1898

By April 1898 the contract between the Mormon Church and the Alberta Irrigation Company was signed. It called for the construction of a 50 mile long canal between the two settlements of at least 250 persons each. The two town-sites, one at each end of the canal, were surveyed on land the Church was to earn. $100,000 in wages for the contractors were to be paid 1/2 in cash and 1/2 in land valued at $3.00 per acre. Work was to commence within the year and was to be completed by December 1899.

Even though the subsequent advertising was intensive and benefits were described in glowing terms, the Mormon contractors were unable to attract voluntary workers or immigrants. The Church, fearing the possibility of defaulting on its commitment of contract began “calling” men to serve missions in Alberta. Some were “called” for the duration of the construction, others were to form a permanent settlement. For a member of the Mormon Church to receive a “call” of this magnitude was an extremely serious matter.

For them it was not an economic decision; they had already refused to move on economic grounds. This was a call to “do the Lord’s work.” The faithful did not hesitate!