84 Commercial

draw customers to his store. The consequence is, he is unable to meet his engagements in Halifax, his credit is cut off and, in order to wind up his affairs, sends the constable around with summons and executions to his dear friends. I am creditably informed that the number of summons and executions issued from Souris (inclusive) to East Point during the past year was over 250.

Strange to say, the above letter was written during one of the prosperous decades. It was so prosperous indeed that Souris attempted to start a bank of its own but could not raise enough capital to get beyond the planning stage.

Before the days of the railway, merchants rode to Charlottetown on horseback with money belts around them for ballast. They did their busi- ness at a bank there which had only two days of discount each week— Wednesday and Saturday. Even travelling by railway in later years meant an overnight stay in Charlottetown.

Souris needed a bank but did not get one until 1884. That year, James J. Hughes (later a Senator), who had been with the Merchants Bank of Halifax for eight years left that city to take charge of Souris’ first bank. It was called the Merchants Bank of Prince Edward Island, with an office located in the Connolly building.68

James J. Hughes, born at St. Mary’s Road, Lot 61,in 1856, attended St.

Phou: by Morley S Acorn Courtesy Pictures of the Past by leardn

The J.J. Hughes Company Limited

James J. Hughes Store (after 1914). Mrs. Hughes is seen in the upper window.

LR: Hilda McEwen, ? McIntyre. Mrs. Jack Deagle, Florrie Stewart, Unknown, Alvah Brehaut, W. Wade Hughes, George McQuaid, Frank Scully, George Keefe, Leo McDo- nald, Percy McCallum.