MRS. M. McNEIL RECALLS EARLIER DAYS
"The following items of
interest, about Estevan's earlier days, were told to
me by Mrs. McNeil."
(Merle
--Mrs. P.C. Duncan owned the store
which is now
--Mr. Davies had the first drug store
in town, and it was located in the Davies Block (now Rae Block) on
(Mrs. M. McNeil)
Estevan Band
about 1907. Front Row: (left to right): Oliver Olson; Harry King.
Second
Row: (L to R) Tom Yardley; "Dad" Philio; Mr. Hartley,
drum major; Bruce Scrimogour.
Third
Row: ; Bob Andrist;
Bandmaster Johnson; T.A. Perry; Billy Olson.
Back
Row (L to R): ; Dan McNeil; ; Charles Hastings; Carl Olson; Joe
Perry and Mr. McLeod.
41
--The Kelly House was the first hotel
in Estevan and was built about 1893 by Mr. and Mrs.
Archie Kelly on the corner of Fifth St. and Twelfth Ave. It was destroyed by
fire about 1908. The International Hotel was built in its place.
--Mr. C.D. Griffith, the present
postmaster, had the first telephone exchange in his home.
--Mr. Green opened the Canada Cafe on
Fourth St.
--Estevan's
first garage, Estevan Garage, was owned by Mr. Nesbit
and Mr. Von. Mr. Nesbit's interests in the business
were later taken over by Mr. Robinson. The business is presently operated on
its original location on Fifth St. under the name of Grundeen
Motors. It was partially destroyed by a cyclone in June, 1913.
--Some lodges in Estevan
in those days were the Orange Lodge, Oddfellows, and
the Masonic Lodge.
--A jewelry store was located in what
is presently Mac's Treasure Chest. A second jewelry store owned by Mr. Motheral was operated in what is now Frank Abbot's Store on
the corner of Fourth and Twelfth Ave.
--In 1912 the hospital was located in
what is now Clasky's Store.
--The theatre in 1912 was the Delight
and was located on Twelfth Ave. between Fifth and Sixth Streets.
--The present funeral home was originally
a boarding house for miners on the edge of the valley in what is now the west
side of town. It was later moved to Fourth St. (Bank of Commerce present
location), where it was used as the Bank of Hamilton Offices and a lawyer's
office. It was later moved to its present location on Third Street. The Bank of
Commerce Building was built on its Fourth Street location.
--The Natches
Blacksmith was on the corner of the block where Sovacry
Creamery presently stands. Across the Avenue was a creamery owned by Miss Ruby Gleiser.
--The first electric light plant was
located on the corner of Fourth St. and Eleventh Ave. where Foley Motors now
stands.In 1912 the power plant was
housed in what has served as the Walker Fruit Building, directly across from
the C.N.R. Station, until very recently.
--The skating rink was located behind
what is now the George Simpson home on First Street. The curling rink was
across the avenue from the skating rink.
--During the cyclone of 1913, Mrs.
McNeil saw the chimney of Central School collapse and fall through the roof of
the school.
oOo
(Mrs. H. Nicholson)
The
cyclone which struck the town on June 23, 1913 did extensive damage.
Here we
stee what remained of the Estevan
Garage following the storm.
This
location is now occupied by Grundeen Motors on Fifth
Street.
42
ESTEVAN WAS RUGGED FIFTY YEARS AGO
(The Estevan
Mercury)
--Estevan is
standing upon the threshold of a new half century with its cars, electric
lights, oil furnaces, science and medical advancements and a million and one
other modern day conveniences that have developed within the past 50 years.
--However Estevan
has not always reserved the right to call itself a quiet thriving community for
at one time it was a refuge for all types of Canadian and American outlaws who
roamed the plains killing, looting and plundering any spoils that were ripe for
the picking from a relative handful of peace-loving pioneers.
--These facts disclose themselves in
the following information submitted to the Mercury by one of the Estevan district old timers, relating some of the events
the Estevan citizens experienced at this time 50
years ago.
--Alton Ellis, oldest settler in the Estevan-Bienfait district, who now lives one mile north of Bienfait, left Toronto for the west with his father, John
Ellis, on March 15, 1892. They were accompanied by Frank Stevenson of Oxbow a
cousin and horse dealer, who was returning to the west with his family after a
business trip to the east.
