Charles Unwin did win, and became Moose Jaw's first mayor

Charles Unwin was the first mayor of the City of Moose Jaw.
Born in England in 1859, Unwin was 23 when he arrived in Winnipeg, then the gateway to the western wilderness that extended to the Pacific coast.
The building of the western portion of the transcontinental rail line had already begun and by the end of the 1881 season it had reached Flat Creek (now Oak Lake, Man.), 161 miles west of Winnipeg. The grading of the line reached present-day Moosomin and surveying of the route had arrived at Moose Jaw Creek.
In the spring of 1882, construction was off and running again and Charles Unwin saw an exciting future in railroading. He was hired as a wiper at the CPR shops in Winnipeg and in due course promoted to locomotive engineer.
In 1889 he was transferred to Prince Albert, where he married his Ontario-born sweetheart, Rebecca.
In 1895, he was transferred to Moose Jaw, a divisional point on the CPR main line, and served as locomotive engineer on passenger runs until 1901 when he was promoted to foreman of engines.
Once described as "one of our best most public spirited citizens," Charlie played leadership roles in his railroad Brotherhood, the Moose Jaw Masonic Lodge and civic politics. He ran successfully for mayor in 1902 and again in 1903.
Just about this time, Moose Jaw was starting to shed its frontier image. After years of drought, poor crops, depressed economy and declining population, things were beginning to turn around. Conditions improved, world wheat prices were more attractive and the population steadily increased.
Moose Javians were beginning to think about waterworks, street paving and electricity.
In November 1903, during Unwin's second term as mayor, he called a public meeting to gather support for council's action in applying to the Legislative Assembly for a city charter. The meeting was well attended and lively, with most speakers emphasizing the advantages of city status.
When all the questions had been asked and answered, Unwin called for a "rising" vote of approval for city status, and according to the report, "nearly all in the hall rose to their feet."
"I feel very grateful to the citizens and ratepayers . . . and offer thanks for myself and council," said Unwin.
In Nov. 23, 1903, Unwin and his councillors met for the first time as a city council.
The venue of the meeting was the old town hall on the northwest corner of Main and River Streets.
Two items on the agenda that evening were the approval of the city's new "moose head" seal as well as the approval of a $25 grant to the public reading room, a forerunner of today's public library. The grant was a pittance, but it was a start toward something better.
In 1906, hoping to overcome some health problems, Unwin, accompanied by Rebecca and two of their children, left Moose Jaw for an extended holiday in England.
From all accounts, the vacation was pleasant and Charlie "had not felt better for years and was in exceptionally good spirits."
However, one morning on the return voyage aboard the CPR steamship Empress of Britain, he suffered a massive heart attack while walking on deck and died within minutes. The ship's doctor, along with several passengers who were medical doctors, thought it advisable to bury him at sea since there was no embalmer on the ship's staff and port was several days away.
Later, the Moose Jaw Times recorded: "At 4:30 in the afternoon of the same day (Aug. 16, 1906), the mortal remains were consigned to the deep with Masonic Honours, there being 20 members of that ancient Order among the ship's passengers."
Rebecca and her children returned to Moose Jaw and lived here for the rest of their lives.
For years, Rebecca was Travellers' Aid representative with the Moose Jaw YWCA.
Orla, the youngest child, worked for the federal civil service in Moose Jaw for 33 years, retiring in 1965.
Clarke became a postal clerk and died at the age of 36 in 1933.
The eldest child, Ada, married A.W. (Pallie) Pascoe, a local sports enthusiast who became such a big booster for the city he was known from coast to coast as "Mr. Moose Jaw."