Summ

lmnmerside. the cwital of the Ootmty of Prince, located on the north shore of Bedcque Bay, sev- uiteen miles by road from Bor- den, is a town that was appar- emtly destined to come to life and grow in spite of the efforts of men to build a town elsewhere. It was the third choice as the County seat and was only recognized when its growth forced itself on the atten- tion of the authorities as the log- ical place as the center of county llfe.

When Captain Holland. about Ire yea: 1m, planned out this Province, his choice for the loca- tion of s town was near Malpequa at a place called Princetown, and there he laid out s siic. But the place never developed When s Oounty court house was finally built it was located st 5t. Elean- or‘s in the year 1838. Fix about forty years it remained there but the gradual building up and in- creasing importance of the town of Dummerslde finally forced its rival.

Band of fate

R must have been the hand of fete that caused a town that now aspires to seven thousand of a population to rise on a swamp known as Green's Shore that in its early days was not connected by road with either St. Eieanors or Road's Corner and the only way it could be reached was along the shore at low tide. An explanation may be found in the growth oi ship building and the opening up of the railway to hioricton and on to Point du Cherie which caused a profitable trade to grow up be- tween Shediac Bay and Bedeque Bay.

At one time as many as twenty vessels. were building along the Summetrside waterfront but the coming of iron and steel and the growing scarcity of lumber caused this once thriving industry to dis appear. Similarly for many years Bummerside was a main port in the shipping trade between the Island and the Mainland, and up till World War One this town was the Island terminus for the Rail- way steamer, but this was later moved to Borden and the coastal trade died out. Although suffering at the time from these setbacks, the growth of the town continued and today it is a thriving and prosperous community and the sec- ond largest municipal unit in the Bovince.

No reference to the history of mo town, howeyer brief, ahoilld be mule without including the legend of how the name “Summerside” or- iginated. Joseph Green owned all who land that now embraces the sown and Colonel Compton lived on.

Thriving Agricultural Sections Centre About Prince County Capital

[the instoliatlmi of another

don of the council.

One reason that it hen been poe- eible to keep the tax rate low is that the munlcipaliy owned and operated electric light plant makes e profit every year and this ia cre- dited to the general revenue of the town. This plant is something that the citizens of the tow-n are very proud of. The older people often recall that at one time it was near- ly sold to a private company but the foresight of the civic officials of the day prevented its loss to the people of the town.

it is a deisel plant composed of six units capable of generating 1.000 kilowatts of electric energy and piers are being considered for

within s year. Besides the town 9N1»! the plant has about thirty miles of rural lines and in the rear future it is expected that en- ergy will be supplied the Provin- cial Government for distribution in the western part of the prov- ince. Power is also supplied the ROJLJ". station which is located here.

Manufacturing

While depending primarily for its life on the fins farming area back of it, Sttmmerside has some man- ufacturing that provides consider» able employment and brings bus- iness to the town. Jute bags are manufactured by the P.E.l. Bag Co. Ltd., farm machinery by the Hall Manufacturing Co. Ltd, and fertilizer by the Summeraide Fert- ilizer Cc. Ltd. The large lumber mill and yards oi the construction firm of M)‘. Schurman Co. Ltd. are also located here. Potatoes being e product for which this Province is fumou-s, large quantities of them are marketed through Summerside and nsequently there are many large warehouses for storing them. In fact the shipping of potatoes by water provides the only important water-front activity at this once busy port. . -When the fox raising industry was flourishing, Bummerside was its heart and centre. In the years between the wars, during winter d-ays when business was poor. many small storekeepers and office own- ers made extra money by renting their window space to the many fox pelt buyers who would come here and set up shop for a few weeks while pelts were being mar- keted. It was a common sight to see men get off the trains with hundreds of dollars worth of pelts

w

., ‘ . _ .,--.-.-1‘~=e€‘ w”: .‘ I The tourist today, crossing on the car ferry and motoring h the "North Shore House" of Prlncetown. traverses the ancient Indian trail from Buslcoakade, "the landing place" (Borden), through Bedck, "the sultry place." past the traditional scene of the battle "where the Mohawk met the Mlcmac on the banks of the Indian River", and thence to Makpek (Malpeque), "the blg water." From time irnmemorlal it has been a camping place, and the first settlers found the shore of Dernley River lined with immense piles of "middens", chiefly oyster-shells, which for generations after supplied lime to the farmers. About the middle of the last century, the rotted stump cf I very large pine was dug up, and beneath its roots was a deposit b! these shells many feet in thickness, One end o! Darnley Bridge n burying ground. and when excavations were being made, numerous skeletons were un- earthed, of unusually large size, the skulls of which would easily

tests on the site of an ancient India

slip over an ordinary-sized mans

great stature is corroborated by Abraham Gesner in a report on the geology of the Island in 1854, in which he thus describes

Observations at Savage Harbour:

“By the encroachment of the sea on the south. a number of Indian skeletons have been explosed and washed from the bank. These skeletons were lying together in different positions. as if the bodies iiad been thrown into a common pit. the top cf

vxhich was only a foot beneath the

found to be oi great size, and in general they exceeded in their dimensions those of the race in their present state. The site of this pit on the extremity of a small point of land supports the opinion that the savages had been surprised and cut off, or killed in the battle, and as no relics of warlike instruments were found at the place, except those of the aborigines, it is probable that the event took place» before the advent of the Europeans. From an old tradition among the Indiana, the

Savage Harbour."

It l! thought that Malpeque Bay is the “River of Boats" mentioned by Jacques Cartier. as in his first voyage he sailed

past its narrow entrance, and saw its teeming waters.