--It took two weeks to make the trip
from Toronto to Oxbow. Due to a strike of trainmen the train was held up at
different points along the way. At several stops a series of riots broke out
and in one of them a man was killed.
--The train finally arrived in Oxbow
in one piece with most of the windows broken from stones hurled at the coaches
by the rioters. Upon their arrival in Oxbow April 1, 1892 they were taken to
Mrs. Judge Wylie mother's home where they were housed for the night. In the
morning they awoke to a blinding snow storm.
--Oxbow, at that time was the end of
the rails so after a few days rest Frank Stevenson drove John Ellis and his son
to Estevan by wagon. They came to Estevan
through the valleys of Roche Percee. John Ellis filed
a claim for three sections located three miles north-west of Bienfait.
--At that time there were only two
settlers in the district, Gordon Anderson and Donald Ross. Their mud brick
homes were only half a mile apart.
--Upon returning to Oxbow a short time
later they were told that two new settlers had reached Oxbow during their
absence. When given their description John Ellis identified them as Richard
Perry and son, Truman.
--Several days later Frank Stevenson
drove the Ellises and Perrys
to Estevan. Upon arriving, John and Alton Ellis, both
being efficient carpenters, accepted a contract to build the first two large
buildings in Estevan for Arthur Kelly Sr.
--The first building to be raised was
a livery and feed barn that stood
E.A.
Davis, druggist in Estevan about 1908.
James
Lackey was at first employed by Mr. Davis and later bought out the business.
Several
years ago the business was sold to Ralph King and is operated on its original
site on Fourth St.
43
where Tom McLean
now has his machine shop. This building was used as a rooming house until the
second building, the Kelly Hotel, was built on the site of the International
Hotel.
--The first school was opened above
the Lindsay and Patterson General Store which was located on the now vacant lot
between the Variety Store and the Kelly Block.
--After the Souris
line track was laid into Estevan, the Soo Line built their line to Moose Jaw. Frank Stevenson
then took a contract to plow a fire guard of eight furroughs
on each side of the track from Portal to Moose Jaw via Estevan.
He organized a string of eight four-horse teams with walking plows along with
water tank and supply wagon.
--Members of the crew included John
and Alton Ellis; Richard Perry and son, Truman, who later founded Perry
Hardware; Peter McDonald; Bob Hazzard, a retired mine
owner; Bill Culvert; Frank Stevenson and his two cousins.
--There used to be many a Sunday
evening spent in the parlor of the Kelly Hotel singing hymns. Mr. Kelly, owner
f the hotel, liked to sing with the rest but so that he wouldn't appear
sentimental he would call it "heavenly music but an ungodly noise".
--A few years after the hotel was
built and Estevan started to show signs of growth a
large number of American cowboys from Montana began to filter into town.
--Some of these cowboys were thought
to be members of the famous Jesse James gang from Missouri for they were
completely fearless. They wore six guns strapped to their waists in adorned
leather holsters slung so that the wearer could draw them fast if needed. They
were truly handsome desperados dressed in their worn leather chaps, beaten
ten-gallon hats, dusters and sagging heeled boots with large Mexican spurs.
--Back of where the St. John's Hall
now stands there was a corral where the cowboys tied their mounts while they
strolled over to the hotel for a little refreshment.
--One evening when there was a crowd
of wranglers in town, one who was feeling no pain rode his horse into the bar
of the Kelly Hotel and ordered refreshments for the house. After having a drink
and paying he rode back out to the street.
--If the cowboys were a little short
of funds they were not adverse to rustling a few head of cattle to replenish
their pocket books. Several nights after the bar room episode 25 head of prize
stock were stolen from the John Anderson farm situated by the Souris River where the Vaughn farm now stands.
--Some
years later a hide bearing the Anderson brand was found but the outlaws could
not be traced.
(Mrs. H. Nicholson)
A combined
pool hall and bowling alley about 1903 or 1904. "Dad" Philio
standing at the bar.
This
building was located on the present curling rink site on Fifth Street.
44
--Shortly after the turn of the
century there was quite a number of tramps strolling through the country. One
evening two men asked to be put up for the night in the Ellis farm home. At
that time it was difficult to make room for the family without rooming
additional strangers so they were given permission to sleep in the barn.
