tenant farmers.

In 1840 the House sat from January 28 to April 29 without a break.
That meant that members from Prince County and Kings County
didn’t get home for three months.

No item was too
big or too small for
the consideration of
the Assembly. Dur-
ing the session of
1841 they agreed to
the construction of a
lighthouse for Char-
lottetown harbour,
and the construction
of a 560-foot-long
wharf at Ferry Point
opposite Charlotte-
town. They also ap-
proved plans for a
census of the Island
and to gather other
statistical informa-
tion. They took meas-
ures to encourage
education and also
pressed for a steam-
ship connection with the mainland to ensure mail delivery.

Other business seemed quite mundane, ranging from problems
with farm animals running loose in the streets of Charlottetown to
cases of individuals in dire need. Each case was discussed individ-
ually and then voted upon which was very time-consuming.

Some things were acted upon right away, but other items took a
lot longer. The Charlottetown lighthouse, though approved in 1841,
did not go into service until 1851. It is located at Blockhouse Point
on the western entrance to Charlottetown harbour. It was the second

49

 

Approved in 1841, the light went into service in 1851
and is basically unchanged to this day.