Canada 150 - The year Yorkton became a city

On this day in 1928 Yorkton officially became a city.

In its February 2 edition The Enterprise described the occasion thusly:

“To the sound of screaming sirens, clanging bells and firecrackers, the City of Yorkton was born at Midnight Tuesday, and the fact told to the world at large through radio station GJGX.

“The long looked for change in status became effective February 1 and from the four corners of the continent, messages of congratulation were received by the council or the broadcasting station. From the far southern States, Ontario, British Columbia and in-between points, the messages came by phone, telegram and letter, testimony to the fact that Yorkton was “on the map.” Among the wires was one from Hon. C. A. Dunning, minister of Railways, Ottawa, forecasting a bright future.”

The radio station broadcast the celebrations for four hours including an address by Mayor Alan Carl Stewart. The mayor’s speech, not surprisingly given the occasion, was brimming with optimism. He noted the rapid population expansion from 500 in 1900 when Yorkton became a town to more than $5,000 28 years later. He talked about the population more than doubling since before World War I and electric light connections increasing eight-fold and waterworks connections tripling. He said the economy was increasing at a rate of around $70,000 a year.

“Yorkton is not only the centre of a bountiful, park-like grain growing and stock raising country covering hundreds of square miles, but is a wholesale distributing, manufacturing, religious, banking, educational, judicial and musical centre as well,” the mayor said.

“Served by six lines of railways belonging to both of the great railway systems of Canada and the nearest city to Yorkton being located 150 miles distant, our city is assured of a great future.”

That week in 1928 at the Hudson’s Bay Company store in Yorkton you could get a coal burning range and oven for $69.50, a mattress and box spring combination for $29 and men’s velour and felt hats for $2.50.

Five pounds of honey was going for 75 cents, three tins of salmon would cost you 35 cents and you could pick up three dozen small navel oranges for one dollar.

Other significant events on February 1 included the founding of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, a merger of the Royal North-West Mounted Police and the Dominion Police. Part of that merger included a move of the national headquarters from Ottawa to Regina.

On February 1, 1893, Prince Albert recorded a low temperature of -56.7 C, which still stands as the coldest day on record for the province. That extreme temperature is only good enough to be ninth in Canadian weather history. Interestingly, though Saskatchewan does hold the record for the highest temperature ever recorded in Canada. That dubious distinction goes to Yellow Grass, a town just northwest of Weyburn, that clocked in at 45.0 C on July 29 1927.