PRAIRIE NURSERIES LTD.

Energetic T.A. Torgeson found there's interest in botany after all, as he

admires the growth of the small spruce tree.

In years of service, he is the oldest of the directors

of the Canadian Forestry Association.

--Prairie Nurseries Ltd was established in 1911 by E.C. Hilborn of the North West Nursery Company of Valley City, North Dakota. Two years later the enterprise was taken over by T.A. Torgeson.

--Mr. Torgeson was born in Minnesota in 1885, and was educated there and in North Dakota. He came to Estevan with a freshly acquired Bachelor of Laws Degree from the University of North Dakota, and he has been the guiding figure of the Prairie Nurseries ever since.

--For Mr. Torgeson, it was a new field but he was nevertheless taken immediately by the possibilities offered in the new district and set about the original spade work. Mr. Torgeson didn't even like botany in high school and University. He got into

this work strictly on his sales ability. Upon his graduation in law from the University of North Dakota in 1913, he was approached to become director of the newly established North West Nurseries at Estevan. "What!" he snorted, "Me sell a bunch of brush?"

--But he did. The thibg was a challenge to him, something he had never sold before. He even sold himself on the idea, and

Left: John Koch, superintendent, Prairie Nurseries,

is well pleased with the Performance of this newcomer, spirea trilobata.

Right: a certain amount of handwork is still necessary in nurseries,

though most cultivation is done by machinery.

botany has become a fascinating study.

--T.A. Torgeson himself is a super-salesman, in fact which has been proved not only in his own business, but in Victory Loan campaigns, Rotary objectives and other public spirited endeavours. Not only did he work his way through the college, but his last vacation as a student lawyer netted him $4000. Other students were borrowing from him to pay their tuition fees eventually.

--When "Torge" Torgeson came to Estevan back in 1913 Prairie Nurseries covered 80 acres of chocolate-brown silt on the bank of the Souris River. Today it is the largest nursery in Western Canada, and spreads over 650 acres, of which 500 acres are devoted to growing trees, shrubs, fruits, and flowers. Most of the planting consists of hardy trees and shrubs.

--One of his first sales, to the Hudson's Bay Company in Winnipeg met with a success that was almost electrifying. The store bought 5,000 Silver Poplar seedlings and offered them to their customers as an Arbor Day gift.

--On opening morning of the sale, the police were called out to keep order among the mass of people who gathered about the store for their free seedling. Counters were pushed back and customers were jostled by the masses behind who waited anxiously

Mr. Torgeson believes in trees and shrubs for beauty at his own home,

as well as for other peoples' homes. His residence at the River is attractively

framed in tall evergreens and deciduous trees.

to get in.

--It was this amazing opening response which gave the new nursery its start to bigger things. Just as Winnipeg had so completely succumbed to the idea of planting a few trees, other cities and districts throughout the west began clamoring for seedlings from the new nursery at Estevan. Such centres as Regina, Moose Jaw, Calgary and Edmonton followed with orders in quick succession. Obviously, there was as great a market for trees as for any man-made product.

--During the years, the Prairie Nurseries Ltd., in Estevan has introduced many hardy varieties of trees and shrubs which are particularly adapted to local climate. Among these are North-west Poplar, Laurel Leaf Willows, Hybrid Rugosa Roses, Cotoneaster, and Osman Crabapples.

--At the height of its prosperity in 1928, the Prairie Nurseries did more than a quarter of a million dollars worth of business in one year. That same year, a brick office was constructed on Third Street where it stands at the present time.

--At the very beginning, Mr. Torgeson was a firm believer in a "sales through service" policy. He was, infact, the first nurseryman in the country to set up and maintain a service school where each of his sales force was trained in the art of landscaping design, selling techniques and planning.

--A salesman himself, the keen witted, friendly managing director of Estevan's only nursery has stressed above all things the need for properly presenting his product to people in all of Western Canada. Coming into the nursery business from a hair raising series of selling exploits in different fields, he gave normally sedate and plodding business of selling and growing trees a new lease on life.

--As a matter of fact, had there been no depression to stop him, Mr. Torgeson's nursery might well have been one of the largest commercial enterprises in the west.

--But there was a depression; and it struck with sufficient force to cut the quickly expanding organization off completely at the roots. Within the short span of three years, business went almost out of sight. Assets were shaved finer and capital disappeared entirely. Debts heaped up on the head of the new enterprise which were retired only after prosperity had once more returned to the west.

