The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-11-25
THE REMITTANCE MANS TOWN
CALGARY A HEADQUARTERS FOE
BRTrEsH NE,ER DO WELLS.
ExIcs m the Cansd1an Northwest VINO Dc
Littse save Await the euain6 q Their
Quasscriy Allowance and Thcaspend 70
-spendtArift VIVA Bsrrswed . Ranch.

OunrSerty Anewanc and fhen spenn 10
-~spendtnrift whs Borrowed Q Ranch
It,s lust possible II you are accustomed
TO the grind Of the city that you have never
heard Of that paradise for the well meaning
hut misguided-Calgary. the joy Of the
remittance man.
Calgary is a town in the Canadian North
west. about nine hundred miles further
along the line than Winnipeg and In the
midst OF a rich ranching country. It is
growing fast and in the GEAR future il viii
no doubt lose its attraction for Maynard
sons OF English families.
There are a good many remittance men
in tho great Northwest, sons OF wealthy
EnSfishmen sent out to the vilds TO proven:
them from disgracing the old people az
home. England itself 10 such 4 little place
that once a Young man does something ous
Of the ordinary. whether good or bad.
it speedily becomes q matter OF pubic
knowledge. So the dcers OF evil are sens
away to expiate their sins in the bracins air
OF the prairie, while he doors OF good re-
main to build up the name.
The traveller who meets a remittance
man for the first time win probably be struck
by the fact hat he is well bred. So he IN;
but he divides his year usually into quarters
and measures time from the arrival OF his
money from home.
Invariably the remittance IL sent on the
condition that the recipient keep himself
absent from the British Isles. So the re-
mittance man feels himself more or less
welded to the country Of his forced adoption
and tries to make the best OF il.
How Calgary first attracted these Wander
ing spirits no one seems to know. but they
are there. Calgary has the ordinary az
fractions of the Western town and the
usual saloons and the usual clubs.
or course it sounds very nice to be in
the position Of getting from 81 1000 20 5000
a wear lust to STAY where one is put and
behave oneself as well as q can without
turning robbsr or highwayman- But tbs
remittance man ind il hard to change bis
habits even with the world smiling fresh
about him every morning
He goes on drinking just AZ he did al
home n playing for high stakes just an
he did at home and getting into difficulties
lust as he did at home. The one saving feat
ure. from his point Of view. is that all
remittances do not arrive the same day.
II they did it might be better for all
concerned, for then somebody would have
to work. but as it is the red letter days are
scattered over all seasons and the colony
reaps the advantage. Every remittance
man knows the remittance days of the others
as well as he does his own and he goes on
the theory that il he spends all his allow
ance for the entertainment Of the others
they will spend all their allowances for
his entertainment.
Trust a remittance man for seeming out
H. $500 Efp..a r.
ne arrives. He is dined and admitted as .
special privilege into the resorts OF gaming
and drinking. He feels himself quite az
home with the old accent all about him
and every incentive to keep on with his
old Wild ways.
Queer stories are old Of remittance men.
There was q young fellow sent out from
Manchester as . hopeless case. He landed
on . ranch near Calgary and for a time
rode about and appeared to be trying 10
make something out of himself; buaby and
by he fell under the charm Of the Remit
tance Club. and the old temptations were
too strong TO be resisted.
After he had written q glowing letter home
telling OF the gloies and the poesibilties
of the country be ended up by expressing
the hope hat his father would send him
enough money TO buy a ranch The de-
lighted father .comPied az once, and the
lCA lCttbA A1A . ENQQCtt " 49,
to stock the ranch with cattle.
After the industrious son had with his
companions got away with SIS 900 the
father sent a cable despatch saying that he
was coming to look over the ranch. There
was q hvely time among the remittance
men when the despatch reached the sou.
He heeitated for a long time between fighs
and confession, but at last a happy thought
struck him.
He borrowed the use OF a ranch from
a friend for three days Inc awaited his
fathers arrival with the greatest equA-
nimity When the old gentleman came he
was driven ont 20 the borrowed ranch ard
entertained for the three days, his De Voted
500 never leaving has side.
On departing the father gave the SOC a
order for s2S,OOO to show his appreciatiouot
his reformed life. There was general To-
toicinR "a long "a the money lasted, bus
it vent speedily in the usual ways.
There are not wanting men who get al
lowanoes from home and who work lard az
ranching the yea round ave on the daY
and the few davs following the arrival -
their money Then they 20 TO town and
spend it all recklessIy and are apparently
willing to work for their keep until the nsxs
quarter.
Calgary itself is not proud Of being the
headquarters Of this class Of ne'er do wells,
but there IS no way 20 prevent the spend
ing OF money The hope is that the re-
mittance man will in time imbibe enough
OF the enthusiasm for the country's future
70 throw his influence in the path Of de-