A Letter From Wellington Roseborough

Often when I write this column, I focus on Vermilion after 1910, but today I thought it would be interesting to look at Vermilion before there was a Vermilion.

So, let’s take a glimpse into Breage in 1905. It was in 1904 that Breage was established five kilometres east of present-day Vermilion. When the CNR arrived and a station was built, the post office relocated.

It was on July 31, 1905 though that Wellington Roseborough wrote a letter from Breage describing the area.

He begins by stating he was delighting with the country and that he had some interesting times since arriving. One of his favourite activities was sport shooting. He stated it was easy to come back after a couple of hours with two fine wild geese brought down with one shot, or four or five ducks.

He added, “I did not come out here for sport alone and a short time hence I may reap some of the reward of pioneering it, as I have been able to secure some very fine land here, some of it within two miles and a half from the town site, and some about three miles out.”

He noted to his friend that the town founders were very nice to him.

His friend was located in the Sault, and he stated he would keep him up to date on the amazing country he was in over the wireless telegraph.

“It is just fine to roam over the prairie and see the wild flowers. It is a continual transformation from one color to another, from March until October.”

He noted that at present, the roses were very beautiful and had been blooming for over a month and would continue to be blooming for a few weeks to come.

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