--Being the type of business which it was, Prairie Nurseries didn't even have the satisfaction of merely "going broke." It went deeper than that and all assets of land or trees became suddenly worse than useless. The market was gone and, if the stock was to be preserver, help would have to be kept on.

--Thus it was, that through successive years of failure and depression, the nursery

The alluvial silt laid down by the river in ages past

makes good loam for nursery stock. Trees fringe the

river bank as the Souris and Long Rivers twist in

their courses.

Upper left: Such prairie homesteads were once the rule,

but now they're the exception. Trees would beautify and

protect this home. Above: Only a few miles distant from

scene at left is this spacious well-kept garden, protected

by tall trees, with hedges, lawns and flowers.

at Estevan managed to barely keep operating. As times grew better, so did fortunes change for Prairie Nurseries until, at the present time, salesmen are one more operating throughout the western prairies.

But there have been many compensations. Mr. Torgeson often expresses the satisfaction he has gained from seeing his trees in their new homes throughout the west where they have taken root and grown to add beauty to wherever they may be.

A factor that has been stressed by many as one of the most important jobs that the prairie Nurseries has done has had little to do with making a profit. Salesmen who circulate continually throughout the west have done and are doing a real service to Estevan by making the name of the town a by-word for many of their customers.

Essentially, the growth of Prairie Nurseries has been a product of teamwork throughout the years. Guiding figures of the business throughout the years have included such men as H.C. Sandberg, assistant manager for several years, George Wicklow who came in 1912 as superintendent of Nurseries; W.B. Hekhouse, who was one-time sales manager; A.E. Shannon, the present assistant manager and John Koch, the present day superintendent of the nurseries.

--First board of directors of Prairie Nurseries Ltd. In 1911 was composed of W.J. Perkins, K.C. as vice president, C.C. Symons, R.C. Kisbey and A.F. Milne.

--At the present time, Mr. Perkins still maintains his position as vice president while the present day directors are Walter Schlosse, Mrs. T. Torgeson and A.E. Shannon.

--For more than forty years Prairie Nurseries have helped in the changeover from the unbroken miles of bald prairie to farmsteads protected by trees.

oOo

COAL INDUSTRY

COALFIELDS HISTORY

--Commercial production of coal began in 1880, when the late Hugh Sutherland shipped some coal by barge down the Souris River and Assiniboia River to Winnipeg.

--The question of who actually mined the first coal in the Bienfait-Estevan-Roche Percee Coalfields is impossible to answer because of the fact that coal outcropped in many places along the Souris River Valley and the tributary creeks and ravines and was doubtless used by the earliest of settlers, and perhaps even by the plains Indians who traveled through this area.

--The Pocock Brothers of Emerson, Man., attempted another commercial venture with Souris "lignite" coal.

--This worthy pair owned a large flour mill near Emerson which consumed large amounts of fuel. In 1899 the two brothers decided to float a barge full of Souris coal down the Souris River to the Assiniboine River down the Assiniboine to the Red River at Winnipeg and eventually by way of the Red River to Emerson.

(Mrs. J. H. Wilson)

Scene common in days when

underground mining was

carried on. Here James Cook

is seated by the entrance to a shaft.

The attempt was marked by unhappy failure financially and for some time nothing was done about mining Souris coal for a large-scale commercial operation, although it was used locally in ever-increasing quantities as more and more pioneer settlers came to the area.

Operations, however, grew larger and larger in the succeeding years and more and more mines opened to satisfy the increasing demand for Souris coal for industrial as well as domestic purposes.

By 1929, when the district was at a peak of prosperity because of a succession of food crops, the coal industry underwent a major change with the introduction of strip minings by the Truax-Traer Company.

As the larger mines changed to the more efficient methods of mining the coal, the smaller, underground mines closed up in succession until today there are only one or two doing any commercial business.

Introduction of larger shovels and draglines into the operation have led the producing companies to steadily larger tonnages, most of it being shipped from the area for industrial use in Saskatchewan, Manitoba and western Ontario.

The earliest record of the occurrence of coal in Saskatchewan is found in the report of Dr. Hector and Captain Palliser of the Palliser Expedition in August, 1857.

