Alberta History 1905-1906

What can I do in Jasper Alberta?

Jasper Alberta's Historic View

1905

Between 1901 and 1905 about 40,000 homesteads were granted in what is to become the Province of Alberta this year.

Vegreville with a population of 78 people made an attempt to be the capital of Alberta.

Alberta, named after Princess Louise Caroline Alberta, 4th daughter of Queen Victoria, became a Province of Canada this year. Alexander Cameron Rutherford, a Liberal, is elected Premier of Alberta 1905-1910. Some suggest the strength of Alberta rests with its 52 different ethnic/cultural groups that have learned how to get along so well. Some attribute this to the Metis cultural influence.

Some time after this time, (II)-Johaunes Salzl sold his homestead and mineral rights to the Cardniff (Cardiff) Coal Mines. The farm just south of Morinville, Alberta is now the Town of Cardniff (Cardniff is a subdivision of Morinville).



STRATHCONA (EDMONTON, ALBERTA)

A.W. Dingman hit natural gas in East Calgary and within a few years it is being used as fuel in Calgary. The new Penitentiary in Edmonton is to serve the entire Northwest. The expected completion is July, at a cost of sixty to seventy thousand dollars, but is running four to five months over schedule. Alberta had 108,000 acres Red Fife wheat and within six years this would rise to 1,640,000 acres of wheat. Red Fife was changing to Marquis wheat, developed by Dr. William Saunders.

The Saint Paul des Metis schoolteacher, Sister Marie du Crucifix ,is especially resented. Unfortunately one of the instigator's sisters died in the fire. Father Therein, the Oblate, decided not to rebuild the Residential School. After all, the new French settlers didn't need such a school in their proposed community. This was a great opportunity to begin execution of the Oblates secret plan. The plan called for the opening of the township of the Metis Reservation and all those north of the Saskatchewan River to Cold Lake for the French Catholic homesteaders. The French homesteaders are personally chosen by him or his associates in the east and in the United States. Frank Oliver, Minister of the Interior, conspired with Father Therein to revoke the 1895 Government Order in Council. This is the same Frank Oliver (1853-1933) a Liberal, son Allen Bowsfield, who was on the Vigilance Committee against claim jumping. The same man who ran anti claim jumping adds in his Edmonton Bulletin for nearly a year and the same man who was a friend of the Metis. Frank Oliver (1853-1933) a Liberal, son Allen Bowsfield, claimed that Father Therien claimed that the plan to open the Metis colony to French Catholic settlers had been discussed with Saint Paul residents, the Poitras and Laboucane families, and there would be no problems. Frank Oliver (1853-1933) a Liberal, son Allen Bowsfield, would discover that Father Therien and the western Bishops conspired and lied to achieve their evil plot.

The Roman Catholic Oblate historians of more recent times would have us believe Father Therein and Bishop Vital Justin Grandin (1829-1902) should have no guilt over the claim jumping activities at Saint Paul des Metis. Maybe the Reverend Rundle, speaking last century about the Oblate priests, is correct when he said that all Catholics (specifically referring to the priests) will go to hell. The timing of the claim jumps required coordination with the revoking of the Government Bill. The arrival of the claim jumpers in Edmonton is under great secrecy. They didn't want those Protestants to jump their target claims. Frank Oliver, (1853-1933) a Liberal, son Allen Bowsfield, it would appear, has sold his soul for political security. Future Government investigations would state, in effect, that the Oblates had led many French Catholics into grievous sin.

The St. Ann Ranch and Trading Company is founded by (I)-Armand Louis Leon Trochu. Dr Louis Schulier joined the settlement as did Edgar Papillard, Theodoli-Theodoli Marc de Cathelineau, Baron de Preault, Marquis de Seilhac, Francois de Torquat, Baron Herve de Reindch-werth, Count Paul de Beaudrap settled 12 miles away called Jeanne d'arc Ranch. It was basically a bachelor establishment.

One of the first automobiles in Alberta arrived Medicine Hat this year.

