Hudson's Bay Company

“ We were once cut off from all supplies and connection with our people, to the extreme peril of our lives, for over two years—from May, 1848, till September, 1850—during which time we received neither a letter nor supplies, and the opening up of communication with the outside world was ultimately brought about by our own unaided and determined efforts in the face of appalling obstacles.
The Pelly-Yukon is a magnificent river, increasing in size as it is joined by the many affluents that swell its tide. ”

“ After ascending the stream some hundreds of miles, far into the mountains, we entered a beautiful lake, which I named Frances lake, in honor of Lady Simpson. The river thus far is rather serpentine, with a swift current, and is flanked on both sides by chains of mountains, which rise to a higher altitude in the background. The country is well wooded with poplar, spruce, pine, fir and birch. Game and fur-bearing animals are abundant, especially beaver, on the meat of which, with moose, deer, geese and ducks, we generally lived. ”

“ By taking the lead in the London market, by setting the standard for all the trade, both in goods and in business principles, by inducing the best firms to send their best goods to the London market, by eliminating speculative bidding and by having great financial strength and sound business methods back of it, the Hudson's Bay Company has once more proved its ability to come through all kinds of trials and tribulations with flying colors. ”

“ How much brighter and how much more joyful would this old world be if we all got together and practised that old adage, "Do unto others as ye would that they do unto you."
This world is too full of sorrow and pain already, and we are all too ready to condemn when we ought to condone. ”

“ Being comparatively a newcomer with the Hudson's Bay Company, judging by the long records of service of other managers present, I felt deeply moved by the cordial spirit of comradeship shown me by my co-partners.
I was greatly impressed by the frank way we were received by the Canadian Advisory Committee.
The conference was a remarkable one in many ways. It created a precedent, insofar that it was the first time in the history of the Company that managers of the many H.B.C. stores were gathered together for consultation, advice and mutual benefit. ”

“ You know in every community there is the chronic sufferer from insomnia who forty-nine times out of every fifty nights has not "slept a wink." Sleeplessness is his hobby.
By all means let us throw the windows of our minds wide open to the blessed breezes of heaven and rejoice in this "best of all possible worlds." Live vitally, energetically. Really "enjoy your work" and throw yourselves with might and main into play.
And remember, the Hudson's Bay Company, which has existed for 251 years, does not require you to be its Atlas when you go home at night. ”

“ If you know of a skeleton hidden away In a closet, and guarded, and kept from the day, In the dark, and whose showing, whose sudden display Would cause grief and sorrow and lifelong dismay, It's a pretty good plan to forget it. ”

“ Near New York this month the pugilistic champion of the United States, for the consideration of merely a million dollars, will stand up for something less than an hour to pummel and be pummeled by the pugilistic champion of Europe. ”

“ Football—Our team continues to win and is at the head of the league table, having played four league games and won them all by scores of 4-0, 1-0, 5-0, and 7-0, and there seems to be nothing to stop us from annexing the league championship.
Baseball—The baseball team has played three league games so far, and won them all, so they too are strongly in the running, being the only unbeaten side so far. ”

“ Once the turning point has been passed between right and wrong, and a firm endeavor is made to keep to the "narrow way," then let us help and encourage instead of raking up the past and by so doing help wreck a human soul. ”

“ If you know of a thing that will darken the joy Of a man or a woman, a girl or a boy, That will wipe out a smile or leastway annoy, Or cause a fellow any gladness to cloy, It's a pretty good plan to forget it. ”

“ In winter things are somewhat dull, for there are not enough Indians to keep business steady. Then it is that the violin, gramophone and H.B.C. library are called on to relieve ennui in the evenings, for there is no theatre nearer than Edmonton.
For industrial possibilities, Hudson's Hope undoubtedly occupies a strategic position. It is known that extensive bodies of the hardest soft coal in the world are in the immediate vicinity, but owing to lack of transport facilities they have not been worked to any extent. ”

