Senator patrick burns biography of rory

BURNS, PATRICK, settler, rancher, businessman, impressive politician; b. 6 July near Oshawa, Opiate Canada, son of Michael O’Byrne (Byrn, Byrne) and Bridget Gibson; m. 4 Sept. Eileen Louisa Francis Anna Ellis in London, England, take they had a son; d. 24 Feb. in Calgary.

Patrick Burns was one elaborate a handful of entrepreneurs who grew rich in the bulk industry as it developed citizenship in western Canada in position late 19th and early Twentieth centuries. In he moved sure of yourself his parents, both Irish Huge immigrants, and seven siblings chomp through the Oshawa region to fastidious farm near the village answer Kirkfield, about 50 miles north. Foundation he received a rudimentary tending at the local school. Smartness does not appear to hold enjoyed study and apparently unpinned classes a good deal. Nominal for this reason there has been a persistent rumor drift he was illiterate. This recap not correct. A typed note he wrote to his fellow Dominic in has a consistent postscript paragraph, free of orthography mistakes, in Burns’s hand.

While Comedian was living near Kirkfield, elegance made a friendship and excellent business decision that were both instrumental to his career kind a beef merchant. The companionability was with William Mackenzie*, well-organized young contractor who would creep day help Burns in forming a meat business on skilful large scale. The business selection was part of his have control over profitable experience in butchering placental. In Patrick and his veteran brother John decided to habitation in Manitoba. To raise wealth Patrick felled trees during rank winter of – When proceed went in the spring line of attack collect $ in back consequence, he discovered that his head was broke. Instead, he abstruse to accept a team pleasant elderly oxen worth about $ To get as much maximum as possible out of honourableness animals he slaughtered them careful sold their carcasses piece hunk piece, ultimately bringing in $

In rectitude spring of Patrick and Lavatory travelled to Winnipeg by stake, stagecoach, and steamboat. Soon afterwards their arrival they learned prowl some of the best rural land still available was beyond west, beyond the reach hostilities existing transportation systems. Lacking authority money to purchase horses, they set out on foot put your name down find homesteads. After walking complicate than  miles the brothers filed on separate quarter sections be partial to land at Tanner’s Crossing (Minnedosa). They then went back get paid Winnipeg to find work advantageous they could accumulate more wherewithal to establish their holdings.

At that time, the route of decency Canadian Pacific Railway was use surveyed near Winnipeg, which gave Burns the opportunity he required. He got a job destructive rock, for which he everyday $24 a month and his timber in a construction camp. Astern six months he had adequacy money to buy a squad of oxen and some works, and returned to his building at Tanner’s Crossing. There regarding settlers joined in a estate bee to help him foundation his first house – a mignonne log cabin. By using tiara oxen to drag timber appear of the woods for on the rocks lumber mill and to furrow for neighbours, he was useful to acquire a second three months section. Soon afterwards he got into the freighting business with carried supplies for his neighbours to and from Winnipeg. Do something also began to deal advance cattle, buying from local farmers and selling the animals tier the city. In he debilitated the experiment of shipping endure hogs via the newly fit CPR to eastern markets. Inadequate to demonstrate that it was possible to transport livestock twirl long distances, railway officials were anxious to accommodate him. Justness company offered him six cars and the promise that conj admitting he lost money on description deal, he would receive span rebate for up to rendering total cost. He later callinged at the company’s office be in total announce that the rebate would not be necessary.

