Bellevue Underground Mine Tour
Crowsnest Pass, Alberta
www.bellevuemine.ca
Miner History
UNDERGROUND COAL MINERS’ MANTRIP
Bellevue Underground Mine Project Description
Introduction
The Crowsnest Pass Ecomuseum Trust Society is a non-profit organization established in 1989, whose main project is the Bellevue Underground Mine. The Trust is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors. Through collection, preservation, exhibition, research, interpretation and programming, we will educate and inspire the public about the unique application of art and science to underground mining in the Crowsnest Pass and the important part it played in shaping our diverse community.
It is our mission to preserve and promote the Bellevue Underground Mine Tour and Museum. Through interpretation and programming we will educate the public about the unique application of art and science to underground mining in the Crowsnest Pass and the important part it played in shaping our diverse communities.
Our vision is to preserve the Bellevue Mine as a realistic example of an operating coal mine. We want to delight our guests with a unique experience where they can develop a real understanding of and appreciation for what life was like for coal miners, their families and communities during the first half of the 20th century.
The extraordinary aspect of the experience we offer is to demonstrate first hand “antique” mining, the way mining was performed in the early 1900s. Mining during this time was with men and muscle, without the advantage of machines.
Prospecting for coal in the Crowsnest Pass began in earnest in 1898, with the completion of the CPR through the eastern slopes of the Rockies. Brave miners and homesteaders were soon to follow, and the communities sprung up around each of the mines.
In 1901 Jules Fleutot and C. Remy of British Columbia came to the Crowsnest Pass to prospect for coal. West Canadian Collieries purchased 20,000 acres and the Bellevue Underground Mine was created. This property could boast 6 seams of good bituminous coal, of which only 4 were mined. From 1903 – 1961, 90% of the 13,000,000 tons taken out of the mine came from the first seam.
Every man working at a mine was assigned a number. This number would correspond with his brass “miners tag”. If the man worked underground, he would give one of his tags to the lamp man, who would then place in on the check board in the lamphouse. This is how they could keep track of those inside the mine at any given time. Another tag would be kept deep in their pocket. If ever there was a disfiguring accident in the mine, this tag number may be his only means of identification. Prior to the introduction of a tag, men would wear jewellery or something familiar to their families, intended to be an identifying item. After an extremely devastating accident, one mother felt she was able to identify her son by the stitching of his clothing.
In the case of the Bellevue Underground Mine, the men would progress down the “manway” which is an underground tunnel designated for their entry to the mine. (Part of the well worn stairs can still be seen on our tour). Once they emerged from the manway, they would walk about 2,000 feet to the top of the #8 slope where they could catch a ride on the “mantrip” a redesigned railway car on rails that would transport men to the bottom of the slope. Because the mine was 3.69 miles or 5.6 kilometres in length with over 240 km. of tunnelling, it would often take miners 1 – 1/2 hours just to get to their work place (in the early years), and they were not paid for their travel time.
A man worked hard for the privilege to be an underground coal miner. For months he may hike early every morning to the mine site, hoping for the nod of the boss in your direction to say there was work available. The progression of jobs may take you from work in the tipple as a rock-picker to the man responsible for stopping coal cars with a piece of hard wood called a “sprag”, a “trapper” watching for coal cars so he could open ventilation doors in time when the loaded coal cars called the “trip” was on its way to the weigh scale. A timber-packer would carry in timbers to the “rooms” which provided stability to the roof overhead, or a “bucker”, with the responsibility of loosening a jam of coal in the chute.
Every position was very labour intensive and dependent on the economy of that time. Fathers would send children out early in the evening to listen for and count the number of times the whistle sounded, because the number of blasts was the notification for work the next day. Often, the results were disappointing as the number of whistle blasts indicated there would be no work the next day. At other times the whistle would not stop, letting the community know that there was trouble at the mine.
The coal miners were proud of their interdependent relationships. Irregardless of the politics and prejudice in the communities, the men at the mine could tell of deep friendships, fallen comrades, close calls and perseverance, sense of humour, and belief that your partner was prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice, as you would for him.
A devastating explosion and resulting loss of oxygen in the Bellevue Mine in 1910 claimed the lives of 30 miners and 1 draegerman, a man trained in underground mine rescue. A recommendation from the resulting investigation into the time it took to bring in rescuers from British Columbia brought about the change in the legislation to include a rescue car in the Crowsnest Pass.
Purpose and Objectives
Our historical argument is that the underground mining of coal was both an art and a science. We will research both the primary and secondary source to advance or refute that argument.
Primary Purpose
The primary goal of this project is to research and collect the names of underground coal miners in the Crowsnest Pass With the collection of supporting information, the goal of this project is to weave a comprehensive profile of each individual miner, and as a result create a time capsule of mining in the 20th century. Data will be gathered of the miners place of origin, mine(s) worked, occupation(s) in the mine(s), tag number(s), length of time employed in each mine, special situations such as occupational status, specialized skills, accidents and near misses, and fatalities, and any other related personal stories, as well as individual or group photos. Each miner has his own story, and this could be considered a time capsule and part of the unique history of underground coal mining.
Investigation has shown that with the twinning of science and technology in mining, and the role that non-scientific learning and knowledge played in the miner’s work and life in the community can help to explain the creative aspect of mining. Instinct and judgement cannot be taught, but miners learned to trust their intuition. The individual stories from these brave individuals will help the rest of us understand this uncanny sense of danger and responsibility.
