Page 7 - August 2018

De Graves made the point that trappers were motivated
by economic efficiency. After describing how much fur
could be loaded into an airplane and how incredibly
quickly it could be shipped “to the fashionable salons of
Paris and London, to adorn the gleaming shoulders of
beautiful women,” he then observed “that’s why the
northmen swear by the aeroplane today, for although the
wild men of the woods lead solitary lives…they can smell
a dollar as far away as anyone, and realize that this saving
in time and trouble is important.”

De Graves said that the changes were good for the
northern trappers: “They’ve gone modern all right, but
they’re making it pay, and what with radios in the cabins
bringing them Guy Lombardo and Paul Whiteman
programs, and all the other things the big broadcasts
offer… they’re living the life of Reilly.”

Airplanes also made it possible for freshwater fish to get
to market faster. The Free Press reported that in addition
to transporting furs, the air freight companies at La
Ronge were also kept busy shipping fish. “With a ready
market in New York and other American centres, fresh-

caught fish are being freighted out of La Ronge to Prince
Albert for transfer to through freight trains bound August Upcoming Events at the museum
southeast. Some fish are even flown direct to Winnipeg
16 Aug Thu Board Meeting
for transfer to trains there and fast shipment by express.
18 Aug Sat Norseman Run-Up
Fish have been dumped out of sacks flown here and they
were still flapping and kicking.” 18 Aug Sat Membership Summer Barbecue
Members' Meeting Volunteer
Illustrating what life as a bush pilot was like in the early 23 Aug Thu Lunch
days of flying is a photo of Western Canada Airways
Limited Fokker Standard Universal, G-CAGE, being
unloaded of supplies near Hudson, Ontario. The nearby
tent is the company’s first makeshift head office and
crew accommodation, c. 1926.
This article originally appeared in the Summer, 2017
edition of Altitude magazine.

A Big Band Hangar Dance Featuring The
Commodores was held Saturday, July 28 from 5 - 10
pm. A Hangar Dance is a unique event stemming
from a wartime tradition. This was a chance to dine

and dance among vintage aircraft while the sun set
on the Malahats.