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QUESTIONNAIRE
1. Current name
2. Nick name
3. Maiden name
4. Address
5. Telephone number
6. Age
7. Where were you born
8. Where were your parents born
9. Where was your family from originally?
10. When did you arrive in Cobalt
11. What method of transport did you use
12. What route did you take to get to Cobalt 13.How many people were in your family when you arrived
14. Husband’s original occupation in Cobalt.
15. Wife's current occupation in Cobalt
16. Husband*s current occupation in Cobalt
17. Wife's original occupation in Cobalt.
18. What were your impressions of Cobalt when you arrived?
19. What was Cobalt like when you came here?
20. Why did you come to Cobalt
21. When you first arrived what type of employment was available and
22. What were your working hours?
23. How much were you paid per week?
24. What was your first home like?
25. .How did you spend your first Christmas
26. How far did you have to go for water?
27. What did you have in the way of lighting
28. What type of stove did you cook on?
29. What kind of heating did you have?
30. What kind of shops were here when you arrived.
31. What kinds of entertainment were available
32. What types of sports did you participate in as a youngster
33. Did you attend school in Cobalt
34. How many years of schooling did you have.
35. What means of transportation were available when you arrived.
36. Who was your first doctor?
37. What were the hospitals facilities like at this time?
38. Where was your first child born?
39. What age were they when they quit school and went to work
40. Where did they work?
41. What were the mines like in the early days?
42. What type of contests did the miners have in the old days?
43. What was a miner's typical main meal?
44. What was a miner's typical meal? 45.How did you spend your first Christmas
46. How did you dress on weekdays?
47. How did you dress on Sundays?
48. How did you spend your Sundays
49. Are there any special treasures you have kept through the years?
50. What do you like about Cobalt now?
51. Why do you like these things?
52. What changes have been made over the past years that you liked?
53. What changes have been made over the past years that you don't like?
54. What don't you like about Cobalt.
55. Why don't you like it?
56. Would you like to see any particular changes in Cobalt?
57. If yes, what kind.
58. What time of year do you enjoy most in Cobalt?
59. What form of entertainment do you find for yourself?
60. Have you any hobbies.
61. What do you think is the answer to Cobalt's unemployment problem?
62. What sort of people do you think would be interested in what Cobalt has to offer?
63. What has Cobalt to offer the visitor?
BOOK 1 INDEX
PAGE NAME
1 ANDERSON, DENIS
3 ARMSTRONG, MARVIN
6 AUDETTE, EVA
10 AUDETTE, LAWRENCE
13 BABINEAU, ALBERT
16 BAXTER, CARL
19 BAZINET, CYRIL
22 BEATTY, NINA (JACK)
24 BEDARD, CLAUDETTE (DAIRE)
25 BEESON, HARRY
29 BELANGER, MARIE-LOUISE (TOM)
31 BELANGER, REMI
32 BELANGER, SIMONE (AUDETTE)
34 BENNER, RALPH
38 BERGER, DONNA
41 BILODEAU, THEODORE (TED)
44 BIRTCH, LAUREL
46 BORRIE, GORDON
50 BROCKLEBANK, ARTHUR
54 BOWERS, LITITIA (JAMES)
55 BREZENSKI, PATRICIA
57 BROSKO, MICHAEL
60 BRUNETTA, MARIO
62 BUCKLER, HARRY
65 BUFFAM, CAROLE
69 BURTON, JACKSON (JACK)
74 CASSIDY, LEONARD
78 CAULFIELD, JAMES
81 CHAMPAGNE, RAYMOND
82 CHARTRAND, LUCIEN
84 CHESSER, AGNES
86 TITTONEL, JOE (CHILTTARONE, GIUSEPPE ELIO)
89 CHITARONI, ALBERT
91 CHITARONI, CAROL
93 CHITARONI, JOSEPH (PEP)
96 CHURCH, JACK
99 COE, ALSON
101 COLE, LAURA
104 CONTI, ERNEST (MARY)
107 CONTI, JOHN
110 COOPER, ROMA (HARRY)
113 COTE, MARIE IDA
115 COTE, LINDA (DAN)
118 CRAM, JOHN (ARTICLE OF INTEREST PG.119)
120 CREIGHTON, ALSON
125 CUNNINGHAM, MICHAEL
128 CUNNINGHAM, MAME (ART. ON BUSINESSES OF 1924)
140 DAKINS, CHARLIE
143 DALAN, TERESA
146 DAMIANI, ANNE
153 DEAN, CHARLES (MRS.)
157 DESPRES, JOSEPH AVIT
160 DESPRES, ROLAND
162 DESPRES, THERESE
164 DOAN, REG
165 DOAN, LLOYD
167 DUNN, AURORE MRS.
169 DUNNING, HERBERT DR.
172 DUNNING MARGARET
176 DUVAL, EMMA
178 ELOMAA, RONALD
180 ENO, BARBARA
182 ENO, MELVILLE
184 FENTON, EVELYN
186 FERNHOLM, HELEN
190 FERNHOLM, WARREN
192 FERRIS, CHARLES
196 FLEURY, EVA (NIECE OF THE FAMOUS FRED
199 FORTIN, PATRICK
201 FORTIN, PAUL & JEANNE
202 FRACKLETON, CECILE
203 FRASER, ALEXANDER J.
206 GABBANI, DARIO
210 GABBANI, GETTULIE
212 GABBANI, LUCIENNE
214 GIOVANELLA, JOSEPH NATALE
218 GIROUX, ALBERT & ANITA
219 GIROUX, BRUNO & JEANNE
222 GORE, JOHN A.
226 GREENING, IDA
228 HATTEN, JEANNETTE
229 HALSTEAD, MILTON
233 HERBERT, ALEXANDRE ROBERT
234 HEATHERINGTON, SIMPSON
236 HEWITT, FLORA
238 HOUGHTON, EDDY & DOLLY
240 HUNT, EILEEN
243 HUTT, CHARLES
249 JEAN LOUIS, ROYAL
251 JOHNSON, CHARLIE
254 JOHNSON, JESSIE
258 JONES, DONALD
261 JONES, FRANCIS
265 JONES, ROBERT
267 JORDON, JOHN
269 KELLY, HAROLD
272 KENTY, HAROLD
275 KENTY, GEORGE MINER
278 KENTY, LAURA
280 KEON, MARY
286 CLIPPINGS FROM THE DAILY NUGGET
289 LACROIX, YVETTE
291 LARABIE, DENIS
294 LARABIE, ROMEO RONALD
298 LEBLANC, VIOLA
299 LEFEBVRE. ALMA
301 LEGAULT, COLLEEN
303 LEMON, PERCY
307 LEONARD, THEODORE
311 LIGHT, HERB
313 LONSDALE, GILBERT
317 LORRAINE, MARION (MRS. ARTHUR)
320 MCANDREW, GERALD
322 MCASKILL, ELIZABETH
324 MCCABE, MARGUERITE
325 MCGARRY, GERALD
327 MCGARRY, PETER
329 MCKINNON, WILLIAM (INTERESTING ARTICLES... 1908)
339 MCKNIGHT, WILLIAM
342 MCLEOD, LILLIAN
344 MACARTHUR, CAROLINE
348 MACDOUGALL, FRANK
351 MACMILLAN, OLGA
355 MADORE, LORIENT
357 MALLICK, JOSEPH
359 MALLICK, FLORENCE
363 MARCELLA, FRANK MRS. (RITA)
365 MARCHIONE, DONATO
369 MARCOTTE, ALBINIA MRS.
372 MARTINEAU, ALICE
374 MARTIN, MARY
377 MARTINELIO, PIETRO
381 MARTEL, DONALD RAYMOND
383 MATIOLI, ENRICO
385 ARTICLE ON JACK MATHEWS
386 MELNIK, MICHAEL
389 MERLA, ERNESTINE
392 MILLER, ROBERT W. (MEILLEUR)
396 MOORE, AUSTIN MRS.
400 MOORE, GERALD
402 MORIARTY, WILFRED
406 MORIN, GEORGE
410 MORIN, JOSEPH RUDOLPH (RODY)
414 MURRAY, MARIE
416 NIXON, CLORIDA
1. Denis Anderson
2.
3.
4. 89 Nickel St.,Apt.3,Cobalt
5. 679-8459
6. 30
7. Haileybury Hospital
7. Mother, Cobalt, Dad, Sweden
8. They were married in Cobalt 1939
9. 1941. I was born
10.
11. 13 of us. I was the first born
14. Electricians helper
15. Dept Store in Newfoundland
16. Construction worker unemployed now
17. waitress, part-time
19.
20. too young
21. Quite a few mines going
22. 12 hours.
23. $120. per week
24. Frame 4 room house near skating rink
25. Remember toys
26. taps in house
27. Hydro
28. Rangette
29. heated by coal stove
30. Stadelman Building, Sam Buckovetsky, Phil Cain, Phil Cain, Dominion, John Aimonis, Silverland pool room. Irwins Grocery, Tommy Black,
Damianis, Shaw's Drug store
31. Show
32. played hockey in summer 33.Theresa School, Cobalt High School
34. 10 years
35. bus, cars, trains
36. Dr. Dunning
37. Good at Haileybury
38. Haileybury Hospital
41.
42.
43.
44. My dad wasn't a miner
45. jeans, sweater
46. shirt, tie, suit, to go to Church in we had to put on our old clothes when we came home from Church
47. morning Church - changed clothes, to play with the kids.
48. old pictures
49. Good town to live in
50. Because I lived here all my life.
51. Few changes, old Stadelman building was falling over. They tore it down and made a park there. Sidewalks improved back streets paved. New schools
52. Didn't like the parking meters, the town was too small for meters.
53. no.
54. Yes
56. would like to see the mines operating again. Would like to see more jobs made available for men. More explorations. We need a smelter to refine our own silver.
57. summer
58. Go out weekends to Tavern, play cards
59. Electrical work, reading
50. More jobs made available locally
61. Tourists
62. Swimming at Bass Lake, fishing, museum, mining tours, rock cuts full of ice Highlights
Denis Anderson says he follows construction or mining contractors. There is nothing to hold me here with no job.
If there was more money for exploration and the price of silver would go up we'd have all the jobs we need,
Joanna Stubinski February 15, 1971
6 p.m. - 8:15p.m.
1. Marvin Armstrong
2. Marvin
3. Bachelor
4. 50 Nickle St.
5. 679-5517
6. 55
7. Cobalt
8. Dad born Nipissing,Ont.-Mother in Powassan
9. Cobalt
10. Born here 1916, December, out on a saw mill at Moose Lake, about 5 miles from Cobalt.
11.
12.
13. One sister and parents
14. Miner and prospected
15. Housewife - seamstress before marriage in Sudbury
16. Prospector.
17. 2nd World war as an electrician, wanted to be a pilot but didn't quite make it
18. Many mines - men going with lunch kits in 20's -Marvin said he couldn't remember that much as he was quite young. He told me about the managers of the Mine, how their homes were so well kept, beautiful riding horses, stables, maids, gardeners, just the best of everything.
19.When old enough to really remember, Cobalt was really going down. The depression was on and men out of work.
20. Parents came because of silver boom
21. Mining, shafts sunk, lumbering, saw mills
22. 10 hrs. per day
23. $2.50 per day
24. Their home was not too far from a livery stable down (swamp street) really known as Argentite
25. Remembers the Christmas trees with candles on. Also that dad has given him a violin and he hated it.
26. Water in the house.
27. Electricity
28. Wood stove - the only stove in Cobalt were so kids could stand on oven door.
29. wood heater.
30. Lang St. was a mass of stores from Imperial Bank to Bridge - fruit stores - used to call Syrians - Lang St.Indians 9 or 10,000 population - live entertainment and shows- vaudeville.
31. As a boy remembers tent shows live entertainment
32. Played hockey, rugby, football.
33. Yes, also Mining School in Haileybury
34. 12 years.
35. Livery stables - trotting horses, street cars, also remembers when Ferguson Hwy opened.
36. Dr. Taylor
37. very good hospital. It was a mine's hospital at first, wouldn't let women in until town took over.
38.
39.
40.
41. Too young Started to work in 1937
42. Old Timers Reunion 1924 contest prize 1st was $500.
43. In camps the food was good
44. Ate well.
45.
46. Hand me downs patches on the seat of pants.
47. Dressed up
48. Went to Church. Big meal of the week usually chicken on Sunday
49. Mineral collection - rock or silver
50. People - it grows on you, friends are here.
51. Accustomed to it.
52. Roads improved
53. Misses old style grocery stores, paid the bill, once a month groceries, gave a bag of cookies or candies.
54. Wishes more mines were working
55. Answer above
56. A better price for silver.
57.They need the mines
58 Fall - Marvin didn't like spring because in those days of the horses with the slush and all, when walking downtown you’d be up to your knees in horse manure. He remembered one guy, Irwin Orr was always covered with it from head to toe.
59. Music, form of relaxation. Takes in odd show.
60. Gather minerals and enjoys listening to classical music.
61. Better price for silver and industry craft, shops, more mines.
62. Have to be mining promoters or tourists.
63. Some characters - it's unique, oldest mining town in this part of the country. Air plant.
Highlights
I really enjoyed Marvin's interview. I'm just disappointed that there was no tape recorder. I think that if we do get one I would like to go back. He is a marvelous talker. He also said the band shells we used quite frequently at least once a week. One was right across from Deluxe Grill now. I saw a picture he had.
Lucy Damiani March 6,1972
1:00 - 2:15 p.m.
1. Mrs. Eva Audette
2.
3. Eva Ladouceur
4. 173 Lang St.
5. 679-5754
6. 64 years old
7. South Indian, now known as Lemage,Ont.
a. Lemage,Ont.
9. Don't know
10. Came to North Cobalt, 9 years old and then to Cobalt one year later when I was 10. That was 1917
11. Street car
12. by way of North Cobalt
13. with mother and father two brothers one sister and myself.
14. worked as a butcher at Coutus grocery store.
15. Housekeeping
16. widow
17. Storekeeper
18. very busy little town, street cars went to North Cobalt, Haileybury. We had dirt roads and wooden sidewalks.
19. Good sized town, lots of stores and real busy. People everywhere when you walked downtown
20. Came here with my father, my mother had passed away and he came to Cobalt because friends told him there was lots of work here. We He worked at Charles Reckin wholesale for couple of years. After that he got a contract with Mr. Campbell, the coal dealer to deliver coal. He also got other deliveries on the side so he bought two teams of horses.
21. Mines, contract work for those who had teams of horses work in stores, there were livery stables that hired men and in Latchford and Montreal River there were saw mills for lumber.
22. Worked until the work was done sometimes 8 or 10 hours.
23. $2.50 a week when I first started then later on $5 per week.
24. When I married we lived in an apartment at Coutu's where Bilodeau’s Empire Meat Market is today, then a small five room house on Earl Street. Later we bought a large two storey dwelling on Lang Street, It was 3 bedrooms, bathroom, kitchen, living room, entrance area, since then part of downstairs has been turned into confectionery with groceries and staples and non food items.
25. All the family went to a friend’s camp on a sleigh and I remember we all had such a wonderful day with our friends.
26. Water in home.
27. Electricity, but still not all the appliances we have nowadays. It was really just lighting and for a radio in the home.
28. At first I cooked on a wood stove then in later years an electric stove. When you baked in a wood stove you could somehow smell it all over the house
29. To start with a large heater that burned coal then later we bought an oil heater.
30. There were clothing stores, Buckovetsky's, TBS, Ansara Koury, Vellis, Bata, hat shops grocery stores Coutu's Morin Freres, & Malouin, Smiths, Giachino, Zanin bake shops, shoemaker shops, hardware’s, Bowdon, Black. You could buy anything you wanted here in those days now we have to shop out of town for so much. I can remember travelling salesladies coming to the door to sell clothes from a suitcase.
31. There were theatres, all kinds of Halls for dancing, I can remember Mrs. Halouka on Third Street used to rent her front room and we had many parties there. We also did a lot of skating and went to many house parties.
32. Skated and went sleigh riding in the summer we used to go to Peterson Lake or Sass Lake.
33. Saint Hillarion French School.
34. went to 6th grade
35. horse and buggy, street cars trains and a few cars were starting to come in
36. Dr. Schmidt
37. Cobalt Miners Hospital
38.
39. in Cobalt
40. Anita quit at 17, Lucille quit at 16, Gisele quit at 16
41. Anita worked at splint factory; Lucille worked at Woolworths, Gisele worked at Northern Telephone. My dad never worked in a mine but my husband did. He worked on surface but he always said how lucky he was not to be underground. The men used to all say it was hard work and not mechanized the way it is today.
42. Diamond drill contests, hand steel contests.
43. Most miners used to take a lunch pail to work with a variety of sandwiches, cheese, fruit or pie.
44. The main meal was nearly always eaten at supper time at our house.
45 Just wore plain clothes, skirt and blouse.
46. On Sundays if we had a nice dress we wore it to Church and as soon as we got home had to take it off to go out and play.
47. First we always went to Church-then later on we would go skating on the slimes, the boys always ma a rink and in summer we played ball or games or went to Peterson Lake swimming
48.I have no special treassure just some photos which I like to keep.
49. Cobalt now and before has always been a friendly town.
50. Because it’s a good feeling to live in a town where everyone talks to everyone. Also as a widow my neighbours and friends I have around me I can call anytime I need help and I know they will come.
51. The park downtown, the renovation of the old buildings on Lang St., our new subdivision with its nice new homes.
52. I like all the changes that have been made.
53. Yes the lack of stores.
54. Because I feel with a bigger shopping area we could keep people buying in their own town. Quite often strangers come in that are visiting and inquire about drill store and I have to tell them we don’t have one.
55. Yes
56. I think we should encourage companies or new businesses for the town. I would like to see another doctor, a dentist and maybe a small clinic where people could go for a general check-up. All these things would help to create more jobs.
57. Summer – winters are too long.
58. Watch tv, play cards, belong to WI, go to bingos, like to read
59. Knit and crochet
60. If we could have enough work for people here and keep our young people here too – for this we need industry for employment and perhaps a collegiate or trade school where the young people could further their studies.
61. We could use more tourist dollars – the summer season is short but couldn’t we have winter holidays – there is a ski place in operation. We have ice skating, some wonderful ski-doo trails, ice fishing and so it could almost be a year round business.
62. We have lakes for fishing, trailer park, good beaches for swimming, many historical sites to visit, you can pick berries and all these things are close by.
Highlights:
My home is in Cobalt and my family and friends are also here. I wouldn’t go anywhere else. But I do think I would be nice for everyone if we had a larger shopping area. We also need children’s clothing, shoe store, a drug store and information centre for tourists. We should make a big thing of these mine tours. I’m sure they would be interesting. There is a need for all this as we have a good outlying district to count on Temagami area, Latchford, Gillies, Kerr Lake, Mileage 104, and other small districts. I would like to see my dream come true, a busier Cobalt.
Lucy Damiani March 16, 1972
1. Lawrence F. Audette
2. Jackson
3. Wife's maiden name Lise Leblanc
4. 184 Lang St.
5. 679-5995
6. 36 years old
7. Cobalt
8. Mother and Father from Masson Quebec
9. From Quebec
10. Born in Cobalt, my father came here in 1909
11. My father came here from Masson, Quebec by train
12. by way of North Bay
13. mother and father came alone
14. I was an ONR messenger
15. My wife worked at Buckovetsky’s and later at Shams Drug Store
16. Sales representative for Metropolitan Ins. Co.
17. housewife
18. as a youngster I thought it was a good town to live in 1 - had lots of friends and always had good times
19. Father used to say he enjoyed his activities played cards, horseshoes, and talked about house parties that were really something
20. When my father arrived he started working in the mines
21. At the time the main industry was mining and logging
22. When I worked for ONR it was an 8 hour day and 40 hour week.
23. When I left in May 1971 I was 7etting $120. per week
24. An apartment across from where I live then I bought the home I am now in from Jack Asin telegraph operator who moved away. It's a 7 room house with a small annex.
25. At the present time we are spending our Christmas with the family, children are enjoying it and so are we. We also have friends and relatives here.
26. Water in home - hot and cold
27. Electricity for lighting and a few of the commodities like TV, washer, & dryer, range, refrigerator, kettle, toaster, iron, radio, electric shaver.
28. Electric stove
29. I :just installed a new oil furnace last November
30. I regret to say the shopping area is limited and so we have to go
out of town for many items
31. I bowl, we go out together socially and watch TV, have friends in for
a drink and talk
32. Hockey, baseball, broomball, boating, high school football
33.
34.
35.
36.
37.
38.
39.
40.
41.
42.
43.
44.
45.
46.
47.
48. I have a rifle that I got from my brother when I was 16 and this I cherish. very much. I have some of my father’s carpentry tools
49. It’s always been a very friendly town
50. A small town also some advantages it’s nice to go downtown and not
stand in line to go to the Post Office or some of the public buildings
51. The streets and highway are being well kept the parks are nice and it makes the town look better to see some of the old buildings renovated
52. There is still room for improvement but we are moving in the right direction and I like this
53. no.
54. I like it
55. Yes
56. A ball park for Cobalt would be very good, street signs and numbers on houses would help a lot. Our back streets are not safe for
children who have to play there and there should be more caution signs. Also parks for children to play in are very important
57. Summer is best
58. I take the family out driving; go fishing with the boys play horseshoes go to the beach or to the cottage and visit with friends
59. I like carpentry work and I am an avid sports fan follow all the series, hockey, baseball, football. I also coach little tykes teams in hockey.
60. The government should give us a subsidy for the piece of silver until the market reaches its level again another industry would help we already have a big smelter type building at Gillies that could be utilized for something.
61. We are improving as a tourist attraction we have natural spots lakes for fishing, beaches for swimming. Encourage the tourist dollar is my motto.
62. We have a lot of interest in mining tours and I don't think there's another spot that has mine holes all over, our mining museum is one of the best in Canada or even North America
Highlights
I would like to see more buildings go up and I give credit to Red &
White Tressiders Bros. for building such as big supermarket in our town. Also Bernies Silver Motel & Tavern deserves credit for such a big business venture. by not more of these business places in themselves they create some jobs.
I have always lived here and wouldn't like to move away. There isn't a friendlier town anywhere and I think with a little bit of help and
encouragement we'll stay. Bring in other people and try to create more jobs.
Simone Bedard April 13, 1972
1. Albert Babineau
4. 9 North Ave
5. 679-5758
7. I was born in Hamsdole New Hampshire U.S.A.
8. My father was born in St. John N.B. I can't remember where my mother was born
9. Before we came to Cobalt, my family was living at St. Eugene de Guigues in Temiskaming Quebec. I came to work in Cobalt in 1910 as a younger man
10. My family came to Cobalt in 1914. I was married to Clara Lamirande in 1912 at St. Eugene de Guigues, and I moved to Cobalt in 1914.
12. We moved by horse and sleigh and came to Cobalt
13. We had one child
14. My first job in Cobalt was at the Nipissing mine
16. Retired
17. I remember many times during the war when I came across Lake Temiskaming to Haileybury by boat, there were army officers who were at the dock and they would stop men and then they would bring them to the army barracks to enlist them in the army. I was also stopped, but I was a farmer at the time and also an American citizen so they had to release me, I was never taken to the barracks as I always had my American citizen papers on me, and once they’d see them they would release me.
18. My impressions of Cobalt were good, it was very big, there were lots of mines and all sorts of work
20. I came to Cobalt because the wages were very good. There was a choice of work. You could work in the mines, or as carpenters, building contractors, blacksmith and others.
22. When I came here, we worked 10 hrs, a day
23. Before I came to Cobalt I was working on a farm for $1.00 a day and at the Colonial Mine I was getting $3.75 a day on a machine
24. I lived on the north and of Lang St. by the bridge in a frame house; we had a kitchen and one bedroom downstairs and 2 bedrooms upstairs.
25. Friends and relatives would get together and we'd go from house to house and celebrate
26. We had tap water and electricity
28. A wood stove
29. Quebec heater and we burned wood or coal
30. There were all kinds of stores.
31. The arena, theaters, there was a play ground in West Cobalt. Where the town water reservoir is, there was a ski toe that went down to Sass Lake and the road passed under this.
32. I liked roller skating
35. Horse and buggy and streetcars
36. I had Dr. Mitchell and Dr. Joyal as doctors.
37. My wife was the first woman patient in the Cobalt Miners Hospital, and the reason an operation.
38. My first child was born in St. Eugene de Guigues, Quebec
39. Imelda went to the convent in Haileybury and when she quit she stayed home with my wife.
Lionel went to Ste. Therese School here and then went on with his studies in a college in Montreal. Then he worked in the mines here
41. Everything was done by hand
42. They had hand steeling and hand mucking and also baseball games
43. The mines had cookeries and bunk houses for those who lived out of town, and the men would come up for lunch and they had an hour for lunch. The ones who lived in town brought their lunches
44. Supper was the families main meal and they would have potatoes, meat vegetables pies, cake, and desserts of all kinds
45. The same as today
46. We'd go to low mass before anything else, then weld go visiting, fishing or go swimming at Peterson Lake
47. Men wore hats more than they do today and they would wear suits, ties, shirts, and dress pants.
49. I've spent most of my life here and to me its home
51. The museum is something that I find very interesting and I've often taken some of my visitors to see it, the arena is also a place I enjoy
57. I prefer Summer most as I love to go fishing
58. I attend the euchre parties at Ste. Therese School during the Winter and I also love to go to bingos
59. Cooking is my hobby and I like to try different recipes.
60. What we need is a factory that would employ men year round
62. The museum is a very good thing .Some people have never seen minerals
62. There are all kinds to be seen at museum.
My father—in—law Mr. Joe Lamirande had a boarding house and a small confectionery and he also sold water and wood from house to house, later he was making timber for the mines. I remember there was a small building next to the Imperial Bank and they had a blackboard outside with all the job listings, if we were looking for work we would go there and If there was work that we were interested in, we'd enter the building and pay $1.00 and the man who was taking care of these listings would give us a card and tell us where to go for the job and then we'd get hired. When I was a younger man I loved to go roller skating at the arena and they played the electric organ while we skated. I would rent my skates by the month and the young fellow who was taking care of the skates would put my name on a tag and tie them to the skates, whenever I wanted to skate I always had my skates. Mr. Brewer had a livery stable and you could rent a horse and buggy, or a team and express and he also had cabs these were something like coaches. We had four banks here at one time the Imperial Bank, Nova Scotia, Commerce; the Bank of Toronto was in the Fraser Hotel where the men1s beverage room is today. Mr. Deault had a blacksmith shop and he'd shoe horses and he would even make harnesses for horses.
Lucy Damiani April 25, 1972
Interview 1 1/2 hrs.
1. Carl Leslie Baxter
2. Mary Nielson wife, born in Denmark
3. 93 Galena Street Cobalt
4. 679-5764
5. retired road master on railroad means in charge of all track work and maintenance
6, Woodlake New Brunswick
7. Woodlake New Brunswick
8. married 2 daughters, Enid and Margaret
9. 69 yrs. of age
10. My impressions of Cobalt is due to recessed price of silver it is temporarily in a depressed conditions, but it will come back it always has and I don't think Cobalt will ever die. It's already beginning to look better I hear some of the mines are opening up again, and the Smelter is now open even if it just employs 50 men it will all help. I don't think too much about new regional schools and busing students back and forth when we have schools right in town here. I do feel the standard of education has fallen down badly, at the smaller schools the Students stand a better chance of individuality. There was an old Indian Chief in Elliot Lake that spoke of the white man, many moons
ago white man kill game, leave forest, come back cut trees, leave bare rock, now they're back for the rock, they have taken everything out of Cobalt now they're back for Grade 13, we've always had a good caliber of students at Cobalt High. It should definitely stay here, we have the teachers and we have the students so I hope we can keep it. I am happy to be in Cobalt, I am retired and on the money I make I couldn't live anywhere else so cheaply for all the facilities we have, I came to Cobalt from Dane in 1938 I wanted the girls to get High School, and even though I could have picked other place I chose Cobalt. Let me tell you when we were driving into town on the bridge my wife looked
at me and said do I have to live in this dump? Now I can't get her out of here it’s the spirit of Cobalt people that makes the town you'd never find a friendlier people anywhere. II remember when constable Jim Tappenden was down at the station one night, I was talking to his assistant and he said to me...Look at him standing there talking to that guy with his cap on the back of his head, his jacket unbuttoned and his arms waving he'll never be anything but a plain policeman today Jimmie Superintendant from North Bay, North area the other fellow is still a plain policeman,
A temporary help for the economy of cobalt would be to subsidize silver so we can still mine it at a profit when price is low. but I don't know why all the noise people are still spending money and small as well as big businesses are opening up,
Again I say this is a good town to live in everything you need is central right down town a new supermarket we have a new motel, chamber of Commerce, hourly bus service to Haileybury or Liskeard, hospital that is well equipped only 5 miles away. We have a good Municipal government for a town this size, taxes are reasonable so are water rates, the shopping area is small and we could use more stores, especially a drug store, but I wouldn't live anywhere else.
I started working for O.N.R. in 1928 how did I come to be in the North, well in 1926 everybody was talking about the Red Lake gold strike, Well I saved some money and started out for Red Lake I got as far as Cochrane my money all gone so I stayed there never got to
Red Lake started waking for O.N.R. in 1928 then I went to Dane and finally to Cobalt worked on railroad 391/2 yrs. before retiring. When 1 came here to work the standard wage was 2.00 a day and board. During the depression I worked for $18 or 20. for two weeks but that wasn't as bad as it sounds because in those days your dollar bought more.
In 1934 a new Chevrolet coach was worth $734. and I even bought one second hand for $50. You pay was there finance in those days. Yes there was but let me tell you they were investigated you thoroughly and it wasn't so easy to get as it is nowadays. Something else I think IE all wrong our credit terms are made so easy no wonder some people are in debt up to their ears
I think we should have small enterprise going. I'm not a business man but I see small businesses in town making a go of it so I would encourage more to come. We would have a general type hardware, such as the big ones in Liskeard and besides a drug store I hear peep] lamenting we need children's wear and teen clothing stores. In the old days you could have bought anything at Blacks or Rowdon’s hardware, these men were individuals today society would call them KOOKS and so we cannot be an individual anymore. I still say this is what has made Cobalt so Colorful.
We should stress more and advertise more this is an ideal town for retired people, we still have clean air, we are fighting to keep our waters non-polluted and we should also leave Cobalt as it is not too much restoration As this is what makes it unique right now, let’s leave it that way.
The tourist trader could be encouraged there is so much we have to offer we could easily have boat trips going, if we don't have a large lake here, maybe Lake Temiskaming the building of tourist camps on the new lake created by the Hydro Dam project Matabitchewan, we need more accommodations for travelling families we have no park facilities close by, if they use this new Loon Lake park, they will not come into town they will keep going we could also use more eating places this all has to be in Cobalt or very near area so we can get the tourists in here off the by-pass. Some of our landmarks heave been allowed to fall apart and trailer parks would be a good idea, how about Bass Lake. We should preserve our old mineshafts these a valuable land marks, tourists want to see them, artists want to paint them and when you
say mining you right away think of mine shafts. It could be done on a small scale "pioneer village" type of tourist attraction pick a mine property and build it up with authentic looking buildings as in old days and pertaining to mine property have a caretaker on the property to look after it this could be site for one of the tours, you could arrange separate tours one going to the compressed Air plant and while down there take in the hew hydro plant at Matabitchewan there is so much could be done, of course in town there is the museum and
the Drummond Park then you could go to Drummond Cairn site of Silver sidewalk and along the way and stops on these tours have picnic tables so visitors can take a lunch. I hope to see some of this a reality in my day.
We should definitely have recreation program I think Ribson did a good job recreation should be for every age group and this is what he started organized sports for the youngsters they need someone to lead them into this.
I am glad to see the town working on Tourism and also hope the price of silver goes up, for this is the best old town and we want it to stay that way.
Carmen Stubinski April 22, 1972
Interview 2 hrs.
1. Nina Beatty (Mrs. Jack)
3. Nina Austin
4. 39 Prospect Ave, Cobalt Ontario
6. 83 yrs. old 679-5523
7. Simcoe, County
8. Powassan, mother and dad cooked in the Lumber camps in that area. I was raised in Powassan
10. I was in Cobalt in 1908 and want back to Powassan. Got married there 1909. I went to school with my husband at Nipissing Village Hugh Armstrong went to school at the same time we are the name age. We came back to Cobalt to live in 1919.
13. We had 3 children by that time
14. A carpenter in Cobalt and at the O’Brien Mill at 104
15. Keep house, was a domestic I worked for Mr. Jones who was captain of the Buffalo Mine. The house is on Galena St. where Mrs. J. Sutherland lives today. Then I worked for Mr. Donaldson who lived close to the United Church where Elomaa lived today
16. died in 1941
17. retired
18. I was afraid to go out in the streets there were masses and masses of men on the square. There was all kinds of mud it was unbelievable. It use to stick to your feet in clods.
19. Oh busy I'll say it was busy, everybody was happy it seemed like that. On the hill was all buildings where Peter Armstrong lives today was the Methodist church manse. The Methodist church was on the corner,
20. I had my aunt living here. Mrs. Findley Munro I wanted to work she said come to Cobalt and make your home with me. Mrs. Munro was also my boy friend’s aunt.
22. I'd get up at 6 and work till the dinner dishes were done at night.
23. Got 8 per month. Cobalt paid better 20. per month
24. we settled in Mileage 104 in a 2 storey frame house. When the war was on my husband went to Welland to work in an ammunition factory. Don't know how he got such a good job on the start.
26. Water outside in a well, we were lucky to have a well. We used rain barrels wash tubs to catch rain water in the summer for washing. In the winter we melted snow lots of it. We had outdoor plumbing and used a chamber pail inside
27. We had coal oil lamps
28. Wood stove remember buying dry and green birch wood
29. Round Quebec heater high one
30. Bucklers grocery and general store. Ice cream parlour. Hardings owned a poolroom and candy store. They had one girl Ella Harding both ends of Mileage 104 burnt in the 1922 fire. The original centre of the town is still there.
31. What you made for yourself. House dances and parties
35. Street cars. Horse and buggy there were very few cars in those days.
36. Dr. Taylor
37. I was sick in the Cobalt Miners Hospital in 1940
38. In 1910 at home in Nipissing Had all my 5 children in my own home.
45. Cotton house dresses, long, high block buttoned boots. Long shirts trailing through the mud.
46. Pure silk dresses. My new black buttoned boots and button hook. Didn’t go bare headed to Church always wore hat and doves. You didn't feel dressed without a hat and corset’s laced in tight. I still wear corset’s can't go without them.
47. Always done all the baking on Saturday did as little as possible on Sunday. Just cooked the big dinner. We always had dinner in the dining room. The kitchen was too small. We'd go for long walks. The kids always went to Sunday school. It was held in the 104 Public school.
48. We lost everything in the 1922 fire. We lived in three different houses at 104.
49. Its home
50. My children live all around me here. I spend 2 months of the yr with each one and its home
51. The moved our store away from the corner and I miss our store. I miss the salvation army and Baptist churches that they tore down.
57. Sew knit and crochet. Have 80 pair of pot holders made since xmas, pillow cases since Christmas. I crochet 20 pair of coasters for under creams and sugars. Also 12 pairs of Bonnet shaped holders with lace. I keep myself busy. I’ve been living with my family the last 31 yrs. since my husband died. The art of sewing Mrs. Beatty is an artist a sample of home craft in Cobalt.
Simone Bedard April 19, 1972
1. Claudette Bedard
2. Claudette Daire
3. 19 Third Street
4. 679-5547
5. Housewife
6. I was born at Dupuis in the county of Abitibi Quebec
7. My father was born in St. Gabriel de Brandon Que. I believe my mother was born in Dupuis Abitibi also.
8. Married.
9. 33 years old
10. I think Cobalt is a bad state as far as employment is concerned and I hope it will pick up soon. I am not in favor of the Regional School System, I do not like to see my children travelling to school when we have school facilities here, the school day is longer for these children as they have to get up earlier to get the bus to travel the distance and father more they can't participate in after school activities as they have to take the bus, to get home and it certainly will not wait for them.
What we need here is an industry, and if the Government could give us a hand to get one that would give us a hand to work year round to our men and help us get out of this depressed state that we're in. Job opportunities at the moment is about nil, a training school to train the men in a trade is what we need. Wages could be better with the cost of living. We need a better variety in
stores and with a little competition between them, the town people would have a better chance and there would be less shopping done out of town. Recreation facilities could be improved, an amusement park for small children would be interesting, and there should also be something for the teenagers. We should have organized baseball or football for young boys.
11. There is a place for improvement in this end of town, the streets could be repaired & widened and we need sidewalks. There should be signs around here, children are playing in the streets as most of us don't have yards, if we could have a sign "slow, children playing" and there's no stop sign whatsoever and there's a small intersection and the cars are driving over the speed limit. We could do with snow removal in winter also.
13. We need another doctor, in town, also a dentist, a lawyer a pharmacy, policing _a small emergency hospital or convalescent home these are things that would _Benefit our town,
14. I would think that if the town council had a look at the situation it may get something started in the right direction.
Simone Bedard
1. Marie Louise Belanger
3. Marie Bourassa
4, 100 Lang St. April 28,1972
5. 679-5643
6. 68 years old
7. I was born in Buckingham Quebec
8. My parents were b born in Buckingham Quebec
9. Buckingham Quebec
10. I came to Cobalt in 1926. I had a cousin here Mr. teach school. Zenon Duval. I came to Cobalt to teach school.
11. I came to Cobalt by train.
12. What impressed me of Cobalt was all the houses built on sides of hills and the long flight of stairs to get to the higher streets on the hills.
19. It was booming, lots of houses and stores, depression had not started yet, but there were a few empty houses.
20. I came here for one day to see the school board to make an application for a teaching job; they wrote me later and told me I was hired.
21. There were lots of men working in the mines and girls were able to get jobs as clerks in stores.
22. I worked from 9 to 4
23. I was getting paid $90.00 a Month
24. I was living with Mrs. Lavigne in a private home.
25. I went home for Christmas,
30. There were all sorts of shops.
31. We had theatres, card parties at the parish hall, skating and tobogganing
33. I did not go to school here but I taught for 3 years,
34. I had ten years of schooling in Quebec and I had my diplomas for Quebec then I took 3 years summer courses in Ottawa to be able to teach in Ontario.
35. There were cars, trains and the street cars communications from. Cobalt to New Liskeard,
36. Dr. Schmidt and Dr. Chase were my first doctors
37. It had everything we needed they had operations there and they had very good nurses, but we had our babies at home.
38. My first child was born at home.
39. They quit when they were 16 and 17 years old.
44.We bought our meat at the market, we had vegetables and we made lots of pastries We'd buy our milk and cream from the milkman, we had very good meals.
46. On Sundays we wore our best clothes.
47. We went to church then we’d take car rides with the family.
48. No
49. When you've been here so long it's not so much Cobalt, but my family and friends that keep me here.
51. The recreation committee did a lot for Cobalt, the artificial ice, figure skating, broomball, and organized hockey.
55. It would be nice to have an old people’s home and also low rent housing
57. I enjoy Summer most of all as I get out more, at my age it's hard to get around in Winter with the snow and ice.
58. We play cards. I go to bingos and in Winter I play euchre at Ste. Therese School.
59. Sewing, crochet and knitting
62. We have the mining museum and mining tours for visitors.
Highlights:
I started teaching in Cobalt in 1926, St. Hillarion School had burnt before the
Fall term, there was an hotel on Argentite Street that was closed and they made school classes in it and I taught school there with another teacher until the following Spring when the new school was built there were more class rooms at the Knight of Columbus Hall on Lang St. where Mac's Furniture warehouse is today,
One year in December there was a bad flu going around and the schools were empty so the teachers got together and went to see the president of the school board to ask him to get time off seeing there were no students and we were given permission so we had an extra two weeks for the Christmas holidays that year.
The Sisters of Assumption came to Cobalt in 1929 to teach in the school.
My father in law Mr. Examines Belanger operated a second hand store and he was also an ice dealer, my husband Thomas took over the ice business and had it for about 12 years and he also had mine contracts hauling minerals day and night at the mill in 104. He sold stove wood.
When we were bringing up our family they had 100 a week for an allowance.
Simone Bedard April 12, 1972
1. Remi Belanger
3. 189 Lang St.
4. 679-5909
5. Truck driver
6. Cobalt
7. My mother was born in Buckingham Que.
8. Married
9. 35 yrs. old
10. I'm not in favor of elementary school children travelling out of town to' go to school but I have no objection to secondary school students travelling/ I think Cobalt would pick up if we got help from the government to get a secondary industry. We could have an industry that would use the natural resource and make it into a finished product. With all our empty schools maybe they could be used as training schools of some kind. Wages are not high enough for the price we pay for our groceries, clothing etc. I would like to see better recreation, more indoor recreation for the Winter and organized minor baseball leagues for boys. There's not enough competition in town to draw people here, the prices are in any outsider too high and that's why they don't draw in any outsiders. What we need are more store,
11. I think Cobalt should have a small hospital of its own, build by the govern¬ment as a convalescent home.
12. The refinery is closed, the mines have slowed down. They way it is now; I'm less tempted to invest in Cobalt.
13. I would like to see more industry, more stores and more recreation facilities. It would brighten the whole outlook of Cobalt.
14. By pouring some of the money that was taken out of Cobalt by mining and by putting it back into the town.
Simone Bedard April 18, 1972
1. Simone Belanger
3. Simone Audette
4. 33 Third St.
5. 679-5548
6. 62 years old
7. I was born in St. Claude Quebec, now known as Windsor Mill
R. My dad was born in St. Casimir Que. and my mother was born in Nicolet Que.
9. Before they came to Cobalt, they were living in St.Claude Quebec
10. We came to Cobalt in 1910 or 1911. My uncle Mr. Alcide Ouellette came before we did,
11. We came here by train as this was the only way of transportation.
13. My parents and 3 children
14. My father was a miner.
21. There were a lot of mines going in those days
22. The men worked 10 hrs, a day
23. When I was a young girl my dad was getting 4.50 a day
24. My first home was on Lang St. and it was a two storey frame house
25. I remember when I was a little girl my parents had got me a little doll and I found it before Christmas. The boys got little toy trucks. We visited friends over the Christmas holidays, and there was lots of food.
26. We were buying our water.
27. For lighting we had coal oil lamps
28. We had a big Legare kitchen stove
30. We had theaters and restaurants, an arena, there was a beautiful hall where the TTL is today and they held Christmas & Easter Balls there. When I got married this is where we had our dance.
32. There was a tennis court and a skating rink
33. yes
34. I went to school as far as grade 8
36. Dr. Taylor was our first family doctor
37. At first it was a miners hospital and then later on it was a family hospital
38. My first child was born in the Cobalt hospital
39 & 40. Rita had a commercial course in New Liskeard and then she worked for Morrissette Diamond Drilling in the office. Roger quit school in grade 8 and went to work in Elliot Lake in the mines.
42. They held they're contest at the West Cobalt playgrounds and they had hand steeling and hand mucking.
43. We had a lot of salt pork, potatoes, vegetables and desserts.
45. We'd wear little cotton dresses and ankle boots in the summer, we didn't wear long woolen stockings to keep warm.
46. The men and boys would wear they're dress suits and ties and shiny shoes, the mothers and little girls would wear nice dresses, hats & gloves
47. On Sunday's we'd go to church and then we'd go home and the kids would play skipping rope or something
48. no
49. To me its home and the people are very friendly
51. We have a nice library, a nice Supermarket.
52. I don't see any improvements in the North End of town and we sure need it
55. We could do with more work.
57. I like Cobalt all year round, but I find that it costs quite a bit in the winter months
58. I go to euchre parties at Ste Theresa School in the Winter and I go to bingos occasionally
59. My hobby is knitting
60. We need an industry of some kind that would give work year round.
61. There's the mining museum and the mining tours.
Highlights:
I remember when the mines blew the whistles in the morning and I miss this. When the French school burned down children were going to school in classes in different parts of town in buildings where space could be spared
I remember when Mr. Giachino had a beautiful restaurant, it was named Palm Gardens The Finlanders had a beach at Peterson Lake and it was called Finn Bay. We had many circuses 8: magicians coming to Cobalt. Mr. X.Belanger had a secondhand
store on Lang St. he also sold ice blocks and had an ice house on Galbraith St. On July 12th, the Orangemen's had a big parade and they had big beautiful horses The French people had a St. Jean Baptiste picnic every year. When I was a little girl I remember cutting pictures out of the catalogues and we'd 101y cutouts and we would play house, we didn't have much but we enjoyed ourselves.
Carmen Stubinski May 27, 1972
4 hours
1, Ralph Benner
4. Business address. P.O. Box 208, Cobalt, Ont
5, 679-5757, Its funny my mining license is the same as my phone number
6. born in 1913 - 58 years old
7. At home in Mileage 104
8. Dad was born in Severn Bridge, mother was born in Sundridge Ont
9. They were married in South Diver 1908
10. Born here
13. There were 5 of us
14. Geologist. I tried and tried to get a lease on Silver Cliff when I was 21. Someone beat me to it. Hal Fancy and Bob Lymna got the lease. So I went to work with a shovel for 13.75 per day
15. Stenographer met her in England APP. We got married in England
16. Consulting, Geologist, prospector
17. Housewife
17a. I joined and waited 6 months for a call it came 3 days before Christmas in 1940. I landed in England xmas 1941. After training as a navigator Bombardier RCAF came out as a flight Lieutenant. Was there 31- years I was
on the 429 Bison squadron Bombed on night duty. Did 24 hours bombing raids. Not Mary shortly after I got there. All Canadian personnel Bournemouth. That is where I met Mary. I went with here for 21 years and got married there.
18. I was glad to be back after the war. Still remember singing 0 Canada when we came home. I was crying I was so glad to be home. Coming back to Canada and seeing lights and stores again after 31 hours darkness. You could feel embarrassment. I found the house very warm. It took me a year or two to get used to central heating again.
19. Can remember coming home on the train mot Cal Taylor on the train he was MP for Temiskaming NDP at the time. Cal told me how things were happening in Cobalt. It didn't concern as I still had one year to go to University and anxious to get a pack sack on my back again and get out in the bush and go up the lake and out hunting in the 'ash which I loved.
21. I came back to Cobalt because my business was mining. After I graduated from queens that when A.D.Hellens, Hal Kenty and Mario DeBastini and I got together, Melons, Kenty and I had been overseas. The five of us were all close friends. Mario didn't go overseas. Dan and I became partners with Mario's help and guidance pumped shafts fixed it all up for operation. The Cobalt Lode which we had optioned. The first drill hole we put down we struck high grade silver. Mario was working with us we found a mine the 2 & 3 hole --as rich the 4th one missed the rest were good. It was the first money I made to celebrate Dan, Mario and I went to Purdy's Lunch counter and had a coke.
