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The item consists of a promotional video produced for the Government of British Columbia in 1982. Community self-help stories from Castlegar, Trail and Salmo.

The series consists of A.D. Turnbull's official papers as M.L.A., material relating to his time as Minister of Health and Welfare, in addition to his personal papers that reflect his association with various professional, national and community organizations.

The fonds consists of the records of Cominco Ltd., including those created under its previous name, the Consolidated Mining and Smelting Company of Canada Limited. Most of the records were selected by Cominco from its offices in Vancouver and Trail, B.C.

The fonds includes textual records, approximately 8700 photographs, maps, films and sound recordings which include oral histories with former employees. The records document the industrial activities, personnel, and the social history of the communities where the company was active.

Documentary forms include but are not limited to: correspondence; photographs; annual reports; news clippings and scrapbooks; lab reports; payroll records; journals, ledgers, cash books and other financial records; sound recordings of interviews, oral histories and radio broadcasts; transcripts connected with the Cominco oral history project; films (including those of mining operations); maps; informational publications, pamphlets and brochures about the company; engineering and geological reports; subdivision plans and city plans; property/lot plans; and the president's files.

Subject matter includes topics such as mineral exploration, mining, smelting, fertilizer production, research and development, legal matters, finance, personnel and labour relations, public relations and advertising, company history and environmental pollution.

Topics and locations reflected in the records include but are not limited to: Trail area operations at Warfield and Tadanac; the Sullivan mine at Kimberley; the Bluebell mine and concentrator at Riondel, B.C.; the Con mine in Yellowknife, N.W.T.; the H.B. mine and concentrator at Salmo, B.C.; Calgary facilities for production of ammonia, ammonium nitrate and urea; Benson Lake (Vancouver Island) mine and concentrator; the mercury mine at Pinchi Lake, B.C.; the Box mine at Goldfields (Athabaska Lake) Saskatchewan; Wedge copper mine at Newcastle, New Brunswick; Pacific Coast Terminals Limited operations in warehousing, docking, loading and shipping at New Westminster and Port Moody, B.C.

The records document Cominco’s operations in fields such as zinc die casting through the purchase of National Hardware Specialties Limited and its plant in Dresden, Ontario. The records reflect the continuing research and development carried out at Trail, and, after the mid-1960s, at the new research centre built at Sheridan Park, Ontario.

Records of subsidiaries and affiliates include those of operations in the United States and overseas. These include but are not limited to: Cominco Products, Inc. a wholly-owned subsidiary created to carry out fertilizer warehousing, liquid fertilizer conversion and product marketing at Spokane, Washington; the development of phosphate rock mining interests in Montana; the Magmont lead mine and concentrator at Bixby, Missouri; Rubiales mine, Lugo Province, Spain; the Black Angel mine and concentrator, Marmorilik Fjord, Greenland; and Cominco Binani Zinc Limited (CBZL) in India.

Photographs and textual records document the important role played by Cominco, beginning in the 1920s, in exploring the northern regions of the four western provinces and the Northwest Territories. The company pioneered aircraft prospecting which led to the discovery of gold, uranium, oil and copper. Exploration by Cominco influenced settlement patterns and laid the foundation for the creation of an aviation service in northern Canada.

The fonds also consists of records of Cominco’s participation in the Manhattan Project's heavy water production program during World War II. Textual records are contained in series MS-2500. Photographs are contained in series MS-3176, consisting of images which include: primary plant and secondary cell plant, (including construction of, starting in November 1942); the oxygen stripper tower, booster room, cooling tower, boiler plant, and evaporator building. See the files referring to Project 9, Heavy Water, No. 9 Project, or P-9 Project.

Other notable records include those concerning the international dispute between Canada and the United States over pollution from the Trail smelter and its effects on the agricultural lands in the U.S. Cominco was involved in an international tribunal in 1932 (Trail smelter dispute) as a consequence of sulphur-bearing smoke damage to crops. See file of negative filmstrips titled Smoke Control – Mathews films Tribunal Case 1932 [photographs]. Among other topics the photographs appear to include images of areas in Idaho and Washington State. They are possibly connected with MS-2500, box 457, file 1, “Survey of agricultural conditions (Mathews) - appendix D8”, dated 1935.

