HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF ALBERTA

LETHBRIDGE BRANCH

Number 1 NEWSLETTER January, 1968

Alex Johnston, President Bruce Haig, Secretary Andreif Staysko, Vice-President Lucille Dalke, Treasurer Dues, -including a subscription to the Alberta Historical Review, $3.00 per year. Send to! LETHBRIDQE HISTORICAL SOCIETY, P. 0. BOX 971;, LETHBRIDGE, ALBERTA.

Society officers for 1968-69: Past-President Frank A. Russell President Alex Johnston Vice-President Andre'w J. Staysko Second Vice-President -. George Watson Secretary Bruce Haig Treasurer Lucille Dalke Council Members (1970) R. J. Henry " " (1970) Clarence Geiger " " (1969) Chris Gibson " " (1969) Thomas Mikkelsen " " (1968) George TfcKillop " " (1968) David J. Whitney

JOHN WARE'S FORTY-DOLLAR STEERS

The Bill of Sale overleaf 'was signed by John Ware, famed Negro cowboy of southern Alberta. In it he agreed to purchase the brand and cattle of Daniel Courtney, another Sheep Creek rancher.

John Ware became a legend in his own lifetime, a lifetime that has been documented by the Hon. J. G. Grant MacBwan, Lieutenant-Governor of Alberta and author of "John Ware's Cow Country.

The Bill of Sale -was signed on December 27, I887. One -wonders ho-w merry the previous Christmas had been for Daniel Courtney or ho'w happy the ne-w year. We really kno'w very little about him. He was a relative of Mrs. Quirk of the Q Ranch and likely came up from Montana to visit 'With her and her husband, John Quirk. We can assume that Courtney was pleased 'with the bunchgrass ranges west of High River and that he decided 'bo settle. On June 2I4, 1886, he registered a brand—DC on left ribs, vent DC on left hip, mark a wattle on left shoulder. He paid a $U.25 registration fee to C. E. D. Wood, Registrar, and was in the cow business. We don't know how many cattle he had acquired nor anything about the size of his holdings. His range, according to the register, was loca'ted on Sheep Creek.

We do know that the winter of 1886-87 was one of the worst on record. Prairie fires in the la-te summer and fall of 1886 destroyed much 'winter grassj -winter set in early with cold and snow. Livestock losses -were hea-vy. When the winter ended an era ended because it was ob-vious to all thinking ranchers that, in future, they had to provide 'winter feed, had to fence and gain better control of their range and their livestock.

The experience probably took the heart out of Daniel Courtney. Presumably he stayed around to collect for his cattle. But he left the country soon afterwards. His legacy? A line or two in the book "Leaves of the Medicine Tree" thus, "COURTNEY, Dan—Relative of Mrs. John Quirk. Big man. Here only two or three years. Originated DC brand."

John Ware was made of sterner stuff. He had registered a brand on May 25, 188^. It too was a cattle brand, 9999 on left rib, vent two lazy nines 'with tail of brand running toward tail of cow on left hip, marks a double dew lap, down cut and up cut. (Ware's brand was changed to 999 on January 3j I898.) His address was shown as High River, Alberta, the latter a Provisional District of the North West Territories.

According to Grant MacEwan, Ware got his start by branding mavericks, all legally purchased from the High River Stockman's Association of which A. E. Cross was Secretary-Treasurer. This was a controversial procedure whereby the Stock Associations claimed ownership of any unbranded cattle picked up during their annual roxmdups. These animals were butchered for beef for the crews or were sold, as some were to John Ware, to pay association expenses. The cattle were owned frequently by small ranchers or homesteaders and eventually the practice was declared to be illegal. In any event. Ware picked up about nine head in 188^. On March 21, I888, he owed the association $89.00 for mavericks purchased after the fall roundup.

According to MacEwan, also. Ware did not own rangeland until he homesteaded on Sheep Creek in the spring of 1890. Henderson's Northwest Ranchers Directory and Brand Book 1888, on the other hand, lists John Ware and indicates his range as being at the forks of Sheep Creekj his address was Okotoks, Alberta. He was similarly listed in the Directories of 1889 and 189U- 1896. In June 1900 John and Mildred Ware left their Sheep Creek place and moved to a ranch on the Red Deer, north of Brooks.

Payment of cattle listed in the Bill of Sale was to be made in three-year-old steers at forty dollars per head. In 1 967 grass-fat three-year-old steers returned a rancher of our acquaintance about $Ul 0 per head.

A five-jrear-old horse branded IS on the right shoulder and BC on the left thigh was part of the contract. The DC brand had been put on the animal by TDan Courtney. It had likely been raised by John J. Sullivan who ran horses and cattle on the north fork of High River and whose brands were: horses—IS left shoulder, vent SI left thigh; cattle—IS right hip and ribs, vent SI on left hind qioarter, marks crop off left ear. These brands 'were registered on November 8, I881i. In Henderson's Brand Book of 1888 Sullivan's brands were listed as: horses IS left hipj cattle IS on shoulder. Neither of these descriptions quite agrees with the brand location mentioned in the Bill of Sale.

Mr. Charles Brumfit, Gibbons, Alberta, has another explanation. Now 95 years of age, Mr. Brumfit in 1891 worked on the R. G. Robinson Ranch near Calgary. He thinks that the IS brand is really the Lazy S Bar J^ on the right shoulder. This was the brand of Mr. W. L. Christie who ran horses on a place eight miles west of High River but who returned to England in 1906.

Witnesses were Charles L. Douglass and a signature that appears at first glance to be that of F. S. Stewartt. Mr. Br'umfit tells us that the signature is of J. S. "Jack" Stewartt who was foreman on the Robinson Ranch in I89I. Stewartt, who had a cast in one eye, was very well known in the Calgary area. In 1887 he likely worked for the Quom Ranch at High River where he would have known both Ware and Douglass.

Charles L. Douglass was remembered by Mr. Brumfit as a longtime friend of John Ware's who, in 1902, accompanied him to the Red Deer. (MacBwan dates this move as June, 1900.)

Douglass came to the Quom Ranch in 1885 from Market Harborough, England, bringing 'with him seven Thoroughbred stallions purchased by the ranch. He worked for the Quom for a number of years and then homesteaded near Millarville. In 1 896 he married Maria Arabella Deane-Freeman at the Monea Ranch on Sheep Creek. Later the marriage was the first to be recorded in the register of Christ Church, Millarville. o -VVl^t/^' ^?^ % .-¥

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3)C /^ ^y^ ^^ O^^JC- In 1902, we learn from "Leaves of the Miedicine Tree", Charlie Douglass and William Deane- Preeman left for the Red Deer 'with John Ware. Douglass bought land north of Bassano and ranched there until 1918, selling out "bo Connell & Sons. The Douglass family then moved to Vancoiiver Island where Charlie Douglass died in 1936.

The signatiire by John Ware was the first of his signatures that we have seen. He was bom a slave on a plantation in South Carolina in the I81;0's. Needless 'bo say, he had no opportunity for schooling and never learned to read or, for most of his life, -bo -write. But somewhere—likely on 'winter evenings at one of the ranches where he was a top hand—he learned to 'write his name. His 'wife, Mildred, daughter of Dan V. Lewis of Shepj/ard and Calgary, continued -bo help him after their marriage on February 29, 1892. '

The year 1905> when the provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan 'were created, was a time of , tragedy for the Ware family. Mildred Ware died of pneumonia early in the year and the (flvSf-^^a^ children—Nettie, Robert, William, Mildred, and Arthur—were cared for by their grandmother. And on Sep'bember 12 of that year John Ware, legendary cowboy, was killed by a falling horse.

Acknowledgements.—We are gra-beful to Miss Nettie Ware, Vulcan, for permission to recount this item from the life of her father and to J. L. Kerns, Edmonton, who drew the Bill of Sale -bo our at-tention. * tl *

John Ware - High River, Alberta. Brand registered 25th day of May A. D. 1885. Facsmile of brand - Cattle

* # * HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF ALBERTA

Number 2 NEWSLETTER March, 1968

Membership in the Lethbridge Branch, Historical Society of Alberta, and a subscription to the Alberta Historical Review can be obtained for $3.00 per year. Send to:

Mrs. Lucille Dalke, Treasurer, Lethbridge Historical Society, P. 0. Box 97U, Lethbridge, Alberta.

Society officers for 1968-69:

President Alex Johnston Past-president Frank A. Russell Vice-president Andrew J. Staysko Second Vice-president George Watson Secretary Bruce Haig Treasurer Lucille Dalke Council member (1970) R. J. Henry Council member (1970) Clarence Geiger Council member (1969) Chris Gibson Council member (1969) » Thomas Mikkelsen Council member (1968) George McKillop Council member (1968) David J. Whitney

M3LEAN SCHOOL SCOUTS AND CUBS by Elizabeth Fairfield

On the thirty-first day of March, 1930, an investitiire was held and the No. 5 McLean School Scout and Cub Pack were formed, with George F. Manson appointed Scoutmaster and Beth Fairfield, Lady Cubmaster. Later that year a Scout and Cub Jamboree was held at the FairgroTinds.

The Cubs

• s • • I can remember the Investiture in the basement of McLean School when Fire Chief Hardy came to perform the ceremony. It was very solemn and in^jressive. Those years 'were quite an education for me, for I had had no experience with little boys. I expect I learned more from them than they did from me. We had our meetings every Satiirday afternoon at first,, then frequently on Wednesday evenings, at IfcLean School or in the old Cereal Building at the Experimental Farm. I can remember driving the Cubs home in.the old Experimental Farm station wagon after the evening meetings, to the various farms in the district.

Our Cub Pack was not very large, but it was amazing how their interest grew and new members joined as summer approached, and it would be time for camp. Then, when camp was over, the. attendance at the meetings gradually declined. Dick Boulton, in reminiscing, says that these camps were the first real outings the little boys' had ever had, for in those days, especially in the country, there 'were no diversions for ycungsters. Their parents -worked from da'wn to dusk on the farms, and even small trips -were out of the question. So it is little wonder that canjjing at the river bottom made such a lasting impression.

