KREW KUTS: Small Towns - Big News
By Bernie Krewski
“New towns are springing into existence,” the Calgary Daily Herald reported, as it tracked developments on the Goose Lake Line, winding its way across the prairies. “Some are of no great importance, while others in their unique geographical position grow into significance in a comparatively short time.” Dazzled by the optimism prevailing at that time, it was impossible to predict in 1913 what towns would flourish in contrast to others that slowly dwindled or disappeared.
Benton “in the news” is an example, bearing in mind the modest five-page summary of its origins described in Many Trails Crossed Here, vol. 1, pp. 110-115.
A news report on January 14, 1913, addressed how Saskatoon’s shipping territory now extends beyond Benton, Alberta. Due to high freight rates, “the city’s territory was previously bounded on the west by a line from north to south, placing the limit at Innisfree, Kinsella, and Sedgewick (Alberta) on the CNR, GTP and CPR lines, respectively, and Benton on the Goose Lake Line.” With the lowering of these rates, the shipping boundary “will be pushed back for a considerable distance westward” far beyond Benton, until it meets competition from Edmonton and Calgary.
Another account in the Calgary Daily Herald (May 30) details the “Rapid Development Along C.N.R. Line; Several Gravel Trains Are Busy Day and Night Along Line. “The new town of Benton,” it notes, “will require at least two elevators. Situated as it is midway between Oyen and Sibbald and in the very heart of a rich agricultural country, it promises to have a heavy output of grain this fall. There is also an opening for banks, stores, blacksmiths, butchers, restaurants, etc. A livery and feed stable are also needed. This town is attracting much attention at present and promises to have a live future. It has already one general store, a post office, implement agency, coal, and wood dealer, fencing supplies, and a wide-awake board of trade.”
Oyen was incorporated as a village on January 17, 1913. Three days before, local officials placed an advertisement in a Saskatoon newspaper. It read: “DOCTOR WANTED – IN A GROWING TOWN on the C.N.R Goose Lake Line. Large territory, no opposition. For further particulars write to the Sec.-Treas. of the Oyen Board of Trade.”
News coverage in the early days of this community was far less exhilarating than that of Benton. For instance, license commissioners in Alberta received an application from Walter Riner for a retail liquor license at the King George hotel in Oyen. On March 13, as reported in the Calgary Daily Herald, Mr. Riner learned “it was not recommended by the commissioners on the grounds that there were only 35 houses in the village, the minimum number required being 40.”
Fortunately, despite their size, small towns sometimes exerted great influence. An announcement out of Ottawa on October 28 spoke about a forthcoming gathering in Saskatoon of the Railway Commission. Its agenda for November 1st included the review of seven cases brought to their attention. One of them was an application from the boards of trade of Youngstown, Owen (misspelled), Chinook and Hanna, Alta. for an order requiring the Canadian Northern Railway to install its passenger service on its line west of Alsask, Sask.
Canadian Northern Railway must have heard the loud train whistle of the Boards of Trade! According to the Hanna Herald, the first passenger train travelled through Hanna two weeks later - on November 13. This was reconfirmed in the Calgary Daily Herald on November 18 in a news report from Youngstown: “The first passenger train from Alsask to Hanna passed through town the other day. A large crowd of citizens gathered at the station and gave the train crew a welcome. A daily service will now be carried on between these points.”
The passenger trains were running at last – at least some of the time!
It took several months for the value of the Goose Lake Line to become evident to large businesses in Calgary. The honor of shipping the first carload of freight out of Calgary on the Canadian Northern Line went to Robin Hood Mills on February 27, 1914. The shipment consisted of an entire carload of flower and its destination was Alsask.
Youngstown, like Benton, received special attention in the Calgary Daily Herald – a full-page narrative with four photos on March 19, 1914. The headline: “Growth of Youngstown Has been Phenomenal in Eighteen Months; Business Houses Grow From Two to Eighty-Two In That Brief Time.”
A brief shift in focus occurred in mid-June with the arrival in Calgary of several thousand horses and men. Nine trains of men were there to attend a military camp.
Meanwhile, the summer brought weekly issues of a local newspaper, The Oyen News. The headline on the first archived issue, July 2 was: “Dominion Day Celebration – Large Crowd at John Gripp’s.”
There was little to celebrate by the end of July. Sam Hughes, The Minister of Militia, announced plans to mobilize 25,000 troops should Britain become involved in war. The Governor General followed, offering the services of Canadian troops to Britain. Canada and Newfoundland entered WWI as Britain declared war on Germany and Austro-Hungary.
“Alberta is Able and Ready to Assist British Empire,” the Calgary Daily Herald proclaimed. “Local militia is fully prepared to protect the Dominion.”
War sprung into existence!