Showing 18 results

RECORDED: [location unknown], 1973-08-15 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Billy Thomas recalls growing up in the Chemainus area around the 1870's. His father came into the Cowichan district about 1862. Mr. Thomas describes early Chemainus; the mill; schooling; rail;way; water transportation; roads; clearing land; and cattle farming. [TRACK 2: blank.]

Amateur film. B&W: Parade. MacMillan Bloedel lumber yard. COLOUR: Beach. People, bagpiper, rocks, etc. Boat trip; passes fishing town, some sort of plant. Train trip (by CPR to Qualicum from Parksville?); scenery; a fair with races, games, eating, etc. Royal visit: Victoria (Douglas and Yates); Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip [?]; good shots of street and buildings; the Empress Hotel in full decoration. 1958 May Day, dancers, parade.

The fonds consists of records documenting the professional and personal life of Donald MacLachlan. The predominant theme of the records is MacLachlan's involvement in the Esquimalt and Nanaimo Railway, its history, operations, and advocacy when threatened with closure. The records contain textual material, photographs and plans, maps and drawings both created and collected by MacLachlan.

Television stock shots

Television stock shots

Television stock shots. News insert material about the Esquimalt and Nanaimo Railway on Vancouver Island.

News item. The CPR wants to abandon the E&N railway line because two trestles need extensive repair. Unidentified spokesman says BC government is willing to buy the line if the CPR will return all the free land it received when the line was first put in.

RECORDED: [location unknown], 1965-08-08 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mr. Cox recounts his family coming to Alberni; his grandfather worked at the Cape Beale Lighthouse in 1879; his father was the first Provincial Policeman in Alberni; his mother's father [Kirkpatrick] was the first blacksmith and came to Alberni in 1886. He describes Indian ceremonial dances he witnessed performed at Alberni in the longhouses; he discusses Indian culture and language. He recalls Alberni mills and logging the town; and schooling. TRACK 2: Mr. Cox continues his recollections about Alberni; transportation; the stage; railway; water transportation; doctors; miners; policing; automobiles; roads; Port Alberni; early settlers; and farming. He recalls his work on the CPR ships that went from Alberni to Victoria, stopping at Port Renfrew and Clo-oose. He talks about the telegraph trail and station at Bamfield; the wreck of the "Carelmapu"; stopping at Ucluelet and Clayoquot; the whaling stations.

RECORDED: [location unknown], 1965-08-06 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mrs. King, nee McKay, recounts the arrival of her family at Union Bay; she and her brother were the first white children born in Union Bay; her mother was the district nurse. She recalls early life in Union Bay; Cumberland; bank and store robberies; construction of the railway; Hindu workers; her family's farm; schooling; coal mining; "One-Eye Anderson", Adolph Anderson; Denman Island residents; Hornby Island residents; reminiscences of Union Bay past and present. [TRACK 2: blank.]

The item is an audio recording of an interview with George Lutz and Jack Vetleson in 1974.
T0538:0001 track 1: Lutz and Vetleson came to Nimpkish Valley, 1943-44. Story of Lutz's arrival, 1943. Description of Englewood B.C. ca. 1943. Bunkhouse conditions, 1940s. Description of Immigrant labourers. Hiring practices and anecdotes about hiring practices. Holiday shut downs. Anecdotes about loggers and alcohol. Attitudes toward loggers. "Spending sprees". Loggers' salaries. Falling techniques and early chain saws. "Eight Day Wilson" and other legendary loggers. "Mancatchers" and other anecdotes.
T0538:0001 track 2: Anecdotes about drinking. "Mancatcher" story (cont'd). Vancouver "hangouts" of loggers. Black's (a loggers' agency). Working conditions in tough camps. Loggers' financial problems. Problems with coastal travel and transportation. Ship schedules to Englewood. Anecdotes about loggers' games and competitions. Description of railway logging. Bringing in a locomotive to the Englewood area and re-building the railway line, ca. 1946. More on railway logging (methods and techniques).

T0538:0002 track 1: Learning how to run different types of equipment (grapples, cat-sides). Duties of the Equalizer (foreman). Uses of the steam locomotives and laying track. Moving a skyline, by hand. Lack of concern for minor injuries. Anecdotes about card playing, movies and recreation. Laying track, runaways, accidents while working on the railway. Anecdotes about working on the railway. Replacing the steam locomotives. Anecdotes about the camp sanitation facilities. Rough-housing in the camp.
T0538:0002 track 2: Community life in Woss. Laying in and cutting wood supplies for the winter. Superintendent McEachern, C. Hunter and railway anecdotes. The process of building the railway. The track laying machine built at Englewood. The many uses of powder and blasting. The innovative nature of loggers. Sam Madill equipment manufacturer. Using old logging equipment. Superintendent Russell Mills. Making logger's punch. Safety concerns in the 1940s. Introduction of hardhats, 1952-53.

