GROWTH OF CRANDALL

The district of Crandall had been settled for a number of years before the village was established. It was originally known as Carlingville, Palmerston, Scotia and Chumah districts. In 1899 the North West Central Railway Company extended the railway through this area from Hamiota. A year later it was purchased by the Canadian Pacific Railway Company. The people of the district were overjoyed at having a railway for transportation and they gave the land for the right-of-way and helped in many ways. The construction gang camped on the land owned by Morley Crandell. A path was cut by Mr. Crandell through his field of green wheat where the town of Crandall now stands in order for the rails to be laid. Dr. Crandell, living with his son at that time, administered to the medical needs of the construction crew and became friends with the superintendent. Because of this, the superintendent gave the town the name of Crandell, later changed to Crandall. A parcel of land on the east side of the northeast quarter of 35-13-25 chosen as the townsite and streets and lots were laid out with the C.P.R. owning every alternate two lots and Mr. Crandell the remaining lots. A station was built and telegraph office opened in 1900, then a post office was opened, replacing the Carlingville Post Office

DOCTORS AND HOSPITALS
The pioneer men and women who settled this country seemed to have an abundant supply of courage, or maybe, their desire to build a new world for themselves overshadowed any fears of the pitfalls that lay ahead. If someone became ill or a baby was about to be born, they had to rely on their own ingenuity or that of a gifted neighbour woman, for doctors were scarce and transportation slow in the early days. Most often one or more women in the district became an excellent midwife or acted as nurse and doctor in case of illness. Some of these: Mrs. Hunt, Mrs. Eyres, Mrs. Edwin (Granny) Nankivell, Mrs. Dickey, Maggie Craig, Mrs. Pete Murdock, Ethel (Warren) Bell, and Mrs. Borland were called on by the doctors, to assist with a patient. Sometimes they would be awakened in the middle of the night by the doctor, dress quickly, and hurry off to help a sick neighbour. In later years Mrs. Steve Robus helped out in many ways during illness - she cared for children while their mother was ill or in the hospital.
No need to say then, how happy the settlers were when doctors started to arrive from back east. Dr. Crandell was the first to arrive, coming a few years before the town started, to join his son. Dr. Crandell was not a young man when he came, being in his sixties, but he found he was needed, so he carried on his practice for a few years. He was fond of good horses and always had a fast horse waiting nearby his office in case of a call for help. Being a doctor in those days was a hard, demanding task. No matter what the weather, winter or summer, the doctor travelled over snow, blocked trails or through rain and mud through which only a horse and rig could make its way.
Dr. Fraser came to Crandall in 1903 to start a practice. He served the people well for many years, retiring in 1950, returning to Winnipeg to live with his daughter. His story is told elsewhere in this book. He drove his own horse or hired someone to drive him until the automobile became a fast means of transportation. Of course, in the winter, the horses were still depended upon as roads were impassable for cars until better roads were constructed. Mr. C. Gray, Mr. Crandell and Mr. Lawson drove him many miles with team and cutter and later team and van, which was a little more comfortable as some heat was supplied by a tin heater as long as the supply of wood held out.
Before the twenties, the sick were taken care of in the home by the mother or a neighbourhood "nurse", but gradually hospitals and nursing homes were built in larger centres. Hamiota Hospital, with Dr. Hudson as the doctor, was this district's nearest hospital. Some of the other hospitals serving this district were Virden, Brandon and nursing homes at Miniota and Crandall.
In 1935 Mrs. Goddard, a registered nurse, rented the late Dr. Crandell's home and started a nursing home. She was kept busy with many patients coming and going. Rev. McNair spent a few weeks here after his accident, recuperating from a broken leg. Mrs. Goddard stayed only a few years and the nursing home closed.
In December, 1950, through the efforts of Dr. Ed Hudson, a new twenty-six bed hospital was opened in Hamiota. Miniota Municipality became part of this hospital unit and so it became this district's main hospital. A five-doctor medical group was formed which modernized our medical services- A Ladies' Auxiliary to Hamiota Hospital District 7A was formed with representatives from each district attending. Crandall sends two representatives, with Mrs. Harvey Hyndman and Mrs. W. Crandell acting the first year. Mrs. Hyndman was on the buying committee for the hospital furnishings. Money was needed and so each district was allocated a set amount. Crandall's allocation at the beginning was $200.00 (At the present time it is $60.00). Various ways were used to acquire the money needed to purchase supplies of linen and dishes for the new hospital. Feathers and woollens were collected for pillows and blankets, respectively. Throughout the years, the district ladies collect jams and jellies, vegetables and donations for the hospital, as well as taking their turn at mending and sewing at the hospital. The pioneer spirit still prevails with everyone joining hands to build a hospital of which they can be proud. At the present time, Hamiota Hospital District can boast of one of the most modern hospitals and clinics in the rural areas.
In 1946 the Virden Health Unit was formed. The Miniota Municipality is included in this unit and therefore, the Crandall district. The health staff consists of a medical director, six public health nurses, public health inspector, and two clerical staff. In 1969 a new Health Unit building was opened in Virden.
The basic services of the Health Unit include communicable disease control - immunization, child health, pre-natal and post-natal care, school health programs and many others. The Public Health Inspector supervises the inspection of water supplies, housing, sewers, garbage disposal and health hazards in any way. Laboratory and X-ray units provide services within the hospitals in the health unit area.
Insurance plans to cover our hospitalization and medical expenses are as follows:
(1) In the late forties and early fifties, the Blue Cross Plan was on a voluntary basis.
(2) In 1958 this was taken over by the government as a compulsory Manitoba Hospital Services Plan, later known as the Manitoba Hospital Commission.
(3) Manitoba Medical Service was a plan sponsored by the doctors for collecting fees.
(4) On April 1, 1969, this was taken over by the government and called the Manitoba Medical Services Insurance Corporation. This, together with the Manitoba Hospital Commission, we know as "Medicare".
Today we have our fully accredited hospital in Hamiota with laboratory, operating rooms, etc. It has an excellent medical staff of doctors, nurses and technicians. Also, a new separate medical clinic, the E.D. Hudson Memorial Building, on the hospital grounds, was opened in August, 1968.