Our first camp was at Barnes' Bottom, where Miss Elsie Carrier (a Cubmaster in Lethbridge) Joined us 'with some of her Cubs. The weekend was a memorable one with camp fires. Cub rit^ual and all. Unfortunately we learned one lesson the hard way. Never drink unboiled river water1 We had been assured that the water in the river at that point was far enough away from the Lethbridge outlet to be safe. Some of us found sadly to our discomfort that this was not the case. However, fortunately there were no lasting ill effects.

On July 1 st, 1931, we had otir next camp at McCaugherty' s Bottom. That year. Miss Marie Louise Loescher joined us at camp with 12 of her Cubs. (Miss Loescher was for many years Cubmaster of the St. Augustine's Cub Pack of around 1;0 boys. She also taught s'wimming, as a volunteer instructor, at the Lethbridge T» M. C. A. for some years.) Two Scouts came with us, one of them Calvin Fairbanks. Sadly enough, this time we had a lot of rain--camp fires were spoiled and the boys had to be fed in relays in the canteen tent. After the second night we were really rained out, and I drove back to the Farm for help. Mr. Tom Smith, Farm Foreman at the Jail, and Jack Bro'wn (then Scoutmaster of McLean Scouts) brought down trucks and we broke camp and took the boys home. It was fun, though, even if we were pretty wet, and it was a real experience for us all.

Park Lake

One thing in which I think the McLean Cub Pack should take pride, is thajb they were the ones who gathered the hundreds of trees that make Park Lake so attractive. ^Park Lake is located in a Provincial Park about nine miles northwest of Lethbridge_J^

The Lethbridge Northern Park Lake Committee was coit5)rised of W. H. Fairfield (Chairman), Chester S. Glendening, and P. M. Sauder. It was my father's idea that the Cubs help them in getting the native trees started around the new lake which had just been formed on the bald, treeless prairie.

One day my father, mother and I drove da'wn to Barnes's Bottom at the river to find a crop of seedlings, and then on April 10, 1931, we took my Cub Pack, along -with two Boy Scouts (one of whom was A. Ibuglas Smith) to the flats vhere the little trees were growing. We followed a team and plow which went ahead of us to loosen the soil, and gathered the little seedlings, tying them into bunches. According to my diary, we gathered 10,500 little trees. (Doug Smith tells me that my father promised the boys that, as payment for the day's work, they could carve their names on the trees when they were large enoughl) Dick Boulton remembers how disappointed he was when at the last minute he had an accident and was unable to go that day. The Cubs, he says, were all very excited and enthusiastic about the expedition—although I am sure they were very tired little fellows by the end of the day.

These little cottonwood seedlings 'were planted and in a few years gave shade and beauty to the park. As the native trees grew tall enough to give shelter and protection, other varieties of trees, along with spruce and other evergreens were put in, and now, more than thirty years later, it is truly an attractive and popular spot for picnics, boating and s'wimming.

The Cub Pack is scattered and they are all grown men now. But I wonder if they remember, if they ever go out to Park Lake to enjoy a summer afternoon or evening with their families, that those big old cottonwood trees were picked by their own hands from the flats in the river bottom when they were little boys. I think they should be very proud and boast a bit to their children--and they could still carve their initials on the trees!

Members of McLean Scout Troop and Cub Pack

Scoutmasters: George F. Manson, Jack Brown, Cubmaster: Beth Fairfield and W„ Lo (Bill) Jacobson. Scouts; A. Dougo Smith Cubs: Mck Boulton Pat Smith Tom Boulton Andy Kovitch Jim Bruce Scouts (con't): Joe Kovitch Cubs (con't): Henry Lepp Bill Maughn Maurice Meech Joe Maughn Bill Craik Charlie James Willy James Dick Henderson Gordon Abraham Pat Henderson Ed. Berry Allan Staley Wyndam Watts Jim Chapman Leslie Kovitch Frank Chapman McVeeters (two brothers) Arthur Mackin George Paterson Carl Peterson

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Msmbers of THE LETHBRIDGE BRANCH Historical Society of Alberta

