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May 20th, 2012 by admin

Township 11.2E Surveyor’s Field Notes

Deputy Surveyor, S.L. Brabazon was the officer in  charge of the survey conducted from September 12 to October 5, 1871. Some of his observations were as follows:

“This township is not of full dimensions. The line…from the Assiniboine River cuts off some of the southern portion. In timber it is wholly deficient there being only a few swamp willow and some dying poplar bluff. The timber in the south portion  is thought to belong to the Reserve. The supply of water is rather more plentiful. Sturgeon Creek waters the South West corner, and there is a small pond or large spring of most excellent water between Section 20 and 21. Here is also a spring in the ravine in Section 22. It was the water of this last we used during the survey—  it was very hard, most disagreeable for washing and after rain became unfit for use from salt. It seems that the rain washed the salt into the ravine from the adjacent saline patches.”

The best index to the fertility of the soil— it’s clothing— was wanting. The October fire having passed just before the survey commenced. However there was enough to satisfy me that the entire of the township will make valuable agricultural land but there is a great extent of very superior soil and if there be some a little wet it will be scarcely less valuable as meadow land.

A rocky or stony ridge transverses this township from North to South. It is shown on the plan in Sections 27 and 34. I have no doubt of its being the same formation of that in Township XII, Sec 21 and 28 and I think it extends southerly to the Assiniboine River near St. James’ Church. The land to the west of the ridge is higher and more gravelly, to the East, lower and more alluvial. Stone is quarried in the 36th Section and brought to Winnipeg for building. It is a soft grayish limestone.

“In the south west part of the Township there is a considerable area under cultivation but the fences are so irregular it would impossible, without a special survey, for the purpose to represent them on the plan and as they have all the appearance of being intended to be temporary I did not see that are valuable information would be obtained by it. The same remark applies to the timber or bush. It is so very irregular and there are such quick changes from bush to prairie that it is very difficult or impossible to give an outline of the bush.”

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May 13th, 2012 by admin

Scaife family enjoying life at Rosser Manitoba

Barry, Rosalind, Colleen and Catherine is also known to as the Scaife Family.

Barry Eirikur is the main man in the gang. He was born on November 9, 1945 at Grace Hospital in Winnipeg. The head lady of the family is Rosalind Gail, born on October 4, 1947 at Grace Hospital.

Barry is a Racing Official at Assiniboia Downs. He is the starter for the thoroughbreds and parade marshal for the standardbreds. He has worked at this track since 1962. This is where they first set eyes on each other and were married on April 12, 1975 in Winnipeg. In their wedding party were Larry and Sandra Bird from Rosser; Lloyd, Barry’s older brother and wife Judy were out best man and matron or honour.

They resided in Winnipeg until their first blessed event came about; Colleen Leslie, born on September 4, 1976 at Grace Hospital. She would not say Colleen was eager about this as she carried her ten months and then she took days before agreeing to face the world. They decided the city was no place no raise children, even at a few months old, so off to the country they went. They rented a farm between Woodlands and Warren where they resided for approximately four years. During this time they boarded thoroughbreds, raised lots of chickens, three pigs and a small blessed event came about; Catherine Rose, born on July 16, 1979 at Grace Hospital. She carried Catherine, like her big sister, for ten months but she wasn’t quite so reluctant to appear.

Finally, in the spring of 1981, Florence Wedge had her house up for sale. Upon seeing the house and meeting Mrs. Wedge they knew this was where they wanted to live. They moved in during August, 1981. Mrs. Wedge allowed them to plant a garden early. All their belongings were stored in her parents’ garage and they lived in their home for two months. Unpacking was a glorious discovery.

Immediately they started meeting the wonderful people of Rosser. Shirley Hallick seemed to introduce her to at least a dozen. Then she started working in the store and post-office and had to figure it out fast. Barry knew a lot of people from being raised in Warren, so he didn’t have this problem. Dorothy Blair and Janet Hagen took them under their wings making them feel welcome and informing them what they needed to know. The people of Rosser are always there for them whether it’s a cup of sugar or a place to stay during the three-day ice storm when you have no heat or lights.

