known as the Municipal Government Act. The_new act would apply to all cities, towns, villages, summer villages, and municipal districts in the province. It came into effect on June 1, 1968. All reference to elections and election procedures were dropped from the new Municipal Government Act and a separate statute was enacted to cover this. Terms of all elected representatives on council, school and hospital boards vill expire in October and all will be filled for three year terms. This applies to the Mayor, eight Aldermen, seven Public School and five Separate School trustees, four Municipal Hospital and two Auxiliary Hospital Board members. There are many boards and commissions in the City and following is a rundown on the functions of the various boards and how they came into being. Nearly all of the Boards are established by provincial legislation or by provincial order-in-council or by city by-laws. The Public Library Board consists of 7 members, one of whom is the Mayor and the other 6 are appointed by City Council. Tliey are appointed two in each year for three years so there is continuity. The Library Board is an autonomous board operating under the authority granted by the Alberta Library Act. There are several bodies in the city on which the City has to have direct representation either by reason of provincial regulations or by the constitution of the organization concerned. By Order-in-council 4 .members of Council form the Board of the Lethbridge Health Unit. By the same means two members of Council are required to sit on the Board of the Oldman River Regional Planning Commission, and by the same token an Alderman is appointed to the Green Acres Found­ ation Board. One Alderman is invited to represent the City on each of the following: Lethbridge & District Exhibition Board, Travel & Convention Association of Southern Alberta, and the Lethbridge & District Japanese Garden Society. Then we have 8 boards or commissions established by City By-law: Boxing & Wrestling Commission, with 6 members but no council representation; Court of Revision, to hear assess­ ment appeals, consists of 3 members all from outside the city administration; Development Appeal Board, to hear appeals from decisions by the Municipal Planning Commission, consists of 5 members of whom 2 are Aldermen; Economic Development Commission, made up of 7 members (6 citizens and the City Manager); Social Service Advisory Committee, 8 members, one the City Welfare Superintendant, one appointed by United Appeal, and 6 interested citizens, one of whom is an Alderman; Parks & Recreation Commissi^on, 9 members with one Alderman, one from each_of the School Boards, and 6 interested citizens ^There have been changes in this commission. Edj_/; Police Commission, of 7 members, 5 citizens, Alderman, and City Manager; and, Municipal Plan­ ning Commission, 6 members, 3 city officials and 3 members of City Council. Usually, in accordance with the regulations set out in the various covering by-laws, members are appointed for 2- or 3-year terms. Some years ago Council passed a by-law of general application that read: "No person shall be reappointed by resolution of the Council of the City of Lethbridge to serve on a committee where he has already served on that committee for the previous six preceding years." Council has established two or three committees to help in the dispatch of Council business. These do not make final decisions but rather make recommendations to Council for approval. Two of these are the Budget Committee and the Finance Committee. The Budget Comm­ ittee reviews the budget, which is prepared by the City Manager, and after discussion makes a recommendation to City Council. The Finance Committee operates in much the same way, dealing mostly with matters referred to it by City Council and returning them after study. There is. also a Land Sales Committee, made up of 3 members of Council, to make recommendations dealing with land transactions. There is a Traffic Committee of city administrative officers including the Chief Constable and the Director of the Regional Planning Commission. It deals with traffic problems and makes recommendations to Council re any changes in by-laws needed to implement their suggestions. The City Clerk attempts to keep a list of active people who are willing to serve on the various boards, commissions, and committees. If you are interested, you should leave your name with the City Clerk, with the nnme of the committee that interests you. There is no guarantee that you will receive an appointrient but your name will be considered by Council. *—* ***** HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF ALBERTA

WHOOP-UP COUNTRY. CHAPTER

Number 4 NEWSLETTER August, 1972

Membership in the Whoopup Country Chapter, Historical Society of Alberta, which includes a subscription to the quarterly Alberta Historical Review, newsletters, and notice of meetings, can be obtained for $4.00 per year. Send membership dues to: Mrs. Lucille Dalke, Treasurer, Whoop-up Country Chapter, P. 0. Box 974, Lethbridge, Alberta

SOCIETY OFFICERS FOR 1971-1972 President Alex Johnston, Marquis Hotel Past President Frank A. Russell, Box 326 Vice-president George Watson, 1409-9th Av. S. Second Vice-president Carlton Stewart, 1005-23rd St. N. Secretary Vacant Treasurer (and Acting Secretary) Mrs. Lucille Dalke, 638-9th St. S. Council Member (1974) A. H. L. Somerville, 1312-15 St S. Council Member (1974) George McKillop, 1219 - 6 Av. S. Council Member (1973) Clarence Geiger, 1265 - 5 Av A S. Council Member (1973) Ray Schuler, 2630-22nd Av. S. Council Member (1972) R. I. Baker, Box 14, Coaldale Council Member (1972) Andrew Staysko, 1404 - 9 Av A S Social Convenor Mrs. Nora Everson, 1408- 9 Av A S

