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7.
The separator man also wanted to look for a homestead, and by October 25th,
Jason Nicoll, my cousin, and Charlie McLean and myself were in Regina, Saskatchewan
at the Land Office to find where suitable homestead land was available. While
in Regina, we met Abram Thrasher who lived west of the Saskatchewan River in-
the homesteading area. Mr. Thrasher agreed to drive us out and show us the land,
and to get each of us a free quarter section for fifty dollars each.
There were no cars then so we took the train to Hanley, and from there, Mr.
Thrasher drove us west in his double-seated open carriage. We crossed the South
Saskatchewan River by Ferry, near where the town of Outlook now stands. From
there, continuing west and south, we spent Sunday at Mr. Thrasher's home, near
where the town of Thrasher now stands.
On Monday we drove away west and spent the night with a little group of settlers
who had come in from the U.S.A. some time before -- Mr. Reed, Mr. Hicks
and Mr. Biglow. Mr. Reed put us up for the night and we got our first look at
the dark side of the picture. We noticed Mrs. Reed crying, and soon we learned
that their youngest child had taken sick. There was no doctor to be had, and soon
their child died. They had to bury their little loved one there alone on the Prairie.
It was a sad picture but really made very little impression on us, for by now we
had got a look at part of this vast land yet untouched by the plow.
Millions of acres of level prairie land. rich in fertility, waited to be taken up
and brought into tillage by the new settlers. There were practically no buildings
-- only a few shacks, and most of them built with sod -- and miles apart.
No roads had been made yet. If you asked the way to a certain place ahead,
you were told: "Just follow the main travelled trail."
Next morning, leaving Messrs. Reed, Hicks and Biglow, we continued East and North.
Never before in my life had I looked upon such a wide expanse of level fertile land.
Late in the evening we arrived at Mr. Mills' place. He kept the Mills' P.O. When
the Railroad came through later, this place was called Mildeno. We stayed over
night at Mills' place. Some farming had been done here. Some grain had been thrashed,
and also some fair sized houses had been built.
In the morning we drove down and crossed the river by ferry. We arrived in Hanley
in time to catch the south bound train for Regina. Next day, when we came to the
Land Office, it was a disappointment to find that most of the land we had ex amined
was now already taken. Jason Nicoll and I had planned to settle on adjoining
quarters. This now seemed impossible, but over west and north of where we had
travelled, there were two quarters open for filing: with only the school
section between. We each took a quarter, paid our locating fee to Mr. Thrasher,
and he gave us a written guarantee that he would get us other quarters if these
were not good.Our companion, Charlie McLean, got a quarter away south of ours,
in the next Township. We parted company and we never saw him again.
So, on this memorable day, November 3rd, 1906, by taking land to homestead,
we began with many others, the Herculean task of bringing this great expanse of
wild open prairie under cultivation -- to produce wheat and other grains to feed
generations yet to come.
Now that our homesteads had been located, Nicholl and I went back to
Sintaluta for the winter. I hired with a farmer. Mr. John Martin, perhaps ten
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