“ The Yukon is the largest river that flows from the American continent into the Pacific ocean. Rising as the Pelly in the Rocky Mountains on the northern frontier of British Columbia, it maintains a westerly direction for several hundred miles. ”

“ Football—The team in the Commercial League are still going at a great gait—Government Telephones and Eaton's Wanderers being beaten 2-1 and 1-0, respectively. To date the Wholesale have played four games, winning two and drawing two.
Tennis—Like bears awakening after the winter's sleep, so the long evenings and fine weather is luring the tennis fans on to the courts. The latest converts are Miss Kellet, Miss Vusom, Miss Smeaton and Bill Paul. All members of the staff are welcome and we wish that more would come out and take advantage of the courts. ”

“ This fish has been seen and killed above Pelly banks, which is more than two thousand miles from the sea.
Steamers from the Pacific have already ascended to Fort Yukon (twelve hundred miles) ; and during the freshet they can ascend more than twelve hundred miles further (to Hoole's Rapid) .
The lakes all over the country abound in excellent white fish.
The fauna of the country is abundant and varied. It includes moose and reindeer, bears (black and grizzly) , wolves and wolverines, rats and hares, the fox and lynx, the beaver, the mink, and the marten. ”

“ At a distance of some forty-five miles from Yukon the mountains recede, the river widens and for miles wanders among countless islands. Many of the Pelly's tributaries are large streams—especially the M'Millan, Lewis, White, and Stewart rivers.
Four kinds of salmon ascend the river in great numbers in their season; and then comes a busy harvest time for the Indians, who assemble in large camps along the river and handle their spears with great dexterity. Large numbers of salmon are killed, some for present and some for winter use. ”

“ One of the most interesting events in the fur trade last month was the announcement by the Hudson's Bay Company of its intention to accept consignments of skins for sale at its London auctions. The news came as a surprise to many, as it has long been known that the famous old Company took particular pride in offering no skins for sale at its auctions save those collected by its own posts and graded with that excellency which has earned for the Company the reputation of setting an accepted standard for all skins. ”

“ Don't giggle and squirm, girls. Have poise. It is the most wonderful health inspirer on earth. How many of us realize that a flustered mind is the cause of more disease than the inoculation of poisonous germs? ”

“ In connection with awards made in the 250th Anniversary Suggestion Competition (Fur Trade department) it is to be noted that H.B.C. men in Hudson's Straits and Ungava (Labrador District) were without the opportunity of participating, owing to their extreme isolation in the far north.
First word of the competition was conveyed to these men by the Company's supply ship in August, 1920. With the landing of the supplies and preparation of the annual accounts, there was no opportunity for the men to write out their suggestions before the sailing of the supply ship on her homeward voyage. ”

“ They spoke in loud tones as do all Indians in their natural state, but they seemed kind and peaceable. When we explained to them as best we could that we were going down stream, they all raised their voices against it. Among other dangers, they indicated that inhabiting the lower river were many tribes of "bad" Indians—"numerous as the sand"—"who would not only kill us, but eat us." We should never get back alive, and friends coming to look after us would unjustly blame them for our death. ”

“ Canada has no flag; a startling assertion, but true. The Dominion emblem so familiar to Canadians is a marine ensign authorized by the Imperial Government many years ago for use on Canada's merchant shipping. No flag has ever been officially adopted by the Canadian people. ”

“ Early in June, I left Frances lake with some of the men. We walked over the mountains to Pelly banks, and shortly 9 after I started down stream in the canoe with the interpreter Hoole, two French Canadians and three Indians. As we advanced, the river increased in size and the scenery formed a succession of picturesque landscapes. About twenty-five miles from Pelly banks we encountered a bad rapid—"Hoole's"—where we were forced to disembark everything; but elsewhere we had a nice flowing current. Ranges of mountains flanked us on both sides ”