TELEPHONE

It was in 1908 that the Miniota Municipal Council decided to build a telephone system in the municipality and Crandall as part of this, was to have lines as well. When building lines into Crandall that year, the construction gang lived in tents until Christmas. They didn't have a fire and slept on mattresses on the ground. The wages were 25 cents an hour for a ten-hour day, six days a week. Four dollars a week was deducted for board. Mr. Jake Shetler, a well-known resident of the Crandall district, was foreman of this gang.
In November 1908, W.D. Berwick came as Government Inspector. Crandall switchboard was installed in 1908, and was operated by Dr. Frazer. Mr. Berwick served the entire municipality as "trouble-shooter" and was paid $125 a month, supplying all his own travelling equipment at the beginning.
Private homes to begin with paid a yearly fee of $20 and business phones $24, long distance calls were extra. When municipal service was discontinued in 1951, telephone rates had risen only slightly. Repairmen's wages fluctuated with the times.
During the years from 1908 to 1951 the municipal system served its subscribers well. Mr. Berwick, repairman for many years, braved many kinds of weather to keep the phones operating, using a car or truck in summer, a team of drivers and cutter in winter, and in very bad weather, hiring the Ellerington snowmobile, which could travel over any kind of road or no road at all.
During the difficult years 1930-40, many phones were taken out and little construction was done. The municipal system was growing old and needed renewing, so it was decided to sell it to the Manitoba Telephone System.
A new automatic system was installed in 1951 using dial telephones with the main exchange in Hamiota and auxiliary exchanges at Miniota, Crandall and one between Beulah and lsabella.
Phones were a wonderful invention for business and pleasure as well. They saved many a weary mile in travel and the party line was ever a source of ready help in case of sickness, fire or any such trouble. We cannot forget the "Central" operator who was always willing to supply any information asked for such as the exact time, baseball scores, etc., and a source of great help in any emergency.
The following are some of the Crandall central operators not necessarily in this order:

