Timeline... 1930 - 1939

The World The depression set off by the stock market collapse in late 1929 is felt across North America and Europe. Sept.1, 1939 Germany invades Poland, setting off World War 2 Canada The effect of the world-wide economic depression is compounded in Western Canada by an extended drought. In 1936 the Federal Government cancelled debt for feed and wrote off many advances to to the drought areas.

Manitoba The effects of the drought on the prairies are felt most acutely in the southwest corner of the province. The Farmer’s Creditors Arrangement Act – aims to reduce farm debt loads.

The Municipality of Pipestone The depression and the drought affect Pipestone much as they affect other communities.  The expansion of the role and scope of schools, the influence of radio, and the changing technology in transportation all had an effect on life in the region 1930 Council appropriates $1,500.00 to be spent for immunization of school children against diphtheria. 1931 $10000 is provided for “relief work”, road building etc. 50% from the Federal Gov’t, 30% from the Province and the rest from the R.M. The winter of 1930-1931 is open but cold. Roads are good all winter, but one by one farmers had to quit using the car as there was no money for gas. The RM councils see a drop in revenues, as low as 20% of total. 1932 A new three room school is built at Woodnorth – the  original school is attached at the back. 185 parcels of land are sold to recover unpaid taxes. The RM borrows $40000 to buy seed which was offered to farmers in return for promissory notes. The government plans to employ single men in work camps, and on farms. In the work camps at Kenosee Lake, Clear Lake, and other resorts, men had cleared out new townsites. They were given room and board, working clothes and $5.00 a month. Western Canada's dream of fifty years is realized Sept. 1st. when twenty-four cars of wheat arrived in the Port of Churchill enroute to European markets. This is the first wheat ever to come over the Hudson Bay Railway into the new and modern 2,500,000 bushel eleva¬tor. 1933 Trees from Riding Mtn. enhance the Reston Cemetery. Upkeep is by Reston Women’s Institute - proceeds of the book “Pioneers of the Pipestone” by Ellen Guthrie Bulloch go to improvements The RM decides not to continue offering seed and feed to farmers. It asked the province for help. Grasshoppers threaten what crops have grown. The bounty on gophers is cut to 1¢ but the boys and girls go after the pests as usual and turn in tails by the thousands. There is plenty of rain in the spring of 1933, even the Pipestone creek is in flood. Pastures are green, and things look good. But the heat came in waves and brought on a fierce infestation of cut- worms and caterpillars, millions of them. These things sent wheat soaring to 82¢. In the last week of July, it was 104° F. 1934 Grasshopper destroy almost all crops. Grasshopper poison – a mixture of sawdust, bran and Paris Green proved ineffective. 1935 Rainfall eases the drought but crops are afflicted with rust. After 1935, one of the worst rusty crops, came Thatcher, a good milling and yielding wheat, followed by Selkirk, Neepawa and Sin- ton. 1936 Federal Drought Relief Program established. A small chinook in March ends twelve weeks of intense cold, the coldest winter ever known. 1937 Rain is more plentiful. 1938 In the spring a winter storm with hurricane winds costs ranchers and farmers thousands of calves and cows. 1939 "Purple" gas is introduced. Colin C. Campbell and his son Colin S. Campbell purchase the old round house and several acres around it. Cleaning equipment was installed and he gradually built up a retail and mail order outlet for farm seeds. Some was even shipped overseas.