--They left early in the mrning and traveled two miles east to the Donald Ross home
which was uninhabited. They gained entrance to his home and stole a chest of
silver. Some time later they were captured by the R.C.M.P. and turned over to a
United States marshal to be taken back to the States where they were hung for
murdering a man in Montana, a few weeks before they stole the silver.
--These are just a few instances of
the lawlessness and harrowing experiences that the early settlers of the Estevan district had to contend with.
(Mrs. C.R.P. Boakes)
This is
what the present Symon's Grocery Store looked like in
1905.
About
1910 the business was operated and owned by Mr. Boakes.
In front
of store, left to right are Hector McNeil, Cassia McDonald, Etta McDonald (now
Mrs. Boakes),
Mr.
C.R.P. Boakes.
There
appears to be some content missing but I will continue the book's content as it
appears...
Loaded into
the railway cars. Later on a spur track was run from near Roche Percee to the two larger mines at Taylorton.
As the demand for coal became greater, mines were opened along the Souris Valley from Pinto to Estevan.
--Perhaps it should be mentioned here
that the first bricks made in Southern Saskatchewan was about July 1894, one
mile east of Taylorton bridge. These bricks were of
very good quality. This permitted the homesteaders to replace the tin
roof-jacks with brick chimneys on their dwellings.
--In 1892 and 1893 two lime kilns were
also in operation on the river bank east of Taylorton.
These industries later moved to Shand and Estevan.
--Grain farming proved uncertain
during these early dry years. However, this changed for the farmer when he
learned not to depend on the grain alone and began mixed farming. Horses,
cattle, and sheep were raised in quantity, some for sale. Only a few hogs were
raised and these were chiefly to supply the farmer's own food requirements.
--The spiritual needs of the settlers
were looked after by a few faithful "Sky-Pilots", ministers who traveled long
distances by horse-back. They often rode 30 to 40 miles each Sunday holding
three meetings or more. The meetings were held in such available places as
railway waiting rooms, coal mine boarding houses or in the homesteaders'
shanties. The Anglican Church minister came from Oxbow as far west as Estevan. The Presbyterian and Methodist ministers and
students traveled each Sunday from Estevan to North
Portal by horse and buggy or jumper (as the little sleighs were called).
--Amusements were similar to those in
the older communities from which the pioneers had come. Football, baseball and
pony-races were the chief outdoor sports for adults during the summer months.
In the summer of 1898, Estevan school boys met
Britannia school boys in a hard fought football game at the Coalfields Picnic
Grounds. Estevan boys being victorious received
45
(J. Chapman)
Twelfth
Avenue about 1914. First building on the left was the Bergstrom Hotel
which was
built by a Mr. Matt about 1903, and later sold to John M. Bergstrom.
This
building was later torn down and the site is now a parking lot.
(Mrs. Leonard Brovold)
The
corner of Fifth St. and Twelfth Avenue looking north about 1910. The Davies
Block, now the Rae Block, was built about 1902 by Dr. Davies and he operated
the Estevan Drug Store. Mr. D.L. Irvine later took
over the drug store until he moved to Fourth St. The Progress owned by Mr. T.H.
Halliwell was purchased by the Mercury proprietor
when his building (bus depot) was destroyed by fire in 1925.
two oranges
each as their prize. The children played the same old games that they seem to
have always played. Rag dolls, homemade sleds and wagons, swings from binder
twine rope and teeters made from poplar poles were to be seen about many of the
homesteads. The long winter evenings were spent visiting, dancing, and playing
games. Dance music was supplied by someone playing a violin, a concertina, an
accordion, a mouth organ, a set of bones or a Jew's harp.
--The Royal North West Mounted Police
had an outpost station south on Long Creek at what was known as Wood End. There
they had quite a village of log cabins, stables and a blacksmith shop. They had
many large corrals for quarantine purposes, all cattle and horses from the
United States being required upon entry to be inspected for contagious
diseases. Horse and cattle stealig was quite common
in these early days and gave the police many a long and interesting chase.
--Above all other dangers the pioneers
dreaded the fall prairie fires and the winter blizzards. They plowed
fire-guards around the stacks of grain and their buildings.
