GOES UP IN SMOKE. 



One of the houses of the early days that 

 attracted attention by its size, if not by 

 its architectural beauty, was a building 

 erected by Mr. Bannatyne on Main street 

 on a spot novs^ in rear of the store of Mr. 

 R. D. Richardson. This building was in 

 the midst of a garden, and was well sur- 

 rounded by rows of thriving Red River 

 maples. In the haste to organize 

 the government of the country, after the 

 coming of Governor Archibald, a request 

 w^as made to the owner to sell the house 

 to the province, for the purpose of govern- 

 ment offices. It was purchased in Janu- 

 ary, 1871, and here the first parliament of 

 Manitoba was opened. Unfortunately 

 the building was burnt on .3rd Dec, 1873, 

 and with it the valuable nucleus that had 

 been purchased for a Legislative Library. 



gust, 1872, the first manufactory of 

 furniture was begun by the firm of 

 Bishop & Shelton, and a bookcase still 

 possessed by the writer was the first 

 article turned out by thenic In the year 

 of the opening of Manitoba College (1871) 

 the writer found it impossible to purchase 

 a chair in Winnipeg. Benches were made 

 for the college, and the newcomers in 

 their houses often used trunks and boxes 

 in place of chairs. These were matters 

 for which no one was to blame, and sim- 

 ply arose from the influx of people and the 

 imperfect transportation facilities. 



THE FIRST BANK. 



For many years the Hudson s Bay com- 

 pany had been the medium for carrying 

 on the business of the country. One of 

 the most interesting features of their 



TTINNIPEG IN 1871. 



STRUGGLE FOR EXISTENCE. 



The fact that in the old days there was 

 little demand for farm products had led to 

 non-production, and a consequent scarcity 

 as soon as population increased. 

 The necessity for shelter led to buildings 

 being erected, but in the spring of '71 

 rough lumber sold at $70 per thousand, 

 and poor lumber it was at that; dressed 

 lumber was -$100 a thousand. Fresh meat 

 w^as difficult to obtain. An ox, none too 

 well favored, brought upwards of $100. 

 The writer, on the occasion of the visit of 

 the British association to the Northwest 

 in 1884, had a conversation, at a dinner 

 given them, with Dr. Cheadle, who with 

 Lord Milton, had made the celebrated 

 "Northwest passage by land" in 1862. Dr. 

 Cheadle contrasted the state of things in 

 1862 with that in 1884, by saying they were 

 unable in the former case to get enough 

 to eat; in the latter case there was abund- 

 ance. In 1871 and 1872 it was simply im- 

 possible to obtain anything the hungry 

 horde of new comers demanded. In Au- 



monetary system w^as the paper money 

 known as Hudson's Bay "blankets," 

 much larger than our bills, and like 

 the bank notes in Britain. These were of 

 the denominations of five pounds, one 

 pound, five shillings and one shilling, and 

 to Canadians especially that of the small- 

 est value, was a great curiosity indeed. 

 A private bank, which did a good busi- 

 ness, was begun by Mr. Alex. McMicken. 

 But the business of the country needed 

 greater facilities, and on Dec. 14, 1872, the 

 Merchants Bank of Canada was opened. 

 For some time the bank was in a building 

 on the west side of Main street, near the 

 corner of Bannatyne avenue. The man- 

 ager of the bank was Mr. Duncan Macar- 

 thur, who had been connected with the 

 Hudson's Bay company in Montreal. In 

 course of time, through Mr. Macarthur's 

 excellent management the Merchants 

 bank moved to the corner of Lombard 

 street, where it still remains. Mr. Mac- 

 arthur has been a most public-spirited 

 man, and has helped forward almost all 

 good enterprises in our rising city. 



