People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1893-02-17
A BIG MATRIMONIAL BUREAU
How Settlers In Manitoba Were Supplied
With Wives some Years Aro.

How Settlers In Manitoba Were Supplied
With Wives Some Years Ago.
Not many years ago I was in the
wholesale matchmaking business" said
an ex-oficer Of the army recently. 1T
was matchmaking of the matrimonial
kind. At that time, in 1879 and 1850. Mani
toba was being opened tosettlement and
there was rush of colonists thither
from Ontario and Quebec and from
Great Britain The settlers were mostly
men. Some Of them had families and
would send for them as soon as they
had got somewhat fixed, but very many
were bachelors They were making
homes for themselves, and naturally
they found that they needed wives
Not q few Of them were sons Of En-
glish farmers, and nearly all were re
spectacle and handwriting fellows
= They could not afford to 60 and get
wives, and so helpmeets had to be i'm
ported for them. Young women, guar
anteed as to responsibility, were
brought over from England in great
numbers, and this business rapidly
grew 10 be an important branch of the
immigration traffic. One philanthropic
lady in England devoted her attention
to exporting homeless but worthy girls
by the shipload to Quebec, whence they
were forwarded 10 Manitoba. Trains
would come into St Boniface, across
the river from Winnipeg, bringing two
or three carloads of available wives at
time. They were chaperoned with
due regard to propriety 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, be-
cause they were soon disposed Of
THE settlers who were bachelors ap-
piled for the girls as fast as they were
brought in Their applications were
not considered unless they were prop
erly guaranteed as to character and
ability to support wife Few of them
came to Winnipeg from a shorter dis
lance than $50 miles Most commonly
they were certified by letters from land
agents stating that John Smith, for ex-
ample, was located on such and such
tract OF land, was the owner of 1900
horses, was sound and kind, and SO
forth. On making formal application
for wife John Smith was asked what
sort Of woman he preferred-whether
blonde or brunette, tall or short, plump
or thin, etc. Having stated his prefer
ences he was introduced to one of the
available ladies, whereupon matters
were quickly arranged. A remarkable
point was that no sutton had ever to be
introduced TO second girl Invariably
he was content with the first one and
Immediately married her. Apparently
the men considered that when they had
gone so far as an introduction they had
committed themselves irretrievably.
''ln this way, by a process of arti.
fetal selection, myself and other per
sons 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 Manitoba and thus secure the
permanent settlement of the country.
Incidentally the natural increase of the
population was provided for Iremem-
Der one man who drove over 700 miles
to get wife He was present when a
trainload of girls arrived and spotted
the young woman he wanted off-hand.
Within seven minutes after the train
came in the pair were united in matri-
mony and the bridegroom started away
with his bride in a blackboard wagon"
Washington Star.