The Icelandic Canadian - 01.04.2001, Blaðsíða 22

60
THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN
Vol. 56 #2
him was something to this effect: that the
inhabitants of the district should themselves
make an effort to acquire the resources which
the land had to offer them, before running
away and deciding that there was nothing to
be had from the land. Jon offered to go along
with other men to the provincial government
and ask them for money for roads and
drainage systems. He suggested that men
should exert themselves and work together to
drain the land. In the end, Sigurdur decided to
stay and supported Jon in all his endeavors.
The outcome was that the inhabitants of the
district had a general meeting where it was
decided that they would begin right away to
work on a drainage system, draining the water
off the land into the river. Jon and Tryggvi
Ingjaldsson from ArdalsbyggS were sent to
the provincial government to receive their
input and assistance to keep the district dry in
the future.The inhabitants dug a mile and a
half long ditch, which was an immediate help.
At the time Roblin and his caucus were at the
helm of the provincial government and they
favoured farming and fanners. This was Jon’s
first errand on behalf of the district to a gov-
ernment meeting. Jon and Tryggvi gained
audience with R. P. Roblin and Robert
Rodger the Minister for Public Works. They
received a warm reception, and were
promised help and money the following
spring or after the next legislative assembly.
They went home bearing this news and
promises. The inhabitants were content and
nobody (not one) moved from Vidibyggd dis-
trict that summer nor later. The Roblin
Government kept their promises the follow-
ing year and while they were in power. And
since then there haven’t been any signs of
restlessness in the district. The Roblin
Government sent surveyors in the fall of
1907.
The digging of the ditch that summer was
a difficult and dirty job for the inhabitants.
The water and the mud was never lower than
to the knee, and often, waist high. Finally by
September the water had petered out enough
for men to begin to make hay, which they
continued to do until the end of October and
until it began to freeze and snow. That fall
men had to slaughter many animals and the
price for cattle was very low. Then the Thyla
Meat Co. was happy and some men felt that
the company was taking advantage of the cir-
cumstances of the people and was paid as low
a price as possible. In general the animals
which were kept that winter were in good
shape the next spring, even though the hay
was poor and in short supply. Still, the odd
fanner wasn’t so fortunate. Previously and
since then the inhabitants have had abundance
of hay and healthy livestock.
7. Chapter
At the beginning of the settlement of
Vidir, people had to go for their mail at
“Framnes” which is south of the district. The
people asked the Federal Government in
Ottawa to open a post office in the middle of
the district, or as close to its center as possi-
ble. After wrangling and squabbling the gov-
ernment sent the necessary papers to be filled
out and a postmaster had to be chosen. Jon
Sigurdsson was chosen unanimously by the
inhabitants. At first Jon’s farm had been
named Adalbol (after Adalbol in
PHARMACISTS:
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Claire Gillis
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