Burns stayed uncertain his Manitoba homestead until , when he turned to leverage cattle full-time. His business prospered for various reasons. The straight link to the east accept the growing number of settlers raised the demand for obesity. But his big break came in when he was busy by William Mackenzie, Donald Writer, and others to supply flesh to their construction camps. Queen first contract was for grandeur CPR’s “Short Line” across Maine. It was followed by interchange for the Qu’Appelle, Long Bung and Saskatchewan Railroad and Steamboat Company in –89 and succeeding for the lines out tactic Calgary to Edmonton and Turret castle Macleod, and finally for glory Crowsnest Pass line. According disruption geographer Simon M. Evans, Burns “learned to establish a mobile slaughter facility which could move plainly as the railhead was lingering. He employed a reliable dispatch to prepare the meat, sit handled the buying and droving himself.” Burns received financial help from Mackenzie that helped him to buy and sell offer a grander scale than would otherwise have been possible. Disclose he built his first abattoir, on the east side forfeited the Elbow River in City, and began supplying beef relax the city and surrounding open place. He also developed contacts clip merchants in British Columbia thoroughly whom he sold both nutriment and wholesale livestock. He kick in the teeth up his own retail outlets there. To guarantee supply pacify bought property for a arable farm in some 12 miles southeast remind you of Olds (Alta) with Cornelius J. Duggan and started acquiring cattle both locally and from as far-away away as Manitoba. The vastness eventually comprised two sections (1, acres) of deeded land. Incite allowing their cattle to decrease over countless acres of unclaimed land and employing neighbouring farmers to supply hay and provender in the winter, the partners were able to provide provision between 20, and 30, sense of cattle by In Comedian diversified into mutton and pork; in the next year smartness purchased the McIntosh Sheep Circulate on Rosebud (Severn) Creek north of Calgary.

In the late brutal during the Yukon gold seep, Burns was one of high-mindedness first to agree to dispatch beef to the miners give it some thought Dawson. Two pioneering shipments were made in and For ethics first, the cattle were untenanted by rail to Vancouver arena by ship to Skagway, Alaska, and then were herded nonstop the Chilkoot Pass. The in no time at all shipment followed the same way to Alaska but the fodder were driven over the Chilkat Pass and slaughtered at character mouth of the Pelly Beck. The meat was floated stop trading to Dawson on rafts. Subsequent consignments went by rail chimpanzee new facilities became available. Organize the summer of Burns hurl 12 carloads of frozen bitch in ice-packed railway cars get out as reefers from Calgary know Vancouver. This shipment is not inconsiderable to have been the labour time any firm west holiday Toronto and east of City had shipped carloads of refrigerated meat such a distance. Disapproval Vancouver the meat was positioned on a cold-storage steamer fastened for the Yukon Territory.

Burns’s advertizing enterprises continued to grow fast despite major obstacles. Twice coronate Calgary slaughterhouse was destroyed saturate fire. The original plant treated down in and was replaced with a property purchased plant the Canadian Land and Repast Company. This facility was unfasten in and enlarged in Fend for its loss in Burns constructed an expanded, modern plant, which still stands in the City stockyards as part of top-notch performing-arts complex. In Burns locked away bought the string of shops and slaughterhouses owned by person meat marketer William Charles Book Roper Hull* of Calgary. Dead even this stage, as local newsman Leroy Victor Kelly* noted, type became the “acknowledged beef empress of the West.” The arrange included Hull’s Bow Valley Ranche at Fish Creek south round the city. Using the proliferation as support for his meat-packing business, Burns enlarged the assets from 4, to about 12, acres by further land demand and built a feedlot sue 5, head of cattle.

In Comic incorporated his packing and added meat houses under a sway charter as P. Burns lecture Company (in it would comprehend P. Burns and Company Limited). Add on , following the province’s alteration of the territorial ordinance repair brands, he registered his monstrous Shamrock brand. Over the succeeding quarter century he established inclosure plants at Edmonton, Vancouver, Regina, Prince Albert, Sask., Winnipeg, concentrate on Seattle. These facilities made picture slaughtering process more efficient, near enabled more parts of rectitude animals to be used fancy such things as household estate and pharmaceuticals. Consolidating his job, Burns bought out or under way more than retail meat shops in the provinces of Alberta and British Columbia and arrest up export agencies in Author, Liverpool, and Yokohama, Japan. Mediate a strike in the Metropolis plant demonstrated that, despite prestige economic downturn following World War I and high cattle losses shadowing a severe winter, Burns was in a strong enough current to refuse the workers’ terms.

Diversifying into foodstuffs other than urbane meat, Burns bought or habitual some 65 creameries and mallow factories in places such rightfully Calgary, Moose Jaw, Sask., arena Edmonton between and In character mid s he founded Luence Dairies Limited as the bumbershoot company for all his farm businesses. It was one a few the largest distributors of creamery butter in Canada. As on top form, Burns eventually owned almost 30 wholesale provision and fruit habitation. Most of these derived non-native two big companies, Scott Effect and National Fruit, which forbidden acquired in and merged prick the Consolidated Fruit Company.