Allen, Mr. T. D., 621 - 12 Street "C" North, Lethbridge Allied Arts Council, c/o Mrs. Beverley Holmes, Secretary, 331U South Parkside Dr., Lethbridge Anderson, Mr. and Mrs. M., 2302 - 10 Avenue South, Lethbridge Annand, Mrs. Bessie M., Box 81i, Waterton Lakes, Alberta Aspl'und, Mr. James N., Principal, Huntsville School, Box 71, Iron Springs, Alberta Baker, Mir. and Mrs. R. I., Box 1U, Coaldale, Alberta Barbour, Mrs. Muriel L., Allenby School, Box 773j Coaldale, Alberta Benson, Mr. W. S., 1511 - 6 Avenue South, Lethbridge Bezeau, Mrs. L. M., 975 - 12 Street South, Lethbridge Bainchini, Mr. Aldo M., Principal, Crescent School, Box Ili.7, Picture Butte, Alberta Blackboume, Mr. Lome H., 1823 - 13 Avenue South, Lethbridge Bolton, Mrs. J. L., Apt. #308, 1218 Meadowlands Drive, Ottawa 5, Ontario Boulton, Mr. R. H., Box 297, Lethbridge Bower, Mrs. John, 1210 - \\ Avenue South, Lethbridge Brodie, Miss Jean, Suite 3, 2302 - 6 Avenue South, Lethbridge Bryans, Mrs. W. B., 612 - 18 Street South, Lethbridge Burnard, Mr. Eeginald B., Principal, Coalh'urst High School, Coalhurst, Alberta Bumess, Mr. and Mrs. J. N., 2010 - 5 Avenue South, Lethbridge Calder, Mrs. Vera, 833 - 15 Street South, Lethbridge Campbell, Miss W. Jean, 528 - 8 Street South, Lethbridge Candy, Mr. Albert B., 607 - 7 Avenue South, Lethbridge Catholic Central High School, c/o The Librarian, Lethbridge Central School, c/o The Principal, 6 Avenue & 9 Street South, Lethbridge Chester, Mr. and Mrs. Herb., 1232-6 Avenue "A" South, Lethbridge Christensen, Mrs. E., 611 - 7 Street South, Lethbridge Church, Miss Betty, 535 - 15 Street South, Lethbridge Church, Miss Dorothy, 535 - 15 Street South, Lethbridge Clarke, Mr. James F., Principal Galbralth School, k33 ~ 15 Street South, Lethbridge Clay, Mrs. D., 232 - 19 Street North, Lethbridge Coover, Mr. C. R., Box U26, Coleman, Alberta Cousins, Mr. W. J., 1039 Lakeway Blvd., Lethbridge Coyne, Mrs. Ottie, Ull; - 21; Street South, Lethbridge Crighton, Mrs. J., -711 - 17 Street South, Lethbridge Crumley, Mr. M. V., 3613 - 10 Avenue "A" South, Lethbridge Dalke, Mrs. Lucille, 638 - 9 Street South, Lethbridge Doram, Mr. William, I7IO - 6 Avenue "A" North, Lethbridge Douglas, Mr. Milo, Raymond, Alberta Dudley, Mr. G., Principal, McNally School, 1107 - 12 Street "C" North, Lethbridge Dunn, Mr. Robert W., 1705 - 13 Avenue South, Lethbridge Ede, Mr. W. J., Superintendant of Schools, Coleman, Alberta Dykstra, Mrs. Elizabeth, 2lj.l6 - 20 Avenue South, Lethbridge Erickson, Mr. John H., 1211 - 22 Street North, Lethbridge Everson, Mrs. W. B., Il;09 - 7 Avenue South, Lethbridge Fairfield, Miss Elizabeth, Suite 3-C, Spruce Towers, Lethbridge Faulds, Mr. Hobert Eo, c/o Bob's Barder Shop, k32 - 7 Street South, Lethbridge Ferguson, Mr. B. B., Prebuilt Mgf. Limited, Box 2l;9, Lethbridge Ferguson, Mr. Thomas L», City Hall, Lethbridge Flaig, Ifrs. A. L., 103I1. - Henderson Lake Blvd., Lethbridge Galbralth, Miss Jean, 616 - 1U Street South, Lethbridge Gault, Mr. J, T., 15 - Batterswood Drive, Agincourt, Ontario Geiger, Mr. Clarence, 1265 - 5 Avenue "A" South, Lethbridge Gentlemen, Mrs. Dorothy, 635 - 8 Street South, Lethbridge Gibson, Mr. Chris, 638 - 1U Street South, Lethbridge Gingrich, Miss Daphne, 2116 - 9 Avenue South, Lethbridge Girvan, Mrs. Janet, 1126 - 13 Street South, Lethbridge Gladstone, Mr. Horace E., General Delivery, Lethbridge Gossen, Mr. John, Box 210, Coaldale, Alberta Gregg, Mrs. Jean M., 1818 - 15 Avenue South, Lethbridge Hagen, Mr. Donald, I6O8 - 18 Avenue South, Lethbridge Haig, Mr. Bruce A., IO7I1 - Lakeview Drive, Lethbridge Haig, Mrs. W, R., 720 - 11 Street South, Lethbridge Hanna, Mr. George E., Principal, Picture Butte High School, Box II4I, Picture Butte, Alberta Hargrave, Mr. Harry J., UOI Motherwell BTiilding, Regina, Saskatchewan Harvey, Mr. Howard J., Principal, Barrhill School, Box 188, Picture Butte, Alberta Hawley, Mr. Gerald B., Principal, Noble Central School, Box 123, Nobleford, Alberta Henderson, Mrs. J. B,, [|,1U - 25 Street South, Lethbridge Henry, Mr. H. J., 1138 - 2k Street South, Lethbridge Herbst, Mrs. M. C., Box 75> Warner, Alberta Hill, Mr. and Mrs. H. C, 123 - Dieppe Blvd., Lethbridge Hodges, Mr. E. A., 51U - 2k Street South, Lethbridge Huntrods, Mr. J. E. Harold, Principal, Kate Andrews High School, Box 989, Coaldale, Alberta Hyssop, Mr. William J. P., 1011 - 10 Avenue North, Lethbridge Jarvie, Mr. James A., 1005 - 27 Street South, Lethbridge Johnston, Mr. Alex, Research Station, Lethbridge Jones, Miss Aileen, 63I - 20 Street South, Lethbridge Kane, Mr. William Ho, 12U8 - 6 Avenue "A" South, Lethbridge Kerber, Mr. H. Dick, Principal, Readymade School, 2639 - 21 Avenue South, Lethbridge Kimmitt, Mr. Robert A., U25 - 18 Street South, Lethbridge Kirkham, Mr. Bon, 1503 - 17 Avenue South, Lethbridge Knowlton, Mr. L. B., 532 - 11; Street South, Lethbridge Koed, Mr. Karl, Box 28, Taber, Alberta Koep, Mr. Robert, Principal, Assumption School, 12 Avenue & 2k Street South, Lethbridge Kornelsen, Mr. Arnold L., Principal, Shaughnessy School, Shaughnessy, Alberta Kunst, Mss Anna, 728 - 15 Street South, Lethbridge Lakie, Mr. G. S., Principal, Fleetwood School, 9 Avenue & 12 Street "A" South, Lethbridge Langmead, Mrs. W. B., 1026 -'8 Street South, Lethbridge Lanier, Mrs. Ike, Box 537^ Lethbridge Lanier, Miss L., Box 67I, Lethbridge Larson, Miss Janet, 322 - I6 Street North, Lethbridge Leon, Mrso M„, 2832 - 6 Avenue South, Lethbridge Librarian, Lethbridge Collegiate Institute, 5 A-venue & 18 Street South, Lethbridge Lethbridge & District Oldtimers Pemmican Club, c/o Mrs. Lila McKenzie, 626 - 6 Street So., Leth Lickiss, Mr. Jeff, Vauxhall, Alberta Liddell, Mr. Ken, Editorial Department, The Herald, Calgary, Alberta Linton, Miss Anne, Apt. #1;, 1802 - 10 Avenue South, Lethbridge MacKenzie, Mr. and Mrs. J. F., 2U07 - 19 Avenue South, Lethbridge Maclean, Mrs. Eva, 8lU - 6 Avenue South, Lethbridge Macleod, Mrs. Kay, 1301; - 26 Street South, Lethbridge Madill, Mr. W. R., Secretary-Treasurer, County of Lethbridge No. 26, 211; - 13 Street So., Leth Magrath U, C. W., c/o Mrs. F. Toomer, Magrath, Alberta Marshall, Mr. George A., 520 - 15 Street South, Lethbridge Maslen, Mrs. "Ruth A., Chin Lakes School, Box 1120, Coaldale, Alberta Mellen, Mrs. Mildred, Hofmann School, Box 905, Lethbridge Meyers, Mrs. Ivan, Box 208, Coaldale, Alberta Mickelson, Mr. R. K., II38 - Lakeview Drive, Lethbridge Mikkelsen, Mr. Thomas, 803 - 6 Avenue South, Lethbridge Miller, Mr. E. C, 523 - 13 Street South, Lethbridge Moreland, Mrs. Dora, 1111 - 27 Street South, Lethbridge Murdock, Mrs. Anna, 623 - 11; Street South, Lethbridge McCaugherty, Mrs. Irene, Box 161;, Fort Macleod, Alberta McKittrick, Mr. H. G., I807 - 20 Avenue South, Lethbridge McLeod, Miss Dorothy, 955 - H Street South, Lethbridge MbCready, Mr. S. T. H., 509 - 25 Street South, Lethbridge McCully, Miss Bessie, i;06 - 21; Street South, Lethbridge McKenzie, Mr. and Mrs. W. C, Box 765, Kimberly, B. C. McKenzie, Mrs. L. J., 626 - 6 Street South, Lethbridge Mclntyre, Mr. W. J., Vulcan, Alberta McKillop, Mr. and Mrs. C. B., 930 - 21 Street South, Lethbridge MiKillop, Mr. and Mrs. George, 1219 - 6 Avenue South, Lethbridge McNab, Mrs. Margaret, 812-6 Avenue South, Lethbridge McPherson, Dr. D. F., 612 - 11 Street South, Lethbridge McVeety, Miss Edna, Box 63, Coaldale, Alberta Nelson, Mr. Norman, 1002 - 15 Street South, Lethbridge Noble, Mrs. Gladys, 2112 - 17 Street, Coaldale, Alberta Noble, Mrs. S. F., Box 206, Nobleford, Alberta Noble Central School, c/o The Librarian, Nobleford, Alberta Painter, Mr. and Mrs. R. H., 1;22' - 25 Street South, Lethbridge Palmer, Mr* and Mrs. A. B., 625 - 18 Street South, Lethbridge Papworth, Mr. Richard W., Principal Turin School, Box 129, Turin, Alberta Park, Mr. William, 523 - 20 Street South, Lethbridge Parks, Mr. James H., Principal, R. I. Baker School, Box 9OO, Coaldale, Alberta Parry, Ifr. C, E., 2708 - South Parkside Drive, Lethbridge Patterson, Mr. Donald C, Principal, Hardleville School, 1;01 - 2k Street South, Lethbridge Pavan, Mr. Joe Jr., General Delivery, Lethbridge Peat, Mrs. Anna Stafford, 611 - 28 Street "B" South, Lethbridge Peck, Mr. Arthur E., Rock Lake School, Box 226, Sterling, Alberta Pickard, Mr. J, W., 1225 - 6 Avenue "A" South, Lethbridge Pickering, Miss Dorothy, Box Iti;6, Coaldale, Alberta Poapst, Mrs. Effie W., 30 - Dufferln Road, Stanstead, Quebec Pohl, Mr. Harry, 2226 - 19 Avenue South, Lethbridge Pratt, Mrs. W. H., 1070 - Lakeview Drive, Lethbridge Pytlarz, Miss Bernice, 1502 - 6 Avenue "A" South, Lethbridge Tlae, Mrs. Helen B., 1;29 - 23 Street South, Lethbridge Rankin, Dr. Co H., 5U07 - South Perry Street, Spokane, Washington, U. S. A. Reed, Mr. H. A., 1325 - 13 Avenue South, Lethbridge Ringland, Miss Jean, Suite 2-C, Spruce Towers, Lethbridge Hoelofs, Mr. Karel, Monarch, Alberta Russell, Mr. E. H„, Box 326, Lethbridge, Alberta Russell, Mr. Frank A., Box 326, Lethbridge, Alberta Russell, Mr. Kenneth C, Principal, Coalhurst Elementary School, Coalhurst, Alberta Sauder, Dr. P. M., I309 - 7 Avenue South, Lethbridge Schuler, Mr. Ray, 263O - 22 Avenue South, Lethbridge Shore, Mr. A. H., Box 1;90, Lethbridge Sicks' Lethbridge Brewery, c/o Mr. Jack Lakie, Box 1057, Lethbridge Simmonds, Mr. Earl A., Principal, Sunnyside School, 2105 - 19 Avenue South, Lethbridge Sivyer, Mr. H. S., 901; - 8 Street South, Lethbridge Slemko, Mr. Peter, Principal, John Davidson School, Box 3l;5, Coaldale, Alberta Smith, Mr. A. D., 311; - 26 Street South, Lethbridge Smith, Mr. A. F., 1251; - 7 Avenue South, Lethbridge South Alberta Writers' Workshop, c/o Mrs. H. C. Chester, 1309 - 1U Avenue South, Lethbridge Somerville, Mr. A. L. H., 1312 - 15 Avenue South, Lethbridge Stadnicki, Mrs. Mary, 1508 - 13 Street South, Lethbridge Staysko, Mr. Andrew J., 1606 - ^k Avenue South, Lethbridge Stewart, Mr. Carly, 1005 - 23 Street North, Lethbridge Stewart, Dr. and Mrs. J. S., 63I - 8 Street South, Lethbridge Strain, Mr. George E., 2715 - k Avenue South, Lethbridge Strzelecki, Mr. L. W., 2901; - South Parkside Drive, Lethbridge Taylor, Mrs. Barbara, 210 - Corvette Crescent, Lethbridge Tennant, Mss Claudia, c/o Municipal Hospital, Lethbridge Tennant, Miss Dollie, 80I - 16 Street South, Lethbridge Tomkins, Dr. A. D., Vulcan, Alberta Turcotte, Judge L. S., 626 - 17 Street South, Lethbridge Tyrrell, Mr. Fred C, 3OI6 - 6 Avenue South, Lethbridge Tyrrell, Mrs. V. J., 3016 - 6 Avenue South, Lethbridge Van Orman, Mr. Van D., 1002 - 29 Street "A" South, Lethbridge Vaselenak, Mrs. Kay, 329 - 1U Street South, Lethbridge Veldhuis, Mr. Henry, Box 1;2, Monarch, Alberta Velker, Mrs. Ellis T., 26l6 - 3 Avenue South, Lethbridge Vries, Mrs. Anne, 912 Mayor Magrath Drive, Lethbridge Walker, Mr. Frank B., 1252 - 7 Avenue South, Lethbridge Walker, Mrs. Linnea, Suite #1, 526 - 7 Avenue South, Lethbridge Walker, Miss Nellie, 10U3 - 16 Street South, Lethbridge Walker, Mr. P. H., 2826 - 6 Avenue "A" South, Lethbridge Watkins, MLss Pauline, 1;07 - 12 Street South, Lethbridge Watson, Mr. and Mrs. George, 11;09 - 9 Avenue South, Lethbridge Watson, Mr. J. P., Principal, Allan Watson School, 21 Street & 6 Avenue South, Lethbridge Weatherup, Mrs. A. V., Box 28U, Lethbridge Webster, Miss Catherine, Suite U-A, Spruce Towers, Lethbridge Webster, Miss Mary, Suite U-A, Spruce Towers, Lethbridge Whitney, Mr. David G., 901 - 8 Avenue South, Lethbridge Whitney, Mr. ..and Mrs. David J., 313 - 13 Street South, Lethbridge Whitney, Mrs. Beatrice, Box 983, Lethbridge Wilkins, Dr. Isabel, Il;07 - 1; Avenue South, Lethbridge Wilson, Mrs. Robert, 11736 - 37th Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta Williams, Mr. John A., 207 - Canada Trust Building, Lethbridge Williamson, Mr. J. R«, Box 67I;, Coaldale, Alberta Winston Churchill High School, c/o Mr. R. Turner, Principal, 9 Avenue & 20 Street North, Leth

Addendum

Collins, Mrs. Buth, Maleb, Alberta Dragland, Mrs. Margaret,> Maleb, Alberta Sherring, Mr. Frank, 1011 - Fern Crescent, Lethbridge

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By our reckoning, there are 211; members represented in the list above.

