1

L.J. Cole and son H.A. (Buddy) Cole
1912-1913
Tete Jaune Cache, British Columbia, Canada

2

From 1910-1914, L.J. Cole was a surveyor and resident engineer during the construction of the Grand Trunk Pacific railway. Bud and his mother Bertha accompanied him, living in tents for a couple of years until there was track laid. Then a box car accommodation became available and seemed a luxury. A baby brother arrived during those years, but Bud said that his mother did not seem to consider her life a hardship, but enjoyed walks, fishing and her husband's music and photography.

3

GTP ticket discovered among the possessions of Wilfred A. Jowett.
1914
Yellowhead Pass, British Columbia, Canada

4

The Yellowhead Pass was considered the easiest passage through the Canadian Rockies, but there was no major transportation until 1911. The Canadian Pacific Railway intended to use the route to build the first transcontinental railway in 1872, but changed plans. By 1907 there were two railroads surveying the area.
This ticket was discovered among the possessions of Wilfred D. Jowett, son of William A. Jowett, a magistrate at Tete Jaune in the 1913 - 1915 era.

5

Two railroads complete
1916
Yellowhead Pass, British Columbia, Canada

6

The Grand Trunk Pacific (GTP) was the first railway to run through the Yellowhead Pass. The final spike was driven into the rail in 1914. The Canadian Northern Railway (CNoR) was close behind the GTP. In some places, the tracks ran side by side as the valley only offered one place to build a railroad. The CNoR line was completed in January of 1915.

7

Railway construction: Engineer Cole and crew near Tete Jaune Cache
1911-1916
Tete Jaune Cache, British Columbia, Canada


Crédits:
P996.7.2.24 / Ted Williams Collection
The Exploration Place (Prince George)

8

The construction of the railroad through the Robson Valley consisted of four major parts. First, surveyors travelled the land to determine the best path for the railroad.

9

Railway construction: by horse and stoneboat
1911-1916
Tete Jaune Cache, British Columbia, Canada


Crédits:
Cole Collection
Valley Museum and Archives (McBride)

10

The next step: Men made a simple roadbed along the proposed line by varied methods, such as dynamite, steam shovel, and hand shovel.

11

Tracklayer Pioneer used during railway construction
1911-1916
Tete Jaune Cache, British Columbia, Canada


Crédits:
Cole Collection
Valley Museum and Archives (McBride)

12

The ties and rails were then laid on the roadbed with a tracklayer. Finally, section men ballasted the rails, jacking up the rails and shoving gravel under, to even and strengthen the rail. The burnt trees in the picture were the result of inconsiderate road clearing that caused widespread forest fires.
Prior to the building of the railroad, the survey and road crews needed food, dynamite and horses. Tote roads (rough trails) were constructed to haul freight by mules. The tote roads cost $1,000 per mile to build.

13

The building of a transcontinental railway in Canada
1910
Tete Jaune Cache, British Columbia, Canada


Crédits:
Produced by Butcher's Empire Pictures, London
Distributed by CFI; Cleared for use (copyright expired 2001; National Film, TV and Sound Archives)

14

Bootlegging whiskey at Tete Jaune
Tete Jaune Cache, British Columbia, Canada


Crédits:
Mildred Tillberg

15

Bootlegging was a popular business in Tete Jaune, as it was in all railway tent towns. The camps were lively and rough in their day. The Royal Mounted Police had jurisdiction only to the border of Alberta; thus, the camps were especially raucous on the B.C. side. The federal government banned alcohol from the camps and the railroad, but the men came up with all sorts of ingenious ways to import their favourite drinks including hiding bottles in bales of hay, sacks of provisions, packsaddles, almost anything that would cover the bottles of whiskey until they could be delivered.
Whiskey bottles, like these brought inside these pigs, were selling for ten dollars a piece. This shipment was intercepted by Chief Beytes and other provincial police at Tete Jaune.

16

Stations: Summit City, Mile 1, GTP camp, E.J Cann store
1910-1911
Summit City, Mile 1, British Columbia, Canada


Crédits:
L.J Cole photo / Donated by H.A. Cole

17

Sign for Red Pass post office
Red Pass, British Columbia, Canada

18

Water tower and locomotive at Red Pass station
Red Pass, British Columbia, Canada

19

During construction, Mile 27 was just another camp along the rail line. It was largely abandoned, until 1923. That year Canadian National took over both railways. Mile 27 was named Red Pass after the red tinted rock on the ridges above. East of Red Pass, the trains used one track, instead of the original two. At Red Pass, the rail split.
After Red Pass was established as a divisional point, it became a regular town, with a school, grocery store, post office, and station. A hotel was built in 1926 but burnt down in 1949. The largest population that inhabited Red Pass was 96 in 1940.