SUMMER TOUR Two students have spent the summer in Lethbridge, working on the Canadian Inventory of Historic Buildings. Both work closely with the Provincial Museum and Archives of Alberta, Edmonton. The two students are Garratt Palmer, a major in Philosophy at the University of Lethbridge, and Bob Iverson, a major in Industrial Design, Department of Art, University of Alberta, Edmonton. They have recorded details of construction, photographed, and listed other details on a large number of Lethbridge buildings... The summer tour, it is hoped, will take the form of a conducted bus tour of the City of Lethbridge and a look at about 20 or so of the Historic buildings... We will announce a date of meeting, and other details, as soon as they are known. ******* HISTORIC MATERIALS FROM MR. W. A. KINGSFORD-LETHBRIDGE Recently the Sir Alexander Gait Museum received from Mr. W. A. Kingsford-Lethbridge, Wiltshire, England, two photograph albums entitled "Gait Irrigation Canal System, Southern Alberta, Canada, 1904" and "Alberta Railway and Coal Company". According to the accompanying letter, the donor unearthed the albums whilst going through his late father's possessions, and felt that they would be of historic value to the City of Lethbridge. Mr. Kingsford-Lethbridge went to the touble to deliver the albums to Alberta House, London, W. 1, and they were sent on to us by Mr. V. P. Dearlng, Administrative Officer. e pictures are indeed of historic interest to Lethbridge. Many show details of construction f the main canal, built during 1898-1900 from the headgates at Kimball to near Lethbridge. mTher e is a picture of Stirling, which started out as a construction camp along the canal. There are pictures of the railway bridge over the St. Mary River. And there are the pictures that form the basis of the articles that follow. ******* THE FAIRFIELD FARM, LETHBRIDGE, ALBERTA There is a farm field on the southeastern outskirts of Lethbridge, Alberta, that deserves an honoured place in the agricultural history of the province.

Alfalfa field on the "Model Farm", Lethbridge, where soil from Wyoming was spread and Rhizobium introduced to the irrigated lands of southern Alberta about 1904. Today it is part of the Fairfield Farm, which is rented by John Schulz. But in 1901 it' was known as the "Model Farm", set up by the Canadian North West Irrigation Company, the organ­ ization that brought water to the dry plains of southern Alberta in August, 1900. Charles Alexander Magrath managed the Canadian North West Irrigation Company-. He realized at an early date that, with the exception of Mormon farmers around Cardston, Magrath and Stirling, most settlers were going to have to be taught irrigation skills. He began to look for a suitable instructor. Earlier Magrath had met a young mkn named Harry Fairfield. Harry Fairfield told Magrath about his brother, William Harmon Fairfield, who had a Master's degree in agriculture from the University of Colorado and who was Director of the Agricultural Experiment Station and an Assistant Professor at the University of Wyoming at Laramie. Magrath got in touch with W. H. Fairfield, liked what he saw, and was instrumental in the young professor giving up his job in Laramie and coming to Lethbridge. The arrangements were that Fairfield would be given 320 acres of potentially irrigable prairie land, to be called a "Model Farm". He was expected to run in ditches, plant trees, fence and break the property, and seed it to suitable crops. And he was expected to demonstrate good irrigated farming practices and to help to solve any problems encountered by the settlers. (Fairfield was to accomplish all of this and more in succeeding years.) From conversations with Charles Ora Card and other Mormon leaders, Fairfield sooti came to realize that alfalfa could not be grown in southern Alberta. The Mormons were quite familiar with the crop, having grown it in Utah, and knew of its high yielding potential and excellent livestock feeding value. But no matter what they did, alfalfa simply refused to grow for them in Alberta, stands remaining thin and p6or, and of low yield. Fairfield knew from his studies at university that, in 1888, only 13 years before, two German scientists had demonstrated that the bacteria contained in nodules on the roots of alfalfa were able to take nitrogen from the air and conveft it to a form that the plants could use. If the bacteria, which we now call Rhizobium, were not present in the soil, nodules did not form and alfalfa starved from lavk of nitrog'en. Fairfield's solution to the problem was dharacteristically direct. He wrote to Latamie and asked that a bagful of soil from an established alfalfa field be sent to him at Lethbridgj This was done and the soil was carefully scattered over a field newly-plafited to dlfalfa on tl Model Farm (see illustration, above). The new stand was successful and soil from the field was scattered in turn on alfalfa fields throughout the region. Soon Rhizobium was presetit every- where in soils of the irrigated areas of southern Alberta and alfalfa culture was assured. W. H. Fairfield went on to become the first Superintendant of the Lethbridge Experimental Station when it was formed in 1906, a position that he held until his retirement in 1945. Today le Lethbridge Experimental Station is called the Lethbridge Research Station and is the Irgest such facility operated by the Canadian Department of Agriculture. Many useful contrib- TTtlons have come from the Station in the past 66 years. But Dr. W. H. Fairfield's introduction of Rhizobium to the irrigated lands of southern Alberta remains high on the list of accomplish­ ments . ******* COMING OF MORMON SETTLERS TO SOUTHERN ALBERTA In 1886 Charles Ora Card, then at Cache Creek, Utah, was selected by President John Taylor of the Mormon Church to go north to Canada to seek new lands for colonization. He chose James Hendricks and Isaac Zundell to accompany him and, in September, the little group left Utah by train for Spokane Falls, Washington, wnere they intended to purchase saddle horses for the trip to Canada. They travelled northward through the valleys of British Columbia—up Kettle River to Rock Creek, then across to Osoyoos, and north along the Okanagon Lake—but noted that the best land for settlement was already taken up by ranchers or designated as Indian Reservation. Also, the mountain valleys of British Columbia were too narrow to permit of much expansion of the proposed Canadian colony. While unsuccessfully looking over possibilities in the Kamloops area they met an old mountaineer from Montana who told them of the grass-covered buffalo plains east of the Rockies. As a result of this conversation, the group sold their horses and took a train to Calgary, arriving there at 3 o'clock on the morning of October 14th, in the midst of a driving snowstorm. A day or two later Card and his associates bought a tram and buckboard and headed south towards Fort Macleod, the town that had only recently built up around the North-West Mounted Police barracks on the OLdnian River. From there they continued southward for a detailed look at the country and stopped at the junction of the Waterton and Belly Rivers, about 20 miles north of modern Cardston. Card was very impressed by the country along the north bank of the Waterton River in the vicinity of Standoff and wrote: "There is a fine district here.and an excellent place to form a settlement. Timber, except for the cottonwoods along the streams, is very scarce and is distant some 30 miles to the west. Coal at Lethbridge is some 30 miles to e east. I saw good wheat and oats raised on the Belly River, by the Blood Indians." The rty stayed for two days at the Indian Agency at Standoff, resting their lame horses and talking to local residents.