The fonds also consists of records of subsidiaries, affiliates, and predecessor companies, including the West Kootenay Power and Light Company Ltd. and the Canadian North-eastern Railway Company (previously Portland Canal Short Line Railway).

The fonds consists of the following six series: MS-2500 Cominco selected records; MS-3176 Cominco photographs; AAAA1498 Cominco films; AAAA1499 Cominco sound recordings; MS-0888 Summary of the history of Cominco; MS-0015 Cominco papers.

MS-2500 is an extensive collection of records selected by Cominco, from its offices in Vancouver, Trail, and elsewhere, for transfer to the Provincial Archives. The records include: annual reports, early correspondence, financial and legal records, research and development department records, records of metallurgical, smoke, chemical and fertilizer operations, diverse records of Cominco's various mines, subsidiaries, and affiliates, smoke control records, public relations department records, histories of Cominco, and personnel records.

The legal department series of documents are organized according to the Cominco assigned identifying number, the first two digits of which group the document by subject. For example, numbers beginning with .02 and .03 refer to legal documents re Rossland.

The public relations and advertising series of records were removed from their original filing sequences by Cominco staff for transfer to the Provincial Archives. In that process, evidence of their original order was lost and the series have been reconstructed by Archives’ staff on the basis of physical similarity. In cases where there was no evidence that files have previously existed as a series a note "put into series by Public Archives of British Columbia" has been put beside the series description. The public relations and advertising series contain files relating to the production and management of press releases, brochures on various Cominco operations, employee newsletters, information brochures for employees, shareholder information, some training manuals, files on donations made by Cominco to various community and recreational groups, and information prepared for submission to various regulatory and legislative bodies.

The history files series contains original records selected by Cominco officials because they were thought to be of historical interest. Records include: published and unpublished articles; notes on reference questions answered by the Cominco Library; correspondence, research notes, and draft manuscripts connected with the preparation of company histories; and notes, correspondence, lists of people interviewed, and transcripts connected with Cominco oral history project.

The old Rossland employment history cards series includes the following data on the cards: record card number, name, occupation, age, marital status, height, dependents, weight, nationality, birth, citizenship, last employer, length of employment, date leaving, signature, dates of employment, day rate and bonus earnings, clock number, department, division, classification of work, and reason for quitting, transferring or being laid off. Based on a sampling of recorded occupations, the cards appear to cover employment in the Trail operations as well as at the Rossland mines; specific place of employment is not stated on the cards.

In the insurance history cards in alphabetical order series, each individual represented in the file is documented by two cards. Card 1 contains the following information: name, man number, record of share certificates received, and occupation/job. Card 2 contains: date of birth, gender, marital status, nationality, date entering service, clock numbers, date of severance, reason, beneficiaries, certificate no. plan "A" group assurance c/w dates, certificate no. plan "B" group assurance c/w amount and monthly premiums, payroll deduction authorization c/w signature in full, man number and name.

The general payroll index 1898-1915, found in the IRD (industrial relations division) pay office records, Trail, records series, contains the following information: record of shifts worked, earnings per month, workplace, name, date of birth, nationality, married or single, pay period, clock no., balance, and pick-up balance. In 1916, a new format was introduced along with the existing format and additional information was captured, including: name, department, earning by month and shift, and total bi-monthly. In 1922, the format was changed to a bi-monthly debit-credit sheet with name, date of birth, nationality, marital status, period, ledger page reference, doctor, credit, balance and pick-up balance. In 1927 a “bonus” element was added. In 1932, there was another change in format and the following information was captured: clock no. name, workplace and/or job title, month, man number, month and hours worked, gross, tax, total, and bonus share.

The textual records include annual reports, correspondence, financial and legal records, research and development department records, records of metallurgical, smoke, chemical and fertilizer operations, smoke control records, public relations department records, histories of Cominco, and labour relations and personnel records.