Lloyd Borland Elmer Douglas Roy Brown Jim Brown Myrtle McMahon Lily Beresford Nellie Miles Leona Stone Gertie Stone Mel Stone Cora MacDonald Jack Angus Mrs. Ethel Bell Mrs. Steve Robus Mac Angus

Gertie Young (Mrs. Harvey Grey) Ida Shier (Mrs. Charlie Lewis) Elsie Budd (Mrs. John Rudd) Bessie Mossop (Mrs. J. Frazer) Nellie Young (Mrs. Billie Bell) Amanda Shier (Mrs. John Hazelwood) Mabel Dicken (Mrs. Sid Lawn) Myrtle Davis (Mrs. Charlie Evans) Ellen Rockley (Mrs. Russell Sunley) Jean Fleming (Mrs. Don Watson) Florence Grey (Mrs. Hector Calder) Muriel Webber (Mrs. N. Cains) Maude Dickey (Mrs. Les Bryant) Velma Irvine (Mrs. Cecil Lelond)

HYDRO
The Manitoba Power Commission reached Crandall in September, 1930. lt was served by a low voltage line from Virden where the power was supplied by a small diesel plant. This line crossed the Assiniboine River at Mitchell's Bridge, went to Arrow River, and from there to Crandall.
The work gang camped on the south side of the C.P.R. tracks in Crandall. The foreman of the crew, Cliff Stedman, is now deceased.
There was very little motorized equipment in use at that time. Some mechanical diggers were used for awhile before the depression, but when unemployment became a problem, these were abandoned for hand tools which would give employment to more men.
The line was continued from Crandall to Hamiota, turning east at Alvy Dickey's, continuing to Roy Amy's, then north past Will Kirk's and Mip Kirk's. Farm homes along this line were able to get electrical service by paying for their extra poles and hook up, whereas the farmers living farther from the line found this too costly, so had to wait until rural electrification came to Manitoba in 1949 and 1950. By this time, mechanical diggers and other devices were used, so the work was completed much faster and cheaper.
Manitoba was the first province to complete farm electrification, and what a difference it made in the life of the people. Milking machines, cream separators, water systems, all run by electricity, gradually came into use. The refrigerator took the place of the old ice well. Heat lamps for brooding baby chicks and young pigs saved many that before had to be brought in the house and warmed by the kitchen stove. The old barn lantern is becoming a collector's item. How it was carried to the barn after supper, hung on a wire and swung along to light the passageways - how it hung on the front of a sleigh, van or cutter on a dark winter night will soon be forgotten. We see coal oil lamps, "Aladdin Lamps", gasoline lamps with their pumps on collector's shelves. Those whose daily chore it was to clean and polish the smokey lantern and lamp chimneys will not forget them so soon.

TRANSCANADA PIPELINES LIMITED
TransCanada Pipelines is a natural gas transmission company, incorporated by Special Act of Parliament on March 21, 1951. The head office is in Calgary, Alberta, and the executive offices are in Toronto, Ontario.
TransCanada began building its pipeline on the plains of western Saskatchewan in June 1956. Construction crews reached Manitoba in the summer of 1957 and completed the pipeline from the Alberta-Saskatchewan border to Winnipeg in September 1957.
It should be noted here that the said company owns an easement in perpetuity of approximately eight acres of land on each quarter section that it crosses, and pays taxes on this to the different municipalities. There are at the present time, three 34-inch completed lines carrying natural gas.
TransCanada this year (1971) plans to spend $10,750,000 on construction in Manitoba. Sixteen miles of additional pipeline will be installed between Crandall and Rapid City. The company now has 832 miles of pipeline in the province and 160,500 horsepower at five compressor stations between Rapid City and Falcon Lake.
TransCanada Pipelines is a truly Canadian company. More than 94 per cent of the shares are held by residents in Canada, 4.29 per cent by United States residents, and. 99 per cent by residents elsewhere.
NOTE: A seven-inch propane gas line parallels the TransCanada pipeline on the north side in this area. This line is owned by the Petroleum Transmission Company.

