Secretan in charge of another party, with instruc-
tions to keep the grade, crossing the valleys of the
Assiniboine, Little Saskatchewan, and the Birdtail
Creek, down to 52 feet to the mile. Mr. Lumsden’s
location survey took him across the Assiniboine
Valley, near the mouth of Shell River, crossing the
Birdtail Creek twelve miles north of the town of
Birtle, both of which crossings met the require—
ments of the Railway Department of the Govern—
ment as to grades. Mr. Secretan’s survey party was
directed to find a crossing higher up on these two
rivers, in a more northerly route towards Fort Pelly.
After trying to cross the Riding Mountains, Mr.
Secretan backed out, finding the grades too high in
attempting to cross the back of the Mountain
instead of skirting its base, the route Mr.
Lumsden’s survey followed. After backing out
from this survey he proceeded to Fort Ellice, to
locate a crossing by way of the mouths of the Bird—
tail Creek, Fort Ellice and the Qu’Appelle River.

On the 2nd of May, 1880, Major Boulton and his
party struck the banks of the Shell River Valley,
overlooking what is now the village of Asessippi.
They then journeyed west eight miles to the banks
of the Assiniboine, overlooking what is now the
village of Shellmouth and returned east again to
what is now the municipality of Boulton, and
pitched their permanent camp on Section 5, Town—
ship 23, Range 27, after nearly two months contin—
uous travelling with a yoke of oxen and a team of
horses, the snow being still on the prairie on the lst
of May. The stream of emigration followed that
party into the Shell River district.”8

“On March 21, 1880, a party left Winnipeg with
three loaded sleighs expecting to make their west—
ward journey on the winter trails. In the party were
Major C. A. Boulton, M. Gardner, F. D. Gilly,
Wm. B. Lennard and Walter F. Stewart. Because of
hardships encountered on the early part of their
trip, Mr. Gilly died at Portage la Prairie. Difficul—
ties ensued: bad weather, snow blindness, poor
food, vermin, up—set loads and standing out in
blizzards between the oxen to keep from freezing to
death. At Big Bend on the Little Saskatchewan
(now Minnedosa) River the party was joined by Ted
Brown and they reached Dow’s Crossing on the
Bird Trail River early in April. Here the winter road
ended and the party was delayed ten days while they
assembled their wagons and reloaded, crossing the
river on ice, April 13th. Two days later, they left
Silver Creek for the Shell River country and they
had the pick of the land as far as they could see in
every direction.’ ’9

“Boulton promptly erected a log cabin on his
homestead; however, his hay crop was destroyed by
fire in November 1880 and his family spent an
unpleasant winter in comparative isolation. The

following year Boulton moved south to take up land
in 3—21—28W. He was also granted a license in 1881 to
cut timber in Township 24, Range 27W and Town—
ship 24, Range 28W for a ground rent of $5.00 per
square mile and a five per cent royalty on sales.
However, cutting on Township 24, Range 28W
soon proved to be in conflict with Shell River Colo—

1nization Company’s grant for settlement and the

entire berth was apparently cancelled after 1884.”10

“Initially, Township 24—27 had extensive tim—
ber stands but by 1903—1904 surveyors reported little
timber left, it having been cut by Hambury of Bran—
don.”11

By the third session of the Manitoba Legislative
Assembly, an act to divide the Province of Man—
itoba into counties was assented to May 25, 1881.

“Whereas it is expedient to re—divide the
Province of Manitoba into counties, owing to the
additional territory acquired, by which the
Province has been greatly enlarged, and being nec—
essary therefore to substitute a new Act applicable
to the extension of the boundaries; therefore

The Legislative Assembly of the Province of
Manitoba, enacts as follows:

1. The Province of Manitoba shall be divided
into counties for the purposes hereinafter men-
tioned; as follows:

Russell (37). The County of Russell shall com—
prise township 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, and 24 from and
including range 23 to the western boundary of the
Province. ’ ’ 12

By 1883, there were numerous settlers in what is
now the RM. of Boulton. The following were title
holders in 1883: Frank Aarki, William Muir, John
Muir, David Paterson, John McDonald, Hugh
McDonald, David Dunn, Robert Muir, Sydney
Vinnell, John R. Thompson, Walker Powers,
Archibald McLennan, Richard Pearce, Anthony
Armstrong, William J. Rea, Kenneth Smith, Don—
ald Smith, Percy Smith, Edwin Armstrong, Louis
Schell, Joseph Muir, William Barrett—Leonard,
Duncan McKenzie, William Baker, David Smith,
William Ross, Ellen Gilley, Thomas McAndrew,
George M. Lloyd, David Harkley, James Muir,
Frederick Vinnell, John B. Leonard, Elijah Dell,
Joseph Hind, Philemon Gaslong, and Alexander
Cockleburn.

By the Statutes of Manitoba 46 to 47 in 1883, the
Municipality of Boulton was formed. This became
effective December 22, 1883, but the letter of patent
did not come through until January 2, 1884. There—
fore, 1984 was celebrated as Boulton’s Centennial.

BOULTON

AUTHORITY

S.M. 44 Victoria, 3rd Session 1881, Cap. 13, Sec. XX
N 0. 41, shows the Municipality of Russell shall