Jim Armstrong came back from overseas he came in with us. We mat up a. brief and went in Ottawa. We rewrote the brief 3 times between Cobalt and North Bay. Between North Day and Ottawa we rewrote it 3 times when we got to Ottawa we had it typed. In Ottawa we finally filed it and presented it. We got what we wanted the raise in the price of Cobalt. The old follows in Cot said we were crazy 4 young' fellows going to Ottawa to see about the price of Cobalt.
26. We had to walk a couple hundred yards to got water.
27. Coal lamps and lanterns an outdoor.
28. Wood stove. Mother baked all her own bread Saturday was baking day at our place. She preserved hundreds of jars of fruit and picker every year. We never bought canned fruit. The fruit was wild raspberries, blueberries and wild strawberries
29, Quebec heater) heated by coal.
30. Harry Bucklers general store Morris Ledovitz. He had the East Nipissing clothing store. You could buy and pay him when you could afford to, It was a. good store. He had beautiful daughters too. My barber was Charlie Otten There was Matton's barber shop in Mileage 104. Benny Mino the shoemaker. When Bill Harding also ran a poolroom and confectionery store.
31. The bush. The gym at the YMCA, in Cobalt Bijou theatre. It was 104 entry my sister took us, she paid our way. We sell bags to make money to go to the show.
32. The big thing was skating on Mill Creek we'd spend 6 hours. We'd ski, snow shoe. We made our own home made Bobsleds and we used to toboggan later years
33. Yes, Public school in Mileage 104 to grade 7 tried our entrance in the Cobalt Public school. Then I went to high school for 2 years my mother made me take straight matrix. I changed over to the mining school and graduated in 1932 at 17 years old
34. 16 years altogether
35. Street cars, horse and buggy
36. Dr. Schmidt
37. The miners hospital
38. Allan was born in England. Mary went to England to have him, I wasn’t settled then it was the easiest way
39. Worked in the gold mines in Kirkland Lake 1933-34, Working conditions were good.
42. Mucking contests and hand steeling
43. Waiting for dad to come home with his lunch pail. Remember dad always saved me something to eat out of his lunch pail
45. Penfield fleece lined combinations Wool mackinaw jacket, knee breeches
46. I wore a little Lord Fauntleroy suit, lace collar, velvet knee pants, I always carried a needle and thread, so I could mend my long stockings before mother saw the tears. In sports we used to go swimming at Cross Lake in at the second lake, Kirk Lake. We'd play baseball in the school yard. Mother and dad were caretakers at the mileage 104 school when we were kids going to school. I was the water boy. I had to carry water in the morning before I'd go to school. I'd fill up the cooler up and down stairs before I caught the bus to go to Haileybury high school My boots would be very uncomfortable. I'd have wet feet some days in the winter till I came home at night. My brothers helped me sometimes.
47. We'd sing hymns at home after we came home from Sunday school. We had family gatherings
48. Mineral collection the last 10 years
49. I know the people they are friendly
50. I feel there's more people for my type of work. There are more mines to be found
51. Walking last fall up Lang St. I couldn’t help but notice the young people outside painting and fixing up their homes at one time they were all old people on Lang St. I like Dunning Drive. Dr. Dunning deserves the honour of the street being named after him. New Red & White store more buildings not shacks replacing the old buildings
52. Don't like not having no drug store
53. My work has been searching and concentrated on new deposits
55.Yes
56. More mines found . They will be found I don't mean old mines I mean new ones so the production will be like 1910.
57. The fall, early spring, when the snow goes. No there's no flies. Its good prospecting in the fall when the leaves are gone there are no flies.
58. Jim Armstrong has been the mainstay of Cobalt. He has been and is doing a lot to bring money and has found silver for them. He is still working for them. as working in the old mines I'm looking for new mines. When I was in Cobalt and things were going good. I said I'm getting out of here I got so fat. It was terrible. I went to Beaver Lodge, Elliot, Denison and Canmet. I was in on the deal in Connaught. Had a deal with Denison exploration prospecting wise. My hobby is mining and prospecting I love the bush at Harrison Hibbert we located an ore body. Jim Armstrong and I were on the Harrison Hibbert. It never was a big mine. Cobalt Lode was a rich little mine Shaft 400 ft. 3 - 20 acre claims on property.
60. Mining in faces of refining production of silver and Cobalt metals. Have to find new mines
61. mining financiers, promoters, tourism
62. Mining tour, museum, fishing
63.. There are many mines to be found within a 50 mile radius of Cobalt not only silver gold, copper and nickel.
Hightlights:
1. I feel Paul Hermiston deserves a lot of credit for working free of charge in setting up and organizing and doing the excellent job of getting the museum in shape and setting up the exhibits and ore exhibits. I spent many hours in the museum when Paul was doing this practically round clock.
2. Arnold Todd had a lot to do in collecting material getting trucks to move the stuff in the museum in the start before Paul took over as curator. Arnold has done a lot for the town of Cobalt over the years in his own
silent way
3. I was councilor for the Township of Coleman for 3 years before we moved to Toronto.
Ed Benner
4. Dad died at the age of 90. Feb. 1959. He worked at the O'Brien Mine for 17 years as surface straw boss. He liked sports Saturday night hockey as ho got older was his favourite. Ho used to listen by radio, earphone, TV. We rigged up ear phones for him. He didn't enjoy the TV as much as he did radio.
5. Mother died Harriet Benner died at the age of 88, March 1972, She was active all her life baking for United Church bake sales and teas to which she belonged. Rebecca's Past Grand Progressive Conservative organization. We moved 4 times in 4 different houses our house burned in the 1922 fire,
The one that burnt we bought from Charlie Oaty. The house we own now was after the 1922 fire,
1. Ralph Benner has always been optimistic about the Cobalt area. He has maintained an office here since the Second World War.
2. He has three good local properties in view one of the, they are drilling in the spring 12 miles south of Cobalt. They have the money for this work. Another is 15 miles south of Cobalt. The last 2 properties as soon as they set Capital they are going; to explore and work,
3. Shall I say Ralph is Cobalt in the Gore and is expecting great things for the next year.
Carmen Stubinski February 21, 1972
1 ½ hours
1. Donna Berger
2.
3. Donna Francis
4. 45 Cobalt Street, Cobalt.
5. 679-5963
6. 28 Birthday Feb. 29 1 birthday every 4 years.
7. Timmins,Ont.
8. Mother and dad from England
9. Yorkshire and Cornwall, England.
10. 11 years.
11. car
12. came south
13. 4
14. electronic technician
15. R.N.A.
16. Trans Canada Pipeline technician
17. Homemaker
18. Good I wouldn't have any other town much better than Timmins.
19.More stores, Dominion Store, Home furnishing, T.B.S.
20. Because I got married here
21. Didn't look, took nursing course
22. Different shifts, 8 hours
23. $27. per month
24. It was a war time house
25. no.
26. water in house
27. hydro
28. wood stove for as long as I can remember
29. Wood stove heated all the house.
30. Drug store, furniture, grocery, and clothing
31. Shows,
32. skating
33. no.
34. 10
35. all kinds
36. Dr. Dunning
37. good
38. Haileybury
39. Too young
40.
41.
42.
43. no idea
44. always plenty to eat roast beef on Sunday, leftovers for Monday
45. Went home to Timmins
46. slacks
47. Mainly slacks
48. Church in the morning for a drive in the afternoon
49. Rocking chair
50. Its friendly
51. It makes it a better place to live in; everyone speaks to each other, no pushing and shoving. If you need help you get it faster.
52. Eaton’s old building was torn down now it is a park. New subdivision makes the town more modern.
53. Not having a drug store. Miss Damiani's store could always buy something different, miss their luncheon meats.
54. No.
55.
56. I like the way it is
57.
58. Spring its beautiful with the leaves coming out and the grass turning green.
59. Listen to records stay home most of the time
60. Knitting, sewing, crocheting, cooking, new recipes, knitting for
The Canadian Save the Children Fund right now. They supply the wool
You knit it up, and mail back the knitting.
61. If we could interest someone to establish an industry here. We have The men and women here to do the work. It isn't as if we have
To import men to work. No matter what industry the people would go into work and be trained to do it.
62. I can't answer that question because I just don't know.
63. New Sharp Lake Park, Bass Lake, looking forward to the new Lions Park within walking distance. New Motel, good stores, Silver Tavern, mining tours, Miners Festival museum, and the new library is beautiful. We definitely take all our visitors to the Highway Bookstore, Claim Post and the many unusual things.
Highlight:
Mrs. Berger lives in Cobalt and wouldn’t have it any other way.
Lucy Damiani Feb. 28, 1972
7:45 - 8:45
1. Theodore Bilodeau
2. Ted
3. Aurora Brazeau
4. 108 Lang Street
5. 679-8706
6. 50 years old
7. Cobalt
8. Father born in Capelton Quebec. Mother born in Victoriaville
9. Thetford Mines
10. I was born here my father came to Cobalt in 1908
11. He came by train to North Bay
12. By way of North Bay
13. Father was here in 1908 came as a widower with friends.
14. I worked at the Agnico Mine
15. My wife worked in Buckovetsky's Shoe Shop
16. Own a grocery store - storekeeper
17a. Storekeeper.
17b. 3 years in Infantry.
18. My father came the year after the strike and then it was all built up around the square and downtown area.
19. Wooden sidewalks and Lang Street then extended to the tracks
20. Came here because my dad was working in the mine so I came to get a job.
21. It was mostly mining and between big and small ones there were some hundred mines operating. I got a job at the Temiskaming at old townsite.
22. My father worked about 10 hours a day.
23. You could make 32.75 a day laborer, machine man $3.25 a day. I worked 8 hour shifts for 350 an hour seven days a week. Went to Queenmont Noranda in 1945, stayed there for 2 years, from there went to Timmins for 3 years then came to Cobalt and worked at Silver Miller Mine for 6 years. Then I bought the store and have been here ever since.
24. One winter I stayed in a frame house, then later I bought Nadeau's house on Lang Street and when we moved to the store we lived upstairs.
25. With family, gifts for the kids, meat pies, everybody coming in for reveillions after midnight mass.
26. Mr. Bilodeau Sr. said they had to get their water from the well and they also used to buy it from a vendor
27. Ted had electricity. Ted's father says there was electricity in very few places; most homes had coal oil lamps.
28. Wood stove for cooking.
29. Wood and coal for heating - wood was plentiful - used to go outside and get winter supply in.
30. Lang Street was full of shops on both sides, hardware shops, grocery stores, general stores, clothing shops, bake shops, jeweler wholesale of all kinds.
31. Mr. Bilodeau Sr. played mouth organ went to dances and played cards for entertainment. Ted says they had the Allouette Club going and it was a lot of fun. - he went to dances and played cards.
32. We had a gym in the house and pool table. Ted also played broomball.
33. In North Cobalt.
34. Eight hours.
35. Mr. Bilodeau Sr. says in his day there was only horse and buggy. Ted has 2 cars and one truck.
36. Ted had Dr. Kane. Mr. Bilodeau had Dr. Mitchell.
37. We use the Haileybury Hospital.
38. George was born in Haileybury.
39. The girls quit school at age 18, George went until he was 24.
40. Girls are married. George is part-time teacher.
41. Mr. Bilodeau worked in the mines by candlelight with shovels - it was hard work no machines like to-day. Ted says there is a difference in safety measures working with machines and kerosene lamps.
42. The contests haven't changed they still have mucking and hand drilling contests
43. They both say that people ate just as well then as they do now perhaps plainer food but nourishing.
44. They have always eaten together at supper after the store closed.
45. Christmas is always a gay time with everyone coming in after Midnight Mass.
46. Dressed in work clothes through the week.
47. On Sundays we always wore nice clothes everyone dressed us to go to Church
48. In the summer to the beach in the winter sleigh riding on nice days or games and card playing indoors.
49. I have a rifle which I got from a good friend of the families, that is about 70 years old - other than that we have some old family pictures.
50. Cobalt is a good town to live in.
51. People are friendly you know nearly everyone my home and business are here and I enjoy all this friendship has to offer.
52. The town has cleaned up some of the old lots and built nice parks most people are taking better care of their properties - I think after
Mastermet cleared the lots they were holding, people right away started fixing their homes and taking care of land soaping.
53.I like the changes made and hope they will be for the betterment of Cobalt
54.No. I like it.
55. I like it.
56.Yes
57.There is still too much out of town shopping - more stores & certainly a drug store would help - could we get the town to clean up a few more of the old shacks left.
58. I like the fall, for this part of the country it is the most beautiful time with the trees changing and all the splendid colours.
59. Play euchre, dancing, enjoy small house parties
60. Fishing & hunting.
61. We need another industry besides mining.
62. I think our season is too short for tourist trade only 3 months sometimes it rains a lot-we should work on something to encourage people coming in and people living here.
63. Museum, mining tours, could fix up the corner store with the natural shaft house for another attraction-we have new library, good motel accommodations many many lakes for swimming and fishing - good hunting grounds, These are all easily accessed.
Highlights
We have gone through some rough periods in Cobalt with new systems coming in all the time perhaps the government, could sponsor some program
for Cobalt to keep it alive. It is really one of the most historic towns of the North.
Name of Interviewer: Simone Bedard March 27, 1972
Interview 2 hrs.
1. Laurel Birtch
3. Carrie Brown
4. Nipissing Property
5. 679-5776
6, Laurel 49 Carrie 47
7. Ottawa Plantagenet by Ottawa
8. Garry’s parents Shawville Quebec, Perth New Brunswick
9. Ottawa
10. We arrived in Cobalt in August 1924
11. I was just a baby but I guess we came by train
13. Father, mother and If boys
14. A little of everything, truck driver, miner, plumber, contractor
15. Splint factory in New Liskeard
16. Contractor, self-employed
17. Housewife
18. I was too young, but as I grew older it was a very busy place
19. Dad drove teams for George Brewer; he worked for Crown Reserve Mine, and took care of a livery stable were Pep Chitaroni's house stands now.
22. Long
23. Dad was paid $15 per week in summer and $18 in winter
24. The first home I can remember was a tenant house at 33 park St.
25. Those were the good Christmases
26. We had a pump in the house
27. We had electric lights we use to put coppers for fuses in those days
28. Wood stove
29. Wood stove and box stove
30. Pretty good stores, the4„ Buckovetsky's, Abraham's Eaton’s had a grocery store with its order office behind the store.
31. There were 3 shows that I can remember
32. I went swimming, played hockey and ball
33. yes
34. I went as far as grade 10
36. Dr. Mitchell Dr. Chase
37. Cobalt miners hospital
38. in Haileybury
39. we have 2 married 'and If still going to school
40, When we came to Cobalt, they were dying down some,
41. Hand mucking, hand drilling and races
42. Meat, Potatoes lots of homemade bread, salt pork, homemade butter, tea and milk.
44. the same
46. Good pants, good shirt and jacket
47. We went to Church, Sunday School and then you went out to play
48, Yes I have a 250 shin plaster dated Jan 2, 1900 my grandfather gave it to me before he died.
49. Its home
50, Friendly spot, more advantages no doubt
55. I would like to see more work
56. Industry
57. Summer and Fall
58. Fraternal organizations, camping
59. Carrie, knitting and some sewing Laurel, no time for hobbies, too busy
60. More industries
62. Friendliness and old style mining, mining tours.
Name of Interviewer: Joanna Stubinski Date of Interview: Feb 17, 1972
Interview: Time of Interview: 2 hrs.
1. Mr. Arthur Brocklebank
2. Art
3.
4. 48 Nickle St
5. 679-8204
6. 82
7. England
8. parents both came from England
9. England.-North
10. Came by Boat and taro in 1909
11. Boat and train
12. Boat docked at Quebec—then finished trip by rail
13. Alone--Father was here in Cobalt He was the Head Timber man at the Savage mine, When Art came. There was a fire in Cobalt at that time and they said to him on the train "What the hell's the use of going to Cobalt--It's on fire". But it really wasn't that bad
14. Mechanical work and underground
15. Went to England and got married
16. Retired
17. Dead--worked on submarines at the time of the war--for 10 to 12 years-but was not in the service
18. He couldn't say he really loved it--Art made 31 trips back and forth to England.
19. Everyone met the train in the early day. When you stepped off they would hire you-needed a job. Work was very plentiful
20. Came to Cobalt, because his father was here
21. Went to work in the Savage mine. Also did plumbing work. Master mechanic by trade
22. 10 hr. worked at Nipissing also
23. $2.75 per day
24. Caesar Cain's boarding house. He and his father lived there--many people stayed there from the Isle of Man all Englishman. Lived on Swamp St. Argentite Rd Right hand side
25. Spent xmas with his father
26. Had to go to the well-not too far
27. In 1927 there was electricity
28. Cook stove range
29. Pot bellied stove to heat the house-,-4 ft. one Hung underwear and clothes to dry close to the pipe
30. General Stores
31. Down Swamp St. 6 blind pigs--Police always went in twice for safety--A lot of prostitutes--Theatres. He didn't go to them but knew they were there $20 to look at here.
32. Wrestling--Art was a good wrestler
33. No
34.7 yrs. brought up on a farm
35. Horse and buggies--dogs and sleighs train, street cars, down Swamp St.
36. Dr. Cain
37. Miss Reed was the nurse. It was a mine hospital
38. In Cobalt-3 girls
39. Elsie took courses
Ida had all kinds of money and travelled a lot to Europe
Laura
41. Busy--safe to work
42. The miners had a lot of drilling contests
43. Stews-roasts-English cooking-good meals
44. same as above-made Cornish pastries--very good
45.
46. Work clothes--wore braces
47. Dressed up to take the ladies out--His wife made him. Wore flannel shirts-
Remembers the dog named Cobalt that travelled the train everyday
48. In the camp playing cards--went to the blind pigs
49. no
50. like it
51. nice and quiet now-earlier it was rough town
52. It's very respectable
53. none
54. no
55.
56. more drilling and mines opened
57.
58. Spring and summer
59. television-down to the legion for a beer
60. drinking doesn't take two much though
61. open mines--if he was young and had money would invest it
62. miners
63. social life--memories--coming back to something you have a strong feeling for
Hightlights:
He owned the Drummond House--had to tear it down because of taxes--left the fireplace and put a cable around the lot
Art was a councilor and greeted Lord and Lady Bessborough--They took the Persian rug from their house and put it on the square to greet them--they put up a plaque.
Bill Taylor and Art--set up their both daughters in Hairdressing in Rouyn--They didn't make a go of it But Art kept giving them money-They let too many customers charge the fellows Kept the shop open so they would have an excuse to go up for a good time.
Carmen Stubinski April 15, 1972
Interview 1 hr.
1. Mrs. Lititia Bowers (Mrs. James)
Helen Street, Cobalt
Born 1874. In Mono Township Dufferin County
She married my dad in Toronto in 1904 and moved to New Liskeard in 1907. Lather in 1907 moved to first Brook in a deserted prospectors log cabin. Dad was a logger. He prospected High Falls Mine. When dad took his job of, jobbing he'd hire his own men, 5 or 6.
Mother would cook in the lumber camps in the summer. She did all the cooking for the men. She made her own bread, pies, cakes, etc.
She was a midwife. Whenever there was a baby coming she'd go with the husband that came for her, regardless of the distance. Many a child was brought into the world herself.
When Leslie was so sick Dad had to walk the 10 miles to New Liskeard often to get medicine for him.
Mother often has told us the story about the bear, when we lived in the one room log cabin in 1907 out in first brook. The same bear used to come and put his 2 front paws on the window and look in. One day 2 prospectors were there when it happened. Mother would rattle the lids on the stove to chase him away. This window sill had scratches all over it from the bear.
Dad was in the wood business till the day he died. He was sick for 2 days. He died at the age of 80 in 1950.
Granny Bowers, better known to us all as granny led a very active life. She never had an electric washing machine. Her home today on Helen St. had a wood stove for cooking with a sad iron on the back of it. She went down town daily till 2 yrs. ago played bingo wild loved it. She still wants to play bingo. He friends were scared something might happen as she is
so fragile. Just a little fall to the window and she'll crack a rib or Train her wrist. You’re never go into Grannies house, that she doesn't want you to leave without a cup of tea.
They have lived in Cobalt 22 yrs. and still own a bush camp 5 miles south of Latchford for the last 20 yrs.
Granny Bowers had 2 children, 5 grandchildren 27 great grand children, 7 great great grand children.
Granny Bowers always had a special birthday party given to her on her birthday till she was 97 by her friends. She is now confined in the Hospital. She has been in the hospital since 71.
She says the first place she is going to when she gets out is a Bingo
Always a sweet smile for everyone. Anyone knowing Granny Bowers will say she is a grandlady still living April 17, 72,
Lucy Damiani May 5, 1972
2:00 - 3:45
1. Michael Joseph Brosko
2. Genny Tevatio (wife)
3. 10 Argentite St.
4. 679-5966
5. shoemaker
6. born in Cobalt
7. Father in Ukraine, Mother in Poland
8. married - 2 boys
9. 52 years old
10. Cobalt is dead. The millionaires bled us to death for years and left us with nothing. Why didn't they put some of the money they made back into Cobalt? The government made money here. Spent it elsewhere and never did too much for us here. We are the forgotten people. What about this big new project that is going to be located on the Larose property Mike? That. I'll believe it when I see it. This new education system they have is also haywire. There’d no individuality. Those students are just going to be a number. The schools are too big and the teachers don't know the kids. It is losing the personal touch. Our schools in my day may have been smaller but I think we got a better education. And this is also costing the taxpayer more money because we are paying for new schools when our other schools in town are not being utilized, not paid for, w1 are they going to do with the empty schools? Our express and rail rates are out of this world. We have only a few hours service. There is only one passenger train a day in here. Also our freight only comes in once or twice. We small businesses are paying to have the railway system going to keep Sherman Mines, Texas Gulf, Adams, all the .per outfits who make money in business. If they paid their proper share we small fellows wouldn't have to pay such high freight rates and don't forget this (lower freight rates) would also induce small industry and we'll never get industry until we do something about our freight rates, on this government railroad of ours. Also we could have everything come in by rail except the perishables and this would keep our highways in better shape as there wouldn't be as there w many large transports bouncing around on them. Our system of government is all wrong. I don't say go all the way like Hitler or communist but they do have some good points. If you need education they see you get it, if a musician has any talent they put him through top schools here you have to do this on your own. This town should have been torn down and rebuilt. This is what should have been done, if lumber or wood were reasonable we could fix our homes or build. The working man can't purchase lumber or do a thing; it's priced right out of our reach.
They have fixed up some buildings in town but it’s still the old shell
and this is the way all the town looks. When they first started building They were put up to last a few years and sixty years later some of them are still here. They are sending our ore out to be refined to the states. Why couldn't we have this industry here? My father was here in the early 1900's worked on railroad putting it through to points north. There were 8 children in our family and the hungry 30's were pretty grim for us. At
times we just ate bread and vegetables from the garden. There were no benefits then as there are now. I started working at a young early age and so did the rest of the family. We had to my father worked hard to make ends meet.
He went into mining after he left railway that was his livelihood, and it took its tool. He died of silicosis. I started working as a shoemaker when I
was a kid with Nick Costo, a greek shoemaker who taught me everything I know about shoemaking. I worked with him for six years, for Mercier at Teronite Gold Mine, Young Davidson, Matachewan and then five years in the army. I went to England Scotland, France, Holland, Germany and Belgium. In Dec. 1945 I came home. I opened a shop Mar. let, 1946 right where I am today I was married in 1947 to Genny Tevatio a Cobalt girl. Lived with my mother in law for 5 years then I remodeled the place I am now living in - apartment above the shop and this is where we lived. Small businesses have a hard time surviving nowadays. It’s a lot of work for very little money. I was checking some newspaper ads and Eaton’s are advertising sale on zippers for $4.50 and I am selling them $2.50 and people still think you are robbing them. Women's half soles were advertised for $3.50 a pair. I probably couldn't get that for soles and heels plus my work. In the 30's tried everywhere to get a job. Went to Timmins , Kirkland, Malartic, Val D'or, Rouyn Noranda, - big line ups at all the gates. Cousin told me to go to Terinite and that how I got on its 70 miles on the other side of Gowganda. Just a couple of cabins, there was a blind pig and small store. This town looked good when we had Ducks, TES, Woolworths, people used to come and shop here from Liskeard Haileybury, now it’s the other way around. We have to go up there for lack of stores. I think it is very unfair to small businesses when big places like Sherman Mine, Refinery and the hydro project was like this. All these outfits bring in supplies and store goods which they sell at cost plus 1 % so the small business is sitting there not selling their project. These projects do not benefit a town. They come in with everything supplies included and they take off with everything when they leave. Tourist trade is only good for a few months of the year and good only for grocery stores, hotels, restaurant, and souvenir shops. In a town this size we need more than just tourist trade to help keep it going. I mentioned what might help in the foregoing paragraphs. We are too free with our laws. Look at our salmon industry. We will soon have lost all salmon mainly because we are letting other countries fish on our shores. The cost of everything is already so high that the average laborer has no money left after buying necessities so he is not spending freely which affects our prosperity. I say for a small community we paid too high a price for recreation. 39,000. is a lot of money to pay a man for the job. Why don't we get together with Township of Coleman they have been using our facil-ities and not paying their share, of together we could have better facilities. They get some tax money from our schools, our mines we are paying for their kids going to school and using our facilities. This amalgamation should have taken place a long time ago. There should be organized sports. I'm
sure there are many fellows here in town who would donate their time towards an organized sports program. Look at Haileybury and Liskeard they don't have a recreation director. If all citizens pitched in with this little town of ours it would be a better place to live in.
I have an old building next to me that a real fire hazard and it’s also four feet on my property and I just can't get it moved. I have been after the town to move it for years. It's not a museum piece. I don't know why they are trying to restore it, it’s not yet twenty years old. Another
spot that's ruined is Cobalt Lake. The mines have been dumping in slimes and tailings. When people started complaining about the looks of the lake. So when the town began demanding action from the Agnico Mines a body of men representing Agnico, met with town council and lawyer Sophia represented Cobalt in the action. Agnico agreed to clean up the lake and maybe if silver goes up Agnico still has lots of tailings to put through so it may never e the same nice lake it once was. They have started a road to the ball park which Lions Winter works is making at one end of the lake. They should have just built this baseball Park at West Cobalt where the old one once was there will be a lot of cleaning up to make a nice park of it. To me there should be some law that a home owner or business place should keep their own properties clean of litter and this would help Jeep the town cleaner. They could also put those garbage cans up around town again. I think people use them. Well I guess I've said enough Lucy except I'd like to see nothing better than the town of Cobalt go ahead. We have been held back and I hope it picks up again. Thanks for your interview and time Mike. If you forgot something for have other interesting things to tell me just call.
Lucy Damiani May 1, 1972 2:15 3:45
1. Mario Rugero Brunetta
2. None
3. 42 Park, St.
4. none
5. retired
5. Caneva Udine Italy
7. Caneva Udino Italy
3. Single
9. About 70 years old
10. It would be a good town to live in especially now with all the facilities but they should tear down all the old houses that are not livable. They were defeating their own purpose by fixing up the buildings renovating and making part of the downtown section very attractive. Then they have these old buildings on the same street. From the Silver City Garage to the bridge is quite a nice area. When they tear down some of the old buildings they should give people a chance to buy the lots. Some of the homes you see are so close together some of these should be relocated and some of the streets that are too narrow with houses close to the road, should be moved hack in order to have wider roads. I also think it’s a shame to have such a nice lake right in a town and they let it become-polluted with mill tailings and climes. Companies who mined around this area should also be made clean up the mess. Rather than waste time on some winter works program that wont t show why didn't they wait until the weather was favourable and have the alike pumped out until it’s clean again. This is a nice location for a lake and it should be kept nice. I don’t think much of this regional school and bussing the kids out of town, We have our own schools in town so why all this? I think there is more going against it than for it. First of all it’s a long day for the student they leave earlier and come back later. Secondly there is no supervision except in classroom and it’s hard for the parent to know whether or not their child is attending classes. Thirdly larger schools means more children which means not too much individual attention so does this help bring on a good grade of students. I also hope the
meeting on Monday night tonight will bring some results and that they will listen to the voice of the people. We would not want to lost grade 13. This big project that Mr. Cooper was influential in getting this big project for Cobalt. It’s what the old town needed. Some people are still skeptical as to this going through out if they received a government grant they will have to produce I also hear things are looking better for the old town. There is more news to come on the Smelter and also the Dept of Restoration may have something for Cobalt every little bit helps. If we can keep our few small industries going locally it will all help. More industry would be a welcome benefit to the town they, the investors should be given some incentive to locate industry in Cobalt.
There is also room for private enterprise. We do need a drugstore and some more stores to prevent so much out of town shopping. Some of the local businesses we have now are out pricing themselves out of business. This is a depressed area and we are paying higher than city prices in clothing, groceries, hardware. The town has certainly improved in the l few years, the new parks have added to it, and a credit to the town is the new Red & White the Tressider Bros are to be congratulated on their venture and so is Birnie's Motel and Tavern these are alia nice addition to the town. The new housing, subdivision and I hear we are going to have a senior citizens home, which I think we really need.. The tourist trade should be encouraged although we want to keep our lakes clean, as we have much to offer the tourist where else except Cobalt ate all the things to do and all close by - lakes for fishing and swimming, Boot hunting grounds for small and large game, mine sites, shafts, the "Mat Hydro" Project, Drummond Cairn, good berry picking and a fine museum of mining downtown, now the new Mint & refinery will be another tourist attraction. I came to Canada in 1922 and went to Cape Breton Island for For years, I worked on a farm in Saskatchewan for the harvest went to Sudbury .,or about one year. In 1926 I worked in Gowganda and stayed there for 5 years. In 1931 worked on railroad on extra gang. I worked in Toronto for one summer on construction there was no winter construction in those years. Came back to Cobalt and started working as night man at the Fraser 'louse and stayed there for 'might years before retiring. I bought my house on Park Street in 1953 and I have been here ever since. Through the years when I worked in Cape Breton, Saskatchewan, Sudbury, Toronto, Gowganda, I kept coming to Cobalt to visit friends. There has always been something about the town and the people that got to me. I could have
gone to many other places to settle down as I have no ties, but I couldn't find a place I liked as well as Cobalt. We are situated in an ideal location. Lakes good hunting trails only 68or 8 miles to the north is Kirkland Lake and 98 miles to the south is North Bay. You can take a little drive to Haileybury or Liskeard and its only 9 miles away. I have a little Volkswagen and I enjoy driving around the countryside. In winter I am content to sit at home and watch TV or road. I read a lot. We have a good library in town and down the road about 5 miles in Gillis is the Highway Book Store that has any book you could think of or want I say this is the Best Old Town and I wouldn't trade it for any other place.
would like to see it a little more lively, so I hope it does pick up. It will always haves a big heat its people are famous the world over or their friendliness/ I've enjoyed talking to you about the old days. So have I Mario and I hope this
will get into a history of some kind. Thanks.
Joanna Stubinski April 18, 1972
1 1/2 hours
1. Miss Patricia Brezenski
2. Pat
3, single
4. 19 Helen
5. 679-5779
6. 47
7. Cobalt
8. Mother born in Brudenelle Ottawa Valley. Father in Poland 3 months old when came to Brudenelle
9. Ottawa valley
10. Father came to Cobalt in 1904, was married at that time. He came first -got a job and went for his wife
11. came by train to Mattawa then boat to New Liskeard or Haileybury
13. Father, mother and aster Mary
14. Dad worked at Nipissing Mine and Mining Corp. Also for Brewer's Livery. He delivered electrical wire and machines to the Hydro project, at Ragged Chutes in 1909
15. Mother was a school teacher, but didn't teach in Cobalt.
16. Father is dead and mother also
17. Pat is a nurse at Haileybury Hospital
18. Grew up in depression time but had a good time growing up. Always liked Cobalt
19. Remembers dad saying that Mr. Bilodeau sold them water by the barrel when they lived on Earl St. Went to the Ball Park. One day my mother was leaving the house to see Rudolph Valentino at the theatre just as she was leaving the doctor came to examine her, he said "Where are you going, she told him, he said come in I'll examine you, “when finished he said, "I don't think you'll be going anyplace " and just then her sister Maggie was born. It was Dr.Taylor
20. Dad came because of the mines and to get a job
21. Mining - blacksmithing - lumbering
22. 9 hours - father worked, sometimes longer
23. about 3 dollars a day
24. 19 Helen St. bungalow type wood frame
25. Remembers candles that were lit on the tree. Mother always had the water ready. These candles clipped on, remembers stringing popcorn for the tree. Also parents trying to put kids to sleep. So they could hide the gifts.
26. running water
27. hydro
28. Wood stove
29. Wood and coal
30. Bata's, butcher shops, Vellis' Assaf's, Woodworth's, Buck's, TBS, clothing stores, restaurants,
31. Vaudeville Acts - Classic theatre and made your own fun.
32. Bowling, skating, swimming, camping, skiing, bicycling, badminton and basketball.
33. St. Pat's and Cobalt High then trained at St. Michael's in Toronto
34. 16 yrs.
35. Street cars used to go to New Liskeard beach by streetcar remembers when Mclsaac buses started running
36. Dr. Case
37. Never in the mine hospital in Cobalt
41. Father helped the Prince of Wales saw the ladle full of silver to form a silver bar
42. Just what I saw at festivals
43. meat and potatoes always ate 3 heavy meals a day. We always had our own garden and vegetables.
44. same
45. Never wore slacks. Wore dresses and skirts to school. Always changed after.
46. Put on your best dress but again changed after mass
47. Went to mass and benediction picnics and playing around
48. My mother’s dishes and nick necks and furniture„
49. The people
50. always loved Cobalt and was born here
51. none
52. Would like to see progress for better too many businesses closing and mines
53. yes
54. need a better shopping area prices are too high need more competition 55 yes
56. Ike to see it a good thriving busy community with more job opportunities
57. summer
58. Likes to entertain and read - go to the beach. Any concerts or plays that come to the area I try to see - fishing - picnics and boating
59. reading and doing leather crafts
More industry or something that’s going to create jobs. Perhaps a year round type of resort need something here to give a good wage.
61. We'd need another good mining find, to bring in people a boom of some sort.
62. Museum - lake9 - fishing - swimming and scenery
Pat is a busy little hard working girl - never goes out much but loves to entertain She does travel when she can - really enjoys life.
Carmen Stubinski February 21, 1972
1 1/2 hours.
1. Mrs. Carole Buffam
2.
3. Carole Thibeault
4. 2 Silver Street, Cobalt.
5. 679-5937
6. 29
7. Cobalt
8. Mother, Cobalt, Father Cobalt.
9. Cobalt.
10.
11.
12.
13. 9
14. Funeral Director.
15. Bank clerk
16. Funeral Director.
17. Homemaker
18. Too young.
19.
20. .
21.
22. Eight hours.
23.
24. Large frame wooden house.
25. With a large family we had good Christmas'
26. In the house.
27. Electricity
28. Wood stove used to toast our bread on the top of the stove. In the summer when the stove wasn't used 1 used to use the back of the
stove for a blackboard. Used to put potatoes on the top of the stove, cover them with a can till cooked. It was delicious.
29. Big wood furnace downstairs.
30. Woolworth's, Bucks, 1.B.3. Tom Black's Hardware.
31. Teen town, show, dancing.
32. Bowling, skating, tobogganing, badminton
33. Yes
34. 12
35. Bus, trains, cars.
36. Dr. Dunning,
37. Good
38. Haileybury
39. At school.
40.
41. Went down under round in a mine once, down to 2nd level, and didn’t like it.
42.
43. Big sturdy meal, Stews, beans.
44. Always had a nice big meal on Sundays, always had plenty to eat. Mother was a tremendous cook.
45.
46. Blouses, jumpers.
47. Best clothes.
48. Church, visiting.
49.
50. Friendly town,
51. I love the place.
52. Home improvements, new buildings, parks, the new homes on Dunning Drive
53. The town itself I like
54.
55.
56. Would like to see more recreation facilities in summer for the children such as organized groups.
57. Baseball, tennis. In winter Boy scouts, cubs etc.
58. Fall, it’s beautiful.
59. We make our own entertainment, shows, and play cards, entertain.
60. Hook rugs, sew
61. Something should be done about the mines.
62. The average worker if they could find a job.
63. Mining tours, Kiwanis beach, the town itself has something to offer, curving roads, and Cobalt’s Miners Festival week. Smell of green trees, Cobalt's Hospitality. Just show them Cobalt. Most of all no pollution.
Highlights
Mrs. Buffam was born and raised Cobalt and the Buffams have a Funeral business in Cobalt.
She loves everything about Cobalt and wouldn't want to live anywhere else.
Lucy DAMIANI, Apr. 24/72
8:15 - 10:30
1. Jackson David BURTON
2. Helen TURGEON (wife) born in Shawville in Otter Bay
3. 23 Ruby Street
4. 679-8314
5. Unemployed
6. Haileybury, July llth, 1917.
7. Mother and Father both born in Queens Line near Cobden, Ont.
8. Great grandfather on fathers side born in Nottingham, England.
Great grandmother on father’s side born in Scotland.
8. Married - 2 children, Wendy 21, Harry 22.
9. 55 years old.
10. I say Cobalt is the only town in Canada where the Bank Manager stops to talk to the garbage collectors on a Monday morning. This is a typical mining sown and I would not trade it for 2 dozen Haileybury or Liskeard or any other town. There is no class distinction here and anybody moving in with high and mighty airs or ideas soon changes or nobody will bother with them. We 'ye had our ups and downs and I've seen worse times in Cobalt. The smelter has opened up and will later on employ about 50 or 60 men. They are working with Cobalt mineral and we have plenty of it here. They say Silver Shields is going to open up soon and Agnico will be again on the producing list so the picture looks brighter. I wouldn't like to see industry come in because we would soon have pollution in the air, water and earth. Anyone coming up from down south keeps saying how clean the air is. What is so unique about Cobalt is our water sources are unpolluted I am now working with Mr. Gore on trying to get to the proper authorities to have building on Cross Lake stopped before it is too late. We have one home there with water facilities from and to the lake and this should be stopped now while there is still time to prevent pollution. We have four lakes here now for drinking water where it is unlawful to put a boat on the water so let's do all in our power to keep it so. We are ahead in Canada, if our border sister the States where they have no control in soap for phosphate education. Both countries have cut down Lumber and we are now going to lose our best forests.
I am really against loosing students to school there are too many going out of town like this for schools - they are leaving earlier, coming home later, there is no supervision, we are better off with our own schools in our own towns. I'm against taking away grade 13 from Cobalt High School. We have carried on with grade 13 when lesser students were attending. Now we could bring in Temagami and Latchford students. People are losing their individuality and so are the students they are becoming a number. The teacher doesn't get to know her students as they used to in our days. A few years ago Walter Cole and I were in charge of track and field competition and public speaking contest for the local Canadian Legion. We sent out invitations to participate to 7 schools. Ten days before the public speaking contest we got in touch again with the same 7 schools for an immediate reply and we heard from no one. The contest was held on a Sunday at 1:30. At 1:00 p.m. Walter and I were at the auditorium and the principal of St. Pat's came with 4 girls 2 in grades 1 to 6 and two in grades 6 to 8 - total contestants from 7 schools there were just the 4 girls who entered track and field contest it was the same. -Brian Richards and Gary Meehan were the only teachers to show, so the Legion abandoned the project. There is no interest in students, their welfare or recreation facilities - the lack of interest also by teachers. Price of silver is big reason for our depressed state. There aren't too many industries using silver. There is still a lot of silver to be mined. Speak to any old-timer in the area and he will tell you it’s still underground. An example of setbacks is the holding companies are JJ Grey and P Hugh Sutherland who have properties but are not using or releasing for use so the silver just sits there, When Mr. Reinhardt passed away his property was released and that was where Glenn Lake had some of their richest finds. My grandfather came to Haileybury from Cobden in 1911 and worked at the Nipissing Mine, he also worked jobbing in lumbering for P 0 Murphy Lumber Co. died you know before the 1922 fire in Haileybury. There was a box factory and a brick factory. These factories were both in the vicinity of the new park up there. As a matter of fact there's a big hill there with a big cone shape where they had taken day out for brick making. We lived there on the settlement and it was called Lawlor town after Mr. Lawlor who was an early business man in Haileybury. In 1928 - 1930 the -hockey games were terrific entertainment, that was when Cobalt - Haileybury - Liskeard had junior, intermediate and senior hockey games.
Some of the Cobalt teams later went to form a nucleus of the N H L teams.
There was always much rivalry between Cobalt and Liskeard but we got along fine with Haileybury. I can remember 3 outstanding players in that league - "Gerty" Tuppling, "Baldy" Northcott and "Noisy" Clark the goaltender.
Dr. Banting was an amateur artist who painted with the Group of Seven. He came to Cobalt for holidays and was a great friend of Dr. Armstrongs, the dentist here. Dr. A. Y. Jackson often came to Cobalt to paint. I have three
of his reproductions. There were others from Group of Seven came here to paint. It was a favourite place for artists with its rolling countryside and unique architecture. I enlisted in the Army Aug. 2, 1940. I was already in the Algonquin Regiment before the war and became a qualified Signal Sergeant in 1933. I still read and send Morse code. There were other Cobalt boys in our regiment. Dave Thorne, Bob Clark, Aldege Primeau (killed in action K.I.A.), Dave Armstrong K.I.A., Michael Boland K.I.A., Arnold Todd, Bob Herbert, George
Herbert, George Cassidy, Jack McLeod, Clark Robertsonl Tommy Cole, Ted Underwood, Emerson Cote, John Tasse, Brit Mathers, Jack Mathers, Davy Orr, Armand Levely, _Clarence Pearce, Cord Watts, Zeo Church, Romeo Dworski, Roger Boissonneault K.I. A., Dick Fenton, Bill Fenton, Gordon Fenton, Herbert Long, Dominique Bolger, Bert Folco, Braden Bolger NC, Gordon Wyatt, Harold Brunette, Adelard Godin, Mike Bolan, Jeff Gauthier, Woodley Soucisse, Edmund Soucisse, Irving Orr, John Gordon, W.C. "Doc" Price, Jock Price, Walter Harvey, Ralph Richardson, W.L. Pidgeon, George Powells, Lloyd Pellette, Bill Buckland, Jim Bailey, Wib Sullivan, Paul Guilbeault, Ed Jabour, Clarence Campbell, Tom Adshead, J.K. Nugent, E.J. Primeau, mobilized on July 22, 1940. We spend 1940-41-42 going from Haileybury to Camp Borden, Port Arthur, Shiloh, Manitoba, Niagara Falls, Buttwood, New Brunswick, Debert, N.S., England, France, Belgium, and Germany. We ended up in North Bay, Jan. 1945 for demobilization. In Jan. 1946 I got my first job 6 weeks guarding a condemned man at Haileybury Gael. The hardest Job I've ever had to do. Then I went to Ausic Mines, it was the former Silver Cliff. These were all A.B. Pilner properties. Worked until Mar. 20, 1947, then I went to Lowery grocery wholesale until Oct. 15, 1949, then I worked for Purdy's Modern Hardware, located in the lower street level of the Fraser House Bldg. until Feb. 26, 1955. I worked from March 10, 1955 until Nov 15th, 1957 . Worked one year for R.J. MacArthur machinery. June 22, 1959 I started at Liquor Control Board of Ontario, Cobalt, and worked until October 1964. I quit for reasons of health. I have a part time job as secretary treasurer for Canadian Legion Branch 44, Cobalt. People in Haileybury and New Liskeard have spoken about wonderful recreation program we had in Cobalt. We had a girls bugle and drum bang, majorettes, dancing school, glee club, art club, ceramics club and miners festival every year. Most of these things we didn't have going before our director organized them. It might be difficult to carry through a program now with all the difficulties which had arisen. There is a pottery shop in town, an off - shoot of recreation program. I think it would be quite appropriate to have a silver jewelry business. After all this is Cobalt’s main industry. I think the local municipal government is doing a terrific job in town. They are renovation old buildings and adding to the business section of the town. We have a good snow removal and garbage collection. We have a summer school for artists every year and we would like .cur old buildings preserved and we won't get tourist attractions if we are going to work on a tourist trade. We will have to preserve our head frames and old buildings, and mine shafts. I wouldn't like to see it too beautiful -keep some of the rustic atmosphere. This is paramount for tourists. Over in European Countries there is always a town square, a park with benches. These are no facilities for sitting in the parks down town. So often it has been said that we do not have a resourceful source of information for the tourist or people stopping to enquire. We should educate our citizens, maybe these are newcomers but when stopped by a stranger and queried as to what is there to see in Cobalt quite often the answer is - "I don't know". We very much need tourist information on local sights, and historic spots to see, places to fish, with maps on how to get to the different lakes, this should be in form of a big bulletin board down town or perhaps leaflets at a central store in town that is open after 6:00. This booklet should have motel, hotels, and rates, a list of eating places, how to het to mines, Mat project, etc., etc. My favourite hobbies are art and pottery. I use local clay from the little clay belt which stretches from South Loraine to Englehart. In Liskeard clay belt is from 100 to 200 feet deep. At the pottery shop we are making our own glazes, use Cobalt oxide, iron, nickel and copper, buy ingredients and make own glazes.
We have applied for a government loan and we hope to have our little industry going. For sports we have ski village in Lorrain Valley. In earlier 1940, Jean was on ladies baseball team. I bought my home from Dr. Lyons. It was a two storey Chinese Laundry for $285.00 and I and my wife went up to Haileybury and tore it down board by board and brought salvageable lumber to Cobalt. I bought a lot on 23 Ruby Street and built the home myself. Moved in on Sept. 4, 1948 and my son was born three weeks later. I covered roof with tarpaper and a big wind storm blew most of the paper off. Then it started to rain and we just didn't have enough pots and pans for the drips. We moved our bed from the bedroom to the other end of the house. When my brother down the street heard of my plight, he came up and took us to his house for the night. Here I was earning $25.00 a week and trying to build a house, boy I'll tell you there were some rough days. My friend Bill Conroy helped me put the sewer pipes in, the electrical and other fixtures I put in myself. It now has six spacious rooms and is very comfortable. I added another room in 1966. There is a nice lot at the back of the house for a garden. When I first moved in there were only 9 houses on the street, now there are 16 homes. And since I've been there in 1948, some 23 people on my street and street opposite have passed away.
Lucy Damiani March 19, 1972
7 - 8:30
James Caufield
2. None
3. Elizabeth MacDonald (wife)
4. 48 Earl Street
5. 679-5791
6. Age 741.
7. Uxbridge,Ontario
8. Father in Uxbridge, Mother in Pickering County
9. Ireland
10. Came to Cobalt in 1936 prior to this was in Monteith from 1918 to 1936
11. Car by way. of Kirkland Lake
12. Number 11 Highway south of Kirkland Lake
13. came with wife and daughter Jean
14. Stationery engineer at 0' Brien mine
15, was a teacher
16. at present retired but perhaps may work again
17. Retired housewife J. really didn't think too much of it coming in by train north or south it looked depressing and desolate. Of course the depression was on and a lot of homes looked as though they needed repairs.'