The town of Cardston in about 1904 Upon leaving Standoff on October 24th, Card and the others drove to the junction of Lee's tree k and the St. Mary River, about two miles northeast of modern Cardston, and camped over­ night. Then they returned to Logan, Utah, reported their findings, and were told by President John Taylor to select 40 families as settlers for Canada and to lead them there as soon as possible. The pioneer vanguard arrived back in Standoff in April, 1887, tried in vain to purchase land from the Cochrane ranch, and finally returned to Lee's Creek to look again at prospects there. On April 26, 1887, the decision was made to establish the new colony about three m±li upstream from the St. Mary River on Lee's Creek, the present site of Cardston. Initially the Mormons were looked upon with a good deal of suspicion, largely because of their views on plural marriage. In practice, only about three percent of Mormon males, and those mostly the leaders, were ever permitted to take more than one wife and, when the practice was declared to be illegal by the courts, it was stopped immediately by church authorities. Now few would disagree that the movement of the Mormons to southern Alberta was of inestimable value in opening up that section of western Canada. ******* WHITE SCHOOL White School, located Immediately north and a little west of the present McNally School complex, is now used as a dwelling. But for many years it served the District in which it stands, a district that was bounded on the north by the McLean School, on the east by Wilson School, on the south by th,e Community School, and on the west by the River Junction School.

>-^~:

5f /^'.. • 'S?*> »' *. , '2 M l-^->»i m

Oats on the farm of the Rev. Mr. J. G. Coulter White, 1904.

The school was named in honor of the Rev. Mr. J. G. Coulter White, a Baptist minister who purchased an irrigated farm from the Gaits in 1902. White's house was located at the site of the present Stewart Game Farm. His neighbors included W. H. Fairfield, then on the "Model Farm" immediately to the north, the Parry's (parents of Lethbridge's Charlie Parry) to the northeast, and the D. J. Whitney's to the northwest. All were on the southeastern outskirts of the city. The first teacher at W>ite School was Miss Florence Robinson, who married Bert Tiffin. In 1909 Miss Alberta Wyght taught there and later married Jack Tiffin; their son, Stan Tiffin, farms in the neighborhood today. One of the reasons why teachers married Tiffins was that Rubin Tiffin was an original trustee of White School and, according to his grandson, made sure that the teachers hired were attractive enough to appeal to his sons. ******* HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF ALBERTA