The series consists of taped interviews and radio broadcasts, all relating to Cominco. The original recordings include audio cassettes, 3", 5", 7" and 10" reels and 8 track tapes.

T3135 to T3147 consists of thirteen oral history interviews with retired Cominco employees, recorded by students employed under the Young Canada Works Program in the summer of 1977.

Items T4217:1-2 consist of the proceedings of the annual general meetings for Cominco, 1978 and 1980.

T4245 consist of oral history history interviews, recorded from [197-] to 1982. Archives staff transcribed many of the interviews or kept content notes. Three of the interviews consist of notes or memoirs only, no taped recording. If a transcript of an oral history interview exists, it is noted in the file list. Documentation files containing notes on interviews are also indicated on the file list.

T4350 consists of oral history interviews with retired Cominco employees (1-42), recorded between 1977 and 1981, mainly by Dr. Joanne Pepper. It also contains recordings (43-88) of radio broadcasts and audio tracks for slide presentations, social events and pension rallies, all recorded between the 1950s and 1983. No transcripts exist for these recordings however some content notes exist in the accession file.

CALL NUMBER: T4135:0004 PERIOD COVERED: 1913-1983 RECORDED: Castlegar (B.C.), 1983-10-20 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Biographical information. Father wants to leave Doukhobor faith; comes to Brilliant in 1913; anecdote about immigrant train; communal life in Brilliant; privation of settlers; graft in commune; father quits commune and moves to Grand Forks; mother, ostracized because her husband left, leaves commune. Anecdote about Grand Forks brothel. Father moves to Trail; family moves to Blaine Lake, Saskatchewan; life in Blaine Lake; moves back to Trail in 1924; train and boat trip back; anecdote about boat ride; child molester; anecdote, father leaded in 1928; 1927 polio outbreak. TRACK 2: Recovery from polio; high school in Trail; father sick; Normal School in Victoria; Mr. McClarren, (principal) started first Doukhobor schools; teaching certificates; back to Trail in 1931; Doukhobor school trustee, Mr. Sheffield, offers her a job; anecdote about Sheffield coming to her house; teaches at Ootischenia school for 114 dollars a month. School in cobbler's shop; teacherage in commune; trials and tribulations of teaching; Sons of Freedom children returned from foster homes; salary cut to 90 dollars a month; moves to Glade, becomes principal; accident kills several teachers; Major Clarke takes over from Sheffield; Glade school bombed in 1936; rebuilt school burned same year it was rebuilt; was paid to call the roll at burned school to keep it open; anecdote about poor heat in school; guard at Glade School; reminiscences about recreation at Ootischenia; anecdote about Glade ferry. CALL NUMBER: T4135:0005 PERIOD COVERED: 1913-1983 RECORDED: Castlegar (B.C.), 1983-10-20 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Anecdotes about Glade ferry; recreation; relief camp at Shoreacres; ferry operation; relief camp worker anecdote; transients calling for food and clothing during the Depression; anecdote about clothing; KC jam factory; Brilliant Doukhobor library; Depression life and commerce; local economy of the Kootenays; CPR and local economy; first radio in Ootischenia; Pat Romaine on local economy; dances at the Castlegar community hall; anecdote about courting; Swedish immigrants in Castlegar; immigration during the 1920s; Ukrainians in Castlegar; Eremenko's first store; Plotnikoff's store; White Russians arrive in the 1920s; Castlegar boomed with car pools; bought land in 1943. TRACK 2: Kinsman Park donated to city; Pauline meets Pat Romaine; father in hospital; courting Pat Romaine; anecdote about homemade beer in Trail; anecdote about a dance at Deer Park; moving to Castlegar in 1944; brother killed at Cominco; father leaded at Cominco; moved in with parents; lead poisoning and compensation; brother killed on hill; Pat Romaine on unionism; conditions before unions; move to Deer Park; electioneering in Deer Park; party at road opening; Robert Sommers as Social Credit candidate; Pauline hired as teacher; bad feelings against her as a teacher; rewards of working with children. CALL NUMBER: T4135:0006 RECORDED: Castlegar (B.C.), 1983-10-20 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: How the children she taught turned out; discussion of modern school politics; one room school in Deer Park; difference in lifestyles; feuding between neighbours in Deer Park; fruit farm goes down hill; local packing house; [steam?] boats taken off lake in 1954; employment lost with boats; CPR buying policy; gyppo logging on lake; log picking; Renata fruit box factory; local economy dries up; Procter maraschino cherry factory; changing fruit markets; good fruit refused; pig farming; anecdote about pig farming; BC Tree Fruits; anecdote about fruit from Australia; Grand Forks war time seed farms; fruit market during the war; forestry employed people to cut fire trails and to work as fire lookouts. [TRACK 2: blank.]