Their family loves to travel, camp in the wilderness, fish and all but Barry love to swim. Barry is an excellent woodsman and enjoys his hunting and fishing trips. Catherine is competitive gymnast and attends classes five days a week at least. She at present, is in Level IV and is on her way to Omaha to complete internationally. Colleen used to attend gymnastics but, due to injuries, has retired. Now she is into basketball, soccer, volleyball, band and jazz choir, etc, etc. Of course, these usually all take place in the opposite direction of Catherine. Both girls are junior curlers. Barry and Rosalind also used to curl. Larry quit because of bad knees and Rosalind quit when she acquired her family chauffeuring license. They attend Rosser United Church when they can, once again gym classes restrict them.

At present Colleen is in grade ten at Warren Collegiate and Catherine is in grade seven at Grosse Isle. The four of them have enjoyed their time so far in Rosser and even though they’d like to find a place about 15 to 20 acres they are only looking in the Rosser area. The girls would like to have their horses home to rise and Rosalind would like to have their horses home to rise and she would like to have them as well as her cows, chickens and etc..,except no pigs. The girls are both talking of university or college but who knows what life will bring? As long as they try to be the best they can at whatever they choose to do, Barry and Rosalind will be happy.

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April 22nd, 2012 by admin

Manitoba’s Great Grey Owl

Every winter, on the drive between farm and village a beautiful white Snowy Owl can be seen sitting atop of a telephone pole. It is a wonder how this seemingly same owl finds its way to the same location as winter draws nigh. Must be bird instinct!

Manitobas great gret owl 212x300 Manitobas Great Grey Owl

John Ridgeway of Grosse Isle compiled a list of birds back in 1948. The same species can still be identified in fields, lawns, marshes and waterholes during Manitoba summers and long winter months.

Special note should be taken of “The Phantom of the North”- Manitoba’s Great Grey Owl. A pair of these owls reside in the bush of a vacant farmyard just west of Rosser Village. The Great Grey Owl is the largest own in North America. It hunts small mammals and loves the woods of the north country. In spite of its rather fierse visage and reclusive ways, it is tolerant of people. This owl is the official bird emblem of Manitoba.

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April 16th, 2012 by admin

Winnipeg International Airport at the RM of Rosser

The following is a list of all of the land, located in the Rural Municipality of Rosser, which is held for airport use. Purchased in 1955, from Royston Turbett, parts of SW 22-11-2E, SE 22-11-2E, and SE 22-11-2E; from Laurence T. Ainley (Exec.), NE 15-11-2E; and, Gordon W. Tocher et al, a fraction of S 1/2 15-11-2E. In 1963 part of SE 22-11-2E was purchased from J.G Jope and L. Ritchie. In 1967 Lots 1/4, Plan 9553 were purchased from Alpha Manufacturing, Commonwealth Construction and E. Fardoe.

In the early 1970′s the Winnipeg International Airport was experiencing two major problems; (1) Congestion within the Air Terminal Complex related to aircraft, vehicle, cargo and passenger traffic. (2) The aircraft generated noise being imposed upon those areas of the City of Winnipeg lying to the south, southeast, southwest and to some extent, northeast of the airport.

In 1974 Transport Canada set up a team to study the airport and its future in the present location or possibly recommended a new location within a 50-mile radius of the City of Winnipeg. This study was to be called the Winnipeg Area Airports System Study (WAASS). The study also encompassed other airports in the area with a focus on St. Andrews, hence the name “system study”.

A small portion of Transport Canada’s 4,300 acres of land for the Winnipeg International Airport was located in the Municipality of Rosser and involved the northern section of the airport north and south of the extension of Logan Avenue, John Stewart, Councillor for Ward Four, RM of Rosser, was asked to become a member of the group set up to assist the study team. This was important from the Municipality’s point of view considering the land it administered within the airport and directly adjacent to the airport to the north and northwest. If the study were to recommend that the airport remain in its present location and possibly extend Runways 36 adn 31 to the north and northwest, the Municipality would be very involved. There was also the possibility the study could recommend a new airport site within Rosser Municipality.