This deals with the investigations made in the Souris River Valley. It appears these two men were induced to make a trip into the Souris Valley after hearing the Indians describe quantities of coal that outcropped in the banks of the coulees and along the creeks of the valley.

The next record is that of Dr. G.M. Dawson in 1875, written at the time he was attached to the International Boundary Commission.

In 1880 a Mr. Selwyn conducted boring operations between the Souris River Valley and the Turtle Mountains in Manitoba and in 1903 Dr. D.B. Dowling reported on the geology of the Souris district, referring especially to the coal deposits.

TRUAX-TRAER COAL COMPANY

--The Truax-Traer Coal Company of Canada Ltd. Opened its strip mining plant on Sept. 24, 1930. After extensive examination of the field, which included the close prospecting of an area of 1,400 acres, in which 300 test holes were bored, the company established the presence of 16,000,000 tons of mercantable fuel, and then commenced preparations for its marketing. The property was about two miles east of the town of Estevan.

--The seam had an average thickness of 11 ft., with a maximum overburden of approximately 50 ft. It was mined by open pit methods in which the overburden was taken off by an 8 yeard Bucynus shovel, the largest brought to Canada at the time. Starting on April 15, 1931, when the first sod was turned the company embarked on an intensive programme of work which was planned to put it into position to commence selling its lignite on Sept. 1, 1931.

To prepare for mining, 56,000 yards of dirt had to be moved, for which a 1.75 yard electric shovel and 175 men and 100 horses were

Eight-yard Bucyrus--employed. Two miles of standard railway track was laid on this work. In

electric shovel used--addition, railway spurs built by both Canadian Pacific and Canadian

by Truax-Trass Coal--National Railways total about a mile. A tipple was built for the company

Company to strip--by Manitoba Bridge and Iron Works that cost $97,000 above its foundations.

overburden off lignite--Supervision of its construction was in the hands of T.G. Gerow, Minot,

seam. Notice man--N.D., chief engineer for Truax-Traer. It had a guaranteed capacity of 500

standing at top of boon.--tons per hour, with a design that permitted it to make five sizes at any time,

and it could load six cars simultaneously.

Dominion Electric power generating station at Estevan, which uses lignite as fuel.

The initial capacity is 2,000 KW

The mining camp laid out by the Company's engineers was planned to combine permanency with attractiveness. There was a handsome office building of brick and hollow tile, finished in modern style, providing a large general office, executive offices for officials, and on the second storey bedroom suites for accommodation at the mine for non-resident directors. A triplex apartment house, also of brick and hollow tile, was built as a residence for three of the Company's staff, and in addition a bunkhouse for 45 men, and a cookhouse equipped with electric ranges.

--Utility buildings included a round house with four stalls for locomotives combined with a machine shop and blacksmith shop, and a storehouse with a

complete set of all repairs likely to be needed, as well as tools, etc., for the machine shop. All the buildings were steam heated from the central plant. These buildings have long since been dismantled.

(Material for the foregoing report was provided by Mr. F. Smart and was taken from an article, "Saskatchewan Lignite" by J.P. deWit).

WESTERN DOMINION COAL MINES LTD.

--Western Dominion Collieries Limited, started operations at the turn of the century, when they opened a shaft mine at Estevan and since that time they have been the largest operators in the field. In 1930 the Truax-Traer Coal Company, of Chicago, commenced a stripping operation near Estevan and in 1939 they amalgamated with Western Dominion and moved to the present site at Taylorton, four miles south of Bienfait and nine miles east of Estevan. At that time the company was re-organized as a subsidiary of the Great West

MINING EQUIPMENT - These are two of the types of large equipment used in the strip-mining operations in the Estevan-Bienfait-Roche Percee area. Owned by the Western Dominion Coal Mines Ltd., Taylorton, these two machines represent a million dollars worth of mining equipment and that is only part of the total of such equipment used in the field. On the left in the newest machine, a 500-w electric walking dragline powered by two 450 h.p. 4000-volt synchronous motors. This dragline weighs approximately 720 tons, has a 165-foot boom and carried a 15-cubic yard bucket. It can move about 900 cubic yards of earth per hour. On the right is a 320-B crawler-type electric shovel, powered with a 450 h.p., 4000-volt synchronous motor. This shovel weighs approximately 520 tons and has a 90-foot boom, a 57-foot dipper handle and carries a 10-yard dipper. It can move approximately 500 cubic yard of earth per hour.