19. I was not used to all the hills and rock this was strange to me
20. I had been offered a job before coming here so I came to Cobalt to work there was a scarcity of jobs everywhere at the time.
21. Mining, mill work, some lumbering in the area
22. 8 hours a day seven days a week
23. About 50. per week
24. Have always lived in this house on arrival we bought it from Brisebois a
large two storey home with 3 large bedrooms upstairs a bathroom and 2
large rooms and a kitchen downstairs
25. We had a good Christmas some of our relatives came to visit and our daughter Jeanie was old enough to enjoy Santa Claus
26. water in house with 3 piece bath
27. Electricity for lighting
28. Wood cook stove, gas heating upstairs system
30. A lot more stores than today TBS, Woolworths Buckovetsky’s, Rowdon Hardware Malton the barber, hat shops, shoe stores, Tom Black Hardware an eccentric old man who was really a legend here. When you went in to buy something his usual line was What do you want to buy that for its just a piece of junk or maybe you'd get No its not for sale. Tourists got to know him and used to drop in just to talk to him.
51. Shows, Knights of Columbus Hall, Town Hall, YMCA and skating rink, ball field and pool rooms, restaurants.
32. Football and baseball.
33. went to school in Uxbridge
34. Elementary school
35. trains, buses, cars
36. Dr. Case
37. there was a red cross hospital at the time and good size two storey building
38. Jean was born in Monteith
39. Jean went through for a teacher quit at 19. John graduated from Mining School at 21. Rosemary —quit at 19. Frank graduated from Mining School at 20
40. Jean worked teaching at St. Josephs Ottawa. John worked at Opemiska. Rosemary worked ' St. Josephs Hospital North Bay. Frank worked at East Malartic
41. Was a mill worker don't know too such about mine underground
42. They held drill and mucking contests
43. Lunch pail consisting of sandwiches cake or cookies fruit and tea
44. I was always on shift work and the family always had a main meal at supper
45. Work plain sports clothes through the week.
46. On Sundays dressed up go to church and when we got home we usually changed back to sports clothes
47. went walking in the bush, fishing or going to the lake with family
48. Stations of the Cross in booklet form this belonged to my Mother, she was very religious , a fishing tackle
49. I think it’s a good town to live in but would like to see more work
50. Because it has a nice friendly atmosphere
51. Building of library, town has renovated some of the old buildings, new townsite with new homes. Think it’s wonderful the recreation facilities the children have.
52. I feel there is far too much welfare and these people • should be made
to work.
53. No I like it.
54. I do wish they would punish offenders to the crimes they commit - there are still those who go around breaking windows, destroying public property or defacing new buildings
55. yes
56. More work and prospects for everyone something should definitely be done to encourage our young people to stay
57. Like summer best
58. like gardening, read a lot, watch TV
59. gardening
60. There has to be an incentive to locate industry this far north. We should encourage American or foreign investment
61. We should encourage tourist trade
62. Mining tours museum, are of special interest we also have good fishing hunting spots and we are friendly to people.
Name of Interviewer: Simone Bedard March 28
Interview: 9:45 to 12:00
1. Raymond Champagne
3. 154 Lang St
4. 679-5653
5. Millwright
6. Cuthier Quebec
7. Bonfield Ontario
8. Married
9. 40 yrs. old
10. Education facilities are up to par with the rest of Ontario. For the economic situation is poor, as we have to go outside for work. The job opportunities are bad, there is no work within 200 miles, training may be ok for miners but outside of this you have to go to Toronto. Wages are good. City facilities are good.
11. We would need an industry that would employ people year round, something like a factory employ people year round, something like a factory of some kind, that wouldn't be here just fo3 a few yrs. and then close down,
12. The lower Notch Ontario Hydro Power Dam gave work to more than 3,000 men specified no. 2 occupation; millwrights had work for 25 members for 16 months. The Sherman Mine helped develop the Tri-Town and without is the Tri-Town is practically nothing
13. An industry that would employ at least 600 people year round
14, A smelter to refine the silver or an industry that would employ a sufficient amount of men
15, 12 members
14. He did millwright at the Sherman Mine construction site for Canadian Bethel Contractor 16. Millwright
19. Cobalt was a place that was just starting to breath with the Sherman Nine construction
20. We came to Cobalt for the construction of the Sherman Mine.
21. Millwright at the Sherman Mine
39. Oldest son quit New Liskeard Secondary School after grade 11 at age 17, to start an apprenticeship in millwright at Toronto.
40. His first job was in Sudbury he worked there during 11 months, and then he was transferred to Cobalt at Lower Notch for ten months now transferred to Timmins at Texas Gulf. 49. Cobalt is a nice place to stay and I hope we will have work soon
52. There's no more work for the finishing student,
60. All the small mines are closing down for some reason, those men needs jobs, Sherman Mine is filled up and there is no other industry in the area.
62. At the moment no one, as there is no work.
In the park that is under construction if a swimming pool was added to permit children to
spend the day at the park. You would need at least 4 monitors to direct kids in play and amusement.
Simone Bedard
1, Lucien Chartrand
2. Luke
4. 212 Lang St.
5. 679-5640
6. 56 yrs. old
7. I was born in Cobalt April 24,1972
8. My dad was born in St. Clet, Quebec. and my mother in Buckingham
9. They were married in Buckingham and they were living there before they
came to Cobalt in 1906 and my mother joined him with the family in 1909. 11. They came by train
13. My parents and 4 children
14. My father was a blacksmith by trade
16. I work for the Department of Correctional Service
17a. The only war memory I have is when I fractured my spine in a mountain climbing practice. I was in the army for 3 years
21. When dad came to Cobalt he worked as a blacksmith and steel sharpener in the mines.
22. He was working, 10 hours a day
3. In those days he was getting P_.75 a day.
24. Our first home where I was born was at 36 1st Street it was a two storey frame home.
25. When I was a child we had a lot of relatives and friends at Christmas. We had a few toys and a lot to eat.
26. We had tap water
27. For lighting we had electricity
28. Wood stove
29. In winter we had a coal furnace for heating
30. We had a lot of stores and they were in every part of town
31. In winter we played hockey on the swamp and skated on Cobalt Lake, in summer we played ball,
33. I went to St. Hillarion school on O'Brien Property
34. 1 finished school in grade 8
36. Dr. Taylor was our first family doctor
37. The facilities & service are very good
38. He was born in Haileybury Hospital
39. He finished school when he was 19 years old. He worked for CJKL radio for three months then went to work for a finance company.
41. All the mines were working, and the work was hard.
42. They had hand mucking, hand steeling and hand drilling contests
43. My dad ate side pork or pork chops and fried potatoes and homemade bread for breakfast
44. Ragouts, roast beef, potatoes; vegetables and all kinds of pies. We wore little suits and these were made at home as my mother made a lot of our clothes.
47. We went to mass and when we got home we changed our clothes and went to play ball or hockey depending on the season.
48. no
49. People in Cobalt are friendly, we know all our neighbours and to us its home.
51. The new library and the remodeling of buildings in town have really improved our town.
52. What I don't like is losing all our stores and offices, Express, freight shed, long distance. Why should we have to pay extra to pay our telephone and hydro bills
53. There's only a few stores and they're expansive so we go out of town and once there we do all our shopping groceries and clothes.
55. We'd like to see a dry goods store in town. Something that should thoroughly be investigated is our 'Welfare problem in Cobalt, some people are
Getting welfare that could at least do a watchman's job.
57. We prefer summer as we love to go fishing.
58. We play cards, go fishing and we also love to travel
59. My hobby is wood working
60. I think we need an industry in this area.
61. I don't think Cobalt has much to offer at the moment
62. We have the mining museum, the mining festival in the summer and we have pottery for visitors.
Highlights:
I remember when the 1922 Haileybury fire was just across the bridge mom had dressed us all up in our best clothes as we were going to take the train that we here just for that purpose to rescue the people and we each carried a little bag . I was told that when the influenza epidemic was in Cobalt all those who were infected were moved to Mileage 104 in a big house so they would not spread the flu and they were all taken care of together it was something like a hospital.
Joanna Stubinski May 30, 1972
1 hour
Agnes Chesser
Agnes took telegraphy in Toronto and in 1916 started as a student in Cobalt for the TNO. D. H. Way was the agent for both the station and the Telegraph office. Mary Bunyan was the head operator and. Florence Guertin was the operator. The office was very busy - the girls had to copy the news for the Nugget over the Morse wires and to deliver it to the Cobalt Nugget.
Agnes worked there for6 months then when the ONR long distance moved from Northern Telephone to the station she came to Haileybury telegraph office, which was still under the ONR but over the Strong Drug Store - this was 1917 Agnes worked there until the 1922 fire. The day of the fire all of Haileybury was on fire."I remember said Agnes,"the firemen came and sent a wire to railroad. In North Bay to tell them the Town of Haileybury was burning,"
We stayed at the lake until 2 a.m. in the morning, it had started to turn cold and we had light clothes on as we walked towards our place we stepped over live wires and dead cattle. Slept at Saumier's place. The very next morning I reported in Cobalt at the telegraph of fire.
I started with the actual TNNO in 1922 Oct. 5 we had to handle messages as far north as Englehart because all the wire was destroyed. Never
forget the piles of telegrams. Alvin Jardine and McClary who later because superintendent on the ONH helped us sort out and deliver messages. The press reporters were like flees sending out reports about the fire.
At that time we worked from 8 a.m. till 2 a.m. without stopping. A couple of months later they opened a station in the baggage car at Haileybury -they had the Ticket and telegraph office there, I worked there all winter. The snow would blow in under the door and stay there all day long. It was really the coldest place I ever worked in. We were paid $100 a month then, actually it was one of the better paying jobs in those days.
Things were really quiet around Haileybury then, people were building their homes - I know the house we live in today was built by my family in 1923. I worked part time in Cobalt then and worked on the books in Haileybury. In 1923 I started to shift around in order to stay on with
the railroad. I was told to bid on certain jobs. So first of all I went to Timmins for 3 years back to Cobalt for 3 years Florence Guertin was head operator then. Then the railroad opened a telegraph office, in the Haileybury Hotel where I was agent in 1935 after the hotel closed I went to Timmins for 3 months. Then Kirkland 3 years. Back to Haileybury 1938 at the station, then back to Timmins till 1944. I then came to New Liskeard where I stayed until I retired Oct. 5,1962.
After 1955 they started putting in teletypes when the Morse wires went out. But I was still able to use my Morse wire till I retired. When I worked in Cobalt I took the street car to work. I would watch for them to go down town. They would cross at the Vendome Hotel then he backed up in 5 minutes. We bought tickets, which averaged out to .05 a ride. I really enjoyed my days in the telegraph office; there was never a dull moment. Agnes and her sister Vi who worked for Todd's Insurance for 30 years still live in the Homestead at Haileybury. They were both never married and had looked after their mother until she died about 5 years ago.
Name of Interview: Lucy Damiani Date of Interview: Mar. 3, 1972
Time 6:45 to 8:00
1. Giuseppe Elio (Chilttarone) Tittonel, Joseph
2. Joe
3. Anna Simoni (wife)
4. 203 Lang St.
5. 679-5726
6. 40 yrs. old
7. Piene di Salego
8. Piene di Salego
9. Italy
10. May 1952
11. By boat to Halifax train by way of Montreal and North Bay
12. By way of Montreal and North Bay
13. came alone married in 1955
14. miner at Cobalt Lode mine
15. Housewife
16. Jack Koza Ltd
17. housewife
18. I found Cobalt a nice little town about the size of the one I had left in Italy I only found it more hilly and certainly lots of rocks and bush, which we didn't have too much of back home.
19. Quite active little town. All the mines were still working
20. To work in the mines. In Italy everyone filled me with apprehension working in the mines in Canada was difficult and dangerous but after I had been on the job a month I adjusted quickly in a few months I operated a machine and soon after I became one of the two bonus makers, in a work hard to be a bonus maker.
21. mines, foundry, the Smelter, T.T. Laboratory, Northern metal Co. and Jack Koza Ltd.
22. Day and night shift. 8 hrs. a day six day wk.
23. I started as a laborer .90 an hr. later as machine man $1.10 hr. in a year I was up to $1.25 an hr.
24. A two storey home which I remember living quarters downstairs and rented the upstairs in the last few yrs. I have completely remodeled and taken it over for myself started with a new foundation central heating, 3 bedrooms kitchen, living room, dining area laundry room, and two bathrooms.
25. When I first came I lived with my Aunt and Uncle for 3 yrs. the first Christmas we had a party with some Italian friends who had come over here to work in the mine also, we had a sing song. I'll always remember she made popcorn we had fruit cake and my Uncle served wine. We all enjoyed it very much and it was so nice of my Aunt and Uncle to do this as for most of us it was our first Christmas away from home.
26. We have always had hot and cold water system
27. Electricity for lighting cooking with all the conveniences washer, dryer, T.V. toaster iron mix raster
28. Electricity for cooking
29. Central heating system now wood stove and oil space heater years ago
30, Buckovetsky’s, TBS, Charlie Hutt’s Clothing Aimones pool room and tobacco, Purdy’s .05 and .10 , to Tom Black an eccentric hardware merchant who was quite a legend, Damiani’s Grocery, Charbonneau Jewelry and many others
31. Theatre, lots of house parties the Italians were always asking us to their homes, I can remember lots of fun dances at the Finnish Hall where the young and old both went. Sometimes we went to Kirkland in bus loads or carloads for the Italian Dances at Belvedere Hall. Mr., Giachino used to go around to the different houses showing slides.
32. When I came we formed a soccer Club in the Tri Town area "Cohalis" the first two words from Cobalt, Haileybury Liskeard, Sometimes on Sunday a group of us would go down to Loon Lake and play bocce all afternoon.
33. Went to school in Italy and when I came to Cobalt my wife and I both started to English Classes at night at Cobalt High
34. Up to Grade 10, also took elementary carpentry
35. Air travel, busses, trains, cars, bought a little Volkswagen, which I had 10 yrs.
36. Dr, Dunning
37. Only Misericordia Hospital in Haileybury
33. Sylvano first child and Dolores second child both born in Cobalt
39. Sylvano is 14 and still school age Dolores is 11. Won first prize in piano at Temiskaming Festival.
40. In school yet.
41. In drifts they had mucking machines, in sub drifts and shafts there was hand mucking
42. Every year we had hand steel, and hand mucking drilling contests. In 1953 I won a hand mucking contest at Buffalo Slimes
43, Took a lunch with a thermos of coffee
44. Always ate good solid meals, chicken roasts, stews, spaghetti, and it was at noon or supper depending what shift 1 was on
45. Mostly work clothes during the week, always shower every night before coming home, and changed with sports clothes
46. On Sundays the family and everybody dresses up
47. On Sunday was church first then would take turns at different homes getting together playing cards, and having a good sing song.
48. I have a coin collection which I treasure.
49. It’s a good friendly town to live in and bring up your children. I could have gotten a job in St. Catherine’s or Niagara when I was on holidays but we just couldn't leave Cobalt. It was our first and only town after coming here from Italy,
50, Because it’s nice to live in a town where everyone is so friendly, and the cost of Living is reasonable we feel safer bringing up our children, there doesn't seem to be as much drink and drugs as some places.
51. Renovated some of the old buildings, tore down some of the shacks, are building up the down town area nice parks.
52. I like all the changes think it has given Cobalt a definite lift
53. Yes, some of the snow removal
54. With the no parking signs I have no place left to park unless they do a better job of snow removal on back streets so I can at least park, my car there while they are cleaning front streets
55. Yes
56. We should have more one way streets, and we should have our streets and houses named and numbered. There isn't a street sign up anywhere
57. Summer it’s the nicest time of the year. Our winters are too long
58. Like carpentry work
60, Industry of some kind, mining is too uncertain and it will help to keep people employed when the mines aren't working
61, I don't think tourist dollars help much, nowadays the average tourist brings with him, his food, camping gear, gas, boat, you name it they have it, so they don't spend much here.
62. We should try to organize some ways or something for the town, the Cobalt people are better spenders than strangers and we would help the town with any scheme.
I adjusted easily to Canadian way of living in a small town and I was never lonesome in Cobalt thanks to the friendly atmosphere here. I wanted to learn the English languish and when I did I applied and was accepted for citizenship you won't know what it means to live in a good country, some of us are apt to take it all for granted.
I went to Denison Mine to work for 5 or 6 months and one week end when I came home Jake Koza offered me a job that was all I needed to get back here.
My home is very good
We badly need a drug store, shoe stores, children’s clothing, a Doctor, a Dentist, and maybe to come in. We are in a good spot for store with the large area surrounding us.
1. Albert Chitaroni
2. Chic
4. 19 Prospect Ave. Cobalt
5. 679-5946
6. 45 years old
7. Cobalt
8. Italy
9. Pesaro:Italy
10. I was born here in 1926.
13. There were 6 of us. My dad came here in 1907. My mother came to Canada in 1925.
14. miner
15. stenographer, Bookkeeper
16. self employed leasing mine properties
17. housewife
18. All I can remember were the tough times. It was depression
21. Not too many mines working, bush work, little leasing and the foundry . Rene Conti worked at the foundry for .16 cents per hr.
22. 8 hours a day at .80 cents per hour 24. The house is still there on 154 Earl St., 2 story frame house
26. We had water in the house. My dad helped lay the water lines and sewers in Cobalt. They started in the winter of 1907. It was hard work then blasting rock and trying to get the lines laid
27. yes
28. Wood stove, burnt wood
29. round Quebec heater in winter
30. There had been and were lots on Lang St. They were starting to close then. The main ones I remember was Buckovetsky’s and Giachino's
31. Bijou on Lang St. 2 theatres one at the right of way bridge.
32. hockey, ball, open air rinks at the schools for hockey
35. We walked most of the time. I remember trains and going to the station to watch the trains come in and faintly remember the street cars.
36. Dr.Case
37. I had my tonsils out in the old mines hospital
-38. New Liskeard Hospital
43. I remember my dad's lunch pail and waiting for him to come home. He'd always leave me an apple or sandwich
44. Italian foods
45. We didn't have too many changes. We had to take our school clothes off when we came home and put our old ones on to save the new clothes and we'd outgrow them before they wore out,
46. Best clothes always wore wool sweaters as a jacket.
47.church
48. school picture and a hand woven serviette of my grandmothers
49. Like it, its home
50. spent all my life here
51. All the cleanup work that has been done downtown
52. All the business leaving towns. The ONR long distance, closing the station and freight shed, Northern Telephone all going to New Liskeard with the hydro office, TBS closing Bucks, Dominion Store burning down, never rebuilt. Mines closing. Don't like all these payrolls leaving town.
53. I like Cobalt
55. yes
56. the government now taxing mine mills not operating. The mining companies can't afford to pay the taxes on dormant buildings on their properties. They are now starting to tear down the offices and other buildings on the mine properties to avoid this tax that is too high with no money in the treasury. I would like to see the government lift this tax. To leave the mine buildings sitting there for future use
57. Like the year around
58. sports, B.S. at the Boston
59. Rock collecting, working at our camp at Portage Bay and fishing
60. I think the government should give the mines of Cobalt, a cobalt contract to stock pile Cobalt for the government to stock pile for future use. This would and should employ approximately 300 men. In the early 50's, the government gave Silver Miller and Cobalt Consolidated mines Cobalt contracts for 5,000,000,00 lbs. of Cobalt. There is no reason why they can't do that again. The companies didn't make any money out of it. but it did employ men and we found silver.
61. Tourists. It’s just the last few years the town of Cobalt has been getting a mining grant, they should have been receiving this grant years earlier when the mines were all operating and receiving no grants.
62. Living history, museum, natural hills for unorganized sports. Good fresh water for drinking and swimming, we have nearly as much water with no pollution. Good beaches. Fishing, hunting, natural beauty that has never been touched by man.
Carmen Stubinski April 20, 1972
2 hours
1. Carol Chitaroni (Mrs. Albert)
3. Carol Bowes
4. 679-5946
5. 19 Prospect Ave.
6. 1936 - 36 yrs. old
7. New Liskeard
8. Mother Mrs. Erol Bowes was born in Elgin County. Dad came from Simcoe County they were married in Hamilton 1919. They came in a 1920 Model T. Ford to North Bay by train. The pavement ended at Aurora and the rest of the road was gravel to North Bay. They came from North Bay to New Liskeard by train May 4, 1923. Mom's brother was a baker Arthur Allemand he got a job as a baker in 1922 and he wanted dad to come. Black mulch was still burning from the 1922 re.
10. Was born in New Liskeard
13. There were 4 of us
14, miner
15. Stenographer and bookkeeper
16. Lease of mine properties
17. house wife
18. Got married in 1960. Our first home was at the Cobalt Refinery Townsite, I was glad we were living at the Refinery
19. Provided we could find a decent place to live in. It was hard to find a decent house, to live in. The houses were mostly dumps we were lucky to get the house we did,
20. Worked for Ont. Hydro for years. In the Cobalt local office and over at the machine shop foundry across the lake.
24. 3 bedroom house at Gillies on the Montreal River renting with intention to buy it. J.J.Gray changed his mind and wouldn't sell. There was a court battle over the case deal. The rent we paid was to have been the down payment, we lost the court case.
25. We had water in the house. The water system was connected by hoses outside.
30. Pretty good. We had TBS, Dominion store
31. Sports - made our own firm fun. We had a dance club.
32. figure skating,
33. New Liskeard public and high school. Took Commercial
34. 13 years
35. Buses and cars
36. The Dr's McCullough’s
37. None
38. New Liskeard hospital
39. Slacks, always well dressed, and hand remade and hand me downs from my sister. Mother did all our sewing
46. Sunday best
47. Church first, Sunday school, picnics at New Liskeard. beach, go driving in car sight seeing
48. Like living here better than New Liskeard
49. Festival certificates for singing and pictures
51. Like the town being spruced up. Old buildings not in use torn down, New Park on the corner. Recreation program the way it was presented
52. Not pleased with the lack of businesses. In raising a family here there are no job opportunities for young people. I don't like the payrolls that
have been taken out of town. Don't like the lack of interest by the government. The government always talks big when opportunity is presented when it comes down to brass tacks it goes to New Liskeard or elsewhere.
53. No.
55. Yes
56. More employment opportunities for example secondary industry more encouragement for mining Industry, Road in area should be kept in good repairs.
57. All year round
58. sports
59. Raising my family, sewing, knitting, shell work, photography’s
60. more job opportunities, more jobs made
62. Talented people with handicrafts could be played up. Cobalt’s hospitality, History living museum, natural hills for unorganized sports. Good fresh water and beaches, hunting and fishing.
Name of Interviewer: Lucy Damiani Date of Interview: March 22, 1972
Interview: 7:00 to 8:30
1. Joseph Chitaroni
2. Pep
3. 1 Frasken Street
4. Georgette Campeau (wife)
5. 679-8532
6. Pesaro Prov, of Ancona Italy
7. Pesaro Prov, of Ancona Italy
8. Wife and six children 2 boys 4 girls
9. Boris in 1916-----55 yrs, old
10, Came of Cobalt in Nov. 1924
11, By steamer Azonia it was a long rough voyage that took 2 weeks
12, Halifax and Montreal
13. My mother, Carlo, Elio (my brothers) and myself, we came to join our Father who was already here.
14, About 7 yrs, of age when I started working on the Canipto road from highway 11 to Canipto Mine, that was in 1932 for $140 a day, we were lucky this was the depression 30's and some of the fellows were working at the airport for .20 cents a day and a package of tobacco.
15, My wife came from Haileybury and she worked at Local Long Distance telephone there.
16. unemployed
17. housewife
18. My impressions of Cobalt right now are not very encouraging if the price of silver doesn't go up there isn't much future for this town, it has always been known strictly, as a mining town. and as for a secondary industry, the government doesn't even help to keep some of the ones going that are about to close up. We have asked for intervention, just like we did when the Smelter was closing and it didn't help,
There are few job opportunities because mining is petering out and it cuts back on some of our local foundries right now. They are talking of closing the foundry too so where do we go for help now. We certainly can't expect our young people to stay and work here for about $2.00 an hour, when there isn't work for a family man.
It makes me quite angry to see the money that was and is being taken out of Cobalt and money of it left here to be put back into the town, We have had everything taken away from here and situated in Liskeard or other places for instance the Long
Distance telephone, our hydro office, freight and express offices have been moved, they are relocating the Customs office and soon it will be gone from here, our mail is delivered to New Liskeard then brought down to Cobalt.
My hopes and aspirations are to see the price of silver go up and have Cobalt, make a comeback. Better still if we can encourage people coming in will at least have enough employment to keep those who are in Cobalt here.
22. Working hours when I first started working in 1936 were 8 hours a day, 6 days a week and in 1950 they went to a 44 hour week, by 1962 it was the 40 hour week we now have
23. I started working at the Lake Shore gold mine in Kirkland Lake in 1936 because there were no available jobs here. My friend Real Mercier and I got the job by a chance meeting with John Conlin, who was superintendent of the Lake Shore at the Lake shore picnic at New Liskeard,
My friend and I had .60 cents each in our pocket and we hitched to Kirkland to see Conlin and try for a job. The first night we were there we slept under an old building and the next day we met another friend Ted Rosicki who wanted us to stay at his house.
After getting to Conlin at the Mine office and filling out our applications he told us to hand around he would try his best go get us on It was a long "hang around" nearly four weeks before we were hired and we were lucky—everyday there was a line up at the gate of about 200 men waiting for work.
In 1940 I came back to Cobalt and worked for the O'Brien Mine Leasers—these fellows were partners and had leased the O'Brien property the partners were Dune McLeod Lorne
Humphrey (who now is Managing Doherty Roadhouse Haileybury). I am Jackson and Carta Donegan, and I worked here until 1942 when I went into the army. Took my basic training in Halifax for 4 months then was moved to Toronto, Hamilton, Niagara on the Lake and came home in Dec. 1945. I started working again at the Nerlip Mine for Mr. Pilner and our first pay cheque was 2 1/2 months coming in. You have to give Mr. Pilner our credit for always finding a promoter for his mine which he kept operating for 18 yrs. He was an Oxford graduate and he did a lot in his era for this town. He was of Negro descent and his favorite saying was, when I’m making money they call me Mister Pilner, when I'm not doing too well they call my Pilner, and when I haven't any money they call me a black bastard.
After the Nerlip closed down I started with consolidated Beaver, Cobalt Lake and Agnico Properties. I went to Brady Lake for Silver Miller in 1949 in the fall of 1950. I was transferred to the Larose, still for Silver Miller until 1959. At the Larose I was shift. boss at the time we were mining Cobalt ore oily. In August of 1957 there was a strike at Silver Miller which lasted 6 wks. So I was shifted to Lawson Prop. and the Conisel all Silver Miller properties until 1962. They slowly started closing up the properties so I was taken on at Silver Patricia as shift boss. This was the old Temiskaming Shaft. I was at Silver Summit when they put on this big walk for stock promotions and they built a head frame on a mill that was supposed to mill 300 ton and there was nothing there to mill. When this closed I went to High Ho Silver and they hit two big ore bodies in 1965. This find was bringing in 5000 ounces of silver to the ton. I worked here until the fall of 1970 when I started working with my brothers at Chitaroni mineral.
In early days we used to have lots of parties dances and good times, we used to walk down town gather at the Boston and meet the girls there, then we'd all go for a ride to Haileybury or Liskeard.
We always attended the Saturday night dances at the town Hall with the country Club orchestra blowing.
When I worked in Kirkland my friends and I would come down every Sat, night for the dance. We knew most of the boys in the orchestra, Eddie Assaf, Bob Baker, Freddie Johnson, Eddie Stewart, Moses Assaf and Ray Jabour,
I am in favour of organized sports and we certainly should have a recreation program it helps the youngsters and the adults. We have adequate facilities in a small, recreation centre and a large arena, also the Community Hall which could be utilized.
1 have a 22 rifle I purchased for $4 when I was 14, at Northern Canada Supply, Georgie, my wife, has an old antique wash basin in porcelain which my mother gave her.
When I was younger both sides of Lang Street were lined with stores, theatres, restaurants, ice cream parlors, ladies, men's wear, jewelry and hardware store, Woolworths bake shops, grocery stores, tailor shops, livery stables, drug store---we had many rooming h houses, hotels, candy stores, souvenir shops, plumbing and tinsmith shops, Chinese
laundries and many more shopping centres which are sadly lacking today. We badly need a drug store, shoe store, teen wear in girls and boys, a doctor, a dentist and perhaps a lawyer.
I built my first home in 1949 with the help of my relatives and friends, I am still adding finishing touches to a 5 room split level home.
I believe the towns administration is doing a good job and although the employment picture is not too bright new homes and buildings are going up in the downtown area we have the library, a new restaurant, a new Red and White supermarket a 10 unit motel and a new Chinese restaurant, the new sub division has encouraged many new home owners. The town has cleaned up some of the old buildings and added 2 parks, everyone seems to be taking more pride in their homes and premises.
The past that price of silver is so low and miners are closing means. I am now unemployed. I would like to see Cobalt go ahead my family and my home are here and I don't want to move away. We'll never find a friendlier spot.
This is the first time I have been on unemployment Benefits and I don't like it,
I would rather be working at one time when prices were lower it was easier to manage, but now with the high cost of living it’s hard to make ends meet. So I am hoping for the revival of Cobalt one way or another.
Carmen Stubinski February 18, 1972
2 hours.
1. Jack Church
2.
3.
4. 27 Grandview Ave.
5. 679-8238
6. 39
7. Cobalt, Ont.
8. Mother Cobalt, Father Calebogie, Ont.
9. Ottawa Valley
10. Cobalt.
11.
12.
13. four
14. Milkman
15. Stenographer
16. Technical Sales representative
17. Homemaker
18. The whole community is unique
19.
20.
21.
22. 8 hours.
23. $1.35 per hour 1952
24. Wood frame house, no foundation
25. No
26. Taps.
27. electricity
28. Wood stove
29. Quebec heater, wood and coal.
30. Grocery store, dry goods. The shopping centre more diversified
than it is now, more selection
31. Movies, dancing.
32. Skating, hockey, basketball, bowling, pool
33. Yes.
34. 13 years
35. Train, bus, car
36. Dr. Dunning
37. Can recall there was a miner's hospital, in front of Buffam's funeral home.
38. Haileybury
39. All in school.
40.
41. I can remember when my father worked for A.P. Pilliner who was manager and director of one of the mines at Mileage 104.
He worked and did not get paid until Mr. Pilliner who would go away and raise money elsewhere to keep the mines operating.
42.
43. Meat, potatoes, vegetables and always dessert.
44. Sunday was a special meal, we didn't eat in the kitchen always the dining room also was used with a white table cloth.
45.
46. Rubber boots, leather tops and rubber bottoms. Heavy long pants, shirt.
47. Put on best suit, shirt and tie.
48. Church and play ball on hockey.
49. A little plaster of Paris plaque. I won in a Sunday school Contest.
50. The unique flavour of a small town community
51. Easy to move around. Friendliness of knowing almost everyone in the community. The ease of life, the children to participate
in the community activities. Besides this comment I mean parents don't have accompany their children. They can do this
all on their own.
52. Improved recreation program, covered arena artificial ice. We didn't have when I was a child. Introduction of natural gas.
Sass Lake beach area, street lighting.
53. Yes.
54.
55.
56.
57. Progress for employment for the ones that want to remain here.
58. Summer.
59. Movies, little theatre, meetings.
60. Photography, woodwork.
61. Increase tourist trade, using the mining back ground for an
62.
63. Simple, carefree community life, mines, abundance of clear pollution free lakes. Breathe the good clean crisp air, no smog pollution. Points of interest that can keep visitors entertained.
HIGHLIGHTS
Mr. Church has been on the recreation committee 10 years. Coached a baseball team. 10 years ago, got lots from the children (response), but found there was the parental participation.
Name of Interviewer; Carmen Stubinski March 23, 1972
Interview: Time; 3 1/2 hrs.
1. Gordon Borrie
2. Beak
3.
4. 75 Silver St. Cobalt
5. 679-5528
6. 65
7. London England, my dad. came to Cobalt in 1906. Before that he was a gardener in Montreal. Before that he worked on the Railway. The old Grand trunk he worked as far as British Columbia that was when they were building the railway. Mother went back to, England to have me. We had a house on the Buffalo Mine property. The Buffalo mine property was one of the first mines in Cobalt to produce.
8. Mother England. Father Scotland
9, Montreal
10. Boat to Montreal train the rest of the way
13. There were 4 of us. Mon and Dad, Jim and I
14. delivering groceries on the delivery wagon for Jack Ough first. Then as miner and diamond drilling
15. Clerk
16. Retired partially
17. homemaker
18. Joined the air force 1941 to 1945. When we got off the train he met us. There were no sidewalks from the Buffalo to the station and the pushing was hard in the mud. there was so much of it,
19. Bush shafts shacks and rocks
20. My dad heard about the Cobalt boom in Montreal and came to Cobalt
21. Mining bootlegging boarding houses
22. Jack Ough 6 days al week and sturdy night till 12 p.m.
23. 15.00 per month (1921)
24. It was a two story frame house 2 rooms, upstairs, 2 rooms downstairs. My dad bought it from the Buffalo mine.
25. Always a Christmas tree with candle holders and real candles lit on it. Weld thread pink pop corn and put it on the tree along with tinsel, Xmas was a special occasion at our house. The dining room table set up with a white cloth the tea service, all the silver. Always a goose and plum pudding. The silver was also used on Sunday. The rest of the week we ate in the kitchen.
26. No, There was a well and pump the Buffalo mine owned and everyone on the townsite got their water there. Later the mine put up water. and supplied the houses.
27. Coal oil lamps
28. Wood range that had a reservoir on the side of it. We took the hot water out with a dipper,
29. Had a Quebec heater in the front room that we burned coal in.
30. Stores from one end of the town to the other. Swamp Street was real busy. Argentite Street as it is known today. There was corks bakery, Devlins Drug Store, Milton Cars office Rod and Deacon Shoe store, that was the main street then, the street car terminal was at the end of Swamp Street, and McKay had a livery stable. There was one show on that street. There was one show on Lang St. called the Orpheum.
Where the Stevens live today on Cobalt St. there was a poolroom Brewers owned. It’s the same Brewers ran the rink for roller skating and ice skating. At that time the rink was privately owned, Cliff Moore had a syndicate with several share holders who owned it. There was Reams bottom and Edward on Cobalt St. White had a clothing store in the Building that Paddy Basset owned. McKinnon bought the building after for offices.
31. Everything traveling shows use to come. They had the dumbbells here lots of shows. Live plays at the Opera House remember the plays at the Grand theatre on Silver St.
The first Y.M.C.A. was a small building where LeBlanc's service Station is today, all we seemed to do at that was read. Later they build the Y.M.C.A. across the street where the community hall is today. They had pool tables, bowling Alley, and Swimming pool at the back of the Community Hall where the town Gargle is today. I remember Charlie Ferris's brother getting drowned in that swimming pool. Jim Paneritus was with him at the time. They had a good gym there too; we played basket ball and badmington.
We had a good Tummies court at Sass Lake. Larry Stadelman was very active at the tennis court, The Cobalt tennis court was always in use. The Buffalo mine had a Tennis court,
32, Skating in the winter. In the winter they had sulky races on Cobalt Lake maybe 7 or 8 horses entered in the race. Skating on Cobalt Lake we always had a bonfire. At the arena we got season tickets and we could skate whenever we wanted to. There was lots of outdoor skating too.
We played ball in summer. The Buffalo Mine built their own boxed in toboggan slide. It came from the mine water tank ended up on says Lake. We also slid on all the rock piles to Galena St. We had good base ball teams. Haileybury, Cobalt and New Liskeard competed.
Silver Centre had a good base ball team too that use to compete here. The games were all at the Grand Stand ball park at West Cobalt.
33, The old Public School was built in 1907 on Grandview and Cobalt St. When I first started school there was no kindergarten in the big school. We used to line up in Public School yard march across Cobalt Street to the Baptist Church basement that is where they held our class. Later they build and addition to the Public School and we moved over there. The first original school was a red tin school next to Brewers pool room where Stevens Bottling works is today. I remember the west Cobalt school too.
34 Went to Haileybury High School. We didn't have one here had to go there
35. Horse, buggy, cutters, trains lots of them, street cars. We walked mostly in those days.
36, Dr. Schmidt
37, We had the Cobalt Hospital
38. Timmins at home
39. Finished High School at 16 yrs. old. Went into banking, Toronto Dominion Bank. He is still banking. He was manager for some time, now he is bank inspector in Montreal.
41. The mines were just starting operating on a small scale. Their first lamps were candles next Carbide lamps, till they got the battery lamps. At the Buffalo cooker, Mae Nathersons father was cook there, we hung around the cookery a lot. They gave us lots of raisin pie. Blueberry when the berries were in season. They had a cage at the townsite mine,
42. Hand steeling and mucking these contests were first held on the square in front of the Imperial Bank. Later when they built the ball park at West Cobalt. The held the events there,
43. Had a round granite lunch pail. Hat tea was put in the bottom of the pail. Lunch was put on top of tea. Tea was always cold no matter what; we always had homemade bread sandwiches.
41, depending on the shift Dinner was eaten mostly at noon. Meat potatoes, lots of pudding bread, custard, rice tapioca puddings mostly raisin pie,
45, Always had to go to Sunday school. We didn't do too much on Sunday because we couldn't even play cards on Sunday.
46, Clothes week day, our best clothes on Sunday.
47. In summer we'd go to Martineau Bay, in a horse and wagon to pick blue berries by the tubs full, they were very good in Martineau Bay; you could pick 2 - 12 qt. baskets a day, After mother preserved all the blue berries she needed over the winter we sold the rest,
They used to bring in box cars of fruit in the fall. They would sell the fruit right off the car at the station. Mr., Sheridan use to get the fruit in the fall. We'd buy peaches pears, plums, green to preserve and apples to store for the winter in barrels everything
was preserved. The walls in the pantry were all lined up with fruit jars, 100 lbs sugar
bag. If there was moose or deer mother would can the meat. Mom would buy pork and box cars at night.
48. Old wooden album, lots of old pictures
49. A peaceful quite place of live in
50. No rat race, no pollution
51, New Red and white store, abolishing of old shacks, cleaning up the town in General
52, Can't get a train out of town when you went one, No taxi's to meet the train. You used to be able to get 2 trains daily. North and south, now with the buses we don't even have a shelter; we are really in a depressed town right now. With all our pay rolls gone.
No drug store, no dentist. Get fed up on having to go out of town to shop all the time.
53. no
54. the taxes are getting higher with no benefits
55. yes
56. We need a boost in the price of silver to stimulate the economy of Cobalt to put it on its feet again. A light industry to employ §0 or 50 men.
57. summer and fall
58. T. V.
59, Read
60, Would like to see exploration on Virgin ground for new mines or the mines reopen. New jobs would be made it this was so; it takes a lot more money to operate a mine today. 2 or 3 light industries would have to be here to solve part of the unemployment problem. We just have to have new jobs for our men teenagers and people who need work
61. Tourists
62. Good lakes, Bass Lake good beaches, sightseeing, Bingo's new parks, Good fishing, and hunt¬ing.
This stone block house was my stepfathers Alf Williams he came to Cobalt in 1908. This house was built by Brown lived in it first Rogan lived here next then Alf, bought it and lived here till the day he died. He always had a beautiful flower garden. He bowled till the day he died suddenly With Dune McLeod, Harry miller, and Lorne Humphrey, Harry Miller and Alf were very good friends they played the stock market together.
The only brick house in Cobalt was built by Dr. McLaren on Nickel. St. Dr. Taylor lived in it next. O’Flaherty lives in today.
We had the Jitney service. The make of the car was called Stir. Scharf owned the Jitney service. It would start at the square and went to Haileybury and New Liskeard. Ray MacCauley drove the Jitney service. It would leave the square till the car was full and the fair was .25 cents.
On Cobalt Lake there were at least 4 motor boats. The mines, Nipissing„ McKinley-Darragh etc. owned their own boats. The mine boats used to take the men back and forth to work come to town for the mail or any hardware needed for the mines. Mondoux had a boat on the Lake.
A colorful figure in town was Casey Cobalt; the streets were always crowded at all times. If it were a Saturday night or a special event down town everything would stop and give
Casey Cobalt a clap, when he would step dance. He did it for year’s step dance on the square. The Elk Club owned their own building where Gordon Watts house is today. Mrs., Phil La Frange was the cook there for years. It was something like the Cobalt Mess. It closed down when she left. Evan Donaldson and his brother always stop to visit us, when they go through to Timmins. They were here last fall. Might get an interview there. Hudson Brown was here to visit us the first year they had the miner’s festival 2 yrs. ago.
Lucy Damiani May 15, 1972
6.30 to 8.00
1. Cyril Louis Bazinet
2. Alma Baker (wife)
3. 56 Nickle St. Cobalt, Ont.
4. 679-5504
6. Cobalt
7. Mother born in Vernon; Father born in Plantagenet
8. Married 11 children
9. 55 years old Born May 23,1917
10. I can't see where there can be too much done for Cobalt politically this area could be built into tourist attraction area. People who are responsible on making effort toward a personal gain any effort made toward any community effort should be applied for the good of the people in the community.
I do not favour regional school system primary motoring children not having facilities here in their own town 2. Busing kids involves bussing them to heavy populated schools which means they don't get the personal attention they do in small schools. For their own good there should be personal involvement. Centralized schools having more facilities primary thing is education not recreation.
As for a silver industry goes there is too much fluctuation in price of the metal when price is high we are fine but if controlled effort is lowering prices we are drastically affected. I've seen this happen on three separate occasions in my lifetime. A community of this nature should definitely have some secondary industry to take up the lapse in economy.
As soon as students graduate they have to leave the area because there are no job opportunities.
I graduated from Scollard Hall in June 1938 and in December of same year I started working at Morrissette Diamond Drilling in Haileybury as an accountant and I have been there ever since.
I married in 1944 and bought my first and only home at this address. the home I am now residing in. I bought it from Edward Assaf, who at the time was moving to London. I have completly renovated from basement to upstairs. A little at a time. We have new sidings new windows, new ecclectic furnace, completely renovated 10 rooms in house and a sun porch.
I was on school board as primary for 26 years, trustee, chairman, secretary treasurer then with High School Board until they regionalized.
I was with recreation committee for 28 years enjoyed my involvement in recreation very much. Coaching minor hockey and baseball and softball. I started a hardball team league and if you have an initial sport there is a sport goods company in Toronto that supplied all the equipment needed for free. Jack Church worked with me we coached, managed and refereed all games. I really enjoyed the work.
In 1946 under the direction of Father Kavanagh a senior Cabogi Club (Catholic boys & girls) was formed. A junior club (Cabogi) had already been formed in 1940. This was a teen age project and when it passed out of existence the senior club was formed. One of its main functions was to give assistance to students for the Priesthood this group carried on activities in forms of plays, drives to raise funds, for entertainment , we can remember many happy wiener roasts, drama festivals sing songs stimulating discussions. I can remember a good membership Edna Maher, Charlie Landry, Sammy Sullivan, Eileen & Mike Wanamaker, John Damiani, Ann Cunningham,Hugh Moore, Kay Riley, Theresa & Lucy Damiani, John Devlin, Mr. Frilly, Ruth McCarty, Russ Bazinet, Phyllis & Ernie Scully, Denise Hooper, Ada Regimbal, Anita Brenman
Anita Doyle, Mary Kostuik, Betty Gillis, my wife Alma and I to name a few that were with the club throughout the 14 years in existence. In 1960 because the group consisted mostly of married couples the Cabogi made way for a new group
C.F.M. "Catholic Family Movement" I was also on Parochial Council while it lasted. I am a fourth degree Knights of Columbus. There are 34 members we have four meetings a year, Two here and two in Kirkland.
I organized Cancer Campaign for 3 years and had the town all drafted up streets, homes divided and it was well organized then I gave it up and Mrs. Bob Burns took it over.
When I was younger for about ? years in a row recruiting members for week end retreats. never missed one and I found these very rewarding. Father Cavanaugh at the time. Father Scully was in Noranda and he was in charge of English Sector and he asked me as a member of Knights of Columbus if I would take on the project, so we took it on as a Tri Town effort. There was an average 28 people going. Mr. Boulet was organizer from New Liskeard.
Raising 11 children has given us happy years some disappointing but our happy years and good life made up for these. We had to have orders and we stuck to them.
We do have facilities and surroundings for drawing tourists Festival once a year and many people have gone through our museum; it took a festival to get some of the Cobalt people out too. We have mine tours, parks historic spots a theatre bowling alley Laundromat some souvenirs shops a tavern 2 motels a tremendous book store down the highway. And I think this new park project on the lake will be a wonderful thing when it’s completed.
My involvement got too heavy and for personal reasons I pulled out of everything I have dropped my share in Cobalt Assets. It’s been a lot of work we had houses but we've sold them. We have kept the theatre going under adverse conditions and we have a nice Laundromat to service people of this area.
I was born here and have lived here all my life and I plan to stay on in Cobalt. I like the pace and I like the people. Planning to retire in five
years if all goes well and would like something to take up my time then, besides fishing and music.
My favourite pastime is playing guitar. I get much enjoyment out of
my records. I can fish and I am an avid hockey fan, follow the series very closely.
Going into a new line so to speak. Personal recreation, going back to piano and Donkey music from the swing era, leave some terrific Mills Brothers records. Only difference the changes in Cobalt have made is the appearance of the Town has picked up. We do need more stores men & boys wear most us don't have a car we don't miss a drug store because these commodities are available at most super markets.
In closing I’d like to say that Cobalt is a good town to live in and I'm happy to have been an active part of it. I hope we can foresee a future
in it in some new developments.
Name of Interviewer: Carmen Stubinski Dated Feb.29, 1972
Interview: Length of Interview: 1 hr.
1. Alson Coe (Mrs. Alex)
2. Al
3. Alson Beeson
4. 49 1/2 Cobalt Street, Cobalt
5. 679-5594
6. 37
7. Cobalt,
8. Mother, Buckingham Que. Dad, Liverpool Eng.
9. Married in Cobalt
10. 1934
11.
12.
13. 7
14. truck driver
15. telephone operator
16. dead
17. homemaker
18.
19.
20. born here
21. when I first started to work there was lots of work in town
22. split shifts,
23. 320. per week
24. Little log cabin--it still stands at the end of Jamieson Street
25. With the family
26. in house
27. Hydro
28. Wood stove
29. Coal heater in front room
30. Souvenir shop was here. Smith men's shop and Smith Ladies shop. gift shop, Sirola record Shop
31. Dances shows
32. Slide down hills in Bob Sleighs
33. Cobalt Public and High School
34. 10 yrs.
35. bus, train, cars
36. Dr. Dunning
37. Miners Hospital Peter's
38. Haileybury
39. still going to school
40.
41
42.
