56 Commercial Breakwater and Railway:

For ten years, the Island Government seemed undecided which break- water to promote: the one at Souris West constructed in 1860s of brush and stone by local settlers or the one at Souris East begun by John Knight. In 1866, the grant of 400 pounds was divided, 300 for Souris West and 100 for Souris East.l6 Three years later, a small grant of 130 pounds was divided equally.17 But in 1870 the balance shifted to Souris East when the grant was divided 100 pounds for Souris East and 60 for the West.

Among the first Dominion grants to the Island after Confederation was one $30,000 in 1877 for the breakwater at Souris East. A marine hospital was thrown in as well. Presumably, with the new extended breakwater, Souris would have many more seamen requiring hospital care.

('nuru-sy Picture-a nf the Past by Innis. Lunenburg vessels in Souris Harbour for shelter.

Souris East was to have the breakwater but what followed was a series of battles with wind, sea and tides—a fight of man’s ingenuity against the forces of nature. The breakwater was completed in 1877 by contractors Pierce and Doyle.” In January of the next year, a storm washed half of it away. There had not been time to face it with rocks. The Examiner of September 20, 1879 stated that the Souris breakwater was being “pushed to completion”. Again, in the August storm of 1893, one hundred feet washed away. Although hampered by gales, contractors Thomas Mellish and George Wightman had the damage repaired and a new block added by late November.19 In 1896 another block was added making the total length ofthe breakwater 1,700 feet.

In 1877, when the Honourable Alexander MacKenzie, Prime Minister of Canada visited Souris, he was given a great welcome and shown Souris’ new breakwater.