-^ WHOOP-UP COUNTRY, CHAPTER

Number 5 NEWSLETTER October, 1972

Membership in the Whoop-up Country Chapter, Historical Society of Alberta, which includes a subscription to the Quarterly Alberta Historical Review, newsletters, and notice of meetings, can be obtained for $4.00 per year. Send membership fee to: Mrs. Lucille Dalke, Treasurer, Whoop-up Country Chapter, P. 0. Box 974, Lethbridge, Alberta

SOCIETY OFFICERS FOR 1971-1972 President Alex Johnston, Marquis Hotel Past President Frank A. Russell, Box 326 Vice-president George Watson, 1409-9th Av So Second Vice-president Carlton Stewart, 1005-23rd St N Secretary Vacant Treasurer (and Acting Secretary) Mrs. Lucille Dalke, 638-9th St So Council Member (1974) A. H. L. Somerville, 1312-15th St So Council Member (1974) George McKillop, 1219 - 6th Av So Council Member (1973) Clarence Geiger, 1265 - 5th Av A Se Council Member (1973) Ray Schuler, 2630-22nd Av So Council Member (1972) R. I. Baker, Box 14, Coaldale Council Member (1972) Andrew Staysko, 1404-9th Av A So Social Convenor Mrs. Nora Everson, 1408-9th Av A So

