Janey's Letter

1902

Transcribed by Linda McLean (2003)

Left Kingsville Friday. July 14th 1902. Train to Toronto. Packed a truck with our extra clothes and sent it Red Deer. Also had a big lunch packed in a big wicker square basket. No diner on train but big stove was to be in the coach to cook on & make hot water. We stayed at the hotel in Toronto and we were called at 4:30 Sat. am to get to the station and board the train.

Huntsville it appears to be a great tanning place not very large but pretty. Long houses for tanning & very long piles of tanning bark & some very pretty houses. Charlie, Bernard & Christeen got off & had a run. No doubt - it will make them sleep well. They got off also at Gravenhusrt & Bracebridge we expected to see Lulu at G. but did not. We had our tea at six we have the stove to go to make tea all the ladies did. You would smile to see the different kinds of tea pots on the stove. The porter is very nice to all & all are nice to him. I gave tea to a lady & gentleman across the aisle they occupy the same seat - but never met before & do not know each other's name yet, but the   are making friends. We may know the others before long.

The porter came through the car & told the passengers to take what they wanted out of their baggage for the night & we would take care of the rest and make more room in the car as every seat & berth is taken. While he was standing by our seat telling them all Charlie put a quarter in his and , He whispered to him to do jut what he liked with his. A few cents does alot sometimes. We expect to be in North Bay at 9:30.

We had eggs & bread & butter & jelly & gingerbread snaps & tea for supper. We got a loaf of bread in Toronto. We are rolling worse than ever. We went at 11:00 o'clock in Toronto had a warm lunch before starting it was very good.

The porter is beginning to make the beds I will have to stop for the night. Sunday  16th, I must tell you how we got along last night as soon as the porter got our bed ready we all got in Charlie & Bernard in the upper berth & Christeen & I in the lower, Christeen slept all night she was a little sea sick all yesterday, did not want to eat much & was ready for bed early she  is alright today having fine chats with a little girl about her age. (rolling still I am sure I needn't tell you) this little girl is from Halifax going to Winnipeg her name is Mary Shenee. I wish you could see what we are going through today, mountains of solid stone I have heard people try to tell what they were like. It is impossible so I will not try it certainly is a wonder. It is no wonder the Government (we are going along lake superior )spent so much money on building the road.  

  I must go back to last night. Charlie was like Christeen could have slept all night but Bernard was a little restless wakened with any unusual noise. I slept very little saw all the towns along the way we were going at such a rate & the car rolled back & forth I would have to hold to the edge of the bed to keep from rolling on Christeen. Bernard said papa rolled on him two or three times. & we rushed into three heavy thunderstorm . I spent the night in prayer & today I am feeling fine . after breakfast we four were sitting in our seats reading our S.S. lesson & learning the Golden text when  a young man came from one of the back cars & looked at us for an instant & said studying Sunday School lesson?

(on the toss again)

"I have been through all the cars back of this & you are the first I have seen with a bible or anything religious to reed" He found we had some Gospel hymn book. He sat down with us & we sang about 8 hymns we were not singing long when many others joined us & passengers in the adjoining cars heard the strains & came in it. being near dinner time we made arrangements to have a S.S. service in the after-noon so at our school time we were thinking of home. This young mans name is McClellan from eastern Ontario some......

They all gathered round our seat I sent Christeen in the next car back & got Mrs Rosebrook she enjoyed it very much, Mr McClellan gave out a hymn book.

We all sang & he prayed then he told all where the lesson was, nearly all had their bibles, he read first verse we all the second & so on, he then talked on the lesson, each one having the privilege of asking questions & giving their opinion which they did. He did very nicely & was not a bit afraid to denounce dancing as an evil, Then we sang another hymn & Charlie closed with the prayer very nicely. After this we were side tracked for an hour on Lake Superior shore which is very beautiful we all got out I tell you we made a good crowd we have ten coaches and everyone filled. The rocky heights are more wonderful than ever. I do wish you could see them , we expect to be in Fort William an 12 tonight. (McLellan is a Presbyterian)

Monday Morning 17th, we reached F.W. at midnight we could not see much of it, but think if must be very nice. we were in bed I called Charlie he got down from his berth & went out to look if Robert would possible be on but did not see him .After a great deal of shunting & adding more coaches to our train we have now sixteen in all & are going just as fast & tossing just the same. We went to bed & slept well at times & this morning we all feel fine.  We have just been at Dryden long enough to  let all get off & take a look, There is beautiful scenery here, now we are off and I don't know where . I will tell you when we get there, We are now going through more level country which is more like home we do not have to look awe stricken & wonder what God intends those mountainous rocks for.

 The storms of Sat. night cleared away about ten Sunday morn the rest of the day was fine but warm. This morning (Monday) is fresh but not cold we have not changed clothing yet & are not tired as we thought we would be  our car is No3 our berth is No 6, centre of car, the seats are covered with leather & are quite comfortable we have a nice class of people in our car, all pleasant & agreeable, this morning when I was washing my dishes two very nice gentlemen came with their little pile of dishes, I washed them for them & they were very thankful, just ......I almost feel as if we were on a boat we are rocking back & forth so . I hope Pa is better of his cold & Mary (Janey's older sister) is not sick after the rush. We are passing now through rocky country again.