--Those of us who live in Saskatchewan
to-day enjoy many things because the early settlers worked hard and made out
land what it is. Saskatchewan is the land we love. The word Saskatchewan means
"rapid river".
(Mrs. C. Boakes)
The Davies Block
built by Mr. Davies in 1902.
He operated a drug
store there for some time.
46
ESTEVAN DISTRICT - 50 YEARS AGO
(Estevan
Mercury)
--What was the Estevan
District like 50 years ago? Not too many people remember it personally, but
records give a good, factual picture of what was going on and this report of
abank manager at Estevan
covering the year 1904 is one of the interesting records still in existence.
The report states:
--The Estevan
District is still in the "Homestead" stage. The settlers are breading up the
land, but of course, it is a slow process. Comparatively few of the homesteaders
have sufficient capital to buy more than one team of horses.
--During the year 1905 a large number
of the settlers will receive titles to their land, having completed the
necessary three years of
(Mrs. M. G. McNeil)
The Davies
Block on the corner of Fifth St. and Twelfth Ave. which housed the Dominion
Lands Office.
This
picture taken on Sept. 1, 1908 was a scene common when homesteaders would
gather
to register their claims on opening day.
occupation
and will at once mortgage the farm for $500 to $1000. This will provide the
country with a good working capital.
--The 1904 season was a fairly good
one in this district. Although the spring was very late and wet, a good farming
summer made up for lost time. The average yield for wheat was 18 bushels per
acre, oats 40 to 50 bushels, and barley 30 bushels per acre. The farmers here
have almost entirely abandoned flax owing to the low price prevailing in
Canada. Very good prices have been obtained for wheat, averaging 15 cents per
bushel higher than last year.
--The
total amount of grain marketed at this point for the season will be 60,000
bushels. This, of course, is a small amount but we can safely look forward to
the land under cultivation being doubled for the next two years.
(Mr. Giem)
Plowing
scene about 1918. Tractor in the foreground is believed to be Rumley Oil Pull 30-60
which
used coal oil as fuel. A steamer is seen in the background taking on water from
a water tank.
This tractor
burned coal and had a top speed of 2.5 miles per hour.
47
This is
certain without even the influx of new settlers.
--The fall was very favorable for
plowing and the land is mostly all ready for next season's crop.
--The coal mines here have been further
developed during the last year and appear to be doing a profitable business.
The mine opened up by the Canadian Pacific Railway last year has been leased to
the Souris Coal Mining Company who have been for
years customers of the Bank of Montreal in Winnipeg. This transaction practicall places all the large mines in hands of one
company.
--A new industry has been developed
during the last year, Brick Making. The Eureka Coal and Brick Co. Ltd. Have
established a brick yard within a mile of Estevan.
They have coal on their own grounds within 50 yards of the kilns. During the
1904 season they were more or less on an experimental basis, but towards the
end of the summer they succeeded in producing a first class brick and could not
supply one-quarter of the demand for the same. The demand for this brick comes
from Winnipeg and all towns on the main line of the C.P.R. within 300 or 400
miles.
--This company is owned by residents
of Wilmar, Minnesota, U.S.A. At first all banking was
done at that point but within the last few months of 1903 an account was opened
at this office."
oOo
EARLY HISTORY OF ESTEVAN
(G.A. Dunbar)
--The town of Estevan
had its beginning in the spring of 1892 and by the middle of June, that year
had grown into a good sized tent village, consisting of eating places, ten
other places of business and between fifty and a hundred dwellings, both large
and small, all of canvas. During that summer the tents gave way to tar-paper
shanties and the places of business moved into newly and hurriedly made lumber
and tar-paper buildings.
--The railroad from Oxbow to Estevan was completed that summer. Up till that time all
the supplies were brought in from Moosomin on the
main line of the Canadian Pacific Railway.
--It was not until a year or two later
that the great influx of homesteaders took place. Many of these stayed, while
others moved elsewhere during the drought period which followed in this area.