OCTOBER MEETING The first "winter" meeting of the current season will be held at 8:00 p.m., on Tuesday, October 24th, in the Assembly Room of the Sir Alexander Gait Museum. We are fortunate in that the first speaker of the season will be James M. Parker, Archivist, Rutherford Library and Archives, University of Alberta, and President of the Historical Society of Alberta. Mr. Parker will speak to us on the topic FORT CHIPEWYAN: EMPORIUM OF THE NORTH. As you know. Alberta was exploited first for the furs of its northern forests. Peter Pond discovered the potential of the Athabasca country in the 1780's and established a post near Lake Athabasca and grew a garden there as early as 1788. He is credited with being Alberta's first agriculturist. At that early time the open plains of Alberta were useful only in that, they provided buffalo from which was made the pemmican that sustained the northern fur trade. Fort Chipewyan was established by Roderick McKenzie about 1789. It was the "jumping-off" place for many important expeditions, including those of Sir Alexander McKenzie. Mr. Parker taught school at Fort "Chip" for a couple of years and has many slides of the community and locality. His talk is one that you will not want to miss. Light refreshments will be served. Remember, that is James M. Parker, President, Historical Society of Alberta FORT CHIPEWYAN: EMPORIUM OF THE NORTH 8:00 p.m., Tuesday, October 24th, 1972 Assembly Room Sir Alexander Gait Museum ******* AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF FRANK BROWN The story that follows is not a spectacular one. Rather, it was probably fairly typical of the period. Frank Brown pioneered in the Cardston district, arriving there after a wagon trip involving considerable danger and hardship. He and Mrs. Brown raised eight children to maturity, all of whom did well in life. His grandchildren continue a tradition of accomplish­ ment and have taken their place in the professional and technical ranks of our society. Here is his autobiography. I am the 4th son and 9th child of Homer Brown and Sarah Ann Woolf Brown. I was born on the 26th day of November 1870 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Father had two families—in fact, three—for he at one time had three wives, my mother being the first wife, her sister, Hannah Elizabeth, the second, and the third wife's given name was Bertha. I did not know her surname. She had one child. Aunt Eliza fourteen, and ray mother ten. When I was about 5 or 6 years old father moved mother and her family to Hyde Park, Cache County, Utah, about 100 miles north from Salt Lake City. I was baptised there. When I was about 9 or 10 years old father moved mother and her family to Rabbit Valley, a place about 200 miles south from Salt Lake City. I well remember this 300-mile trip with ox teams. I was hardly big enough to lift one of the big ox whips, but I used to drive sometimes. I remember some of the dangerous roads, espec­ ially the dug-way on the Sevier River. We had three wagons hitched together and several yokes of cattle on each train, which made it very dangerous in making some of the short turns. We only stayed in Rabbit Valley 14 years. Then we moved back to Salt Lake City where we lived for about 2 years. Father sold all of his property in Salt Lake City and moved both families out to Taylor- ville, about 12 miles southwest from Salt Lake City. Here father and mother separated, and in a few years I started out for myself at the age of 16. I worked on the Joab Lawrence Ranch, 6 miles west from Salt Lake City, for 3 or 4 years. It was ;rhile working on this ranch that I met the sweet girl who afterwards became my wife—Harriet Amelia Little. After leaving the Joab Lawrence Ranch I worked on a brickyard for a few years, in the summer time, and I saved enough to go to school one winter. I attended the Academy in the old Social Hall in Salt Lake City. This was about all the schooling that I ever had, as my parents were very poor and I had to assist in whatever work I could do, to help make the living. Well, Miss Little and I talked things over and decided to get married, which we did on the 4th day of March 1891. We were married in the Logan Temple by M. W. Merrll. We rented a farm from my brother, Manley, in Granger, about 12 miles west and a little south from Salt Lake City. We lived there one year and then moved to Taylorville, where we bought a small farm and lived there for five years. It was while on Manley's farm that our first baby came, Frank L., born 8th February 1892. Newell and Luella were born in Taylorville, 16th September 1893 and 30th May 1895. It was while in Taylorville that we met our first real sorrow. Our dear little Frankie was taken from us. He was run over with a loaded wagon and died on the 5th day of February 1896 and was buried on the 7th, the day before he would have been four years old. We were both very young and had little experience at real life at the time and it really seemed to us that no trial greater than that could possibly come to us. But alas I We have learned many things since then, in the many experiences of life, and while it is hafd, yes, very, very hard to part with loved ones in death, yet there are other trials we are called upon by our neavenly Father to endure, that are a thousandfold harder to bear than death Itself I '\'e decided to sell out and go to Canada. We sold the little farm and moved to Salt Lake City where we stayed for onfe year, because Nora was born there on the 6th of August 1896, and the next spring we set out for Canada. We had 4 horses and a wagon. I fixed the wagon bed up with extension rides, like a sheep wagon, and we loaded what we could in the wagon, including the cookstove, which was a Charter Oak, and sold the rest of our belongings and set out for Canada. We left Salt Lake City on the 10th day of May 1897. I well remember that day. Nora was less than a year old and she and Luella were real delicate. Uncle Joseph Taylor, as well as the rest of the folks, told us not to undertake such a trip with three babies, and two of them so delicate. They declared that we would never reach Canada with Nora. How strange it is that young people are so determined when they have made up their minds to do a certain thing, or go to a certain place. We left Salt Lake City in the afternoon and drove about 10 miles and stayed at a frien's that night, a Mrs. Capener. Aunt Lisadore Taylor accompanied us that far and stayed with us the first night out. We were three days reaching Cache Valley, 100 miles I We stayed with Grandmdther Woolf two or three days, and she was such a nice, lovely old lady. At that time she was 83 years old. She was doing her own housework and was so spry and could see and hear real well. After a couple of days at grandmother's, we went on to Riverdale in the noirth 6nd of ' Cache Valley on the banks of the Bear River. Here Uncle James Woolf lived. We stayed with them for a few days. One of my horses was taken very sick while there and Uncle Jam^s and his son, John, doctored this horse, which was a very valuable mare, and with an all-night virgil her life was saved, although I was not able to put her in harness for a few days. Marion Woolf, another son of Uncle James, joined us here with a saddle horse and accompanied us to Canada, tje worked his saddle horse and led the sick mare for a few days, when she fully recovered and took her place in the team all the rest of the trip. We had many and varied experiences on our long trip. I remember one night in Montana, the horses had strayed so far we could not hear the bell. Marion and I dressed and set out to find the horses, which we did in about an hour's time. As we were returning in the darkness, when within about 200 yards of the wagon, we heard a gimshot. Marion thought we were being attacked by Indians or horse thieves but I very well knew where the shot came from. Hattie had been left there in that wagon with those three little children and, on hearing the approach of the horses, decided this was the best way to learn whether it was friend or foe. It brought the desired result very quickly, for we both called out in no uncertain terms, "Hattie, it is usi Don't shooti" Needless to say, after that if the horses needed attention during the night, one of us attended them and the other stayed in camp. How little did I realize her feelings until that happened. Well, we reached the Cardston district on the night of 14 June 1897, on the east bank of the St. Mary River just opposite the old Pilling place about 10 or 12 miles southeast from Cardston. The Royal North-West Mounted Police were stationed near where we camped. That evening the officer came to our camp to Inspect our outfit as was the custom when arriving in a foreign country. He went through the regular questions as to have you any arms, etc., and as he was walking around the wagon he noticed some ducks on the back of the wagon, which I had shot that afternoon along the trail. He, knowing that I did not realize that I had broken the law by shooting ducks out of season, quickly turned his back on the ducks and put his hand out toward them and said, "Cover those things up so that I can't see them." Next morning it was raining torrents and the river had risen very high. However, we forded all right, although the