Esther elevator days

By Joan Janzen

Back in October of 1923, the Alberta Wheat Pool opened for business. According to Esther and District’s history book “Sage Brush and Sifting Sand,” R.V. Bamber was the delegate from 1924 to 1928 for Esther when the Pool built the elevator in 1925. The elevators at Esther, Sedalia and Leo were the first three elevators built by the Alberta Wheat Pool.

Grain trucks waiting to unload at Esther Elevator, 1953. Photo from Sage Brush and Sifting Sand

Sye Ness was the first elevator agent at Esther. Photo from Sage Brush and Sifting Sand

Esther’s elevator was a 40,000-bushel structure built by Voss Bros. at a contract price of $13,259.25. The elevator opened on October 10, 1925. A balloon annex was built in 1940, as well as an additional annex in 1956. During the sixties, an electrically operated winch was added to replace the winch bars to move cars.

Beginning in 1938, agents resided in a house provided by the Pool. Elevator agents through the years were: Sye H. Ness 1925-1926, Shirley Fawcett 1927, G.P. Field 1928-1929, A.W. Rowe 1929-1931, E.T. Adams 1931-1935, N. Holmes 1935-1937, C. Ferguson 1937-1938, W. Dalton 1938-1952, R.N. Hertz 1952-1957, C.H. Coates 1957-1961, R.L. Tonack 1961-1964, R.L. Halseth 1964-1969, E.D. Morgan 1969-1975, D.J. Storvik 1975-1979

The following is a list of past Alberta Wheat Pool Delegates: W.H. Caswell, Sibbald 1923-1924; R.V. Bamber, Esther 1924-1928; J. Woods, Sibbald 1929-1934; E.J. Norris, Sibbald 1935-1937; M. Padberg, Sibbald 1938-1944; R.R. Massam, Sedalia 1945-1955; E. Warwick, Oyen 1956-1976; V.R. Johnston, Oyen 1976-1981; C. Lamar, Acadia Valley 1976-1985; R.D. Bamber, Esther 1985 and later; K. Pratt, Esther 1984-1986; J. Kloberdanz, Kirriemuir 1986 and later.

The Esther elevator closed on July 31, 1979, when the ownership of the elevator was transferred from Alberta Wheat Pool to the Historical Society.