Timeline...
1900 - 1910
The
World
1901: Queen Victoria dies, Jan. 22. Edward the VII reigns.
1901: Marconi sends the first radio signal across the Atlantic.
1903: Ford Motor Co. established to manufacture automobiles
Canada
May 15, 1909: an Earthquake is felt across the prairies.
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Manitoba
1901: Manitoba’s first Hydro-electric plant opens on the Little
Saskatchewan River northwest of Brandon.
1906: Manitoba farmers organize the “Grain Growers’ Grain
Company” with shares available at $25. For any farmer wanting to
join.
1908: Manitoba Government Telephones takes over the telephone service.
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The R.M.
of Argyle
1900
Dr. Cleghorn purchased the building vacated by J. Smith & Co, (they
moved to the new Fowler Block). His son Raymond took over in 1930 and
the building was Cleghorn’s Drug Store until it burned in 1963.
The Presbyterian Church was erected, a solid brick edifice of ample
dimensions, with a basement for Sunday school, all heated by a furnace,
sat a cost of $3,000.00. The dedicatory services were conducted by the
pastor, the Rev. McKay at 11 a.m. and Rev. T. B. Wilson and the Rev. J.
J. Clemens in the evening.
Formalized sports leagues were organized. By around 1900 we see the
beginning of several local sports clubs; Football (1899) Lacrosse
(1899), Tennis (1901), Cricket (1899), Curling (1899), and
of course , Hockey, 1898. The first skating rink was opened on
Dec. 8, 1898, and quickly became a focal point for the community in the
winter months.
The Philharmonic Society of Chicago gave a performance in the Methodist
Church, under the auspices of the Ladies Aid.
1901
Percy Curtis completed a new brick two-storey building with a
distinctive corner entrance and a second level balcony. The new
building would stand until 1957 a prominent fixture on the corner
location. Over the years it has been known as The Playfair Brothers,
the Neil McDonald Store, Frederickson’s Cash Store, and more recently,
it was operated by W.G. Kilgour and the Co-op. The upper level was
called the Victoria Hall after Queen Victoria. It was home to various
public gatherings and entertainments, including movies in its later
years. (Gazette 1940)
Soldiers returning from the Boer War were feted. In March of 1901,
Sergeant Welsh was guest of honour at a banquet held at the Chester
House.
Serious outbreaks of scarlet fever and mumps.
1902
Originally Mr. Fowler operated his harness, saddlery and shoe business
from the eastern segment and the west side was rented to by J. Smith
and Sons for a grocery. In 1902 R. Rollin took over the J. Smith
business
In 1902 rumors were abroad that a railway branch (through Glenora and
Neelin) was coming. Surveyors, Engineers and road officials were busy
and the first survey was started on. Grading was done in l903 and the
steel laid in 1904.
The Baldur Gazette reports that the “Invincibles”, “After
defeating all local hockey teams within a radius of 40 miles”, was
looking for new competition.
1903
The Union Bank opened in 1903.
Baldur’s Union Bank as it appeared in 1912. (Archives of Mb.)
Special excursion trains take people to the Brandon Fair.
The Wakopa Subdivision which created the new towns of Glenora and
Neelin made Greenway somewhat of a transportation hub.
Manitoba Telegraph - May 28, 1903
Grading the line near Neelin (James Wall Collection - McKee Archives)
Alex Fowler became postmaster in 1903, with postal services in his own
block.
The Greenway Post Office was moved from the Cornock farm.
A wide view from the south, dated Sept. 13, 1903. That is snow on the
ground!
From the September 17, Baldur Gazette; “This is one of the worst falls
our farmers have had to contend with. All unstacked grain was saturated
through and through by Saturday’s big rain and snow storm, and it is
feared that a great many of the stacks have let in the wet.”
1904
The rails were laid in 1904 and a loading platform built at Glenora.
This was a great improvement to the district and relieved the farmers
of long distance hauling of their grains and produce which they had to
do since the early pioneer days. The Dominion elevator was built in
1904.
Roseberry School and the post office were relocated to the new town of
Neelin while the building of commercial, residential and community
building was underway.
In 1904 the Methodist church was built on the corner of Second and
Carrey at a cost of $10,000.00. It was opened on October 16, 1904. The
Rev. Hamilton Wigle, B.A., of Regina, President of the Assiniboia
Conference, preached the dedicatory sermon
The Manitoba Government telephone office was located in the downstairs
of Dr. Cleghorn's office in 1904; then later in 1910 moved upstairs
until the Telephone building was built in 1928.
The Victoria Methodist “Stone” Church erected on 21-6-14.
1905
By 1905 a new school, a much larger brick-clad building was needed. The
old one was sold and moved to first street.
All of the municipality of Strathcona was within our borders and
continued so until 1906
1906
The first town board was formed on May 6, 1906. A meeting of the
ratepayers was called on that date and following were elected: Messrs.
Frank Schultz (chairman), G. W. Playfair, and Alex Fowler.
John Playfair has the first automobile in the region
Wolsley SD # 305 formed on 16-5-13 owned by George and Bernie
Playfair. The school was first called Otenaw, with the first
building being a log structure.
Neelin started in 1906 and got its name from Joseph Neelin on whose
land part of the town is situated other names suggested were Rock Lake,
Roseberry and Watsonville. The first building was Bolton and Way's
General Store and was built on blocks as they could not get a foundation
In 1906 the Bell Telephone Company enlightened the people by installing
telephones in 14 rural homes, connected up between Glenboro and Baldur.
In 1907 the farmers east of Baldur decided to build and operate an
Independent Telephone line running east of Wolsely School, then north
to J. S. Conibear's.
Argyle Band formed.
Argyle Municipality divided into Strathcona and Argyle.
1907
In 1907 the school was moved to Neelin and served the purpose until
1914 when the present building was erected.
The first snowplough was owned by M. W. Jackson, 1907
In 1907 the Lutheran Church was built on the corner of Government Road
and Carey Street. It was a white brick edifice. The dedicatory service
took place on Nov. 24th, 1907.
The Baldur Cemetery Company was organized on May 25th, 1907.
Shareholders of stock paid $10.00 per share, in cash, entitling them to
a plot 8x16, with deed for same. The cemetery consisted of two acres,
situated a quarter mile south of town.
“Mr. P. F. Curtis, (in 1907) purchased the Gazette. … Mr. Curtis,
remained in that capacity … until February 1909 the ownership
passed from Mr. Curtis to Miss Annie Playfair, …”
“We also find a priv¬ate line constructed by Curtis between his stores
in Baldur and Greenway, using the Canadian Northern Telegraph poles for
this purpose.”
1908
Thor SD. # 1430 established on 28-5-13
Telephone service expands throughout the municipality.
A beef ring is established at Greenway.
1909
The Icelandic Women of Argyle form a suffrage society called “The White
Band”. The Icelandic Suffrage Societies were the first groups organized
solely to promote suffrage in Western Canada.
Alex Fowler was chosen to represent the Baldur Curling Club in the team
of Manitoba Curlers who went to Scotland.
Dry River pioneer William Craik built the store that as of 2013, still
stands in Greenway. It was operated by his son Ira until 1975.
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