water on the upper side of the wagon ran over the hind wheel. The Customs House was down the river a couple of miles and of course we had a steep hill to pull up with the horses that were tired and worn after such a long journey. And as our eldest duaghter, Luella, who was then nearlng her second birthday, was real sick, and we were anxious to reach Cardston as soon as possible, I got Marion Woolf to go down on his saddle horse and see if we could pass Customs without having to drive down this steep, gumbo, slippery hill while it was raining so hard. He brought back word that I would have to take the family and wagon down to the Custom House. I drove down and handed the lines to Hattie to hold the team while I went in. To my great surprise, the Customs Officer sat there in his bathrobe and slippers, with a pipe in his mouth, and wrote out my pass without even getting out of his chair. What a contrast in the disposition of him and the Policeman of the night before. We went back up the hill, which was a very dangerous dLg-way, especially where it was so wet, muddy, and slippery and our horses were tired and weary. When we got to Cardston we un­ hitched our horses and turned them out on the Indian Reservation just north of the little town, and went to Uncle John and Aunt Mary Woolf's house, or their hotel, as they were keeping a hotel at that time. We all drank tea for dinner and it was black tea, the first I had ever tasted. I didn't like it and after dinner I said to Hattie, "Say, Aunt Mary's tea kettle was burnt badly, wasn't it." After dinner we got the horses in again and hitched up and drove out to Uncle Homer Woolf's place, about 8 miles south from Cardston. We stayed there the first night with Johnny and Lucinda and from there went to Uncle Homer's, where we stayed for a month. Then we moved onto 0. E. Bate's place just south of Uncle Homer's, where we lived for nearly a year. This was a log house and only partly finished. It was a cold winter the latter part and the floor cloth would freeze solid under the stove right in the middle of the day, some days. But for all this, the children kept well all winter. The next spring we homesteaded on what is now the quarter section owned by the CPR at Kimball, but then it was only a quarter section on the east bank of the St. Mary River. I hauled a set of house logs there and took two 4-horse teams to Lethbridge for the lumber, shingles, doors, and windows, etc. While there I went in to the Land Office to see why I had received no word from my application to homestead this quarter as I had made application through the Cardston sub-agent. I learned that word had just come back from Ottawa that this particular quarter had been reserved for the intake of a large canal, which was soon to be started. Of course, this was a disappointment, as I had to find a new location and move the logs again. I shall have to tell of one Incident that happened while hauling the logs to the new quarter section. My half-brother Byron was working for me, and he took a 2-horse load of logs and I took the other team, and took my wife and the three children so that she could see the location I had chosen for our future home. After unloading the logs we all went to John Dunn's for dinner and spent part of the afternoon there. Mr. Dunn lived on the next quarter to ours. It was in the month of May or the fore part of Juae and the river was high. While we were there the ford, which was a gravel bed, had washed out and cut-a deep channel in the middle of the river. Before starting into the river, Byron got in the- back of my wagon and led his team by their halters, as the wagon he was using for logs was only the running-gear and was rather difficult to work with in deep water. And, of course, we were unaware that the ford had washed out until we reached the deep channel. The mare (Maud, we called her) on the upper side got frightened when she dropped into the deep water, which was very swift. We had the double bed on the wagon, and a spring seat on top of the top bed, which put us up pretty high. We also had the three children on the seat with us, Hattie holding the two youngest ones on her lap. Well, when the mare got scared she tried to lie down in the water. Byron picked up the whip and would have started to lay it on her, but I stopped him and got down off the seat and reached my hand and arm into the water and stroked her and talked gently to her and soon she had confidence enough in me so that she stood up again. Then I spoke to both of the horses, telling them to go, and they started up and took us safely through. I seemed to have been very cool-headed all this time, for I realized full well that the water, which was very swift and was running over the hind wheel of the wagon on the upper side, and over the backs of the horses on the upper side, could at any moment tip the wagon over. I looked down the river several times and had a plan all studied out in case we were thrown into the water. There was an island down the river a couple of hundreds of yards or so and, as I was a good swimmer, I figured I could guide the wife and kiddies to that island. Well, when we reached the bank of the river and were safely on land again I looked around for the other team but could see nothing of them. Byron had let go of their halters when Maud lay down, as he got excited, and of course they went with the stream, a thing we are all apt to do in life, unless we are on our guard. We got them out of the river about a quarter mile below. We had taken the precaution to tie the wagon bed to the gear good and solid, and tied Byron's wagon good and solid too, so that if it tipped over it would not come apart. Well, when we got the other team out, and I could see they were safely on land, I began to tremble a little, for I fully realized that 1 had come very close to drowning my whole family. I then located again, this time in the hills about 8 miles south and a little west from Cardston. I bought two railway quarters, viz., the SW and NE h's of Sec. 7, Twp. 2, Rg. 25, W4th, and I built the home there. I also homesteaded one quarter about two miles southwest from there, viz., the NW^s, Sec. 36. Twp. 1, Rg. 26, W4th. This was not as suitable a place to make a home but was a real good pasture and hay quarter. We lived on the ranch six years, from spring 1898 to fall 1903, and had three children born to us while there. We did very little farming, but raised cattle and horses and sold butter, sometimes milking as many as 30 cows. When Newel was 10 years old we moved to Cardston and started Newel, Luella, and Nora to school. (This was the latter part of November, 1903.) I rented the stock and ranch to D. K. Greene, then to George Triplet, and finally sold it. In Cardston, I worked at various things. The first winter I and three other men moved the old dairy buildings, which were then located about 5 or 6 miles above the Kimball Bridge on the St. Mary River, down to the said bridge. We received for this $702.00. It was con­ tract work. I was engaged as foreman to grade the race track west of Cardston. This was the summer of 1904. I also put up hay on the Cochrane Ranch about 20 or 25 miles west of Cardston, worked with my team on the roads, and hauled coal from Lethbridge and finally from Spring Coulee, after the railway had been built that far. I was engaged as foreman or manager of the Cardston Implement Company, where we did a very large volume of business. There were two of us in winter and three in summer, and we did $100,000 volume of business in one year. I did all of the buying and all of the book-keeping, besides being head salesman. I worked there until January, 1911, when I bought a $4,000 interest in the Cardston Mercantile Company, where I worked three years. A wave of depression seemed to strike the country and the business failed. It hit me hard as I paid the cash, $4,000, and lost it all. I started in the oil, coal, and flour and feed business and did well at it for five years, when I sold my interest aiid was appointed Sheriff's Bailiff in January, 1914, which position I still hold /January, 193V. I also engaged since that time in the auctioneering business and for several years did a rushing business in the taxi business, the three all at once. Since moving to Cardston we have had five children born to us, making twelve children in all, five boys and seven daughters, of which we lost four. And then my dear wife and companion, we had been married 43 years, was taken from me on the 7th day of July 1934. ******* The Family ... Frank Brown - born in Salt Lake City 26 November 1870 Harriet Amelia Little Brown - born 31 March 1869 1892 - Frank - died at 4 years of age (run over by his father's wagon) 1893 - Newel - lives in Salt Lake City (real estate business) 1895 - Luella - lives in Salt Lake- City (husband a retired contractor) 1896 - Nora - died after bearing four children 1898 - Ethel - lives in St. George, Utah 1900 - Walter - lives in Magrath,_a retired school teacher 1902 - Vilate - died during birth of third child 1904 - Alma - lives in Lethbridge, a retired school teacher 1906 - Lisadore - lives in Magrath 1907 - Heber - lives in California, active in law practice 1909 - Eva - died following a heart attack in August 1972 1912 - Hattie - died at the age of six months *******