A Study Advisory Group made up of wide cross section of individuals from government, city, municipalities, business and the general public was formed. The input from the group was considered to be invaluable. The study group addressed hundreds of factors that are affected by any airport. These included land use,  capacity, noise, runway configuration, future expansion, the environment, road networks, zoning, people, jobs, etc and concluded in 1980 with a look at four new airport sites. However, it recommended that the airport remain and expand facilities on the existing site. Expansion of facilities included runway extensions to the north and northwest, air terminal expansion and a land use plan for future development on the airport. The noise question had been addressed, at least in part, by new quieter aircraft engines.

When the WAASS study team was disbanded, a second commitee was struck to act as a consultative group for the Airport Public Consultation Committee (APCC), John Stewart again represented the RM Rosser. The committee had a similar composition as the earlier WAASS Advisory Group. It provided the Airport General Manager with a consultative public forum in relation to expansion of airport facilities as well as airport operation aspects with regard to noise, road networks, future airport development, etc.

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April 13th, 2012 by admin

Prairie Wildlife Stories: Dog’s Life and Moose on the Loose

Native species sometimes cannot resist the temptation to “get even”. Vivian White observed one day, while at her breakfast table, that people aren’t the only ones who have a knack for teasing.

One bright sunny day we watched a cheeky red squirrel tease our dog until he was nearly crazy. At the corner of the house is a tree with an especially low hanging branch. The branch was a matter of inches too high for the dog no matter how high he jumped. He tried and tried and then, all played out, he lay down to rest.

Just as he was dozing off, along came a magpie. It landed on the sidewalk in front of the dog and strutted back and forth. The dog opened his eyes and made a quick lunge at the magpie. The bird took off back wards leaving the dog just standing there barking. As soon as the dog would lay down again, the magpie came right back. After this happened five or six times, the poor old dog went off to the barn to get some uninterrupted rest.

On one hand, moose are usually found in more northern terrain, as a popular television series “Northern Exposure” suggests. It is, therefore, an intriguing tale that Norbergs tell… about a visitor to Meadows in summer, 1992:

“While doing some work over in Ken and Dolores’ new yard, we heard the dogs suddenly take off toward the railroad track. We got up to investigate and behold, a lone moose was ambling down the CPR right-of-way. No doubt because of the dogs’ considerable commotion, it decided to head for cover and took off across the bald prairie heading for a wooded area. It hasn’t been seen in the area since so we hope it got safely to where it was going.”

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April 10th, 2012 by admin

Prairie Wildlife Stories: Oh Deer

The “No Shooting” by law in the Rural Municipality of Rosser makes it relatively safe haven for wildlife even though evidence of poachers can be found and residents’ homes in bush areas are sometimes threatened by rifle fire. White-tailed deers are particularly fond of the bush area around the Jewell property. One reason is that if the natural food supply is scarce, they can usually count on some supplements supplied by Bill and Betty Jewel. One particularly bad winter, Betty arranged to get 20 bags of deer pellets and Bill built some feeders in one of the corrals. The feeders were filled every night and one night Bill counted 44 deer dining there.

As manager at the Municipal landfill site Bill has initiated many conservation measures, among them a compost pile. One doe and her two young fawn have dropped in there to dine on more than one occasion.

The real-life animals described above should not be confused with “Fluffy” the dear deer decoy. Fluffy has been seen, on roads in nearby municipalities, luring hunters to take an illegal shots or two. Some fairly prominent citizens  had to make embarrassing appearances in court as a result.

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April 2nd, 2012 by admin

Prairie Wildlife Stories: An Unwelcome Presence at the Beachell Yard

Alice Ridgeway described another incident in her 1953 interview.”..One day, brother Walter hurried in for his gun excitedly remarking that a small black and white animal, like a cat, was ambling down the furrow coming toward the house. A neighbour, Bill Styles, who had lived longer in Canada that we had, advised him to “hold fire” as that brand of pussy highly ‘rescented’ being disturbed..”

Skunks still visit the Beachell farm. A recent skirmish in 1989 was memorable because it was the year of the farm’s centennial. The saga began early that spring when a skunk decided to set up housekeeping under the front steps of the farmhouse. Her timing couldn’t have been worse because the Beachells were launching big plans for an outdoor centennial party. Skunks are not popular pets, especially in large crowds. Mrs. Skunk had to be evicted before she and any new family became entrenched.

