Victoria Post Journal

The daily journal of the Hudson's Bay Post provides an interesting look into everyday life. Highlights in this section of the journal include the Election. The following are  presumably written by Charles N. Garson, the clerk from 1890 - 1892.  Used with permission from the Hudson's Bay Archives. Spelling is of the era.

February 1891

Sunday 1 Last night was the coldest night of the season     old throught the day
Monday 2 Some Indians in     no furs    to cold to hunt.  A little milder to day
Tuesday 3 Changes in the weather for the better    Prayer Meetings being held in the church every night for the last week
Wednesday 4 Fine warm day    nothing of note occured
Thursday 5 Finished taking stock to day    very dull   nothing off note occured.  by wire General elections to take place on the 5 of March
Friday 6 A little colder to day    getting some coal Hauled in.   Mr. Ross left for Edmonton
Saturday 7 Cold with a  strong north wind.   some indians in from White Fish Lake report no Hunting in that quarter.
Sunday 8 A cold day   things very quiet
Monday 9 A fine day   froze Hard during the night    fixing up Hay stack today
Tuesday 10 Clear and Cold    fine travelling weather   nothing of note Occured
Wednesday 11 Stormy and Cold with snow    Mr. Young left Edmonton in evening for tour of inspections  Election Matters booming.
Thursday 12 Stormy and Cold    Mr. Young arrived from Edmonton also Mr. Ross Indian Agent from Edmonton.   nothing new about Elections.  times are brisk at Edmonton
Friday 13 Another Cold and stormy day   Mr. Young laid over to day not feeling well having a very bad old.   Samuel Whitford left for Lac La Biche sent out Mail along with him. Andrew Whitford left for Edmonton.  bought Thompsons furs
Saturday 14 Mr. Young is still here being very sick last night and is made up his mind to return to Edmonton in the morning   A cold day and stormy
Sunday 15 Very Cold this morning    Mr. Young started back a hard trip for a sick man.
Monday 16 A little warmer this morning   nothing new about Election matters
Tuesday 17 Andrew Whitford in from Edmonton says he met Mr. Young in Edmonton on Monday Morning and Roads good. Mr. Meek arrived on Elections Matters en Route for Saddle Lake and La la Biche A fine day.
Wednesday 18 A fine morning   Mr. Meek left for Saddle Lake.   Davis and Rilley in the field as Candidates. 
Thursday 19 Cold and Stormy    Nothing of note Occured.
Friday 20 Cold day.   Bishop Grandin passed through to day for Saddle Lake and Lake La Bihe   says the Roads is bad heavy travelling.
Saturday 21 Not so Cold to day    Indian in from Saddle Lake with Mail.
Sunday 22 A fine day   took a drive as far as old Norns.
Monday 23  Cold again last night but got Milder towards non. Mail left for Ft Saskatchewan   Thomas Brown. Buchanan. Mcgillvery. Cromartz and family left for Edmonton    some of them are going for freight.
Tuesday 24 Fine day   Mr. Meek in from Lac la Biche  reports roads very bad and Furs plentiful.   Fish scarce some of the people hard up for food.
Wednesday 25 A fine day  no arrivals or departures.  Election news very Slack 
Thursday 26 Fine day. Mail arrived about 3 p.m.  Simon Whitford in from Edmonton. Indian in from Saddle Lake for Mail.
Friday 27 A Fine day    news arrived by wire that David and Rilley was nominated candities for members. No Agents arrived as yet.
Saturday 28  A fine Mild Morning    Mr. Meek left for La la Biche this morning   Andrew Whitford takes him out.  Simon McGillvery in from Edmonton  reports great stir about Elections at that place.

March 1891

Sunday 1 A fine Morning a little snow in the afternoon    everything quiet
Monday 2 Tupper Arrived from Edmonton last evening reports roads bad to ________ creek.   a little cold to day
Tuesday 3 Cold morning    Cromartz and Brown arrived from Edmonton with their loads.
Wednesday 4 A fine Morning    Padmore and Brereton arrived from Edmonton on election Matters. Peter Erasmus in from Good Fish Lake.
Thursday 5 Election day a fine warm day and all the people in from Egg Lake  Nobody up from Saddle Lake and only one from the Lob stick   a good Majority for Davis. Padmore and Brereton left for Edmonton after the Polls.    every thing went off quiet. 
Friday 6 A fine warm day first spring day of the snow melting.   things settled down after the elections.
Saturday 7 A little Colder to day    no arrivals or departures.
Sunday 8 A Cold Raw wind.   Mr. Meek in from Lac La Biche and went through to Edmonton    Simon McGillvery takes him up
Monday 9 Blowing and snowing all day    Bishop Grandin passed through   Mail left for Ft Saskatchewan
Tuesday 10 Still woking at the a/ccs  Brereton arrived from Edmonton  reports Roads bad all drifted up.  Mr. Gairdner from Lac la Biche  fine day.
Wednesday 11 Mr. Gairdner left for Edmonton this Morning    Mr. Ross in from Saddle Lake  an fine day.
Thursday 12 Fine and warm to day    Mail in from Ft Saskathewan.   Hamlin passed through to Edmonton.
Friday 13 Nice and Mild to day. finished making up Books. Will start for Edmonton on Sunday Morning 
Saturday 14 Cold raw wind but not cold   some Lac la Biche people passed to day from Edmonton.   reports roads bad.   will make a break in the Morning for Edmonton
Saturday  21 Arrived back from Edmonton along with Mr. Gairdner    roads good still but snow going fast.   this last 3 days has been very warm.  passed some sleighs going to Lac la Biche with freight.
Sunday 22 A little snow falling this morning    Mr Gairdner left for Lac la Biche   everything here is quiet as usual
Monday 23 Cut some ice to day   the ie is still good.   No furs coming in from any where
Tuesday 24 Cut and Hauled some more ice to day.    fine warm day.
Wednesday 25 Fine day   Snow going off fast   Sleighs in from Edmonton with wheat for Indian department.
Thursday 26 Another fine day   Some Freighters for Lac la Biche arrived to day    report roads getting bad.
Friday 27 Good Friday   Snowed all day Froze Hard towards night  Freighters left for Lac La Biche
Saturday 28 Cleared off to day and snow is disappearing fast.
Sunday 29 Easter Sunday   all Hands and the Cook off to church.

Return to the Fur Trade Menu
Return to Smoky Lake History Archive