--The first coal mine of any
importance in this district had its beginning
(Mrs. T. Waldran)
A typical
Sunday scene about 1910.
in 1889 or
1890 in the Taylorton Field. This gave winter
employment to many of the homesteaders. The Taylorton
Field was at that time called the "Coalfields". The Rural Municipality No. 4,
of which these original coalfields are a part still bears the name, "Coalfields
R.M. No. 4:. One of the better mines was operated by Mr. Hassard,
who played a great role in the development of the mining industry in this
territory. It was he who built the big stone house, the remains of which still
stand at the top of the Taylorton Hill, overlooking
the valley. A second mine, about a mile east of the present Taylorton
Bridge, was operated by Mr. Gowe, known far and wide
as "Daddy Gowe". The early settlers from such distant
points as Flaxton, North Dakota, Carnduff
and Alameda as well as from the surround-district, hauled coal with two and
four horse teams. Many of the less fortunate made this long trip with yoke of
oxen. In the years 1893 and 1894 the Soo Line Railway
was built from Moose Jaw to North Portal. Coal was then hauled by horses from
the mines at Taylorton to Roche Percee
and
(C.R.P. Boakes)
Believed
to be Estevan's first automobile, about 1902 or 1903.
Tommy
Lewis and Cox Brothers are seated in the car.
(Mrs. C.R.P. Boakes)
A
get-together at Woodlawn Park early in the Century.
48
MAP OF ESTEVAN - 1892 to 1900
(Original by Mrs. M. Edwardson)
Legend for
map on opposite page (above)
- Miss Hobbs Boarding House (1893)
- McLeod's Meat Market (1895)
- Stockwell Hardware (1894)
- Post Office and Dr. Scott's Office.
- Kelly Hotel (1893)
- M.H. King Grocert
Store (1893)
- M.H. King Lumber Yard
- P.C. Duncan's Livery Barn
- Mr. and Mrs. Richard Perry (1893)
- Wilkinson Livery Barn (1893)
- Mr. and Mrs. Allen (1897)
- Mr. Singer's Boarding House (1892)
- MacDonald and Murphy Livery Barn (1899)
- Thompson's Blacksmith Shop
- Yardley and Lee Lumber Yard (1893)
- Land Office (1893)
- Rev. and Mrs. Terry (1898)
- Lindsay and Patterson General Store (1893)
- Whitlock (1893)
- P.C. Duncan (1893)
- Rooks Home (1893)
- North West Mounted Police (1893)
- Anglican Church
- Mr. and Mrs. D. MacDonald (1900)
- Big Coal Mine Boarding House
- First Big Co. Coal Mine (1893)
- Central School
- Tomlinson Home (1893)
- Archie Klyne (1893)
- McIlvenne Home (1893)
- Peter MacDonald (1897)
- Lindsay and Patterson Home (1893)
- Mr. and Mrs. Lee (1897)
- Mr. and Mrs. Henry Yardley (1892)
- C.P.R. Section House (1892)
- C.P.R. Depot (1892)
- Mr. Ed. Holloway (1892)
- C.P.R. Coal Docks
- C.P.R. Water Tank
- C.P.R. Water Tank (1892)
- Mr. and Mrs. Billy Miurhead
(1898)
- Mr. and Mrs. John Olson (1892)
49
MAYORS OF ESTEVAN
(Town of Estevan)
Henry Yardley
J.G.Hastings
1906, 1907
1908, 1909, 1910
Marshal H. King
Peter C. Duncan
1911, 1912
1912, 1915, 1917
50
MAYORS
(Cont.)
Jas. A. Smith
A.F. Milne
1913, 1914
1918
Fred W.Newcombe
Chris C. Smith
1919, 1920
1920
MAYORS
(Cont.)
E. W. Garner
Arthur Garrish
1921 to 1923
1924, 1925
Albert M. Taisey
Peter B. Holmgren
1926, 1927
1928, 1929, 1933, 1935
51
MAYORS
(Cont.)
David Bannatyne
Harry Nicholson
1930 to 1932, 1936 to 1938
1934, 1939
HISTORY OF ESTEVAN TOWN COUNCIL
(Mayor Harry Nicholson)
--The Town was incorporated March 1st,
1906. The first mayor was Henry Yardley with Councillors
J.A. Smith, Giddeon Matte, W.J. Hobbs, D.R. Davis and
T.M. Perry.L. A. Duncan as secretary.