Several Metis from Saint Paul des Metis are arrested and stood trial before Colonel James MacLeod. He dismissed the case saying there are no reform schools west of Winnipeg. Father Therien did not support rebuilding the school and many people openly questioned his dedication to the Metis Colony.

The Canadian Northern Railway reached Vegreville 75 miles from Edmonton.

The Canadian Northern Railway is completed to Edmonton



January 15: The Residential School at Saint Paul des Metis is destroyed by fire. An inquiry into the fire is conducted. It is arson by the students. Given the current historical understanding of Residential Schools and the Church's policy of that time, it is entirely understandable why they would torch the school. "We instill in them (the Metis) a pronounced distaste for the native life so that they will be humiliated when reminded of their origin." - Bishop Grandin. Some older students resented what they called 'The Prison' for the harsh discipline used to remove all traces of their culture, tradition and values. As a result they had ordered the burning.

April 7: Father Lacombe (1827-1916) explained, in Winnipeg, the innovative experimentation taking place at Saint Paul de Metis, that is one hundred and twenty miles northeast of Edmonton and is fifteen square miles fronting on the Saskatchewan River. Presently one hundred families live at St. Paul de Metis and another one hundred are expected from Montana by next year. This area can accommodate two thousand families at eighty acres per family. The land, presently only held provisionally from the Government, full title to be given after the experimentation, is proven practical. He mentioned that a severe set back occurred a few weeks ago when the Residential School burned down at a loss of twenty-five thousand dollars and the reserve for replacement is only two thousand dollars. He went on to say that the land can only be claimed by Half-breeds and only sold to other Half-breeds and they can't mortgage the land. Father Lacombe (1827-1916) went on to state the Half-breed peoples are the very foundation of this country. They have been the link between civilization and barbarism. (I suspect Lacombe (1827-1916) considered the Native Civilized and the Europeans the Barbarians) He went on to say, between white man and Indian. you will find many English tributes to the honesty and general good qualities of the Half-breed. The Half-breed has failed to stand up against (so called advancing) civilization, cheated out of his script by white traders because he could not appreciate its value. The implications of Lacombe's message are that civilized people cheat and steal in the name of progress. The Anglo-Saxon descendants made it abundantly clear, last century and this century, that it is an honorable practice to swindle land from the savages. This Winnipeg speech makes it very clear that Lacombe is not a party to the illegal and grievous sinful activities of the Oblate order.

September 11: The Alberta Liberals swept to victory today in the first Provincial elections; the Liberals were in by appointment ten days earlier. The Liberal Party would dominate Alberta politics until 1921 and then would never again control Alberta politics this century. Edmonton, as the Capital of Alberta, would not be settled until 1906 after much debate between Calgary and Edmonton.

November 8: The Canadian Northern Railway reached Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, and their future seemed assured.



1906

EDMONTON PENITENTIARY

(III)-John A. McDougall arrived Edmonton from Dorchester, New Brunswick to assist in setting up the new Penitentiary in Edmonton. John McDougall had been working at the Dorchester Penitentiary in New Brunswick. (III)-Mathias Salzl would secure a job as shoemaker instructor at the Edmonton Penitentiary where he would work for the next five or six years. He would eventually marry John McDougall's daughter, (IV)-Gerusha Anne McDougall. The Penitentiary opened July 31, 1906.

The first jail break took place August 9, 1906, by Henry Callahan A fifty dollar reward is offered.

Lloyd Stonehocker of Dorintosh, Saskatchewan claimed to have bought the first car in Edmonton in May. March 24, Corriveau and Manuvl are importing their third shipment of Benzene Buggies (Automobiles). Stonehocker had arrived in Edmonton, 1902, from North Dakota. This year he bought a car from Mr. Oliphant, who had imported two cars. This by his own admission makes him at least third.

