Page 89 - With Jessie Morrison of Cape North - A Cape Breton to Alberta Pioneer

ISSUE : Issue 66

Published by Ronald Caplan on 1994/6/1

The greatest crop in production was wheat.... Now the farmers hauled the grain in large wagons, or in winter on a sleigh. They had a large vehicle called a grain tank. And the body of this grain tank would be transferred in the winter from the wagon wheels to the sleigh, and likewise, the wagon boxes. Now my father did not have a grain tank but he had the usual wag? on, which was three tiers. And I think it would haul around sixty or seventy bushels, with four horses. And we were With D. B. MacLeod's Family at Breton Cove Enjoying the spinning wheel. Above: Jessie. Above right: "Mary (D. B.'s brother Norman's wife), Sadie (D. B.'s sister Mary's daughter), and Peggy (D.B.'s brother Norman's daughter)." n Below right: D. B. MacLeod and Uncle Dan; "Sadie, Rhoda, and Effie." Below: Uncle Dan crossing on the Englishtown ferry. twelve miles from the town. So my poor fa? ther walked many and many a mile behind the team in the cold weather which result? ed in frost bite to his hands, his feet, his face. But some farmers came over twen? ty and thirty miles, you know. So those were the early days. I think it was 1917 or '18 (that the tele? phone came). They were party lines, of course. And connected with the central in Chinook. It probably would be eight or nine or ten people all on one line. The central office closed at 8 o'clock at night, so from 8 o'clock at night until 8 o'clock in the morning there was no way of phoning out. We had a neighbour lady who was a na? tive of New York. She married one of our Year 'Round Christmas Shop Le Maritime and Canadian Handcrafts and Souvenirs Folk Art and Country Gifts Quality Brass and Imported Gifts Kitchen and Bath Shop 15 PRINCE STREET SYDNEY BIP 5J4 539-7338 local farmers. And she brought with her from New York her beautiful china, her sterling silver, her "cut glass" as we called crystal in those days--and she also brought a (record player). And with it she had these marvelous records of stars of the Metropolitan Opera. And knowing my great love of music, after the central office would close, this dear lady would move her (record player) over to the telephone. And I, on the other end, would be listening and Aline's Creations Complete Line of Fabrics, Notions & Curtain Rods Custom Made Draperies • FREE ESTIMATES • Lingerie Creations by Aline COMPLETE LINE OF BRIDAL WEAR Custom Made Headpieces Your Shoes Decorated for the Bride & Attendants to Match Your Gown "Make your self at home with Aline " 314 Charlotte Street • SYDNEY • 539-1852 in the Smart Shop: 2nd Floor IIA 1 IN HOME liV?l HEATING • state of the art heating equipment • Trained heating technicians • Largest Fleet of Home Heating delivery • Ways to save you money • Budget Payment Plan • FREE Fumace Efficiency Tests IN SYDNEY CALL: STEVE BLUNDON I IRVING 567-3000 ''

Cape Breton's Magazine