The following review appeared in the March 28, I968, issue of the Western Producer. We call it to jovLT attention because the price of the booklet has been reduced from $1.50 to $1.00.

Boats and Barges on the Belly, compiled by Alexander Johnston, published by Historical Society of Alberta (Lethbridge Branch), Box 97U, Lethbridge, illustrated, 1;8 pp., /^1 .OO?. This newspaper has called attention to the fine work being done in Alberta before and the book­ let Boats and Barges on the Belly stands up to previous valuable contributions to the story of the -west. The story is of the river steamer era on the Belly River when the Gait Coit5)any attempted to ship coal to Medicine Hat by barge. They drifted down and were brought back upstream by steamer. History has long since shown how wildly impractical such plans -were but it did add a most colorful chapter to the story of the west and one that is well worth putting do-wn. This compilation is filled -with nuggets and excellent photographs. It would be ten^jting to tell some of the best—but we should send for one for our libraries and, at the same time, support the fine work done in Southern Alberta.—R. H. M.

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Excerpts from the March 1920 publication: COALDALE "THE GEM OF THE WEST" In Sunny Southern Alberta

Where is Coaldale? Coaldale lies ten miles east of Lethbridge, the metropolis of Sunny Southern Alberta, on the prairie link of the All Red National Highway which, when coir^jleted, will connect Halifax on the Atlantic -with Vancouver on the Pacific, destined to be to Canada what the Lincoln and Sunset Highways are to the motor traffic of the United States.

Irrigation preceded the farmers. Irrigation preceded the farmers on the 122,000 acre original block of which Coaldale is now the center. Over 20 years ago, in 1898, the coal company which opened up the first coal fields in Alberta at Lethbridge, built a railway line into the United States through Sweet Grass, Montana, and to Cardston in southwest Alberta, in order to find a market for their coal. As was usual in those days, the government made the new railway a large grant of land. Southern Alberta prairies twenty years ago were considered good only for grazing, and the land secured by the Alberta Railway and Coal Coiiipany was considered of no particular value for any other purpose. But certain officials of the company had a larger vision, and arrangements were made for bringing irrigation water from the St. Mary's River on to part of their land by means of irrigation ditches ... The first effort toward colonization in the Coaldale district was made in 1905. In this year a large block of land of nearly a tcwnship was secured by the Southern Alberta Irrigated Farms Company. This company was composed of Illinois men, of which H. A. Suggitt was at the head. Later W. H. Fairfield, the irrigation expert, was taken into the organization.

A little history of Coaldale by the founder of the original Coaldale District, Harry A. Suggitt, There is quite a change from the treeless, houseless, fenceless, ditchless stretch of level prairie of 1901; to the present well-kno-wn and prosperous district of Coaldale. One could stand where the Coaldale of today is and look for miles and miles in any direction and not see any­ thing but the virgin prairie and herds of cattle. We sold the land in 1905 and the ditches were built in that year. In 1906 the scene changed and the early settlers began coming in. We had engaged all the steam tractors that could be found. At one time we had sixty horse outfits from Stirling tearing up the sod and getting ready for developments of the Pioneer Irrigation Project of Canada. It was a great experience to be there at the start, to take part in turning the first sod, to set the first fencepost, to b-ulld the first house and to dream of what the fut\ire -will bring. And whatever the future will bring it can never improve on the quality of the make up of the original Coaldale Colony. As one after another came in—S. Hjelmstad, George Heighes, Hal Pawson, Alfred Haley, Dan McArthur, Ben Pawson, John Davidson, Tom Dunham, Frank Knapp, Jerry Leffler, Sam Sidles, J. L. Shrum, A. L. Brown, Tim Brown, William Honeysett and the rest of them—they made the foiindation for the most congenial, contented, best natured colony of folks that has ever gathered under one roof and, believe me, they all gathered under one roof, and that not a very large one, many times. Church service was held in our house in Coaldale for a number of years and everybody came to church .... there -will be many changes in the future and they will come fast. But it is going to take many changes before the impressions that were made upon the moral life of Coaldale by that first band of pioneers is effeced.

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Excerpts from the Official Jubilee Book MAGRATH'S GOLiDEN JUBILEE July 2l;th, 25th.and 26th, 1 9l;9

The Founding. Here is the story. The Gaits, founders of Lethbridge, having opened up rich deposits of coal at Lethbridge, and having railway construction to their new coal fields, secured grants of Crown land in what is now Southern Alberta. These lands had to be made to produce, and this was done by bringing water from the St. Mary River; the genesis of irrigation on a large scale in Western Canada, and req\iired a canal from the river at Kimball to the rail­ road station at Stirling. The leaders of the Latter Day Saints (Mormon) Church being desirous that more of its members could settle in Alberta, entered into an agreement with the Alberta Irrigation Company to construct such a canal. Following are some of the stipulations of the contract:—That work should begin not later than Sept. 1st, I898; that contractors should accept part cash and part land in payment of their labors; that two such blocks of land should be located in the vicinity of Stirling and Magrath; that by Dec. 1st, 1899, there should be at least 250 inhabitants on each of these to-wnsites; and that by Dec. 31st, 1899 the contractors should have earned at *il.east $100,000 in cash and land. Work on the canal commenced (near Kimball) in September I898, President Charles Ora Card holding the plow that turned the first furrow. |, The church then subcontracted the work at the same terms they were getting from the corapanyi President Card had immediate charge of the work until 1899, when the management was transferred to Mo Do Hammond. In order to make the undertaking a success the church authorities called men and their families "bo work on the canal and also to become settlers in one of these new towns» This had the desired effect, the required number of inhabitants was secured and the required sum of money earned by the subcontractors. The townslte of Magrath was located in the fall of 1898 and named in honor of Mr. Charles Alexander Magrath, member of the North-west Council of the Canadian Government representing the Lethbridge District. The first permanent settler on the townslte was Charles Heber Dudley of Willard, Utah, who located on the Pot Hole Creek April 20th, 1899. On the third day May Ramus Rasmussen, Parley Carter and Fred H. Turner -with their families pitched their tents where the home of Oscar Blumel now stands. They had come from Utah, a distance of 700 miles, and the new to-wnsite of Magrath must have looked rather cheerless to these weary immigrants. By fall settlement in the new community had become general and the names of Fletcher, Evans, Naylor, Dudley, Rasmussen, Turner, Blumel, Gibb, Crookston, Bich, Meldrum, Bennett, Woolley, Ifercer, Ririe, Harker, and Head were soon heard in these fast awakening prairies. Levi Harker was called to preside as bishop over the new L. D. S. Ward of the Church with Ammon Msrcer and Eli Bennett as his councillers. The spring of 1900—the dawn of the new century and the commencement of a wonderful era of progress and development found Magrath the abode of some 300 inhabitants; the A. K. and I. Railroad con^jleted to Spring Coulee; the first railroad train entered Magrath October 17th, 1900. About 10,000 bushels of grain were raised in the settlement that year and commencement was made for the erection of a meeting house. In 1901 it was organized into a village -with MTO Jasper J. Head elected first overseer. He came to Canada in the year I889. He was one of those men who brought their families in a covered wagon all the long way from Utah,i dri-ving their cattle along with them. His first interests were given to cattle and sheep in Cardston. He moved to Magrath in 1900 where he continued in these lines.

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•sHp-rJcq^QT 'q^rios '^c^ 5-srq ORICAL SOCIETY OF ALBERTA

LETHBRIDGE BRANCH

Number 3 NEWSLETTER June, 1968

Membership in the Lethbridge Branch, Historical Society of Alberta, and a subscription to the quarterly Alberta Historical Review can be obtained for $3.00 per year. Send money to:

Mrs. Lucille Dalke, Treasurer, Lethbridge Historical Society. The Medicjfne Sf^h.esjsiet's probably P. 0. Box 97I;, Lethbridge, Alberta. used in £he construction of a weir in tlje Oldman River near the power house. fficers for 1968-69:

Pre sident Alex Johnston Pas t-pre si dent Frank A. Russell Vice-president Andrew J. Staysko Second vice-pre George Watson Secretary Bruce Haig Treasurer Lucille Dalke Council membe R. J. Henry Council rnemb* Clarence Geiger Council membfer €sgiiris Gibson ThomasritLkkelsen op Whitney

There is an unusual -pt;?^y^ri .thar-r-Hreig^TTCom^g^-ES'-ffitTrrdgeW , ^^w-^cJvered^Bycoa^ l slack and eroded soil. Its locationfis uncertain It was called the "Medicine Stone."