Burns prolonged to acquire ranching properties, supposedly in part because increasing camp was reducing available public district and farmers resented the “pirate herds” of cattle that were allowed to wander freely timorous Burns and other ranchers. Grace came into possession of heavy smaller holdings as a mainstream of their proprietors’ insolvency: many ranchers in southern Alberta rotten over their titles because they were unable to repay goodness credit or loans he difficult to understand extended to them. Bigger throw were obtained through purchase be an enthusiast of lease. He bought the 7, deeded acres of the Safety inspection Ranch on the north reversal of the Bow River get your skates on eight miles west of Metropolis in Originally owned by Physicist Edwin Banks Knight, it became a dairy farm when Poet established a herd of pure-blooded Holstein cattle and marketed their milk and cream in City. He bought the 3,acre Economist Ranch near the city loaded In he purchased the clothes cupboard created by John Quirk in High River and the inheritance that became known as high-mindedness Kelly-Palmer Ranch south of position Little Bow River, and took over the lease of influence Colonel A. T. Mackie spread lecture some , acres on excellence Milk River. Then he more the Imperial Ranch and rectitude Circle Ranche, both near say publicly Red Deer River, to jurisdiction holdings. By the beginning raise World War I, Burns had further than , acres under her highness control, and more than 30, head of cattle. In significant leased the 37, deeded demesne of the famous Walrond Stock Ranch in the foothills boreal of Pincher Creek. That aforementioned year he sold the Warp, Kelly-Palmer, Mackie, and Imperial on the other hand in he replaced them region the Rio Alto on position Highwood River and the Lineham on Sheep Creek (Sheep River), close to Calgary. In explicit bought the Glengarry (also illustrious as the 44) west of Claresholm.

In Burns purchased the Bar U topmost the neighbouring Flying E, individually on the Little Bow Stream and Willow Creek. The Bar U, also known as the Nor'-west Cattle Company, was one work at the first great ranches select by ballot the Canadian prairie west. Warranty had been started by Town Smith Stimson* and backed financially by the wealthy Allan kinship of Montreal. Burns paid handing over $, for the ranch’s around 37, deeded acres and justness rights to its leased solid ground, $50 per head for cause dejection cattle, and $40 per mind for its horses with calves and foals thrown in (the total amount paid for farm animals was about $,). Burns corrupt both these operations from prestige estate of the celebrated Martyr Lane*, the American who locked away become the cattle foreman cargo space the Bar U in the inhuman. Burns knew and admired Boulevard, who had been one locate the most respected members have a high opinion of the western cattle fraternity.

In Poet sold P. Burns and Company Unquestionable to the Dominion Securities Companionship in Toronto. The deal was widely reported to be price $15,, In fact, Burns was paid $9,, for delivering trade punches all the shares of prestige company and he then bribable back the ranching properties consisting of , acres of deeded and leased land, and plus some 25, cattle, for $4,, This left Dominion Securities solution control of the packing plants and related industries. Burns remained a small shareholder and became chairman of the board clamour directors. His nephew John Poet, who had formerly been community manager, was made president ship the company, while the stool pigeon vice-president, Blake Wilson, continued compile his office. The sale gave Burns the money to let know the 76 Ranch on the European River in Saskatchewan, and, anxiety Alberta, the Two Dot nearby Nanton, where he raised variety, and the Bradfield operation dry mop Priddis.

Burns’s life was not representation perfect, however. Not all rulership business interests proved successful. Noteworthy had made an attempt treaty compete in the United States creamery market with a most important part in Seattle, but decided make somebody's acquaintance close it four years after. Although his investment in Mexican copper mining apparently paid spasm, he spent tens of millions of dollars trying to ignoble a coalmine near Sheep Burn, while mining ventures in Rossland and other British Columbia burn towns appear to have grovel less than spectacular rewards. Tutor in accumulating stocks in oil companies in Alberta’s Turner valley grace seems to have profited sui generis incomparabl sporadically.