PERIOD COVERED: 1917-1967 RECORDED: Trail (B.C.), 1983-06-27 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Background to organising in BC and Trail. He join the union in 1939; was a charter member. His birth date, 27 Oct 1905; first union bargaining with Blaylock; Blaylock's tactics. Harvey Murphy's tactics, opinion of Blaylock; Blaylock bargains on sick bed. Union gets men on Women's Cooperative Committee; Gop on Workmen's Committee. Union negotiates a dollar increase in first contract. Company store; company gave credit to men on job; organising union on job. Union go to court to get dues check-off. Opinion of Harvey Murphy. First steelworkers paid; Mine/Mill wins jurisdiction vote. Murphy sells out for a pension. Murphy one of the best. Explains shop steward system. Steel brings in several organizers for raid. Murphy was a communist. Union and Communists. TRACK 2: Anecdote about Goodwin's shooting. Union afraid of going out on strike because company might break union. Good for workers to join steelworkers. Steelworkers picnic; women's auxiliary meetings. Organising women into union; Belanger's were communists. Tillie Belanger ran for M.P. as a communist. Union was nicknamed Red Union and called Communist Union. Couldn't blame low membership on communist leaders. Murphy was a good orator and hard worker. Gop's wife leaves him over union work. Diamond took over after Blaylock but his style was to leave things to loggers. More opinions about Blaylock. Working conditions on the hill.

CALL NUMBER: T4101:0003 PERIOD COVERED: 1929-[no date] RECORDED: Kaslo (B.C.), 1983-06-29 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Started work for Cominco in 1929 on company docks. Went to Trail in 1930. Laid off in 1931 with other single men. Took freight across Canada; married in North Battleford and took wife on freights to Trail. Got work in 1932 as he was married. Met underground union people. Underground union formed into cells of about five men each. Man named MacDonald paid Evans to come to Trail. About 100 people were in the underground union. Evans had a couple of meetings and people decided to form a real union. Met in co-op garage. Organised on the job. Wore CIO button to break down fear. Relations with Italian workers. Company town. Old WFM men on hill. Anecdote about WFM organizer. Anecdote about Murphy. Observer at first negotiations. Was fired in 1949 for passing out leaflets about Ginger Goodwin's death. TRACK 2: Lost arbitration over firing. Blacklisted from work in Trail. Gets job at Reese-MacDonald mine. Anecdote about men threatening to go on strike if he is fired. Church prints leaflet to discourage Italians from joining Mine/Mill. Assessment of people working for union. Was demoted for organizing. Anecdote about discussion politics with General Manager. Called to general office; from bringing union papers on job. Communists in the Union. Red baiting on the job. Communists didn't hurt organizing. Communists resign thinking to help organizing drive; doesn't work. CALL NUMBER: T4101:0004 PERIOD COVERED: 1935-1983 RECORDED: Kaslo (B.C.), 1983-06-29 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Impression of Arthur Evans. Belenger talked to judge who sentence Evans. Burning of car. Belenger and Evans harassed by police. Burning Evans' car. Workmen's Committee implicated. Ladies Auxiliary organised as an appendage to the union. Impressions of Harvey Murphy. Impressions of Murphy. Organisation of Union Paper. Blaylock and Cominco; Blaylock's drive to dominate everything. Steel raid of 1950. Right wing for Steel. Mine/Mill and democracy. Mine/Mill workers elected to Workmen's Committee. Company gave pay raises to stop union organising. Downtown people talked about company benefits. Pollution in Trail. Company town and paternalism of the company. Anti-Mine/Mill people joined steel analysis of merger. TRACK 2: Steel fighting Mine/Mill/Steel arguments during raid. Strikes won by hearts and guts. Communist party and union decision. Murphy got in trouble once for making a decision without executive. Learned about unions by doing. Process of forming Local 480. Organizers knew about putting out leaflets and papers. Knew how to attack problems. Could see issues clearer than workers, i.e. health and safety. Some men had lead tests done in Spokane. Conditions on the hill. Dr. Endicott was a union sympathizer. Company doctors were not trusted. Company always looking out for shareholders. Workers never start battles (CIO) Evans car smashed. Company propaganda provoked fights. Took a long time for overcome company influence. Trail workers now give largest strike mandate in BC. Company store shuts down. Trail changed physically over time as did the workers.

