Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - February 18, 1967, Winnipeg, Manitoba Leisure Magazine Winnipeg free february 1967 Lacombe Street is named for Pioneer priest by Harry shave is unfortunate the memories of some of the most outstanding pioneers of the West Are commemorated in the names of streets that Are Short and Little known to most people in greater Lacombe Street in Boniface is one of Only a few blocks in Lacombe is confined in a Triangle bounded by Plin Quet and Mission it starts at Mctavish Street named for William governor of the red River settlement from 1864 to and ends at Mission an appropriate name for the termination of a Street named for Albert father Lacombe was born in lower can and educated at he joined the oblate was ordained a priest in 1849 and was one of the first roman Catholic missionaries sent to the school after nearly three years of studies at he accompanied a Hudson Bay brigade to de where he established the first school West of he later moved to a Cree and Metis settlement at Lac Anne and later ministered to the Blackfoot Indian although these two factions were bitter father Lacombe became adviser and physician to founding schools and Wel fare institutions for their in his Book on Canadas Julian Ralph makes particular re Ference to the work of father la an eyewitness to Many of the incidents he the former chief of the and father the roman Catholic missionary to the were the most interesting and among the most influential Public characters in the newer part of they had much to do with con trolling the peace of a territory the size of a great the town of is situated on the old now a mod Albert Lacombe Ern Between Calgary and where father Lacombe achieved Fame As a peacemaker with Indian he was Quick to learn the language of the indians and in his Alliance with them showed extreme he gained the Confidence and respect of the indians North and West of Calgary in the Days of herds of Buffalo and converted Many of them to he saw fighting Between tribes and roamed with one or the other As time his Mission led him to ignore tribal and to preach to All the indians of the wrote when the Canadian Pacific rail Way line was extended West through father Lacombe warned the indians against associating with the White men working on the he said they would bring liquor and Money and warned the indians the men would offer payment for the company of their at first Crowfoot and his tribe agreed to remain in their but one morning the old priest looked out the window of his Bare bedroom and saw Curling wisps of Grey smoke ascending from a score of teepees on the Hill beside said one old missionary lifted his trembling forefinger towards the sky when i was there and Mark in 15 year there will not be a full blooded Indian alive on the Canadian Prairie nol when Riel led the Metis into re Bellion in father Lacombe and chief Crowfoot played important roles in keeping the indians from entering the the priest was the government representative on these occasions and was regarded As spokesman for the languages All his adult father Lacombe was a student of Indian he studied the Algonquin language in Quebec As a and his studies later took him from Labrador through the Northern United states to the Athabasca Ralph it is strange to think of a scholar and a priest amid scenes that father Lacombe has w i t it was one of the most fortunate happenings of my life that i chanced to be in Calgary and in the Little Mission beside the Chapel when chief Crowfoot came to pay his res peels to his old Blac habited in introducing Ralph to the old father Lacombe remarked that he had known Crowfoot when he was a Young Man and a mighty War the old copperplate roman smiled and swelled his Chest when this was As Crowfoot the priest reminded him of the attack on the Blackfoot band by the blood indians and what a Pickle father Lacombe and the chiefs the was in when he found himself in the thick of the at that old Crowfoot actually Ralph said the two men re presented the passing and the Domi nent roles of yet in my the Learned and Brave and kindly missionary is As much a part of the dead past As is the Royalty that Crowfoot was the last to father in Combe at 89 near of the Blackfoot in addition to the Boniface Street and the Alberta town which Bear his father Lacombe was remembered in the naming of a town 11 Miles Northwest of it was one of his Mission stations in 1861 and was incorporated As a town in the most recent tribute to his memory is the cars modern 24 Storey hotel in named be chateau solve a crime you be the detective by Gordon the new Young Tom is telling of finding a mans body washed up on the Bank of the River on the Western outskirts of the and of after he had succeed in cleaning off some of the Blond that had covered the face from a gaping wound on the fore he had identified the body As that of big Mike a local Gambler who been reported missing three Days you and the Young detective Are standing in the corridor of the building that houses the and you Haven yet seen the the reports have been out says win and the department has been on the Lookout for or for information As to his there have been lots of and complaints throughout the past year from Many of our Good citizens about some of the fast deals big Mike has slipped Over on and we even got wind of some threats made against him by some who lost Bice amounts of Money gambling with we thought at first that maybe some of these threats caused Blackwell to skip but now it looks As though someone got to clobbered him Over the and threw him into tie River where Hes been floating these three three Days you ask with upraised of i forgot to Tell the medical examiner established the fact that Hes been dead at least that that May be you but theres one gaping error in your Story of ill Chalk up to your Why what mistake did i make the Young mans face flushes As he stares at do you know what mistake Tom Winstell made solution and a Al to Obj Jjo i u i c 1 1 of Moos Nunom a aah Al Tanto of a knt Muj poom o Atn Job per ;