94 Community

It was a yearly problem and expense to clear the drains under the streets of mud from the annual run-off. It was almost impossible to maintain ditches on each side of the clay road through the Village. The streets, cut by the wagon wheels, drenched by rains and, sometimes flooded by clogged drains, became a slush of mud and almost impassable in spring and fall.

See Appendix C

Courtesy Pictures of the Paul by Leardl.

Souris - 1880 This drawing was copied from Meacham’s Atlas.

Unlike Souris West, with its streets laid off and named before 1863 (Lake Map), Souris East streets evolved from earlier convenient lanes of travel. Apparently, this led to some problems. Father Donald MacDonald, some- time after his arrival in Souris in 1865, bought a corner of a Cheverie property and laid out Sutherland Avenue for the convenience of his parishio- ners.‘ Railway property south of the tracks posed a problem. It did not belong to the Town, and so they were not responsible for streets, lights or sidewalks. A compromise must have been reached because Pond Street is now served with all conveniences.5

The following excerpt from a letter to the Editor of the Examiner of April 30, 1887 is no doubt exaggerated:

Souris could be the healthiest, prettiest summer resort of Prince Edward Island but its people have contrived to make it the ugliest, filthiest and nastiest place in North America...no paint, no whitewash...don’t know what the streets are intended for. Cows in all stages of convales- cence and of all colors and kinds roam at large on the