This site was developed by eMAP for the University of Saskatchewan Archives
© 2011, All rights reserved.University of Saskatchewan

“On the whole it surpasses my expectations” – Saskatoon, 1908-1937

Upon his arrival, Edmund Oliver wrote of his impressions of Saskatoon, then “about 8000 people. On the whole it surpasses my expectations, and is one of the most progressive towns west of Winnipeg. George Clark, and old Varsity boy, is city engineer. I called to see him. He thinks the town in solid. So does the dentist Dr. C.E. Smith whom I had to consult because I broke a tooth on the train last night. Mr. J.F. Cairns, an old Chatham Collegiate Institute teacher of mine possesses a departmental store that would do credit to a town of 200,000. We did not expect such things of Cairns when he used to teach us grammar, - though we knew he was brilliant. Some of the buildings as Court House, Cairns Store, Bank of Commerce, two leading hotels (swarming with travelers) are substantial buildings, brick or stone. But some of the stores are pretty rough, some of the residences are very small cottages, although I saw some that I should be glad to own. There are a large number of unpainted buildings – Cairns told me that when he came 6 years ago there were only 200 people here. They now have a telephone system, and an electric light system of their own. I believe that the water supply is yet unsatisfactory.”

The University of Saskatchewan has helped define Saskatoon: it is difficult to imagine what the city might be like without it.  Faculty, staff, students and alumni have contributed to numerous organizations, from community-based charities to the arts; the financial contribution of so many residents on local businesses has been considerable.

But there have been tensions, too.  Murray was never fully comfortable joining business or other clubs; and part of the tensions prior to the 1919 crisis revolved around the belief in some sectors that the University wasn’t building enough.

Walter Murray with members of the Saskatoon Board of Trade, on 1st Avenue,  across from the National Land Co. offices.

Walter Murray with members of the Saskatoon Board of Trade, on 1st Avenue, across from the National Land Co. offices.

The University made its mark on the physical structure of the city, too.  A better link between the downtown area and the campus was necessary: the “University Bridge” was completed by 1916.

Image  of 25th St. Bridge under construction: (T. Brammell Daniel, 1914)

Image of 25th St. Bridge under construction:
(T. Brammell Daniel, 1914)

Saskatoon  in 1914 with bridge under construction:  (Griffiths)

Saskatoon in 1914 with bridge under construction:
(Griffiths)

The Broadway Bridge, too, owes much to the University: first suggested in the late 1920s, in part to save “a downtown commercial area…from becoming a slum,” the bridge became a federal “make-work” project during the Depression.  Dean of Engineering C.J. Mackenzie designed the bridge, and took a leave of absence to build it – using staff consisting almost entirely of recent College of Engineering graduates. Over 1,500 men worked on the job.  Nicknamed the “Engineer’s Bridge” or “Dean’s Bridge,” the Broadway Bridge was officially opened on 11 November 1932 and was known as one of the finest structures of its kind in Canada. 

 

Related Items

Saskatoon: The Early Years – virtual exhibit created by the City of Saskatoon Archives and the Saskatoon Public Library Local History Room