 |
March 16, 2001
History is shared memories of many
|
Writing on a wide variety of heritage topics and acquiring photographs
for this column requires help from a variety of sources. The phone calls,
e-mails, and letters I get are very much appreciated. Today I want to thank
a few people who have been helpful recently, in response to recent articles
on Callander Bay. Before doing that, let me thank all of the people in
general-too numerous to mention-who have helped me on this column from
the start; your help has been invaluable.
Last week when I said there were no more alligator tugs in existence,
other than in museums, I was thinking of the classic ones built on a flat-bottomed
scow. Dave Stewart, from Cache bay, drew my attention to a latter day steel
alligator still in existence in Sturgeon Falls. It is the "Miss Emily"
owned by Richard Lalonde.
There is a brief profile of it in Wayne Lebelle's West Nipissing Ouest
1998 (p. 167). The "Miss Emily," built in 1946, has a steel hull and is
twenty-six feet long, three feet wide, and is powered by a two-cylinder
gasoline engine. It has the usual alligator winch on its bow, and has pulled
itself out of the water on a number of occasions. It was built for the
Gordon Lumber Company of Cache Bay and sold to the Goulard LumberCompany
when the Gordon Lumber Company closed. Sturgeon Fallscentenarian, Reuben
McNiell, acquired the "Miss Emily" and Richard Lalonde, who was a friend
of Reuben's, acquired it when Reuben died at 101years of age in 1995.
After considerable restoration, Richard launched the tug and named it
"Miss Emily," after his daughter. The "Miss Emily" may be on display at
the Callander dock, as a part of the boat festival this summer.
|
|
Richard Lalonde's Alligator the "Miss Emily." Wayne Lebelle
photo.
|
Stan Darling, who was born in the Dr. Dufoe house that became the Callander
Bay Heritage Museum, provided me with the names of Captain Victor Darling's
two daughters. They have provided me with useful information for a profile
of Victor, outlining his long career as a Captain on Lake Nipissing on
several boats mentioned here.
Several people have provided information on the Smith Lumber Company
including Doug Smith, former Smith VP, who-with his cousin Bill -wound
down the Smith Mill in the mid 1960s. Bill died just before Christmas.
Jaffray Smith, the son of long time president Christie Smith, has also
provided some excellent information, including some photographs.
The Smiths had a thirty-six foot yacht called the "Jingo" which was
used by the family for both business and pleasure for many years. It later
went through several owners and is now being restored by Jeff Campbell
of Callander. Jaffray Smith has provided Jeff with some of the boat's early
history. The photo of the "Jingo" was provided by Jeff Campbell.
Yvette Boyce called to talk about her decade working as the cook on
the "Jingo" and at the Smith "Cottage."
|
|
The former Smith Company yacht, the "Jingo." Photo
|
Mrs. Evelyn Mason, Mac's Wife, and their daughters Heather and , provided
information about Mac's work on the "Jingo" and other Nipissing boats.
Russ Setchell called from Sturgeon Falls to tell me about his grandfather
and father who had long careers with the Smith Lumber Company as "walking
bosses." His grandfather came to Frank's Bay with the Smith company in
the mid-1880s. Satchel Bay and Satchel Lake are named after him. The Setchel
family originally owned the property where the Pinewood Motel was built.
Russel's grandfather and father, and other members of the family, are buried
across the road in the Nipissing Cemetery. Russ provided me with several
photos, including the one of the Smith office in Field.
|
|
The Smith Lumber Company office in Field, with manager William
Setchell.
|
As mentioned last week, Gilbert Turgeon worked on the Woodchuck, the
Seagull II and the Siskin for several years. He provided me with some excellent
history and photographs.
|
|
Gilbert Turgeon, left, shares memories with Paul Mack, a
historian and columnist Doug Mackey's son and partner.
|
Gilbert directed me to Lucien Fecette, whose father Lou was a carpenter
for the Smith Company for years. Lucien provided me with several excellent
photographs including the one of his father, taken on the last day of operation
of the Smith mill in 1967.
|
|
The Smith mill on its last day of operation, Lou Fecette
on right.
|
Bruce Hart, and his wife Muriel (Kingsbury), provided me with history
on Callander's Payette Lumber Company where his father held a senior position.
Bruce took me to an interview with Henry Ouellette, who worked for the
Smith company for years as a driver after a long career working in the
bush.
Clive Way, who once owned the cabin shown a couple of weeks ago on the
cover of Community Voices, let me look at an old ledger book from the Smith
Lumber Company that provided fascinating information on their history,
including the names of the workers and their salaries from that particular
era.
Dean Zimmerman- a history buff from Hagar-gets Community Voices second
hand, but has provided me with some interesting information of the West
arm of Lake Nipissing. A copy of the fascinating book Pioneering on the
CPR outlines the work of the doctors who worked on the CPR in the1880s.
One photograph shows North Bay's first doctor, Archie McMurchy, with
a CPR doctor, Dr. Howey, from Sudbury.
Heritage Perspective Home Page
|
Past
Forward is now on Facebook "LIKE" us to keep in touch