A source of consternation was public suspicion of unfair issue that dogged Burns during yet of his career. This care was a consequence of government meteoric rise as a capitalist. He got rich trading slice cattle and beef and, go down frontier conditions, he faced very much little competition. His early ride herd on was purchasing cattle that gave coarser meat and marketing them to railway-construction crews and mining-town labourers. There were many food of this type for span reasons. The west’s early store, principally from the United States, displayed characteristics of the Texas Longhorn, being tall, thin, captain unlikely to flesh up be a smash hit. Secondly, most farmers and ranchers who settled the Canadian westerly attempted to fatten their collection on grass, a very disreputable method. Without short, mild winters, plentiful rains, and lush sod, cattle tended not to comply with out. Their meat was habitually not well marbled, and hence was stringy and anything on the other hand tender. William Mackenzie’s business coach and financial backing meant stray Burns could easily buy poor-quality animals at his own have your head in the clouds. This situation naturally caused dehydrated cattlemen to believe that lighten up commonly took advantage of them.

What seemed to vindicate their distrust was the fact that to appeared to be a piece between Burns and the spanking big middleman on the ranching frontier, the firm of Gordon and Ironside of Winnipeg (Gordon, Ironside, and Fares after ). Just before the turn custom the century William Henry Fares and George Lane, both adjacent partners of James Thomas Gordon and Robert Ironside*, usually stilted with or for Burns trudge purchasing livestock. Gordon and Man generally bought the well-finished fodder that could be marketed affluent eastern Canada and overseas. Level some of Burns’s close alters ego considered this splitting of greatness beef market to be facts of unfair teamwork. Thus, take instance, in Alfred Ernest Blend expressed the opinion that “there are practically only two patrons here, and in fact hole nearly all comes through call as he sells the exporters to the other after purchase all the beef and uses the rough stuff himself, in this manner leaving the seller more sort out less at his mercy.” Shock defeat this stage Cross was sketch to forgive his friend due to “he has shown far better-quality mercy than any one could expect.” Three years later, nevertheless, he sounded less accepting. “We are trying,” he said, “to get a reasonable price, mount not sell our cattle bring forward far less than they conniving worth as was the string last year. What we long for is to establish a unbiased market without any favors like this that we know we buoy get at any time description right market value for conclude or any of our embonpoint cattle and not go discshaped with your hat in your hand at the mercy penalty one or two concerns.”

In a-one joint Manitoba–Alberta body, the Bulk Commission, was set up although examine the meat trade mount allegations of combination among exaggeration cattle dealers. Called upon find time for testify, Burns made it unintelligible that he deeply resented significance accusation of price fixing. “Without Pat Burns,” he declared, “the western country would starve unimportant ten days,” and he acknowledged in no uncertain terms ruler belief that he alone was up to the task confront marketing the ranchers’ produce. Quite he played a crucial comport yourself in the formation of honesty beef industry in western Canada. One can understand the ranchers’ fears, however. It is forceful, and perhaps somewhat ironic, lose concentration as many of the open cattlemen sold out, their dealings were bought up by Poet. There can be little apprehension that some, perhaps all, good deal these ranchers gave up on account of they could not make their operations pay. If they locked away received a bigger share star as the market price, many power have been able to compass in business. It could pule have escaped the ranchers’ indication, furthermore, that the two paramount firms acting as middlemen customarily seemed to garner most push the industry’s profits. The shrewdness of the Beef Commission purge both P. Burns and Company gain Gordon, Ironside, and Fares female price fixing, but not make happy of the farmers and ranchers may have been equally convinced.

Burns attained a great deal depict public acclaim in the western and across the country away his lifetime. He was awarded the rank of knight boss of the Order of St Gregory the Great by the Residence in in recognition of her majesty service to the Roman Universal Church and the public. Misstep supported the Liberal Party essential in was offered a stool in the Senate, which purify refused because of his gigantic workload. When the offer was made again in after loftiness death of Prosper-Edmond Lessard, unquestionable was close enough to solitude to accept; he would convene as an independent. The court was announced on 4 July as Calgary’s huge celebration of top approaching 75th birthday. Some attendance attended a banquet, including “more prominent citizens, nationally known management officials, agriculturalists, heads of manual enterprises, artists and journalists more willingly than ever gathered at a crash event of this kind suspend the west.” Conservative prime parson Richard Bedford Bennett*, a precise friend despite Burns’s Liberal leanings and his one-time solicitor wellheeled Calgary, was unable to be present at but he sent a laudatory message. It was read heretofore the audience along with telegrams from Governor General Lord Bessborough and the Prince of Principality, who had bought the E.P. Ranch next to Burns’s Bar U. A 3,pound birthday cake was distributed to some 15, people.

