1884 A Six-gun and Tar and Feathering On Central Ave.

Prince Albert in 1884 was a peaceful, rapidly growing, community.

Into this tranquility strode a strange sight, not welcome in the Canada of the Northwest Mounted Police – a Californian with a six gun strapped to his side, He came to bring a new law to the main street of Prince Albert.

Ottawa had announced its desire to establish a telegraph line into Prince Albert. However, the exact location of the line had not been decided. Rival business factions, one led by the merchants on Central Avenue, the other by businesses surrounding the Hudson Bay Store in the east end, were soon strongly lobbying for the line to run through their respective locations. Money and profits were the motivators.

Fearing that the powerful Hudson Bay Company would use its political clout to win the day, the merchants of Central Avenue found their own style of clout. The six gun toting Californian had been imported. His assignment: bring the line downtown.

When Ottawa’s telegraph agent, Hartley P. Gisborne, came to town and hinted that the east end route was favoured, the Californian threatened Gisborne with tar and feathering. A show down was not long in coming. The Hudson Bay Company Factor, Lawrence Clark, arrived on the scene with a loaded shotgun. HIGH NOON on CENTRAL was underway.

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To the cheers of the east end supporters, the Californian gunslinger backed down. An uneasy cease fire came over the streets of Prince Albert.

Ottawa stepped in, and, in true Canadian compromise style, decided to build two telegraph offices – one on Central and one near the Hudson Bay Post.

And so the telegraph came peacefully to our fair city.