--At the first meeting one of the
rules of parliamentary procedure adopted by the Council was that all motions
and resolutions shall be presented in writing to the secretary, signed by the
mover and seconder, who will read them to the
Council. Everyone who speaks on the motions shall stand and remain standing and
shall address all his remarks to the mayor.
--One of the first controversial
questions contended by the 1906 Council was the application by the Canadian
Pacific Railway to close Souris Avenue crossing the
C.P.R. tracks to Hillside.The first
application by the C.P. R. was made by Superintendent Brownley
of Moose Jaw, pointing out if this crossing was closed, the C.P.R. would make
many improvements in Estevan.The railway switching yards would be doubled,
a new roundhouse and many other improvements which would increase or double the
C.P.R. payroll in Estevan. This was a very
contentious matter during the 1906-07 council. Mayor Yardley was violently
opposed to the closing of the avenue taking the stand that no one could close
the King's highway. During the 1906 and 1907 terms of office three petitions
signed by many of the citizens were presented to the council opposing the
closing of Souris Avenue. By a majority vote the
council authorized the closing of the crossing.Later the motion was rescinded. The closing of Souris
Avenue crossing was a contentious question up to December, 1910 when the
council that year voted in favour of closing the
crossing. The C.P.R.to construct a new
crossing on 13th Avenue which is the present crossing leading to
Hillside and #47 highway.The Souris Avenue crossing was permanently closed in November,
1912 by order of the Railway Commissioner.
52
(Miss
E. Johnston)
Fourth St.
in Estevan about 1903. The first building on the
north side of the street (left) was a boarding house owned by a Miss Hobbs.
Next is the McLeod Meat Market. Next to it is the Yardley and Lee implement
building. The Patten Printing Building was a hardware store built in 1892.
Building with the two chimneys is believed to be the present site of
Edmondson's Shoe Shop. On the south side of the street (right) the first large
building is the M.H. KingGeneral Store. Upstairs of
this building served as the first public school. Next building was the present
Funeral Home on the Bank of Commerce site before it was moved to its present
Third Street location. The second last building is believed to be the present
Mandel Store. The last building was moved further west on Fourth and now houses
Dr. Graham's Office. This building was the post office for many years.
Waterworks and Light
Plant
--In 1906 the electric light plant was
privately owned by George Collison. There was no
waterworks and the only fire protection for the town was one of two tank
chemical fire engines. During 1906 and 1907 the council had several wells
drilled to depths of up to 300 feet. All were dry wells. During these two years
many suggestions were put forward for water and sewer and for the water mains
for fire protection. In January, 1908 Chipman and
Powers were engaged as
(Gordon Knight)
The
north side of Fourth Street in Estevan today.
53
Estevan Town
Council - 1930. Left to right; Councillors L.E. Sillers, H.S. Livesly, H.
Nicholson;
Deputy
Mayor A.G. Garrish; Mayor Dave Bannatyne;
Town Clerk A.B. Stuart;
Councillor R.D.
Newsome (seated right elbow on table) and Councillor
Dr. Jew.
Consulting
engineers for the Town of Estevan. After reviewing
the possibilities of securing a water supply from wells, it was the engineers'
opinion that no permanent supply of water could be had from wells and advised
to erect a pumping station at the river for the town water supply together with
a light plant at the river if the town decided to take cover the Collison plant. The estimated cost was $80,000. The council
were divided on this proposal. Mayor Hastings stated he would veto any
expenditure of over $50,000. However, at the 1908 December municipal elections
a bylaw to raise $80,000 for the proposed pumping station and light plant was
defeated. This was a red-hot election. Mayor Hastings was opposed by J.A.
Smith, who, if elected, promised that the light plant would be taken over from Collison and erected at the river with a pumping station
for water supply. This was the only tie vote in a municipal election in Estevan. Secretary Duncan cast the deciding vote for Mayor
Hastings. Councilors supporting J.A. Smith's proposal were also defeated.
--The mill rate in 1908 was 12 mills
for schools and 7 mills for municipal purposes.
--On March 12, 1909 three bylaws were
voted on and carried to spend $30,000 for waterworks which included an 80' well
back of the present Town Hall, an 80' standpipe and water mains for fire
protection, and two pumps - one to pump from the well to the standpipe and one
to be used in cases of fire to raise pressure on the mains. The other bylaws
covered $10,000 for a new Town Hall and $10,000 for a trunk sewer. The 80' well
was against the recommendation of the town's consulting engineers who by test
of the wells were convinced nowater
supply could be obtained. The engineers' opinion was confirmed within two years
as the 80' well went completely dry and was a total loss so far as a water
supply for the town was concerned.