Coal Company Ltd., with Truax-Traer responsible for the operation and Great West Coal for sales.

--In 1944, Truax-Traer sold their interest to the Great West Coal Company and the whole operation is presently carried on by Western Dominion Coal Mines Limited, wholly owned subsidiary of Great West Coal.

--The Company owns some twelve thousand acres of coal lands and it is estimated that in the upper seam, they have approximately 38 million tons which can be economically mined with present equipment and in the lower seam an additional 40 million tons, the mining of which requires larger equipment.

--Over most of its area the property has been tested to a depth of 50

(Board of Trade)

Crawler-type electric shovel used by Western Dominion for loading coal.

feet by home-made rotary drills and to further depths by larger drills.

--In 1952 the Western Dominion Coal Mines Ltd. started a strip mining operation at Sheerness Alta., similar to that at Taylorton with fully modern screening facilities. This operation is presently supervised by R.L. Wood.

--Western Dominion have been leaders in "oil-treating" of coal, commencing as far back as 1940. This "oil-treated" is sold under the name Viking-ized.

--The tipple is equipped for its production, providing a treated coal which is the last word in dust prevention and has a good appearance. Demand for this treated coal is steadily increasing.

--Production has steadily increased since 1939 and now has reached one million tons annually, with an over-all per man-day tonnage of 25 tons, which, in a peak production month, rises to as much as 45 tons per man-day.

One of the largest electrically operated draglines in Canada,

owned and operated by the Western Dominion Coal Mines.

--The Company purchases electric power from the Saskatchewan Power Corporation, a provincially owned network. Electricity is supplied at reasonable rates, since coal for the boilers at the Estevan plant is naturally plentiful.

--Some hundred and fifty employees have all-year-round employment and, for this convenience, there are provided facilities for such recreations as baseball, skating, and various indoor games in an up-to-date community hall.

--Don Patterson of Winnipeg is the president of the Company, Ken John of Bienfait is the secretary-treasurer and A.D. Hawkes is superintendent at Taylorton.

(Gordon Knight)

An electrically operated dragline removing

overburden at the Western Dominion Coal mines.

STRIP MINING

(Estevan Board of Trade)

--It is estimated that Estevan and district sit on top of some 6,000,000,000 tons of lignite coal, of varying grades. There are two seams, that have been or are being worked, but there are other seams at varying depths. Prior to 1930 the "lower" of the two seams was mined by the conventional "deep seam" method, at a depth of approximately 120 feet. The introduction of "stripping" in 1930 led all companies in the field to use the open pit method, which had let to higher production at lower cost. The modern earth moving machines in use remove the overburden of from 15 to 50 feet baring, the "upper" seam which usually varies in thickness from 5 to 10 feet. It is said that T.J. Pocock of Emerson, Manitoba, first discovered this coal field in 1880, and it's recorded that in 1887 the first commercial activity produced 400 tons of lignite, which was floated down the Souris River to Winnipeg.

(Gordon Knight)

Local coal company delivering coal to an Estevan home.

--In addition to draglines, electrically operated shovels are used in this field. At Western Dominion Coal Mines we can see a Bucyrus 520 ton giant with a 90 foot boom and a 10 cubic yard dipper. Old Mac Coals operated a similar machine.

--Besides draglines and shovels, removal of the overburden is also accomplished through the use of diesel tractors and large-capacity earth moving equipment. This equipment is usually preceded by a "ripper" which tears the earth to a depth of three feet.

--After the coal is bared, the next step is cleaning off, and bulldozers go over the top of the seam, shaving off the top layer to get rid of clay, rocks, etc. Then to make sure that only coal is dug, a sweeper goes over the coal, removing the last of the dust and rubbish.

--With the seam cleaned off, the next step is blasting, which breaks up the seam, ready for the coal loading shovels. These are the small electrically operated shovels, which use specially constructed coal dippers of varying capacity. The shovels work along the coal seam after blasting and load the coal into the haulage units.

