Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1893-04-06
WHOLESALE MARRYING
A Manitoba Matrimonial Bureau
That Did a Big Business.
Homeless Girls Exported from England
to FIJI the Demand OF Bachelors for
Wives short Courtships
Were tho Rule.

Not many years ago was in the
wholesale matchmaking business" said
an CX-ofiicer of the army, according to
the Elmira IN. W Telegram. ut was
matchmaking of the matrimonial kind.
At that time-in 1870 and l6S0-Manito-
ba was being opened to settlement, and
there was n rush of colonists thithcr
Great Britain. The settlers were
mostly men. Some of them had fami-
lies and would send for them as soon as
they had got somewhat fixed, but very
many of them were bachelors. They
were making homes for themselves, and
naturally they found that they needed
wives. Not u few of them were sons Of
English farmers, and nearly all were
respectable aud Woodworking fellows.
They could not afford to go and get
wives, and SO helpmatcs had to be i'm
ported for them. Young women, guar
antecd as to responsibility, were
brought over from England in great
numbers, and the business rapidly grew
to be an important branch of the immi-
grafton traffic, One philanthropic lady
in England devoted her attention to OK
porting homeless but worthy girls by
the shipload to Quebec, whence they
were forwarded to Manitoba. Trains
would como into St. Bonifacc, across
tho river from Winnipeg. bringing two
or three carloads of available wives at
time. They were chapcroncd with
due regard to propricty and were con-
signed to the land and mining agents,
who conveyed them to Winnipeg, where
suitable quarters were provided for
their temporary accommodation. The
accommodation was very temporary
because they were soon dis
posed of. The settlers, who
were bachelors, applied for the
girls as fast as they were brought in
Their applications were not considered
unless they were properly guaranteed
as to their character and ability to sup
port u wife. Few of them came to Win
nipcg from shorter distance than two
hundred and fifty miles. Most com
monty they were certified by letters
from land agents, stating that John
Smith, for example, was located on such
and such tract of land, was the owner
of fifteen hundred horses, was sound
and kind and so forth. On making
formal application for wife John
Smith was asked what sort of woman
he Observation-Disclosures blonde or bru-
nCttC, tall or short, plump or thin, etc.
Having stated his preferences he was
introduced 20 one of the avail ing ladies,
whercupOn matters were quickly ar
ranged. A remarkable point was that
no sutton had ever to be introduced to q
second girl. Invariably he was content
with the first one and Immediately mar
ried her. Apparently the men consid-
cred that when they had gone SO far as
an Introduction they had committed
themselves irrctrievably. In this way,
by process Of artificial selection, my
self and other persons officially in
charge at Winnipeg made matches by
Wholesale. The young women were
given free transportation, of course. the !
object being to make homes in Mani |
toba and thus secure tho permanent !!
settlement Of the country. Incidental |
y the natural increase of the popula-
ion was provided for remember one
nan who drove seven hundred miles TO
ret wife. lie was present when a !
rain load Of girls arrived and spotted |
he young woman he wanted oif-hand. !
Within seven minutes after the train
,ame in the pair were united in matri-
nony, and the bridegroom started away
With his bride in blackboard wagon"