LONGTIN, JOSEPH ARSENE - (426 - ENGLISH)

LONGTIN, JOSEPH AND HIS HORSE, ELIE (Elijah? Elias?)



JOSEPH Arsène Longtin was originally from the province of Quebec.  On January 10th, 1908, Napoléon Chouinard and he became owners of the California Market in Dawson City.  In November, they staked out a mining concession on the Partridge Creek, five miles (8 km) before the mouth of the McQuesten River.

At the beginning of the 1920’s, Longtin set up in Mayo.  He was the owner of lands  and of buildings: stables and one business place for his wood –and-water delivery  business.  During many years with his horse in tow, he sold water to the residences at .25 cents a bucket. When his faithful companion began to show his age and on some days refused to pull the water wagon which carried the reservoir of water, Longtin did not force him.  Thus the town lived according to the horse’s humor and some days they even lived without water! Everyone knew About Elie (or Elijah) the horse who always wore a straw hat, which, regardless of his whims rendered a lot of service to the village.  In fact, he even pulled the fire-wagon over and above the water wagon!

Over the years, Jos Longtin had many jobs.  He was a street scavenger (should we say, garbage collector), mail carrier between the wharf (the pier) and the post office, police chief, and during the 1940’s, janitor at the school in Mayo.

He adored cats and kept a dozen at his home. He even installed a staircase for them; it lead to a small door (which opened and closed on itself)  in the upper wall, above his bed.  This way, his cats could go when and where they wished from the inside to the outside and vice versa.

Longtin was a member of the tennis club in Mayo, and brought it considerable support. From the very beginning in 1926 and until 1938, he was a member of the Administrative Council of the Mayo hospital.

At the end of the 1940’s, Joseph Longtin still lived in Mayo; later he retired to the Ambassador Hotel in Vancouver, British Columbia.



Ref. Empreinte, vol.11, pages 96-97