George_M. Dawson, an early geologist and naturalist, recorded about I88I that, near Coal Bank /Lethbridge/, there was a place called by the Indians Mek-kio-towaghs or "Painted Rock." Undoubtedly he referred to the Msdicine Stone. An Indian Chief, White Calf, told of a trip that he made around 1881; and said, "We cait^jed below what is now Taber, Alberta, by a stream we called Many Red, and from there went north to the place where Lethbridge is_now located _ ... From there we followed the creek down to a place called Red Painted Rock ^Medicine Stone/ and from there to a Blackfoot can^jground known as Many Chief /original site. Fort Whoop-ug/^"

Mike Mountain Horse recounted the legend of the Medicine Stone, a reddish rock resembling a man in a sitting position, thus: "In primitive days when countless herds of buffal roamed the prairie, the Blood tribe once made their winter quarters along the St. Mary river bottom, in the vicinity of the present city of Lethbridge ... One day an Indian in quest of the bearded monarch of the plains stood on top of a knoll above what is now known as_Ashcroft '•fine /on west side of the Oldman River opposite the Kinsmen's '¥hoop-up Gountry_|_/. Looking icross the river he observed someone walking toward it from one of the neighboring knolls south of what is now known as Brewery Road. Wondering who it could be, he turned north and coming within the vicinity of the present CPR high level bridge, descended to the river. On his way across he looked again and saw the same person standing on the edge of the knoll. apparently in quest of something. On closer observation he could see that he was what was called a Medicine Pipe Man. A Medicine Pipe Man always dyed the blanket or robe which he wears a dark red; he also wears a tuft of hair in a little knot, about three or four inches long, on top of his forehead, and his face and hair are painted the same color, an insignia of his position. This fellow was finally observed by the warrior to descend the hill and make for the river bottom. On reaching the foot of the hill, he squatted down, Indian fash­ ion. The hunter, riding up, discovered nothing but a solid reddish rock, resembling a man in a sitting posture. He then ascended the hill and looked in all directions, but failed to find a single living person. He again descended and offered prayers in close proximity to the rocks. The following night a stranger appeared to the hunter in his dreams: 'Ify son,' he said, 'I am the rock you saw. I want you and your children to come and offer me peace offerings at all times.' ... From that time on, the rock was known as Medicine Rock and was usually laden with gifts such as wearing apparel, tobacco and food. But the custom of offer­ ing these gifts has now ceased and the rock is usually covered with dirt and coal slack."

Da-vid A. Stafford, who grew up in the river bottom area, described the Medicine S-bone as he remembered it from about I896: "The stone was a block of iron stone which had broken loose from the cliff of a hill and came to rest in an old buffalo wallow. The wallow would be 6 or 8 feet across and approximately 1 foot deep. When the Indians found this they dedicated it for a Medicine Stone. It was a blackish red color and rounded in shape, altho a little irregular toward the base. No carvings or signs were on the stone. It had rested in a vertical position and the wallow had been gradually filled. Stones were placed in a circle around the Medicine Stone and inside next to the Mfedicine Stone were some broken Indian pipes, some broken arrows, old pieces of pottery and pots and colored bottles and any trifles they may have. The stone stood 100 yards away from the hill on a slightly sloping grassy slope, second hill from Gait Hospital."

C. Frank Steele, in an article entitled, "Lethbridge: The City that Coal Built," in the July 15, 1935 issue of Maclean's Magazine, told of the Medicine Stone: "... said to have been hurled by the Great Spirit from heaven. This miracle once turned the tide of battle in favor of the Blackfeet and their allies fighting their ancient enemies, the Crees ... Upon this sacred stone the Bloods for generations placed offerings of beads and trinkets, recounting to their children the amazing story of the Medicine Stone and the victory it brought to their braves on that memorable day."

Dr. Warren Geiger, a well-kno-wn Alberta geologist and native of Lethbridge, wro-be in reply to a request for information about the Medicine Stone: "Because of its position in the mouth of one of the coulees, it probably lies at a point which, in terms of the stratigraphy of the rocks and glacial deposits of the Indian Battle Park Riverbottom, was opposite bed­ rock of the Oldman River formation. (See sketch below.) Overlying the bedrock is a 20- to

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Sui kcitciciM^ Gr. e SoMtA

v/o. h-tcJroek Mr' s^y- sur/icf ncclieiftc- Slone. . - 35-foot bed of gravels called the Saskatchewan Gravels and Sands, which is the fossil remnant- of preglacial river deposits in the major river valley that drained southwestern Alberta prior to the over-riding of the area by continental glaciers from the northeast. Above the Saskatchewan Gravels and Sands is a sequence of at least three glacial till sheets and at least two buried glacial lake horizons with the mantle of glacial lake sediments that lie at the surface at Lethbridge ... from the above description it becomes evident that the medicine stone was probably a product of erosion of either the overlying gravel bed for which the source material is in the mountains, or from one or other of the glacial till sheets in whicl. the cobbles and boulders were either picked up from the area of the Canadian Shield or from 'bhe above gravels ... In my experience, and I have looked at most of the Saskatchewan Gravels sections in the Lethbridge area, I have never seen a boulder in the Saskatchewan Gravel deposits much larger than about 2 feet in its longest dimension. On the other hand, I have often seen very large erratics of the granite-granite gneiss type (often pink) either incorporated in the glacial till or obviously having been derived from the glacial till ... In conclusion, I would say it is remotely possible that the medicine stone is a red or pink quartzite.boulder that came either directly or indirectly from the gravels of Rocky Mountain ^i""'gin. It is much more likely, however, that the rock was a granitic rock, brought by ,ial processes and originating from the Canadian Shield."

Dr. Lou Bayrock, a Pleistocene geologist with the Alberta Research Council, agrees -with Dr. Geiger. His reply read: "The only common red rocks on the plains of Alberta are granites (glacial erratics) brought by the continental glacier. The granite blocks quite, often may have diameters of 5 to 10 feet."

The end of the story? That -will come when the Medicine Stone has been re-loca-bed and becomes again an important part of the interesting complex that we know as "Indian Battle Park" and "Whoop-up Country."

* -jj- * -js- -;;- -)s- ,a tvi--'""1. "COYOTE HENRY" , v^.^''^^""'^'^"' .. .-o by Andrew J. Staysko \ *'•'

/Lethbridge has had its share of "characters." Some, because of personal idiosyncrasies, / were thought of as "crazy", a designation that, in the vernacular of the times, meant "different" rather than any impairment of mental processes. One suspects that many of these people would be completely at home in today's world and would have endorsed enthusiastically the current rebellion against social mores. One of these individuals was kno-wn as "Coyote Henry." We are indebted to Mr. Staysko for his recollections of this interesting man_v7

Usually these nicknames were given to individuals according to whatever trade they followed. Very few people knew Coyote Henry's name. Old Henry had trapped coyotes and other animals at Chin Butte. He had a shack at Chin Butte. Joyote Henry was a queer character. He was considered somewhat crazy. He lived in a dugout in the coulee just north of the Gait Hospital, but was asked to move out. So he moved to a dugout about two coulees north of the present CPR bridge. He had about a dozen breeds of dogs. Coyote Henry was a man about 6' 2" tall. He wore a straw hat with a 2" rim. He had a 2- wheeled cart on which was a wooden box about U' wide and 5' long. Yellow and red lion and tiger heads were painted on the sides of the wagon box. Usually he had a rifle and shotgun propped up in the front corners of the cart. He smoked a corncob pipe.

}iy first encounter with Coyote Henry occurred when a number of us boys and girls were walking up the coulee from the riverbottom just north of the C, P. R. bridge. This was in 1906. Billy Kinnibourgh said we shouldn't go by Coyote Henry's place as he was crazy. However, we did. As we went by Coyote Henry's dogs started to bark at us. Suddenly Coyote Henry appeared at the gate. "Hello, boys and girls," he said. "Hello, Henry," we shouted back. So we stopped and talk­ ed. It happened to be July 1 st and I said to Henry, "I see you are celebrating Dominion Day and Independence Day since you have the Stars and Stripes flying." "Oh yes, I celebrate both holidays," he repliedc I should have known better than to ask, "Why do they call you Coyote Henry?" "Don't you call me that," he shouted, "I shoot anyone that calls me that name. My name is Henry James. Don't you call me that again."

So there we were--Elizabeth Kinnibourgh, Thomas McNab, Clifford McNab, Margaret Shorthouse, Alfred Davis, Billy Fairhurst and Billy Kinnibourgh--undecided whether or not to run. After we left Billy Kinnibourgh said to me, "You shouldn't have said that. You know he is crazy."

%• next encounter with Coyote Henry was in July 1907. I was wiper in the old Alberta Rail- •ray and Irrigation Company roundhouse. As I was splitting wood for lighting up the loco- .jtives who should come by the north side of the roundhouse but Coyote Henry. I asked him to sit down on the bench and rest but he refused, saying "ihat he never stayed out after dark. (This was about 8:30 p. m.) I was anxious to see his home in the dugout as no one would venture near his place so T said I would walk with him to his gate. At the gate Henry says reluctantly, "Come in and see my place." As he opened the door I walked in behind him. As I stood inside the door s-wung closed, hitting my back, and I felt something stick into my back. I turned around and, lo and behold, the door was covered full-length -with U- inch nails spaced about 5 inches apart. I said, "What's the idea of all the nails in the door, Henry?" "Boy," he said, "I put them nails in there and I keep them good and sharp. Tou know the mountain lions come around here at one o'clock in the morning. They scratch - that door and cut their pa-ws." Suddenly he reached down to the base of the wall, pulled out a wad of papers and says, "I shoot through there. See that porthole on the west side?" And he pulled out another wad of paper. "I shoot through there and get them mountain lions. Look up at the ceiling. They paw on my roof and I shoot through the roof and get them every time." There -were five bullet holes in the ceiling.