--One form of transporting coal to the tipple is that used by the Western Dominion Coal Mines Ltd., who use monstrous Euclid Diesel Coal haulers, ranging in capacity from 20 tons to 45 tons. Once loaded they have over 20 miles of company owned roads on which to travel to the tipple, or screening plant. At the tipple, the haulage units travel up a ramp, and the coal is dropped into a hopper. From there it is conveyed into the screening plant, where it is cleaned, screened, sized and oiled. As many as eight different sizes are made available ranging from "bug dust" to "big lump". Many sizes are loaded directly into open type railway cars, but for box-car loading special loaders are required. The screening plants or tipples are all electrically operated,

under the control of one man. Under full production some 25 men are needed in the operation of a tipple. Empty cars are "fed" in to the tipple by a diesel locomotive. A switch engine draws the loaded cars to the scalehouse, and then to the marshalling yards for train make-up and final dispatch via C.N.R. or C.P.R.

oOo

(Mrs. Frank Adams)

Entrance to "The Great West" coal mine shaft taken about 1910.

Underground mining has since given way to strip-mining method

of extracting coal from the ground.

POWER PLANT IN ESTEVAN

(F.J. Smart, Plant Superintendent)

--The first power plant in Estevan was established around 1908. It was located on the North East corner of Eleventh and Fourth and was owned and operated by Messrs. Collison and Skinner, this was a very small steam plant and was not large enough to supply a growing town.

--In 1910 the Town of Estevan built a plant which was located just north of the present C.N.R. Station. The capacity of this plant was 300 K.W., further expansion of the town and greater demand for power overloaded the plant and it was necessary to increase the out-put.

(Merle Lennox)

Estevan's first electric light

plant located where Foley

Motors now stands. It was

built about 1908.

(W.J. Rupert)

Power plant located about two miles east of Estevan.

As the water and fuel supply was quite a problem a new plant was built on the junction of Long Creek and Souris River in 1927. This plant had a capacity of 850 K.W. Due to the trial of automatic stokers the plant did not operate satisfactorily, stokers for burning lignite coal at that time were only in the experimental stage. This building is at present being used as the town pumping station.

--In 1928 the Dominion Electric Power purchased the plant and after building a new plant two miles further east, closed the town plant down. The new plant was of modern design with automatic stokers and condensing turbines. This plant operated at a steam pressure of 250 lbs. per square inch with total steam temperature of 500 degrees. The capacity of the plant was 2750 K.W., the plant supplied power to Estevan, Bienfait, Taylorton, Roche Percee and also sold a small amount to Montreal Engineering, where lines were located from Oxbow to the Manitoba boundary.

--In 1946 the Saskatchewan Government purchased the plant as a Public Utility and started to enlarge it immediately.

F.J. Smart, Estevan Plant Superintendent (right) and

R.L. Padgett, Assistant Plant Superintendent, are shown discussing plant operations.

In 1948 a 1000 H.P. boiler was installed and a 5000 K.W. turbine. In 1950 another 1000H.P. boiler was installed and in May 1951 a 15,000 K.W. Parson's Turbo Generator was commissioned. In 1954 the plant was again extended and a 20,000 K.W. Parson's Turbo Generator and 200,000 lbs. per hour Foster Wheeler Boiler were added. The present capacity of the plant is 42,750 K.W.

--Further extension is scheduled for completion in 1956. This will consist of a 30,000 K.W. Metro Vicker's Turbo Generator and two 200,000 lb. per hour boilers. The total plant capacity will then by 72,750 K.W.

oOo

Shown here is the original engine room of the former Dominion Electric Power Plant

taken over by the Saskatchewan Power Corporation in 1945.

The unit shown is a Westinghouse Turbo-Generator of 1500-kilowatt capacity.

An additional generator is in the background.

New stoker and stoker drive (right) of the 200,000 pound-per-hour Type RK-Riley boiler,

supplied by Foster-Wheeler Limited of St. Catharines, Ontario, is the latest unit to be

installed in the new power plant at Estevan.

15,000 Kilowatt Parsons Turbo-Generator commissioned at Estevan Power Plant, May, 1951.

This side view of 'Combustion Engineering' 80,000 pound-per-hour boiler in

SPC Estevan Power Plant give an idea of the immense size of this installation.

Power plant, looking from the north. This shows the latest addition to the plant.

(Mr. Milford Lindgren)

Even as early as 1912, Estevan showed promise of becoming an oil and gas centre.

This picture was taken on the Joe Frank farm.

SASKATCHEWAN CLAY PRODUCTS

--In 1902, two men came from the United States and started a press brick plant, south east of Estevan.