43. Lunch Box at noon
44. Big meal at night
45. jeans
46. dress
47. Sunday School
48. Medallions of the 50 anniversary of Cobalt, picture of the old Anglican Church
49. everything
50. Wouldn't leave Cobalt. The people are very friendly
51. Roads, sidewalks, General repairs in old building makes the town look mice
52.
53. no
54.
55. yes
56. more Doctors, dentists, drug store so we don't have to go out of town
57. all seasons
58. Like the Cobalt miners Festival--Watch T.V. read, and what the town has in the line of entertainment
59. cross words, jig saws, read
60. Reopen the mines, smelter and some of the mills
61. All kinds of people
62. Friendship Hospitality, beaches are very good, good roads, fishing, and hunting sports. Recreation program is good. Old Landry, mine tours, museum and Beautiful scenery
Mrs. Coe is a recent widow--Does not go out very much and is not active in Community affairs.
Name of Interviewer: Carmen Stubinski Date of Interview: March 15/72.
Interview: Time 3 hrs.
1. Laura Cole Mrs., Walter
2, Shorty
3, Laura Ferris
4. 66 Baker Street Cobalt
5. 679-8139
6. 46
7. Cobalt
8. Sheba, Syria
9. Syria my parents came through Cobalt in 1911 they went through to Timmins and saw Timmins when there was only 6 shacks there
10. 1925
11.
12.
13. 5 of us
14. farmer
15. Worked in the store, my mothers, pop factory. Gamble Robinsons and sold tickets at the Classic theatre at nights 4 jobs at once.
16, Jack of all trades, Walter lost his leg in the Second World War
17. Housewife
18. When I was a child it was depression years. An at that time there were 35 Syrian families living in Cobalt, now there are only 2 Syrian families
19. Walter was overseas from 1942 to 1945. He belonged to the Calgary Tanks. He was all over continental Europe, North Africa, Italy, France, Holland Belgium and England. He lost his leg outside of Belgium. He got his training in Canada and England. They were sitting around an open fire eating their dinner when a bomb dropped and he lost his left leg. Then had to come home in 1945. When he got off the train in Toronto on a stretcher to go to the hospital, the first guy he saw was his brother Hector. His brother Hector broke ranks threw down his gun took hold of the stretcher and helped carry him to where the stretchers were waiting to be taken by ambulance to Christie Military Hospital. Walter says it was so good to see Cobalt and all his friends again.
19. It was home
20.
21. There were lots of mines working in Cobalt Chemicals, The splint factory 10 or 12 hrs. a day
23. $90 a month at Gambles $8.00 per week at the Classic at the store for nothing. It paid for my room and board
24. Lived in a bungalow on Silver Street
25. Down at Walters mothers in Gillies
26. taps
27. hydro
28. Oil stove to cook on and I hated it. It took so long to cook a meal
29. Oil we burnt 45 gals. a wk. It was so cold in that house. My husband got Pneumonia in that house. Between the cold and delivering Christmas cheer parcels for the Canadian Legion
30, Bucks, T.B.S., Cain's, Dominion store, Woolworths, Cora’s Gift Shop. Minerva Sweets, Damiani's, Conter's, Chinese Laundry, Millers Shoe Repair, Vellis, She's, Drug Store, Costello's Drug, Doug's Barber Shop, Steve's steam Bath. Old Tommy Blacks, Oblin Coffin Mfg. Boston Grill, Bata's shoe store, Curries' Store, Ansara had a repair shop and did leather work. Augers had a confectionery Store beside my mothers. Cobalt Taxi has been in business for over 30 yrs. Jack Mathews Garage. Zion’s had a clothing store. Bazata's had a clothing store on Lang St. Assaf had a business before Phil Calm took over that building. Assaf bought the Fraser Hotel from Mrs. Fraser when Mrs. Fraser died they waked her in the lobby of the Fraser house. Red Saddler had a barber shop on Prospect. There was Giachino's Grocery also sold tickets for air 'lights and overseas. Red McKivens, Lavery's, Gamble Robinson's, Larry Stadelman was a character in himself. Harry Ramey managed the customs office. Herbert Fuels, Stock exchange. Post office was in the Fraser House, later moved to the Inch Block where Florence’s ladies wear is today„ Later the Federal Government built the New Post office.
31. Country Club Orchestra, I was their mascot. There were all formal dances in those days everyone wore long dresses to the Easter, Christmas and New Year dances.
33. Public and High School
34. Grade 11, one year Special Commercial in North Bay Collegiate on Algonquin Ave.
35. Street cars, Horse and Buggy. Model A Ford, My sister owned an Auburn. It was owned by Larry Stadelman. It was a McLaughlin Brick. We used to Bob Sleigh from the top of the hill at the High School down to the Lake. There were no cars in winter. So it was free sailing. We had look outs at the Boston and Shaw's Drug Store for the sleigh riders,
36. Dr. Schmidt
37. Yes, It was just like a house I had my appendix out there
38. Haileybury Hospital
39. Still going
40. School, Michael does summer work he is second Lieutenant in the air reserves
41. Going strong. Very poor in safety equipment lots of accidents
L2. Same as they have today on the same lines more modern
43. lunch pail
44. heavy meals, meat beaus and stews
45. hand me downs, I was the youngest girl
46. Had one good dress
47. Anglican Church, Belonged to Y.P.O. went for walks we walked everywhere
48. Walters war pictures
49. It’s quiet I wouldn't want to live in any other place
50. I’m a Cobalter. I love it. It'd fight for it, Wouldn't want to die anywhere else
51. Parts they made, Fixing up old houses. The real asset is the mining museum, Restoration of Cobalt Lake
52. No work for young people. No recreation program for teenagers. They are hanging around down town when they could be useful. All the businesses they took to New Liskeard. We lost several large payrolls
53. No
54. I like it
55. Yes.
56. More employment for men that have families. Work for teenagers in the summer to keep busy 2 or 3 light industries. If the mines were producing or reopened with aid from the government, the price of silver has to go up. We could produce our own raw materials for export. A steady payroll coming into town, to employ anyone that wants to work.
57. summer
58. Bingo's
59. Writing would like to write a book someday, reading I have 5 different positions in the Canadian Legion. Love the Legion work
60. Get the Provincial and Federal Government to put a subsidy on mining to get the mines reopened and working again
61. old prospectors, old timers, tourists,
62. Museum, Drummond Cairn, Old shacks on Park St. on stilts. Mining Tours. Open cuts can always get ice there in the summer, our mining School the best in the World. Rock collecting. New Dam at lower notch operating by remote control from New Liskeard Good picnic areas, Good swimming Freedom of the North. Country for top fishing and hunting
Laura Cole has had lots of sickness but is very active in the Canadian Legion. Walter has lots of trouble with his leg that is cut off. With all their sickness, they are a cheerful couple.
Lucy Damiani March 24, 1972
1:30 - 3:30
Ernest Conti - Mary Conti
2, Mary Zanin
3. 170 Earl Street
4. 379-5535
5. Retired miner - retired housewife
6. Ernest born in Sacterano Province of Pavia, Italy. Mary born in Creighton Mines
7. Ernest's mother and father born in Italy. Mary's mother and father born Italy 3. Married in 1936 and had 3 children - 2 girls, 1 boy. Louis is 3.5 years old, married and living in North Day, Angela 31 married and living in North Bay, Norina is married and living in New Liskeard.
9. Mary is 62 years old and Ernest is 67 years old.
10.I find Cobalt is an average town whose population has been affected by the economy of the country today. There are many places where unemployment is high and of course we would rather see it busy with the mines operating and people working. Our educational system makes us realize that we are the forgotten north - the ministers and cabinet at Queens Park have not the slightest idea how sparsely the north is and so there is no practibility in regional schools and regional government. We heard Grade 13 will be closing at High School and here they are busing students from Temagami and Latchford to New Liskeard rather than have them come to Cobalt. Some of the lower grades are going to school in Haileybury and we already have 3 lower schools in Cobalt All this doesn't seem feasible is there a solution? University education is important but could we not locate a technical school where students and adults could learn a trade. To boost our economic situation we definitely need government help there are any grants available now for education small enterprise etc, could we not apply for some of the grants. Here are some suggestions as to how the monies could be used.
a) Jobs for younger people through job training programs Or summer courses, we have the buildings that could be ;utilized perhaps at a low rental cost for these courses, b) Encourage art colonies music, the arts, dancing, adult education courses and similar activities.
c) The town could rent schools, halls to these people and also low cost billeting, to bring in students and people and get a government grant for this purpose.
d) We need secondary industry other than mining, induce small business ventures to locate here - our smelter has closed down - could this not be used of course as a smelter or small factory.
Small contracts should be up for public tender so local labour has an opportunity to bid. This in turn would create local jobs.
I think a recreation program and organized sports are very important and neces¬sary to both young and adults, in the town. The past program was very helpful I took the pottery class and enjoyed it very much. I worked in Ignace Québec part time in 1932 during the depression. My brother was already in Cobalt and told me there might be a job if I came so I arrived in Cobalt hoping to find work. It was a year before T was able to get part-time employment at the mining Corporation. And a year later I got a job at-the Ashley landing in Matachewan. I was there for five years and T came back to Cobalt to be married returned to Matachewan with my wife and stayed on for five years, we were completely burnt out when the apartment house we were living in burned down. There was no fire protection so we had no insurance so we came back to Cobalt. T worked for about 2 years for hr. Pilner at the Nerlip mine then briefly for Cobalt Products and the McDonough brothers. I worked at Zanin bakery as assistant baker for 3 yrs, diming the war. In 1953 I went to Silver miller and when it closed down I went to work for Agnico until I retired. Carlo Chitaroni was my captain.
Mary - I can remember as a young girl my father had a grocery store with a bar and a bake shop at the back of the Ate . The bar had a long counter with brass rails and spittoons on the floor. He served mostly draft beer pumped up from kegs in the cellar for two years he operated the bar. In those days there were no bread wrapping machines so Dad had a stool for me, I was small, only 10 or 11 yrs. old. I used to sit on the stool and wrap bread. I also worked hard in the grocery store. When the store was open I used to see my girlfriends going to the show or going out to play while I had to work. But I made up for it on Sundays when the store was closed. I was out playing red light. light, hide and seek or kick the can “with the gang. I can remember going to St. Hillarion French School across the bridge and when teams of horses would go by we'd jump on and hitch a ride. I also went to St. Pat's school but just the lower grades as I stayed at home and worked. When we were having fun it was hikes in the bush, swimming at Peterson Lake skating at the open air French rink “in later years, Italian dances, picnics, lots of hills for skiing too.
Ernie - When I was young I used to play soccer, but there never was a team over here nowadays we belong to the Caboto Club, play cribbage, and watch TV. I took pottery classes. I would like very much to see language classes to further my Italian and French.
I bought the house I own now in 1941 a large two storey frame home that has 2 bedrooms upstairs and kitchen, dining room and bathroom downstairs. I remodeled it quite a few times until now it’s a very comfortable home.
When you have a fire you lose all your prized possessions and this is what happened to ours.
We think our Mayor and council are doing a very good job of running the town. Taxes are fairly reasonable in comparison to other municipalities. The rates are fairly low, and we have a good garbage removal, an excellent snow removal. Other larger localities can't boast these services. We would like to see a registered nurse on call since there is only one doctor. He is very hard to see and does not make house calls. For a town this size there should be some facility for medical attention. You can't always go to the hospital its five miles away and some of the old are too sick to be moved.
There could be street signs. with numbers on houses. You can't direct a stranger to a place as there are no street signs or numbers, The two parks that the town has Vat up certainly improves the appearance of two bad corners.
They have also cleaned up and modernized some of the old buildings down town, we have a nice new library, new restaurant, and there is a new Motel unit and we now have a big supermarket Tressiders Red & White and it’s a pleasure for shopping
These should also be a dentist and a drug store these are most needed. If you don't have a car it’s quite a bothersome going to Haileybury to a dentist and to the drugstore. It’s a good thing to see the park on the lake project Loins ahead. The will rave a place to play. Also should be a supervised playground for the youngsters.
This is a natural spot for artist’s rock hounds and just visiting tourists.
We have to offer in the way of good beaches, plenty of lakes for fishing
hunting for a small and big game, mining museum, old historic sites and of course our mines could be used for interesting mine tours. Speaking of tourists and visitors we have often had people come up on our street to the end of the road and the road is so narrow many of thoem are afraid to turn around. I have quite often gone out and talked them into going ahead they will make it. We have
a dangerous spot up here if council could see anyway of widening the road it would help the situation.
I am a retired miner and I would like to see a pension for miners. It’s tough hard work and some of us give the best years of our lives in these mines. It doesn't seem right that there is no retirement plans other than government pension
This is a good. town to live in people are friendly and you can always count on your neighbour for help. This is something you don't find too much nowadays. We should if we have to get together and help keep our town going. We should be called on for help if municipal heads feel this is necessary.
Lucy Damiani April 3, 1972
7:45 - 9:00
John Conti
2. "Toni"
3. 202 Lang St.
4. 679-5928
5. mill operator
6. Born in Ignace Ontario
7. Mother and Father born in Italy
8. Married and I have a 2 year old daughter
9. 44 years old
10. My impression is that we are going through a slow period. But it will pick up. Right now there are rumors of some of the mines opening up again. The Smelter is going to open also. So the economy of the town looks better. I must say our winter works projects have helped to keep people occupied. Although I would have liked to have seen it put to better use. I am in favour of regional school system. It offers a better opportunity for the students nowadays and I also think the provincial grants for students offer a tremendous opportunity for those who have more technical schools for trades these would be popular
here. Everywhere they are crying for trained technicians. Also manpower program courses that are available to all are very helpful and you get paid while on course so a family man can take it too. A few years ago we didn't have this. These courses give a person more perspective and initiative there are also more opportunities for adult education. I think miner’s wages should be brought up
to the level of work they are doing. It is hard dangerous work and they are not by standards being paid enough, in comparison to other work and other towns. Cost of living has gone up tremendously and it’s hard to make ends meet. There should be private enterprise and small businesses as there is too much takeover by the big companies corner stores still flourish and so do small businesses. They should be encouraged. If individuals have money to invest it should be invested in small industry to create more jobs. We should definitely have organized sport and a recreation program with a good director it’s important to keep our young people occupied and active. We have many facilities large skating rink, community hall, these could all be used. I'm sure many of the schools would be willing to let their gyms be used for recreation and games. I can't think of any changes that should be made but we could have a ball park there hasn't been one for years except Bass Lake and this is far to go. A Senior citizens home is a necessity so many of the older people are
living out a meager existence because of high rent, high food costs. We do need a drug store as it is very inconvenient to go to Haileybury for a prescription. e town is doing a good job of municipal government and it’s nice to see the new parks, the town has cleaned up all the old buildings and they are renovating the downtown area. It certainly has improved the appearance of the town. When I was younger we made our own fun, played games, some of the boys got together and we butt a Ferris wheel that worked like a real one on a
miniature scale. In winter we went skiing, sleigh riding, skating in the summer, hikes and swimming at Peterson Lake there was always a lot of the gang around to go out with and have fun. I think fun for the young people none has a different meaning. I asked to used to pile cords of wood to go to a show in the afternoon admission was 100 no allowance in those days. You worked for your money. We have picked berries in the summer to make money. I have always played a guitar and I like to sing, summer nights and Sundays sitting around with a group playing and singing. I cherish my guitar though I don't play it much anymore. I also have an old pair of skis and skates I used when I was a youngster. There is a lot of out of town shopping because we have very few shops or shopping centre left in town. There's 'room for clothing store boys, men, women, children, big hardware supplier, dentist, doctor, drug store and a large department store would do well. You have to be interested in a business to keep one going. The first place I worked was a splint factory in 1944 at .30 cents an hour worked a full two weeks, 2 days overtime and I ended up getting $28. for a pay cheque. I went to Hill Clark Francis in 1950 Wabi Iron Works, Cobalt Foundry for a few years, Silver Miller, old construction jobs and Glenn Lake LaRose Mill, Harry Bambrick was my boss, then and he was a terrific boss and a super mill man really knew his work. In the earlier days there were certainly more stores than now. Giachino’s, Damiani's, Rava's, Malouin Grocery stores, McEwen’s, TBS, Cherry's Clothing, Bucks, Boston Grill, Minerva Restaurant, Chinese restaurant, Cain’s furniture, Rowdon’s, Blacks, Hardware, Lemon's grocery. It was a sad period when our business places closed up one by one. I am living in a large 3 room apartment and may buy a house later. I am back to work at Silver Shield and I hope to see more mines opening up and the economy of Cobalt prosper. I've always lived here and I like the atmosphere and the people are friendly my dreams are to see Cobalt boom again and grow and prosper. We should encourage tourist trade they find it interesting to come north but we will have to work on something to keep them here or they go further north. We should have more trailer parks and camping grounds; make our mine tours more interesting, keep our festival going every summer. Offer more site tours to Drummond Cairn, Old Mission, air plant at Ragged Chutes, new hydro project at Lower Notch, we already have the nicest lakes around for fishing hunting spots, beaches for swimming, all these are easily accessible.
There should be a subsidy for silver mining some of the mines could put through a lower grade ore and make it pay. We should be able to get grants and subsidies, this would create more activity and the mines could operate profitably if subsidized. Secondary industry is a must we have lakes, timber spur lines all the available needs for small industry could lower freight rates to help out. I think this idea of Mayor Piche of Kapuskasing to have the North band together and take over the railroad reduce freight rates would automatically stimulate industry in the north. I would like to see the town pick up and have more businesses open establish a definite recreation program for young people.
There could be a technical school looted here. We have many schools with available space for summer courses without going out of town. They could induce students and adults to come for courses by advertising arrange a low cost rental apartment or billet services. This would all encourage them coming in so I hope the right sources do something about it. Let's keep the best old town on the map.
Carmen Stubinski March 6, 1972
1 hour
2. Roma Cooper (Mrs. Harry)
3. Roma Fildes
4. 95 Galena Street, Cobalt
5. 679-8150
6. 52.
7. Helen St., Cobalt at home
8. Mother Cornwall England, Father Liverpool, England. My dad came to Cobalt in 1903.
9. They were married in the Anglican Church in Cobalt 1916. Married by Cannon Simms.
10. 1919
11.
12.
13. 4 of us
14. He was delivery boy for Old Dick Fauteaux who had a grocery store. He died 2 years ago in Timmins.
15. Baby sitter
16. Has worked for the town of Cobalt for 30 years.
17. Housewife
18. Too young. My dad worked in the old miners hospital for a good 15 or 20 years
19.
20.
21. There wasn't much other than mining
22. Baby sitter
23. $2. per week.
24. The one 1 can remember living in was a log house on the Coniagias property. There were 4 rooms.
25. Very quiet, we got toys at Christmas but we never saw them the day after. My grandmother used to hide them. My mother died when I was 11 years old 1933. And grandma looked after us. When she died we found balls and things she had hidden on us in her trunk.
26. In house.
27. hydro
28. wood stove, cooked with wood
29. Wood and coal Quebec heater.
30. Old Ross store on the hill, Bucks, Ellis, Clothing store, Phil Cain furniture. Sullivan and Shillington on Lang St., Giachino’s, Old Belgium
tested eyes and sold glasses as well as a jewelers shop.
31. Girl Guides only, grandma was too strict wouldn't let me go anywhere.
32. Play ball in summer- slide down the hill on my coat in winter
33. Cobalt Public
34. 8 years
35. Street cars, trains
36. Dr. Schmidt
37. Alright as far as I know
38. At home on at Ruby Street.
39. June 17, Jim 17, Linda 16, John 15, Patsy 16, Barbara 18, Bruce still going to school.
40. Local jobs downtown.
41. It seemed to be booming everyone was working.
42.
43. lunch pails
44. dinner time, depended on which shift they were on
45. skirts, middies.
46. Good clothes to go to Sunday school. I would not wear the long black stockings every time they'd want me to wear them there'd be a fight. Every time we came home from Sunday School we had to change our clothes and put on our old ones so we wouldn't dirty our eIv0 clothes.
47. Not allowed to play. Had to go to church and Sunday school.
48. Still have my girl guide attendance record book dating Nov.1934
49. Was born here and am going to die here.
50. Everybody's friendly.
51. Arena, Bingo's, Better grocery store, good sidewalks, new motel
52. Yes. no clothing stores, no drug store,
53.
54.
55. Yes.
56. Would like to see more work for the men and young people-more places to spend their evenings instead of on the street.
57. winter
58. Bingo, play cards
59. Mining grandchildren.
60. Would like to see an industry come in. If the price of silver goes up. The mines would reopen and make more jobs. We could manufacture our own silver here. Make our own jewelry, or what is saleable to the public. Would like to see the smelter reopen.
62. Miner's Festival, mining museum Drummond Cairn, lots of lakes, fishing, hunting, good fresh air.
Highlights
Mrs. Cooper is a wonderful cook. Doesn't go out in the day time but goes out every night to the Bingo's.
Simone Bedard April 3, 1972
1:20 - 3:45
1. Marie Ida Cote
3. Ida Carriere
4. 148 Earl St.
5. 679-8333
6. 76 years old
7. Masson Quebec
8. They were born somewhere around Masson Quebec
9. From Masson Quebec
10. We arrived in Cobalt in 1905. My dad had two sisters and two brothers who came shortly after we did.
11. We came by train
12. From Masson we went to Washburn Wisconsin, then to Sturgeon Falls where we left to come to Cobalt.
13. Mother, dad and 6 children.
14. My dad repaired machinery in a saw mill.
17a. The only memories I have is that my oldest brother Lucien went to war in 1914 and served for five years overseas.
18. My impressions of Cobalt were very good.
19. When I came here, Cobalt was very big.
20. I came to Cobalt with my family when I was eleven years old, dad came here to work at the mill, then we joined him about 5 or 6 months later.
21. There was the mines and saw mill.
22. The working hours in those days were around 10 hours a day.
24. My first home in Cobalt was a two apartment house owned by Mrs. Joe Harvey, we had a kitchen and a bedroom downstairs and two bedrooms upstairs. Our neighbours in the other apartment were Mr. Fortin and his family.
25. When we were young Christmas was quiet, and we celebrated on New Year's, this is when we'd get our presents and treats.
28. Wood stove
29. The wood stove served for cooking and for heating.
30. There were lots of stores on the main street but I can't remember any names.
31. We had about 5 or 6 shows I especially remember the Orpheum to often as it was too expensive, we'd go to the Bijou more because it was closer to home. There were dance halls, one in the center of town, one around where Bilodeau's store is today.
32. I didn't participate to any sports but I went to see the ball games.
33. I went to the school on this side of Larose bridge and after it burned in the Cobalt fire, then attended the new one on O'Brien property.
34. I started school when I was 6 years old, and I quit school when I was 14 years old.
35. We had streetcars and horses and buggies.
36. Dr. Taylor was our first doctor.
37. The hospital was on Silver St. next to where Buffam's Chapel is today
38. We never had any children but in 1939 my nephew's wife died a few days after giving birth to a baby girl and we adopted her.
39. She quit school when she was 14 years old
44. Fresh meat, potatoes, vegetables, milk and all kinds of dessert, mum liked to bake cakes, cookies & pies.
45. Cotton dresses, in those days we didn't wear slacks.
46. Sunday we'd wear suits or our nicest dresses
47. We'd go to church then we would go and pick blueberries in Gillies or we'd roller skate, in the winter it was tobogganing
48. No.
49-50. It's not like it used to be and it's queit.
53. I like Cobalt as it is.
54. The young generation would like to see more things to participate in.
57. I enjoy summer the most I can sit outside and just relax.
58. I go to the bingo and we play cards every Wednesday
59. I use to crochet and knit but I had to give it up.
60. We'd need progress of some kind; there are a lot of people without work.
62. Mining tours and the mining museum
Highlights
Cobalt's big fire burned both sides of Lang St. the fire had started at a Chinese Laundry around where Damiani's store is today. Monsignor Latulipe came from Haileybury and he's the one who stopped the fire. This was a miracle the fire had gone as far as where Mrs. Nixon lives today. During the war we bought a 100 lbs. bag of potatoes for $7.00 at the Haileybury market.
Name of Interviewer: Carmen Stubinski Date of Interview; March 15
Interview: 2 hrs.
1. Linda Cote Mrs. Danny
2, Linnie
3. Linda Burns
4. 66 Cobalt St. Cobalt
5. 679-8379
6. 32 yrs, old
7. Haileybury
8. Mother and came from Haileybury
9, Cobalt
10. Born here
11. Buses and Cars
12, Highway 11B
13. 3 of us there were 8 altogether
14. technician
15. telephone operator
16. Lab Head
17. stenographer
18. I can remember when my dad was in the army and we were rationed on sugar and butter had to use coupons
It was like Cobalt
19. I can remember the Horse stable across from Damiani's
20. No choice, I was born here mom and dad didn't consult me
21. corms candy store, all kinds
22. after school
23. don't think it averaged 250 per hour
24. Lived in an upstairs apartment over Cora's
25, We use to call on people in groups go to midnight mass and still call on friends. We had a good time
26, taps
27. Hydro
28. Electric
29. Hat air rads
30. Busy and lots of stores. Boston Grill, Stableman’s, Minerva Eaton’s. Mikes shoe repair. Barber shop. Chinaman's restaurant, Taxi Stand, Drug Store, T.B.S., Bucks, Fletchers Cain’s, Rowdon's. Hardware, Tommy Black can't forget him. Simpsons, old post office in the Inch Block, Fool Hall, Dominion Store, Woolworths, Smith's Men's Wear, Olives Ladies Wear, Gamble Robinson, Lowery's, We had lots of stores compared to now
31. We had no recreational director then. Made our own entertainment and there was lots to do.
32, Sleigh ride every day when we lived on the hill, skated, skied, play ball and swim in the summer. Pack a lunch and go on long hi1es,
33, St. Patrick's school attend high school in New Liskeard and Haileybury
34, 12 yrs.
35, bus, train, cars,
36. Dr, Dunning
37. no Haileybury Hospital
38. Haileybury Hospital
39. Still going to school
40. too young
41. I know the mines were going then; my grandpa was Captain on the meteor on Lake Temiskaming. There were 2 boats and the 2 Burns boys were the Captains on each boat
42.
43, Lunch Pail
44. Large Meal
45. jumpers, navy and blouses
46. Dresses always wore dresses, There was no such thing as slacks we were pants over our dresses sliding
47. Go to Church, Grandma's for dinner
48. pictures of grandma and family group
49. Its friendly
50. Go down town and everyone speaks to each other, you go down for 20 min. end up staying 2 hrs.
51, Cleaned up the town Old houses restored, Built New library, Shacks tore down
52. Don't like the stores closing no good shopping area 0.N.R, taken away from us,
53. no
54.
55. yes
56. More stores, more employment for people. Large pay rolls coming into Cobalt. Some light industry to make finished products supplied form the raw materials from this area, in the great clay belt of the north and heart of the mining area. Would like to see the restoration program go through
57. all seasons
58. Still skate, occasionally curl, skidoo, play cards, make our own entertainment
59. Drama Club, Girl Guides, reading knitting, sewing embroidering. This is our third year for the Cobalt Silver Leaf Players. Last year I directed Come Blow your Horn. We have lots of fun together, It’s a fun group. We are working on Guest in the House now,
I have been a girl guide nearly all my life, first I was a brownie at 7 yrs. I’ve never been out of it; I led the Girl Guides in Haileybury for 3 yrs. I have been taking the girls from Temiskaming to camp for 4 yrs. Kirkland Lake, Englehart, New Liskeard, and Cobalt
Haileybury. One year I was helper for the Provincial Camp. Occasional helper in Cobalt the last 4 yrs. Got my campers badge 3 yrs. ago. Before the last three years I went to camp as a guide helper to Mrs. Giovenella. We have a beautiful camp on Gillies Lake
60. Have to have more Industry of some kind to give more work to the people
61. tourists
62. Museum, mining tours, Public Library, well equipped. Old mines, good sightseeing. Good beach at Bass Lake and area accommodations, Fishing, Hunting, Rocks for hunts. See artists all the time painting in the summer. It’s a unique setting
Linda Cote is very active in Community affairs. Ask her to do something and she's always ready to give a lending hand.
Name of Interviewer: Carmen Stubinski March 29
Interview: 2 hrs.
1. John Cram
Cobalt Refinery Townsite
Cobalt
5. 509.-8169
6. 56
7. Swift Current Sask.
9. Father was born in Carlton place
Mother in St. Thomas
12. Came here from Debora where I was Manager of their smelter, which treated basically the ore that came from Cobalt.
Much for some 60 yrs.
Senator M. J. O'Brien who had mine interests here, didn't like to pay heavy treatment charges because of the arsenic and Cobalt Content.
A Danish engineer by the name of Kirk Guard who had been chief engineer of them then closed down of the Gold operation of Canadian Consolidated at DeLora was looking for something] to do with the plant. This plant had facilities for roasting arsenical ores and O'Brien
had money, ore and silver. A Dr. Kirkpatrick and Metallurgy at Queens had worked out a process to separate the Cobalt and Nickel and recover them as oxides. Got together and purchased the DeLora plant in 1907 carried on continuously with the ups and downs in 1961.
During their history they produced the first Cobalt metal (Commercial)
In 1907 they had no market for it; just in limited quantity 1912 stock piled Cobalt as oxide. 1912 Dr. Ralmus who was an inventor type. He and his wife were some of the original discover, developed Techni color for movies. They invented the Stellite Alloys with
were high temperature anxite abrasine which were hard. One of the basic major contents was Cobalt.
In the first Great War DeLora Stellite Alloys helped the western power war effort, considerable with Stellite cutting tools they were able to turn out shells at a much faster rate and DeLora Smelter and Refinery. O'Brien built a large plant in England to produce Stellite Alloys as a result, this helped the Cobalt camp absorb the production, in order to get the much needed Cobalt.
So that the operating became Cobalt plant primarily because of the world needs and as they were the only major producers of Cobalt.
Silver and arsenic became by products because they were in ore.
Arsenic was in high demand during world war one, as it was used in producing shrapnel shell and mines. The price of arsenic actually reached .60 cents per lb.
When the war was over DeLora had a control of the world, Cobalt market one as necessary consequence they controlled the price. They had yearly contracts in the U.S.A. overseas at prices which they set at $4.00 per lb. approximately.
In 1923 the Belgium’s, who had been developing their copper, Cobalt mines in the Congo quietly approached most of the Cobalt consumers and under cut the price by more than $2.00 per lb. This of course collapsed the DeLora operations to a great degree. Prior to this the price of silver collapsed. So did the Cobalt Camp. Films were found in the Halnor Mine office files. The chop that took the pictures made notes for everyone of them was named Mitchell. Mitchell’s initials can be found or had Thom Malcolm Slack. He is Porcupine area Manager for Noranda Mines. Noranda Mines in conjunction with Canadian Kodak have had this made into 35mm. One copy which has the notes with the slides edited by Mitchell’s daughter made into sound track, These pictures were taken by Mitchell 1906 to 1911. leaving Toronto coming north to Cobalt. North to Elk Lake, there was nothing at Elk Lake at the time on to the Porcupine, Timmins etc. Mitchell was involved in promoting and developing Cobalt. He became president to the Halnor Mine. This is a copy going to the Haileybury School of mines with no sound track.
Film can be had on loan from
Noranda Mines, 44 King St. East Toronto..
Attention Peter Riggan.
Vice President Public Relations
It is very good of this area, its factual pictures of this area. It clears up the Legion of the Fred LaRose and the fox, other than the fox the story is pretty realistic. We had them at the C.I.M. Cobalt Branch meeting last. Had hand written notes. It was good.
Carmen Stubinski May 6, 1972
3 hours
Alson Creighton
4. Princess Property, Cobalt
5. 679-8663
6. 71 years old
7. Victoria Mines (near Sudbury)
8. England
9. Mother and Dad were married in Sudbury 1900. Grandmother Creighton came to Canada 1860's. She lived in Pembroke them moved to the Sudbury district
10. In 1909 the year of the Lang St. fire we came to Cobalt. We moved into an apartment on Earl St. that hadn't burnt. J. M. Labelle bought the apartment house and made it into a one story house. By taking the roof off and lowering it. It is still on Earl St.
11. Came by train. Dad's brother was engineer on the TNO train that was laying the track (work train). He had an accident and broke his hip. Latchford was a large town long before Cobalt. Latchford was the 1st stop off place because the train didn't go any further and they were building the bridge at Latchford They used to Montreal River to go to Elk Lake and Gowganda. They had large Commercial boats. Portage Bay was a half way place and stop off to Elk Lake There was a large hotel there. When Harold Rowdon came to here he settled in Latchford. He was a clerk in a hardware store.
12. 3 girls’ mother and dad
14. We went to work at the Cobalt Post office. I became post mistress in 1948. I replaced Major Holland. The first post office was located between Mike Brosko's and the Inch building
15. The first postmaster was Lorne Presley
16. The second post master was Walter Benny.
He was a prospector in the early days. He went overseas and served in the First World War 1914-18. He was badly wounded in the war. He lost his eye and one leg. All his left side was injured. He retired in 1933. He died July 1948. Major Holland took over from him in 1933. He was noted for recitations and singing.
In Dec. 1971 Alson Creighton found a plaque discovered on Catherine St. Ottawa between Elgin and Metcalfe Streets. Inscribed -copied from picture- Major
Edward J.G. Holland, V.C. 1878-1948. Born in Ottawa Holland enlisted in 1899 in the let Canadian Mounted Rifles. He served in the Boer War and on November 7 was a member of a small rearguard detachment assigned to cover a withdrawal from Komati River. For his gallant action during this engagement Holland was awarded the Victoria Cross. His citation reads "Sergeant Holland did splendid work with his cold (machine) gun, and kept the Boers off the two - 12 pounders by its fire at close range. When he saw the enemy were too near for him to escape with the Gun Carriage, as the horse was blown, he calmly lifted the gun off and galloped away with it under his arm. Erected by Archaeological and historic sites board. Department of Public Records and Archives of Ontario. The second Post Office Walter Benny Postmaster was in the Fraser hotel (where the ladies beverage room is today) Bricks for this building (Fraser Hotel) came from Latchford from a hotel that was torn down. Bricks for this building (Fraser House) came from Latchford from a hotel that was torn down.
17. Post office was where Florence's Ladies we are today. Mr. Holland was postmaster. We moved to New Federal Building in 1955
Alson joined post office in 1920 became post mistress 1948 Retired 1965 . Liz Creighton started to work in the post office 1922. Became post mistress 1965 Retired Dec. 1968 . Peter Murray - postmaster took over 1968
18. It was a very rainy wet day when we arrived in Cobalt. I remember a butcher shop on Lang Street; the fresh meat was out in the open on a board held up by 2 wooden boxes. The meat was covered with flies I'll never forget it. We had lived the country before we came here. It was different. Lots of people, large crowds day and night.
19. It was built up - very high board sidewalks
20. Dad heard of the Cobalt boom. He worked at the Princess Mine as hoist man for years till it closed, then he went to the Buffalo to work
22. When I went to work at the post office the hours were from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. one hour for lunch - 6 days a week
23. At $40. per month
24. This is our original home. Dad built it in 1909. It had 5 small rooms, the same building changed-the roof and later built on a back kitchen.
26. One Earl St. we 4ought water at 250 per pail. When we moved here we had to walk 1/4 of a mile down the railroad track and get our water at a spring,
27. coal oil lamps
28. Wood stove - burnt wood. We had piles of it outside
29. Quebec heater burnt coal when it came in1in the heater
30. Lots of big shops. Rowdon, Deacon and another shoe store. Milton Carr dry goods store. Milton Carr had a cash trolley in his store. J.A.MacDougall Millinery in the old Stadelman block next to Milton Carr’s was the opera house. I remember the typhoid tents on the side of Lang Street bridge. There was a case of small pox and they isolated them, only one family Halassex that had the small pox in a tent behind our house. The bell rang and rang the night of the Lang St. fire. They used tubs and tubs and pails of water, they soaked blankets, carpets, all clothing in the tubs of water, and several men were on the roofs re-soaking the blankets and rugs trying to save the houses.
"Major Holland used to always say, “the roads and railways followed the deer trails; when they opened up the north.
32. Pantomimes, travelling shows, dances once or twice a week at the town hall. Lots of house parties people were always entertaining. The people made their own fun. Always when a house was built before they partitioned their houses they had a square dance. R.V.Holmes was mail courier from the station to the post office with his horse and buggy 4 times a day. Once daily he would go to Giroux Lake post office. It was in a store at Giroux Lake. He kept saying to his horse Topsy damn you’re as contrary as a woman's hockey team." We had a wonderful woman's hockey team - here I played in school sports
33. Started school in the old public school that was built in 1907 and to the school in Haileybury as there was none here.
35. Street cars New Liskeard to Giroux Lake, the terminal at the foot of the Swamp Street later they followed the train track, when they added the stretch to Giroux Lake they would stop at the TNO station near the end of this station platform, to Giroux Lake it followed the track to the princess property to the McKinley Darragh on to Kerr Lake, it made the curve at the end of the lake Shanks ponies carried us when war were going to school we'd run like blazes to catch on and ride on Con Connelly’s sleigh
36. Dr. Hare vaccinated both Liz and I
37. Miner’s hospital, every man employed at the mines paid $1. per month to its support and $1, per month to support the doctors.
41. Lots of mines and mills running the noise from the stamp mills were terrible. W We couldn't sleep to well, but we missed it when we didn't hear it any more
42. July first and labour day they had big sports days at West Cobalt ball park. July 1st was the biggest day, they had hand drilling and mucking. They had big league ball games. One year each mine had a football team, hockey and baseball teams
43. They all had bunk houses and cook camps
45. Long underwear, heavy wool stockings in winter. In summer ran bare feet,
46. cotton dresses, mother served and made all our clothes
47.. We went to St. James Anglican church 3 times a day
48. Girl Guide history, china etc.
49. It's home - the people
50. We like the way they have cleaned up the town .We don't like the businesses they have taken out of town, no drug store, no dentist, don't like the shopping area
55. yes
56. more jobs made for people willing to work and our young people
58. travel, curl
59. summer camp, gardening
60. small industries using our own raw materials
61. tourists
62. Cross country skiing, walking trails, mining tours, riding, going to beaches, mining museum, and biggest attraction. Good camping places, unique scenery, open cuts, untouched scenery.
Highlights
1. Alson Creighton joined girl guides in 1916 at the Chartered group. The first meeting was held in the Coniagas Mine he became leader for 1st camp 1926. Later Captain till 1948. Mrs. and Rev. Cannon Simms were at our first meeting they organized it, there were about 20 other girls at that first meeting. Rev Cannon Simms had organized boy scouts in Cobalt in 1915. The first girl guide meeting, the girls were all Anglicans. The following year we held our meetings in the four different church halls as each church had a company, Baptist, Methodist Anglican, and Presbyterian. Later we met in the old town hall which is now the TTL. Held our meetings in the old town hall till TTL took over then we moved to the YMCA which is now the community Hall.
Liza joined girl guides in 1916 was patrol leader-Rangers she stopped guiding. But she took the parades for Alson. Alson still belongs to the
local association. Liza does a lot of the baking for their events (local ass.) Our mother died in 1914, dad died 1920. Dr, Armstrong was mayor of Cobalt when they put the spur line into Silver Center.
Alison Creighton add to her story
1. Alson took over girl guides from Mrs. J. Tommy who was Captain of the Girl Guides before her.
2. Alson can't forget all the respect and love the pupils of Cobalt High School had for their teacher. Mr. George L. Cassidy while he was teacher here, better known as Cass. Mr. G. Cassidy gave years of services and understanding If there was anything to be done at the school or in town, that he could do maybe paint a picture and confide in his pupils. He always gave a helping hand.
2. Riding by the Cobalt pump house and residence. I feel it sorely neglected. Can it not be painted and fixed up?
3. Mr. & Mrs. Creighton died at early age Alson and Liza raised and put their sister May (Hylands) through for a nurse. They were both mother and father to her, their youngest sister.
Joanna Stubinski April 4, 1972
2 hours
1. Mr. Michael Cunningham
2. Mick
3.
4. Miller Ave
5. 679-5684
6. 83
7. Arnprior,Ont
8. Renfrew County
9. Ottawa family
10. Came to Cobalt in 1911
11. train
12. CPR to North Bay then TNNO to Cobalt
13. Came alone with 2 friends Jack Maher and Martin Kennedy. Martin Kennedy had been in Cobalt for a year went back to Arnprior and told
the boys about Cobalt and said they'd have no trouble getting a job in the mine. Mike and Jack knew nothing about mining by the way Jack
Maher was Mike brother in law
14.. Worked in the mines as mechanic
15. Wife worked in Haileybury for Adshead
16. Retired,
17. Retired
18. Found it very exciting
19. Very rough not used to seeing so many people about 30 mines in operation
20. Because Martin Kennedy said they could make money
21. mining
22. Worked first at the Temiskaming only mine that was unionized, so only worked 9 hours a day
23. Paid $2.75 per day
24. Lived out at the Temiskaming mine camp at the bunk house
25. Met Mame Pigeon whom later married spent it with her parents in Haileybury
26. in the bunk house
27. hydro
28. wife used a wood stove
29. wood and coal
30.All kinds of shops never bothered too much with them All the way up to St. Theresa's school even stores at the mining camp4
31. An awful lot of dances made your own fun went to a few blind pigs with friends. Would pay 500 a drink. Went to the shows a favourite pastime was going down to the station. If you wanted to catch the train you had to be there at least an hour ahead of time or else you couldn't get through the crowd. Also spent a lot of time at the ball grounds, and the rink. Really enjoyed sports.
32. Didn't participate in any just loved watching
33. Went to School in Arnprior
34. grade 8
35. streetcars, horse and buggy, but Mike walked a lot and still does
36. Dr. . Mitchell
37. Only had the mines hospital but a very efficient hospital and well run
38. Clarence born in Haileybury Hospital
39. All five were well educated they quit school in their 20's Two went to University the other 3 business school
40. Clarence worked in an office Belle Terre Que. Wilf and Len both mining engineers. Audrey Northern telephone. Anne a mine office
41. Mines; just starting to work, sinking shafts, not too many accidents. Quite safe to work in. Mike worked at the Mining Corp. for 2 or 3 years after married worked in the shop. First job at White Mine worked there for 9 days then to Temiskaming Mine paid $2.75 a day. There he gave his job to brother Joe and went underground for a few weeks but didn't like it. Then went to Beaver and last to the O'Brien mine where he worked for 30 some years.
42. Hand steeling, mucking, drilling all up at Ball Park. Most of the contests were held in North Cobalt.
43. Good heavy meals ate most of his meals at cookery when first came
44. Same as today
45. usually work clothes but if we went out dressed up
46. On Sundays dressed up but after mass put on other clothes. Always saved the good clothes.
47. Went to mass usually played cards all Sunday afternoon
48. Just a lot of old pictures
49. Just likes the people and old friends and the new ones you make.
50. Just a feeling inside when you've lived in a place so long, it just grows on you.
51. A lot of improvements in the town, but in olden days the appearance of the town added character to it.
52, no
53. no
54.
55. yes
56. Mines working and town busier more work for people but can't think of an answer
57. summer every winter my wife and I go south to Florida
58. Playing cards make your own. Going to parties
59. In the summer picking berries and puttering around the house and watching the sport games on TV
60. Unless some industry or something new comes in and especially starting to close the schools that will be the end of Cobalt
61. tourists
62. museum, tours, scenery, hunting and fishing
Highlights
Mike is one of the nicest elderly men in town and is very proud of his wife Mame who was once Mayor of Cobalt for five years. He worked at the O'Brien Mine until he was 70 years old came home one day and said he wasn't going back to work. Ever since then spends all his winters in Florida where he loves just walking along the beach and walks to mass every day.
Name of Interviewer: Joanna Stubinski April 5, 1972
Interview: 3 hrs.
1. Mrs. Mike Cunningham
2, Mame
3. Pigeon
4. Miller Ave
5. 679-5684
6. 74
7. Renfrew, Ontario
8. Mother in Renfrew
Father in Ossials, near Douglas, Ontario
9. Ottawa Valley
10. Moved up from North Bay, went to Haileybury first in 1912
Married in 1916, lived at Kerr Lake then moved into Cobalt in 1917
11. Train
12. T.N.N.O.
13. 4 children and her mother and father
14. Worked at Mining Corp. was a steel sharpener, then O'Brien Mine for 30 yrs.
15. Worked in Haileybury office work for Adshead
16. Retired
17, Retired
18. Exciting way of life, spent most of her time in Cobalt
19. Busy place, about 10,000 people with the mining camps, pushed your way through crowds.
20. Because it was a new country with plenty of work and because her father came
21. Mining, office staff, miners and mechanics and blacksmith.
22. Adshead's from 8 to 5
23. $6.00 a week in Haileybury
24. Mother lived in North Cobalt, Mame in Haileybury in a big wooden house when married went to Kerr Lake. It was a busy place even streetcars went in. General Store. Here they lived in a big house for 2 months then bought a little shack from Danny Hellen's mother for about $50.00
25. Always went to her mothers in Haileybury
26. At Kerr Lake, went to the pump and used rain Barrels
27, coal oil lamps at Kerr Lake when moved into town Hydro
28. wood stove
29. heated with coal
30. All kinds of stores, even people from New Liskeard came down shopping. Every sat. night Mame and a few ladies went shopping. This was their Saturday night entertainment
Ed. Wilson
Taxi Service
Phone 382
Day and night serviced Open and closed cars
Repairs, Sales, Service, Reo, Oldsmobile Oakland Cars
Goodyear Tire, Exide Batteries, Veedoloils, and Greases
Phone 211
William J. Newton Wholesale and Retail Coal and Wood Dealer
Phone 173 Cobalt
Old Timers then purchasing Mining Supplies,
Procure prices from and old Timer
Durant and Starr Cars
Radio Sets and Supplies on easy Terms
The Northern Garage
39-41 Lang St. Cobalt
Buy your Best Hat
from Mrs. B. Danis
High Class millinery, also ready to wear Hats of all kinds.
Ladies and Children’s Wear
24 Lang St. Cobalt
HAPPINESS RECIPE
Mix a little music with your daily life.
Use a new Edison Phonograph learn to play a violin, Bongo or Mandolin.
Add a few late sheets of music to your assortment. Procure the ingredients from.
The L. Stadelman Co., George's Tonsorial Parlors
Everything in Music, Cobalt for Ladies and Gentlemen
Doctor Taylor Block
G.W. Dixon
Maps pf All important mining areas, Ont. and Que.
Phone 153-61, Cobalt Ontario
J.E. Sewell
Jeweler Optometrist
The Square Cobalt
Lamb Brothers Garage
Art and Roy Lamb
85 Lang St. Cobalt
Hub South worth Hallow and solid Drill Steel
Manganese and Toughened Steel castings,
Forged Steel Balls, Hack Saw Blades
Files, Picks, Shovels, Wire, Rope, Hose etc.
