Leaving The Colonist Train

My great uncles Arthur and Ernest Nevard joined the Barr colonists in England in April 03 to journey to what would become Saskatchewan and go farming. That was the plan but by the time the train reached Winnipeg, Manitoba, the uncles had decided to leave the colonist train and strike out on their own. Ernest went into his former trade of brick laying which was quite in demand in the growing prairie city. This letter, dated August of 1903 indicated they were seeking a refund of the $10 entry fee paid to the Rev. Barr for their homestead since they had by that time paid another entry fee on homestead land in what would become the Lipton, Balrobie district. What amazes me is how fast they worked. According to family history by the time winter began they had travelled to the new homestead in Sask. and built a good one room log house to live in. The letter is dated August of 03 so they must have worked fast to get all that done in just a few months. Makes me wonder how different life would have been if they had continued on with the colonists to the Lloydminster area.