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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.


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.


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.