56 Lovers of the Horse 



III liS79 there was a great iiiHiix of pojjiilatioii to tlie Northwest, and during that 

 year the force un(k*rtook fanning operations of an experimental and extended eliar- 

 acter in Southern Alberta. Duiing the year Lieut. -Col. Maeleod held .several eivil 

 courts at Fort AValsh, ^lacleod travelling over '•2,300 miles to perform his various 

 duties. 



Several new important outposts were estal)li.shed, and in 1<S80 Lieut. -Col. Mac- 

 leod was appointed as Stipendiary ]\Ligistrate for the Northwest, Lieut-Col. Irvine 

 being promoted to the command of the force. 



The total amount of customs duties collected atMacleod for the year ISSO amounted 

 to $1.5, 43:?. 38. 



In 1881, the police met with great difficulties, and only by the exercise of diplomacy, 

 finuTiess and great courage, avoided nnich more serious trouble, on account of Cana- 

 dian Indians stealing horses in the United States and bringing them across the line. 



In 188'2, serious trouble arose with the Blackfoot Indians on account of the arrest 

 of Bull Elk, a Blackfoot, for shooting with intent to kill. 



On account of the increased responsibilities devolving on the force, owing to the 

 construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway, and the influx of settlers, authority was 

 given in 188'-2 for an increase of '200 men. 



The Manjuis of Lome was the first Governor-General to visit the Northwest 

 Territories, and his visit brought that region very prominently before the notice of 

 the public, the Mounted I'olict- receiving especial attiMition because of the efficient 

 fashion in whicli they assumed all the duties in connection with the long prairie journey 

 of the Vice-Regal party. 



Ever since the establishment of the force, there had been uncertainty as to the 

 best place for permanent lieadcpiarters, and it was the building of the Canadian Pacific 

 Railway which finally decided Sir .John Macdonald to establish headquarters at 

 Regina. which was finallv done in 188'2. 



In 188^2 the total amount of customs duties collected was $;)'2,.52'-2.3(5. 



In that year W. C. Van Ilorne. General ^L^lager of the Canadian Pacific Rail- 

 way, wrote to Lieut. -(\)l. Irvine acknowledging the indebtedness of the company to 

 the Northwest Moniit<<l I'olicc, saying that "In no gi'cat work williin my knowledge, 

 where so many men have been employed, has such perfect order prevailed." 



A wonderful illustration of the power of the Mounted Police was given in the 

 Pie-a-Pot incident, when two nicnil)ers of the force rode right into the heart of Pie-a- 

 Pot's camp, with its several liundreds of savages, and ordered the Indians to break 

 camp immediately and take the ti;iil for the iioilli WImmi the Indi.ins refnsecl, the two 

 men procee<le<l to knf)ck flown ;ill their tent> l*ie-;i-Pol iind his c,ini|) tnovt'd, and 

 the Police were not even touched. 



In 1883 the N.W.M.P. were in^trunieni.d in bre;dsing uji a very .serious strike 

 on the Canadian Pacific Railway, whih' during the wlioie |(n>cess of construction of that 

 road the duties of mail clerks in the Northwest were |)erformed by lli<' Police. 



On account of the Noilhwesf I'ebellion, the vear 188.) is aluavs considered his- 