73 Lang St.Cobalt
McDermott and Sullivan
Exclusive Dry Goods
Wallare Block Cobalt
J. Mino and Sons
14 Lang Street, Cobalt
W, J. Ross
Groceries, Fresh Fruit, Ice Cream Soft Drinks, Cigars, Cigarettes and Tobacco
E. Davis
Painter and Decorator
Wall Paper, Paint and Varnishes Silver St. Cobalt
Walk and Be Healthy Prospect Ave, Cobalt Nickel and Prospect Ave
W. J. Deacon
Exclusive, Shoe Shore
Men's Women's Boys/ and Girls' Boots and shoes
George's Tonsorial Parlors For Ladies and Gentlemen
Nickel and Prospect Ave.,
Phone 339, Cobalt
The Northern Miner
Largest Mining circulation in Canada the Northern News
Largest Home Circulation in Temiskaming
Always growing because they are real good news papers in a Growing Country
Published at Cobalt, with Branch office at Kirkland Lake, Equipped with automatic High speed machinery
Largest Printing office in the North
It is stamped Goods
Corticilla Yarns or anything worthwhile in Dry Goods McNonagles
55 1/2 Cobalt
H. T. Black
Cobalt
Hardware, china and glass, Office Supplies
Sullivan and Shillington Wholesale Dealers
Everything necessary for the Cook Phone 160, Cobalt, Ontario
The Pioneer Florist of the North E. B. Worley
Phone 379, Silver St. Cobalt
Scharf's Livery
Taxi and Truck Draying
Feed and Sale Stables
Saddle Horses a specialty Phone 75, Cobalt, Ontario
A. L. Herbert
Steam and Smithing Coal, Anthracite and Coke Phone 99, Cobalt
Let CXL Goods and Service solve your blasting problems
Canadian Explosives Ltd. Cobalt Sudbury Timmins
C. E. Cain and Sons
10 Silver St.
Cobalt
Everything for the Home
For Comfort and Safety call Phone 176 89 Lang St
Courtinuous Service
Dick Fauteaux
Cobalt
Welcome to the Old Boys
Come in and make yourself at home
Check you Packages here, free W. Lapointe 54 Lang St.
The Bon Bon Shop
Silver St.
Cobalt
F. C. Shaw
Druggist
Lang St,
McEwen's Grocery Cobalt telephone 77
G. L. Brewer and Sons General Contractors Teams, Trucks, Tractors Customs Blacksmithing and Agency for
Indestructible Finish General Transportation
The Moore Drug Co. Ltd on the Square, Cobalt
In the International Provision Store, 5 prospect Ave. Cobalt, Mr. A. Giachino Prop. You will find the largest variety of domestic and imported foods from nearly every part of the world.
The Cafeteria Lunch Silver St. Cobalt Open 5:30 to 2:30
Smith's Studio
Cobalt, Ont
37 Lang St. Phone 372
A. G. Gagnon
115 Lang St, Cobalt Phone 217
The George Taylor Hardware
Cobalt New Liskeard, Timmins, Cochrane
Northern Canada Supply Co, Cobalt, Ontario
H. E. McKee
Barrister, Solicitor Notary, Etc. Cobalt Office, Wallace Block
Dr. H. H. A. Bell Dental Surgeon
Cobalt
George Mitchell
Barrister, Solicitor Notary Public etc. Cobalt
Dr, P. Hill
Dental Surgeon
Nipissing Building, Cobalt
Northern Explosives Ltd.
Sudbury, Cobalt, Kirkland Lake Timmins
Gamble Robinson Cobalt, Ltd.
THESE WERE SOME OF THE STORES IN1924.
31. My husband went to Blind Pig where Bill Fraboni lives.
If you wanted to buy a bottle of liquor you had to be married to send out for it. Brought a case of gin from Montreal for $12.
Held the dances in the cookeries. Met her husband at a dance at the Shamrock Mine. After the dance would go back by sleigh to Haileybury get in a 6 a.m.
After they were married, they would take Clarence, the baby in a cutter to the dance.
Mike finished work walked home 2 miles washed and changed and walked back 2 miles
to the dance.
32. just went to the games
33. no
34. Went to Business College in the Bay.
35. Street cars, Trains, Horse and buggy
36. Dr. Mitchell
37. Very good, mines Hospital very competent, Mike in with flu Annie in for 2 1/2 yrs.
38. Clarence born at Haileybury Hospital Len, only one born at home
39. Len and Wilf went to university both mining engineers Clarence 20 Annie and Audrey 19
40. Clarence in Belleterre Len and Wilf out West with Canadian Engineer
Audrey Telephone Officer Annie, Mining Office.
41. Mines were busy and all in operation
42. A lot of contests up at the ball park north cobalt. Was the best place for contests
43. Heavy meals always ate lots of meat, vegetables and desserts
44. Same as today
45. Housedresses, dressed up, when went out skirts, blouses, no slacks.
46. Dressed up, but always changed after mass
47. Went to Mass, played cards all afternoon, mostly euchre.
48. Mothers things all burnt in Fire 1922
49. Just like to place
50. Because so many of her friends are here
51. A lot of improvements made, but like the look of it better in early yrs. as it added character to the town.
52. no
53. no
54.
55, yes
56. Mines working and town busier more work
57. Summer, always goes south to Florida in the winter
58. Playing cards going out to teas and visiting travel
59. playing bingo, and sewing
60. The Government will definitely have to step in, Because it will take a lot of money
61. Tourists
62. Museum, Tours, Scenery, Hunting and fishing
Mame was mayor of Cobalt from 1962-67
This Story to follow
Joanna Stubinski PAPER CLIPPINGS April 6, 1972
ADD TO MRS. MIKE CUNNINGHAM'S INTERVIEW 2 1/2 hrs.
Cobalt's first woman mayor, 63 yrs. old. Mrs. Mamie Cunningham, became the first woman to wear Cobalt's traditional silver chain of office. The chain is made of 14 silver nuggets taken from local mines.
Mrs. Cunningham and a six man council were officially sworn in to office yesterday in a ceremony at the town office. George St. Hilaire, placed the traditional chain around
the lady mayor's neck at the beginning of a year which will see. Cobalt celebrated its 60th anniversary. She became the first woman mayor in 60 yrs. of municipal history. Prior bb her election she served on council for one year.
Wearing the silver chain of office is becoming somewhat a family tradition for Mrs. Cunningham. At 29 yrs. of age her son-in-law, John Damiani, became the country's youngest mayor and served a three yrs. term of office before leaving the political field about 5 yrs. ago.
The chain she now has won the night to wear is actually valued at a little more than $7.00 but ranks high in sentimental value to Cobalter whose community has been dubbed The Cradle of Canadian Mining". It is considered one of the most unusual marks of the mayoral rank in the world. A couple of yrs. ago when the mines loaned it to the Ont. Dept. of Mines as part of their display at the Canadian National Ex. it was insured for the sum of $10,000. The council elected was Jake Koza, Hugh Armstrong, Joseph Robitaille, Reddi Tessolini, Jack McGarry and Gus Nadeau. Born in Renfrew County, Mrs. Cunningham has lived her for 46 yrs. She is a member of the C. W. League, and Cobalt, Haileybury, Curling Club ,She and her husband Michael who was employed in a local mine, have 3 sons and 2 daughters.
At her inauguration Mrs. Cunningham gave a strong hint as to some of the most important highlights of the coming yrs. in municipal circles, and said It is an honor to have been inaugurated and in this our anniversary yrs. I am pleased to have such a good council and feel sure that if we pull together and really work hard for the betterment of our town we will accomplish something. Among our many problems will be the policing of the town. This will have to be discussed at our next meeting. Steps should be taken at an early date to collect areas of taxes. We must keep working towards a settlement of the property problem. In the north end of town, as well as toward an easement Branch of the Ontario Municipal Board. I hope our meetings-will be harmonious and no swearing please. Councilors, unless they have business in the town office should not make a practice of dropping in and taking up the time of the staff. Re. Father Ovila Lemay, Cobalt said a blessing over the 1963 council and its committees were announced yesterday.
COBALT'S MAYOR
Soon the town of Cobalt will be electing its mayor, and we think that most of the people in the Silvertown will agree that their present chief magistrate should be returned without even the formality of an election.
For Mamie Cunningham, as mayor, has had more success in awakening Canada to the im¬portance of the old silver camp that has any previous mayor within our remembrance.
She was aided it is true, by the ballyhoo that attended the Jubilee celebrations, but her work did not stop with the fireworks that ended the celebrations.
During the hectic 15 days in August Mayor Cunningham grasped the lapels of many im-portant persons who visited the town and district and heard and remembered their promises and since that time she has made many visits to the Queen City to see that the Promises were implemented. She is clever, talented and persuasive as well as being a very pleasant and womanly woman. Cobalt should make sure she is re-elected.
Dead Man Gets 17 Votes
A candidate for town council whose election day death notice was posted in all polling stations received 17 votes here in Municipal elections Monday.
Officials pasted a death notice for Stanley Crago, 74, an hour after balloting started. He was one of 12 candidates for six council seats.
Mayor Mamie Honored by the United Church
In an unprecedented move Temiskaming Presbytery of the Untied Church has appointed a Roman Catholic as a corresponding member. The honor was accorded Mayor Mamie Cunningham of Cobalt, when the Presbytery held its annual meeting in Cobalt last Week.
Mrs. Cunningham is now entitled to take part in debates, but cannot vote on Church matters.
Rev. H. L. Wipprech of Cobalt United Church commented that as far as he knows this is the first appointment of its kind ever made.
Sometimes I wonder how I ever did get into this, quipped Mrs. Mamie Cunningham, mayor of Cobalt, as she spoke of the job.
Mrs. Cunningham, one of Ontario's two women mayors, says she finds the job of running, The Silver City thrilling and rewarding.
An enthusiastic leader of an all sale council, Mrs. Cunningham spoke of some of the problems she has to tackle, the greatest of which is providing houses to cope with Cobalt’s recent influx of mining personnel.
Mrs. Cunningham defeated 2 male candidates in the mayoralty race and jokingly said I was pretty pleased to beat the men.
Few 'Towns, she said can boast the romance and excitement of Cobalt, which although it looks beat up and dusty, has played an important and unique part to the development of Canada
Mrs. Cunningham's husband, Michael whom she married in Haileybury 38 yrs. ago is agreeable] to her holding office. Although he has no political ambitions himself, he is pleased that his wife is mayor. She added that he is quite capable of getting himself a meal if I’m not
there.
Following an address Mrs. Cunningham donned her chain of office, of pure silver leaf from the first producing mine in Cobalt.
The Advice to women eager to take a stab at politics; Get into it. Its' a very rewarding experience. It keeps you going, and sometimes these luncheons make it a bit hard on the waistline, but it's worth it Mayor Mamie loves to tell about the good old days when the first silver vein was discovered in this gateway to the mineral riches of the north. She delights in putting on her heavy chain of office, made from rough slabs of leaf-silver, the first mined in Cobalt; we polished it up when I took over as Mayor. Like the many jobs of running a town it is heavy to wear but the weight is well distributed around my shoulders.
Joanna Stubinski NEWS CLIPPINGS April 10, 1972
ADD TO MRS. CUNNINGHAMS INTERVIEW
Cobalt: Silver Memories
Should nostalgia or curiosity take you up to Cobalt's 60th Anniversary blow out chanter are you will catch that adventure to mining camp opulence. The Cobalt Song. It was written in 1919 at the height of an era that saw Cobalt with 104 producing silver properties. Dividends of more than $100, 00,000. The Lawson with its Silver Sidewalk at 12,000 ounces to the ton, the Lyric Theatre and Beatrice Lillie, and a team in the National hockey League. Of course if you push these glories of the past too hard, especially in such emporiums of amber optimism as the Miners Home Public House, you are liable to get a punch in the mouth. This is more likely if you choose to enlighten long time Cobalters of the breed of Cecil Birtch is a mechanic of profane splendor who can knock out a set of worn kingpins in a trice. By choice, Mr. Birtch is a volunteer fireman and Cobalt of today champion.
Not that Cobalt is a belligerent town. On the contrary and despite numerous boasts of richness to rags, it retains an inimitable ability to look in the bright side and to pass along this cheeriness to you.
Thus it is appropriate that Cobalt should have a song of its very own. The town has no intention of letting the glass of 50 yrs. ago rub off. even though sales of outside paint must surely be the lowest per capita in Canada and its contribution to national architecture confined to an abandoned mine shaft running through the centre of a grocery store.
Cobalt has made its mark in an more tangible was, it is the cradle and well spring of Canadian Mining and anvil on which was hammered out the rough cast of a 'national identity. With its silver, it still exports much of its talent. Yet it keeps the progeny of its worldwide magnetism. The Armstrongs, Audettes, Baxter’s, Chitaroni’s, Damianis, De Vries, Todd’s Tressider and Yanyks.
I remember Cobalt. I remember it in a maudlin way, true, since I spent pretty girl at a fires are always social events, especially in winter when the town can get a bit dull.
The North Bay nugget had its branch office on Lang St in a battered frame building. Nearly all the buildings on Lang St. are battered over the years they have heaved a collective sigh and settled onto their bedrock like weary revelers at the burlesque show. But the office overlooked the famous Square with its monument to Dr. Willet Green Miller who Read the Secret of the Rocks. After Fred Larose threw that hammer at a fox hack in 1903. The square is Cobalt's stage and even the reruns are fascinating. Over at the fire hall, Jiggs Saumier and Red McEwen wield away the fireless hours discussing with authority common to their calling, everything from the Korean War to the Current market lapse or why the fellow up the street really left home at 3 a.m. and sober at the Jiggs has since become a Provincial Police officer.
Larry Stadelman would, drive through the Square in his 1927 Buick, leaving his book store to seek the latest stock exchange chatter in Haileybury and New Liskeard.
Prospector Jack Armstrong would hold forth in front of Costello's drug store allowing only fires, two-car crashes and new strikes to interrupt his theme. Snugged down in heavy canvas coat, a cigar jutting as a smoke signal to prosperity, one-time teamster Harry Miller would cross the Square and head into the Post Office Harry ramrodded the Silver Miller and for my money was the founder of the New Cobalt.
Inside, there would be a business life greeting from Mayor E. J. Holland, postmaster, imperious authority on the art of smoking a cigarette with a long holder, and winner of the Victoria Cross following a machine gun encounter in World War 1
From his second-floor office there was a wave from William Inch, O. C. once a week Sour would accompany Bill Inch to Haileybury, there to do legal battle against the unswerving horse sense of magistrate Atkinson and the bluster of Crown Attorney Walters. There was the time Bill beat an assault charge when he proved his client had only one foot inside the Good Food Grill, and therefore couldn't have been in the place.
If you needed a hammer a bracket, a pot or pan, there was Tommy Block the only hardware merchant, who bucked his own business. But you'd butt it, anyway you needed it.
The sound truck swinging into the square that Mr. Giachino behind the wheel. No one knew his first name. He ran a travel agency. See This World before the Next was his slogan, and promoted it by showing films.
The Big Man in the Jeep station wagon would be geologist Ralph Benner. He didn't do too well with his Silver Banner, but he made up for it a few yrs. later at Consolidated Denison in Elliot Lake.
Bob Sopha was the fellow with the casual manner and benign expression. He could fill you in on the political scene or where the fish were biting or the deer running. His brother Elmer, got to be M.P.P. Bob is happy as a hotel inspector.
If you booked in at the Fraser House you would meet Mrs. Abraham. The first time I got a room there she fixed me with a knowing eye and said remember no parties.
But there will always be parties in Cobalt. They're not having the ball they once had, but higher silver prices and mines such as Deer Horn, Glen Lake, Silver Summit and Agnico have again put the bloom back on Cobalt. The Best Old Town.
COBALT MAY HAVE LADY MAYOR
Councilor Cunningham Tosses Hat into Ring Politics of Cobalt has taken a new turn with the chances of a lady mayor. Councilor Mame Cunningham said that she will probably stand for mayor in the municipal election.
If I can see a state of good men or women running for council then I will allow my Mame to stand for mayor.
Mrs. Cunningham said that she has lived in Cobalt for 38 yrs. and owns property in the town.
I have a good deal of time to spare, and don’t have to worry about what anyone thinks she added, Mrs. Cunningham has served on the Town Council for the past year. Mrs. Anne Purdy is the other woman member of the Council. Mrs. Cunningham said that she would not mind seeing more women on the Council, when you look at our empty stores, large areas, lack of new buildings and very costly administration. I believe that the women in this town could certainly do no worse and night well do better.
Cobalt is at the centre of a very active mining area but nothing is beige done mining area but nothing is being done to encourage new industry or business or home building in the town, she added.
This was the last recipe in Mame's Cook Book
How To Preserve a Husband
Be careful in your selection. Do not choose too young, and take only such as have been reared in a good moral atmosphere.
When once decided upon, let that part remain forever settled, and give your entire thought to preparation for domestic use.
Some insights on keeping them in a pickle, while others are constantly getting them into hot water.
This only makes them sour hard, and sometimes glitter.
Even poor varieties may be made sweet tender, and good by garnishing them with patience.
Well sweetened with smiles and flavored with kisses to taste.
Then wrap them in a mantle of charity, keep warm with a steady fire of domestic devotion,
and serve with peaches and cream. When thus prepared will keep for yrs.
Aunt Hannah
Name of Interviewer: Carmen Stubinski
Interview
1. Charlie Dakins
2. Charlie Akie3. Date: March 21
Time: 3 1/2 hrs.
4. 4 1/2 Nickel St. Cobalt
5. 679-4841
6. 62
7. Dorchester Station Ontario
8, Dorchester Station
9. United Empire Loyalists U.S.A.
10. 1912 taught school in Charlton 4 yrs, We were married in Englehart while teaching in Charlton. We went to our wedding in Englehart in a cutter pulled by a team of horses. Married 1913. I started in a 2 room school house with 45 pupils, Later they got me an assistant. That school burnt in 1922 fire. J. C, Darke came from England did a lot of construction in the area he was one of the first men to locate in this area
to locate you had to buy 160 acres, once that was patent you could buy another 160 acres. Mrs. Darke bought two locations. He lived in a little log shack where the Silverland cemetery is today. That house burnt in the 1922 fire. We lived in this cottage. J. C. Parke built; it is where Hugh Wright lives today. It has a 19" foundation. I had put 40 cords of wood in the basement the day the fire had left a wheel barrow full of wood at the basement window. Maybe if I hadn't it would not have caught on fire.
I taught school at Millage 104 and Cobalt, when I taught a Millage 104 it was a 2 storey building with 2 class rooms. We had 80 pupils at the time. I taught there for 8 yrs, A. E. Bryson was principal of the Public School in Cobalt. He was principal at the Cobalt Public School and still lived in the house at Mileage 104.
When I was principal there were 80 pupils trying their entrance exams and in those day they had to write their exams,
Cobalt Public was the Central school there were 4 schools to look after
The entrance class was divided in two. Miss Holiday had the class that skipped Jr IV from Sr. III to Sr. IV meaning grade 6 to 8 out of that class 79 passed out of 80. Miss Nokes had the Sr. IV that came from Jr. IV her pupils all passed each had to pupils of the entrance class.
The President of the bank of Commerce today of Canada was one of the pupils that skipped Jr. IV Evan Donaldson the Millionaire was one of my pupils.
We promoted our pupils 3 times a year then we promoted them when they were ready, We didn't keep them back for the slow ones as a consequence you had a lot of them passing at 11 yrs. old,
12. I was Cadet Instructor in Cobalt, we had 40 Cadets, Wendell Brewer was the Cadets Captain, and we wore putties in those days.
I won lots of prizes in sports; I was never beaten in the Hop skip and jump 14" hop 14" step 14' 6" jump. Pole vault 8'4"
When I was in high school I was Captain of a foot ball team, In Ingersoll and Woodstock, When I wasn't in school I spent most of my time in the gym. When I wasn't in school
14. Teacher
15 never work
16. Retired at 80 yrs, old, after I retired from teaching I took a job as clerk treasure for the Township of Coleman stayed there 16 yrs. When I was teaching at Mileage 104. I was clerk Treasurer for the Township of Buckle also.
20. I got my Matrix and teachers certificates and I came north to teach. We normaled in North Bay we were paid $4.00 per week for attending teachers college at that time it paid my board in North Bay, imagine board at $4. per week.
21. We had to sign up and teach in Northern Ontario for 3 yrs. to get paid the $4.
22. I taught in Charlton for $650. per yr.
23. In Cobalt I got 1200 per year as principal and Cadet Instructor
24. Bought a house from Dr. Cooper in Charlton.
25.
26.
27. We had no Hydro
28. We got our water from the pump. Next door. We had outdoor plumbing. We had a good wood stove.
29. When I got off the train in Cobalt you could hardly get elbow room, a gang of men would get in the train and go to Haileybury to get their liquor. You could not buy it in Cobalt, as prohibition was on I remember the dog name Cobalt very well
30. There were lots of stores on Lang St.
31. Hunting fishing, I caught loads of fish at Latchford. Below the bridge. I caught an 8 lb. base there
32. I’ve played very game except golf. Baseball, tennis, foot ball, I played with the Canadian Champion of Canada in Tennis. His name was Charlie Hind. But I didn't win. I worked as a farmer delivering milk to the train, that how I met Charlie Hinds, Charlie got me a racquet. We had a tournament that fall and we won it. I was 19 or 20 at the time.
35. Horse and cutter was our transportation the only way you could get out of Cobalt was
By train. If you had a car and wanted to take it with you you'd have to ship it by freight to North Bay. We had no highway.
36, Dr.Taylor
37. Had a hospital on the corner
38. Charlton at Home
39, they were all educated before they went to work
42. At west cobalt they had everything going. Main thing drilling contests. Races of all kinds. 100 yd, dash, 320 yd dash, 1/2 mile race 1 mile race. They had a large grand stand. When they held their celebrations at West Cobalt. The streets were crowded and the
Ball Park. There were all kinds of sports. In the Hay days they had a floating population of 12,000
I had a relative visit me once he couldn't get over the unsanitary conditions refused from the outdoors running into Cobalt Lake and people drinking the water in fact payed for it. He said if these people don't get typhoid it will be something funny. We did get a typhoid epidemic and several people died.
47. church
48. My important things burnt. I lost all my sport prizes in the fire 1922. I felt bad. I had a pair of speed skates. The front stuck out in 5 or 6 places. They were a long blade
49. Its home. Our home is the old cobalt jail
50. I retired as town clerk of Coleman in 1970, at 80 yrs. old
51. The buildings are being built more permanent. More substantial no more shacks. They are all decent buildings now.
52. Don't like to see the mines closing down
They need to double the price of silver to make Cobalt boom again
53. Cobalt has been good to us. We have been here the second time came back to retire
55. yes
56. Would like to see it made profitable for the mines to reopen
57, summer
59. Walk every day
60. The only salvation for Cobalt is developed the tourist industry
61. tourists
62. good fishing, sports of all kinds, Go to bed at night with no fear. The sense of freedom for people. It’s not like living in Toronto don't have to lock our doors. We have things to show people they haven’t got anywhere else. Beautiful scenery. The sightseeing ride to Fountain Falls Upper and Lower Notch to Silver Centre and down the Lorrain Road.
Mr. Dakins was quite an athlete all his life. He is very well preserved for his age--only his hearing is bad.
Lucy Damiani February 21, 1972
6:15 - 7:30
1. Teresa Dalan
2.
3. Teresa Camazzola
4. 113 Earl Street
5. 679-8208
6. 68 years old
7. San Zenone delli Ezelini
E. San Lenone delli Bzelini
9. Italy
10. October 1923
11. By boat and train
12. By way of New York
13. Arrived alone, my husband to be was waiting for me.
14. Worked as a miner for 28 years.
15. Housewife and part time chamber maid.
16. Widow - husband passed away.
17. Relaxed housewife
18. I thought it was quite a nice little town, the regret was not knowing the language.
19. It was already well established as a mining town with gravel roads, wooden sidewalks, quite a few stores of all varieties, everything a person needed was here at the time.
20. My husband sent for me and came here to settle down and raise a family
21. Mining
22. From seven in the morning to seven at night.
23. About $4.50 per day, which came to $27 per week, it was a 6 day week then.
24. A frame two storey building with 5 rooms.
25. A quiet Christmas at home with relatives who were in Cobalt that time.
26. Father’s home.
27. Electricity - there were irons, toasters, radios, refrigerators, washing machines etc.
28. Wood stove for cooking.
29. Coal heater for heat.
30. All kinds of shops for food, clothing, appliances hardware, bake shops and an abundance of restaurants, candy stares, hat shops, fur shops, and I remember many stores, on both sides of Lang Street.
31. Card games, family gathering and friends, some drinking. Saturday night was the big night for just walking down town to see everyone.
32. None.
33. Went to school in Italy
34. Grades 6 to 12 as they were known in those days - lower school.
35. Very few cars - mostly horses
36. Dr. Mitchell, there were also three other doctors at the time.
37. Hospital facilities were very good; we had a fair sized hospital - with a well equipped operating room.
38. First child born in Cobalt, baptized at St. Patrick’s Church
39. Mary grade 10, Irma grade 12, Peter grade 12.
40. Girls worked in stores until they married. Peter went to Hamilton For awhile then to Kirkland Lake for Pittsburg Glass.
41. My husband enjoyed working in the mines, was interested in mining.
42. They had mucking and drilling contests. He & I always had good meals, meat was plentiful, there were vegetables of all kinds, and nearly everyone raised chickens.
44. Family always ate the same type of meal and ate together.
45. Spent Christmas with relatives who were here and friends.
46. Plain work clothes through the week.
47. On Sundays we always dressed in better dresses and suits 48.First everyone went to Church then we came home and enjoyed a day with family and friends.
49. Just small souvenirs I picked up along the way.
50. It’s the best town of all.
51. It’s cheaper living just big enough to be enjoyable.
52. The parks are nice, the restoration to the buildings on Lang Street and. people are painting and cleaning up their properties.
53. I like them all.
54. No.
55. I like all obit.
56. Not too many
Maybe a little larger shopping area, we need a drug store.
58. Summer it’s so nice to get outdoors.
59. Like embroidering
60. Gardening, I love to grow. Flowers and vegetables.
61. Another industry might give more employment
62. Maybe induce tourists to come here.
63. de have some beautiful lakes, lovely spots like Old Mission, Hound Chutes, Montreal River and in town we have mining tours, museum, a new motel a show and a Laundromat, everything one needs.
64. gardening, I love to grow. Flowers and vegetables.
65. Another industry might give more employment
66. Maybe induce tourists to come here.
67. de have some beautiful lakes, lovely spots like Old Mission, Hound Chutes, Montreal River and in town we have mining tours, museum, a new motel a show and a Laundromat, everything one needs.
Name of Interviewer: Joanna Stubinski Date of Interview: Feb 26
Interview Length of Interview: 1 1/2 hrs.
1. Mrs. Anne Damiani
2. Annie
3. Cunningham
4. Miller
5. 679-8287
6. 44
7. Cobalt
8. Dad in Dun Robin Ont., Mother in Renfrew
9. Cobalt
10. Born here
11.
12.
13. 6 including parents
14. Dad was a blacksmith in the mine--steel sharpener
15. Housewife--mayor of Cobalt--Before Mathews
16. Store owner--Damiani Electric
17. Housewife and works part time in store with husband--Air force World War II
18. Always thought it was terrific
19. Lively enough--but parents kept them close to home
20.
21. mining
22.
23.
24. Big 2 storey home--green shingles
25. She was 7 or 8 and her and her sister received a great big doll and wicker carriage was really thrilled. Carriage was big enough for a real baby
26. in house
27. electricity
28. wood stove
29. Wood stove and Quebec Heater in living room--remembers a party one night when her and Audrey were upstairs looking down through a vent and mother and father were having
a party, people were dancing and how one couple practically kicked the stove over
30. General Store-next door God parents owned it. Buck's lot of other stores--Cherry's men's wear. Boston Grill--Minerva
31. 1 theatre-entertained themselves-picnics Father always took the children down every Saturday night-dressed them up to watch the twain come in at 7. This was their treat.
32. Roller skated--ice skated-had a family ticket at the arena. Basket ball and badminton
33. yes and in Haileybury too
34. 13 or 14 yrs.
35. Drove through town with horse and sleigh--Murphy's had a pony and cutter--trains and cars.
36. Dr. Dunning
37. had her Appendix out in Cobalt hospital--It was small but good
38. Cobalt
39. Ricky 18
40, Ricky worked in mines
41. Mining Corp. was working--across the street from where they lived men would give
the kid’s cookies--father worked there went to the machine shop to watch father work sharpening picks--steel and bolts, shovels, etc.
42. Can't remember-remembers Fairs
43. good substantial meals, soups and stews and roasts, lots of desserts
44.
45. skirts and sweaters knitted by mother
46. Outfits made by mother with matching tams, dresses
47. Went to mass-spent with parents swimming, sliding or hiking went walking
48. Cup and saucer (pink) from grandmother
49. Home is here and parents-like the casual relaxed way of living--also smaller
high school for children
50. Don't like the rush and stench and polluted air
51. Trees taller--town is cleaner
52. Wish we had better ladies shops and children's clothing
53.
54.
55. Mines more active and an industry come in
56.
57. Fall-beautiful colors and trees
58. pottery, bowling, playing cards, ski-doing, having friends in, visiting church groups, Caboto club, liberal club
59. Pottery and reading
60. Getting a 2nd industry and mines more active. Provincial Gov't to make it easier for people to live in the north. Freight rates too high.
61. Anyone who likes pure air and good clean living
62. Museum, scenery, mining tours, lakes, fishing, ski-doing, pure air and friendly people.
Lucy Damiani May 9, 1972
7:30 - 10:00
1. Teresa Irma Damiani
2. same
3. 65 Lang St., Cobalt
4. 679-8222
5. office stenographer and bookkeeper Highway Book Shop
6. Cobalt, Ontario
7. Mother Madnisio Udine Italy - Father Campoformido Udine Italy
8. single
9. 49 years
10. Cobalt has lagged between a depressed area for some years. EducationS1 facilities are much improved since education has become a primary concern both on the provincial level as well as Federally. Regional schools now offer better facilities and more modern aide (i.e.; visual aids) students are definitely motivated by what they see. The educational system has improved extensively in this direction. The explosion of bussing school students still leaves a great deal of organization. Perhaps it is because the area per se of population is too vast too large. However it is too soon to be critical of Regional schools, because of bussing educational facilities and the curriculum offered to the students I believe compensate for the many sacrifices made both on the taxpayer and the students themselves. When I attended school it was a great burden on my parents and the rest of the family. Books were costly and during the depression years, money was not as available. Now the books and supplies are no longer the worry of the student, but the school activities in the school then were few and some¬times only after school. Activities now are a school participation everyone benefits. The economic situation in Cobalt has been due to low key in mining. Silver which is the primary metal has dropped in price in the last year and the mines in the area have been compelled to close. The area gets a boost when there is some construction going on. When the Hydro project at Lower Notch being built it created a lot of work for people in Cobalt and area and Cobalt certainly was better economically. Of course when the project came to an end many were unemployed and the mines were not hiring as before. Secondary industries would be necessary to aid the economy not only for Cobalt but for the entire North. High freight rates are highly detrimental to developing the north. Job opportunities are few. The labour force is mainly connected with mining. There are a few government jobs available in the area but there are seldom vacancies.
Training. and wages in the industries stores, offices, and other outlets are mostly inadequate. Larger percent of the jobs that are available are very low pay.
There are few jobs in civic provincial federal etc. but to get these you have to know someone who knows someone. The majority of office workers in the area are underpaid. When in training you receive even less. Many places exploit your skills and knowledge because they claim training period is anywhere from 6 months to 2 years. Then to the majority of offices are far too busy to train you property and you learn by doing. Salary in such an instance is below the standard requirement. The exploitation of on the job training is not a new one.
But we are all victims of it sometime or other. Working conditions in some places of business in the area and adequate while some places are not. There I am working I wonder how come there is never any inspection by the Labour Department especially when a representative lives only a few miles away. Other places are continually harassed by inspection every six months or once a year. Recommendations are suggested and these must be met. Where I am now working there is no break in the morning or afternoon. We work right through with one half hour for lunch. Your lunch is eaten on a small space next to the door leading to the toilet. In summer the odour is worse than in winter. Heating facilities are very inadequate in the building. It leaves a great deal to be desired as may seem exaggerated to some people because both Mr. & Mrs. Pollard exude such a High public image.
City Facilities
Few people are exposed to as many opportunities as we have available. Transportation facilities are adequate. Many people own cars and the complex of the three towns lend a great deal of expansion. The city can offer such uncluttered highways and no overcrowding in population. Shopping in Cobalt is fair prices are high. Adult education is offered at the Secondary schools in area. Also by Haileybury school of mines. We have a group of artists in the area and several classes are offered in art ceramics, sculpture and pottery.
The Cobalt Art Club is affiliated with the Northern Ontario Art Association. The association has a great expansion embracing most of the Northern Communities going westerly to Sault Ste. Marie. They have two or three major showings a year, which are exhibited at the different communities. The pictures are abjucated by two prominent artists from museums in the cities of Southern Ontario. Any member is allowed to enter two in each exhibition providing they meet the specifications to size, framing etc. Caroline McArthur is the NOAA 'Northern Ontario Art Association) representative for the Cobalt Art Club,
They also sponsor an Art colony every year and this summer once again, Cobalt will be the site. Mr. Gus Wiseman is expected for the week's course. One of our top Canadian artists.
Many talented artists have contributed to the area. Mrs. Olive McArthur, Jack Burton; both of Cobalt, Mrs. Muriel Smith and Miss Muriel Newton-White, both of Haileybury. A little industry has developed from the local Arts, and Crafts. The Cobalt Pottery Shop under the direction of Bernardo Sembrano, Bruce Verity and Jack Burton. Most interesting aspect of this group is they have experimental with using local clay and local dyes, and have been very successful Recreational Facilities are varied. We have the bowling organization composed of Ladies, Men’s and mixed teams. The burling club in Haileybury offers an enjoyable sport for a minimal fee compared to the city versions. There is the local arena for ice skating with artificial ice. Hockey games are played all winter by the youngsters in the Leagues public skating is offered for adults three to four nights
a week. Snowmobiling has become very popular and the opportunities for trails are endless and are p just a few feet from home. Skiing facilities I would say are excellent for this area. A newly built complex that is only about ten years is situated in the Lorrain Valley - only about 7 miles from North Cobalt. The pomolife facilities are good. The hills are well groomed and excellent for every skier regardless of ability. Something for both the beginner and the expert. The mountain has a vast area of trails, the trails about 2100 feet. Instruction I also offered by the Mining School students to adults and children every week end.
Sports. Organized sports. Cobalt has always been very active in sports. I can remember when Mrs. Claude O’Shaughnessy first started a Ladies Bowling League in 1942 or 1943 with the help of Miss Gladys Murphy they organized a Ladies Bowling league. There were at the time 8 teams in the league and I was bowling for Laurette's (a hairdresser now living in Haileybury - Mrs. Zanin)
In the early years we had hockey teams and skating in winter in the old arena across from St. Pat’s rectory. The roof collapsed one winter because of the heavy snow and it was a few years later the present rink was built on Argentite Street. When Jack Staley came from Toronto to work at the Imperial Bank in Cobalt sometime around 1947 he got together an interested group who wanted to learn badminton, With this he organized the Cobalt Badminton Club and he was instrumental in organizing tournaments with other clubs out of town. Soon the Club flourished and at one time it had as many as 50 paid up members. We held socials and tournaments as well. It was a great sport and enjoyed by many adults. Thanks to Jack Stanley. Up until a few years ago the Club on a smaller scale was still active. skiing is perhaps one of our greatest winter sports. I can remember before a Ski Club was organized. We would ski out to the Colonial Hill and even around O’Brien what was then known as the Violet Mine. There were a few enthusiasts and and it wasn't too long before a club was formed. Mr. Leo Gough was to be the organizer who got the project underway. A mining man living in Haileybury who knew the area well started a Club at Cross Lake and by built a Chalet on a rock pile overlooking the lake. It flourished for many years and Mr. & Mrs. Bond of Haileybury became bona fide members donating time and money to keep the club going. There were parties held and soon electricity was installed, thanks to
Jim England of New Liskeard. In a community such as this everyone co-operated and donated their time to keep the Club going. The paths were a bit narrow but it made excellent skiing. There were only two major trait and in those days only
a rope tow but to many of us it was skiing at its best. The Chalet was nearly always full of Chalet skiers who came to watch. When electricity was installed night skiing was initiated two nights a week and if you were a member you could use these privileges. This was in the 501s and Leo Gough was the one who made it all possible? Many skiers still remember how a small group kept the Ski Club operating. Later Mike Kosiailka who was posted in this area with Children's Aid (sometime about 1961) and visualized this dream of the new site where the Tri-Town Ski Club now stands. It was Mike who cleared the mountains and organized a commercial Ski area that operates to-day as Tri¬-own ski club formerly known as St. Bernard Ski Club. In the summer we have the many fresh water lakes for fishing and swimming. Five miles south of Cobalt we have Bass Lake a project of the Kiwanis Club. Wonderful swimming with a good Sandy Beach. It is also a camping area with cottages to rent for tents. The late Mr. Larry Stadelman was a great sportsman and it was through this manes generosity that many of the Cobalt people now can enjoy a wonderful lake with all the facilities for picnics, swimming, boating and other water sports.
When we were youngsters we would walk a couple of miles to Peterson Lake about two miles in on the O'Brien Property road. It was wonderful for us, and many enjoyed the swimming hole, until the mine started working and polluted theLake. But we did enjoy it for a good many years. On the more intellectual side there are evening courses offered at the Secondary Schools in the area. Adults who wish to become better informed or learn certain skills are certainly encouraged. It is hoped that the directors on the Board of Education will foresee all the wonderful opportunities open for the' schools, when they are no longer in use, during the summer months, to put them to use and have work shops or courses during the summer. They have been very --successful in other areas there is no reason why Cobalt should not be considered
Because of length of interview with more history forthcoming the remainder of this report will be procured at a later date.
Lucy Damiani June 6, 1972
ADD TO TERESA DAMIANI INTERVIEW
Changes in Cobalt I would like to see and I believe they will come about before long.
There are already signs of change to add to this, beguiling atmospheric contrast of tar paper mine shafts and the dated contrast the freedom of nature.
The Lions Club are to be commended for their interest in Cobalt and their worthwhile projects, such as the installation of artificial ice in the Cobalt arena, their participation in Festival, sponsoring a Winter Carnival, which is always very interesting and of course their recent endeavour of the Park on scenic Cobalt Lake. The Kiwanis Club for their project at Bass Lake, a summer attraction.
The many industries and businesses that have flourished in the past will be an incentive for more in the future.
Tourism could become one of the main attractions for -promoting more businesses and creating an interest throughout Canada.
Perhaps someday in the near future there will be a solution to the high cost of freight. However things change at such acceleration that some of these could well be generated to this area, particularly Cobalt.
The Recreation Committee, has been very successful in Cobalt and created interest in different phases of recreation particularly on the artistic side, However, I feel that the sports in general have been neglected in this direction. There has been no motivation in this direction, except in hockey in Winter and swimming in summer, which existed long before the Recreation Director
was hired. I would like to see such sports as tennis, lacrosse, badminton, and skiing promoted to a higher degree.
Perhaps I am being a little too critical about the different sports, but it is because I am keenly interested in them.
I also enjoy reading as recreation and I have a few collections of early first Canadian editions, which I prize very dearly.
The family has two prints of Picasso. Although these are only prints they are of some value being the work of this famous artist.
Joanna Stubinski April 28, 1972
2-1 hours
Mrs. Charles Dean
2. Charlie
4. Township Road
5. 679-5741
6. 89
7. Ossiolu - Renfrew Gouty
8.Father - Haley's, Mother - Ossiolu
9. Ottawa Valley
10. 1908 Came to McKinley-Darragh Mine in 1909. This was the original silver find. In 1908 was working with CPR, I knew there was no way of getting ahead so hired on the TNN0 on the CPR was relieving agent at the foot of the lake Temiskaming. Freight came up the lake on the Meteor and Temiskaming. Robbins was manager of McKinley Darragh
11. Came from
12,North Bay by train
13. Came alone
14. I was cashier in freight office at the station then started with Rick. D. in
15. Wife's father was superintendent at the Savage Mine. She looked after the children
16. retired
17. retired
18. I was told nobody comes to stay. The people come to make what they canard get out. The McKinley Darragh closed in 1927. 16 years after Bobbins 1ft. I just stayed here and leased the ground. I now own my own house and also the ground
19. Pretty wild. When I first came worked nights at the station. Police supplied
me with knives, a gun and handcuffs and a Billy. I always carried the gun. I had a terrible time of getting rid of the men. They world always hang around the station at night. Cobalt had bath Town & Provincial Police. Railway
very busy. Had a shunting crew a brakeman and engineer here in town. If you wanted your car spotted you'd have to pay the men. There were about 10,000 people in Cobalt with the mining camps.
20. Came here because I got a good offer with the TNNO thought I would have a better chance of making something. I worked with the railroad here for a 1 1/2, years then to McKinley Darragh. It had paid 6,000,000 in dividends since it started.
21. Mine work, gambling, in town the gamblers would hire on as a machine helper. They couldn't handle it so would only last a couple of days at the job. There were also men around that rolled people every day, the big shots gambled heir
22. About 9 hours I worked in the office, but the miners shifts were a little longer.
23. $20 with the mine, with the railroad between $75 and $80. a month Brought mother and father and sister we first lived at the mining corp.
house then moved to the top of Cobalt St. opposite the school, we had roomers
that year Sir. W. Laurier came to Cobalt, Conservatives beat our liberals. Steinman boarded with us. He wrote Cobalt song, the Harmony Hall was next door. A very lively place. McAdam was the pianist. We then moved to Nickle St. for 3 years then to New Liskeard for 2 years. Would travel on the street car everyday to work at McKinley-Darragh. Then in 1922 married Mr. Brocklebank's sister lived next to Keen's for 5 years, then to mine house in 1928 have been in same house for 44 years.
25. Always had my sister down from New Liskeard a big due at Xmas 12 or 13 people
26. Have our own spring water draw it in with pressure pump.
27. Electricity,
28. Used to drink Laurentian water that was bought for .10 cent a gallon Had them in cases of 5 - 1 gallon. bottles. Drank it after flu epidemic. Lived down Swamp St. when I first came at the Crown Hotel could sit on the side of the bed and look through the walls and floors. Had a room and 2 meals a day
29. wood and coal
30. George Barber had a blind pig where the street cars came in. Had a good shopping area good merchants Pipe & Presley, MacDiarmid & Sullivan, Pod & Deacon's Shoe Store, Logan & McNab Furniture also the undertakers. After the fever McNab visited. the Mines hospital looking for business. He was quite a joker.
31. Live vaudeville very cheap. Some actress that played here married a Lord over in England still living 5 theatres.
32. Tri-Town had a hockey team. Haileybury also, They played against Ottawa and Montreal, Big betting went on Harry smith owned the winning goal and all kinds of money was lost. I started to play hockey when I was 17. Started cut as a forward. Played with Sturgeon Falls we won the 2oso Cup. Intermediate CEA I was goalie then. I played goalie for McKinley. Darragh 1910-11-1911-12. In Those days Charlie was the best goalie in the area. I remember one night at the arena In Cobalt when a 2 by 4 gave out and about 20 people fell into the ice. Bill Laird the barber got a broken leg. I was in the section above watching.
33. Went to school in Ossiola
34.One year of high school
35. Trains Horse and buggy. We had a driving team at the mine all the time.
Everybody met the train there were usually more at the train going south. In awful lot of freight trains
36 .Dr. Hare & McLaren
37. Mines hospital in visiting only
38. Cobalt
39. All born at home had 5
40. Margaret lives in Ventura, California, Florence, buyer for Eaton’s, Kathleen, Dep't of Highways, James Hydro, Abitibi Canyon, John, Temiskaming TV
41. Quite safe, but there were a lot of accidents
42. Drilling. Page & Pickings upset the contest once, drilled much faster, they used a smaller size of steel. Big days in North Cobalt they would send a big balloon up. Always went up by streetcar.
43. The Mine ran a boarding house it a loss, only charged 200 a meal, the foreigners, Rumanians ate about a doz. or more eggs each day
44. Very heavy mostly ate raisin pie, the staff wouldn't eat it because there used to be cockroaches in the pies.
45. Work clothes. Always wore flannel shirts and hob nail boots Had a tennis court at the mine. We all played and had our own outfits
46. Dressed up a bit
47. Went fishing , hunting. Always worked Saturdays.
48. Pictures, albums, little paintings and treasures from grandchildren
49. Just go over everyday there isn't too much to like about it now
50. Lived here so long
51. Museum, developed, town looks cleaner, Paul Hermiston deserved a lot of credit for the m4seum
52. Don't spend too much time in town
53. Would like to see it busier and new development. McKinley Darragh is owned by 3 Jews from Toronto
54, I like the area but spends most time at home
56. Spend most of my time at home
57. Fall and late summer
58. TV and radio drive to town everyday
59. Cut woods for exercise I have a lot of tonnage piled up, but can't chip It.
60. Raise price of silver
62. Not much except the scenery around. Ragged Chutes. Museum Bass Lake, towns
Highlights
1922 Fire
Picked a baby out of lake, I war; wanting to set to my sister to see if she is alright, couldn't set through so went down by the hospital to the lake. objects of tin flying all over, McArthur the Public School principal helped to hold down the tin, It was very windy, I saw a carriage in the lake. So I backed up to it and here a baby was in it, I carried it to shore. There were a lot of women sitting on a log, so T. gave them the baby. I later found out it was Jerry Dunn's baby, they gave it drops of brandy to make it survive it was only 2 days old. I went on down the shore found a Rock place made a fire to dry my clothes; my eyes were very badly blistered. I could hardly see, T went too look around came back and some people had taken my place. I left and went back to Cobalt. My eyes were really bad. I never did get to my sister's. She was safe. Thanks to the wind changing. Jerry Dunn was cage tender at the mine, that's how I found out whose baby it was.
The Original Find
McKinley and Darragh worked for the railroad. They were cutting ties at the end of Long Lake to swim. They saw something shining in the water, later found out it was silver. They started staking claims in 1903. F.G.Chopin bought it from them for $30,000 then sold it for $300,000. They blasted out vein it let water into the mine then built proper dam, to keep out the water. We had an aerial tramway from the Savage to McKinley Mill. There must have been at least 100 or more mines working then Raspberries grew all over. We would a pail full before I went to work all wild berries.
1908 fire in Cobalt
All Lang St. burnt. I remember seeing a 3 storey cake, and was going to come back for it. When I finally got finished fighting fire and came back the cake was gone I remember one load of freight being delivered to a merchant by horse. They later found out it wasn't Laurentian water but bottles full of Whiskey to Kelley’s drug store. We also found kegs of whiskey in store, Dr. Armstrong I helped every time there was a fire pull out the hose reels.