OVERLAND GUIUB .^f,^.^^ J_'^- 5i<^-l-^ / • • Ogden, Utah, to Cardston, Alberta. N. iAi. T. CKNKDK.

Ogden 0 Spring Hill -301 Hot Spring's 9 Red Rock * sheep Creek 323 v,'i:;;i.-J ' •: — 14' •l3'«1Ioil,' KUiiwUy ioitii. . . • OTV Brig-ham 21 Point of Rocks .ST 363 Honeyville 31. Twin Bridges 376 Collinston 42 Silver City 390 Mendon ... 51 •Willow Creek t 396 Logan 58 Little Boulder River f 433 Hyde Park 63 Boulder City -436 Smithfield 65 Jefferson City 450 Richmond 71 Nine Mile House 461 Franklin 78 Helena 474- Preston 84 Silver Creek 484 Battle Creek 90 Billy Johns PrlcHj PearCanjonj. 494 Oxford 101. Mitchell's 500 Swan Lake 104 Cartervillc 511 Red Rock 107 Rock Creek 514 Nine Mile 118 Wayside House 517 McCammon 132 Dearborn 526 Inkum 143 Flat Creek 529 Pocatello 153 Ft. Shaw, U. S. Military poal .... 549 Ross Fork 166 Sun River Bridg-e ."^Sl . Blackfoot 179 Freezeout 573 Eagle Rock 205 ChOteaU, a email town 585 Market Lake Station 222 Muddy Creek 595 Market Lake 226 Next Water asprinj 601 Sand Hole Lake 237 Dupuyer 607 Camas Station 243 Birch Creek 615 Camas Creek 246 Peigan Indian Agency 631 Dry Creek, dry in summer . ... 255 Two Medicine Creekt 635 Hole in the Rock 259 Cut Banks 651 High Bridge 264 South Milk River 673 Beaver Canyon, R'y Town 272 North Milk River 680 Pleasant Valley 277 St. Mary's River 695 Monida Station 284 Cardston 702 Williams' Junction . . 291

* You follow Sheep Creek to Dillon, consequently no want of water. t There are watering places every few miles between Willow Creek and Little Boulder River. X No fuel worth mentioning between Two Medicine streams and Lc'j'-o Ci et:.*!.. "Vou bliijul.1 ^isu pi ovidc fuel'^oi yoiarsieiveEr from tielly River to High River. On Bird Tail divide, about five miles northeast of Flat Creek, pro­ vide fuel to last you to Two Medicine Creek. Between Dearborn and Flat Creek take left hand road to Choteau, via Augusta, and save about twenty miles. All large streams are bridged. A Bonanza for Young Men. Boys eighteen years of age can homestead 160 acres. Time, three years. The only fee ever required is $10 in advance. CoHPUMBNTs OP C. O. CARD.

