May 28th 1905 - Prairie fire

The merchant's name of Mr. Clinkchell of Saskatoon. Delivered by load at Battleford without any mishap, got back to the homestead then goes for mail in Eagle Creek office which was 4 miles away but on the way to Saskatoon.

I told my boy that if there was any news for me I should go ahead to town so that if I did not come back that night he would know where I had gone. I did this so that I would save that 4 miles back and forth. There was a letter for me from Manitoba Government Officials telling me to go and get my effects that all had been made alright. Landed back home This would be about the 28th day of May 1905.

To my surprise, when I got back all the prairie was all black with the exception of a small strip of land about 100 acres and as luck would have it here was a V trail. I had pitched my tent on this part and the prairie fire did not jump the trail or I should have been burnt out and lost everything but thank God he took care of me again.

Well now I was to go to work and finish my barn, I was not far from the North Saskatchewan River where there was lots of wood siding along the banks. My barn was to be built of sticks about 6 inches through and cut 5 feet long and placed between upright logs about 8 inches built in this manner

 | |         | | 
-:-:----    -:-:--- 
 | |         | | 
-:-:----    -:-:---
 | |         | |
-:-:----    -:-:---
 | |         | |
         let in 18 inch holes

it was built 16 feet long 12 feet wide, lean to roof, the sticks was laid on the roof loose, no nails, then sod placed on the top, we had placed about 5 loads of sod on and about another load would finish it. When the oxen start up before they was told to do was taking the sods off the wagon at the lowest side of the barn, we was near the corner when they started, they hit the corner post and out came this section of sticks.

It was now near evening. Well we must get these back in their places before we can do anything more. Gets them back, now it's bed time.