CALL NUMBER: T3949:0001
SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Radio CJAT, Trail
RECORDED: Trail (B.C.), 1982-02-22
SUMMARY: TRACK 1: David Glover discusses: the origins of CJAT Trail, ca. 1931; relations with local newspaper; Glover's involvement with radio; radio's response to advent of television; CBC affiliation; network programs from Trail; radio personnel; technical evolution of station; early equipment at transmitter site; recording methods, including disc, wire, tape; station's place in the community; competition in the area; popular syndicated programming and its decline. TRACK 2: Discussion of the original transmitter site and tower; distant reception of CJAT. (End of interview)

CALL NUMBER: T3952:0001
SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Radio CJAT, Trail, ca. 1936-1942
RECORDED: Vancouver (B.C.), 1982-03-10
SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Rudy Hartman discusses: the popular radio drama series "Ghostwalkers", produced at CJAT by Mercer McLeod; Hartman's early duties at CJAT transmitter; management of station under Taylor Pearson and Carson; state of equipment and facilities; reception of outside stations in Trail; CJAT's network affiliation, programming; more on the "Ghostwalkers" series and Mercer McLeod; CJAT and WWII news; station personnel; CJAT heard in U.S. TRACK 2: Rudy Hartman discusses: hockey broadcast from Nelson; recording done on disc; programs on transcription discs; story about cat electrocuted by transmitter; broadcast coverage from CJAT transmitter; changes in radio broadcasting; "breaking into radio"; Sprott-Shaw Broadcasting School in Vancouver; production of "Ghostwalkers". (End of interview)

RECORDED: Trail (B.C.), 1982-06-05 SUMMARY: John was born in Rossland. He landed his first job in 1930 at Hunter Brothers Limited, and worked his way up to management. Shortly after Eaton's took over Hunter Brothers, he transferred to the Trail store, where he worked from 1954 to 1977.

Travelogue. Scenery and attractions of the West Kootenay region: Crowsnest Pass, the Kootenay Lake ferry, boating, fishing, the Glass House, Nakusp or Ainsworth hot springs, the retired sternwheeler S.S. "Moyie", golfing, Nelson curling bonspiel, caving, rodeo, spawning salmon, the Doukhobors, Fruitvale international dog show, miner's museum and Golden City Days Festival at Rossland, Wildlife Centre & Bird Sanctuary at Creston, hiking and skiing in the Valhalla Range. Other locales include Castlegar, Christina Lake, Grand Forks, Trail.

The item is a composite print of a travelogue film made in 1981-1982. It features the scenery and attractions of the West Kootenay region: Crowsnest Pass, the Kootenay Lake ferry, boating, fishing, the Glass House, Nakusp or Ainsworth hot springs, the retired sternwheeler S.S. "Moyie", golfing, Nelson curling bonspiel, caving, rodeo, spawning salmon, the Doukhobors, Fruitvale international dog show, miner's museum and Golden City Days Festival at Rossland, Wildlife Centre & Bird Sanctuary at Creston, hiking and skiing in the Valhalla Range. Other locales include Castlegar, Christina Lake, Grand Forks and Trail.