--About 1906 they sold out to Mr. Peterson. He continued to make press brick, which is a red brick and also started a coal mine at the brickyard, so his men would have winter work, as at that time brick making was seasonal. Mr. Peterson called it the Eureka Coal and Brick Co.

--In 1907 Mr. Peterson began to make a stiff mud brick, this brick burns to a buff color. In 1908 the stiff mud plant was completed and made both press brick and stiff mud brick, as well as mine coal in winter months. In all operations he employed from 80 to 90 men.

--In 1912 Mr. Peterson sold out to Mr. Newcombe, and he operated the brick-

(Gordon Knight)

Small tractor at the Saskatchewan Clay Products

plant used in loading and stacking brick.

yard and mine until 1918. It was then taken over by Mr.Bannatyne and Mr. Smith. They operated the brickyard until 1923 or 1924. During this time it was called the International Clay Products, managed by Mr. Calvert.

--About 1927, they added a pottery plant to the International Clay Products, this only operated about one year.

--During the depression in the 1930's the brick yard only operated about two months every year. In 1945, the brickyard was taken over by the Saskatchewan Government and named the Saskatchewan Clay Products. The plant still operates under the same name today.

Back view of clay storage bin at Saskatchewan

Clay Products and truck unloading pit.

EXCERPTS FROM THE FILES OF SASK. CLAY PRODUCTS

(J.A. Wood, General Manager)

--The plant at Estevan was making brick in 1902 under the name of Eureka Coal and Brick Company, North West Territory. In 1918 it was operated by the Estevan Coal and Brick Company and in 1925 was taken over by the International Clay Products Limited. International Clay Products in turn was purchased by Saskatchewan Minerals in 1945.

--1918 - About six miles south-east of Estevan at Shand Station, the Maple Leaf Mines Ltd. (Shand Coal and Brick Co.) operated a stiff mud brick plan, using buff-burning calcareous clays. The product was an excellent grade of common wire cut brick.

--1921 - Face brick was being made at Estevan and a common brick plant was in operation at Shand.

--1923 - During the depression the Estevan plant was one of the few plants that remained in operation.

--1925 - The International Clay Products Ltd., took over the dry press and stiff mud brick plants of the Estevan Brick and Coal Co. Ltd. and started on the production of stiff mud rough textured face brick.

--The plant operated with the old style beehive kilns 1946 to 1950 when it was decided to modernize it by the erection of an oil powered tunnel kiln and other tunnel equipment.

oOo

MEMORIES OF EUREKA BRICK YARD - 1907-1908

(Mrs. L.M. Rutherford & Mrs. Alex Murray)

--These men (see picture on following page) and others worked at the brick-yard in summer and the coal mine in winter. Mr. John Mather and Mr. Martin still live in Estevan. Mr. Charlton, father of the writers, was nick named "The Parson" after this was taken. He is in the back row.

--Most of the men lived in "car" roofed tar papered shacks near the mine. Big excitement of that winter was the fire that destroyed the mine tipple. The shacks cost about a $100 to build, size about 16' x 20', divided into two rooms.

--Work was scarce and most were in debt at the Company Store by spring. Only one house stood between what is now the Brick Yard and the present

Town Hall. Wooden sidewalks ended at Milnes Bakery (Gow's Bakery today).

--Coyotes frightened us as we walked home from "Epworth League", etc. at the church.

(Mrs. L.M. Rutherford)

The employees of the Eureka Coal and Brick Co., 1908, and their pet coyote.

Back row (left to right) H. Irwin,?, Mr. Roman, Hugh Charlton, Mr. Carlson, Wm. Balls, H. Martin.

Centre row (L to R),?, Jim Davies,?, Mr. Stienberg.

Front row (L to R),?,?,?, Mr. Carlson, Mr. J. Bardsley,?,?.

oOo

ESTEVAN FLOUR MILL

--The Estevan Flour Mill, located on Fifth Street by the C.P.R. Railway tracks, was built in 1904 by Lin Lundquist. It went under the name of the Evenden Mill. It became idle shortly after this and remained thus for a period approximately twelve years. However, in 1921, it was purchased by Sigmund Weigh and the wheels began to turn again. In the fall of 1924 the mill was sold to A.E. Johnston and Sons of North Portal.