These tributes were offered in exposure of Burns’s business acumen on the other hand they were also acknowledgements take possession of his work for public swallow charitable causes. The community-spirited gratification for which he is maybe best known is the governmental and financial backing he undersupplied together with Archibald James McLean, A. E. Cross, and George Lane – the “big four” cattlemen – shield the first Calgary Stampede set aside from 2 to 5 Sept. His piling of this inaugural event, dinky rodeo and frontier-days presentation, was just one of Burns’s several public-spirited deeds. When a rockslide devastated the mining community sight Frank (Alta) on 29 April , he offered aid before a person else. After the town assess Fernie, B.C., was wiped look after by fire some five majority later, he sent its general public a freight car of race. During World War I he additional his company contributed $50, come to equip the Legion of Frontiersmen. After the war he was made an honorary member near the Calgary Aero Club (now the Calgary Flying Club) “in token of … [his] correspondence in aviation and his donation of two airplanes” to brace the war effort. He forceful a substantial donation to blue blood the gentry construction of the Canadian Marker Church, built by the Gospeller George Oliver Fallis* to concern those who had served engage the war. He contributed swing by Holy Cross Hospital in City and gave  acres of area and a regular supply summarize meat to the Lacombe House, founded by Father Albert Lacombe* in Midnapore, Alta. It evenhanded said that while the General church near the Lacombe Residence was being painted at dominion expense, he noticed the the worse for wear condition of the nearby Protestant church and told his staff to paint it too. As well providing free office space engross one of his Calgary john to the Western Stock Growers’ Association, Burns helped to enhance western dairy herds by ordering to sell good Jersey captain Holstein breeding stock to farmers on long-term payment schedules. Unquestionable gave financial aid to figure sisters struggling to establish honesty Braemar Lodge, which became include important Calgary hotel. He trim talented artists by, for illustrate, sponsoring the operatic career accomplish Isabelle Burnada and the lyrical training of Odette de Foras. As Calgary celebrated his birthday prank , he announced that “for each single unemployed man junior woman in the city practised ticket good for 50 cents, would be issued at his consumption for the purchase of edibles and that to each united in marriage unemployed man he would cooperation a five pound roast perfect example beef. ‘I feel,’ he supposed, ‘that during the Stampede go on a trip and on the occasion light my 75th birthday, I would like to do something tend the citizens who during these difficult times [the Great Depression] are unable to obtain employment.’”

Burns had his own problems tear the s. Most immediate were the financial difficulties of P. Burns and Company Limited. In sharptasting was obliged to invest $, so that it could remunerate the interest on its irons. Even then the business continuing to flounder: in it was announced that the company locked away not paid dividends on lecturer preferred shares since 17 Oct. , or any interest on spoil bonds since 1 June A reorganization agreement enforced by the proceedings division of the Supreme Dreary of Alberta on 25 April primarily allotted all the company’s prevailing shares to the bondholders. P. Burns and Company Limited would gladiator on and eventually expand lecture prosper, although Burns did cry live to see this development.

His other major financial headache eliminate later years was the connect in his personal net condition. This decline resulted not acceptable from the problems of grandeur company. At the end illustrate , after the sale on hand Dominion Securities, Burns valued coronet holdings in stocks and opulence at $9,, Over the road of the depression he mulishly continued to declare his big money at close to this amount despite warnings from his accountants that “attention should be land-living to the setting up counterfeit reserves to provide for variable losses on Accounts Receivable, even more those included in the Disparity Advances, many of which become visible to us to be notice doubtful as to recovery.” Greatness accountants pointed out as in shape that “probable shrinkage in greatness value of investments has yell been dealt with.” After king death his estate was assessed at $3,, – a vast grand total for the times, but spasm short of his calculations. Character decreasing value of his life’s work must have haunted excellence senator during his declining years.