--During 1910, the council was again
divided on the matter of water supply and an electric light plant. During the
year Mayor Hastings resigned twice - once on March 8th and was re-elected
by acclamation on March 22nd, and again on October 5th
after the Council had voted for a debenture for $5,000 to build a town skating
rink and $10,000 for sidewalks. M.H. King was elected by acclamation to finish
out Mayor Hasting's term.
--During 1911 $18,000 was spent by way
of debenture on sidewalks, $15,000 on waterworks and trunk sewer extension. A
second bylaw for $25,000 was approved by the ratepayers for the construction of
an electric light plant.
--November 12, 1911, H.J. McNeil, T.H.
Kelly and J.G. Pederson, whose terms would not expire until December 31st,
1912, resigned their seats. On Nov. 28th nominations were held for
the 1912 mayor and councilors. Mayor King was elected by acclamation. Twelve
were nominated for six council seats. The
54
election was
held Dec. 4th and the following were elected; H.M. Scott, J.D. Partington, P.C. Duncan, J.A. Smith and J.A. Brandon. Mayor
H.M. King died on May 26th, 1912 and P.C. Duncan was elected by
acclamation to fill out the remainder of Mr. King's term.
--The years 1912, 1913 and 1914 were
difficult ones for the town council.During 1912 the burgesses approved expenditures of $168,000 for the
extension of sewer and water lines, domestic sewers, pumphouse
and filtration plant at the river; $50,000 fora high school; $25,000 for the acquiring of land and the construction of
buildings for a manufacturing establishment. During the year the I.H.C. had
moved from Weyburn to Estevan.
The town had assisted both the I.H.C. and Rumley in
locating in Estevan by building warehouses and
acquiring property for the warehouses. This caused a lot of controversy among
(Town
of Estevan)
Estevan Town
Council - 1932. Left to right, Councilor J. Parkinson, W.D. Niblett
(Waterworks department),
H. Nicholson
(Finance), Mayor D. Bannatyne, A. McCutcheon (Chief
of police)
-
standing, A.B. Stuart (Town Clerk), J. Phillips (Parks and Relief), W. Nicol (Works and Sanitation),
J.
Lyons (Protection of persons and Property).
the
ratepayers. The Voters Reform League was organized headed by E.J. Campbell and
Tom Bryce and opposed many of the actions of the 1912 Council. The rate-payers'
meetings in November, 1912 and in 1913 were well attended (which were held in
the Town Hall auditorium) with plenty of fireworks. Councillors
were accused of graft in the buying of lots for the International Harvester Co.
and Rumley buildings. However, at the fall elections
the Voters Reform League candidates for mayor and councilors were all defeated
which vindicated the action of the 1912 Council.
--The matter of standard street
lighting was voted on in May, 1913 to raise $8,000 for this type of lighting.
The bylaw was defeated on a vote in June and the same day the bylaw was
defeated the street light standards arrived by railway from Minneapolis.
However, another bylaw was voted on to cover this expenditure
(Town of Estevan)
Town
Council - 1931. Left to right; H.S. Livesley (Health
and Sanitation), H. Nicholson (Utilities),
A.G. Garrish (Finance), A.S.Band
(Acting Chief of Police - standing), Mayor D. Bannatyne,
J.E.
Strong (Engineer), A.B. Stuart (Secretary), W.D. Niblett
(Relief), J. Lyon (Works), L.E. Sillers (Police and
Fire).
55
on September
23rd, 1913. This time the bylaw carried by a vote of 135 to 30. This
type of street lighting remained until May, 1954 when they were replaced by the
present mercury vapor lights.
--From 1909 when the first money bylaw
was voted on for $50,000 to 1916 the town raised by way of debenture $594,000
based on an assessment of just over $5,000,000. By 1938 this assessment had
dropped to less than $2,000,000. The larger part of the decrease in assessment
was due to the cancellation of lots of subdivisions which were turned to
acreage, leaving the main part of the town to carry and repay the large
expenditures which had been based on the large assessment. Since 1946 the town
has sold over 600 lots. The greater number of these lots have substantial
improvements on them which has raised the assessment in 1954 to just over
$3,000,000.