THE TOWN COUNCIL
The unincorporated village of Crandall began before the turn of the century when the C.P.R. track was extended from Hamiota to Miniota. Situated on NE 35-13-25, land then owned by Morley Crandell, it was approximately at the junction od the districts of Chumah, Scotia, Palmerston and Carlingville.
By 1915 it had become a bustling village of well over two hundred residents well supplied with stores, elevators, machine agencies, hotel, livery barn, newspaper and even a bakery, and was deemed large enough to handle its own affairs.
A public meeting was held on June 6, 1916, to elect the first town council. Municipal councillor J.P. Lynch was in the chair. The first committee was composed of Thomas Hamilton, W.J. Budd and J.W. Crawford.
An organizational meeting was held on June 9. Thomas Hamilton was elected chairman and W.J. Budd secretary-treasurer. It was moved and seconded by J.W. Crawford and Thomas Hamilton that the secretary purchase one record book and one cash book for the use of the committee. These books are still in use and make interesting reading.
In looking through the books, many and varied were the items of business put through the committee, some very interesting, some rather humorous, but all dealing with the business of running a small town; the building of sidewalks, the enforcement of the law, etc.
The following are a few excerpts from the record book that may be of interest:
"On June 18, 1916 it was moved and seconded by J.W. Crawford and Thomas Hamilton that P. Murdock be appointed Village Constable without salary unless he earns same through carrying out his work."
"On September 12, 1916 that the secretary-treasurer draw up a contract with Charles Cartwright for lighting the street lamps and tending fire in the fire hall at a salary of ten dollars per month."
"On May 28, 1917, it was decided to build 178 feet of sidewalk seven feet wide on Front Street. The tender of A.E. Sanderson for $125.00 was accepted, the committee to put all material on ground, the contract to be finished by July 1, 1917."
In 1918 sidewalks were built from the Bank to the Orange Hall on Beverley Street, also east and west of the church on Alice Avenue, all on contract tenders by A.E. Sanderson.
An item of interest on December 18, 1918 - "whereas it is reported that the City of Winnipeg intend to raise the ban on the Spanish flu epidemic next week, thereby increasing the travel by commercial men and others to the smaller places, therefore, on behalf of the welfare of the village we insist that the Health Officer enforce the Health Act provisions by keeping any parties coming in by railway or other motive power in some building until the danger of infection is past and that we allow the constable fifty cents per day to watch the trains so that if any party gets off that they be looked after by the quarantine rules."
From 1920 on the subject of electric lighting for the town was discussed at intervals until on September 22, 1930 the power was turned on for both domestic and street use.
A fire engine had also been purchased for the town, first a horse-drawn vehicle, later motor-driven. This was improved from time to time. A snowplow was also purchased. In 1967 mercury-vapor lights were installed and in 1970 the Hydro installed coloured strings of lights with free usage through the Centennial and the Christmas festive season.
The Town Council has functioned for over half a century. Many served on the Council, past and present; names cannot be mentioned, lest some that should be mentioned be unintentionally omitted.
The present Council(1971) are:
Chairman - WaIter Long
Secretary-Treasurer - Mrs. E. Robus
Councillors - Delymer Johnston, Nelson Henderson
Note of Interest - Mrs. Robus has been Secretary-Treasurer for the Town Council for eleven years and Secretary of the Cemetery Records for twenty-four years.

LAW AND ORDER
Law and order was first provided for in Crandall by Mr. Petch, who was believed to be the first police magistrate. Some of the town policemen were: Mr. P. Murdoch, Mr. C. Cartwright, Mr. P. Stevenson, Mr. J. Young and Mr. Bill Phillips. All police duties are now carried out by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
Crandall boasted of a jail, but it very seldom had any occupants. This building was used mostly as a residence for different families and was finally sold to Ivan Lawrence in 1949 and moved to his farm.