“ The death knell was struck when the construction of the Union Pacific railway was begun at Omaha in 1866. Prior to the advent of the first transcontinental railway the difficulties of marketing the results of the slaughter served as a slight check on the rate of extermination. The destruction began in earnest in 1876 and was complete four years later. The facility for shipping out the hides over the new railways was the cause of the rapid disappearance of the buffalo.
In the United States, buffalo hunters grew prosperous shooting down the animals for "a dollar a hide." ”

“ They are very keen-sighted, and when once alarmed they file swiftly and gracefully over the mountain. When we chanced to get one we found it splendid eating—delicate enough for an epicure.
In this manner we travelled on for several days. We saw only one family of Indians—"Knife" Indians—till we reached the junction of the Pelly with a tributary which I named the Lewis. Here we found a large camp of Indians—the "Wood" Indians. We took them by no ordinary surprise, as they had never seen a white man before, and they looked upon us and everything about us with some awe as well as curiosity. ”

“ In business many young men are like the boy and the mud-hole. They have a single eye to making the job last. Fixed in a situation with certain routine things to do they lose ambition and are chiefly concerned with stretching their duties to fill a day. ”

“ Presented to Joseph Scott by his admirers in Hudson's Bay Store for splendid display as goalkeeper against Scottish All-Star Football Team,
Winnipeg, June 9th, 1921.
Joe is an esteemed member of our delivery department and was honored by Manitoba footballers in being chosen to keep goal for Manitoba against the visiting Scottish stars.
Said the one and only Jimmy McMenemy: "We won with ease, but there is one consolation left for the home boys, and that is that they are the best team we have yet opposed. ”

“ We are all human; many are subject to temptations from which others are immune. It is usually a case of environment, therefore judge not your neighbor harshly.
Let's all try to practice the suggestions in the above poem; let's judge fellow beings by the present—not by the past.
Masquerade Baseball Match Amuses
A big turn-out marked this amusing event on Saturday, June 11th, at the Company's grounds. About two hundred marched from the store, headed by a comic jazz band, dressed in almost every conceivable sort of costume.
On arrival at the baseball grounds the fun began in earnest. ”

“ When in 1824, shortly after the amalgamation of H.B.C. with the Northwest Company, the fur brigades under Sir George Simpson swept to the verge of the Pacific, north, west and southwest, the flag of H.B.C. was carried far down the California coast. One new fur trading establishment was planted by the Company at the Golden Gate San Francisco Bay; another was erected at Umpqua, not many miles to the northward.
Up to 1820 the only fur post on the Pacific coast between Sitka, Alaska, and southern California was Fort George. ”

“ Physicians are coming more and more to see the power of mentality. A great deal of practice of the now-a-days physician is in "cheering up" his patients and routing morbid fears. Every thought has an effect of some sort on the human body. ”

“ If one has taken a false step in the past, is there any reason why they should be given the "cold shoulder," especially when they are endeavouring to lead a straight life?
Man or woman is entitled to a square deal, no matter what the past may have been. ”

“ In the spring of 1840 I was appointed by Sir George Simpson to explore the north branch of the Liard river to its source, and to cross the Rocky Mountains and try to find any river flowing westward, especially the headwaters of the Colville, the mouth of which was in the Arctic ocean, discovered by Dease and Simpson. ”

“ This balloon will convey a party of three Swedish scientists who have been making explorations towards the North Pole by these means.
The Government of Sweden and Norway has requested that the explorers may receive all possible assistance. Natives should therefore be told that the balloon is not a dangerous thing, but merely a mode of conveyance in the air just as a ship is in the water.
Natives should be told to approach the people in it without fear and to give them all the help in their power. ”

“ Canada too should have a flag of her own—an emblem to emphasize her essential nationhood—of a design that will connote her stewardship of this North Portal of the Empire.
Carrying Water
A motorist, mired down on a country road, asked a passing lad with a team to pull him out.
Paying the boy's price of two dollars the car owner remarked, "Well, son, do you make much money at this sort of thing?" "You are the fifth I have pulled out to-day," replied the boy.
"I should work nights, too, at that rate," said the motorist. ”