1911 another fire:
But can't remember what burnt. Charles is a remarkable elderly gentleman his memory just fantastic. The only thing that was he was worried him when I was there was he was going to try his driving test again. When you're over a certain age you must try every year. He was really striving because actually his only outing is taking his car to town everyday And as he said my eye sight and hearing are still perfect. I sure hope I'm the same way at 89
Lucy Damiani Feb. 28, 1972
7 - 8 p.m.
1. Joseph Avit Despres
2.
3. Elizabeth Bourque (Mrs. J. Despres)
4. 5 Laird St.
5. 679- 8381
6. 62 years old
7. Gaspe, Que.
8. Gaspe Peninsula
9. Great Grandfather from France Grandmother and Grandfather from Gaspe.
10. In September 1906
11. By boat to Quebec City by train from Montreal
12. By way of North Jay T.N.O. railway (Temiskaming Northern Ontario)
13. Mother, Father and ten children
14. Started working in a grocery store at 11 years of age part-time, later full time
15. Born in Corbeil - wife came to Elk Lake by boat from Latchford. She was left without mother and father so an aunt in Elk Lake looked after her then she went to North Bay to live with another sister -came to Cobalt to be married in 1920.
16. Retired - worked for Hydro (then Northern Ontario Lighting Power) for 47 years before retiring.
17. Housewife.
18. I thought it was a really booming community.
19. It was so busy you couldn't even walk on the sidewalks. There was all tar paper shacks wooden sidewalks, big log buildings and the road was mud everyone wore big boots.
20. Came because of the boom and everyone said it was easy to get work.
21. Mining and logging - cutting posts for shacks.
22. Ten hours a day
23. Muckers were making $1.25 per hour helpers $1.50 per hour and machine men $2.00 per hour.
24. A log 2 storey building on Railroad street.
25. We hung our socks at the end of the bed and were lucky to get an orange or an apple.
26. Water from 'Long Lake" now Cobalt Lake, good drinking water.
27. No electricity just kerosene gas lamps. There was gas lamps downtown for lighting operated by charcoal.
28. Wood stove for cooking.
29. Wood for heating too - it was plentiful and we hauled our own wood for winter supply.
30. All kinds of stores and some wholesale - Taylor Hardware, Northern Canada - Sullivan and Shillington wholesales.
31. Baseball and skating dancing roller skating, swimming
32. Baseball and hockey - our baseball team was something with a lot of imports from Iron Mountain Michigan.
33. Ste Theresa's School before fire. English & French after fire in 1909 they separated and there was a French School and an English School.
34. Grade 8
35. Horse and street Cars, no cars until later years.
36. Dr. Ruthier
37. Pest house for fever cases at mileage 104 and a well equipped Red Cross Hospital in town.
38. First child born in Cobalt
39. Francis 17, Jean 16, All the boys went to High School and quit at about age 17.
40. Francis at Woolworths. Albert at Cobalt Foundry. Tom at Dominion Store Roland Salesman for Canada Packers.
41. In those days they didn't have safety measures and more men lost their lives.
42. Hand drilling, mucking contests fireman’s tournament. The rocks they used for drilling are at Clear Lake and the contests were always held July 1st.
43. Plenty of meat, vegetables, sold by market or venders, and we used to get free fruit when they were going to throw it out at Gamble Robinson wholesale.
44. Depending on what shift you worked sometimes the main meal was dinner sometimes Supper.
45. Christmases you looked forward to Santa Claus and when we got an orange or an apple it was something.
46. Work clothes on weekdays we wore running shoes in summer and moccasins in winter.
47. On Sundays we wore good clothes but we always took them off to go and play.
48. First we had to go to church then baseball, swimming or skating depending on the season.
49, Just pictures lost everything in 1908
50. Like it here, it’s quiet and we have good municipal government
51. Because I've been here and it feels good to be here.
52. People are looking after their building and property
53. I think all the changes that have been made were for the betterment of the town.
54. No I like it the way it is.
55. I like it.
56. Just changes that would boost our little town and bring people in. I'm not too sure what could be in - perhaps the governing bodies have some idea.
57. Well maybe, tourist attraction is one answer.
58. Fall first because I like to hunt. Summer next because it’s great to get outdoors after being in all winter.
59. Fishing and hunting, watching TV
60. Fishing and hunting.
61. Another industry I think would definitely help keep people here and bring others in
62. Tourist industry.
63. If we treat the tourist nice they'll come back also we have much to offer in the way of natural spots, lakes for fishing, bush for hunting and many historical sites like Old Mission, Drummond Memorial, Ragged Chutes and many others.
Carmen Stubinski April 23, 11- hours
1.Roland Despres'
2. Red
4. Corner Silver and Prospect
5. 679-8256
6. 43 years old
7. Cobalt
8. Father was born in Gaspe Bay, Mother - North Bay
9. My dad came to Cobalt in 1907. Mother and dad were married in Cobalt’s 1920. I was born here in 1928.
13. 6 of us
14. merchant
15. book keeper
16. butcher
17. school teacher
18. We always thought Cobalt was the best town
21. Cobalt foundry, TTL, I worked at Dominion Store
22. 8 to 15 hours
5. 1943 I was paid $15. per week
25. Went to church. The Christmas tree was never in the house till Xmas morning. When we got up there was the tree. We all had at least one or two toys. Candies and fruit were the big thing.
26. Water in house'
28. Cook stove, wood and coal
29. Quebec heater coal
30. Aussie Candy Store. Mr. Aussie made his own candy. Mary Aussie always carried a bottle of wine. It was nothing to see her feeling good on the streets. Mrs. Jodouin Confectionery; Rava's Grocery, Fauvelle Grocery, Dworksi's
grocery, Malonin's grocery, Charlie Smiths grocery near the bridge,
Puhakas dairy, Connelly's dairy, Thibeault's dairy - Belanger the ice-man one arm.
31. Community Hall, dancing every night, meeting the train at 7 p.m. on Sunday was a big thing.
32. Hockey, baseball, swimming at Peterson lake was the place we all went
to where I was young
3. St. Theresa's school
34. 10 years
35, street cars, buses
36. Dr. Hector Joyal'
37. I remember the V-joint walls in the old Cobalt hospital.
38. Haileybury
41. Dad worked for Hydro. He worked every mine in Cobalt. I remember Capt. Presse leasing, Mr. Hartley leasing
47. old clothes
46. Always a suit, white shirt and tie.
47. Church twice a day
48. I've got a clipping of a former NHL game between Cobalt and Montreal won
50. It’s the people that make the town it’s like no other place. There's no other place like Cobalt.
51. They cleaned the town up. New sidewalks, new parks.
52. ONR station closing. Freight office going to New Liskeard and tearing it down here. ONR long distance moving to New Liskeard also Northern Telephone and Hydro office. We've lost so much, business and pay rolls,
56. Would like to see the restoration program go through to the fullest.
57. Fall hunting. Then the hockey starts. I like the NHL hockey games the best above anything 'else. I like the Montreal Canadians
59. Hunting.
62. Historical back ground. Mining tours. Mining museum, The rocks are beautiful good drinking water, good beaches, and rock collectors.
61. tourists, city people ,create more industry to make more jobs
Highlights
Mr. Despres owns .the most unique building in town. It was the former
Coniagas mine property. The shaft is in the centre of the building and the building built around it. He also has lots of ledgers - from the former owner -Mr. Giachino.
Carmen Stubinski April 21,1972 1 1/2 hours
1. Therese Despres (Mrs. Roland)
2. Ten,
3. Therese Villeneuve
4. Corner of Silver and Prospect. Coniagas Mine Shaft The shaft with a house built around it, The
5. 679-8256
6. 38 yrs. old
7. Timmins
8. My dad Philip Villeneuve was born in Latulipe. He came to Cobalt at 2 yrs. old was raised here and went to School here. My mother Jeanne Cote was raised on Earl St. Cobalt went to school here. Both were married in Cobalt lived here one year then moved to Timmins
9. Timmins
10. married in 1954 moved to Cobalt as a bride
14. merchant
15. bookkeeper
16 butcher
17. school teacher
18. To me it was like coming home. I was here most of the time at Grandmothers house and her cottage at Loon Lake
21. Most of the mines were working, mill work, there were lots of jobs then. We went into business and we did a good business as there was lots of work
24. When we first came here it was a 3 room apartment store below, shaft in centre of building. It is the original Coniagas Mine Mr. Giachino used the shaft for a refrigerator when he had his original store here. There are several of his ledgers here yet. Several tenants had it before we bought it we remodeled made new walls, floors, put in new heating system. Put on new siding. Made 2 bedrooms into one, and fixed up an extra bedroom. It’s not private, right downtown. It’s not what I like. Would like to get a home with a back yard.
25. Went home to Timmins for Christmas
30. Dominion Store, Eric Smith men’s wear, Olives Ties wear, TBS, Bucks, Woolworths, Mr., Rowdon, Tom Black, Phil Cain's furniture.
31. show, classic, arena
35. buses
36. Dr. Dunning
37. Haileybury Hospital
39. Too young
42. Dad was a mechanic at Oliver Blais Garage on Silver Street
45. slacks
46. always our best clothes
47. Church first go to cottage and have picnics
48. Grandmother’s platter.
49. It looks so much better than it used to as one time when we first went into business and came here to live. There were all old people here. Now they are all mostly young people. Silver street north from one corner up were all old people with the exception of Mrs. MacMillan and it’s nice to see these young people fixing up their homes.
52. Don't like the mines closing down and the payrolls going out of town. We have no dentist no drug store.
53. no
55. I guess this town has taken a beating they've taken everything out of this town nothing put back in. I would like to see the government put this town or area to attract tourism. More exploration on new properties that could make new mines.
summer
58. show, play cards, hockey games
59. read enjoy, the show
60. create more industry
61. city people - tourists
62. history cradle of the north - mining tours mining museum (it could be en1Frged) The rocks for rock hounds, good beaches. The best drinking water, sportsman paradise with hunting and fishing - artists paradise
Highlights
Mrs. Despres said one night when they were sleeping they could hear this noise couldn't figure out what it was. Someone's boys had climbed the roof and were up in the top of the shaft playing.
Lucy Damiani April 18, 1972
1 hour
Reg Doan
2. Irma Dalan (wife)
3. 109 Earl St.
4. 679-8291
5. Shift Sergeant, Dept of Correctional Services
6. Cobalt Ontario
7. Manitoulin Island
8. Married - 2 children
9. 43 years old
10. My impression of Cobalt is that it is a nice quiet unpretentious place to live with plenty of clean air and water. It has always had excellent educational facilities up to and including High School level. It is presently a very depressed town economically because of unemployment. There are little or no job opportunities and no immediate prospects for improvement. Yes changes should be made in Cobalt some year by way of local improvement such as sewer and water line replacements, widening of streets, construction of homes etc. _or else one day we shall wake up to find the total cost too prohibitive _and cheaper to abandon the town. Very little changes have occurred in Cobalt over the years. Planning by locals and provincial governments will possibly help bring about necessary changes. I trust there will be time for nostalgia at some future date. Right now I haven't the time and there are many recollections.
I have through the years collected some mining souvenirs and I have quite a few photos. As teenagers my wife and I worked as clerks in local stores. My first job paid $7. a week. I have had a variety of local jobs since. Local wages were never very high. Those in search of higher wages have always had to leave the area. I have spent most of my working life commuting to distant
jobs and I am presently employed in Sudbury. In the early days we lived mostly in wooden frame buildings and they were heated by coal and wood stoves. Now most homes are fairly new or well constructed some old ones completely renovated with all the modern appliances and for heat most have converted to oil, gas or electrical heat. Cobalt was at one time the shopping centre of the area, with stores and shops of all kinds. But it’s now reduced to barest minimum and most residents shop elsewhere to find variety and lower prices. The town's history is in the making id the telling of it is best left to someone less subjective than I could ever be. For those who like outdoor sports and activity we have always had and still have a great variety to choose from. The town has a bowling alley, theatre skating rink, pool hall and many assorted clubs and group activities.
Lucy Damiani April 26, 1972
10:15 - 11:00
Lloyd Doan
3. 12 Silver Street, Cobalt
4. None
5, retired
6. Manitoulin Island, Shequiandah. Lake port post office, grocery store it’s a little farming area with about 100 people.
7. Mother in Hagersville. Father in Norwich - close to Tillsonburg area
8. married
9. 72 years old, born Jan. 1900.
10. The town I think is in fair shape. It’s been a long time since I've seen so much building going on the 30's were a lot worse than things are now because in those days there were no benefits or welfare. All you could buy were some beans and a piece of salt pork and you lived on them. I feel there isn't too much we can do to change things around Cobalt. We are too far away from the markets down south to get any industries going all we can do is count on our mining lumbering, and farming in the area. There are not too many job facilities, when the mines slow up so does everything else. We have small industries in our smelter,
Foundry and Temiskaming Testing Laboratories. I think it’s a good thing we have Sherman mine to take up some of the unemployment and it helps us out because there are a few men from Cobalt employed there. I come from a real tourist area, Manitoulin Island and I believe me they have a lot to offer a tourist. Here everything is on a small scale. There isn't enough to see and we would have to build it up tremendously to make it attractive to tourists, if you are driving on a holiday and looking for a place to stay you'll have to bypass Cobalt as there isn't
too much in accommodation and our season is so short it would have to be a year round attraction with winter sports as well as summer activities. You know Henry Ford and Lady Astor have summer places on an island close to Manitoulin they have their own island and have a caretaker there the year around. You have to be able to show them more than just a mine shaft, or a small museum. I'm not knocking the museum it’s a very good one but it wouldn't take a person too long to go through it then where does the tourist go. I think municipal government is doing a terrific job for a small town. I am retired and I lay taxes and they are reasonable The education facilities or recreation are of no interest to me, but I'm sure it’s a good thing for the town to have a recreation program and also keep up
standard of the schools. I first came to Cobalt in Dec. 1923. How did I come to be in Cobalt? It’s a long story. I was working out in West Regina for a whole sale horse dealer - in fall when freeze-up came I wanted to go home. I had saved some money and the boss made a deal with me. Deliver this team of horses to a mine in Silver Centre called the Cora Lorain and then you can go home. When I got to Silver Centre with my cargo the man offered me a job driving the team of .horses so I took the job and have been here ever since. About 7 6 months later I bought a team of horses and started working on my own - general delivering.
I remember you delivering for our store when I was a youngster Mr. Doan. You delivered for us in the winter months because there were no plowed roads like there are today for cars. I also delivered for other stores, Pete McEwen, the Dominion Store, George Taylor, Tommy Black and Rowdon hardware sometimes, I also worked for the Nipissing Mining Corp, O'Brien Mine - the mine used to truck the men to their shift and for 7 years I brought the 4 a.m. shift home, I drove a truck for. Hubert Audette in 1951 - 1952 for his dynamite contract used to go to Nobel load it on and deliver it to the mines here. I was driving the town fire truck taking turns at the 3 shifts in late 1952. I started. I was a paid driver. The volunteer firemen were only paid for fires they went to I stayed with the town as fire truck driver for thirteen years. I worked for two summers on the railroad extra gang. I retired in 1968. I think the fire department in Cobalt started in 1905 or 1906. It was a team of horses then. I think they bought their first truck in 1923 and I'm sure they bought the second one in 1929. When I started Hubert Audette was fire chief - then later it was Harry Cooper - he quit the same time I did.
Well I guess that about all for my life in Cobalt. Oh yes, one more thing, I remember very well just a minute I'll show you this newspaper clipping.
Some people don't believe it, but I'll let you keep the clipping for a while so you can show people - here it is.
Special to the Star - Dec, 5
Ship silver Cargo Valued at 330,000. Reported largest bullion consignment from Cobalt. By far the largest shipment of pure silver ever made from the Cobalt camp left here, in a special express car last night for New York. Made by the Nipissing Mining Co., it consisted of 450 bars of refined bullion containing 505,038 troy ounces valued on today's prices of $330,000. The shipment is a
portion of the reserves held in storage since the drop in price several years ago.
You know people still don't believe when you tell them that all this silver was unguarded. I know when I made this shipment delivered to the station to be sent away I was the only one accompanying the silver, Now at the station that day there was a travelling salesman leaving on the same train and he said to me what's that When I told him it was silver he didn't believe me said you think I'm crazy or
Something that's just Babbitt nobody would transfer or ship that much ore unguarded. And that's the end of my story. Thank you Mr. Doan for your interview and the clipping. I'll see you get it back.
Joanna Stubinski
March 1,1972 1 1/2 hours
1. Mrs. Aurore Dunn
2. Dawn
3. Primeau
4. 10 Nickel
5. 679-8282
6. 56
7, South Porcupine
8. Mother - Buckingham,Que. Father - Pembroke,Ont.
9. Ottawa valley
10. 1918
11. train
12. T.N.O. Railway and C.P.R.
13. 4
14. Miner'
15. Housewife
16. dead
17. Housekeeper
17a. Husband was in the army in Germany when war ended. He was a private
18. Dawn remembers people everywhere, streets full, very hard to move downtown with the crowds.
19. High sidewalks and stores down Lang St. to bridge.
20. Father came here to work so came with parents when only 3
21. mining and lumbering
22. At 14 Dawn did housework for people - worked a full day
23. $15. a month
24. 3 storey house where old French school was. A huge kitchen with 2 bedrooms in an apartment house.
25. They were living in a rented house from McGale then had no trees but remember waking up and found a new doll tied to the bed with stocking full of goodies. Went to relatives in 104 for big dinner.
26. in the house.
27. electricity
28. wood stove
29. wood stove
30. all kinds - shops lines to right away bridge on both sides of street. Belanger's - Saumier clothing store and many others. Towards the O'Brien. Mrs. Roberge had hardware store. Joe Robitaille grocery.
31. Shows - movies - few dances
32. Baseball, skating, in own yard had own playground with monkey bars etc.
33, yes
34. 8
35. street cars - horse and buggies - later on houses and cars.
36. Dr. Taylor - very kind man - just like a father
37. very primitive had appendix removed there - great big ward during depression.
38. Kirkland Lake.
39. Faye went to university - was 22 when started teaching. Sandra also went to university taught high school at 22.
40. Faye in Cobalt. Sandra in North Bay.
41. Don't know
42.
43. meat, potatoes, vegetables and desserts.
44. same
45. Housedresses
46. Dressed up to the hilt - from morning till night.
47. Went to Church - went for walks and met boys. Mr. McAdams had radio station across the lake - used to listen to her husband Bill sing on the radio and swoon. CKCM - Cobalt.
48. Husband’s mother's dishes - old love seat from Lindsay's bought in 1944.
49. it's small - everything in walking distance and likes the people.
50. Answer above.
51. good roads and sidewalks.
52. Would like street cars again.
53. no.
54.
55. yes.
56. restaurants and stores - clothing and shoes
57. summer and fall.
58. Arts and crafts - sewing, going to shows and eating out.
59. oil painting and pottery.
60. more jobs available some industry without pollution - good clothing stores.
61. nice people - rich men
62. Fishing, hunting, swimming, museum, mining tours, beverage rooms and good motel.
Highlights
Dawn remembers when the whole family would go for the summer to Martineau
Bay to camp pick blueberries and sell them. They would get up at dawn pick till evening eat swim and build a big bonfire sit around and sing. This was one way of earning extra money in the summer also there were more blueberries then.
Name of Interviewer: Carmen Stubinski Date of Interview: Feb. 26
Interview Length of Interview: 4 3/4. hrs
1. Dr. Herbert Dunning
2.
3.
4. 58 Nickel Street, Cobalt, Ontario
5. 679-5665
6. 65 yrs old
7. Cumberland Ont,
8. Cumberland Ont,
9. Father united Empire Loyalist, Mother Ontario
10. 1937
11. Car
12. Highway 17 to North Bay
13. Came as a bachelor in 1937. Took over Dr. G. Cases practice in Cobalt. The office is where Todd’s is today. In that office the Drs. before me were Dr. Hare McLaren, was in the Hunter Block--Dr. W. C. Arnold worked with Dr. McLaren for a few months when he first came North, before going to Haileybury. After Dr. Charles Hare--Dr. Taylor--Dr. Mitchell--Dr. Schmitt and Dr. Wallingford
14. Student Dr. Interned at Ottawa Civic Hospital. Then went to Cornerbrook Newfoundland before coming to Cobalt.
15. school teacher
16. Physician surgeon,
17. Homemaker
18. Very unfavorable after my year in Newfoundland. I had 7 wks. holiday. With some friends we toured Northern Ont. Timmins Cochrane. I remember on our way through Cobalt going back to Newfoundland looking back over my head and saying I wouldn't want to live there.
19. 80 families on direct relief, there were about 3,000 people herein 1937-38 about 1,000 left for jobs elsewhere. There were lots of empty houses cheap.
20. Came to Cobalt because Dr. Wallingford phoned me and told me Dr. G. Chase. was leaving and there was an opening
21. More Mining then than now. Exclusive Mining town
22. Around the clock
23. First month made $60.00
24. Stayed at the Fraser house. The hole second floor was occupied by school teachers only, Mamie Reeves one of the school teachers knew all that was going on she never missed a trick
25. Went home to Ottawa
26. 1 had Hot and cold water-There was no hot water in every room at the Fraser House
27. Hydro
28. Ate in dining room
29. The furnace was an iron fire well stocked with Loft coal
30. Better than they are today. We had George Taylor Hardware, Vellis, Bert Oughs
meat market, with sawdust on the floor and Woolworths.
31. 3 Badminton, parties, dances, golfing
33.
34. 20 yrs.
35. cars, bus, trains
36.
37. They were few. The former Cobalt mines Hospital became the Municipal Hospital.
The mines gave it up and the town took it over. It was an old wooden 3 story building(stood in front of the nurses residence which is Buffams funeral home today) There was no elevator frequently after surgery or operations, I would have to put the patient across my back and carry them to bed up the long narrow stairs. It was an open ward for men.
38. Cobalt Mines Hospital Jan 22, 1941
39. Seven went to School and on to University and still going to university
40. No one went to work they went through school first. Worked for me summer months only.
41. more mines then that now
42.
43.
44.
45. Same as on Monday, tires etc.
46. My Uzi suit
47. When I fell in love I had most of my Sunday dinners at the Silver queens ( Mrs. Dunning's family had moved from Red Jacket to Silver Queen property). Dr. Dunning says he was severely critized when he didn't open his office up on Sunday. He was the first Dr.ever in Cobalt to close his office on Sunday
48. Still have my old love seat, couch and roll up desk in perfect condition from the original Dr. office
49. friendly people
50. Its home
51. Maggy told you
52.
53.
54.
55. yes
56. Would like to see a secondary industry come 50 miles to the North, 30 to the south we have iron mines. These pellets are shipped to Hamilton. They could be shipped here and reduced to iron. There are 110 cars of iron pellets going south every day that could be processed in the community as a primary Industry. Beautiful location flat ground at Gillies. Adequate water supply and transportation that would bring other
things as well such as an iron smelter, would invariably in variable ancillary industry.
57. Spring and summer
58. Swimming and fishing
59, Collecting old furniture
60. In certain 175 job would take up the slack
61. Geologists are still interested
62. Conglomerated overate, rich rock on Galena St.
It was something to hear Postmaster major Holland recite Dr. Drummond’s poetry with his French accent. Major Holland composed the wedding in Mattawa himself and recited it in broken English—Wish I had a tape recording of the Major reciting
One time I spoke to Paddy Fleming. He and his friend O'Conner can't remember his first a name, were good friends of Henry Drummond. They use to go to his home in Kerr Lake and play cards with Henry D. Dr. Drummond had 2 valets in his house, one to cook, clean and do the household chore. The other one looked after his clothes and personal belongings. Dr. Drummond died in his home at Kerr Lake. When he died Dr. Drummond. Paddy Fleming and O'Conner Couldn't go to the house where he was waked. The Drummond family of Montreal were hardware merchants--Always had a private railroad car of their own. The Drummond family when traveling always traveled in their own private car. across Canada etc. When it came time for the remains to be shipped to Montreal for Burial. The private car was sent up from Montreal for the body. Paddy Fleming and O'Connor were remains to Cobalt Station. There places in the Drummond private car. Paddy Fleming and O'Connor went to Montreal for the funeral. Dr. Drummond was married to Mae Harley.
Dr. Dunning feels humble and can't express his gratitude on how he feels about Dunning Drive being named after him. He didn't dream of this happening. Dr. Dunning when he is in the mood and has free time enjoys playing the piano and real old music.
Dr. Dunning is a dedicated Dr. 24 hrs. around the clock. no outside relaxations.
Went to interview the Dr. he had a call out as Coroner to Belle Valley. So interviewed Mrs. Dunning till Dr. returned.
Carmen Stubinski February 26, 1972.
1. Margaret Dunning (Mrs. of Dr. H. Dinning)
2. May.
3. Margaret Martin'
4. 58 Nickel St., Cobalt,Ont.
5.679-5665
6. 58
7. Red Jacket Mine Property, Cobalt, Mileage 101.
8. Mother and Dad both came from Liverpool England.
9. England.
10. Feb. 2, 1914
11.
12.
13. 5 of us.
14. Doctor
15. School teacher
16. Doctor
17. Homemaker a woman always on the job. 17a. at end of this report.
18.
19.
20.
21. The mills and mines
22. 9 to 4
23. $87. per month when I first started to teach in 1932.
24. Log cabin, a low upstairs, but we could walk in it. huge big kitchen and living room without door facilities.
25. Typical English Christmas always had a Christmas pudding, turkey, and
always got a bought Christmas stocking a large red net one filled with toys
I remember one Christmas we got new ski's for Christmas and we had no snow.
26. There was no water in the house, about half way up the hill; there was an open cut (mine workings) not too wide but very deep. Dad took heavy planking boarded up over the opening with a door to open when we wanted water it was
a trap door. We had a long rope with a pail on it. It was wound around a
log with a handle, can't remember what the handle was made of. Each time
we wanted water we would open the trap door, let the pail down and get our water. It was so clear and cold and good water.
27. We used coal oil lamps and lit a candle to go to the bedrooms in when
going to bed.
28. Wood stove - long flat stove with no back, a reservoir, made of cast iron. We burnt wood.
29. Quebec heater in living room. We used wood.
30. Pete McEwen, Gillis Candy store, Pugsley's grocery and candy store where Mary Kelly lives today. After Pugsley Tallon took over that store. Rod and Deacon Shoe Store. A.K.Batta Shoe store. Millinery Shop, McDermott’s Exclusive ladies wear, Nick Costo was the shoemaker and of course the market underneath the Town Hall behind the station - where we bought fresh meat and vegetables.
31. Sleigh riding. We had a large dog we always hitched to one toboggan and dog sleigh.
32. Skating and skiing.
33. St. Patrick's1Haileybury High School - started high school at 12 -graduated at 17 and we carried 10 subjects then. Attended teachers college.
34. 12. 1 took University subjects and went to summer school for courses.
35. Shanks ponies. Walked 2 miles to school morning and night. Rode the street car to Haileybury every day for 30 per day. Deliveries were horse’s buggies and cutters.
36. old Dr. Cain, Dr. Case and Dr. Mitchell.
37. Cobalt Mines hospital.
38. Cobalt mines hospital Jan. 22, 1941
39. Seven of them went to school and university.
40. No one went to work. The boys worked around the house and Dr's office painting etc. in summer time.
41. more mines and mills than there are now.
42. Used to have races around Cobalt Lake. They would start at the YMCA - run around the lake this was open to boys 15 and 16. My brother won a silver trophy. Always had a dog derby. They would once start at the Y go to West Cobalt and back
43. Lunch pail
44. at night.
45. I can remember thick fleece lined slips. Long wool stockings, toque, long scarf, wool mitts, Red felt boots & moccasins.
46. Best clothes, always changed when we got home from Church. Always a straw hat in summer, skirt and middle short socks, sandals, Pongee silk blouses. Always a hair ribbon in my hair.
47. Walked to Bass Lake to swim with my brothers.
Still have a silk apron and hankie my dad bought me home from France 1919, after the 1st world war. Old book case from our original home. It’s full of old books.
49. Home and friendly.
50. friendly
51. paved streets, updating the town.
52.
53.
54.
55. Some secondary industry.
56.
57. Summer
58. Dr's wife
59. No.
60. tourists
61.
62. Artist paradise, mining tours, museum.
63.
17a. I can remember when the war was over in 1919 the train came in loaded with soldiers hanging out of the windows. That was the first time I saw my dad, because he went to war when I was a baby. The men were shouting and yelling and the train slowed down at Red Jacket Mine (Mileage 101) The bags flew off the train first and off jumped my dad. I was so thrilled to see him.
I was the only girl.
Highlights
Went to interview Dr. Dunning at 7:45 but got to question 22. He got a call to go out as coroner around 8:30. So I interviewed Mrs. Dunning while we waited for him to come home.
Mrs. Dunning being born and raised in Cobalt raised a large family has lots of memories. Her father Reeve Martin was a colorful figure every day till the year he died, at the age of 94. He went for a long walk around town.
Very interesting woman to be interviewed.
My father was a former reeve of Coleman Township for 25 years. He never worked in the mines. He worked for, Pipe and Presley always worked in the grocery business. Later worked for Reckin wholesale till they went out of business. He was born in 1869 died 1962 at the age of 94.
I can remember suitcases (brown large ones full of liquor thrown off the train on the side of the track). These were prohibition days. They would land anywhere along the track because we lived one mile out of town. We used to see this. Someone would always come along and pick the cases up. We were always too afraid to go near. Can remember a Rodeo once at the ball park at West Cobalt.
Last baby to be born in the old mines hospital was Denise McAlpine Feb. 22, 1941
We walked to Bass lake till the time to go swimming. There was a pump at house there in those days it used to supply Cobalt with water. The pipes went from Bass Lake to Short Lake on to Cobalt. From the pump house we would walk the pump lines. No-one swam at Bass lake in those days. There was a big saw dust pile where the beach is today. In those days Bass Lake was called Cassidy's siding. The spurs line for the train to Silver Centre was near Pete Villas. Also a small shelter for people to catch the train to Silver Centre. I went to Silver Centre once on the train to seewhat it was like.
Carmen Stubinski April 10, 1972 /76
Interview Time 1 1/4 hrs.
1. Emma Duval (Mrs. Edmund)
3. Emma McGee
4. 89 Jamieson St., Cobalt
5. 679-5705
6. 84 yrs. old
7. Eardley, Quebec
My Grandparents came from Ireland and Scotland
8. Quebec
10. My husband came here in 1905. The railroad didn't go any farther than Cobalt. He was a carpenter.
11.I came to Haileybury in 1920.
12.We were married in 1910 in Luskville, Que. We had Albert, Blanche, Morris and Eileen we lived in Haileybury a short time. Then we moved to St. Eugene de Gigue. We built a house and moved to North Cobalt we lived there 10 yrs. and moved to Cobalt in 1939.
14. Carpenter
15. I never worked
16.I always like Cobalt. We didn't get the storms they always seemed to blow over Cobalt not in Comparison with Guigues. We got so much snow there it was awful.
17.All kinds of mines were going. Everything seemed to be going fine. There's an awful change now. There isn't near the work there was then. There are lots of people idle. In Haileybury we had water in the house. I cooked with a cook stove. It's the same as it is now.
35. Street cars, trains
36. Dr. Hector Joyal
37. Machame, Quebec
39. All went to school, but started to work quite young
48. Old pictures
49. I think it’s a wonderful place to stay in. The majority that leave seem to come back here to live
51. There has been. I like the big new store and the new motel we needed it so bad. The Fraser Hotel is in a disgraceful condition. It’s so run down and dirty. The new
street lights, parks, it’s just grand in Cobalt. Here its clean air.
52. I don't like the hippies, boys and girls I like Cobalt
55. I would like to see the mines reopen with everybody working, everything goes good
58. Bingos, visitors
59. I knit, crochet, sew make all my own aprons, knit last yr and made of $40...I still do all my own housework and washing.
60. Instead of fixing up the park at Sharp Lake, why didn't they finish the parks in Cobalt? The first thing the money will be all spent and there won’t' be anything done
61. Tourists.
62. We got sightseeing.
Mose and Andy joined the army. They were both injured overseas. They were in Belgium France and Germany in the Algonquin Regiment. Moses was with George Cassidy, Bob Herbert and Gordie Watts.
Mrs. Duval at 84 has still very good sense of humor. She has stocks of pillow cases she has embroidered She does very good work.
Name of Interviewer: Carmen Stubinski Date: March 13, 1972
Interview: Time: 1 1/2 hrs.
1. Ronald Elomaa
2. Ron
3.
4. 28 Cobalt St. Cobalt
5. 679-8452
6. 32
7. Rouyn, Quebec
8. Mother born in Cobalt, Dad came from Finland
9. Kirkland Lake
10. 1940 arrived at Fountain Falls 1943 moved to Notch, 1948 returned to live in Cobalt
11. Car
12. South-West
13. 3 of us
14. Apprentice for Mechanical Welder
15. Clerk
16. Mechanic H.D.
17. Housewife
18. too young
19. Lots more than we have now
20. Came because my dad worked for the Hydro Northern Power before the name was changes. My grandfather Sanio came to Cobalt in 1906, My grandmother in 1910 from Finland
21. Started to work at the pop factory at 15 yrs. old
22. 8
23. 28 per week
24. 2 story frame house. This is the same house for mother and dad
25.
26. in house
27. Hydro
28. Wood stove
29. Homemade furnace, burnt coal to wood
30. Every kind, Hardware, discount, Farmers market. Lots of Grocery Stores
31. same as now made own entertainment
32. Chase bears through the bush
33. Cobalt Public
34. 8 yrs. apprentice 5 yrs. off and on to school
35. Bus, cars, trains
36. Dr, Dunning
37. Can't remember
38. Haileybury
39. too young
40.
41.
42.
43.
44.
45. Jeans running shoes
46. Best clothes
47. visiting
48. pictures
49. Its home
50. It’s a quite place, Handy to fishing and hunting
51. Cleaned town up of old shacks
52. A lot of payrolls have left town
53. no
54.
55. yes
56. Would like to see more employment of some kind anything that is pollution free
57. fall
58. camping, hunting, fishing, skidooing
59. Collecting guns make my own bullets, home ammunition
60. They have to create something. Maybe open mines again. The price of silver to go up. We should concentrate on our own raw materials and metals right here. Would like to see the smelter open again with modern equipment pollution free
61. Tourists
62. Outdoor sports, sightseeing, fishing, hunting. Lots to offer to hobby hunters, collecting rocks unique picture taking museum, god beaches, beautiful scenery
Talking about pollution. Shoveling the snow at home there are black layers in the snow
The same thing when you are out in the bush skidooing. Something is polluting our air. No
one is burning coal in town What is doing it in the bush?
Elomaa's dog took a convulsion when I was there. Was scared through the whole interview.
Joanna Stubinski March 1, 1972
1 1/2 hours
1. Mrs. Cam Eno
2. Barbara
3. Fraboni
4. 26 Nickle
5. 679-5773
6. 38
7. Cobalt
8, Mom in Cobalt, Dad in Coppercliff
9. Cobalt
10. Born here.
11.
12.
13. Just mother and father
14. Dad worked with railroad - Lawlor's and mined
15. Housewife
16. Barber - if hair styles don't get shorter he'll soon have to look for
other job.
17. Housewife
18. Remembers it always being the same as now.
19.
20.
21. Mining wholesale houses - railroad
22. Worked for Ont. Northland communications 8 hours a day
23. $50. a week
24. On Cobalt St. Ellen Giffin's house - nice and small
25. It was a great time - they were a big family and had lots of toys
26. in the house
27. Electricity
28. wood stove
29. coal
30. Buck's, T.B.S. Cain's furniture, Woolworth's - Dominion - McEwen’s grocery
store.
31. Odd dance and show.
32. Skating - school sports
33. Yes
34. 11
35. Train - buses - cars
36. Dr. Case
37. Big building it was just a hospital - was never in it.
38. Cobalt
39. Too young
40.
41.
42. no.
43.
44. Ordinary
45. dresses
46. Dressed up
47. went to church - for walks
48. Picture - baby in old fashioned cradle - with guardian angel, present from grandmother.
49. It's home, it's friendly
50
51. Buildings spruced up - town looks much better.
52. no.
53. Too much bad publicity.
55. yes
56. see it boom again - street signs
57. summer and fall
58. stays at home.
59. knitting - crocheting, making rugs
60. some kind of industry
61. people that had money to invest
62. Historic sites - fishing, hunting in both summer and winter - mining tours museum.
Highlights
Barbara is a very quiet person spends all her time at home cleaning and look-ing after her 2 girls. She was married late in life. But she said she enjoys it at home - as long as she remembers she has always been this way.
Carmen Stubinski March 14,1972 3 hrs.
1. Harry Beeson
2.
3.
4. 80 Jamieson St., Cobalt
5. 679-5626
6. 78
7. Everton, England on the outskirts of Liverpool.
8. England
9, 1901 came to Canada to Que. In 1912 me and a bunch of lumber jacks came by train from Ottawa to Mattawa, From Mattawa we came by boat up Lake Temiskaming to Haileybury. We got a street car to Cobalt ended up at the end of Argentite St., where Jake Koza lives today. We stayed overnight in Hotel in Haileybury. There was a man there by the name of Fisher. We were working for Bronson lumber Co. From Haileybury we went about 15 miles north. It must have been north of New Liskeard. The bush was very, thick. We cut wood for a couple of months. Then we went out to First Brooke Spring Creek at the West Road of Haileybury about 7 miles out. We worked there all winter. They were sawing lumber all winter 1200 ft. a day. They were sawing for Dunbar in Haileybury. In 1913 I went back to Buckingham Que, Went to work for Sparr Mines, doing hand steel. It was all hand steel then. Most of the mines were just opening up. They sold their Sparr to U.S.A. for false teeth and dishes at $25. per ton. In 1916 we got married and came to Cobalt to live.
10.
11. 1916
12. went went to North Bay, North to Cobalt by train
13, 2 of us, we were newly married
14. lumberjack
15. never worked out.
16. retired.
17. Housewife
18. I thought it was alright. Thought it was nice, different, Buckingham was an old town Cobalt was new. There were lots of jobs you could leave one job and get hired at another on the same day. Cobalt - there must have been at least 8000 people here then. There were
houses and stores built solid on both sides of Lang Street. Clean out to Mileage 104 on left hand side with a wooden sidewalk. There could have been 15000 people counting Kerr Lake, and West Cobalt, There was also a wooden sidewalk all the way to Giroux Lake. Houses built on both sides of it, it's the buildings they have town down in the last few years. Cobalt was booming then. It was easier get a job.
21. I got a job at Tretheway Mines. Lots of jobs then anywhere.
22. Underground 8 hrs. surface work 9 hrs.
23. $2.50 to $2.75 a day for surface workers with work 6 days a week sometimes Sunday;
24. Mollys store, Molly Darragh owned it. Its still across the street from St. Patricks church. We lived upstairs for a few years, We bought a log house from Bert Smith on 94 Jamieson.St. for $350. Its still there remodelled We had to get a bigger house our family was getting too big.
25. We didn't do much. The town was dry. Prohibition was here then. We used to walk to Clear Lake to Carrie's for Christmas
26. taps
27. hydro
28. wood stove, we burnt wood and coal.
29. Quebec heater, coal.
30. There were all kinds of stores.
31. We'd go to dances every week in North Cobalt, The show -Dvery time the show changed, There were 2 shows in 1916. Bijou and Grand
32. We were raised in a Shelter home. My mother died when I was 6 yrs. old. My dad was in the Boer War. My dad was killed in the Boer war. There were sixty of us came to Canada from this home in 1901. My brother and I came over together. I haven't heard or seen from him since 1901. We were taken to a British Government Home in Milton. We were out for adoption for anyone that wanted to take us. War can do something to you.
33.
34. Not too much. There was too much work to do in these days I went to grade 2 and didn't finish. I taught myself to read and write. Those farmers were terrible they made us work all the time. Mr. S.Donaldson took me out of the home. Mrs. Donaldson was a sister to the former Aaron Parcher who was Chief of Police in Cobalt for years.
55. Street cars, trains, lots of horses and buggies not too many cars then we never owned a horse.
36. Dr. Schmidt
37. Yes the Miners Hospital. The miners gave so much out of their pay day every month to keep the hospita operating. There were around 1600 miners then working In 1934 I lost my arm at the O'Brien Mill. I was in the hospital then Dr. Case operated on my arm. It was a nice little hospital. Just like home. Miss Knight was a nurse there then,
38. On Baker Street. We lived in part of a haze on 21 Baker St. I had 10 children then that too many there were no pills in those days.
39. I can't remember
40. Alson at Northern Telephone. Mostly at Woolworths the rest down town. Boys at 104 mill.
41, They were good, A good place to work in. It depended on what you were doing.
Hudson Bay, Tretheway Mines, Mining Corp. Coniagus. McKinley Darrah. Nipissing mines and O'Brien were some of the main mines operating then. I worked 14 yrs at the O'Brien mill.
42. On holidays believe me there weren't many, then mostly Labour Day. Had drilling mucking and hand steeling contests
43. Lunch pail, it was a round pail with a tin or granite cup on top. The tea was always cold. I used to boil my tea on the boiler, We used to drink green tea mostly in those day. The only time we had black tea waas when the Minister came to visit us. Black tea was rare.
44. Depending on the shift when we have our big meal.
45. Long dresses, high boots.
46. Same style, better cloth though
47. Took kids out walking visiting my wife's wister at Clear Lake.
48. Our house burned down lost everything.
49. its home
50. friendly people
51. like the park, its nice. The new fire hall is much nicer than the old fire hal]
52.
54.
55, yes.
56. Should bring in a factory. Make stuff here instead of shipping it to the USA There are thousands of tons of iron shipped daily. We could concentrate it here. Refine it. Give our own men some work. The silver is there, but it costs too much to mine it. They can't seem to sell Cobalt anymore. It used to sell for $3, per lb. Silver 51.25 per oz. They are getting silver and Cobalt from other countries now. If they did more mining there'd be more jobs. Would like to see the smelter reopen.
57, summer. I sit outside all time when the weather permits it. My legs are bad watch TV
read
60. There is no work for them if the government would help the mines and open them up there'd be more work for miners and there's lots of people who don't want to work.
61. tourists museum, parks, good beaches, recreation.
Carmen Stubinski May 18,1972
2 hours
1. Harry Buckler
2. Prospect Ave. Cobalt, New Subdivision
5. 679-8184
6. 49 years old
7. I was born in Cobalt. Our store was burnt out in 1922 and we were staying with friends on Argentite St.
8. England, Leceister, Mother & Dad grew up together. Dad came to Cobalt 1909 He came 1908 and worked in Toronto for one year.
They were married in Cobalt 1910. Mother came out soon as he got settled in 104 In 1909 his first store was in a tent at Mileage 104. When he had this tent store he started to build a store and house so they could move in before winter. The mud and stumps were all over the palce, The few people that were in Mileage 104 at the time built a central well and they all came to it to get water. There was a little creek that ran padt the front of the store had trout in it. The first building was a small one storey old type general store. They sold everything thread, food, clothing, hardware name it. Poisson started a general store but it didn't last long. There used to be streets of houses across the tracks in the beginning a townsite of its own. Dad delivered groceries to Giroux Lake and Kerr Lake by horse wagon or sleigh. There were 4 of us children 3 girls and one boy. The girls were all born at home in 104. The store hours were very long 8 A.M. to 11 P.M. daily except on Sunday we closed. We were burnt out right after the 1922 fire. He had a rough building up and we were back in business by Christmas.
It was a large frame 2 storey building old fashioned general store we even sold coal oil. A big ice house in the back to supply our refrigerator, Dad would get the ice in the winter and pack it in saw dust for summer use and he'd sell blocks of ice. The store was so big and built so fast it was cold. They had 4 coal stoves and one wood stove for cooking and they still couldn't keep ie warm. Mother often said it was a constant battle to keep it warm all we did was bring in coal and take out ashes.
From 1922 on, the store was too big for Mileage 104. People left and didn't rebuild after the fire.
We had a stable behind the ice house before the fire they had chickens, every one seemed to raise chickens in those days,
When Mom first saw Cobalt she nearly keeled over couldn't believe it was so rough, after England city and paved roads.
From 1910 to 1920 they had lots of house parties. Lots of theatres. various groups had oyster dinners, They had a good time.
The store had all sizes of bins made and held spices, we sold spices by the 3 oz. in those days. They held dry beans, peas, rice, tapioca spagetti, flour, sugar these were sold by the pound sugar and flour sold by the 100 Lb. bag,vinegar dark molasses and coal oil came by the barrel. The vinegar had a pump on the barrel. It sold by the quart or gallon. The dark molasses had a pump on it too. When it was cold we'd pump and pump the molasses barely came out. We sold molasses by the pound 2 or 3 pounds at a time. Dad bought fish straight from the coast in the winter. It came in a large white wooden box shaped like a coffin; made out of rough lumber. There was Halibut, Salmon he'd saw off what amount the people wanted in chunks. The tea came by bulk in a wooden box lined with heavy tin foil We sold it by the oz. or pound.
Apples came in wooden barrels. We'd get russets and toliman sweets or spys. After the fire Dad put a water pump in the house. We used coal oil lamps and lanterns.
Dr. Schmidt was our doctor.
I attended public school in 104. We went up to grade seven there and did grade 8 in Cobalt. I went to High School in Cobalt.
18. I joined the army in 1942, went overseas stayed there till 1945. I belonged to the Toronto Scottish Regiment. When I returned home I went into business with Dad. Dad died in 1951. In 1954 Mother left and went to Windsor to live with my sisters she died in 1960.
I ran the store till 1958. I put in a self serve service. The hardware and clothing lines dropped off. I couldn't compete with the big stores lines deteriated such as lamps, nails, hardware and axes.
Elliott Lake and Bancroft opened up, people moved away. Mileage 104 population did drop, no more new buildings etc.
Dad used to get car loads of feed, shorts, scratch feed, oats. No one was raising chickens, cows and pigs anymore.
We used to have a large glass showcase filled with .01 cent candies. I can still see the kids standing with their noses squashed to the glass deciding how to spend their pennies.
Dad used to have 5 clerks working for him in the early days. I remember Dick Kitts, Reg Brooks, Bert Moore. He had 3 delivery wagons 3 of them in use daily ( that's hard to believe). They'd go out Friday pick up the orders from the customers. There were hardly any phones then. They would deliver the following day Saturday. In winter they used horse and sleighs.
Dad was on the Township of Coleman council for many years.
Finally business was practically,, nil I sold the stock, equipment and building was torn down.
I came to Cobalt in 1958 and went to work for Customs, built a new home in 1958. It still has no number.
We used to skate on Mill Creek build a bonfire we'd skate from Cross Lake to North Cobalt. We'd ski in winter. I had a bobsleigh. We used to go to the show in Cobalt we stuck mostly to 104.
