All the homesteaders saw many
hardships, and long days of hard
work. There was a good community
spirit always helping each other.

The first four years, they had to
go to Emerson, 100 miles for groceries
and supp-lies. Each neighbor would
take his turn in making the trip to
Emerson bringing back supplies for
all his neighbors. It would take 10
to 14 days to make the trip with
horses, longer if by oxen. John Ste-
wart and his brother John brought
a team. of horses each, with them
from Ontario in 1879.

John and his brother Jim would
take turns in walking to Smallacom-
bes (2-2-12) to shovel the snow from
their sod shanty in the bank of the
creek where they lived as it stormed
nearly everyday. The sod shanty
would be covered over with snow.
Mrs. Smallacombe was very nervous
one night as the wolves had howled
and scratched on the roof of their
shanty all night and she was afraid
they would break through the roof.
There were many wolves along the
creek in those days.

John Stewart, went to Ontario, in
1885 where he was married bringing
his bride a school teacher, out to the
western prairies and his log home.

The settlers were very happy when
the railroad came to Manitoba in 1883
and, to Crystal City in 1885.

Cypress school was built in 1882
on S. E. 1%; 27-1-12, There were 12 to
15 pupils on the school roll many well
known names of this district attend-
ed Cypress school. Church services
and Sunday school were held in the
School. Rev. Farquharson coming
from Pilot Mound.

Louise municipality was formed a-
round 1880. John Stewart served two
terms on the council board in 1895.
In the early years there were many
prairie fires. Settlers had a hard time
to save their buildings and what little
crop they had. Everyone plowed fire-
breaks, but lots of times the fire

would jump the fire break. The prai-
rie fires, came mostly from North
Dakota, with a high wind and travel-
led very fast, making a terrific heat.
The settlers, would see the reflection,
in the sky, of heavy clouds of smoke,
and they knew they had a hard fight
ahead of them.

The first few years, the grain was
broadcast, by hand then harrowed in.

John Stewart and his brother Jim
had a reaper in 1880 and tied the
sheaves by hand. Then in 1882 they
had a binder, which tied the sheaves,
saving much hard labor, '

When the railroad came in 1885,
lumber was available to build homes,
but times, were very bad as crops,
has been lost year after year with
frost, go-phers, and drought. Also
prices were poor 20 cents for frozen
wheat. It was many years, before the
homesteaders could afford to build, a
home with lumber.

John and Jim Stewart bought the
first portable steam engine and se-
parator in the district in 1885. They
threshed for the neighbors, until the
snow came. Often they had to thresh
in the spring, what was not done in
fall. All the grain was bagged in two
bushel bags, and the men carried it
on their shouders from the wagons
into grain bins.

The women did their share of hard
work too. The-y would have 12 to 15
men to cook for in threshing time, as
well as doing extra farm chores when
the men were helping their neighbors.
They had to be both nurse and doctor
for their children when sickness:
came. They were always willing to
help their neighbors in sickness, sor-
row and bereavement. They also
taught their children the christian
way of life.

Horse thieves were a real worry as
horses were very valuable in those-
days. Most farmers locked their barn
doors, but many valuable horses were
stolen and never recovered. The
homesteaders felt that the horse

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