DISASTERS
The Crandall district also had its share of disasters in the form of fire. In the '40's the C.Lee home was destroyed by fire when they were living on the Sam Shier farm, north of Crandall. The barn on the J. Shetler farm (now owned by T. VanBuskirk) was destroyed by fire caused by lightning. Leonard and Delymer Johnston lost two homes on their farm by fire as did Ed Henderson. J. Dnistranski was the victim of a farm fire as well as a very damaging fire in his house. Larry Hunkin's barn also suffered fire damage.
In town, the garage at the east end of Main Street was destroyed by fire twice, once rebuilt. One rink collapsed under the weight of snow and next one burned in 1949, but was rebuilt each time due to the efforts of concerned citizens. In the mid-1950's, the former "Todd's Store" owned then by J. Dnistranski burned and in 1959, the C. Bomford Store, originally J.T. Clark's, went up in flames. None of these buildings have been rebuilt. Three homes, the Herb Johnston and Bill Padfield, northwest of the school, and Crawford on the south side of the village, were also lost by fire. Around 1958 Donald Douglas lost a building on his farm containing a number of young chicks and turkey poults. These, perhaps are not all the fires.
Besides the fires, many of the business places in the village have been demolished, so that Crandall is merely a skeleton of its former self.
Other disasters that we can remember pertain to weather. In 1934, July 1, a hailstorm doing 100 per cent damage passed through the Palmerston area. In 1935 rust completely destroyed the wheat crop. In 1944 a cyclone lifted the roof off Donald Douglas's barn.



In 1953 a tornado, originating in Saskatchewan, touching down at Ellerington's and Weins in the Glenlochar district and demolishing barns and outbuildings, passed through the Palmerston district just uprooting some trees but touched down again near Pope where it lifted a C.N.R. tool shed. From there it seemed to lessen in intensity and gradually blew itself out.
Two other unforgettable disasters or tragedies involved the C.N.R. train when Mr. Joe Warren and son, Wallace, were killed at the crossing straight south of Crandall, and here too, Mr. Jack Bailey of Decker lost his life.

Tales from a Pioneer
One story is told of a Lord, by title, from England, who purchased land on Arrow River running north of the present town of Crandall. Some of his kinfolk came out to Canada to make their fortune, as the posters advocated in the old country. They came with the look of wealth and position. So, as the future land baron rang his large silver dollar on the counter, he ordered the material needed for his large sprawling country manor. It was built of field stones gathered in the nearby fields on the picturesque spot overlooking the river valley.
The ladies and gentlemen rode their fine horses chasing the foxes across the meadows and in the evenings, fancy parties were held in the large drawing room of the manor.
Unfortunately, their stay was as short as their funds which never arrived from the old land. They silently slipped away one day, leaving all their debts behind.
The story goes that a neighbour, who spent hours burning lime for the mortar for the building of the stone walls, never received a penny for his many hours of work.
The house stood until a few years ago when the ruins were cleared away. Now only the story of "the house that was built on the ring of a silver dollar" remains.
It is stated in the tax records that the land was owned by a W.W. Still of London, England, however, no information came forth as to who built the manor.