The old No. 11 highway went past Claude O'Shaughnessy house went straight down made a square corner it went right past our store. There were lots of accidents then
I like the way they have cleaned up the town tearing down of buildings, street lights the new roads opened up the new parks.
52. I didn't like the moving of servicie bussiness out of town, ONR long distance Northen Telephone, Hydro, Freight Shed, Hydro could have been centralized in Cobalt instead of New Liskeard.
53. I like Cobalt. I've lived in this area all my life.
55. Yes
56. Some other type of industry not depending fully on mining to keep our young people in the area.
57. Summer
58. Swimming and skiing
59. Gardening, Stamp, coin and rock collecting
60. Secondary Industry, winter sports complex
61. Tourists
62. Ragged Chutes blow off. Drummond Cairn, Giroux Lake, rock dumps, plenty of mineral open rock cuts with ice in summer. Fishing Montrea; River Good beaches The best i've seen is Bass Lake Boating Golfing Nature Trails, skiing, snow mobiling
unorganized sports, Historical back ground. Uniqueness of the Town itself and I would like to see the restoration programme go through to the fullest.
Lucy Damiani April 12,1972
6:10 - 7:50
1. Leonard Anthony Cassidy
2. Vera Moore (wife)
3. 30 Park Street
4. 679-8362
5. Security officer at Temiskaming
6. Born in Cobalt in 1914.
7. Madawaska Renfrew area
8. Married and had one boy passed away at age 5
9. 58 years old
10. Right now we are going through another recession the price of silver fluctuates too much. It should really be standarized or they should give us a subsidy here we are with other places trying to take the credit for being the cradle of the North when its Cobalt. We should get help one way or another. Have always sustained ourselved and never went around crying for help. Always manage to pull out of one recession after another. We have more building going on that we ever had. The trouble with the price of silver is you mine it and its worth $2.25 an ounce when you go to sell market price going is only $1.75 an ounce. This doesn't help matters any. The Temiskaming Testing Laboratory processes ore for the mines and the prospectors are allowed samples per claim free. Our department is working with mines Resources Ministry. Prospecting is still quite active in the area and they tell me after so many years of being a prospector not sure how many, you get a free license for prospecting.
We don't have enough industry going for this place when the mines close up everything stops with them. Haileybury turned down a Johns Mansville factory. We should have gone after it as we have plenty of available space to locate one. If we could persuade the government to locate their big year round recreational project here it would help the area tremendous whether its official or not the news has leaked out now everybody wants it. North Bay is trying to get it - the "Soo" wants it. You wait and see we won't get it. No wonder everyone around here is skeptic about it. We've had more things taken out of here. Indirect mail service goes to Liskeard first. Then its trucked back here. We lost our telephone exchange. The Hydro office also went to Liskeard. The customs office at Timmins has been chosen for the North, so the office in Cobalt may soon be obsolete. The mines won't be prosperus forever we have to look to other things. If we don't have enough children for grade 13 rather than have higher taxes in the community they will have to send them out of town. I wouldn't like to see these things happen but sometimes it can't be helped. I am not in favour of busing little kids out of town to go to school unless its a specialized course. These kids are too young to go out of town and we should make use of the schools already here. And we could also save some of the taxpayers money by having Catholic & Protestant French or English all under one roof rather than three separate schools and it might make for a better education system. Religion should be taught in the home or in your own church not at the school.
More jobs and more businesses and this all goes with making a prosperous town. The shopping in town is very limited and what there is have too high prices we could use more stores, a drug store, a dentist, a shoe store and maybe a large department store like Woolworths or Zellers. There is so much shopping out of town. This hurts Cobalt business places. We should definitely carry on with a recreation program but not nesessarily members of the same family working for it. Kids need organized sports. They won't do too much on their own. The last recreation director I think did a good job while he was here, majorettes, girls hockey, a marching band and he started our summer festival. If he was trying to be dictatorial its up to
the council to stop him.
My mother came to Cobalt in 1907 and I was young only 4 years old when my father died and my sister also died when I was 3. I went to school in Haileybury before the fire then after the fire I went to the French School here for 1 year. St Hilaron School across the bridge. Went to the states to stay with my uncle then I came back to Cobalt and went to boarding school in Montreal. I also went to Sudbury College for 2 years and in 1928 I quit school and went to work. Jobs were hard to get it was the 30's depression and I had an assortment of jobs worked at the airport for 25 cents a day, meals clothes and a pack of tobacco, worked for Department of Highways building the
Canipta Road for 25 cents an hour. Started working steady in 1937. I went to the Northwest Territories for Eldorado Mines with John Hutman, Elmer Johnson and Walter Purdy from Cobalt too. Its beautiful country up there daylight all the time except for two months in winter its dusk. Then I came back to Cobalt and worked at Cross Lake Lease Nipissing-O'Brien, Agnico North Cobalt and TTL where I am today. Always had a lot cof fun in our gang. No cars but we still had a good time always went to dances in a gang. I have always liked bowling and I play]dhockey and softball, fishing is a real pastime and I like the summer best. You don't have to put on big boots and heavy clothes to go out. Now I still bowl and play cards or go visiting and I enjoy fishing very much. I can remember when I was young going down to the station to see the train
come in. This was a big thing in Cobalt ad everybody went for something to do.
There were often time when the silver ‘bars were piled up on the station platform ready to go. These silver bar shipments went out often cause there were quite a few mines working then. Nobody guarded them. They just stayed there. Travelled mostly by street car or horses. Not many cars around then. They had this big fountain at the square with running water and everybody drank from it kids, horses, dogs. The stores were open until 11 o'clock and everybody was downtown on the streets. You would meet the gang, there and go on to a party dance etc. The old saying on a Saturday night was"see you downtown".
In 1944 I got my army call but went down to enlist on my own for active service. I was only in 3 days when they told me I was better off in civilian life.
There is not much point in encouraging tourist trade unless we can go all the way. That is have a good reasonable eating places and more trailer or park facilities or low cost rooms for nights lodging. Also there should be some attraction like the Moosenee thing. Polar Bear Express, or even right here we have to offer them something to keep them here. We have much to offer lakes for fishing, swimming, mine properties, hunting spots and also not overcharge on prices this is what killed the Temagami area. Some of the mines that were here made a lot of money and took it all out and they didn't put a cent back into Cobalt. Some invested in gold properties
others went into real estate and so today we are left naked so to speak with very little encouragement. I think the "Mayor and council in the past few years has to be commended for all they are doing - giving credit to Dr. Dunning by naming Dunning Drive after him. They are calling the park downtown Drummond Park and they have cleaned up some of the old buildings renovated the downtown section and the new subdivision is an asset to the town. I am in favour of all these changes and would like to see the town continue we have good garbage collection, snow removal and taxes are at a fair rate. Some communities our size are not as well looked after. We could use a Senior Citizens, a low cost housing unit and maybe a recreation hall for the older people to meet, play cards or just talk.
I would like to keep living in Cobalt my wife & I both like it very much. We have always liked the lazy friendly way of people and our relatives and friends are here. There have been many changes we have completely remodelled our home, at least 3 times now we are comfortable in it. I have added a glass verandah put in a complete !oundation a new 3 piece bath furnace, roof. You can say almost a new house it might have been cheaper in the long run but its got sentimental value.
When I think of my early years in Cobalt I have but good memories. The gang I played cards with the bowling team I'm with the same bunch of fellows for about the past 7 years. We have taken trophies for top team and I have had individual trophies. Then too when we were young and dating girls there was always Marie's we could go for good clean fun and a drink there was always
a piano player and we'd dance or have a sing song. I feel sorry for the kids nowadays they can't make their own fun it has to be organized for them but there is no use saying to them when I was a kid we did this or did that. The best thing is to help them along and do something for them.
Simone Bedard April 12,1972
1. Remi Belanger
3. 189 Lang St.
4. 679-5909
5. Truck driver
6. Cobalt
7. My mother was born in Buckingham Que.
8.Married
9. 35 yrs. old
10. I'm not in favor of elementary school children travelling out of town to' go to school but I have no objection to secondary school students travelling/ I think Cobalt would pick up if we got help from the government to get a secondary industry. We could have an industry that would use the natural resource and make it into a finished product. With all our empty schools maybe they could be used as training schools of some kind. Wages are not high enough for the price we pay for our groceries, clothing etc. I would like to see better recreation, more indoor recreation for the Winter and organized minor baseball leagues for boys. There's not enough competition in town to draw people here, the prices are in any outsider too high and that's why they don't draw in any outsiders. What we need are more store,
11. I think Cobalt should have a small hospital of its own, build by the govern¬ment as a convalescent home.
12. The refinery is closed, the mines have slowed down. They way it is now, I'm less tempted to invest in Cobalt.
13. I would like to see more industry, more stores and more recreation facilities. It would brighten the whole outlook of Cobalt,
14. By pouring some of the money that was taken out of Cobalt by mining and by putting it back into the town.
Name of Interviewer: Joanna Stubinski Date of Interview: Feb. 24
Interview: Length of Interview: 1 hr. 45 min.
1. Mr. Melville Eno
2, Mel
3.
4. 40 yrs.
5. 679-8391
6. 53
7. Killaloe
8. Mother in Renfrew Dad in Killaloe
9. Tomiko, Ont.
10, May 1939
11. Train, moved by freight car
12. north
13. 10
14. railroader
15. clerk
16. fire truck driver
17. clerk
18. after coming out of the bush it looked pretty good
19. It was in the hungry 30's. I was lucky, worked for the T.N.O. in the summer, use
to go in the bush during the winter to cut wood
20. We lived in the bush at Tomiko so mother moved north to Cobalt so we could get Schooling and work
21. Bush work, mining and railroad
22. 8 hrs. per day.
23. 29.90 per week
24. Large frame wood house
25. Had a good Xmas with lots to eat
26. in the house
27. Hydro
28. wood stove
29. Quebec Heater
30. 1939--there were lots of stores here then, 2 dentists, 2 drug stores, shows,
Shaw's and Moore's, Lawyer Mitchell and Lawyer Inch. We use to have court cases held here then--held in the old town hall. Now T.T.L. Building
31. A dance with Square dancing once a week in the old Orange Hall--next to the Fraser House. Lots of dances out at First Brook and Latchford Hall.
32. Softball, and chase the girls, a rink rat at the rink on Miller Ave
33. Raymore and Tomiko
340 10
35, Railways and buses
36. Dr. Case
37. Mines Hospital
38. Haileybury hospital
39. Neil 17, Doris 17, Louis 17
40, Neil Port Arthur Doris Cochrane Louis at Temagami
41.
42.
43. same as anyone
44. Good heavy meal, lots of long clear and beans
45. Wasn't afraid to wear a patch then lots of them
46. Suit--white shirt and tie
47. Walk the tracks or downtown for a sundae at the ice-cream parlour
48. Still got my dad's tool box made in 1935
49. Small town Atmosphere
50, Wouldn't live in a big town, In a small town you know everyone.
51. New Parks Side walks--Parking lots up grading the town, new subdivision. Got rid of a lot of eye sores and condemned buildings etc.
52. No drug stores, lack of employment took away 4 wholesale houses, ONR communications, dentists, Northern telephone, lost our clothing stores
53. no
54.
55. yes
56. Steady employment for people living in the Town something to hold here
57, the whole year
58. Fishing
59. tinkering with motors
60. We need the silver to go up in price to re-open, and operate the mines. Re-open the smelter, Shopping Plaza
61. It would have to be people with money that would have believe in the potentials of the town, People the semi-retired, would find it a haven.
62. fishing, hunting, boating, skidooing skiing, wide variety of good lakes with good beaches, camping areas within short distances of the town. Mine tours, lots of hydro dams to see. We have the only air plant made by water in Canada to the mine, which supplies air to the mine. We have the nicest scenery of bush to walk through or drive through I just wouldn't live anywhere else.
Name of Interviewer: Joanna $Stubinski Date of Interview: March 15
Interview: 1 hr.
1, Mrs. Evelyn Fenton
2.
3. Caunt
4. Inch Block
5. 6798481
6. 65
7. Nottingham, England, Sherwood Forest
8. England
9. England
10. 1952
11. Car, came form Gowganda where we lived for a year and prior to this lived in Kerns near Kirkland Lake
12. Highway 65 then #11
13. 4
14. Worked at Silver Miller in Stockroom and stores for that mine
15. Housewife
16. Dead
17. Receptionist at Museum
18. Thought it was a poor looking down, coming from the north, but from the south you get a different view,
19. quite busy, better than it is now, more mines running
20. Because husband got the job at Silver Miller
21, Mining, 0.N.R. Operators, and work out of town if necessary
22. 8 hours
23. Started at $200, month then raised to $300.
24, Had an apartment on Nickle St, over Hastings Connelly, lived there a few months to a house across the street. This was Upper Nickle Later bought Mrs. Leblanc's house on lower sickle Husband died 2 weeks later
25. Nice xmas, can't remember, very vague
26. running water
27. hydro
28. wood stove
29, oil heater in living room
30, dominion, Buckovetsky's T.B.S. Olive Smith, Lowery's Whole Sale House, Woolworth's, Eaton's, Damiani Grocery, Rowdon's Hardware, Tommy Black, Cain's, Buffam's funeral home,
31, show every night of the week, not much else
32,
33. Went in England
34. Grade 9
35. buses, cars, trains
36. Dr. Dunning
37. Had to go to Haileybury
38, Kirkland Lake
39. Carol went in training is now a Reg. Nurse Allan Grade 12-18 yrs. old
40. Carol married, Allan out west
41. 42, Just the contests she saw at Miner's Festival
43.
44.
45. House dresses never wore slack's
46. Dressed up
47. Went to Church, went for car rides, not much else as husband wasn't too well
48. gold ear drop, earring that were her mothers, She took them back to England, and gave them to her sister for her daughters, cause they remembered her mother more, and did not want earrings to be forgotten
49. Likes the people
50. Because they are friendly everyone says hello
51. Houses look better at North end of Town, Street lights are really terrific the park's
52. Don't like the lake filled with slimes
53.
54.
55. Yes
56. keep up the old shafts, make a park over the slimes
57. Late spring and fall
58. 0.N.R. group goes to the Saturday night bingo
59. reading
60. Don't really know Gov't should step in and see that the price of silver is raised
61. Tourists in season only
62. Historical site, the past of what cobalt once was. First mining town North of North
Bay.
Mrs., Fenton is a good living, hard working person, She was left to raise her 2 children and she saw that they were well educated on her own, A wonderful person to know.
Lucy Damiani April 10, 1972
Interview: Time: 2hrs.
1. Helen Fernholm
2. Helen Dolan
3. 160 Lang St.
4. 679-8283
5. Housewife
6. Eanily Hill, Ottawa
7. Father in Quiel Quebec
Mother in North Shore Ontario
8. Widow
9. 63 yrs. old
10. They can saw what they like about Cobalt but I think its OK, would like to see it a litt14 more prosperous than it is right now.
There is still a lot of silver here and if the economic situation here is going to keep going down hill they should definitely get more grants of exploration works, as I said there is a lot of silver left underground. We had a claim once in silver Centre that had a good showing of silver but we lost it, it was situated between Coral Lorraine and South Keora. Then were also good silver deposits at the Keely mine that lasted just feft there when it was closed up. My father was hoist man in 1909 and he took me underground. I was only 17 then but I still remember what it looked like.
We used to take the train to Silver Centre often then we'd go to a show there the train left from the Cobalt Station and went out there several times a day.
EDUCATION
As for education I think separate and public schools should be under one school it would be easier on the taxpayers money.
I don't think they should close grade 13 at the local High School, we have always had top grade students and many graduates come out of this school. So I hope some effort will be made to keep it going. I am in favour of a university and a technical school here or very close by as all the young people from the North have to go to Toronto, Kingston, Montreal or Ottawa. Also, after high school you have to leave and go away to further you education, why not
change the system and have available trades and ,courses to be taken right here. Then they could go to work as soon as they are out of school.
Tuitions are going up-my belief in education has always been of high quality. If a student has top grades and can’t go to college because of money drawbacks-there should be government funds available for these students and I don't mean just a small grant that is repayable.
SPORTS AND RECREATION
I do believe in sports organized. It has to be that way with the youth today, they can't
seem to make their own fun like we used to do-we have to have a system for getting them. together and seeing the proper sports program is supplied-it would be beneficial to have one large main building, we have much available space with all the facilities within a small area. We could utilize our present arena its going to be torn down and replace why not in this spot. its an ideal location for such a complex.
We also need a recreation program for young and old with a qualified director. This town has always been enthusiastic and interested in what is going on. We have had pottery classes, art classes, majorettes, marching band, and bowling. Really there is a lot doing if you would like to get involved.
Business:
There are two businesses in town utilizing material we have here, rocks and hones available at Gem Shop, Pottery business is suing local clay small business enterprise could be encouraged in these lines for the wire silver and ruby silver that is available could be made up into many souvenirs items. Something to do with the industry that is going would create local jobs, another item that could be made are postcards another suggestion is large size rocks and stones for fireplaces look quite unique, these rocks could be sold there is original rocks from Cobalt Private enterprise is a growing concern, it could proper with these souvenir ideas. We have some local artists who are making money maybe not a lot, but they are painting local scenes and selling the pictures.
Shops
There is too much out of town shopping for the economy of Cobalt to prosper so we should have a better shopping area a large department store like Kresge's would be a real boom to this town, we also need a drug store, a large department clothing store, shoe store, when I think of all the stores we used to have here.
Something I would like to see in Cobalt is a Senior Citizens home and I think low cost housing is quite important if we are to attract people here, miners and laborers wages are too low here for higher priced apartments.
I would like to see a park and swimming facilities closer to Cobalt. Bass Lake is a lovely beach area, but not so easily accessible if you don’t have a car and children have to be bused back and forth. While we are at it we also need a supervised playground.
Has anyone told you about the dynamite factory on the West Road, right hand side of where quarry was the limestone quarry they used limestone to treat paper at Morris Cote.
Shedite Factory and was an engineer there, one day a fire started and my Dad tried to evacuate everyone but when it blew up there was a loss of lives about a dozen.
Mr. Tom Duncan on Helen Street, Cobalt, had the dynamite contract for many yrs. his truck used to go to haul for the dynamite when Mr. Duncan died the contract was taken over by Hubert Audette.
Impressions:
We were in many fires first of all in Haileybury 1922, and another time the bush fire was so bad we all left for golf course and slept there over night.
In Kirkland Lake my father blew the first steam whistle at the mine we lived there one yr. then we moved to Haileybury. I didn't want to go to school that day but my mother said not to worry if it gets bad I will come and get you. After awhile she did come to the school
to pick me up, we walked part of the way to Cobalt, when we got to Cobalt box cars were waiting to take people away from the fire. There were such a rush for the box cars my mother and brother and I didn't make it but they told us relief trains would be along soon. There was one came soon after and we boarded the train for Ottawa, the fire seemed to have gone farther than Cobalt the bush along the railroad track was on fire and the smoke was so bad the train had to keep stopping, when we got to North Bay there were people at the Station with food and drink, but we were sick from smoke and tired and you couldn't eat. When we got to Ottawa my mother said we have to go in and eat so at the restaurant when the proprietor. found out weld come from the Haileybury fire he ordered the cook to give us the best meal in the house, we were treated like royalty. In the meantime my father was coming back from Silver Centre on the Meteor when at one of the stops they were told Haileybury was on fire and they couldn't believe it but when they got closer they realized it was true, dock
was burnt, they could hardly get ashore he nearly went crazy looking for us but then
a provincial police had a list of names and told him we had gone to Ottawa. He was gifting
to come and get us but they wouldn't let him leave he had to stay and help pull in street cars that people were going to use for homes, finally we came back to Cobalt moved over Lavery's wholesale, it was so cold there that winter we nearly perished, my father build a new home
for us in Haileybury.
On Sept 1929 I married and moved to Cobalt and in 1941 my husband bought the present home I am living in now, my husband really took care of the home when he was alive but now on widows pension I can barely keep up the necessities.
TREASURES
We were burned out a few times so I lost any treasures I had out in 1923. I bought a wrist watch from Mr. Belchium the Jeweler. I paid $7.50 for it and it’s still in working order you don't but things like that nowadays.
I think we should have another industry besides mining as long as we are careful not to be letting industry pollute our beautiful lakes. We should do our utmost to guard the beauty of our lakes and countryside as this is nature's gift and should be cherished.
Also, the government could offer loans for development and help us establish another industry so we can create jobs keep our young people here if Cobalt is to prosper and not die as another ghost town.
I want to congratulate to town municipal government they have done a very good job working with the conditions they had to overcome. Also much praise should go to those who were influenced to get mastermet to sell.
We should have a miner’s festival every year. I think people and especially the visitors to the area like this and enjoy it, we have a nice museum for tourists to visit, the air plant' at Hound Chutes, and the artists and rock hounds are crazy about the place.
ENTERTINAMENT AND SPORTS
I like sports and played hockey for Haileybury girl’s team when I was 16 yrs. old. Marg St. Louses and Isobel Day were teammates. We used to skate across Lake Temiskaming nearly got lost once when a blizzard came up in a hurry. Now I still kike to skate, swim and I bowl. I also like swimming...
I don't think I could leave Cobalt my friends are here and since I have to watch my pennies it affords a cheaper way of living. I like to take the occasional trip but I am thankful for a home to come back to. I have too daughters. May and June. One is living in Cobalt and the other is in New York.
I nearly forgot to tell you my husband's father worked clearing land with C.C. Farr for the building of the railroad; it was just a little bush trail then and railroad men were working clearing the land.
My husband was born in North Cobalt and his father owned about 160 acres of land where the site of Blue Top Cabins is today, and you may not believe this but a brother of Dr. Drummonds asked Mr. Fernholm for 10 acres on which to build a smelter my father in law offered it to him for nothing but when it came time to build a smelter he had taken the land from him. There were a lot of swindlers. then.
My father worked in Ottawa valley before coming up here, the core of silver boom brought him up to this area. I came with him. I was only a baby, My mother bought a beautiful baby carriage with her that was a gift but when we arrived there was so much mud everywhere she couldn't use it,
In 1916 the flu epidemic was so bad that very few people escaped it, my mother caught it bad when she was nursing a neighbour that was sick.
We tried to get along as best we could my father brother and I as she was very sick for three weeks and we thought we were going to lose her.
Well that’s about all I can remember and I hope they are going to do something for Cobalt
Joanna Stubinski April 14, 1972
Interview 2 1/2 hrs.
1. Mr. Warren Fernholm
2. Warren
3.
4. 7 Nickle St.
5. 679-8286
6. 61
7. Matchup, Saskatchewan
8. Sweden
9. Sweden
10. 58 yrs. ago
11. Train
12. C.N.R. then T.N.N.O. from North Bay
13. 5 with mother and father
14. Dad was a shoemaker in Cobalt for a yr. then moved out to the West Road to farm
15. Mother a housewife
16. Assistant-Mechanic for Ont. Hydro
17. Housewife
18. I was to young for any impressions about Cobalt when I came here, but, when I lived out on a farm out of Haileybury we always came to market in Cobalt
19. Remembers the fire burnt everything down, when first married then lived at Ragged Chutes 7 yrs. moved into Cobalt 1960. In 1946 when I first started with the hydro you could buy a house in town for $50 or $100. Then after the war things started to pick up.
20. Came with parents and later I worked with the hydro
21. mining, lumbering and farming. Lived on a farm for 22 yrs.
22. All days 8 hrs.
23. 500 an hour, they gave him a raise then raised his room and board
24. Big white bungalow on the crest of a hill on the west road
25. He always came home at Xmas, then New Yrs. went to oldest sisters place
26. will near the house
27. coal oil lamps
28. wood stove
29. box wood stove
30. T.B.S., Buckler's, Petersons grocery store, always did our shopping there, Blacks, Rowdon's, Dominion, Eaton, Simpson's, 2 banks, Woolworths, Shows, Drug store, Damiani's and a few others.
31. Played a lot of cards
32, Skiing Tobogganing and skating
33. Clover Valley
34. 8 yrs. walked a mile to school and back, if there was a snow storm always skied to school
35. Horses and buggies street cars, cars and buses.
-2-
36. Dr. Jackson
37. Had the mines Hospital in Cobalt, but never in it, then Haileybury hospital
38. Ragged Chutes
39. Both girls still in school
40. Jackie 18, Grade 13. Cobalt High
Ann, 10 Public School
41. never worked in the mines
42. Buffalo Slimes at the Grand stand, remembers seeing the contests in 1924
43.
44.
45. work clothes
46. dressed up to go to church then changed. Every week, usually Saturday night, there
were square dances at Clover Valley or First Brook, always dressed up for them. Had slot of sleigh riding parties.
47. Sunday school, fishing
48. A porcelain china cow that went through the 1922 fire the only thing they found that was left.
49. nice and quiet
50. good neighbours(better they work well together....Council)
52. Too many mines closing only 5 mines in operation
53. no
54.
55. Yes
56. more stores, especially clothing stores, we either buy out of the catalogue or have to go out of town
57. Summer
58. fishing and camping
59. woodwork
60. raise the price of silver so the mines could operate again
61. Cobalt has nothing to offer
62. Museum, tours, drive to Ragged Chutes, and this yr. it should be blowing continuously.
Warren, is very quiet and the family sticks close to home. A hard working man and very proud of his 25 yrs. service certificate from the hydro. At the present time he is not working due to ill health, but, is getting better and should be going back to work anytime.
Lucy Damiani March 8, 1972
1:15 - 2:30
1, Charles Ferris
2. Boston Blackie
3. bachelor
4. 91 Lang St
5. 679-8340
6. 59 years old
7. North Bay
8. Sheba, Lebanon
9. Syria
10. Oct. 4th, 1922 from Haileybury after fire
11. Car and truck
12. by highway 11, First arrived in Timmins in 1911 from Timmins went to North Bay from North Bay to Sudbury from Sudbury to Haileybury and finally to Cobalt.
13. Selma was born in Sheba and so was my brother, we came to Cobalt with my mother to join my father.
14. I worked in the store
,5. not married
16. Still operating Boston Grill Restaurant in the early days it was known as Boston sweets.
17. no wife
18. Lots of fun, lots of Syrian friends and always something to do, and
some place to go. We used to have professional baseball teams at west Cobalt Ball Park when I was 10 they had a fairly good sized grandstand and they used to hold fairs under seating capacity in back of grandstand, used to skate at the old rink and went to Junior professional hockey games.
19. The population then was about 6 thousand people - gravel roads and wooden sidewalks.
20. Came to Cobalt because my parents where were going to be in business here.
21. Mining, Cobalt, Foundry Brewers livery stables, 'Morin & Freres, who had their own horses and livery stable they operated a big wholesale warehouse and grocery store. All kinds of work in the Bank, Bank of Toronto, Bank of Commerce and Nova Scotia all employed people.
22. Worked after school for one hour and in later years it was about 10 or 12 hours a day.
23. $5. per week
24. Always lived in the house we are in now and it’s been renovated twice and in 1949 completely renovated.
25. Playing in the snow skating always skated the old year out and the new year
in, some presents but not toys it was always clothes, shoes, socks, sweaters and if you got a sleigh for playing it was really something
26. Water in the home, later on both hot and cold.
27. Electricity for lighting and for now all the commodities that go with
TV, washer, & dryer, iron, toaster, stove, mixer. 28, wood stove to cook on and for heat too
29. oil heater later on - in the early days we used to chop wood and carry it up to Blights of stairs,
30. Auger’s fruit store and ice cream parlor, the beautiful Palm Gardens restaurant with marble, floor owned by Mr. Giachino, he also owned the Bijou and Lyric Theatres, Zion’s Grocery, Zanin's grocery and bake shop, Damiani's grocery, Rava's grocery and Joe Robitaille's grocery all at our end of town. Pool room on one corner at top of our hill and under takers at other corner was Gibson's Bata shoe store, Vellis clothing, Dobouse Bros.had 3 clothing
stores, Koury's ladies and mens wear, Ansora shoemaker Ledovitz mens wear and many others.
31. All the theatres, dances Rose bowl and Easter balls at the old town hall which had one the of the nicest dance floors in the area this building also housed town offices, police offices, jail. In 1924 we had an old boy’s reunion that has root been surpassed since - parades, going steady, fireman’s drills, fireworks, contests and there have been none like it since. Mr. Giachino took movies of it he was the legend of his time - if some one could only get the movies he took the man lived in and around an era 50 years
ahead of our time. He lived a friendly life frugal life also owned a grocery store and in later years sold steamship tickets.
32. Baseball, skating, hockey, badminton, bobsledding, and skiing.
33. Cobalt public school
34. up to grade 5, 5 years
35. street cars, horse and buggy you saw the odd truck or car maybe 5 or altogether in town.
36. Dr. Mitchell
37. Hospital was where Buffam’s is today.
38. Bachelor
40.
41. never went under ground but always went to mine properties, Coniagas and mining corp. with friends to wait for their fathers_ coming off shifts. We used to bicycle to the mine property and do you remember the ore buckets coming across the lake from the Nippissing Prop. to the old 4th of July shaft. these ran on cables.
42. Hand steeling contests and racking contests all held at West Cobalt at Ball grounds - they used to have a wooden sidewalk all the way from town and fenced all the halfway between highway. There was a West Cobalt school for the kids there. I think it went to grade 3 or 4
43. Used to go to Kerr Lake often it was a big community and had a big railroad station there. The Dabouses one was my brother-in-law had a store then and we always went there to visit my sister was only 18 when she was giving there 1926 model Studebaker touring car with no windows and a canvas top* She used to drive us out to lick berries and once I remember the car stalled on the hill. She yelled at everybody to get out. She wasn't taking any chances while backing it up. We sometimes packed lunches for the miners at
the restaurant. It was the usual sandwiches, fruit or cake and cookies with a thermos of hot tea or coffee.
44. The miner’s main meal was nearly always supper that was when everyone was home. And we ate well in those days, everything was dirt cheap, eggs, chicken, beef pork, vegetables all kinds and we had a farmers market where you could have bought anything.
45. Through the week we wore work clothes or sports clothes
46. and on Sundays we always dressed up, everybody used to walk downtown to show off their new Easter finery we always had something new for Easter.
47. Playing dice out of some rock in the woods where no one could find us smoking cigars for fun, until we got caught, fishing, swimming and we walked the big air pipes learned to swim at,; Sass pond and Pete Lake. There was a YMCA: but I didn't go there too much ire the early years because in 1923 my brother drowned in the pool there.
48. Some old photos of my friends and younger days.
49. I like Cobalt because it has a good municipal government we have one of the best we've had in a long time.
A good municipal body should do something for the town.
21. Its good enough for Trudeau it’s good enough for Charlie Ferris.
52. . like all the changes think they were for the best.
53. yes.
54. Lack of money for business places to keep going.
55. yes.
56. would like to see a ball park on the lake with light and a small grand stand.
57. Summer of course, winter is too long and this is the best part of the country _ for this season.
58. I belong to the Kiwanis Club and have been a member for 32 years - still goes to dance club night, bowl, watch hockey games and a little TV and 3 like walking.
59. no,
60. We need other industry besides mining - we could encourage American capital and tourist trade dollars count. You don't have to go out of your way just be nice to the tourists, cater to them and they'll come back again and tell
their friends how nice it is here.
61. the tourists
62. Mining tours we could have a model mine and take them underground to see it, we have lots of lakes for swimming and fishing, historical sights, mining. museum. I could go on and on but just look at all the natural beauty we have this is an asset.
Highlights
Several years ago some American tourist came up to go fishing at Lady Evelyn Lake and when I opened the store one Sunday morning this fellow had been sitting there since early morning, he said to me hurry and open up. I'm starving, I was fishing at Lady Evelyn and there is no restaurant up there.
I would like to pay tribute to a friend and one of our past distinguished businessman. Larry Stadelman owned a small book store which was in a block owned by him; the downstairs in the years went through grocery stores, jewelry shop, clothing store a hardware store and Eaton’s on the corner. In the Stadelman block upstairs there were about 10 apartments for rent. He was the main developer, of the tennis court out at Sass Lake which was the first in
the area, he was also membership convener and was responsible for the upkeep.
He encouraged the youngsters playing hockey and was a team supporter. He also donated a large sum of money to the Kiwanis Club to be used for a playground project at Bass Lake for children. He was quite an avid poet enjoyed speed skating right up to his years. Having given so much made us a better people just knowing him. I am proud to have been one of his friends.
Lucy Damiani February 22, 1972
1:30 - 2:45
1. Mrs. Eva Fleury
2. Eva
3. Eva Larose
4. 2 Nadon Street
5. 679-8297
6. 69 years old
7. Astorville near North Bay
8. Mother & Father in Quebec
9. Quebec
10. In 1906, only 4 years old
11. Boat and horses
12. By way of North Bay
13. Came with mother and a sister, father was already here
14. Miner
15. Waitress at Matabanik Hotel in Haileybury, lost all the clothes I had there at time of fire.
16. Retired Miner
17. Retired housewife
18. I don't remember too much of it when I arrived.
19. I don't remember
20. I came to be 'with father and the rest of the family.
21. There was logging and mining right here in Cobalt.
22. Started at 7 in the morning until 8 at night.
23. About $5. a week plus my room at the hotel.
24. Two storey frame building with 3 bedrooms upstairs and 2 large rooms downstairs
25. WS always had large family gatherings, ate together and sang songs.
26. We had a well, there was no water in the house.
27. For lighting we had oil lamps.
28. Wood stove for cooking.
29. Wood and coal for heating but mostly wood because it was plentiful.
30. All kinds of stores both sides of Lang Street, butcher shops, bake shops, flower shops, hardware, hat shops, shoe stores, clothing, jewelry, fur shops, really everything we needed.
31. Shows opera houses, traveling minstrel shows.
32. Bobsledding and skating and in the summer swimming.
33. St. Theresa's French School. Remember my first teacher was Miss Beth Lafond and the principal of the school was Miss Larocque.
34. About 5 years.
35. Just horse and buggy
36. Dr. McLaren
37. There was a fair-sized hospital at 104 Hill.
38. In Cobalt.
39. Aline was 16, she took a hair dressing course and worked for Bea Gauthier, Pearl was 16
40. One worked, one stayed home until she married.
41. Don't know what mines were like in those days, except my father always said they didn't see daylight and when they came up from underground to go home it was already dark.
42. My dad was famous for winning nearly all the drilling contests they used to have.
43. They ate very good meals, meat and fish were plentiful, there was
an abundance of vegetables. There were always vendors going by
with horse and cart, selling fresh fish vegetables and apples.
44. The families all ate together and the same food.
45. Christmas was for large family gatherings, ate together and sang songs, played cards.
466. The miners and workers wore plain clothes through the week.
47. On Sundays everybody used to dress up-from the children to the grown-ups.
48. First we always went to Church then visited friends and relatives or they visited us.
49. No heirlooms or souvenirs but many pictures which I treasure.
50. Its a good quiet town to live in,
51. Because my home and friends are here.
52. The town is much cleaner we have nice parks and the buildings down town are being repaired, we have a nice new library, new Red & White and a new motel.
53. None
54. Yes all the dogs that are allowed to run the streets.
55. It degrades the town to see a lot of dogs roaming the streets
56. I like Cobalt the way it is
57.
58. The summertime - it’s so nice for walking and going out.
59. I enjoy playing cards Church socials.
60. 1 knit.
61. Another industry would help a lot.
62. 1 think if we encourage tourist trade, Cobalt won't be as clean and we will have pollution.
63. We could encourage visitors we have many beautiful sights, Old Mission, Montreal River, Hydro Plant at Lower Notch, Drummond Cairn, many lakes for fishing, swimming, good hunting grounds and also winter recreation, skiing, snowmobiling, ice fishing and
in the summer we have our festival, in the winter there is always a carnival.
HIGHLIGHTS -
Mrs. Fleury is a niece of the famous Fred Larose who was the first man to find silver ore which later led to the discovery of Cobalt..
Let aside all the myths and stories you may have heard—Mr. Larose did not throw a hammer at a fox. Mr. Larose was prospecting by the railroad track one day, after he had eaten his lunch and he spotted a shiny object on a rock. Upon closer examination he found this shiny ore in the rock which then turned out to be silver, and this is what led to the discovery of Cobalt.
Simone Bedard April 27,1972
1. Patrick Fortin
3. 5 North Ave
4. 679-8347
5. Area clerk Ontario Hydro
6.
7. My father was born in St. Martin de Beauce Quebec and my mother in Ste. Genevieve Jacques Cagier Quebec.
8. Single
9. 23 years old
I went to grade #8 at Fatima High School in Haileybury and my grade 11 & 12 in Business and Commerce at New Liskeard Secondary School.
For the moment I have no travel plans but later on I would to visit Canada from coast to coast.
I've been with the Ontario Hydro for l 1/2 years and I'm quite satisfied with the job t hat I have at the moment, unless they would let me go otherwise I intend to stay with them
In the case that I would leave the Hydro I would very much to like direct myself
in the recreation branch either as a recreation director or the head of a Cultural Centre.
If my future lies in Cobalt I will stay here, but I will go where my future brings me.
I think that Regional School is good because the kids will be able to adjust better to the change regarding people from different areas and to their ideas also they will
be able to have a broader outlook on their surroundings instead of being restricted
to only one area and one idea, they;11 have a group of different communities, different people and different ideas grouped together. This will also cut down on costs.
Why can't the schools that will eventually be empty be turned into cultural centres.
If they are making Regional Schools why can't they also have Regional High Schools
and we also need a University in the north.
Why can’t we have a Regional Community Board and all work together. Why can't we have a say in what our area is going to become because in a short time from now people will realize that the north has a lot to offer it's not to be taken for granted
anymore, in a short time from now we will become a big city the people from the South will no longer be able to extirpate our wealth because if we let them do so we will no longer have any wealth to offer , It is time, it is high time that the
people from the North get together. It is time for the people from the North to let their quarrel die.
Why Should we spend money uselessly, why can't we once and for all have our
own place which will be formed with our own ideas not by somebody who moved up from
down south and told us how to operate our schools and how dispose of our resources.
Why should we have someone come and pollute our air and water. North is the greatest place to live in at the condition that we vast to keep it this way.
For numerous years now I have observed the young people and really I have never seen anything concrete that has been accomplished towards the young people
we once had a Y.M.C.A. with all the facilities bowling alleys we still have, we have no more swimming pool we no longer have a community basketball, volley ball tennis or badminton court. Why have these facilities disappeared is it because people are
to selfish to think of the young people or is it even because they don't give a damm, about the future of our community. We have the local arena if we want it for any use we have to pay dearly for it.
Name of Interviewer: Simone Bedard Date of Interview: March 29, 1972
Interview:
1. Paul A. Fortin....,...„ *Jeanne Fortin
2. Jeanne Gratton
3. 5 North Ave Housewife...Genevieve Jacques Cartier Que.
4. 679-8347 Father......St. Therese de Blainville
5, Labour Mother St. Eustache des Deux Montagnes
6. St. Martin De Beauce Que.
7. St. Martin De. Beauce Que.
8. Married
9. 56 yrs old.........my wife 57
10. She said, our children are older now so it doesn't affect then too much, but they might have had a different view had they're children been younger
11. Mr. Fortin's view was different, he said that he couldn't see why children should be going to school out of town when we had a school here, and that it wasn't right to have the children travelling by bus.
She said that for the young the opportunities are not too good, as they have to leave home to get work.
12.The jobs are rare.
There's no training facilities and the young people must leave to get there training in there chosen field. The wages are up to standards if compared to other places.
We do our shopping once a week and we go to New Liskeard as there’s more variety and we find that the priced are better.
Recreation for us is playing cards or visiting with our children.
A lot of changes could be made but we have to give the authorities a chance to breath. I find that our Mayor Mr. Mathews has been one of the best and he's done a lot for our town. The first change since Mr. Mathews has been the tearing down of rundown houses, the new side
walks and up keep of streets during the Winter, we have 100% service on this. I would say that* Mr. Mathews has influenced the government with our problems and he's had some results.
When we came to Cobalt in 1952 it was to work in the mines, we had a family of 8 children I worked at the Cobalt Lode Mine and I would say that I made better here then other places where I lived and worked.
I would like to see an amusement park for the young children, with a swimming pool and monitors to keep them occupied through out the day.
Simone Bedard April 10,1972
1:15 - 3:00
1. Cecile Frackleton
2. Cecile Mondoux
3. 140 Lang St.
4. 679-5556
5. Bar Steward Legion
6. I was born in Timmins
7. My father was born in Sudbury and my mother in Renfrew
8. Married
9. 42 years old
10. My impression of Cobalt now is poor. I'm against our schools leaving our town when we have the facilities here. I don't want to see grade 13 taken from Cobalt High School it if goes this will mean that we will lose our High School.
I would rather not have my children on buses, they cannot participate in any after school activities as the bus will not wait for them.
Economic situation is very grim, what we need is a secondary industry and not a park.
Job opportunities there aren't very many jobs. There's a certain amount of --government training but not much, as far the wages are concerned when the mines are in operation the wages are quite good.
Private enterprise, there's not much opportunities for it right now with the present economic situation.
We have a fair recreation program in Cobalt, but what we need is a softball for young boys.
11. The only changes in Cobalt is more work, we're sure in need of it.
12. The only changes that I can see is that we lost two major clothing stores
when TBS & Sam Buckovetsky's left and this leaves us to pay high prices or
shop elsewhere.
13. I would like to see the town get better.
14. With a Mayor & Council that are go getters.
Joanna Stubinski Feb.28/72
2 hours.
1. Mr. Alexander J. Fraser
2. Alex
3.
4. 15 Miller
5. 679-5630
6. 89
7. South Side Harbour - Antigonish Nova Scotia
8. Mother - Summerside Antigonish . Father - south side harbour
9. East coast
10. Passed through Cobalt in 1907 came to live in 1912
11. By train to south Temiskaming in 1907, then boat to New Liskeard there to North Temiskaming on survey in Quebec east of Abitibi Lake. On way back came to Clock's farm by canoe on Lac des Quinze walked to New Liskeard 35 miles - stayed at the Canada House - left there
the next day for Ottawa. In 1912 came up by train from Nova Scotia.
12. North route.
13. Came with a friend of his named Boyd. His brothers were in the states
14. Worked in a blacksmith Shop. The Nipissing and learnt the trade.
15. Still single.
16. Retired.
17. Dead. Alex was married twice.
17a. Alex wanted to enlist very badly in the army but because of his bad knee he knew he would be turned down, but Father O'Gorman a good friend of his and parish priest at St. Patrick's Church said he would
see he'd get in. Sure enough he got on the boat and they accepted him. They left Jan 1st 1917. For 10 months he worked at building the 7th Light Railway. Became a blacksmith there where he worked
for rest of the time. This was in Ypres Salina France - Etope for
3 months went before the medical board on account of his knee. He ended up in Sergeant. Salina France was one of the worst places for
bombing. In 1918 took trench fever was sent to the centre of France. In 1919 war was over - so Alex came back to Windsor Great Park - in England 2 months later went back to France as Master Mechanic.
Oct. 19, 1919 - got married to Marie Mimiaque. Came to Nova Scotia -then in 1921 came to Cobalt for 2nd time.
18. Very busy - didn't like it too much at first but did later - boarded
with Mrs. Pierce - and old school friend from Antigonish. Then when
he came back in 1921 - also stayed with her again - for a few months
then he and his wife found a place.
They used to go to the big French Church on O'Brien Property across the lake but it blew down in 1914 - in a heavy wind storm - after St. Pats
and St. Theresa's were built.
19. Pay day night you had to move with the crowd.
20. Had a lot of hard luck with mill so decided to sell when Boyd told
him about Cobalt = then his luck changed for the better.
21. They came in Fall, cut wood with Bill Newton in bush made enough
to live then in spring went into blacksmith shop. Torn McCormick
best blacksmith in town then.
22. 10 hours.
23. i31.75 a day
24. Had a room up on Lang St. - then moved to an apartment over Tommy Black's. Then he worked for Mining Corp. and wife took over Racine
Apts.
25. Had visitors in Don McEacheron and wife
26. In house.
27. Electricity
28. Wood Stove
29. Coal heater.
30. Real good a lot more than today clothing - 2 hardware’s - Taylor & Rowdon’s
31. 5 theatres. At least 7 or 8 blind pigs. Sports - 3 or 4
hockey games a week.
32. No there was a YMCA in town - really lively place.
33. No.
34. quit at 16 - worked 4 years on sailing vessels at sea off the east coast.
35. Street cars every 15 minutes - lots of horse and buggies.
36. Dr. Mitchell.
37. Mine's hospital - very good - was in with tonsillitis.
38.
39.
40.
41. Worked at Silver Centre on Hoist - ran a tractor from Cobalt to Silver Centre.
42. Drilling - hand steeling at ball parks.
43. Same as today only heavier meals desserts always included.
44. Same as above - went to a huge market to shop - people came from
all over.
45. Didn't have mini skirts then - wore work pants.
46. Suit - white shirt - well dressed.
47. Went to mass - played cards - a game called Pedro.
48. No.
49. More friends in both Cobalt and Latchford.,
50. Above
51. Town looks better.
52.
53.
54.
55. Not really.
56.
57. Summer
58. Play cards mostly cribbage - watches television and goes to Church
59. Not now - but years ago liked to build things - built an automatic switch which should have been patented but couldn't afford it.
60. There's people that won't work anyhow.
61. People with money.
62. Mining tours, Museum , good clean air and water.
Highlights
Alex's interview was really terrific for a man of 89 his memory was
and still is terrific.
At one time in Cobalt he owned the Fraser house - named it after himself. They rented the . Bilsky Block in 1930 - and owned it from 1934
bought it from Vanburg for $6500, made it into hotel - when beer was legalized. They owned it from 1934 - 1937. Alex's wife died in 1937
then things fell apart. He remarried Flossie Legris they lived in Gillies for years till his wife died in 1969. He sold his house and now lives
with Father Costello.
Lucy Damiani March 7,1972
8:30 - 10:00
1. Dario Gabbani
2. Noger
3. Ernestine Gauthier
4. 80 Earl St.
5. 679-8232
6. 53 years old
7. Born in Turbine Sudbury area, wife born in Callandar
8. Father and mother both born in Pesaro
9. Italy
10. Dario's mother and father married in 1912 came to Montreal Que. in 1914 then went to Sudbury and in 1920 came to Cobalt.
