Register entry 309 - Charles W. Milestone CPR Superintentent
Visited the Bell Farm on April 20, 1894 - C.W. Milestone (1857-1922) was the Canadian Pacific Railway's Assistant Superintendent at Moose Jaw for the Soo Line Sub-Division.
According to Ancestry.com, Charles was born in Medina, Medina County, Ohio, U.S.A.
There are at least 25 entries relating to Charles Milestone in the "Regina Leader" and "Winnipeg Free Press" between 1885 and 1923, some of which are noted below. The earliest, for 24 June 1885, reports that Milestone was to replace H.P. Timmerman as the CPR's Chief Train Dispatcher, based out of Winnipeg. He was promoted in 1890 to the position of Assistant Superintendent for the Moose Jaw Division of the CPR.
C.W. Milestone was in charge of the Soo Line construction in 1893 between Pasqua and North Portal, and consequently the town of Milestone, Saskatchewan was named after him.
On April 20, 1894 he accompanied William Whyte, Manager of the CPR's Western Lines, and R.J. Whitla, a Winnipeg businessman, on a tour of the Bell Farm. All three men signed the Visitors Register.
In July 1895, the year of the North-West Territorial Exhibition, Milestone came to Regina in July to deal with construction of a switch leading to the Exhibition Grounds.
Milestone was promoted in 1897 to include responsibility for the CPR line from Brandon to Moose Jaw, the Soo Line, and the branch line to Prince Albert.
The following year, he is mentioned as the skip for a Moose Jaw curling team that competed with Regina. His involvement of local and regional curling activities are recorded in various later newspaper editions.
Superintendent Charles Milestone was a avid supporter of well-developed gardens adjacent to CPR Stations, and in 1900 he communicated with Regina Town Council about sharing gardeners between the City and the CPR at Regina.
That year he was also listed as being a member of the Moose Jaw Rifle Association - perhaps he and Major Bell discussed shooting during his 1894 visit to the Bell Farm.
After serving as superintendent for 25 years, he retired from the CPR in 1902, and invested in Galt coal mining operations in Alberta.
During 1908 Mr. Milestone was in a land use dispute with the City of Moose Jaw, and went to court to secure fair compensation for possible expropriation of part of his land.
In 1921, he moved to Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, apparently to occupy the Dennis Residence - an 1872 house he had purchased in 1909. He owned this property until his death at Truro (or Yarmouth) in 1922. The house in Yarmouth remained in his estate until 1930. Why he bought this house and at this location in 1909 has not yet been determined.
An interesting aspect of his life became known upon his death, which relates to the disposal of his substantial assets, worth over $622,000 (about $6.7 million today). Milestone's Last Will and Testament provided generous grants to the YMCA and YWCA in Moose Jaw, as well as to various nieces and nephews, most amounting to $1,000 or $1,500. However, one recipient - Peter L. Naismith, a CPR manager - was to receive $25,000; but there is no explanation of why this large amount is provided.
SOURCES:
"Henderson's Manitoba and Northwest Territories gazetteer and directory" [1894]- p. 759
“History of Milestone 1893 – 1910” Compiled by A.W. Garratt of Milestone, SK. The Public Press, Regina, Sask.
“From Prairie Plow till Now Milestone and Districts”, Milestone History Book Committee, 1984, Friesen Printers
"Winnipeg Free Press": 24 June 1885, p. 4 - Milestone succeeds Timmerman in Winnipeg.
"Regina Leader": 13 Oct. 1892, p. 4 - festivities at CPR station
"Regina Leader": 18 July 1895 - Milestone in Regina on Exhibition business
"Regina Leader": 3 June 1897, p. 8 - Milestone promotion announced
"Regina Leader": 20 Jan. 1898, P. 1 - Milestone participates in curling match.
"Regina Leader": 12 April, 1900, p. 10 - M.J. Rifle Assoc.
"Regina Leader": 9 Aug, 1900, p. 1 - Regina and CPR discuss sharing gardeners
"Regina Leader": 6 Nov, 1902, p. 1 - retires from CPR
"Regina Leader": 7 May, 1908, p. 8 - City of Moose Jaw land dispute with Milestone
"Regina Leader": 16 Nov, 1921, p. 18 - moves to Nova Scotia
"Winnipeg Tribune", 4 Dec. 1922, p,. 2 - Death of C.W. Milestone.
"Regina Leader": 4 Dec. 1922, p. 3 - Death of Charles W. Milestone in Truro, N.S.
"Regina Leader": 21 July 1923, p. 11 - Details of Will and various bequests
Find-A-Grave Canada: Charles W. Milestone - Yarmouth Mountain Cemetery, Yarmouth, Nova Scotia - https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/225825677/charles-w-milestone
Biographical data: Ancestry.com - https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/195368574:60527?tid=&pid=&queryId=6ef4d12d924b6e24603da078314a4789&_phsrc=qVF2&_phstart=successSource
Photo: Town of Milestone, Sask.
"Geographic Names of Saskatchewan", by Bill Barry, 2005, p. 284
Town of Yarmouth Inventory Site Form, Dennis Residence, 93 Parade Street, August 2000. - Yarmouth County Museum and Archives.
Last Will and Testament for Charles W. Milestone, 12 Dec. 1919, with Yarmouth County Museum and Archives.
RESEARCH BY:
Micellel Cabana, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan; Leah Ward, Town of Milestone, Sask.; Lisette Gaudet, Yarmouth County Museum and Archives, N.S,; and Frank Korvemaker, Regina, Sask.