Secondary Purpose
The data-base will be centralized, comprehensive and easy to access on an interactive website. Information is available through literature, newspaper articles, oral histories and mine records, but it is scattered, disorganized, and difficult to access. Through this compilation of a central data base of underground coalminers and related bibliographical data, this information would be centralized and easy to access. This would then be available to the public, families seeking information about relatives who worked in mining, researchers, genealogists and historians.
These stories of miners and their experiences would allow our interpretive guides to convey an element of personal ownership for our guests, that would ensure a unique and memorable experience as a result of their journey through mining history at the Bellevue Underground Mine tour.
Sources of Primary and Secondary Information
Primary
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Oral histories and input of families of deceased miners, former miners and families.
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Crowsnest Pass Historical Society (Crowsnest Museum) which holds a treasure house of original miner’s and mining information, much of it given from mining companies which have ceased to operate in this area.
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Local and regional newspapers dating back to 1898.
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Regional museums such as Sir Alexander Galt Museum in Lethbridge, Glenbow Museum in Calgary and Fernie & District Historical Society in Fernie, B.C.
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National coalmining museums.
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Universities of Lethbridge, Calgary and Alberta with archives which include many Master’s Thesis on mining and mining history in this province.
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Church Dioceses Archives.
Secondary
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United Mine Workers of America, publications and articles.
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Yearly publications by the Provincial Alberta Mine’s Department throughout the first part of the 20th century. This provides other valuable information about the accidents and deaths in the mining industry in the province during that year including the name of the mine, date, miner’s name, occupation, description of accident, and what possible changes in mine operations and/or legislation may have occurred as a result.
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Crowsnest and its people, Book I, The Photo Companion, and Crowsnest Pass and Its People’, Millennium Book. These books tell the story of mining and how it affected the people and community of the Crows’ Nest Pass (Crowsnest Pass) during the 20th Century.
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Provincial Archives of Alberta and British Columbia to investigate other applicable information from their archives.
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History books and their bibliographies, including but not restricted to:
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Danger, Death & Disaster in the Crowsnest Pass Mines 1902 – 1928 – by Karen Buckley, University of Calgary.
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Tragedies of the Pass, by Frank Anderson.
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Coal Dust Grins, by Lawrence Christmas
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A History of the Crow’s Nest Pass, by William James Cousins
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100 Years of Tragedies and Triumphs: Bellevue, Hillcrest and Passburg Oral History Project and current ongoing eastern Crowsnest Pass Oral History Project.
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Taped oral histories done through the Frank Slide Interpretive Centre and Crowsnest Museum during 1980s.
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Alberta Labour History Institute Oral History Project, 2005, Crowsnest Pass, Alberta.
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Crowsnest Pass and regional newspapers dating back to 1898.
Whenever possible, family sources, oral histories, original documents and primary mine records will be used to verify material if inconsistencies in spelling family names or facts arise.
Approach and Methodology
This project will involve several phases in order to achieve the final product. This phase will focus on the research and collection of data.
Steps would include:
Time Line
February 1, 2006
June/July, 2006
July, 2006
August, September 2006
September – December 2006
January – September, 2007
October – December 2007
January – May 2008
June – July 2008
* Journal records and evaluation of product data and methodology will be ongoing throughout the project by entire research team and coordinating committee.
Final Product
Underground coal mining in the Crowsnest Pass, as in other Canadian mining ventures during the 20th Century brought men and their families from all across the world seeking a better life. The working conditions were harder than imaginable, required bravery, determination and the belief that they would live to see another day, and eventually amass their fortune which would take them and their families on to a better life.
If you asked an underground coal miner, they would tell of the deep friendships, fallen comrades, close calls and perseverance, sense of humour and the trust in each other with belief in the knowledge that you may have to sacrifice your life for your partner, with the hope he would do the same for you.
Recording the information and memories of these remarkable people in a central data base promotes an understanding and appreciation we would not have otherwise.
This project will culminate in a virtual one stop shopping registry of underground coal miners and their stories.
The names of the men and stories of their lives deserve to collect on a memorial that will speak to their special abilities.
Community Benefits and Impacts
The three historical publications are a wealth of information, and will indeed be a very valuable resource for this project. They provide family histories, photos, events and disasters throughout the last century.
Our project will focus entirely on the underground coal miners. We will certainly link their names with information gathered on each specific man, but our primary focus is to create a central registry of the men that worked the coal.
This research format will provide curious visitors a central location for inquiries first through a local and regional registry, and eventually a national registry. Investigation shows that there are several highly respected museums across the country, but not a central registry for this specific group of men.
Imagine the pride when a student can show their grandfather’s name, story and photo on a national website! This collection of information and photographs would enable individuals to value, acknowledge and recognize the contributions of their ancestors.
Some seniors feel reluctant to share their collected photos and stories explaining what it meant to be miner or the plight of the wife of a miner. Good times and bad, both make up our history. This project encourages this exchange of information, and acknowledges the importance of their contributions. Perhaps no one has asked them to share their wealth of knowledge and experiences and this project would make it possible to share their stories with curious individuals, maintaining this portion of history.
The number of underground miners is lessening every year. If we hope to preserve these memories for future generations, we need to begin as soon as possible.
Economically this will benefit the Crowsnest Pass with the increase in curious visitors investigating miners’ roles and history in the various sites in our community. This research will enhance the Bellevue Underground Mine’s value in the view of the community and increase support from schools, libraries and other organizations seeking verified information. We have long sung the praise of the war veterans and those that sacrificed to build this country, and this project will bring attention to the contributions of the underground coal miners. Many of these miners signed up for the wars, but because of their specific expertise in mining which was critical to the war effort, were seconded as miners for the duration of the wars. It is crucial to celebrate and understand our history with respect to the advantages we enjoy in the present.
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