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trip to Peace River Crossing, likely late spring 1914

trip to Peace River Crossing, likely late spring 1914

Posted: 21 Apr 2014 6:14PM GMT
Classification: Biography
Edited: 21 Apr 2014 6:19PM GMT
Surnames: McRae, Munroe
written by Howard McRae, reference p. 6

"In spite of the good rig and strong team, the trip took three days, utilizing 'Stopping Places' along the way for the overnight stops. One can only imagine what these might have been like. My only memory of the trip, and quite fleeting at that, concerned a vast mudhole. In any event, I seem to recall the team having gone into the mudhole and straining to get through it, only to have the front wheels come up against a piece of buried log. This sudden jarring stop threw everybody forward a bit. The horses then took a good hard pull and the front wheels rose up and over the obstruction and with this sudden forward motion throwing all passengers back into their seats again. The rear wheels, being fairly close to the front wheels, then acted as the second stopper and threw everybody forward again. The overall whiplike action of forward, back and forward was quite severe, but the only one who suffered was D. A. Munroe. D.A. was unfortunate in having a stiff or wooden leg ... With his stiff leg, D.A. undoubtedly had some problem sitting in the front seat and probably had to sit at an angle to facilitate, this extension, but in doing so, it put him at a distinct disadvantage in maintaining his security on the seat. The end result was that the whiplike action we were going through cast him out of the democrat and into the mud in rather a vertical leap, but with the misfortune of having his stiff leg holding him immobile. The sight was too much for Mother and she laughed. Such inconsidered manners were too much for D.A. so he left us then and there to catch a ride on a freight waggon somewhere behind."

"Peace River Remebers" history book on-line

Posted: 22 Apr 2014 5:03AM GMT
Classification: Query
Edited: 22 Apr 2014 5:04AM GMT
Surnames: McRae Munro
Enjoyable story. D.A. Munro had his life saved by that leg according to an item on page 364 in this on-line P.River history book. http://www.ourroots.ca/e/toc.aspx?id=8204 It seems he fell into a snowbank and was found because of the leg sticking out of the snow. A McRae search shows several pages of McRae tidbits including a pic of Mrs. McRae with a dog team. Butch

Re: "Peace River Remebers" history book on-line

Posted: 23 Apr 2014 11:30PM GMT
Classification: Query
Thank you. I will put your information to good use. I have none of those pictures, though some of the stories relate to things I've heard.

Re: trip to Peace River Crossing, likely late spring 1914

Posted: 24 Apr 2014 7:07PM GMT
Classification: Biography
Surnames: McRae
"Dad and Leonard ["Mickey" McRae] ... were to leave Eganville in early 1913. Arriving at Entwhistle, Alberta, they stopped to get their bearings. Across the river from Entwhistle a coal mine was being prepared for production by English capital. Problems had developed in wiring it for electricity for they apparently had no electricians. Mickey, having only his studies in high school plus possibly some basic experience in Eganville, helped the mine out and earned a few dollars with the effort. Hearing of the Peace River country, they decided to make an inspection trip to Peace River Crossing to see what business opportunities there might be. Going by way of Edmonton and the ED & BC Ry to Mirror Landing, then by boat to Sawridge (Slave Lake) and Grouard, then with the final leg by horse and waggon overland on the Grouard Trail into Peace River. They must have felt there were possibilities for Mickey was to stay and see to the construction of a building and Dad to return to Edmonton to purchase stock to start a store business in West Peace River. ...it was to take months of time and hardship. They slept in a tent that fall and winter of '13/14 and I recall Dad saying he was thankful for a coonskin coat he had with him, even sleeping in it." "Mother and I were to leave Eganville that fall of '13, and excepting Aunt Ethel who was to come to Peace River a bit later, the association with the Ottawa Valley had ended and a new start had been made, for better or for worse." - Howard McRae, A Forest of Years, pp. 3-4
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