--The town eventually moved the
electric light plant to the river in 1927 adjacent to the present water pumping
station and was sold in 1928 to the Dominion Electric Company who built a new
plant at the site of the present large Saskatchewan Power Corporation's
generating plant.
--From 1916 to 1945 the following
debentures were issued:
1923 - $20,000 for a new generating
plant.
1926 - $40,000 for a new light plant
at the river.
1930 - $32,000 was spent from the sale
of the light plant on a new sewage disposal.
Sewage disposal works.
--At the present time the town have in
government bonds, high school bonds and in Accounts Receivable from debentures
to be issued to cover the cost of local improvements which have been completed since
1947 some $180,000.It is the intention
of the council that this be used to start a revolving capital fund to be used
for capital expenditures in the future.
--The financial position of the Town
at the present time is that since the early 1940's they have paid all past due
debentures. At the present time they have just over $40,000 outstanding in
debentures falling due in 1955 to 1968 and also have paid a $51,000 bank loan,
some $4,000 past due to the Anti-Tuberculosis League and settled all public revenue
due the provincial government and now have $180,000 mentioned in the paragraph
above which is to be invested in Town or other bonds and used as a capital fund
for future development of the Town.
oOo
(Mrs. Waldron)
Snowdrift
on C.P.R. Railway, Estevan, 1947
56
MERCURY VAPOR LIGHTING IN ESTEVAN
(Estevan
Mercury)
--The Saskatchewan Power Corporation
turned on the first Mercury Vapor street lighting system in Saskatchewan in Estevan on Wednesday evening, May 26, 1954.
--The new system consists of 43 of the
400-watt luminaers, each transmitting 20,000 lumens.
--The new lights are located along
Fourth Street and also along Fifth Street and 12th Avenue in Estevan'sdowntown
business section.
--The installation of the 43 units at
the one time is believed to constitute the largest single installation of
mercury vapor lamps that has been made to date in Western Canada.
--Other centers in Western Canada may
have more of these lights in use, but at no time previously has a total of 43
of them been installed in one operation.
(Jenish
Portrait Studio)
The old
White Way street lighting systems along Fourth Street.
The Old White
Way street lighting system, which was removed to make way for the new Mercury Vapor
lights had one 150-watt and four 60-watt lamps on each standard standard giving a total of 390 watts or 5700 lumens, in
comparison to the 20,000 lumens provided by the Mercury Vapor lamps.
--By using lights of higher intensity,
it has been possible to space them farther apart and still illuminate a greater
street area without increasing the number of lights.
--The poles, purchased from Canadian
Line Material, are 30-foot steel standards providing a 30-foot mounting
height.One of the prime advantages of
the higher standard is to spread light over a greater area and also to cut out
any glare in the vision of motorists. The standards have six-foot brackets
extending out over the street, to which the lamp itself is attached. In this
way, rather than just providing light directly below the standard,
(Jenish
Portrait Studio)
Mercury
Vapor lights installed May 26, 1954 along Fourth Street.
57
light is
projected over the street area to a greater extent.
--The lamps, or luminaers
as they are called, purchased from Canadian General Electric Company Limited,
have a quartz glass chamber containing argon gas and mercury. Light is
transmitted when electrons are set in motion by the heated mercury. Because the
mercury, when cold, forms tiny globules in the liquid gas, it takes from 4 to 7
minutes, after the circuit is energized before the mercury dissolves and the
lamp attains full brightness.
--The Mercury Vapor is one of the
brightest and most intense light available today for street lighting. Mercury
Vapor not only enhances the appearance of Estevan's
main streets but promotes safety, comfort and convenience to the users of the
streets at night.
oOo
(I. Cote)
The
International Hotel. Notice the old White Way lighting system.
(Mrs. C.R.P. Boakes)
Left to
right; Ethel Scot (Now Mrs. Wier) and Elta McDonald (now Mrs. Boakes).
This
picture was taken around 1902.
58
MAP OF BUSINESS SECTION OF ESTEVAN - 1955
(Marlene Kohaly & Beverley Sands)
