g {F ii

In 1799, the name of the Island was changed from Isle St. Jean

:1) Prince Edward Island, in honor of Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, §ther of Queen Victoria.

In 1873, it became a province of the Dominion of Canada.

3 3 3 In 1875, the Land Purchase Act was passed for the compulsory file of lands held by large proprietors, and the productive red soil

P.E.I. passed into the ownership of those who tilled it. The gstem of land tenures was the cause of much bitterness for over a hundred years. A colony is not the place for tenantry. When a

glam begins life in a new country, he wants to own his home and and; he will be content with nothing less.

a a

When first settled, the only means of communication with the

>f'airrounding area was by water. Then a foot path was carried girough the woods along the shore.

; , i As settlement began, this path was widened to admit a cart ind finally, it became the main road. Strenuous efforts were made 9 have them improved and, in a few years, this was realized and nany new roads opened up. Overseers were appointed by the Gov- , ment to look after roads in the community in both summer and inter. Residents were obliged to see that the roads were made ssable after a storm, espcially, for the mail, keep the pitches lled and, where main roads were closed in the winter and detoured . rough fields, such roads would have to be broken out in early ring. Later in the spring, government road machines went drough each district and four teams of horses would work on his machine, cleaning out the ditches, filling in wash-outs, etc. iccording to the Road Act of 1912, the tax on horses was 40 cents 31d, a few years later, 75 cents each. This could be paid by iorking on the road. Personal tax was $1.50. Bushes had to be

EVE along the roads and stones picked, and this labor could be also given as taxes.

Roads over the years began to be made wider and wider and, hen cars were allowed to travel on all roads in 1919, roads Were ry dusty and gravel was put on some of the main roads,,which lped to keep down the dust as, at that time, cars did not travel 1‘37 fast. Some of the Island roads were paved about 1935 and, that time, due to the high cost of pavement, we never dreamed

getting pavement through Clinton, or at least some did not. Owever, in 1956, pavement which had started in Margate the evi‘ous year, extended down the New London Road some distance St New London Corner. In 1970 Kerrytown Road was partly

VEd, and the next year was finished and joined the Town Road Jep’s Corner.

When roads were widened, many trees that lined the sides of e road had to be cut down, and this gave the community a

_5_