1910-1919

1913

Yard engine and two cars crashed over the end of the coal dock after the locomotive throttle refused to function, causing serious injuries to brakeman George Hile and forcing engineer Joe Rymal and D.J.D. Ellis to jump for safety.

Canada — 1914

Grand Trunk Pacific Railway completed to Prince Rupert, British Columbia.

World — July 28, 1914

World War I began with Austria-Hungary declaring war on Serbia.

Manitoba — 1915

Railway engineer W. Files died when his freight train ran into a gap which, prior to a cyclone, had been the 115 ft. high Minewaska bridge. GTP trains had to be routed over CPR lines via Minnedosa, Manitoba.

Canada — 1917

The Conscription Crisis of 1917 focused on whether Canadian men should be conscripted to fight in World War I.

March 4, 1917

The Grand Trunk Pacific Railway Station in Rivers, Manitoba, burned down and a new station was started in July and finished by September. The new station features a restaurant called The Beanery.

Canada — 1919 to 1921

Widespread drought affected the Canadian Prairies. Reduced precipitation, including low snowfall in the winter and a dry spring, led to widespread crop failure and the near-starvation of livestock. The drought particularly affected southeastern Alberta and southwestern Saskatchewan.

Manitoba — May 15, 1919 to June 26, 1919

The Winnipeg General Strike saw thousands of workers unite to demand better wages and working conditions.

July 10, 1919

In 1919, the Grand Trunk Pacific station (later bought by CN) discussed the possibility, with the new and growing Town of Rivers, of the provision of electricity from its generator. The discussions culminated with Town of Rivers Bylaws 120 and 121 proclaiming a $9,000 debenture to fund electrical distribution to the town (article published in July 10, 1919 issue of the Rivers Gazette). This was the railway leading the way for the community with some vision for growth and is how Rivers received its first electricity.