--The first move that the Johnstons made upon securing possession of the mill was to completely renovated it and install $3,000 worth of new electric equipment, and the mill became known as one of the best outfits of its size in the province.

--Taking in the farmer's wheat from one side and filling up his wagon

(Gordon Knight)

Estevan is well equipped to handle the thousands of

Bushels of top-grade grain that is grown in this area.

with rich white flour on the other was the work of the Flour Mill. The Lake Alma branch threw open an extensive territory.

--Several notable improvements were made in the equipment. In the fall of 1928, a fine concrete warehouse was built, which insured sanitary conditions for the mill products. Modern machinery additions were made in the summer of 1929. A.E. Johnston and Sons organized a bakery which when new, maintained an average output of 900 loaves of bread a day, besides handling special orders for cakes, pastery, etc.

--In 1930, a new building was added to the flour mill to handle the business. In its interior stood a Kip Kelly oven with a capacity of 300 loaves and a possible output of 1,500 loaves. An overhead tank for temperin water, a 400 loaf revolving "prover" and electric mixer, covered rack and other up-to-date installations made up the installation. The plant was put in charge of A.E. Baker.

--The mill was completely remodeled in the spring of 1929. Also, since 1924, when it was purchased by Mr. Johnston, there were several extensive mechanical additions, notable of which was the installation of a $500 switch control board which gave it a reputation for efficiency of operation.

--In 1953, the mill was closed down because of the lack of demand for its products.

oOo

THE ESTEVAN MERCURY

(Stirling King)

--The first issue of the Mercury was published on June 26, 1903 in the town of Estevan, North West Territories. This paper was made up of eight pages which usually contained four church announcements and advertisements by local merchants.

--One advertisement read as follows;

KELLY'S HOTEL

--Is always crowded with satisfied guests

LIVERY AND FEED STABLE

--Honest charges and attentive hostlers.

--The first paper was owned by Mr. Bailey and Sons. The paper was owned by Mr. Bailey and Sons. The paper was published every Friday. The location of his office was in the present Music Centre building.

--The first paper rates were very low compared to our present standard which is $3 while then it was $1 if paid when ordered but if paid at the end of each year it was $2.

--In 1904 the Mercury changed hands and it was taken over by Mr. D. Dunbar who kept it until his death in 1939 and then his son Don Dunbar Jr. took it over.

--About 1910 the Mercury moved from the old business place to a new location just across the street in which is now the furniture department of Clasky's store.

--Then it moved again to the location of the present bus depot on Twelfth Avenue and there in 1926 the Mercury was burned to the ground and most of the records were lost.

--In 1944 Mr. Andrew King of Rouleau, Sask. Bought it and moved to Estevan.

--With him he brought most of his presses so therefore had to enlarge the

building into what is now the King Show Print part of the plant.

--The Estevan Mercury has the distinction of being one of the few weekly newspapers started when Estevan was part of the North West Territories. The setting up of a newspaper in those days was a precarious financial venture. All type was set by hand, presses operated by human power, and income meager and difficult to get. A man could stand on one leg all day treading with the other leg to run the machine. Today they are replaced by automatic presses.

--In 1953 the Estevan Mercury put out it's 50^th anniversary edition which celebrated 50 years of continuous printing to the people of Estevan and district.

oOo

(Stirling King)

Picture of the first page of the first paper issued in Estevan.

ESTEVAN GREEN HOUSES

(W. Fichtemann)

--The Estevan Green houses were built in 1930 by a company of shareholders known as Estevan Greenhouses Ltd. There were two greenhouses size 250' x 36', large furnace and pump room with connecting passages of glass, as well as a garage and five room and bath dwelling. The design room, cold room for flower storage, storage room for boxes and office were located in the basement. There were about six acres of land under cultivation.

--On June 1^st 1943 the property was leased to W. Fichtemann, who was at that time superintendent of greenhouses. Because the company of Estevan Greenhouses Ltd., was still in existence, the business was carried on by Mr. Fichtemann under the name of Estevan Market Gardens, to avoid confusion of business matters.

--This property was leased to Mr. Fichtemann for five years and in 1948 Mr. Fichtemann purchased this property and has since that time carried on business under the name of Estevan Greenhouses.

--Several additions have been made since that time. A new garage was built and the old garage space was turned into an office and additional dwelling space. A root cellar was constructed as well as a small barn for a team of horses. A storage shed was also purchased and moved to the property.