20

A group of people at the Red Pass station
1930-1931
Red Pass, British Columbia, Canada

21

(Most likely) Left to Right: Station agent Art Blair, Dad Woodley from store, section man John Ruska, section man from Foster John Stefano, section man from Red Pass Fred Guzik, section man from Foster John Postenuk, section foreman from Foster Mike Zak, (unknown), Mrs. Sivecki with Lionel Deforge right behind her on the gas car; section man Felix Sivecki, daughter-in-law to Dad Mrs. Woodley, (unknown), (unknown), the man behind (unknown) and operator at Red Pass Jim Bremenor.

22

Red Pass before 1949; colour tinted at a later date
Red Pass, British Columbia, Canada


Crédits:
Ishbel Cochrane

23

After the highway opened in 1962, the need for Red Pass diminished. CN still uses some buildings at Red Pass.

24

Lucerne station
1919
Lucerne, British Columbia, Canada


Crédits:
Runnalls Collection
Valley Museum and Archives (McBride)

25

Lucerne was the largest community in the Robson Valley after the railroad construction boom. Situated at Mile 5 on the CNoR line, Lucerne boasted a registered population of 300 in 1921 with all the amenities of a divisional point.

26

Lucerne town
1919
Lucerne, British Columbia, Canada


Crédits:
Runnals Collection
Valley Museum and Archives (McBride)

27

The trains needed the roundhouse, coal triple, and marshalling yard in Lucerne. Lucerne also had an icehouse, which stored large blocks of ice cut from the lake in the winter for the railroad. The ice would be covered with sawdust and kept through the summer for use on passenger and refrigerator cars.
A flu epidemic ravaged Lucerne in 1918, and the graveyard still remains. In 1923, the roundhouse was moved from Lucerne to Jasper. Though a few people remained, most of the buildings were moved to Jasper; Lucerne sank into obscurity.

28

Mount Robson
Mount Robson, British Columbia, Canada


Crédits:
Norm Sliter

29

Though Mt. Robson provides an impressive scene, no town ever developed around it. The GTP survey crew wintered under the massive shadow, and the same company planned a grand 'Hotel Mt. Robson'. After the owner died in the Titanic, however, the extravagant plans came to naught. In 1913 Mt. Robson was designated a provincial park. From 1919 to early 1990's, Mount Robson Ranch entertained adventure seekers on horse trips or hunting outfits, but few others lived there year round. Park headquarters moved from Red Pass to the mountain base in 1987.

30

King George VI and Queen Elizabeth talk to Edward Hargreaves on their cross-country visit of Canada
1939
Mount Robson, British Columbia, Canada


Crédits:
Ishbel Cochrane

31

River Passage: Scow carrying horses on Fraser River
1912
Fraser River, British Columbia, Canada


Crédits:
P990.17.40 / Logan Collection
The Exploration Place (Prince George)

32

When the end of steel of the GTP Railway neared Tete Jaune Cache in 1911, the railway utilised the Fraser River to provide transportation of supplies and people. At first, only scows made the long and dangerous journey. In 1913, 50 men died on the river. Rapids were cleared with dynamite to make river travel a little safer.

33

River Passage: Reconstructing the Operator
1911
Tete Jaune Cache, British Columbia, Canada


Crédits:
Ray Sansom
Valley Museum and Archives (McBride)

34

A small sternwheeler managed to travel from Fort George to Tete Jaune in 1910.
Following that successful trip in 1911, the S.S. Conveyer and S.S. Operator were dismantled in Vancouver and shipped by rail to Red Pass, where they were hauled the 25 miles to Tete Jaune by road and reassembled at Mile 51 in Tete Jaune. Each boiler weighed 50,000 pounds and was hauled by a donkey engine or team of twelve horses. In one place it took three days to travel one mile.

35

The Orasons
1915
Swift Creek (Valemount), British Columbia, Canada

36

Andy Orason's parents with the family dog standing on the side porch of the Swift Creek train station. The Orasons and their two sons were the first people to live in the new station, which was built in 1915.

37

Tete Jaune Station
1910-1913
Tete Jaune Cache, British Columbia, Canada


Crédits:
Jowett Collection

38

Tete Jaune Cache became a pivotal centre for supplies and people between Prince George and Edmonton. As the town grew, it spread out along the river. Tete Jaune's peak population was between 2,500 and 3,000.

39

Street scene at Tete Jaune Cache
1910-1930
Tete Jaune Cache, British Columbia, Canada


Crédits:
Faye McCready

40

Tete Jaune Cache (Mile 52) had a store, shooting gallery, barbershop among others.
This bustling town featured many amenities including the business sector, restaurants, pool halls, bunkhouses, hotels and warehouses.
Tete Jaune Cache was a major warehousing centre for the Grand Trunk Railway.

