Editorially speaking...
There is hope for the future.
In response to my recent two-part series on the 1900 Ladysmith train wreck, a new subscriber kindly wrote to tell of taking his 11-year-old son metal detecting.
Hours of scratching and metal detecting came up almost empty, indicating that the wreckage was thoroughly cleaned up after the collision between two coal trains over a century ago. —Author’s photo
“TW: I enjoyed reading your articles in the local paper when I moved to Maple Bay in 2014. I originally hail from Hope, BC where there is a pretty colourful history. I know the Cowichan Valley has some too, just not as well publicized as the gold rush activity through the Fraser Canyon.
“I am like you and want to see it and feel it (the history that is), and picked up metal detecting around 2019. I...am researching new areas to hunt. Lately...I have [found] some old buttons, shotgun shells and a 1913 ‘largie’ one cent and some old pick axes and wedges....no Chinese relics though! Not done...yet so maybe one day!
“Fortunately my 11 [year old] boy loves the history and abandoned places/things as much as I do so we get out and explore what we can when we learn of something new. We recently got back from Hope and tackled 5 mine adits in one day and [am now] planning our next adventure in the Fraser Canyon...likely towards Yale this time.
“I keep joining new FB pages and [I’ve] recently been scouting out the old abandoned 'flag stops' on the E and N railway as I would like to hike into some of those spots next with my metal detector (I swing the Garrett AT Pro). I see you guys recently visited the [site] of the old locomotive crash near Ladysmith.
“Anyway, love what you do and I admit I need to catch up on the history you have documented. If you ever get out or want a hand hunting a site, I would love to tag along!”
In a follow-up to my congratulating him on encouraging his son’s interest in history, he explained, “Yes, my boy loves the history and anything abandoned. He has a great little Garrett Ace 400 metal detector but it’s like fishing for him right now.....too slow!
“He will get there. I get out a ton with my AT Pro but either way we like to check out new [sites]. I think we will get out this weekend for some spots on the E&N rail line [and] hoping to track down some more adits... We found 3 but [have] a few more to check out and take some photos!”
Gerry Wellburn, stamp collector extraordinaire and saviour of B.C. logging and railway history. —Canadian Philatelist
http://antique.vccc.com/pioneers/wellburn/wellburn.html
The post on Gerry Wellburn, father of the B.C. Forest Museum/Forest Discovery Centre, drew this response from Alison:
“Many thanks for your article on Gerald Wellburn. I had the good fortune to work one summer (1970?) with the school program at the Forest Museum under Patrick Phillips (Gerry's grandson) and Gerry would pop in once in awhile.
“A favourite activity of the children was riding the pump car!
“A few years later and now employed by Kent Allan Design in Victoria, I had another opportunity to spend time at the site. The company was creating a brochure for the BC Forest Discovery Centre and because I lived in Duncan, it was my job to draw a map of the centre. Good memories!”
And from Michael: “A snippet of information from your Wellburn article caught my attention. You referred to the 'Old One Spot' Shay as being the first in BC.
“In fact, the Granby mine in Phoenix BC ran a three cylinder Shay between Phoenix and the Smelter in Grand Forks to pull ore to the smelter in 1900. The Shay with three cylinders had lots of torque and could pull trains up to an 8% grade (most rail does not do more than 3%) and the short frame meant it could handle tight radius curves, everything needed for a logging railway.
“Great story, always appreciated.”
Then: “No sooner had I shared my bit of knowledge about the Shay in service on the CPR line between Phoenix and Grand Forks, but a visit to the local Museum (Duncan Station) has a small write up and photograph of the Mt. Sicker mine and railroad in 1901. Again there is reference to the incredibly robust articulated three cylinder Shay in service between the mine and Crofton.
‘With the grades and small radius curves on Mt. Sicker the line, I'm not surprised. I should have thought of it. Always fun, Michael.”
The Lenora, Mt. Sicker Railway Was an ‘Engineering Marvel’
The Nanaimo Historical Society is about to begin a new season with anther monthly series of virtual meetings via Zoom.
Likely of particular interest to women is this month’s speaker, Haley Healey, the author of On Their Own Terms: True Stories of Trailblazing Women of Vancouver Island and More Stories of Trailblazing Women of Vancouver Island. She’ll discuss the processes she took to research and describe the lives and times of these remarkable women.
Time: Sept. 9, 2021 07:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
You can learn more by Googling Nanaimo Historical Society.
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