At first the Beachells tried to flood them out. The entire front flower bed sank at least three inches but the skunk was not moved. Then, an old paor of panty hose was filled up with moth balls and flung down the burrow. To this day a slight odour of moth balls can be detected around that section of the lawn. Still the skunk stayed on, not finding the mothballs objectionable. Desperately seeking a solution to the problem without creating an indelible impression, Reeve Beachell rented a skunk trap.

That night he baited the trap with sardines. The next morning he and “hiz missus” checked it anxiously from the safety of their window. The trapdoor was down! Alas everyone but the family cat chalked it up as a trial run. The second night was a write-off, capturing neither cat nor skunk. On the third night, howeverm the mission was accomplished and the skunk was promptly dispatched in a nearby field.

The Beachell yard was rendered safely odourless. The centennial celebrations were great fun for everyone. There haven’t been that many skunks sighted around the farm ever since. Do you suppose word gets around?

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March 30th, 2012 by admin

The Prairie Wildlife

Prairie wildlife still includes animals such as red fox, coyote, wolf, white tailed deer, skunk, badger, beaver, racoon, rabbit, gopher, chipmunk, red and grey squirrel, vole, mice and shrew. Most early settlers in the area hunted in order to put meat on their tables. “..the meat on our menu consisted largely of rabbit and patridge..” was Alice Ridgeway’s observation during an interview in 1953 The Grosse Isle Story, as she recalled the Beachell family’s introduction to life on the prairie.

As more and more natural prairie was turned into farmland the predatory habits of indigenous wildlife often become a threat to the burgeoning domestic population. Early Municipal minutes record that F. Minaker received the sum of $2 as wolf bounty. References to wolf bounty continue on 93 wolves through the months of May through July, 1930.

According to Bert Comrie, a bounty was paid on foxes during the 1940′s. Their predatory habits were particularly hard on the chicken population. Mrs. Burns, Secretay-Treasurer at the Municipal office, would pay a dollar a pair of ears that the hunters brought in as evidence of a kill. Every few years the fox population seems to explode. This usually reflects on reduced numbers of rabbits and other small animals in the area. After the foxes complete their cull of the small animals in the area. After the foxes complete their cull of the small animal population, they seem to fall victim to mange which, in turn, culls the fox, population.

Gophers were more pest than predator. During the 1930′s and 40′s a gopher tail was worth one cent when it was turned in at the Municipal office. Gophers are still numerous today. Raccoons can be as pesky as gophers and much less retiring too. Sometimes they wriggle their way into a farmers affection as Bob Miller will attest with the following tale:

“One summer day six baby racoons were found in the hay shed on the farm. There was no mother to be seem and we assumed that she had been killed. The Wildlife Conservation Officer came out, in reponse to our call, but when he arrived only five of the babies could be found. It was not until after he left that the sixth orphan turned up again. We decided to try to raise him. He required a baby bottle of millk several times a day and some soft food. He grew like a weed. He had the freedom of the yard and disappeared into the bush whenever he wanted. The whole family became very attached to this cute little fellow. He disappeared for good about 6 months after he arrived and it was as though a member of the family had died. We would go to sleep every night hearing one or more family member calling into bush, ‘Heeere Chucker, Chucker, Chucker….’”

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March 27th, 2012 by admin

The Weather

The weather plays a most important role in all phases of agriculture be it garden or livestock production, the farmer has always watched weather signs and kept records of it.

Temperature readings in the early days were taken from mercury household thermometers considered to be auite reliable by the owner. The wind, its direction and force, were read by looking at the chimney smoke. The temperatures recorded apply, in general, to all the RM of Rosser but rain, hail and storms may vary from farm to farm.

The Fahrenheit scale was in use until April 1, 1975 when we changed to the metric system of measurement- hence Celsius.

From 1893-1935, information regarding the weather is taken directly from the diaries of Val and Lyle Lawrence, pioneer brothers who came to his area in 1878 before the RM of Rosser was formed. The years following 1935 are as recorded by E. Lawrence, by other residents and by Environment Canada.

Our climate has the greatest temperature difference, summer to winter, in all Canada. Years ago, we quite often recorded temperatures from minus 40-50 degrees Fahrenheit in winter and over 90 degrees Fahrenheit in summer. At the present time out winter temperatures have moderated; 40 degrees below zero is fairly rare. Through the years we have normally had a good gardening season to sustain our agricultural industry. It often starts in late April and ends in mid-October, the records show.