41

Letter from Wilfred A. Jowett to his mother
19 octobre 1912
Tete Jaune Cache, British Columbia, Canada

42

Tete Jaune Cache, B.C.
Saturday, Oct. 19, 1912
My dear Mother,
I got here all right yesterday (Friday) about 3 p.m. & found father looking very well in a office of lumber building paper & rubberoid (one pkg of each). I have seen no paint around. The trains run right through to the end of the metals which is here and is also called Mile 53. At Mile 52 is another part of the settlement or camp where is also a small lockup and at Mile 51 is the jail which is 2 miles nearer the Yellowhead Pass and Edmonton.
The ties which I have to see shipped and to count are at Mile 25 which is very near the Yellowhead Pass and right on Moose Lake which is a pretty looking lake about 9 miles long and from half to one mile wide. I noticed it when coming, also a good number of ties which no doubt are the ones I am going to.
I think the scenery through the pass from here to the prairies and to Edmonton finer than either the Crow's Nest or Kicking Horse (or what I saw of the latter as I was asleep in a pulman till the train reached Field)
There is Moose Lake with what is I suppose the Fraser running out of it & the railway follows along the side of each & in many places the river is seen far below as a rushing stream. Past T.J. Cache it runs much slower and from here the Rly Contractors (Stewart Foley & Welsh) send their provisions stores and material down the river on scows which are being built here at the rate of about five each day, the scows are used just for the down trip and are not brought back but broken up and used in building shacks & such like where the men camp and they tell me there are camps about every mile or two with upwards of 200 men in each for a distance of 190 miles or more farther west from this point which is the end of the constructed track. I saw a crowd of about 300 come in on the train this afternoon and they say this happens regularly every few days (I did not ask how many days in between) odd ones and several together are constantly walking back from the camps through here where the pay office is and along the line to the prairies again and Edmonton. The Rly Co. carries them to the work free but when they quit or get sacked they must walk back or pay fares. I have already seen them going both ways. The crowd which came in this afternoon were put aboard a scow with their bosses and bundles and with four men steering with long sweeps back and front, they set off down the river, the current taking them along at about 3 m. per hour. I went & got my camera ready but they were past before I could get it rigged up. I heard at supper time that they got stuck on a sandbar a very short distance off so I might have got a picture after all if I had known earlier. The Frazer valley is not quite so wide nor nearly so level as the Fire Valley. It has snowcapped mountains on each side which look very fine. It has been wintry today but no snow on the ground although yesterday there was snow between Fitzhugh & the Yellowhead Pass. I went with father this morning & got 3 blankets to take with me and I shall be sleeping by myself in a shack although eating with the other guy who are taking out the ties. Am also taking matches and candles. Shd have gone out this afternoon 3 p.m. & as a policeman happened to be going out then (to Mile 29 where he is stationed) Shd have gone with him & stayed the night at 29 & then on to 25 where the ties are; but they got a bunch of prisoners to look after last night so he is not going out till tomorrow & father thought I might as well stay too till tomorrow when he will be going.
The case is a big one and arose out of a theft of provisions from a railway car - about two tons of provisions (ham, bacon, eggs etc.) sidetracked & removed. The police got wind of it, found the stuff and got three men. Father had been busy with the case today - has sent one man for trial already & this evening is away to the jail on the same business. He rides to & from the jail to here (53) where he has the police office & his furniture & sleeping quarters on a yard engine generally & occasionally on the 3/c train. He moved around quickly and climbs on to the engines without trouble altho it is quite a climb. He is certainly very well & looks it. It is now 8:50 p.m. & he is still on with the case at the jail. I do not think it wd be very nice for Hilda to be here just now. Perhaps in a little while it might be different. The lay of the place is something like this.
T.J.C. 53 52 51 Yellowhead Pass Fitzhugh Edson Edmonton
West East
At 53 is the magistrates office where I am writing this. This rooms also G.T.P officials houses and the storage sheds of the G.T.P.
At 52 is the main camp or settlement where are several stores, pool rooms (badly managed), a couple of miserable equipped rough laundry and a whole section of loose women's quarters. (I walked through the whole bunch before I saw Father as I got off at 52 instead of 53. A woman with a little girl who was travelling to T.J.C got off at 52 so I thought it must be the place. Was told however that the jail was at 51 so sent the box there & walked back with my bag. Learnt at jail that father was at 53 so went along & found him in time for supper. There is nothing but the jail at 51. 52 is keeping the police busy and 53 has the magistrate's office & the headquarters (temporary) of the G.T.P. staff. Father has his meals (except breakfast) with them & so have I whilst here. The building where they eat is a few buildings further up than this.
Joiners next door (bdg a house or shop) have made a couple of tables & brought them in, also a bedstead for father. He has had two chairs sent in from the GTP stores, also a washbasin, 2 buckets, a lamp, 2 cups (enamel), 2 kn, fks & 3 spoons & a pan. He has bread, butter, tea TC & makes toast for breakfast. Blle Smith today fitted up a big coal stove & some coal came to use in it & there is a cook stove of sheet iron like Bernardo but about 3 times as large. This bdg (mag's office & rooms) is about 20 ft sq is 6'6" to eaves & has about same pitched roof as the new hen house (which it reminds me of) there are no shingles on any of the bdgs here only tar paper, rubberoid, etc.
The tables in office are covered with forms warrants & stationary, statute books & letter press. I have had the big stove hot all day drying the place & tonight the blanket's airing. No blinds to windows. We nailed up brown paper in bedroom for tonight. Hilda is better where she is. The GTP store sheds are just over the line with thousands of tons of provisions stores fillings, etc. Will write as I find time. Have not told you of journey here yet. Have about $4 left & did not cash your cheque. Gave it back to father. Will close now with much love.
ur aff son Wilfred.