Suddenly he seemed to go into a kind of a trance. I sure done some fast thinking and wished to heck I was out of that shack. I said to Henry, "Why are -bhe moimtain lions af-ber you?" "Boy," he says, "I come up from Texas up through the Cascade Mountains Rocky Mountains and I killed a lot of mountain lions. They know me so thats why they are after me." I asked Henry if them mountain lions would get me going back to the roundhouse. "Oh no boy," he replied, "They don't come around till about one o'clock in the morning." I continued to humor him. "You watch me, Henry, so them mountain lions don't get me." And -with that I left.

I told iny experience to Mark White, the Stationary Fireman, but I didn't get any sympathy. Mark told me that I was crazy to go into Coyote Henry's shack and should have known better.

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Mr.""Staysko has given us a couple of additional stories about Coyote Henry and one about an early resident of Lethbridge named S-beam Boat Bill. These will appear in future newsletterso If any reader has material of the sort that has appeared herein, we would appreciate receiving it. The history of the city and district is made up of little stories of people and places. These should be placed on record inasmuch as possible. And failing that, they should be put into archives for the information of, and use by, future citizens of the region.

The Historical Society booklet, "The Battle at Belly River," will be reprinted. It will include two additional pages of text to incorporate recent information and two additional pictures. One of the pictures shows Keyaki-kapasew, a Cree Indian, whose face was dis- fig-ured by a -wound from a musket ball during the Indian Battle of I87O. The other picture is a map, which attenjjts to relate the battle of 1870 to modern Lethbridge. LETHBRIDGE BRANCH HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF ALBERTA INTERNATIONAL MOUNTAIN SECTION American Society of Range Management

N\imber 1; JOINT NEWSLETTER July, 1968

On July 26 and 27 the International Mountain Section, American Society of Range Management, will hold its annual summer tour in the Porcupine Hills and adjacent foothills of south­ western Alberta. The camp will be loca-bed at Black Mountain, on rangeland of the Walrond (usually Waldron) Grazing Cooperative, just off the Happy Valley road about 25 miles north of Lundbreck. Registration will begin on the evening of July 25 and will continue on the morning of July 26. Provision of meals is in the hands of Sherm Ewing and Hal Sears and will be provided at cost. The program will consist of three half-day tours, all radiating out from the central campsite and none longer than about 35 miles. There will be ample time for discussion of rangeland problems with the tours being designed -bo focus attention on poisonous plants, elk-cattle relationships, reseeding, brush control, watershed research, wildlife research, and recreation.

The area is rich in history. Our intention is to devote this entire newsletter -bo the topic.

The Indians

The long history of the Indians of southwestern Alberta is only now beginning to unfold. Many occupation sites have been located within Waterton Lakes National Park; the earliest seem to push human occupancy of the area back fifteen thousand or more years before the present. We have long thought that the continental glaciers did not retreat from the area until about twelve thousand years ago. It will likely take considerable study to resolve the controversy. There are numerous buffalo junps along the eas-bern edge of the Porcupine Hills; two of the best known are the "Heads-bashed-in" jump west of Fort Macleod and the "Old Woman's Buffalo Jump" west of the to'wn of Stavely. The latter was particularly significant in that it had not been disturbed prior -bo archaeological excavation and thus yielded an uninterrupted sequence for study. Both juirps, and likely others such as that in Boneyard Coulee west of Stavely, had been in use for 3000 years or so. Looting of the sites by "pot-hunters" has been a serious problem. Occupation sites are found in conjunction with the buffalo jumps and seem to be located mostly along the eastern edge. To date, no significant evidence of Indian occupancy has been found within the Hills. "Pit" dwellings, characteristic of Indians from west of the mountains have been found at one location west of Claresholm; their significance is still under study. During historic times this area seems to have been occupied by the Piegans, part of the great Blackfoot Confederancy. They were in contact with the Kootenai Indians of southeastern British Columbia and with the Stonies, the latter a small tribe of Assiniboia that ranged the mountains in this area.

Peter Fidler 1792-93

/Peter Fidler was a surveyor with the Hudson's Bay Company. Late in 1792 he left Buckingham House, a HBC trading post near present-day Vermilion, Alberta, and came with a group of Piegans to this area. He remained in this vicinity for a couple of months before returning to Buckingham House on the North Saskatchewan. A few extracts from his diary follow_^/

"These large plains either in one place or another is constantly on fire, & when the grass happens to be long & the wind high, the sight is grand & awful, & it drives along with amazing s-wiftness ... The lightening in the Spring & Fall frequently light the Grass, & in the winter it is done by the Indians." "The young men sleep out all night in general,' when 'they bring the buffalo to "bhe pound, & sometirres they will bring whole herds above UO miles off & sleep 2 or 3 nights according as they can drive_them in a direct manner or not towards "bhe Pound. The Old Men & boys attend the Dead Men /jpllea of rocks or buffalo chips in lines radiatingi out from the pound or jun^j

"On tops of the ridges /?f the Porcupine Hills? a kind of firr,very old and stunted with great quantities of a particular yellow moss TEvernla vulpina. actually a lichen/ adhering to the Trunks & Branches. These trees have been dead apparently many years. This moss makes an excellent yellow dye, for porcupine quills." It is something like cotton & when boiled becomes glutinious & clammy. Several of our Indians took a good Quantity ..."

"^t an Indian encampment near High Riv©r7 These Indians particiilarly the Crees are far from their own country ... but as they pretend to be great Doctors, and all the Slave Indians believe it, they come here only -bo ge^ what skins they can from these Indians for leaves, roots, &E, of their own gathering. /The carag/ all -together being about 190 tents, amongst them upwards of 2000 horses that feed in a fine level, near the Tents, a very fine sight. The Southern Indians pay very little attention to them & frequently they have none."

"They did not put out their fires when they left it, which spread among the dry grass & ran with gre&t velocity & burnt with great fury, which enlightened the night like day, and appeared awfully grand. The -wind being fresh drove it to a great distance in a little while ... These fires among the long grass are very dangerous ... The Indians very much disapproves of the grass taking fire near them, for self preservation & the enemy seeing the smoke ... as seldom any of these fires happen at this season but what the Inds. make themselves accidentally ... The Grass still burning ..o These fires burning off the old grass, in the ensuing Spring & Summer makes excellent fine sweet feed for the Horses & Buffalo, &c."

Fidler described the "Old Man's Playing Ground" or "Naw-pew-coch-e-tay-cots", supposed to have been built by an old white man (Napi) from the south for an assembly of the tribes. Fidler made a sketch of the playing ground, then in use, but noted only as "obscure remains" by Dawson in I88l . It was an area enclosed by piles of stones; Fidler showed ten piles in his

sketch but describes eleven in his journal. He described the weather and reported that it rained in southwestern Alberta on January 18, 1793, with high winds. He believed the west wind blew two-thirds of the time. He noted on January 21 that, "when the -wind changes to the westward ... the Inds. appears happy at such change." He was southern Alberta's first boos-ber, "The land of this country is a fine light sandy soil, and if cultivated would produce excellent crops of all kinds of grain. (The seasons here being so very mild.)"

Crowsnest—The name is a translation of the Cree kah-ka-ioo--wut-this-tun or of the Blackfoot ma-sto-eeas, both of which meant "The nest of the crows or ravens." Lundbreck—named for two men, Lund and Breckinridge, who mined coal in the area. Missouri River—amiskapo-omakaty, Big South Hiver. Milk River—named by Le-wis and Clark in 1805 but called by the Indians, kenuh-sis-uht, or Little River (in contrast to the Big River, the Missouri, above.) Fort Benton--amiska-poghts-aka-apewis. South Miany Houses. Wa-berton Lake—named by Lt. Blakiston after Charles Waterton, an English naturalist, but known to the Indians as, a-kwote-katl-nam. From the Palliser Report, year 1858.

UCLCaptaiJ n John Palliser's Mary: August 6th.--Started at seven, found we were now riding along ".e western flank of_the Porcupine Hills. Crossed a tributary to Bow River of considerable ze, name unkno-wn /seems to have been the North Fork of Willow Creek, a tributary of the ^1(Idma n River/. Proposed to the men to call it Arrow River, as it belonged to Bow River. The proposition was highly approved of, and this stream is now Riviere de la Fleche. Arrived at Montague des Porque epique, or Porcupine Hills, and camped at a considerable elevation. Saw some very old stunted cedars; was disappointed at the timber. The whole place was more or less destixjyed by fires. August 7th.--Started early from Porcupine Hills, preserving still a south course; arrived at 11^ at Little Belly River /Oldman River/, crossed it in lat. 1;9°32'. During the whole of the forenoon travelled over poor flinty and sandy country; during o\ir ride this afternoon the land improved in character, and was, in some places, rich. From a letter to Lord Stanley, London: August 8th we arrived at the li9th parallel, the prairie stretching away to the east, utterly devoid of wood save in the valley of the Great Belly River. The locus of l;9th parallel is very strongly marked by a high prominent Mountain, called the Chief's Mountain, in full view of which the Indians meet in the autumn, and perform some characteristic dances. I only remained one day ... to obtain an extensive view of the country to the east, but saw nothing but prairie of the poorest kind, and destitute of timber. From Palliser's Diary: August 11th.--In the afternoon fell on an Indian trail, which took us along a narrow ledge of land elevated some 20 or 30 feet from the lands on our west, and more than 200 feet from the prairie which dipped suddenly into a great basin. The plateau we were riding along was never more than 200 yards wide, and in some places not more than half that number of feet across; this singular strip of table land extended for four miles, due north and south, and in the bottom of the Basin were three long lak3s divided the one from the other by narrow rushy swamps, indeed the third lake was more a swamp than a lake /Chain Lakes, now Chain Lakes Reservoir/. Batiste and I descended the plateau into the basin with great difficulty, on account of its steepness, in order to hunt an elk on the west side of the swamp, in which we were \mcommonly near leaving o\ir horses, who sank to their bellies; we had considerable trouble to get them out, and had to climb the plateau again, along the p of which we had to continue, and after dark caught sight of my party's camp fire.

