Coal Tyee History Project: Bright and Granby Mine Descriptions. Angela Ruscoff and Tanner Willgress. History 340 F16N01. Professor Katharine Rollwagen

Transcription

1 Coal Tyee History Project: Bright and Granby Mine Descriptions Angela Ruscoff and Tanner Willgress History 340 F16N01 Professor Katharine Rollwagen October 25, 2016

2 !1 Bright Mine The Bright Mine operated between 1950 and 1953 and pulled 199,558 tons of coal out of the Douglas seam during its production dates. From 1951 to 1952 the Bright mine produced 92% of Nanaimo s coal, most likely due to being one of the last working mines in Nanaimo. Located in the Cranberry district, the Bright Mine was owned and operated by Canadian Collieries (Dunsmuir) Limited which owned the majority of mines throughout Vancouver Island. The mine was relatively safe, documenting only 13 minor injuries and one serious injury throughout its 3 years in production, and working conditions were inspected to be satisfactory. As the mine began to slow in production, extraction through pillar removal was the last means of accessing the coal. This worked by removing the pillars that hold the mine shaft roof on the way out of the shaft as the last remnants of coal were exposed. Bright closed due to the area being depleted of coal after only 3 years, meaning that the area may not have been as rich with coal as it was believed to be. The Bright Mine is most noted as the last mine in production and marked the end of the Nanaimo coal boom with its closure on November 27, 1953.

3 !2 Bibliography MacDonald, R.C. Minister of Mines Province of British Columbia Annual Report Victoria: Don McDiarmid, PublicationsCatalogue/AnnualReports/Documents/AR_1950.pdf. Nanaimo Community Archives. Bright Mine. Mines- Bright (Chase River). Info File. Accessed September 29, Sommers, R. E. Minister of Mines Province of British Columbia Annual Report Victoria: Don McDiarmid, PublicationsCatalogue/AnnualReports/Documents/AR_1952.pdf. Sommers, R. E. Minister of Mines Province of British Columbia Annual Report Victoria: Don McDiarmid, PublicationsCatalogue/AnnualReports/Documents/AR_1953.pdf.

4 !3 Granby Mine The Granby Mine opened in 1917 and maintained production until Throughout the 15 years of production, the Granby mine had many accidents causing injuries and death. Explosions plagued the shafts as released methane gas build ups would cause explosions and subsequent coal collapses. Other recorded accidents include crushed bones from mine car crashes and equipment malfunctions. The mine was owned by the Granby Mining, Smelting, and Power Co. Ltd. rather than the Canadian Collieries (Dunsmuir) Limited which owned the majority of coal mines on Vancouver Island. Although the mine was notoriously dangerous, the town was immaculate. Located in what is now the town of Cassidy, Granby was considered the most idyllic coal mine company town. Prominent British Columbia architect Alfred Taylor, also known for designing the Lions Gate Bridge, was the lead architect for the Granby community. The community mimicked contemporary suburbia as it featured plumbing, electricity, and a general store. The residential buildings in Granby were California bungalows styled with balconies, gardens, and outlined with sidewalks. The dangerous nature of the mine, as well as the rising popularity of oil, caused Granby mine to close in 1932.

5 !4 Bibliography Fletcher, Philip. Cassidy Granby Mine (Five Years Later). Mines Cassidy-Granby Mines. Nanaimo Community Archives. Info File. Accessed October 24, 2016 Granby Company Has A Model Mining Town At Cassidy. Nanaimo Free Press. Golden Jubilee, Heritage Register. City of Nanaimo. Accessed October detail.aspx?id=205&zoom_highlight=go. Mine Deaths and Accidents. Nanaimo Archives. Accessed October 24, Sloan, William. Annual Report of the Minister of Mines For the Year Ending 31st December Victoria: William Cullin, PublicationsCatalogue/AnnualReports/Documents/AR_1917.pdf. Sloan, William. Annual Report of the Minister of Mines For the Year Ending 31st December Victoria: William Cullin, PublicationsCatalogue/AnnualReports/Documents/AR_1918.pdf.