[Transcribed from Wilfred A. Jowett's letter using his abbreviations and language]

43

Flooded Main Street at Mile 52
1913
Tete Jaune Cache, British Columbia, Canada


Crédits:
H. Matheson / Library and Archives Canada / PA-020491

44

In 1913, shortly after the completion of the railroad, spring also brought an unusually high run-off that flooded Tete Jaune Cache. Soon, the Cache washed away.
Though little remains, stone fireplaces and chimneys still stand amid the trees that have grown between rotting walls.

45

Mile 53 from the north-west, at the backwater (SS Operator can be seen on the river)
1910-1913
Tete Jaune Cache, British Columbia, Canada


Crédits:
Jowett Collection

46

P. S. Bonney, district forester, and Walter Holliday, ranger, in a home at Mile 53
1910s
Tete Jaune Cache, British Columbia, Canada

47

Mile 53 was the slightly more sophisticated area of Tete Jaune. Nicknamed 'Snob Hill' by the workers living in the tent town one mile away, Mile 53 was home to the engineers, magistrate, surveyors and the bosses.
Mile 53 was also the site of both the Siems Carey and Foley, Welsh, and Stewart's wharves and warehouses. The two companies had sternwheelers, which competed for business carrying supplies down the river. The warehouses were huge, up to a quarter of a mile long beside the river.

48

Mile 49 buildings
1913
Henningville (Mile 49), Tete Jaune area, British Columbia, Canada


Crédits:
Jowett Collection

49

Henningville supplied crews in the direction of Red Pass and Blue River, and its proximity to the Grand Trunk's warehouses eased Peter Henning's efforts to bribe their conductor for supplies. By spring of 1913, work began on a tote road from Red Pass to Henningville and from there 200 miles to Kamloops. Scows supplied crews working along the Fraser.
At the height of the activity, 2000 men and as many horses laboured at camps along the line.

50

Henningville, Mile 49
1914
Henningville (Mile 49), Tete Jaune area, British Columbia, Canada


Crédits:
The Exploration Place (Prince George)

51

Officials representing William Mackenzie and Donald Mann, contractors for the Canadian Northern Railway (CNoR) asked Palmer Brothers & Henning to build a difficult portion of their line near the headwaters of the Thompson and Fraser Rivers, from Blue River Junction to Red Pass. It was a huge undertaking over a rugged rout more than 80 miles long, but they had offered more than two million dollars, and Palmer Brothers and Henning finally decided to tackle the job.
Towards the end of 1912, Henningville was built two miles east of Tete Jaune. By spring of 1913, work began on a tote road from Red Pass to Henningville and from there, 200 miles to Kamloops. Scows supplied crews working along the Fraser.
By summer of 1914, trains from Winnipeg were traveling the Grand Trunk. Besides carving a railroad out of the mountains, Peter Henning, the head engineer of Palmer Bros and Henning, also had to superintend Henningville and all the camps along the line. Despite his distaste for the sleazier aspects of camp life, Peter was a practical man and worked to keep the lid on the pool halls, saloons and bordellos that gave Henningville its colour.
In January 1914, Henningville had grown large enough to receive its first postmaster. After the Grand Trunk abandoned Tete Jaune that spring, its Canadian, British and American workers and their Chinese, East Indian and Russian colleagues wandered over to make Henningville even more cosmopolitan. Each worker was paid three to four dollars a day.