Blakiston's Report: /On August 12, 1858, Captain Thomas Blakiston left the camp at Old Bow Fort and headed south to explore the passes that we know as the North and South_Kootenaio7 ... Soon after we gained the height of land between the waters of the Spechee /Highwood/" and Mocowans, or Belly River, and the wide prairie valley of the latter broke upon our view ..0 Before gaining Belly River /present Oldman River/ in the morning, the quick and practiced eye of the Indian caught sight of a herd of buffalo_in the valley /south end of the Waldron Grazing Cooperativ£7 ... I was now on Belly River /Oldman/ ... Looking through the gap in the near range through which the river issues, I saw a very decided dome-shaped mountain ... After the distinguished British naturalist, I named it "Gould's Dome." The gap through which I had seen this mountain was in the eastern or near range, of very regular form, extending, with the exception of this gap, for a distance of five and twenty Liiles without a break. The crest of the range was of so regular a form that no point could_be selected as a peak, I therefore gave the whole the name of "Livingston's Range." ... /Blakiston crossed the mountains by the North Kootenai Pass. On September 2, 1858 he returned by what we call the South Kootenai Pass or, as he called it. Boundary Pass_^/... after travelling along Red-stone Creek we emerged on the Saskatchewan Plains, just six geographical miles north of the l;9th parallel, and camped at Waterton Lakes, two miles east of the mouth of the pass... The Crow-nest Pass follows up Crow-nest River, a tributary of Belly River, into the moiintains ... By report of the natives, it is a very bad road and seldom used.

From a Geological Report by George Mercer Dawson, 1881-6k

" 'The Gap' is a narrow rugged gorge crossing the range with a doubly curve_ somewhat in the shape of the letter S, and about a mile and a half in length. The /Indian/ trail follows the south side of the stream, at first at a considerable elevation above it, but toward the west end, coming down to its level. Near the eastern end are three cairns; the first, a wide mound, about eight feet high, composed of stones and small boulders, and evidently very old, ^^^( .e two others smaller. As these are of no use as landmarks, they have probably been formed the course of years by the addition of a stone by each Indian entering the mountains by ^^: his route, for luck. On a narrow piece of flat open ground, a short distance fvirther on, are the obscure remains of a couple of rectangles formed of larger stones. This place is well kno-wn to all the Indians, and named by them 'The Old Man's Playing Ground.' It is from this spot that the Old Man's River derives its name, many superstitions attaching to the neighborhood." ^F ^^ The name of the Old Man_River in Cree is Is-e-enoo-met-ewe--win-si-pi; in Stoney, Is-sa-goo- win-ih-ska-da-wap-ta. /In Blackfoot, Napia-otzi-kagh-tzipi or Natok-kiokas_J7 It will be sufficiently obvious why these names have not passed into common use." Dr. Duncan McEachran ^^

Dr. McEachran was a graduate of Edinburgh Veterinary College. His association with Alberta's cattle industry began prior to 1880. In that year the Cochrane Ranch Company, the I. G. Baker Company, and Ife". McEachran arranged for the purchase of seven thousand head of cattle from Montana. This was really the start of the big herds in Alberta and the extensive operations that were, to follow. In 1881, the Walrond Ranch, better known as the WR from its brand, was formed by Dr. McEacgran and financed by British capital. Sir John Walrond being president. James Patterson, an experienced cowman from Montana, was foreman. The original headquarters still stands. In the I880's McEachran was appointed Chief Government Veterinary Surgeon, meanwhile retaining his interest in the Walrond Ranch. The ranchers of southern Alberta, encouraged by editorials in the Macleod Gazette, became very abusive towards him, and especially to his methods regarding the handling of mange. (This involved the enforced dipping of all cattle, with which many ranchers did not agree.) Dr. McEachran was largely responsible for the iii5)ortation of numerous sires of the beef breeds as well as stallions, both draft and thoroughbred. He detected the first case of mange in southern Alberta. He diagnosed the first case of glanders in the province. He inaugurated our first system of animal disease control by quarantine. He diagnosed and endeavoured to combat the first outbreaks of blackleg in southern Alberta.

Place Names of the Region

Porcupine Hills—ky-es-kaghp-oghsuyiss or Porcupine Tail to the Indians, Msntagne des Porque epique to early Canadien hunters, the present name dates to about the mid-1800's. Southeast spur of the Porcupine Hills--otsi-tchiksis-apikimikway. The ridge that slopes down to the river. Southern extension of the Porcupine Hills—sitoko-pawaghko Rocky Mountains--mis-tokis Enemy's Pound (on east side of Porcupine Hills, location unknown)—pinotzi-piskan Buffalo Pound Creek (East side of Porcupine Hills, now Heads-bashed-in Buffalo Jump)--ehtzi- pak-si-kini-kawts. Where we smashed their heads in the mud. Woman's Pound (now Old Woman's Buffalo jump on east side of Porcupine Hills)--aki-piskan, Woman's Pound, or nehts-is-omipe. Where we approached the enemy. Mosquito Creek--pak-si-may-so-yiskway. White willow place Sheep Creek--okotokxi-etughty. Rocky River Chief Mountain—nina-stokis Country beyond the mountains—sat-tos. Across the mountains Pincher Creek—in-oks-spit-zi. Little high wood river. Joe Kipp, about 1866, lost a pair of pincers, used for trimming horses hooves, along the banks of the stream. He was prospecting in the Porcupine Hills but took every opportunity to return to look for the pincers, hence the name. Fort Macleod--stamlx-otokan-okowy, Bull's Head's home. (Bull's Head was Col. J. F. Macleod.) Bob's Creek--after a miner, "Old Bob", who opened a coal mine in the area in the eighties. He caught fish in great quantities which he sold to J. ¥. Smith and I. Go Baker in Fort Macleod. Todd Creek—from a man by the name of Todd who was buried along the stream. HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF ALBERJA

LETHBRIDGE BRANCH

Number 5 NMSLETTER September, 1 968

Membership in the Lethbridge Branch, Historical Society of Alberta, and a subscription to the quarterly Alberta Historical Re-view can be obtained for $3.00 per year. Send money to:

Mrs. Lucille Dalke, Treasurer, Lethbridge Historical Society, P. 0. Box 97U, Lethbridge, Alberta.

Society Officers for 1968-69: President Alex Johnston Past President Frank A. Russell Vice President Andrew J. Staysko Second Vice President George Watson Secretary Bruce Haig Treasurer Lucille Dalke Council member (1970) R. J. Henry Council member (1970) Clarence Geiger Coimcil member (1969) Chris Gibson Council member (1969) Thomas Mikkelsen Council member (1968) George McKillop Coimcil member (1968) David J. Whitney Council member (1968) Richard H. Painter

RED, BLACK, AND BLUE TRAILS

Today we know Highway No. 3, Highway No. k, and the gravelled road from Fort Macleod to the town of Glenwood by their various numbers. In the twenties we would have known them as -bhe Red, Black, and Blue trails of the Lethbridge district. Recently we arranged for N. H. "Brad" Bradley, former Highways Engineer, to put these and other trails on a map of southern Alberta.

Mr. Bradley tells us that the color code that was used to designate the roads of the country grew out of early efforts by the Alberta Motor Association (or its predecessor) and Boards of Trade of Alberta and Montana. It was in the period immedia-bely after World War 1. Motor cars had come into wide use during the war and tourism had begun. Complaints were received that the motorists experienced difficulty in getting from one point to another over the unmarked roads of the day.

A scheme was devised to take advantage of those road allowances that had telephone lines. According to Mr. Bradley, each trail followed the first telephone lines connecting through the south country. The trails were marked by 12-inch painted bands on the first pole around, or past, the section comers or road allowances. He says, "I believe these were marked first by early AM members. I had them renewed, in the Lethbridge district, about 1925, at the expense of the Alberta Public Works, by the late Mayor of Lethbridge, Robert Barrowman. The first trails so marked were dirt blade graded, improved with a few fresno filled low places. The low places were pro-vided with wooden culverts, mostly, and a few small corrugated steel ones. These soon filled up, in the dry years after 1915, with blown soil."

The Black Trail ran from Great Falls to Lethbridge, and on to Calgary via Vulcan. This is the present highways 1;, part of 3, and 23. The Blue Trail ran from Nanton to Macleod, across the ridge to Glenwood and Cards-bon and crossed the International Boundary into the United States at the St. Mary's Crossing. The trail likely originated in Calgary and follows the present highway No. 2, then a secondary road to Glenwood and the States. A portion of the Blue Trail, south of Fort Macleod, is still known locally by the old name. •

The Red Trail went from Medicine Hat to Lethbridge and -the Crowsnest Pass, the present-day highway No. 3- It is our understanding that the rudimentary and fragmented Trans-Canada highway of the day was known as the "All-Red." We believe, also, that additional color codes were used in other areas but have no information on them.

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TIPI RINGS

The skin tipi (or teepee) of the Plains Indian was an excellent example of adaptation to the environment. It was made of readily-obtainable buffalo skins and lodgepole pine, Pinus contorta var. latifolia. It was easily erected or taken down and could be carried on the back of a horse, while the lodgepoles were dragged by the animal. It was warm in winter but cool in summer, especially when the sides were raised. It was symmetrical and roomy.

The tipi covers often were held down on the prairie with rocks. And these tipi rings of stonf some with a central fireplace, are still to be found on the Alberta prairie.

Tipi rings have been studied by Thomas Kehoe, who reported the work in the Bureau of American Ethnology Bulletin 173, Smithsonian Institute, Washington, D. C. We have been questioned recently about tipi rings and, in answer to these questions, include here a simmary of Dr. Kehoe's findings.

