the road, Mr. Lethorn,
suggested that the town be named Chesterfield, but on account of the
name clashing, by the suggestion of Mr. S. Christopherson, it was named
Baldur after an Icelandic god. Mr. Chester immediately announced the
erection of a boarding house and stables, which he has enlarged and
increased to their present ample proportions. Mr. Chester is a townsman
heart and soul and everything tending to the advancement of its
interests has his substantial cooperation. By his genial manner, energy
and activity in business he has reached his present position of
emolument and affluence.
Mr. P. H. Curtis, General Merchant a cut of whose business premises is
given, bought out the business and property of Mr. Geo. Griffith about
four years ago. This store was the first one opened in the town. The
residence is built in connection with the store and has a beautiful
lawn bordered with very handsome maple trees.
Besides those who have been mentioned other pioneer business men are
Mr. J. Smith, S. Playfair, W. O. Fowler, Alex. Fowler, F. Schultz,
Messrs. Hanover & Price J. Dew, Christian Johnson, W. Herron and H.
Goodman.
Second Street, Baldur, Looking North – Photo by
F. Stevens
A Few Short Sketches of Successful Farmers.
The district abounds with successful, and well-to-do, farmers in every
portion, and to attempt to even given a short synopsis of a small
number of them would fill too large a space. For the purposes of this
issue we shall quote a few from each part of the dis¬trict making it
representative of the general prosperity of the entire munici¬pality.
Farmers whose names have been mentioned in these pages have all
prospered beyond their most sanguine expectations since coming to this
part of the province, which sufficient to de-monstrate that the
municipality of Argyle is a most desirable and suitable one to settle
in for the carrying on of all branches of farming. Those of whom
brief outlines are given show what has been accomplished by
intelli¬gent and properly
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directed effort, and hundreds of mere
similar cases could be quoted.
Mr. W. J. Porter, located six miles southwest of the town of Baldur,
commenced operations in 1882, without any capital. By industry, hard
work and natural ability he has acquired 400 acres of land, over 200
acres of which he cropped to wheat alone, to say nothing of course
grains. He has good farm buildings, a full equipment of machinery, and
a large number of cattle horses, etc. He is worth
anywhere in the neighborhood of $8,000.
Mr. Skapti Arason, of Grund; who is one of the councillors of Argyle,
started up in 1880, his capital being a yoke of oxen and five cows. In
1886 fire destroyed all his buildings with their con¬tents, including
his cattle and he was forced to start over again. But he was not
disheartened by his severe loss, and he set to work with so much
success that his farm today is as well equipped as any in the district
with stock, farm buildings and residence. He is considerd to be worth
$8,000. Other farmers of the same district who have made an unbounded
success of farming are A. Sveinson who crops 300 acres of wheat every
year and who has a well equipped farm ; mid Anderson & Sigurdon who
crop 500 acres. S. Christopherson, A. K. Card, W. A. Card, A. Dale, J.
Dale and Jas. Dale, are all successful farmers of the same portion of
the municipality.
Mr. A. W. Playfair, four miles due east of Baldur, came
to this country in 1880 when there were only 64
miles
of railroad in the province—from Emerson to St. Boniface. And as a
pion¬eer setter he was instrumental in form¬ing the present
municipality, receiving a commission from the government of that day to
do so. He has taken an active part in the administration of the
affairs of Argyle and represents Ward 4 in the Council. By perseverance
under the most trying hardships incumbent upon early settlement, and an
indomitable will to succeed, he has gathered around him five quarter
sections, and farms 480 acres of land. He is one of Argyle's most
prosperous and successful mixed farmers. At the present time he has 100
head of cattle alone, good farm buildings, and stabling for 80 head of
cattle and 15 horses. His farm resid¬ence is one of the finest to be
seen any¬where and has natural beautiful surroundings. Mr. Playfair
has a wind¬mill and does all his own grinding of coarse grains, etc. He
is a dealer in thoroughbred shorthorns and Berkshires and the success
attending him in this respect is seen by the number of red tickets
carried off at the summer and fall fairs. The heavipst yield of wheat
in the locality during the past season was on his farm. He is known to
be worth from $10,000 to $12,000.
Mr. S. W. Cramer, 8 miles east of Baldur, came to this country in 1880
and settled on his present farm. He experienced all the hardships and
drawbacks incident to early
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