edgarlavoie

TOM JOHNSON had no trouble finding mines

Tom (left) and Bill Johnson, 1936. Credit Johnson Family Album. This article was published on Saturday, May 11, 2024, in Thunder Bay Chronicle-Journal. In the summer of 1931, “Hardrock” Bill Smith staked claims on Kenogamisis Lake and sparked a short-lived gold rush. A year later, Tom Johnson, prospector, drawn to that lake, aka Little LongContinue reading “TOM JOHNSON had no trouble finding mines”

Beardmore’s Struggle With Empire

In 1925 Beardmore was just another lonely flag stop on the CNR line at Mileage 20.5 (measured from Jellicoe). Beardmore consisted of a section house (CNR property) and a section gang (a railway maintenance crew). Then someone struck gold at Mileage 19.5. Beardmore Gold Mines Ltd. worked the prospect for years with little success. InContinue reading “Beardmore’s Struggle With Empire”

EARLY LOGGING NEAR BEARDMORE

This info is reproduced from a Facebook page, people from Beardmore Ont. Info supplied by Susan Lind nee Sinclair. The truck appears to be transporting raw lumber. Roy Tansley was a major Beardmore logging contractor, and “Empire” is the alternate name for the rural community of Tansleyville, now part of Beardmore. No modern map recognizesContinue reading “EARLY LOGGING NEAR BEARDMORE”

MACKENZIE & MANN, TIRELESS DEAL-MAKERS – PART 2 of 2

On July 5, 1905, Fort William’s Daily Times-Journal, William Mackenzie commented on the rumour about Grand Trunk Pacific buying out Canadian Northern: “It is reported that when this latest report was shown to Mr. Mackenzie he simply _____. He also simply stiffened his jaws, That seems explanation enough. When Wm. Mackenzie _____s and stiffens hisContinue reading “MACKENZIE & MANN, TIRELESS DEAL-MAKERS – PART 2 of 2”

MACKENZIE & MANN, TIRELESS DEAL-MAKERS – PART 1 of 2

In July 1905, Donald Mann visited Port Arthur (now part of Thunder Bay). He and his wife arrived in their private railway car on the Canadian Northern Railway. There was talk about the Grand Trunk Pacific buying out the CNR. Donald Mann along with the co-founder of the CNR, William Mackenzie, were still trying toContinue reading “MACKENZIE & MANN, TIRELESS DEAL-MAKERS – PART 1 of 2”

WOLVES DON’T BITE : a Critique Part 2

Yes, timber wolves are a protected species in Ontario except when and where they are not. Almost from the beginning, Ontario tried to extirpate its wolves. Yes, “extirpate”, meaning something like “to encourage the destruction of wolves” (1914 Wolf Bounty Act). The first bounties began in 1793, when Ontario was still Upper Canada (“Of BountyContinue reading “WOLVES DON’T BITE : a Critique Part 2”

WOLVES DON’T BITE : A Critique Part 1

This book by James W. Curran, published in 1940, starts with a frontispiece. A frontispiece is an illustration or photo immediately preceding the title page. In books published today, a frontispiece is an anachronism. What a shame. But Curran is a writer from the old school, and he is about to teach us about lifeContinue reading “WOLVES DON’T BITE : A Critique Part 1”

THE GREAT NICKEL SPILL (A Footnote)

An Incident With a CNR Train in 1974 Because the Mint in Ottawa would not even allow me to ask this question, I posed it to Joe, a generative artificial intelligence entity. How are coins shipped from the Royal Canadian Mint in Ottawa to the banks? Answer from Assistant Poe: As an AI language model,Continue reading “THE GREAT NICKEL SPILL (A Footnote)”

THE GREAT NICKEL SPILL (Part 3 of 3)

An Incident With a CNR Train in 1974 News story from The Vancouver Sun, March 9, 1974: “DERAILMENT SPILLS COIN There’s nickel in them drifts OTTAWA (UPI) ̶ If you need a few nickels and are willing to brave sub-zero temperatures and dig through 14 foot snow drifts, you might find some along an 80Continue reading “THE GREAT NICKEL SPILL (Part 3 of 3)”

THE GREAT NICKEL SPILL (Part 2 of 3)

An Incident With a CNR Train in 1974 “I remember train crews remarking about how the roadbed was twinkling at night with the headlights shining on it.” Barry Scott, trainman, was one of many who responded to this writer’s appeal to memories of that 1974 incident. In another reply, Scott said “I was dispatching theContinue reading “THE GREAT NICKEL SPILL (Part 2 of 3)”