Early archaeologists were confused as to the original function of the tipi rings. Their con­ fusion arose because, in addition to thousands of tipi rings of varying sizes, some with a double ring of s'bones, some with a central fireplace but many without, there were other stone objects on the prairie. These included Medicine Wheels, again of varying shapes and sizes, boulder effigies of men, animals, snakes and lizards, and other configurations of stones that were in-bended to tell of a duel, the death of a warrior, or other exploits of long ago. We might mention, in passing, that many of the larger effigies could not be seen in their entirety from ground leve.l--they were not intended for the eyes of men but rather for the eyes of the Above People, the gods of the Indians.

Tipi rings are found in northern Colorado, western Nebraska, and western North and South Dakota. But the greatest number are located in Wyoming, Montana, and on the plains of Alberta and Saskatchewan. They usually occur as stone circles, of-ben in considerable numbers. The circles are formed of small boulders placed at intervals to form rings ranging from 5 to UO feet in diameter. The stones are usually deeply embedded in the soil, suggesting that they were placed there long ago. Early settlers of the plains, at a very early da-be, adopted the name "tipi rings" for these phenomena.

Early explorers pro-vided us with the first accounts of tipi rings. The Hind Expedition of 1858 noted "the remains of ancient encampments, where the plains Crees had erected large skin tents and strengthened them with rings of stones placed around the base." Hind saw the rings on the banks of the Qu'Appelle River valley, around Buffalo Poimd Hill lake, and around other lakes in the 'vicinity. George M. Dawson, who visited Lethbridge about 1881, said of the Sweetgrass Hills, "The country surrovindlng "bhe Buttes is said to have been a neutral ground between various tribes of Indians. That it has been so is evidenced by the almost complete absence of the circles of stones marking camping places."

Sir Cecil Denny, an original member of the NWMP, wro-be, "Rings of boulders or smaller stones will be found in hundreds on the prairie and the c\irious will often wonder as to their origin. The stones will in most cases be covered by sod, showing that long periods of time must have elasped since they were placed there. Long ago, before the Indians of the Plains obtained steel axes and hatchets, they were unable to cut and sharpen the stakes and to fas-ben down their lodges. These s-bones picked up on the prairie were used for this purpose, and on the tent being moved these rings of stone were left, and in the course of ages became covered by soil."

John McLean visi-bed Indian encampments near Fort Macleod in 1880 and wrote, "Riding carelesslj^^B over the prairie with a yo\mg man who had lately arrived from the Old World, iny companion ^^^ called my attention to a circle of stones. 'That is a mark,' said he, 'placed there to commemorate a great battle that was fought between different tribes of Indians.' Oftentimes had I seen these circles on the prairie, and knowing the cause of their construction, I was amused at this display of apparent wisdom. The circles are -bo be found on our wes-bem prairies. As the Indians traveled on their hunting expeditions, -bhey placed s-bones around the edges of the lodges when they canjjed, to prevent the wind from over-turning them, and to keep them warm. This is shown by the outer circle of s-bones. In the cen-ber of the lodge the^ fire was made, and to keep the fire from spreading and "bo adapt it to cooking purposes, a small circle of stones was placed which confined the fire. When the camp was moved -bhe circle of s-bones was left ..."

Bull Head, a North Piegan from Brocket, had "bhis to say about the rock rings: "It was my great-grandfather's generation, the people that never had the horse and used the dog for traveling, that used the rock rings.... Now, both the horse and the dog people used the rocks for tipi weights. The horse people used both wooden pegs and rocks to help weigh down the lodge 'bo protect it from the wind ... The outer rocks were used as 'weights -bo hold down the tipi for pro-bection from the wind because the'tipis were right in the open. These tipi rings were called Iskiman^ "something to hold down the lodge." ... The inner rocks in the cen-ber of the large ring were the fire hearth. They were about two feet in diame-ber and used to pro-beet the fire from spreading on the ground. The center rocks were called appskitan, "confine the fire."

Other Indians -bold Kehoe that the people started to. use pegs ins-bead of rocks at about the same time that they acquired the horse. (The horse was re-introduced to North America by the Spaniards in A. D. 1515. It gradually worked northward and was obtained by the Blackfoot from the Nez Perce about A. D. 1730. We -think it likely that the horse re-entered Alberta over the South Kootenay Pass, in modem Wa-berton Lakes National Park.)

John C. Ewers, however, sugges-bed that the true cause of the shift from rocks to wooden pegs was not the horse, but the metal ax, which was an early fur trade ir^ortation and thus was used first at about the same time that the horse was obtained by the Blackfoot.

Some information was obtained on the general loca-bion of campsites during the time when tipi rings were used. Bull Head said, "The camp was located some distance from b-uffalo traps so the buffalo would not be disturbed. It was usually in a place where they could get wa-ber and in the open. More of -bhese rings are found in the open."

Other Indians said, "They had to camp on hills and did not move very far—just from buffalo jump to buffalo jump." "The word for camp is meimapis. In the summer they can^jed on the hills or in high places so that they could look for the enemy." "When you see these tipi rings along the creeks and in the valley bottoms, they are the winter canps. In the spring when it floods they move up on the benches and high ground." Apparently there were different places to camp during certain seasons: "I heard the old people of our tribe say that OMT people camped in the brush of the sheltered valleys near the buffalo drives in winter. The winter can^is were in the brush and the summer camps on the flats above the streams."

Indians were questioned about the size and plan of the csanp, as well as about a cairp circle. Bull Head commen-bed, "Yes, I heard that they used the camp circle but they usiially did not travel in large groups. They were in search of food and that is why you find these places with rock rings--sometimes one, only two, and then sometimes fi-ve in one spot. They were small groups of people in search of food." Another Indian said, "Ity grandmother told me that her people planned -bo meet together in the simmer and had a large camp circle. In the winter there was no larger canf) circle, but each band did have a small circle in the winter camp. The band broke up in the winter time after they got their meat. She also told me that her people csswped more in groups af-ber they got the horse. The chief would have his ring in the center of the camp circle. He would be the one with the most wives and would have the big tipi ring."

Size of tipi rings was disciissed: "The tipis were not very large before my people got the horse. The dogs were bigger then, but they could not carry very much even though the travels made a load lighter. A certain dog would have "bo carry a tipi skin alone. The lodge poles would be smaller in those days, so that a dog could pull them. A big cover would be only ten skins then. Some fellows would say, "Ey tipi is six skins." A big chief would have ten skins. Later on, when they got the horse, eighteen to twenty skins was average." /Ewers considered an average of 18 to 20 skins per lodge as excessive and thought, based on his studies, that 12 -bo 1U skins was a more realistic figure_j/

Did the Indians return -bo the same tipi ring? Apparently this was not -bhe usual practice. Bull Head said, "It was not -bhe usual practice for people -bo come back to -bhe same ring, but my father, did return to the one I am protecting." Another informant, Annie Calf Looking,said, "Ify grandmother said that her people would leave their rock ring and leave it. They marked their own s-bone ring and they could not take another person's ring. If you wanted someone's ring, you would have to pay dearly for the spot.' You would have to give robes, dogs or horses if you came and wanted to take someone's ring away. There was quite a dispute when someone came and took another person's camping place. Each person would know right where their ring was loca-bed. When a person died, their bro"bher would take the ring, give it to someone else, or leave it blank. People kept from taking a person's ring because they were afraid of the dead." The lat-ber seems to be a minority opinion, or characterized smaller groups.

Occasionally double rings are found. This resulted when a second ring of rocks was used -bo hold down the lining of the tipi, an outside ring being used to hold down the skin lodge itself. The small ring of rocks for the fireplace was not always present; fires were frequently mede outside the lodge rather -bhan within it. Small rings may represent the tipis of widows, or of others dependant upon the charity of their neighbors, or may represent children's play tipis. The rocks around the edge of -bhe tipi were of a size that could be carried easily by the women, since the setting up of the camp was their responsibility. Generally, if rocks were larger, there were fewer of them.

The inside of -bhe lodge was kept comfortable by preventing wind from getting under the edges, by means of a liner -bhat further prevented drafts, occasionally by the use of a center fire­ place, and the cus-bomary furs and furniture that we associate with the Blackfoot. Some said that, in the win-ber, they would cut fine willows and straw or marsh grass. This would be placed between the pegged skin cover and the ground in order -bo keep the lodge warm.

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During early summer, 1968, the Lethbridge Archaeological Socie-ty examined tipi rings near -bhe city. One tipi ring, and what appeared -bo be a buffalo rubbing s-bone, were removed and were placed in Indian Battle Park.

Dr. Jon Dormaar reported on a detailed examination of one ring, which had a center fireplace and was about 15 feet in diameter. Position of stones was mapped by Archaeological Society members.

A number of tipi rings are present in NE^, Sec. 21, Twp. 7, Rg. 21, Wl;th. There are good views from hills in the area and water holes are present. The area is favorable for camping. The study area was classed as hummocky moraine, likely deposi-bed upon the melting of stagnant ice near the margin of the continental ice sheet. The glacial till is overlain by fine lake deposits and aeqlian (wind-blown) material. The description of the soil around the ring is:

"A dark-brown (10 YR 3/3, wet; 10 IR l;/li, dry) Ah surface horizon of 9 cm is underlain by about 11 cm of a brown (10 YR i;/3, wet) strongly prismatic Bm horizon. The Ck horizon occurs at approxima-bely 20 cm below the surface."

The boulders used for the tipi ring were granite, quartzi-be, and limestone. They were likely placed on the surface and aeolian deposits led to partial burial, since the underlying soil horizons have not changed in thickness but yet the rocks are embedded 12 cm below the surface. The soil under each rock had a strongly platy structure, of dark gray color. This could have been caused by rainwater flowing around -bhe boulders, with increased leaching of -bhe soil. The pH of the soil, its mechanical composition, and its total carbon content were all consis-bent with rocks partially covered by wind-blown soil. The soil under the rocks of the fireplace yielded only small bits of bone and charcoal. The fires were likely of buffalo chips, which would leave little or no trace. No artifacts were found.

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