T0538:0003 track 1: Work safety, 1940s through 1970s. Establishment of first safety committee in the Nimpkish Valley, 1948-50. Problems enforcing safety regulations, 1970s. Safety rallies in 1950s-60s. Working in the winter, 1940s. Camp pets, anecdotes. First aid men, 1940s and 1970s. Single men and married men in camp. Choosing supervisory personnel, 1970s.
T0538:0003 track 2: Supervisors in 1949. Worker advancement in the 1940s. Management of loggers in 1940s and 1970s.

Also included are two photographs.

The series is a 1930 locomotive fuel book in one volume, listing fuel taken on and consumed by the E & N's oil fired locomotives. Also lists operating engineer and fireman (index to locomotives on page 2). Notes in volume include 1936 bi-election results (p. 26) and lyrics of popular songs (p. 51-57).

The fonds consists of records documenting the professional career of Stan Humphrey. As a train dispatcher for the E&N Railroad, the records relate to his work as an employee for the E&N and primarily his union work for the Order of Railroad Telegraphers. The records include minutes, correspondence, timetables, constitutions, and human resources records as well as 8 black and white prints. In addition, there is an sound recording of the last morse code messages via telegraph dispatched by Humphrey at the Esquimalt Station on July 12, 1973.
There are also some historic E&N records that Humphrey collected that date from 1905.

CALL NUMBER: T0816:0001 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1965-08-06 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mr. Menzies describes the early churches of the Comox-Courtenay district. His father [Thomas Menzies] was a Presbyterian minister, and later an independent member of the Legislature in Victoria. Mr. Menzies recalls his early life in the Comox area; schooling; Cumberland; Royston; Union Bay; Dunsmuir and the E & N Railway; Courtenay; early settlers; Joseph McPhee; Comox; logging and farming. TRACK 2: Mr. Menzies continues with his description of early Comox and Courtenay; early settlers; Indians; Robb family; Muir family; schools and school teachers; Royal and Canadian navies; hotels; pioneers including Fred Burns and the Parkins family; logging.

CALL NUMBER: T0816:0002 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1965-08-06 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mr. Menzies describes early logging in the Comox-Courtenay area; headquarters; Bevan; Sandwick; Duncan family; transportation; railways; World War I; the Grants. [TRACK 2: blank.]

Television stock shots

News item. An old CPR engine and passenger car (Victoria Pacific) are being moved from the junction of the Old Island Highway and the Trans-Canada Highway to Ladysmith. Restoration will take place there, possibly for a short run, a CBC television series pilot, or a museum display, or all three. Short but very interesting footage.

RECORDED: [location unknown], 1965-08-10 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mr. Prescott recalls his coming to Alberni by automobile in 1907 to take the position of Royal Bank manager; his first impressions of the community, and the reasons he decided to stay. He discusses the boom years in Alberni from 1907 to 1913; the start of the railway in 1911; logging; mills; subdivision; World War I; Port Alberni; first settlement in Alberni; Alberni Land Company; Captain Stamp; mills; Gilbert Sproat; and Anderson's Mill from 1860 to 1864. Mr. Prescott recounts his career in banking; his transfer to Vancouver at the age of nineteen; his impressions of Alberni; farming in the area; dairy farming; and pre-World War I. TRACK 2: Mr. Prescott continues his discussion about Alberni; residents; land clearing; vegetation; logging; Indian reserve; Bob Roberts; potlatches; working for the bank; first bank in Alberni and Port Alberni; his employment in timber transactions; early settlers and the community centre.

CALL NUMBER: T0697:0001 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1964-03-16 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mr. Pinson recalls his early years (1910 to the 1950s) railroading in BC. He talks about many incidents and events which occurred while railroading on the BC Electric; bootleggers; freight; passenger trade; winter storms; the route through the Fraser Valley; the "Owl"; scheduled trains; freight trains; special trains; train accidents; and "the juice line". TRACK 2: Mr. Pinson continues discussing the route through the Fraser Valley; bootleggers; farm freight; BC Electric and the building of the Alaska Highway; passenger service; excursions; Bradner and the Japanese gardeners; farmers and characters along the train line; famous trainmen; motorman skills and train terms.

CALL NUMBER: T0697:0002 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1964-03-16 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mr. Pinson recalls problems with gangs of kids; miners on the E & N route; the "Nanaimo Street Gang". He talks about the years 1910 to 1915 on the E & N; building the line; industries and communities along the route. He discusses wildlife along the line; hunters and fishermen's special trains; game wardens; fishing. [TRACK 2: blank.]