was established about this time. A post office existed 1886–1902 and 1914–1917. In 1887, Rev Henry (Father Pat) Irwin erected St. Peter's Anglican church and the first school opened. In 1888, St. Andrew's Presbyterian and the Roman Catholic church buildings were erected, and an incendiary device burned the vacant Branch hotel to the ground. During 1888 and 1889, John Houston published The Truth newspaper at Donald for about 14 months, before relocating to New Westminster. About this time, the CP hospital opened. In 1891, the Methodist church building was erected. In 1893, a fire destroyed Selkirk House and Patmore's store. The latter then moved into the former drugstore. By 1894, the town included several stores, three churches, a library/reading room, a doctor, two ministers, a constable, sheriff, lawyer, and jailer. That year, the IOOF hall was erected. Also, CP initiated legal action against property holders who had in good faith built in accordance with the original townsite plans upon land which CP later claimed was part of its Dominion grant. Following proceedings, CP seized the Woodbine Hotel the next year. In 1896, phones were installed at the train station, post office, and Nelles House. Later that year, the planned relocation of the CP workshops to Revelstoke and government offices to Golden was formally announced. In 1897, 42 students attended school in the public system and 26 in the private. Donald was at its zenith with a population of 400–500. Apart from the railway infrastructure, this was the East Kootenay headquarters for government offices, which included mining records, the gold commissioner, and a courtroom. The two leading stores were Manuel & Ruttan (1886) and Kimpton & Pitts (1885), which Kimpton acquired in 1890, and Pitts became a partner in 1896. R.W. Patmore ran the general store/post office. Forrest House (1885), which had been enlarged to three storeys, was a 15-bedroom hotel. Nelles Hotel and a boarding house also provided accommodation. By yearend, the new school building was completed, and the hospital had closed, medical services having transferred to Revelstoke. By March 1899, the station refreshments facilities were closed, the CP boarding house and icehouse moved, the butcher closed, and the school enrolments dropped from 60 to 30. Despite the losses suffered by residents as a result of the CP move, the only compensation provided by CP was free transportation to set up elsewhere. Forrest House hotel was demolished at this time.