The item is a video travelogue. Scenery and attractions of the West Kootenay region: Crowsnest Pass, the Kootenay Lake ferry, boating, fishing, the Glass House, Nakusp or Ainsworth hot springs, the retired sternwheeler S.S. "Moyie", golfing, Nelson curling bonspiel, caving, rodeo, spawning salmon, the Doukhobors, Fruitvale international dog show, miner's museum and Golden City Days Festival at Rossland, Wildlife Centre & Bird Sanctuary at Creston, hiking and skiing in the Valhalla Range. Other locales include Castlegar, Christina Lake, Grand Forks, Trail.

RECORDED: Meadow Creek (B.C.), 1980-06 SUMMARY: [No content summary available for this interview.];

The item is an industrial film print made ca. 1977 from footage originally shot between 1934 and 1936. The compilation shows the company's mining, smelting and related operations in southeastern British Columbia including: the Sullivan Mine and concentrator at Kimberley; a power plant on the Kootenay River; the Trail smelter; and the fertilizer plant at Warfield.

SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Recollections of a B.C. United Church minister PERIOD COVERED: 1900-1962 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1976 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Reverend Lyn Clerihue describes childhood in Deloraine, Manitoba. Move to Deroche, B.C., 1907. Work as carpenter in mills. Decision to go into the Presbyterian ministry, 1913. Student fields.; Further education. Marriage and ordination. Pastorates at Britannia Mines, Port Moody, Fort William, Windermere Valley, Trail, Burnaby, Victoria, and North Vancouver. Out of retirement at Port Kells.; TRACK 2: Treasurer of conference and financial problems. Beginning of Development Fund of the United Church of Canada. The future of the Church.;

CALL NUMBER: T2002:0001 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Public health nursing ; a practical experience in involvement PERIOD COVERED: 1902-1950 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1976-02-02 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Miss Neen describes her personal and early educational background up to beginning nurses training in 1923; a description of life in the nurses residence, curfew and roommates; the emphasis of the course, lectures, duties, and Ward X; a statement of qualifications for nursing in 1923 and the size of the VGH class; a brief statement of jobs held after graduation; special nurse in Trail, Nanaimo and San Francisco; introduction to the Rotary Clinic, staff, location and an aside on relief. TRACK 2: More on the Rotary Clinic and treatment available for TB patients; isolation techniques, enforcement and placarding; a brief recollection of Dr. Norman Bethune and his visit to Vancouver; changes in the Rotary Clinic; association with VGH; amalgamation with Metropolitan Public Health staff in 1936 and changes in treatment with the introduction of PAS and streptomycin; a discussion of the effects of the Depression on health units; the growth of baby clinics; services, restrictions and time spent at; involvement in social work; referrals to out-patients VGH, Social Services; Children's Health Centres. CALL NUMBER: T2002:0002 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Public health nursing ; a practical experience in involvement PERIOD COVERED: 1940-1965 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1976-02-02 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Involvement in school health programs and an anecdote about Miss Elizabeth Breeze; activities in schools, examinations, iodine tablets, athletics; growth of mental health program and an anecdote about TB derangements and problem of civil rights and forced hospital admissions; public health nurse and changes in VD clinics; anecdotes of follow-up situations; Shanghai Alley at Alexander and Cordova Streets; Stella the prostitute. TRACK 2: A continuation of the story of Stella; the Stafford Hotel and the issue of money; Miss Neen took a supervisory course and McGill in 1947 and returned to coordinate the TB program; a description of the mobile TB units and their locations; the involvement at Oakalla, including the installation of the TB units; staffing and training, the hospital, problems, security, and an anecdote about arriving at the prison gates; anecdote about a Lancashire man as an example of the scope and involvement of a public health nurse; retirement in 1963 after forty years in service.

CALL NUMBER: T4049:0004 - 0005
RECORDED: Chemainus (B.C.), 1976-11-25
SUMMARY: Early reception, CKMO, wages and money, first Vancouver stations, CKWX, battery-powered transmitter, CKWX start, equipment, disc cutters, broadcasting singer, records, CJAT Trail, CKWX transmitter, drama program from Trail.