The annual amount of precipitation in our area is about 550 milimetres (rain and snow). The sunshine we receive annually exceeds 2200 hours, a wonderful bonus for us. September 10th is the average date of our first frost.

Winter can long and severe, cold can of long duration. In 1979 all southern Manitoba including our area and Winnipeg had the longest spell of below zero temperatures recorded in our province. It lasted 126 days ending on March 16. Winters can be mild too, those of 1980-1981 and 1986-1987 were the warmest on record, having an average temperature of -8.5C (+17F).

Snowfall here is not considered to be regualrly heavy, but out snow usually stays through the winter season.

In 1955-56 we recorded 101 inches of snow, and as far back as 1877-78 very little snowfall, less than 13 inches.

One of the worst blizzards was November 8, 1986, when a total of 35.8 cms of snow was recorded with winds of 90 kilometres per hour, zero visibility. No vehicles other than showploughs and snowmobiles could move. March 3, 1966 brought as much snow and lasted three days, no travel. March 1935, storm exceeded both of these storms by having a snow fall of 21 inches.

We have had ice storms and freezing rain. March 6, 1983, an ice storm brought traffic in the area to a standstill closed the airport adjacent to the RM of Rosser, for two days.

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March 23rd, 2012 by admin

Tornado wreaks havoc

A small tornado swept through Rosser area destroyed a silo and a machine shed in the same storm that created havoc in Langruth.

“I would say it’s a smalll tornado. I looks like funnel hit both to Gerald Machnee of Environment Canada.”

Machnee went on to point out some rotational patterns in the grain field behind the barn at Theo Holtmann’s farm in Rosser that indicate that it had been buffeted by twisting wind currents.

Since 1964, the twin silos at Holtmann’s farm have been a town landmark until one of them was reduced to rubble by the tornado.

The storm came up with little warning and the farm was hit by high winds that snapped several of the trees and destroyed the silo but left other buildings remarkably intact.

“I was in the house at the time, sitting at the window,” said Tony Holtmann, Theo’s son. “It was a sheet of rain coming at us.”

The Holtmanns noticed a piece of sheet metal flying around that they figured was part of the silo roof. They speculated that once the roof opened the tornado pulled the air out and the silo collapsed inward or imploded. The concrete tiles fell straight down.

“It came down in such a way that it missed the barn,” Tony Holtmann said.

Had the silo fallen any other way it might have landed on a barn full of Holstein cattle or a machine shed. Luckily, no one was hurt and no cattle were lost.

“They were standing in the corner shelter and they were in the proper place,” Theo Holtmann said. He also pointed out that he hadn’t see wind damage that severe since 1946 when a high wind took the roof off the barn.

“We were lucky,” said Tony Holtmann.”It was a freak, that’s for sure.”

The wind also rolled a string of railway cars down a side track in Rosser until a derailer forced them off short of the CPR mainline. Two hopers cars rolled into the ditch and broke a signal pole.

Further west, the tornado touched down at Jake Voth’s farm near Meadows where it broke several trees and lifted a new machine shed off its foundation and scattered the debris in his field.

What made this one unusual was the shed was blown clear over several bins that were not damaged at all.

“How it cleared the bins there I’ll never know,” Voth said.

Voth was at an equipment dealer in Headingley picking up a combine through the storm at a distance. Rather than drive the combine through the storm he decided to wait it out in Headingley.

What puzzles Voth is how the shed was torn from its foundation and carried off without doing any damage to a group of bins located between the foundation and where the wreckage lay.

“This whole roof system was well braced so I think it stayed intact until it cleared the bins,” he said. “There isn’t even a two by four speared through the walls of the bins.”

Gerald Machnee inspected the damage at Voth’s farm and said it also looked like a tornado’s work.

“If it had been a plough wind, it should have probably caused more damage to those bins,” he said.

He went on to say that a straight wind can lift structures off a foundation but they usually do a great more damage to surrounding structures. The shed was worth an estimated $ 30,000 and its construction was finished recently.

“It was two weeks old,” Voth said. “I insured it eight days ago.”

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