Bishop Grandin to Tache, Letter from St. Albert, 13 October 1870

Date: 13 October 1870

I have just learned this minute that tomorrow there will be an opportunity [to send letters] to Red River. I am profiting by it in haste in order to send you some news. I arrived from Carlton just a month ago today, and since that time, I have not stopped. Never has such an epidemic reigned over the country; this morning we buried the 124TH [underlined] without counting more than 60 dead on the prairie. The day after my arrival I left to go and see the sick on the prairie, with whom Father Fourmond has not stopped day or night. Father Andre and Father Scollen have left for Carlton, I have not yet had their news. I only spent two days on the prairie. On my return, Father Leduc, recovering from the illness, left for Fort Jasper. Father Bourgine is helping me, but he has to leave for Lac Ste. Anne where the illness has also broken out. I had to ordain Brother Doucet, who ministered to three of the ill the same day as his ordination. Neither the one nor the other of us stops. However, the gravity of the illness is beginning to diminish; the new cases are less grave. Never have I saw such a calamity. Entire families have almost disappeared. In all the houses there have been some ill and sometimes so many that nobody remains capable of caring for the others. I buried Johnny Cunningham yesterday, many of our most respectable people are dead. The illness has not penetrated the fort, it is closed to everyone. I do not know if they can close it to the illness. I desire it, because we have enough dead everywhere else. For some time, a brother with a cart and an ox has almost exclusively been occupied going to find the dead, sometimes to shroud them and bury them. We buried seven of them in a single ditch. Never have I seen such a calamity. There is no family which ahs not paid its tribute to death. Everyone is afflicted, and I am very much so for my part. The prairie is all on fire. For several days we have been fearing for our buildings, and probably most of our horses are dead. Our poor hunters on the prairie have also been taken by the fire. Several have lost their horses, their lodges and their goods. One man was reached by the fire, he was suffering terribly when I saw him. It goes without saying that our hunters cannot make any provisions, being nearly all ill or obliged to care for the ill. Therefore we are in uncertainty whether there will not be a severe famine next winter. However, there are many orphans which we must absolutely take in. There are too many children to be placed at the Sisters' and whom we have had to place in special houses. Since that time, some of them have been taken by the illness and have died, but there remain many others. I hope Mr. W. Christie, who is so charitable for our sick people, will also help us with our orphans.

In the pains, which have overwhelmed me, I have had a great consolation. That is the devotion of all our fathers, of our good sisters, and also of our brothers. Nobody has spared themselves. Several were taken by the illness, but thanks be to God none succumbed. Before my arrival here, two fathers, three brothers [and] one sister were gravely ill. All the orphans with the sisters were taken by the illness. I do not know how [the sisters] could hold out against utter exhaustion. Our poor sick people needed such devotion. This frightful illness inspires such estrangement that when one is attacked, all the neighbours are afraid and take great care in visiting them. Even relatives have been cowardly and, a very painful thing to say, several are dead for lack of care, for we cannot be everywhere.

Finally, another cause of consolation for the missionaries is the good disposition of the dying, the courage and resignation of certain heads of families who have seen most of their children die. I am so rushed that I hardly know what I am writing to you. I am nearly afraid that you will not be able to read me. I only learned of this opportunity on my return from the sick and I must send my letter to the Fort right away. I'm only talking to you of St. Albert, be it well understood. I know that the sickness reigns at Lac Ste. Anne, but little
since, and I do not know what ravages it has made.

I have not had any news about our freight, and I don't know when it will arrive. I have written nobody, I absolutely could not. Please tell all our fathers and brothers and others that I am not forgetting them. If I had foreseen this express, I would have written to the Rev. Mother Clapin. I will only be able to reply to her letters by the winter courier.

Just this minute, I have received some good news from the prairie. The sickness is greatly diminishing, and as I've told you, I think so here too. The new cases are generally less severs. I am running quickly to carry my letter to Mr. Chastellain [recte] for later I would have to send it to the Fort, and I don't have the means. At this moment all our brothers are in water, building an embankment on the river to put our mill there.

Your respectful and mindful son and brother in J[esus]. C[hrist].Vital-J. Bp. of SatalaO.M.I.P.S. My lord, since your diocese is not divided and there is a bishop at Lac La Biche who merits your confidence, you will not find it ill if I only occupy myself with this post and the surrounding posts.