About The Prairie Harvest Excursions
Between 1890 and 1930, harvest excursions were a major autumn event on the Canadian prairies. The CPR offered cheap train fares for easterners, $15 to Winnipeg, to work the harvest. They would be met by agents in Winnipeg and taken to specific locations across western Canada. This was before mechanical harvesters became practical, so there was a great demand for workers to bring in the millions of acres of wheat that gave Canada its reputation as "the breadbasket of the world." These excursions were amazingly popular, with, for example, over 30,000 harvesters in 1911. There were 54,850 in 1925, 9,471 were from BC, the rest from Eastern Canada.
"Five trips I made to the harvest fields between '21 and '26. Went for adventure the first year, then for the money." (An excursionist quoted in MacKenzie, 2002, p. 30)
The call would go out in mid-August, advertised by posters and other means. These were distributed in the United States and Britain, as well as eastern Canada. CPR would arrange for trains that were not exactly top of the line for accommodation, often using old Colonist Cars. In the '20s the trains were long, up to 20 cars carrying as many as 1,400 excursionists. Men and women from all walks of life would line up. Many times they had to sleep on wooden seats or the floor. Those who did not bring food with them were forced to buy from cagey entrepreneurs at ridiculously high prices.
"Some other women were on the train, quite a few in fact. The CPR put a nice car with cushioned seats on the tail end of the train for the women. It was nice. But the men were uncivilized in the other cars." (Female teacher who went on the excursion in 1924. (From MacKenzie, 2002, p. 27)
Once they arrived in the west, the money was good, especially since no experience was necessary, and board was provided. I've seen figures ranging from $1.75 to 3.25 for 10-12 hour days. In a detailed history, Glenn Wright gives an example of a man bringing home over $300 in 1926-a considerable sum when you realize a Ford car did not cost much more than $500 at the time.
The excursions were good business for the CPR, not because they made money on the train trips, but because many of the harvesters would experience the "call of the West." There are many stories of excursionists not purchasing the $20 return train fare and settling on the prairies. Since CPR owned most of the land, and controlled transportation, this was a good long-term investment.
"I went out in '26. Liked it so well I went back in '27, stayed out and homesteaded." (MacKenzie, 2002, p. 34)
The major fly in the ointment was vandalism perpetrated by some of the more exuberant harvesters. With such a long train trip (5-6 days in some cases), and very little to do, discipline became a serious problem. Considerable damage was wrought upon CPR property and some of the towns along the way. In 1921, the newly-formed Royal Canadian Mounted Police placed officers on the trains. They made themselves visible by wearing their red serge uniforms as they walked back and forth through the train. Despite the Mounties' presence, many of the townsfolk in stops along the line were wary of the strangers and made sure they did not feel welcome.
"My first excursion in 1919, well, it was a real donnybrook. Cape Bretoners smashed the windows out, they raided a barbershop in Ontario, taking scissors, razors, smocks on the train. Mounties were aboard the train the other years and things were quiet." (MacKenzie, 2002, p. 37)
Two things brought the excursions to a halt: (1) The Depression when the wheat market collapsed (see Hobos' Song to the Mounties for a look at this); and (2) The emergence of efficient mechanical beasts, combine harvesters, that reduced the need for a massive labour force to bring in the grain. By 1930 the excursions were gone.
There's a wonderful bit of Canadian history captured in these excursions. The song on the album captures this with considerable sensitivity, dealing with the longing for home that is part of such grand adventures.
In a sense, the excursions have not died. Some Alberta firms who recruit eastern Canadian workers for the oil sands have the 21st century equivalent. Some offer regular flights back east as a perk for signing on. It seems that, while things do change, they stay the same.
A. A. MacKenzie's "The Harvest Train" (Breton Books, 2002) provides an in depth look at the excursions from a Maritime perspective. It is full of harvester's descriptions of the excursion and contains some wonderful photographs.
This brief resource is a "work in progress." If you have any suggestions for corrections or additions please let us know.