We have had dinner & dishes washed we got some very nice coffee at Rat Portage and made some for dinner, Some sitting near us had a share they all enjoyed it, Then we have a lady in front of our car very sick today ,she thinks it biliousness poor thing. She does feel badly, her husband & his sister are with her, We gave her some medicine. They made her lower berth so she could straighten out, So she is resting quietly. We are in Manitoba somewhere between Rat Portage & Winnipeg, R.P. is a pretty place but so stormy, We expect to be in Win__ about 8 P.M. Our lunch has held out well we got a loaf of bread at R.P. We ate nearly all for dinner it was good. the Conductor is just now sitting in our seat-having a nice chat. We are on the jump

Now just -coming on the prairie the conductor  says e will be in Win_at 5 PM. We are making good time. we are now at Beausejour, the Con- is a mason very nice quite taken up with Christeen , Now we are off again.  We have not seen Dwight but there is a car in the train ahead with a strip of cotton on each side with  Land Incorporation Co. on it, he must be in it. Bernard & Christeen have made lots of friends Christeen is having some fun with a gentleman at the other end of the car, tying a piece of paper to a string & letting it fly outside the window he caught it & wrote on it-kixx x & she got red when she saw it & all laugh at her. The wind is as warm here now as it is in Ontario. I could be comfortable with a thing dress many of the girls Winnipeg have thin waists on.

,  Well we are at the station, They were all down in the morning Dwight came in 20 minutes ahead of us & met us there. Rev. Mr Fallis was on our train but has not come here yet. Florence is here, looks very thin. Priscilla was glad to see us & has a lovely baby, talk about warm weather we never felt the heat more at home then we did after getting off the train, The station house a very large  place was crowded with people, women and girls with thin dresses & lace hats & they needed them , we came right here & had our tea spread in dainty style like P. always did . We are to have a room with two beds, They have bought this home everything is very nice.

We are on the look out for Robert, this is a fine City. I just see on the street two little girls bare footed which I did not expect to see, There is a storm coming beginning to rain now the kind of a storm that generally turns cool after which is much needed. I am sitting on the veranda writing holding this pad in my hand as I did in the train but I am not shaking as I did there. Charlie has gone to the station to get the trunk. Christeen swinging the the ham. Bernard is in the house talking to the girls, I am here alone just now & it does not -seem possible we are so far from home. Our dear Heavenly Father has brought us safely with out being tired or disabled in any way.

Winnipeg

This part is written on top of the page upside down.( believe it is in order to save paper)

Mrs Mickle from Colchestor she wanted me to remember her to Pa she said she often heard him preach both at Colchester & Kingsville. She was a Miss Tompson.  

Red Deer

 Mr. Mason just told us  she heard from John , It rained so hard out there yesterday that he  would not come in till this morning. So we are on the look out had a good breakfast, now we are going out to see more of this place.

Janey

 These pictures of John's camp were taken 6 years later in 1908 first one shows snow storm in August. Click picture to see the snowman.

This part was written in 1972 by Christeen, It appears to be copied from her Mother's letter but I do not have the original. Or it could be her memories

Bernard & Christeen at Ice Cream parlor. Only had pennies. They wont accept payment in pennies. Saw Chinaman (looking through window) spewing out of mouth milk on pies before cooking . Nervous trip to Ranch. Got  dark. John walked ahead with the lid of a milk can (held behind him) to show where the road was going through Gates Valley.

Left for Cattle Ranch in Hand Hills (not sure if it Hand ) Five days & 4 nights, 2 wagons & pitch tent some nights. Lots of Northern lights. Very colorful. One night stayed at Ranch in Swedes. ( think it Swedes). Very polite gave up own bed. One night cattle made a stampede on our tent. Ranchers heard them running & headed them off. One night stayed at Ranch. Man, wife & baby from the U.S.A., Wife never from rich family. Never saw in a kitchen, Mother in law taught her how to cook. She certainly could cook. Arrived at Ranch in Hand Hills. Keenan Family, four girls. Pitched tent for 3 weeks. Shot lots of duck & antelope. Rancher (Hamilton) came to call made a dish of jello. He ate all of the jello. Hand Hills near Stettler. Back to Ranch on Red Deer River. 25 miles from Red Deer. Home on train and from a wonderful and exciting trip.  

 Janey's writing again

We are leaving Medicine Hat this is the hilliest place we have struck that is short and high if you can understand that, Al sand; as we came around we had a Birdseye view of it, Some beautiful houses. Charlie got some fresh fried cakes there, We have not had them yet. We get fresh bread all along. We see alot of cattle, horses, ducks & Gophers . We are 2 1/2 hours late for Calgary. We were thinking we would have to wait there but the Conductor just told us he has wired the train to wait he has enough passengers to hold it .we are glad, we are going too fast to write any more now.

We are thankful to our Heavenly Father for His Loving care of us all through our journey & we wish you all could see all the wonders we have seen since we left home, the Children will always remember this trip..  

Let Pat & Mary see this letter & if you find many mistakes & crooked letters kindly forgive them, it is getting on to bed time and we are always ready for it, so I will close this long dirty letter which I have been handling since we left Winnipg. Love to All. Janey, Charlie, Bernard, Christeen Miller

PS

Please keep this & the one from Winnipeg as it is a full description of our trip & we would like to keep it to refer to some time later.

Now this part is written after she signed off, Very difficult to read. It starts at the bottom of the page then back up to the top upside

Friday Morning

I forgot to tell you about Calgary, it is  placed in a valley & hills all around, at the station there was such a crowd of people, we had to push our way through to get to the waiting room, we were glad to get out of it. I sat with  young lady who was coming to the same station on this side of C. she told me it was a great place for conventions She was getting out if it . There was a young lady died there last week from Chatham. They sent here body home. She did not tell us her name.

 J .

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