This is one of the harshest and longest winters on record, devastating the herds of cattle and bankrupting many a stockman. The Chinook failed to come in the spring of 1907 and tens of thousands of cattle and horses starved or froze to death. The Bar-U ranch alone lost twelve thousand heads. Gabriel Dumont visited St. Paul de Metis for his last reunion. On hand are some of the remnants of the Metis movement. He would die at Batoche, Saskatchewan May 19, 1906, age seventy-five where he had settled at Gabriel's crossing, which is named after him. Julie Lagimodiere, mother of Louis Riel, also died in May. Sir George Eulas Foster and Sir Sam Hughes had visited St. Paul de Metis and commented on the good homes, vast herds and substantial parcels of cultivated lands that provided good livelihoods for the inhabitants. The Roman Church could not agree with these gentlemen as it contradicted their position and plans.

Cypress Hills (Alberta/Saskatchewan) became a Federal Forest Reserve and the Metis and Indians where remove from their homes. About 15 families made their way to the Battleford area.

T.S. Ridsdale, a Metis at Saint Paul des Metis, wrote Frank Oliver (1853-1933) a Liberal, son Allen Bowsfield, of the Department of the Interior complaining that U. Fouquet, a French Canadian, had fenced off two quarter sections of Metis Land. Fouquet claimed that Father Lacombe (1827-1916) had given him permission as it was assumed outside the colony. Elzear Poitras also wrote inquiring about rumors that the Metis colony would be open to settlers. Frank Oliver (1853-1933) a Liberal, son Allen Bowsfield, stated it would not be open to such entry. Father Therien went to Texas to recover his health and recruit Canadian French to come to Alberta. Father Simonin temporarily replaced him during his absence.

The not so honorable Frank Oliver, (1853-1933) a Liberal, son Allen Bowsfield, minister of the interior changed the homesteading regulations aiming to force the Doukhobor religious sect into individual land ownership or eviction.

Tom English, chief of police, of Calgary said "there may be houses of prostitution in Calgary, but if there are, I don't know where they are." One would think he was a liar, but most, if not all brothels, had relocated to Nose Creek and that was outside of the city limits.

The Edmonton, Yukon and Pacific Railway built a rail line from Edmonton to the town of Stony Plain, Alberta but they missed the town by a country mile. No problem! In 1907 the citizens just moved the town using 20 teams of horses. By 1908 the town boasted over 1,000 people.

Dr. W.C. Dunn operated the first Wabamun Coal mine. Wabamun meaning White Glass is west of Edmonton, Alberta. It's noteworthy that 85% of the Province of Alberta has coal seams so it is not surprising coal mines sprung up all over the Province before oil was discovered.

February 5: Imported European bigotry into Edmonton is reflected in the daily papers of the day. That the Canadian Yukon is still purely a White-man's country, That a patient, frugal, opium smoking, gambling, tyhee-ridden, industrious, superstitious and altogether peculiar John Chinaman is not washing clothes in Whitehorse, (panning) gold on the Klondike creeks or running stores in Dawson, is entirely due and clearly traceable to the prompt, energetic, and far sighted action of a self-constructed vigilance committee. The mayor, Jack West, in June 1902, received and turned back the first and last batch of Coolies (Chinese). He had advised the Chinks (Chinese) that the North West Police would stand behind the Mayor in these matters. The yellow bigotry would also apply to Japanese as well as the Chinese peoples and in Vancouver there would be open violence. This European attitude would prevail until the 1960's and beyond. The North West Police have a history of supporting bigotry, claim jumpers and other Anglo-Saxon vices. The Lords Day Observance Act forbade working on Sunday, transporting goods with some exceptions or entertainment for which a fee is charged. The police departments across Canada still practice racial profiling into 2005.

March 6: Edmonton city council met to give the female property owners the vote but was defeated as one person, Gus May, suggested it was a socialist legislation. It is noteworthy that married women couldn't own property, it automatically belonged to her husband.

August: A post office is established in Trochu, Alberta, including a general store, creamery, livery stable, school and a blacksmith shop. The Town of Trochu is layed out including a hotel, NWMP barracks. Paul de Beaudrap opened a butcher shop. Marc de Cathelineau built a dance hall.

Jasper Alberta's History