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The Overland Guide used by the Frank Brown family during their wagon trek from Salt Lake City to Cardston, Alberta. 1897. We are indebted to Mrs.Lisadore Crookston, Magrath, and Dr. Kent Crookston, Lethbridge, for the material used above. Mrs. Crookston is a daughter, and Dr. Crookston a grandson,of Frank Brown. ******* Ephralm Peter Ellison.—The capital and business interests of southern Alberta have one of their foremost representatives in Ephralm Peter Ellison of Raymond. A man of large affairs, who had gained a conspicuous place in finance and business before coming to Alberta, he pos­ sessed both the means and the enterprise mqst essential for the development of a new country. He has been identified with Raymond and vicinity since 1902. In 1903 he established the Ellison Milling & Elevator Company, of which he is president. The Company's plant was built in Raymond in 1903, at Magrath in 1904, and at Lethbridge toward the end of 1906. This is one of the most Important enterprises of its kind in this vicinity. He is also vice-president and manager of the Knight Sugar Company at Raymond. Adjoining this village he owns a section of farm land. ******* Joslah Austin Hammer.—As Mayor of the Town of Cardston, an office to which Mr. Hammer has been elected for several different terms, a merited honor has been bestowed upon one of Cardston's pioneer citizens and one of the most influential and prosperous business men. Born in the State of Utah, he was a member of the first company of settlers who migrated into this portion of western Canada. This vicinity was then known as Lee's Creek, named for a man who was killed there by the Indians some years before... On his arrival, the 3rd of June 1887-^, Mr. Hammer started to break land that is now occupied by the town of Cardston. In the fall of the same year the townslte was located on this property, and he thus has the dis­ tinction of being one of the founders of what is now a thriving commercial center of southern Alberta. He has been a resident of the town since it started, and has always followed ranch­ ing as his principal vocation, and he is considered a most successful representative of this industry. His farm is 400 acres, which he now devotes mainly to grain raising, is located just outside of town... Mr. Hammer has been a member of the Town Council since Cardston was incorporated in 1902, and his fellow citizens have chosen him for the office of Mayor in 1906, 1907, and 1911. For several years he served as President of the local Agricultural Society, and is a Director of the District Agricultural Fair Association. ******* Peter Lawrence Naismith.—As General Manager of the Alberta Railway & Irrigation Company, Peter Naismith has occupied a large and influential place in business affairs of Lethbridge for the last 12 years, and is one of the citizens who are doing the most for the development of this city... Mr. Naismith was born at Pembroke, Ont., May 1, 1865, and from the High School of his native town entered McGlll University. Here he was graduated B. A. in 1888, and then continued his training for technical profession, receiving the degree of B.A.Sc. in 1889. He entered the service in which he has since been so successful and in 1900 was made manager at Lethbridge of the Alberta Railway & Coal Company.- In 1904 the title of this company was changed by amalgamation with the St. Mary's River Railway Company and the Canadian Northwest Irrigation Company to Alberta Railway & Irrigation Company, of which he assumed the general management, and has since directed the practical work of this large corporation.... Mr. Naismith is Chairman of the Board of Managers of the Gait Hospital at Lethbridge. ******* Ernest Edward Carver.—Ernest Edward Carver, architect at Lethbridge, is one of the ablest rep­ resentatives of his profession in the Province, and has had a successful experience and practice in western Canada for the past six years... Mr. Carver is a native of England, born at Walsall, in Staffordshire, February 28, 1877. His father, Joseph Carver, was a whip manufacturer in Staffordshire; his mother's maiden name was Cecelia Bird... His early education was obtained in Queen Mary's Grammar School at Walsall, and he then entered the Commercial College of Vlncennes at Paris, where he pursued his technical studies. After a period of practice in his profession at Walsall, he came to Canada, and in March, 1905, located at Regina, where he was manager of the firm of W. M. Dodd of Vancouver. Coming to Lethbridge in November, 1908, he has since practiced his £^rofession independantly. In October, 1910, he was granted the degree of L. R. I. B. A. /Mr. Carver was a local architect during Lethbridge 's boom period around 1912. He left an unmistakable stamp on many downtown buildings. The Regal Grocery, Cor. 5th St. & 6th Av. So., is a good example of the French influence in his work^ •k i: "k it it it "k