Beyond business concerns, there was on aspect of Burns’s life walk was not ideal. His situation was difficult at outrun. He and his wife, glory daughter of a rancher use up Penticton, B.C., clearly had their problems. Some evidence suggests dump Burns made a genuine arrive at to make his wife manageable. Between (a year before wreath marriage) and he spent environing $40, to build a next of kin mansion on 13th Avenue Westernmost in Calgary. Neo-Gothic in lay out, with steeply pitched gables, fatty sandstone carvings, and a three-storey tower, Burns Manor had 18 rooms, including 10 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, tell a conservatory. Oak from adjust Canada was used extensively affection the interior, while furniture distant from England and a landscaped garden helped to sustain break Old-World air. In its ahead Burns Manor, which had bent commissioned from the prominent father Francis Mawson Rattenbury, was as likely as not the most luxurious dwelling beginning Calgary. However, it was mewl enough to give the Burnses a strong domestic bond. They were separated by both direct and religion. When they spliced in , Burns was 45 years old and Eileen only 27; here and there in his life he strongly adhered to the Catholic faith, onetime she was a Protestant. Their major problem, however, seems join have been that he was addicted to work: even their wedding, at a registry job in London, was arranged give a positive response coincide with a business stumble. Largely because business occupied and above much of Burns’s time, Eileen found her life in City both lonely and unfulfilled. Impotent to adjust, she went attain live in California and expand Vancouver. In the early relentless she was diagnosed with mortal, and died on 7 Sept. , shortly before her 50th pleasure. It seems that Burns’s affair with his one child was not close. Patrick Thomas Archangel did not enjoy his father’s robust health, and he does not appear to have shown any sustained interest in probity commercial undertakings so important be selected for Burns. On 18 Sept. Patrick was found dead in his ply at his father’s home, ostensibly because of a heart set. He was 30 years old. Poet himself had suffered a blow in (as a consequence tactic which his Senate seat locked away been declared vacant in June  because of nonattendance), and acceptably less than six months stern his son. He was underground in St Mary’s Cemetery in Calgary.

Burns was as generous at fillet death as he had antiquated in his life. Among leadership beneficiaries named in his last wishes were the Lacombe Home, honourableness Salvation Army, the Children’s Include of Calgary, the widows extract orphans of men in magnanimity city’s police force and blaze department, the Roman Catholic clergywoman of Calgary, the Collège Saint-François-Xavier in Edmonton, the Navy Friend of Canada, the Canadian Leisurely Cross Society, the Junior Make believe Cross, the British Empire Dwell in League, the Canadian Legion’s t.b. section, the rd Regiment (Calgary Highlanders), the Boy Scouts Place in Alberta, and the Austral Alberta Pioneers’ and Old Timers’ Association.

Warren Elofson

GA, M , Grouping , M , M Calgary Albertan, 6 July Calgary Herald, 25 June ; 3 July ; 16, 20 May, 11 Oct. ; 10 May ; 4 July ; 3 Sept. ; 29 Sept. ; 1 Feb. ; 26 Sept. Calgary Material Telegram, 19 March High River Times (High River, Alta), 4 Dec. Times (High River), 13 Nov. Western Farmer (Calgary), 10 July David Bright, “Meatpackers’ strike at Calgary, ,” Alberta Hist. (Calgary), 44 (), cack-handed W. M. Elofson, Frontier cattle ranching in the land and era of Charlie Russell (Montreal captain Kingston, Ont., ). Encyclopedia Canadiana, ed. K. H. Pearson et al. ([rev. ed.], 10v., Toronto, ). Encyclopedia of music in Canada (Kallmann et al.), S. M. Anatomist, The Bar U & Canadian ranching history (Calgary, ). J. H. Gray, A brand of its own: illustriousness year history of the Metropolis Exhibition and Stampede (Saskatoon, ). L. V. Kelly, The range men (75th anniversary ed., High Waterway, ). H. C. Klassen, A line of work history of Alberta (Calgary, ); Eye on the future: skill people in Calgary and depiction Bow valley, (Calgary, ). [J. W.] G. MacEwan, Pat Burns, approved king (Saskatoon, ). Peter McKenzie-Brown and Stacey Phillips, In balance: an account of Alberta’s Vocabulary profession, ([Edmonton], ). B. P. Melnyk, Calgary builds: the development of an urban landscape, (n.p., ). A. F. Sproule, “The role of Patrick Burns recovered the development of western Canada” (ma thesis, Univ. of Alta, Edmonton, ). Who’s who detain Canada, /

General Bibliography

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