—From an article by the late Mrs. Ada MacLeod in the Dal-

housle Review, April, 1926,

THE GUARDIAN. CHARLOTTETOWN

head. ‘This record of their

soil. Some of the bones were I

bay has been called

canoes of savages fishing in

vii‘

has a busy marketing division for

slung over their shoulders and

seeking the best price available. Now the industry ‘has fallen on

the northern aide on the shores cf Malpeque Bay. At this point the Island is only about two miles wide. Ooming over the hi.i.l one March day the Colonel was struck with the strength of the sun on tho southern side and meeting his Mend, Mr. Green exclaimed: "Whyi this is the summer side of the! Island." Joseph Green later had the words "Summer Side" placed over the door of his residence.

Up-To-Dste Moses

Probably what impresses s vis- itor to Summersida today more than anything else is its magnif- icent stores. Few cities boasting a population ten times as great can sxl-tihitsnything like the stores that are at the disposal of shop- pers in this comparatively small centre. Established in 1857, the firm of RT. Holman Ltd. with its large departmental store and ex- tensive wholesale business has a staff of over two hundred persons. Now operated by three Holman men of the third generation, it is ever modern in its policies and continues to prosper with the years. A branch store is operated in Charlottetown. Another depart- mental store. Smallmani Ltd. (for- merly Sinclair and Stewart Ltd). has recently been completely ren- ovated both inside and outside and is one of the most modern stores to be found anywhere. Many other stores, large and small, cater to s large shopping area with plcte lines displayed ir. up-to-Mte surroundings.

situated in a prosperous farming aloe Bummcrslde is the shopping centre for ftpprorlmately 30.000 people and LL-s prosperity depends to s great extent on the prosperity of the farmers nntl iishcrmm of the county who give it their bul- ineea

Municipal System

Oumnierstde’: municipal set-up tails for s Mayor and six Coun-

of the three wards. The present Mayor is Mr. .1. Frank Arnett who 1e the president of the wholesale

members cf the Council are as‘ fol- lows: Henry wedge, J. imne Drie- coli. TD. Morrison. Gerald Sheen, Bchurman and J. Lloyd Gor- ri . The financial position of the town has always been excellent and quite often the boast is made

thousand is possibly the lowest in

providing ahe same services to its citizens. __._*_ . .. ‘the low ta: rate bee not, so far,

tiilors, two of which represent each .

that the tax rate of $17.00 peril

Osnsds for a town cf similar sine-i

i “OLD HOME WEEK"

Anti after that. the HARVEST

- If you are a member of the large family of HALL THRESHER

l bwuera, you know that you have the harvest well in hand. If you don't

f0 us this year.

com- ‘

III le the time to buy, and HALL is the machine to bu’.

Don't forget ‘to vlalt our large machinery show near the Stock

Buildings right on the Exhibition Grounds. Meet and folk with our cour-

foous salesmen.

firm of Rogers andukrnett Ltd. The l

SUMMERSIDI

make the rounds of the buyers|the information

evil days and the buyers no longer

come to town. However the llf‘?d kept.

office of the Canadian National

Sliver Fox Breeders Association, a Attractive Dwollhsga Canada wide organization, is

located. here and many thousands Surmmcrside has long been

of pelts from all over the country areannualiy marketed through its pelting department. The Pfilltf’ Edward island Fur Pool Ltd, also

fox pelts.

A Dominion Government SLver Fox ranch is located on Central Street North and is a favourite visiting place for tourists. Here ex- ad periments are carried on in the 0f raising of the best types of silver and mutation fox and mink and obtained made available to ranchers.

The grounds of this establish-

have one, then now is the time to buy. Your used machine is worth more

Our Thresher-a are available in two popular sizes and can be pur- bhased equipped with Blower, Taller, Feeder, Baggcr or loader and Truck. Because ‘these machines are built in the Province, parts replacement

ls 100%, and parts cost less too. No telegrams, no high express rates, no

expensive days of waiting.

Tune In f0 CJRW every Tuesday at 12:00 Noon for Western enter- tainment at its best, as well as up-to-the-mlnuto fann equipment news.

I» HALL MANUFACTURING m OOLO STORAGE COMPANY. LIMITEO

CHARLUITEIDWN TRACTOR! and TRACIDR MACHINERY ‘

nnuaY-ntssnnr. rants mrnmunms w. o. woon mun! murmur

ment are always very beautifully

known for its and fine residences. The people of the town, or most of them. always had a pride in the appear- ance of their properties and the overall results are very attractive. There are eight churches available for residents and visitors to wor- ship in and most of them have

‘The Summerside High School and Academy Academy serve

tree lined streets

have

jacent halls for church activities a social nature.

and 8t. Mary's the educational

(Continued on page 3i)

erside Important NR. C. A. F. Trainin

WELCOME To " UMMERSIDE

n-

No ell visitors to our beautiful lslonil Province we extend acer- diul welcome to the Town of Summerside. This prosperous com- Inunlfy on the shores of Bedeque Bay has many attractions to visitors and we can place the best of facilities of all kinds of their disposal. Our stores are the finest and cur restaurants, tourist accommodation. and places cf amusement are excellent.

Summerslde in summer is cpluce cf Beauty with its fine resi- dences and attractive tree bordered streets. Visitors will be made ic feel at home in cur midst and we can assure them that’ our citizens will receive them with courtesy and friendliness.

We will endeavor to make your stay pleasant and we hcpefhct when you leave it will be with u determination to return.

Mayor J. FRANK ARNETI

couuctttons: _ _ HENRY wanes . r. c. MORRISON u. |.. ccmuu. H. a. SCHURMAN .1. t. omscou; ornate sum:

__ suave-r 1s. mo;

Centre

v