--In the fall of 1954 a third Greenhouse was begun and will be finished in the spring of 1955, with material for a fourth greenhouse on hand. The size of the latter two houses is 125' x 20' each. The number of acres now under cultivation is about 20 acres.

--The Estevan Greenhouses are growers of fine cut flowers with snapdragons, mums and baby mums, stocks, calla lilies, daffodils, tulips, iris, and hyacinths being the main varieties grown under glass.

--The outdoor crops consist of trees and shrubs of all kinds, a great number of perennials suitable for this climate, planting stock of raspberries, strawberries, gooseberries, currants as well as several kinds of fruit trees. Each spring a large number of healthy annuals is available.

--Flowers from the Estevan Greenhouses are sent to all parts of the province and beyond and the trees, shrubs and perennials are sold from coast to coast.

--The Estevan Greenhouses specialize in floral designing and each year design a large number of wedding bouquets, funeral arrangements, table arrangements as well as corsages and presentation bouquets.

--Many of their flowers and plants go to customers in the United States.

--The Estevan Greenhouses employ a minimum of five to a maximum of twenty people through the year.

--The Estevan Greenhouses are members of an organization known as Florists' Telegraph Delivery Association. Through this organization they can send flowers to all parts of the world by mail or wire for any occasion.

(I. Cote)

River Park Hotel

(Gordon Knight)

Many oil companies have discovered that Estevan and district are rich in oil.

POTTERY PLANT

Estevan Pottery Plant was built in 1924 on Fifth St. East by International Clay Products Limited.

In the fall of 1928 it started its fourth season of production. Its popular demand was the Rough Tex Face Brick from which the Sanatorium at Prince Albert, the Mental Hospital at North Battleford, and the Court House at Estevan were built.

In 1928 they replaced their brick press with more efficient machinery in order to improve the Red Press Brick.

A branch at Prince Albert was under direct control of the branch at Estevan.

In 1927 at the close of the year large increased facilities were needed for making Hollow Building Tile, but unable to release any portion of its equipment for the manufacture of this product, plans were made for anew stiff mud brick, leaving the former equipment free for the exclusive manufacture of common Hollow Brick.

(Mrs. C. Boakes)

The Empire Hotel as it looked in 1908.

BREWERY

The Estevan brewery was opened in 1928 by Mathew Pitzl of New Munich, Minnesota and Jake Krivel of Estevan. They bought and enlarged the old Electric Power House north of the C.N.R. Station. Pitzl moved all his brewery equipment and machinery to Estevan from his brewery in New Munich, Minnesota. When the brewery was in full swing eighteen men were employed. The beer was called "Pitzl Famous". Mr. Pitzl died in 1931 and in the following year the brewery was closed and the machinery and equipment was sent back to New Munich. The building was sold to Mike Sloan. Mr. Sloan who owned the Bottling Company used the building as a store room. Later the building was used by the Walker Fruit Company and is now vacant.

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( I. Cote )

The Empire Hotel which was built about 1905 and is

located on the corner of 12^th Avenue and Fifth Street.

CREAMERY

--Mr. B. Grundeen came to Estevan from Minnesota in the year 1912. He built the Creamery and opened it up in October. As there wasn't any plumbing etc. they had to have a well. A year or two later they finally had plumbing etc. The dairy industry was very young and quite a few problems had to be faced to sell the products. For example, one shipment of butter was sold to a soap factory for soap grease because they couldn't seem to sell the products. It was a great problem to keep the product as there was no electrical refrigeration. When the creamery first opened up the only workers were Mr. B. Grundeen and a helper. All deliveries were made by horse at first. In the late twenties, they discontinued using horses all together and used only trucks. A new market for farmers to sell dairy products was opened up and today has become one of the biggest industries in Canada.

--The second year he had a partner but this man left the same year because he didn't figure that the dairy industry would ever amount to very much.

--In the years 1913-14 the Creamery branched out into milk and ice cream, and has been doing it ever since.

--It wasn't until 1916 that mechanical refrigeration was put in. Between the years 1916 and 1920, small additions were put on. Other additions have been put on from time to time.

--The business grew steadily and in 1930 it was affected like any other business. During the 1930's it was the cream cheques that brought in income for most farmers.

--The business has increased greatly since then and it now employs 14 men.

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