Page 159 Big Hill Country Author not recorded
In 1903, an application was made to the Commissioner of Public Works at Regina, N.W.T. for the Hamlet of Cochrane to become a Village. The following is a copy of the letter sent to the Lieutenant Governor:
Lieutenant Governor.
Regina, Wednesday, June 17, 1903
Upon the recommendation of the Commissioner of Public Works, dated June 11, 1903, all the requirements of The Village Ordinance with respect to the establishment of Villages having been complied with, the Executive Council advises that, under the provisions of the Village Ordinance in that behalf, the west half of Section two and the east half of Section three in Township twenty-six Range four west of the fifth Meridian be established as a Village under the name of Cochrane; that Monday the twenty-ninth day of June 1903 be the day fixed for the election of an Overseer of the said Village, and that James Quigley, of Cochrane, Alberta, be appointed to act as Returning Officer at the said election.
W. G. Haultain
Chairman
Following is a list of homeowners and businesses that was sent to the Commissioner of Public Works in Regina for the tax roll. At that time there were no livery stables in the Village. Beginning at the west end of town and moving eastward:
Mrs. Jones – house
Mrs. Phipps – shack-vacant
Mrs. Beam – shack
Mrs. Townsend – shack
Mrs. Bevan – shack
Chinese laundry — shack
C. W. Fisher – General store
Murphy Bros. – Hotel keepers
The Rev. Mr. Claxton – minister
Alex McEwan – house
R. O. Hobbs – house
D. J. Bruce – house
D. C. White – house
Jas. Quigley – house
Robert Downing – shack
C.P.R. Station – J. C. Pope agent – no family
C.P.R. Section house — W. Barrett — family of four
These two houses are not taxable.
On August 31st, 1903, D. White was appointed Overseer, by Commissioner of Public Works, Government of the NorthWest Territories. For the next four years the following men were Overseers:
1904 – A. McEwan
1905 – D. J. Bruce
1906 – D. J. Bruce 1907 — James Quigley
In 1907 the Village Act came into effect and on January 14, 1908 the following people ran for council:
George Mortimer – 29 votes
Chas. Grayson — 23 votes
A. Chapman – 30 votes
M. McCuish — 16 votes
Jos. Murphy – 6 votes
D. Alexander – 1 vote
J. C. Laird – Secretary-Treasurer
In 1909 the village sent a Petition to the Minister of Public Works and it contained the following:
To the Hon., the Minister of Public Works,
Province of Alberta.
Sir:
We, the undersigned ratepayers of the Village of Cochrane hereby ask that our present system of taxation be changed to that known as Single tax, or assessment based on the actual value of all lands, exclusive of the improvements thereon.
C. Butler J. Evans
J. McNamee J. A. Claxton
J. McCuish Mrs. D. J. Bruce
W. Park Josephine Murphy
J. Howard M. A. Shattuck
C.M. Burnham E. Perrenoud
M. Tesky G. G. Fuller
A. Chapman J. Murphy
Jas. Hewitt Helen Murphy
Mrs. Dora Burnham Bertha Hiller
Mrs. R. J. Baldock Frank Brown
W. Seal D. Curren
Mrs. Andison E. Andison
M. F. Foster J. Williams
A. R. Howard D. McBain
G. M. Mortimer F. Towers
Ralph Hobbs S.J. Peyto
J. A. Campbell Geo. Bevan
D. Alexander W.J. Simpson
W. Tempany R. McLeod
Jas. Quigley Louisa Howard
Thos. Quigley R. Chapman
Alvin Rellinger R. Butler
Robert Hewitt T. G. Ritchie
J. Murphy I. Pepper
A. R. McKay A. Beam
Mrs. C. Butler W. H. Robinson
Jane Bell Irving D. Foster
Mrs. A. Grummett Jas. Gibson
Mrs. R. Downey C.W. Fisher
In 1909 the following men served on the council: A. Chapman, Chairman, J. A. Campbell and G. Mortimer.
1910 – Wm. Andison, A. Chapman and R. Hewitt
1911 – G. Mortimer, A. Chapman and W.J. Simpson
1912 – R. J. McNamee, R. Hewitt and W.J. Simpson
1913 – R. A. Webster – Reeve, A. Chapman and G. Mortimer
1914 – A. Chapman – Reeve Population was 500 1915 – R. A. Webster – Reeve
June 15th, 1915 – James Andison – Secretary Treasurer
COCHRANE, 1899
In 1899 Henderson’s Directory describes Cochrane as a rising town on the main line of the C.P.R., on Bow River, at foot of Big Hill, 861 miles west of Winnipeg in the district of Alberta:
Baldwick, John — rancher
Barnes, Robert — rancher
Battrick, Miss – teacher
Bassett, Percy – rancher
Beam, A. – rancher
Bell-Irving, William – rancher
Bruce, Daniel – section boarding house
Canadian Pacific Railway Co. – J. B. Ross – agent
Cowan, R. W. – rancher
Downie, A. – carpenter
Elliott, W. B. – rancher
Fisher, C. W. – general store
Goddard, G. E. – sec’y B. R. H. ranche
Haigh, J. – rancher
Johnstone, Jas. – Postmaster and rancher
Jones, W. – rancher
Kerfoot, W. D. – rancher
William Perry, manager
MacKay, E. D. – rancher
McEachen, D. – rancher
Martin, Alex— general store, also Mitford
Murphy Bros. (James and Joseph) – hotel and livery
Nesbitt, David – carpenter
Phipps, John — rancher
Quigley, James – section foreman
Reid Bros. – ranchers
Smith, Richard — rancher
I am very much enjoying these weekly postings about our towns history! As a newcomer to Cochrane, and a ‘hobby historian’ I appreciate the efforts you folks are putting into sharing this information. Revealing historical facts in smaller chunks is a great way to keep the history alive. With so many new residents it is an effective tool for helping to build community. Keep it up!
Thank you for publishing this interesting history.