11. came by train to Cobalt
12. by way of North Bay
13. Mother and father and another brother and sister all came together.
14. I was working on a mine property lease with my father at age 17. At 19 started working in my cousins garage Gabbani's Garage as a mechanic
15. Worked at Buckovetskys as salesclerk until I married.
16. Mill maintenance operator.
17. hairdresser and housewife
17a. Joined the Canadian Army ordinance Corps. in 1941 and was discharged in 1945. Was stationed in Vancouver and BC
18. Was too young to remember I was only a year old when we came here but as I grew up remember on both sides of Lang Street was all stores Vellis, Koury, clothing Bata’s Shoe Store, Ansara shoemaker, Auger fruit store, Buckovetskys was a large 3 store department store one was shoe section, ladies clothes and mens wear. It employed about 10 people not including managers, Aimones poolroom, Quality Lunch, Cain’s furniture, Rowdon Hardware, which was one of Cobalt’s unique stores, everything was piled up and when you dug in and found a good bone china cup and saucer or genuine Japanese tea pot Mr. Black would come up with "What do you want with that piece of junk" I'm not selling it and when Mr. Black said I'm not selling it you might as well go because he meant it.
19. When I was growing up I remember Cobalt was always a great sports town we had the YMCA for bowling, dancing, swimming, badminton, basketball and there was always a gang of kids to go everywhere with and play together
We had a nice big are .4a- for skating there were wooden sidewalks and dirt roads for highway - later on we had them all paved and I remember in 1956 when John Damiani was Mayor we got all our back streets paved.
20. When we first came to Cobalt in 1920 my father was looking for a job. His
brother was here before him and told him it would be easy to get a job. We lived in Giroux Lake for awhile and it was a good size then with its
own school up to about 4th grade and streetcars came to Cobalt & Haileybury. The only means of transportation in winter was walking or horse sleighs and skiing, my mother often skied into Cobalt to visit and pick up
supplies it was almost 3 miles into town.
21. There was mining at O'Brien mine, Nippissing Agnico, Larose, Silver Miller Coniagas, McKinley-Darragh, Buffalo, Mining Corp. and there were Lumber Camps in Latchford. We also had a foundry here.
22. 8 hours a day and 6 days a week.
23. $3. a day
24. When I got married we had a small house we rented at the Fraser House rented from McGarry's on Earl St. Sestos on Earl St. and finally in 1953 we built the home we are in now. It’s a two storey building with 5 rooms downstairs and one large double bedroom upstairs.
25. My wife is French and we used to celebrate New Years more than we did Christmas we hung stockings and got fruit and clothes for gifts - there weren't too many presents in those days but all the relatives and families got together and we always had a good time. Anyone that had a shotgun used to go outdoors and shout a couple of shots to bring in the New Year. At one time my father told me they used to blow all the mine whistles at midnight and even the ground shook with the sound. Now we celebrate the traditional Christmas with our children exchange gifts, have a tree, traditional family turkey supper and gathering.
26. Water in home with all conveniences, 3 piece bath. In the early days we used to carry pails of water into the house from the well outside.
27. Electricity with all the appliances it brings. TV, washer, dryer, mixer, toaster, iron, hair dryer, shaver, sewing machine, stove, refrigerator & freezer.
28. Early days it was all wood stove for cooking went into bush to cut our own wood. Now we have an electric stove,
29. Wood and coal for heating used to get up to keep coal on the heater for cold nights now its central heating with gas furnace.
30. There were stores and shops up and down both sides of Lang Street, Martins,
second hand store, Ledovitz mens wear, Morin Freres, Coutu Rava’s Damiani's Giachino grocery stores in later years Dominion store and Red & White, Zanin
bakery, Harrison Fikery, Trudel Bottling works, Sparhams & Charboneaus Jewelry, Murphy’s blacksmith, Chenier Funeral Home, and later Smarts funeral Chapel, we have always had a French and Irish Catholic Church the Baptist Presbyterian Gospel Mission, Anglican Salvation Army, a small Synagogue, we 1 'e known as the town of the churches.
31. Some theatres, community Hall, where we all went for sports and dancing any night of the week to the musical the nickelodeon, we used to sigh ride and skate at the French Rink, swimming at Pete Lake, the old town hall for dances, the Finn Hall for gymnastics, dances, parties. Used to pick berries in the summer to make money and take baskets down to the train to ship to Toronto
32. hockey, baseball, bowling
33. Dario Public School Ernestine French School.
34. Dario to grade 9, Ernestine went to Convent in Haileybury.
35. There were street cars; buses, cars.
36. Dr. Case
37. Had to go to Misericordia Hospital in Haileybury.
38. born in Cobalt
394, Billie was 18, Louise was 17, Therese is in grade 9
40. Billie is working as a linesman for Hydro.
41. There were waterliners and stoppers, no mucking machines. It was all done by shovel. It was dangerous underground then, now we have safety measures.
42. Hand steeling and mucking contests held on the slimes by West Cobalt.
43. Took a lunch pail to work sandwiches fruit, cookies
44. 'Main meal is suppertime because everyone is home by 4:30 p.m. Wife is a good cook. We have good home cooked meals.
45. We wear sports clothes through the week.
46. And on Sundays we always dress up to go to Church if we are going fishing or to the lake, change back to _ sports clothes.
47. Go out in the bush to hunt fish or pick berries and mushrooms.
48. Have old snaps of ourselves as children some of our mothers and fathers.
49. I think we have a better system for snow removal there's a big improvement
from years past. Our kids are lucky to have organized hockey and longer
periods on ice than anywhere else. I have a married sister $n North By
and her husband has to get up at 5 a.m. to take the youngsters to their
hockey practice.
50. Because it makes for a better to live in everyone enjoys it. There’s a good recreation program.
--. Recreation has improved greatly since it is organized therefore more things going on sports, majorettes, drum band, handicraft classes, Miners Festival every summer.
52. The changes have all been for the betterment of the town.
53. Yes the High School situation
54. There is much discontent among the students and it is being run a little bit like a dictatorial regime, maybe the caliber of principal and
teachers could be better.
55. Think you should have street signs and make people put numbers on houses and sometimes I find the garbage pickup , throws the cans back into the yard rather than bring it back.
56. Mining municipalities should have something else going for them. I'm not sure if it should be from a government level but I think so could we encourage other industry to come in.
57. Summer and fall is very pretty in the woods around here its nice to be out
58. Both bowl, watch TV, and like a night out once in awhile
59. He does car repairs and bodywork. She does hairdressing and sewing.
60. We should do something about the mines or another industry, and then work on tourist trade. Could encourage American industrialists to come in.
61. Maybe the tourists would find Cobalt and area interesting - we have much to offer.
62. Fishing, hunting, mine tours, museum, new library, a fantastic book shop down the highway the best Chinese restaurant from Kapuskasing to North Bay, many historical sights Old Mission, compressed air plant at Ragged Chutes good beach area at Bass Lake and many more things to do and see. Perhaps we could get some help from Dep't of Tourism.
Highlights,
We would like something done for Cobalt so we can keep our people here if there isn't work. many will move away, the town suffers, the business places don't do well, while we are on it be we should definitely have a Senior Citizens for
those on limited income..Hope our dream comes true, we'd like to stay here and we'd like to see our friends stay.
Lucy Damiani February 17, 1972
6 - 7 p.m.
1. Gettulie Gabbani
2. none
3. Wife's maiden name Malvina Corbelli
4. 5 Third St.
5. 679-5952
6. 73 years old
7. Montelabate Pesaro, Italy.
8. Montelabate Pesaro, Italy
9. Italy
10. To Cobalt in 1923 arrived from Italy to Montreal 1914
11. train
12. by North Bay
13. With my brother and sister-in-law.
14. Worked with the town on maintenance crew
15. Housewife
16. 1 am retired
17. Retired Housewife
18. They told me it was a booming mining town but I guess after the strike (I think it was 1916) people started leaving and it wasn't as busy as I expected.
19. The town had already been built and had a school, churches, shops, stores, shows and theatres, hotels but our roads were still gravel.
20. Came here to get a job and in a few weeks I had one.
21. Just mining and milling
22. They worked 8 hours a day.
23. The pay was about 411.75 per day.
24. My first home on Earl Street was a two story building.
25. With friends and relatives playing cards, talking and drinking.
26. We had running water in the home.
27. Electricity for light.
28. Wood stoves for cooking.
29. Wood and coal both for heating.
30. Where was a good shopping area with all kinds of stores.
31. Played cards, you could go to shows, beer parlors, dances.
32. No time for sports as a youngster had to work and help with the
chores around home.
33. Not too much schooling in Italy.
34. A little over one year.
35. Very few cars we used horses, horse drawn buggies and the electric streetcars that travelled next to the train tracks. You could go to Haileybury for 5 cents. Children free.
36. Dr. Case.
37. We had a small hospital with good facilities.
38. All three were born in Cobalt.
39. All went to lower school one was 16 and went to work on railroad for per day, one was 18 and one was 15.
40. One on railroad, one at match factory, one at housework.
41. The work was hard pick and shovel.
42. They had drilling contests and tug of war.
43. Not as good as nowadays but still hearty meals, sometimes fruit for dessert.
44. All the family ate together at table and ate the same food.
45. 1 spent my first Christmas here with relatives and friends visiting.
46. Clean plain clothes for work.
47. Couldn't afford fancy clothes for Sunday. They were plain and sometimes made over especially for the children.
48. With friends or at family picnics at the lake. One winter we stayed at home but took turns going to different houses for card games.
49. I have just saved a few pictures through the years.
50. It’s a good quiet town and has good snow removal, and garbage disposal.
51. Because at my age 1 enjoy the quiet and services a small town gives.
52. The parks the new sidewalks we have more parking space down twin.
53. like everything about it
54. No we are fortunate the teenagers that seem to pose problems everywhere don't get into trouble here.
55. nothing
56. Yes
57. Would like us to have a better shopping area and especially a drug store which we need badly also a dentist and if we can't get another Doctor, we should go back to the old days of V.O.N. nurse.
58. Summer
59. Playing cards, watching T.V., gardening and fishing.
Lucy Damiani
60. Gardening
61. A factory or other industry to keep our young people here maybe a collegiate.
62. Develop tourist trade.
63. Have wonderful spots for fishing, hunting, beaches, for the summer also family parks and trailer parks.
HIGHLIGHTS
I want to say I am proud to have been a Cobalter and hope to end my days here. My wife and I find it central for the children to visit and we have everything we need here in Cobalt.
Lucy Damiani February 23, 1972
1:30 - 2:30
1. Lucienne Gabbani
2. none
3. Lucienne Larabie
4. 86 Lang St.
5. 679-8262
6.51 years old
7. In Cobalt
8. Both in Buckingham
9. Quebec
10. Born here, Mother & Father came to Cobalt in 1910
11. They came by train
12. By way of North Bay
13. Mother and Father came to Cobalt with one son
14. Worked in garage and operated a taxi
15. Hairdresser
16. Retired businessman
17. Housewife
18. Lived at mileage 104 and can't remember too much of childhood
19. Moved here when I was 16 and most of the mines were still operating
20. Came to Cobalt because family moved here
21. There was mining and work in some of the stores
22. 8 hours per day
23. Worked with hairdresser as apprentice for 3. per week
24. After I married I moved to Matachewan and came back to Cobalt in 1943 moved into a small one storey house, with 3 rooms
25. When the children were small spent Christmas's with family and relatives
26. Water in home
27. Electricity
28. Oil stove for cooking
29. Oil heater for heat
30. There was a good variety of shops, years back everything you needed right here, not like now, and we have to go out of town for so many things.
31. Shows, dances, small house parties,
32. No time for sports,
33. St. Theresa's French School
34. Grade 10
35. Cars, buses, streetcars
36. Dr. Dunning
37. Cobalt Municipal Hospital
38. In Matachewan (twins)
39. They were 18
40. Veronica worked as a secretary at Haileybury Hospital and Vincent worked at garage and with bus and taxi business
41. We had no miners in the family
42. Heard about drilling contests
43. We ate very good meals with meat, beans, pancakes, stews, buckwheat flour, my mother baked her own bread
44. The family ate together and the food was the same for everyone.
45. Spent Christmas with family and relatives.
46. On weekdays we wore plain clothes
47. On Sundays we really dressed up and went for walks
48. We used to go out in the woods to play
49. Family album, full of pictures that I treasure
50. Its a good town to live in
51. Good municipal government, excellent snow removal, garbage disposal
52. The town has cleaned up new parks, new buildings, and a nice new sub-division
53. I like all the changes, they bettered the town
54. No. I like it
55. I like it all.
56. Yes
57. We should definitely have a drug store and a few more stores to improve shopping area.
584 Like the fall scenery is beautiful at this time of year and there is no unbearable heat or bugs.
59. Curl, curl, curl.
60. No.
61. We should get government. aid for more jobs and get people off welfare
62. I don't think the average tourist benefits the community - they don't spend that much money when they are here
63. Many points of interest, good beaches, fishing, hunting, history of mining. We have mine tours, mining museum, Drummond Cairn, new hydro project, downtown, a new library, a new motel for accommodations, also trailer parks for families and many more interesting sights.
Lucy Damiani April 7, 1972
7:00 - 8:30
1. Joseph Natale Giovanella
2. none
3. widower wife deceased 1970
4. 106 Earl Street
5. 679-8247
6. Born Dec. 3rd, 1896 - 76 yrs. old
7. Taino como Prov. (now known as prov. of Veresa) Italy
8. Taino Como Prov (now known as pray. of Veresa,) Italy
9. Italy
10. now 5th 1912
11. on ship Province from LeHavre France, it was a French steamship line. The "Province “was one of the bigger faster liners, it was sunk during the war 1915.
12. We were 8 days crossing then landed in New York, 1912. Came to Cobalt by way of New York Toronto and North Bay, Cobalt by rail from Bay no road no cars
13. I came with my mother my sister, I was 16 at the time, and my father was already here he had come over in 1897.
14. Started working in a mine a few months after I arrived.
J. In 1918 I was married to Beatrice Gamlin of Ville Marie. I met her in Cobalt she was working as a housemaid. Her family was one of the first pioneers to come to Ville Marie they came from "Palycarpe des Saint" Quebec
16. Retired mill hand
17. widower
18. It was a lively town full of bob nailed boots and flannel shirt miners -their families at that time there wasn't just one or two families move in They used to come gangs of 40 or 50 families at a time. No wonder they built these shacks in a hurry, they needed a place to stay right away.
19. It had dirt roads wooden sidewalks frame homes, some were just shacks, supposed to have been temporary homes some of these still stand on their original sight.
20. The family and I came over from Italy to live with my father. He came in 1897 and made a home then sent for us.
21. Mining mostly we had a saw mill at Moose Lake which was later moved to West Cobalt. My sister Lind who lived at home with us until she married Anthony Rava in 1922. He was also a miner and they lived at the Buffalo Mine Property - it was like a small community out there connected with West Cobalt they had a large ball field a few stores and a mine hall or mess. In 1924 the Rava’s bought a large two storey frame dwelling with glassed in verandah and three rooms upstairs 4 downstairs this was on Earl Street where we are living now.
22. Worked 10 hours a day when I first started in the mine this was for 5 months then I worked as a mill hand until my retirement. Our pay was $1.75 a day and machine men were paid about $2.00 a day. There was a union even in those days and the Union Hall was situated where the present Recreation Office is. There was a strike and after it was over the men got a raise of 250 a day. I bought a house on Earl Street and lived here until 1928 when I moved to South Porcupine.
23. The mines were starting to close so I went to South Porcupine to work. I was employed at the Dome Mine for three years from there I went to Preston East Dome until it closed in 1948 because of a fire. I went to Hoyle Mine Co. owned by Ventures and I was in charge of the mechanics. My boss was Jack Dunlop who was until his death last year retired and living in Haileybury. In 1949 I came back to Cobalt and worked at the Refinery then I worked for Bill Taylor at the Mensilvo Mines went to Giroux Lake for a few months before started at the 104 Mill under Harry Bambrick when it burnt down I retired.
24. We had water in the homes when I bought my house it was only in the early days perhaps early 19001s that they bought pails of water from a vender who went around with tanks on his wagon.
25. There was electricity in the home. We have the necessities and commodities common nowadays radio refrigerator, electric stove, iron, taster, kettle, TV, a new gas furnace installed a few years ago
28. We used to cook on a wood stove then we went to oil, two years ago we bought an electric stove which we now use for cooking
29. In the old days it was a big Quebec heater in the centre of the living room with stovepipes running all through the house, now it’s a modern gas stove.
30. There were all kinds of stores on both sides of Lang Street right from the bridge at North and to the South end of town. It certainly was a different picture coming back in 1949 from about 100 stores to some 25 left here now there are about 10 left.
31. We used to play horseshoes, bocce, card games, that sometimes went all night long. There were many drinking places, shows, halls for dancing. We used to get big tent circuses in '.ere at North Cobalt with live
animals and trapeze artists these were a big thing. In winter there was always skating, skiing, sleigh riding and we used to go back and forth to the homes for cards dancing, singing.
32. Not many sports other than horseshoes and bocce
33. just trains and horses
36. Dr. Schmidt
37. There was a Red Cross hospital where Buffam’s is today. It was a two storey building with about 10 rooms downstairs and about 4 or 5 large rooms upstairs
38. Both Charlie & Mario were born in Cobalt
39. Both boys went to High School
40. At about age 19 they started out on their own. Mario got a job at Hollinger Mine and was a hockey player for Hollinger team. Charlie went to School for radio technical in Timmins. Later on he went to Toronto and took a TV technical course.
41. We have always dressed in just a plain shirt and trouser.
42. On Sundays if something special was on we would dress up in suits. I remember when we used to drive to North Bay to see the first talkie movies I think about 1927 and it was something to go that far in those day- There were also about 7 or 8 cars in the Tri-Town area
Highlights
Jack Murphy from Haileybury used to drive one and it was also rare to see a woman driver the police used to stop her for speeding often. Then there was a truck in town and he got a contract delivering for O'Gorman coal dealer. Mr. -Rowdon our local hardware merchant went to England for a visit and to take his car over with him he had to have it sent by flat car on the railroad to North Bay the Ferguson Highway hadn't opened up yet. I worked in the mines for just a few months before going to mill work but I found the mines were fairly good for working conditions because even in those days they had mine safety inspectors
On July 1st there was always big drilling contests going on at the West Cobalt field it used to attract miners from the area Kirkland and Timmins also we used to have fun in those days. Sunday was always a big day. Horseshoes, baseball, mucking drill contests, picnics always something doing.
I don't know what can be done to help Cobalt but it sure needs a shot in the arm. I've seen it when it was good and bad but this last recession we went through I think is the worst of course I think part of it is the general economy of the country. In the last few weeks I've heard encouraging rumors the mines are getting a grant and this will help some of them with low grade ore to operate
at a profit. The Refinery is opening up again price of silver has gotten a little boost so I think we are ever the hums.
Definitely we need a subsidy for silver like Timmins is getting for gold and Elliot Lake is getting for uranium this will help our economy. There is still much silver to be mined. They should have never 'eased properties to private leasers. They took out the best of veins and left the property in shambles when they were finished. They didn't care if it was left without proper stoping etc., when they were through ping at the silver they just threw everything back in & left, now over the years these holes have frozen up closed up and it would be very hard to open them up again. Tourist trade should definitely be encouraged but lets educate our business public or those with facilities for the tourist not to fleece them as the saying goes. Many places have filled their own tourist boom by doing this. Just to the south of us in Temagami
as a perfect example - the tourist will just go somewhere else where he is well treated. Also more advertising and have capable personnel in charge of Tourist information Booths. I have been told by friends who came here and wanted to see sights fish etc. They stopped and inquired downtown no one could tell them where to go for mine sights fishing & picnicking, so they went up to
Kirkland and stopped here for a visit on the way back. Have all kinds of folders available to travelers make sure publicity gets in all the papers, not just local ones. I think its very nice to see the downtown renovation program old sites are being removed new parks going up we have a trailer park, new subdivision with lovely homes new parking spaces are available. This is all very good for the town a credit to our Mayor and Council we should carry on and keep the best old town alive. It’s always been a good place to live, I like it here. I can drive to a spot for fishing and hunting without going too far. We have a fair rate in our taxes good snow removal, garbage collection and I would like to see all this kept up.
Simone Bedard April 12, 1972
9:30 - 10:45
1. Albert Giroux & Anita Giroux
2. Anita Beaudoin
3. 50 Russell St.
4. 679-8447
5. Mill mechanic Housewife -wife
6. Cobalt wife-Espanola
7. Father Plantagenet, Ontario, Mother Rutherglen,Ont. Wife1s father Bonfield Ont, Mother Espanola,Ont(of wife)
8. married
9. 36 yrs. old
10. We came to live in Cobalt in 1965 and to us Cobalt has been going up. I find the educational facilities very good and I have nothing against my children travelling to go to school out of town. For the size of the town and the mine situation I would say Cobalt is in a reasonable state. Job opportunities are very low, training is nil and wages are fair in Cobalt. City facilities are not the best. Private enterprise, the overhead (rent) is too high, so a person who wants to make a go of it has no chance. We should have a swimming pool in the _Cobalt Lake Park with proper facilities & supervision. Also have a baseball diamond in the town limits with organized minor baseball.
11. The streets could be repaired & widened in certain parts of the town, the back streets could be plowed better and snow removed being that the streets are so narrow. It would be nice to keep filling and cementing the old shafts for the protection of our children.
12. They have taken some of the old buildings down and this has improved the town some.
13. The downtown area could do with a bigger variety of businesses; a shopping center would be nice to have. We need another doctor in town, also a dentist, a lawyer and a drug store.
14. In bettering the town of Cobalt it would attract individual enterprises.
Simone Bedard
1. Bruno Giroux 37 Galbraith
2. 679-8279
3. 66 years old Jeanne Giroux 3, Boulanger
4. 62 years old April 26,1972
7. Plantagenet,Ont. I was born in Grand Dessert now
8. Bruno. My parents were born in Plantagenet, know as Rutherglen
Jeanne. My parents were born in St. Marcelin des Escoumains, Que.
9. Bruno. They were from Plantagenet. Jeanne. my parents left Grand Dessert to move to Earlton and then on to Sassaginika Lake
10. Bruno. My parents came to Cobalt around 1917. Jeanne, I had a sister here Mrs. Pierre Loranger and I lived with her for awhile and met my husband and I came to Cobalt by train.
11. We came to Cobalt by train
13. Bruno. When we came to Cobalt there were my parents and six children. Jeanne When we came to Earlton we were 4 children and my parents.
14. Bruno. My dad was a carpenter at the Nipissing Mine. Jeanne, My father was a section man for the ONR
16, I am retired from the ONR since 1969
—Th. I was too young for the first war and I had too many children for the second
18. Bruno. I came from a farm and to me it was a very nice place and there were a lot of stores,
20. Bruno. My father came here to find work and we came to join him later, Jeanne. I came here to work for my sister Mrs. Pierre Loranger and I met my husband and we got married and made our home here,
21. There was all kinds of employment available the Nipissing Mine, Larose, Townsite were all hiring and there was also construction work.
22. On the ONR we worked 8 hours a day,
23. I was getting 12.40 a day
24. Bruno. Our first home was a two storey frame home on Watson St. Jeanne our first home after we were married was on North Ave. and it was a 3 apartment tenant house.
25. Bruno. Our Christmas was very quiet as we had no relatives around here, The toys were rare and we were given an orange and a few candies. Jeanne. I saw my first Christmas tree in Earlton and it was decorated with strings of popcorn. We had a few toys and we visited with neighbours. My mother made meat pied and cakes etc.
26. We had water in the house.
27. Bruno. We had electricity, Jeanne. We had coal oil lamps.
28, Wood stove only
30. We had stores on both sides of Lang St.
31. There were dance halls, theaters and we had house parties.
32. Bruno. I'd go swimming at the YMCA and I was a spectator at hockey games and ball games, I would also go the theater.
33. Bruno, I went to St. Hillarion School on O'Brien property.
34. Bruno. I finished school in grade 6
35. We had the street cars, and horse & buggies.
36. Dr. Taylor was our first family doctor,
37. We had a nice hospital and the services were very good.
38. Our first child was born in Cobalt
39&40. Maurice went to grade 9 and he was only 14 years old when he quit, he
worked for the extra gang. Norman went to grade 9 and went to work at the Silver Miller. Larose mill, he later finished his education by correspondence course, Pau__ finished school in grade 9 and went to work for Woolworth's and was transferred to Val D'Or. Albert went to grade 8 and then went to work on the extra gang. Denis quit school in grade 8 and worked for Gamble
Robinson Wholesale Store. Patricia went to Ste. Mary's Academy for two years and then worked for Sam Buckovetsky’s. Leo went to Ste, Fatima High School and went to work at the smelter.
41. My job on the railroad was general maintenance. I'd repair tracks, replace old tiles and burn grass
42. Hand mucking and hand steeling contests.
44. Fresh vegetables, meat and desserts.
46. Bruno. On Sundays we'd wear our suits, white shirts and ties. Jeanne. We
were well dressed we had special clothes that we'd wear just on Sundays.
47.Bruno. We'd go to Church then we'd go to the hall games or hockey games and
sometimes I'd play horse shoe. Jeanne. I played with paper dolls and dolls I
would also play ball
48. No.
49 & 50. I think it’s a nice friendly town we know a lot of people, its quiet and we're happy.
51. We have a few nice parks in town, they keep the town nice and clean, and the renovations of Lang St. have really improved the town.
We've lost a lot of our businesses here, such as the Freight sheds, Hydro office. Long distance telephone and many more.
53. Cobalt is good enough for me.
55. If we had a shopping center this would help us terribly. We don't have much choice in the stores and they are also quite expensive so we do some of our shopping out of town. There's not enough amusement for the teenagers. And we should also have police protection.
57. I like Cobalt all year round,
58. I go to Bingos, I belong to the Women's Institute, Les Femmes Chretienne and Hospital Auxiliary and we also play cards.
59. I knit and crochet a lot, I also do liquid embroidery
60. I wish the mines would open up to have more employment to our people. 62. We have a nice marling museum and also the mining tours in summer.
Highlights
I started working when I was 17 years old in 1923 as a section man for the ONR and worked for 462 years until my retirement in 1969. We had a reunion of boys who had went to St. Hillarion school on O'Brien Property, a lot of the boys were married by this time, this reunion was organized by Omer Sabourin now living in Ville-Marie Que. and it was held at the Elkhorn Lodge at Bass Lake. Around 1946 we had a big snow storm and all the roads were blocked and the snow banks were so high that we couldn't see the stores on in town.
Carmen Stubinski May 25, 1972
3 1/2- hours
1. John A. Gore
2. Don
4. 31 Ruby St. Cobalt
5. 679-5710
6. 46 years old
7. Kirkland Lake. Teck Hughes Property
8. My father came from Fitzerackley England. My mother from Peterboro, Ont. They were married in North Bay, moved to Kirkland Lake. Mother was left a widow with 4 children in 1929. She came to 23 Cobalt in 1930. She stayed with Mr. 8: Mrs. Nolan on Earl St. She got a big empty house on Watson St. This house was empty as no one wanted to live in it, because a man supposedly had been murdered in it and thrown to the cellar. After the man was murdered the bishop came and blessed the house. People that were living there were Italian descent, the man that was killed was a Finlander. The fight started in a poker game. He got knifed in the stomach. We moved in funny things started to happen. The toilet would flush on its own. Then you'd hear cheers like people playing at a baseball game. We were playing out in the yard one night there was a cord of wood delivered to our place. We went in the house heard a loud noise. There was a square piece of tin 30 x 30 nailed over this hole in the basement. We three children were alone. Mother was working for Mr. & Mrs. McCord. He was a mounted police here in Cobalt. The tin made a big noise and blew up. We ran screaming to the neighbours they came right away. One stayed by the hole the other searched the house. They found nothing just the burst up tin. One time mother came home and found the drawers all pulled out. Money, candy and clothes were still there, dumped out all over the room. Shortly after we moved out of the haunted house, there were reports they saw a man running away from there at times. We moved on Earl St. in a house that belonged to Jack McGale, the house is still there. We moved to the Coniagas Property 1931-32. My mother's brother Uncle Harry Fraser came to live with us. Mother worked and also made homemade bread, buns and donuts and sold them to different people, Joe my brother used to deliver them to her customers. Mrs. Frank Todd was a customer. Mother and Bill Peebles got married in the mid 301s, Bill Peebles was a plumber. This man was a well known respected character. He was born on the Isle of Man came to Canada with his dad in 1905. His dad was a machinist he worked at Joe Sweets Machine Shop down by the TNO siding. Bill started to work there too. He started there as an apprentice. Then he became associated with Jake Fy4sit in the old red fire hall.
He learned plumbing there and worked there for a good many years. Bill Peebles lid plumbing in practically every establishment in Cobalt. He started plumbing in 1907 and did plumbing till the day he died in 1958. He lived by himself
in the old Cobalt Hotel on Swamp Street. He had a room there. One time he got a call to come and move a stove in a blind pig joint. There were 4 men lifting the stove it was so heavy they took the lids off to see what made it so heavy. It was stacked and jammed tight with high grade leaf silver. Bill was a very strong man one night on park street in a blind pig there was a ruckus Bill was put in Sail for fighting and being drunk. Jake Eydt came and got him out as they needed him on a job.
In 1911 Jake Eydt got an order to install the first hot air furnace in Kirkland Lake. The year the power plant went into Sandy Falls. They installed furnaces and did plumbing for the plant. In those days they bought galvanized iron in sheets, car load, lots of everything, they used in those days were handmade. In Jake's shop they made articles for the mines, prospectors,
dairies etc. One night in the Cobalt Hotel there was a big poker game. Bob O'Gorman and Bill Peebles saw this man come and hid a big roll of money under a garbage can. He hid it there while the party was on. Bill was a hard worker, --but he also liked his liquor. He would take a 25 oz. bottle tip it to his lips and drink it down in one drink. He was a man's man, after he married mother
he didn't drink so much. Jake Eydt at one time had 30 to 40 men working for him in his business. They used to carry their tools by horse wagon or sleigh. They did a lot of work for Northern Ontario Power, at Hound Chutes, Ragged Chutes, Kerr Lake, and Silver Centre. When Jake retired, he gave his business to Bill. Business had dropped off.
So he left Bill his tools and equipment. Through Bill's drinking and RITA changing of times business deteriorated. He was a master mechanic but no business man lost the majority. He then rented from Mr. Giachino behind the store
on Silver Street had his own plumbing shop. Depression hit things got worse; He moved to the Coniagas property and operated from his own home. He still made roof jacks stove pipes, as progress came, hand made articles couldn't keep with machines. I started to work with Bill at Mrs. Benny's house, where Cy Bazinet lives today. Mrs. Benny died so he and the children moved away. We drained the plumbing so it wouldn't freeze. In the 1940's, when they moved the town hall to the YMCA, we took out the police cells. We put 2 of them in the
old Herbert block, we tore all the plumbing and heating out of the old town hall. Bill took over the contract for TTL he did all the plumbing and heating system. Hand made piping etc. for the dust collectors. Pipes had to be made to fit buildings. Bill did it. The professional engineers working for the Ontario Government were amazed; it was an art in itself, the skill of the plumbing.
Joe Houston, Mr. Young and Mr. Sinclair examined it. Ha and mother bought two houses down town next to the hotel. One belonged to Paddle Knap who worked at the ONR Freight office. Frank Cassie a mining machinery man did plumbing for them. Through Bill Peebles knowing so much about the water situation. This is where I got some of the information on the protection of the water shed. Bill was very self conscious of water pollution. He told me years ago, we'd have to go back to the land with this stuff. He may be proven right.
16. Stationery engineer, licensed plumber in Provincial and inter-provincial. 23. I got 500 per week when I first started to help Bill.
33. Started school in the annex in the old Public School yard. TI annex was moved and integrated with the High School.
35. Feet, street cars and trains, horses used to ride Tom Belanger's ice wagon. Harry's Bakery delivered by horse.
36. Dr. Schmidt.
38. Lady Minto Hospital New Liskeard
39. Virginia finished Highschool took commercial went to work for Dep't of Mines in Toronto. Joseph finished grade 13 and went to work for the Department of Highways. I have 2 still going to school.
48. Plumbing tools of Bill Peebles
49. The people
50. Native ingenuity
51. Streets kept clean
52. I wasn't happy to see the hospital go. It was straight economics. I wasn't happy at all to see the telephone offices go. We lost our Hydro; we've lost some of our churches. We are in the process of losing our schools. Most important of all we are losing our local autonomy. Already the cestodes are moving in with an eye on our water sheds. There is no place in the province of Ontario that owns their own water but the town of Cobalt. The last belongs to the crown. For 60 years we have kept this much shed restored in its natural state. It has provided the residents of Cobalt with a pure water supply at a very moderate cost. No where else can you take a cup and scoop a cup of water out of a lake and drink it. If we had a local health board in Cobalt we wouldn't have the problems we are having, today. Let's keep the one thing we have left. Our pure good Cobalt water.
53. like Cobalt, wouldn't live anywhere else.
55. yes
56. First we have Hydro at our finger tips. Unique source of power, air power, as we have, any industry that specifically requires air driven machinery or tools can operate in this area. We have it in its raw material state.
57. All seasons
58. Prospecting, hunting and fishing
59. Canoeing, writing poetry
60. We need knowledgeable people from the government with financial hacking.
61. tourists
62. First Bass Lake. The natural sources fishing, hunting, unique scenery for artists, photography, clear air, pure good water, snowmobiling, skiing, riding trails, walking trails, arena, canoeing, boating,
Name of Interviewer: Carmen Stubinski Date of Interview: March 14
Interviewer: Time: 1 1/2 hrs.
1. Mrs. Ida Greening (Mrs. Walter)
2,
3, Ida Higgins
4. 679-8177
5. 82 Jamieson St. Cobalt
6. 47
7. Parry Sound
8.
9.
10. Car 1939
11. Car with trailer on the back
12. East, North on No. 11 Highway
13. Mine of us
14. miner
15, never worked
16. winter works program
17. housewife
18. never saw a town so rugged
19. I was depression years not busy
20. I came because my mother and dad came
21.
22.
23.
24. A large Frame house on the buffalo property that belonged to Bill McKinnon. I can remember our neighbours were Mrs. Frank Riley, Bob McAlister, the Borrie's, and Tom Mulholland Mrs. Gilmour. There use to be a long building the mine use that was turned,
into a apartment house
25. Poor. We go our Xmas cheer from the town. My dad was picking Cobalt for Alf Rowland Jimmie Parsons
26. in house
27. Hydro
28. Wood stove
29. Quebec Heater
30. There were quite a few stores
31. The only time we ever went to a show. Was when you would get in free if you brought
a broken tag to be repaired for xmas cheer parcels
32. Slide down hill on cardboard boxes play in the shafts. Walk the pipe line
33. Old public school. I can remember the Tressider boys going, Albert Chitaroni, Bob McLeod, Joyce Leaper and Marg Winks
34. not very many
35. trains
36. Dr, Wallingford his office was in the Fraser Hotel
37. Cobalt mines hospital. I was in it too
38. Timmins
39.
40.
41.
42.
43. same as anyone else
44. Large meals
45. Dress bare feet in summer
46. Best Clothes
47. played
48.
49. Handy to downtown
50, with there were more stores to shop in so I wouldn't have to go out of town to shop
51, Fixed the streets. Made New Streets. Tore down old buildings and made a perk.
52. They should build up Lang Street, sill it up with stores. It's an eye sore in spots.
53. no
54.
55. yes
56. It would change for the better if we could get more jobs for people. Lots of jobs makes a better place for everyone
57. summer
58. Don’t go out, watch T.V.
59. Sew, do fancy work
60. There are quite a few making a living now, with the winter works programme, but in summer with mining so slack now around Cobalt. Min I think it’s the price of silver, it’s not worth mining it. The price has to go up
61. Tourists
62. Sight seeing, Cobalt Festival, Dunning Drive.
Simone Bedard May 19, 1972
3 hours
1. Jeannette Haden
3. Jeannette Nadeau
4. 13 Pyrite St.
5. 679-5991
7. My mother was born on Jan.24, 1878 at St. Jean Chrysostone Levis, My father was born in 1873 at Hamsud Quebec. As a young man he lived at Capelton and Shawinigan Falls, where he worked under water as a diver.
One of Cobalt's earliest pioneers, Mr. Joe Nadeau came to this district in
1902 coming up Lake Temiskaming by boat as the railway had not yet been built. His business here was mainly contracting, though he did work as a professional diver on occasion. Dad saw Cobalt grow from a few tents and shacks to a hustling
mining town, and always took a keen interest in town affairs. He served a number of years on the council about the time when Thomas Wainwright was mayor.
In 1901 he married Miss Henedine Lapierre of St. Jean Chrysostone. He came North in 1902 but did not bring his family until 1907. When we arrived there was Albert, Jeannette, Maurice , Mom and Dad. Our first home was on Lang St.
In the first years of Cobalt there were a lot of people from different nationalities and Cobalt was a very tuff place ever so often we would hear w gun shot going off and there were a lot of fights.
My dad was a miner when he first came to Cobalt and then he bought a team of horses and started selling water by the Pail every home in Cobalt had a rain barrel to collect their water supply for washing clothes etc. Being a
diver he was often called out of town for diving. Then he started to buy himself more horses as he went on. He dolt with farmers and he exchanged for cows, he also sold milk. He had race horses and we'd go to Earlton Thornloe, Ville Marie and New Liskeard for the racing. He also owned a livery stable with cutters,
sleighs and buggies and as the boys grew they each had their jobs with the horses, they had weight pulling and lifting with horses and his two sons Gus and Maurice use to work the horses in these competitions events. Dad was one of the first
ones to open the road to Boston Creek with his team of horses.
Dad did the repairs on the Meteor boat, that travelled people and livestock across Lake Temiskaming and there was piano music and entertainment on every trip. The bottom part of the boat was used for livestock and the top part for the travelling people.
Dad was the first one to dig a grave at the Silverland Cemetery and he also dug graves at the Catholic cemetery and did both until hid death.
The last time my dad dived it was at Baie des Quinze and he was 68
years old.
I went to St. Hillarion School and was married in St. Hillarion Church on the O'Brien Property. Dr. Routier was one of the first DRS. in Cobalt.
Carmen Stubinski May 6,1972 5 hours
1. Milton Halstead
2. Milt
4. 43 Ruby Street, Cobalt
5. 679-5567
6. 67 years old
7. Roland Manitoba (born on a farm)
8. Mother link Pinkham Ont. Father - Belleville
10. 1936 - went away came back to live in 1937
11. train
14. mining engineer
15. bookkeeper
16. mine manager - silver shields mine
17. housewife
18. I like Cobalt since the day I arrived I started with the O'Brien as mine
engineer. I got moved to a gold mine at Cline Lake by O'Brien. When the Second World War started, Cobalt ore became a strategic mineral. I was sent back to Cobalt by war time technical personnel board. I was interviewed and came back to Cross Lake lease, which O'Brien was operating here. Duncan McLeod. Tom Jackson, Carm Dunigan Lorne Humphries got the lease. Cobalt being in demand mainly we went after Cobalt ore. Cobalt was around $1.10 per lb. then.
In the spring everything had turned green, and over at the O'Brien property it was beautiful. Pete Leith, Ed Anderchuck next was my house, Dr. and Mr. Stark lived there, next to them Carm Dunigan, Art Moss next was the O'Brien Mess and recreation Hall 1000 ft. away up the hill were the barns and work horses further over was the mine managers house. The manager was Mike Kennedy. Nest to their house was the quest house (where John Larabie3ives today), with the tennis court, down the road from Mikes was a whole street of houses, first John Anderchuck, Vincent O'Shaughnessy, Art Brown was across the street. Henry Matiola lived there
19. It was after depression and the town was not too busy. I remember Mrs. Hugh Park with her horse and buggy coming to town every day. Her driver was John Rody.
20. Came in 1936 for the O'Brien
22. 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
23. $175. per month
24. A log home on the O'Brien property the logs were 1 ft. in diameter. That home is still standing, sheeted over. It was one stony. It had beautiful hardwood floors, oak, there was a living room, 3 2 bedrooms, kitchen and bath.
25. We had a ball Xmas night, went our with Mamie and Mike Cunningham.
Cal and Vi Taylor. We partied all night dancing, drinking and visit from house to another usually ended up at Anderchuck's. We had all conveniences in our houses at the O'Brien.
30. Shopping was good in Cobalt; Eaton’s had a grocery store where the Dominion was when it burned down. There was Pete McEwen Irwin’s on top of the hill, Ross Grocery store on Nickel and Prospect. Larry Stadleman’s variety, Reckin and Lowery's wholesales
31. We had a tennis court and skating at the O'Brien and tennis courts at Sass Lake. Dances in the old town hall where TTL is today, skiing, lots of Tally Ho parties, sleigh riding parties on Colonial hill. We played lots of bridge with Claude and Minnie 0-.Shaughnessy Austin and Eve McLaren Mike and Mamie Cunningham, the Leith's, George and Lil of part Prate, Phil Wolfe and his wife. We had lots of parties, made our own fun.
34. Graduated from Winnipeg University, Manitoba 1929, BSc.
35: Cars, trains. I remember them taking out the street cars. Alf Fennah went
over the new Ferguson Highway. His car sank in t1 highway and it never was recovered. It was 15 miles south of Martin River. The Highway Dep't of the Provincial government gave him a new car.
36. Dr. Case
37. Miner’s hospital. Miss Knight was in charge. Nurses resided where Buffam’s home is today. The hospital was in front of it.
38. Haileybury hospital
39. 21 years old
41. The mines were very rich O'Brien at Gowganda was rich too. It has been running ever since 1905. The miners contests were revived during the
50th anniversary celebration of Cobalt, 1953. Milk Halstead, Chairman, Ellen Giffen secretary. We used carbide lamps underground.
First electric lamps used were at Silver Miller Mines 1951-52
47. Church. In summer take my boat up the Montreal River for the day. Fish-sun both. I feel Jim Armstrong deserves a lot of credit for getting Norton Cooper to appropriate $120,000 for exploration on the South Giroux
Lake discovery, which today has opened up at least 3 rich silver mines which are being prepared for mining. I discovered Green Lake Silver Mine in the fall of 1961, Phil Cain had a lease on the old Bailey years ago. He was mining Cobalt. The mine ail discovered was within 7 feet of where Phil had quit working. We took over 3,000,000,00 oz. of ore out of there. A few hundred feet to the west the Alexandra shaft on the Extension of our ore. Have been mining since 1963 Silverfields and produced 10,000,000,00 oz of silver. The day we made the find we cut silver on hole 21 for 69 feet. Phil wouldn't believe it. I took him over and showed it to him. He couldn't believe it. Silverfields is a rich little mine and Giroux Lake (Giroux Lake is a brand new mine).
49. One of the finest towns in Ontario that’s why I built a home to retire here. I like the people. They are sociable, people always help without
being asked when I was building my house. There were always 2 or 3 people wanting to help me.
51. I do like the way they have been cleaning up the town. The little park. people restoring and painting their homes. There's more pride in the town. The people of the Mastermet property are happy to own their own land at last. There is a lot of remodeling and new houses going up at' that end of the town. Its just like a face lifting.
52. I definitely didn't like the government moving the provincial Geologist out of Cobalt where he was so badly needed. He gave excellent service with the loss of Dr. Thompson; we can't get any information now. We miss him and the daily information we were able to get. The station closing was a great drawback, ONR long distance and hydro. In the old days we could go to the Cobalt foundry get and get anything we wanted. Now we have to go to New Liskeard. The changes in the foundry since being taken over by Wabi Iron Works it’s now impossible to get the quick service and we used to get from Cobalt foundry. You could get a lot made anything you needed right away regardless of size or price now it has to be a $20. order. The mail service is not what it use to be. We used to be able to put our mail on the late train, Toronto would get it the next morning. Now its 2, 3, or 4 days Wed. I mailed Norton Cooper at head office all articles on new mint project at Silver Shields . Friday night Norton Cooper phoned me. He still had not received the articles I mailed him. Mail services have deteriorated in this area.
55. yes
56. Would like to see Latchford, Coleman and Cobalt, become the improvement district of Cobalt. Then we can take in industry. Would like to see the restoration program go through to completion
57. I like summer here. That why I go south in the winter.
59. Carpentry, painting, built my own house and patio. I have worked for LIMN for years since 1945 Mining engineer of Ontario and Quebec, belong to Engineering Institute of Canada. Elder United Church. I am trying hot to be so active this last year.
60. When money was free we had dozens of properties operating; now the restrictions on 0.S, they have clamped down. Any new industry would help there's all kinds of lime stone; we could have a cement industry here. We could also use our own raw materials suitable to industry. There are millions of tons of tailings for fertilizer. If the price of silver goes up, there would be financers, mining people who would go north for exploration, also tourists. A mine set up by the Dept of education affiliated with the Haileybury School of Mines could serve for educational purposes such as practical experience to the students and an added attraction to tourists in the summer.
62. The natural beauty of its own, mining tours, Ragged Chutes blow off. Museum, rock hounds, paradise, artist haven, hiking trails,
nature trails, cross country skiing. We have all kinds of hills for unorganized sports such as skiing and snowmobiling.
Highlights
I worked for A.B.Pilliner 1947 -48 Ossie is mining and reduction operating Geneses and Silver Cliff Mine and the Blue Berry mine. During the depression 1- million dollars in wages were paid, Sometimes Pilliner sold everything
he owned to pay the men and meet expenses. Mr. Pilliner was a darkie and worked very hard at trying to make ends meet to keep the mine operating.
Joanna Stubinski Date of Interview: Feb. 23
Length: 1 1/4 hrs
1. Mrs. Irene Shawera
2. Linda
3. Irene Linda Benson
4. 32 Baker St.
5.
6. 23 yrs. old
7. Kapuskasing, Ont.
8. Mother Chapleau
9. Kapuskasing
10. 1971
11. Car
12. Hwy. 11, from Toronto
13. 3
14. School teacher
15. clerk
16. miner
17. homemaker
18. Small town, very friendly people
19. Came in the summer and really liked it
20. because my husband came
21.
22.
23.
24. 5 room bungalow
25. quiet, stayed at home
26. in house
27. Hydro 23. electric
29. Gas
30. All the ones here now
31. shows, Binge's
32. Tobogganing
33.
34.10 yrs.
35. buses, trains, cars
36. Dr. Belland
37. Good
38. Kapuskasing, Ont
40.. Too young
41.
42.
43.
44.
45. slacks
46. cress.
47. usually at the arena at hockey games
48. My mother's watch
49. mostly everything about it
50. You don't have to worry about your children playing outside
51.
52.
53.
54.
55. no
56.
57. summer
58. Knitting
60. A light industry, that might give permanent work to men, teenagers and women of this town. If the price of silver would go up the mines would open and existing mines would rehire the employees they laid off. Canadians are afraid to invest their own money in Canada. We need a large American Co, to do explorations around Cobalt. No one had done any explorations under the dye base.
61. People retiring from a large city because of the cost of living in the city, hustle and Bustle and pollution problems of the city,
62. Mining museum, Historic sites, mining tours, Hunting and fishing, Bass Lake, Portage Bay, New Sharp Lake park, plenty of fresh lakes for swimming.
Highlights
Irene is a young married woman, expecting a new baby anytime. They just moved here in June. So there isn't too much to say. But she just loves it here.
Carmen Stubinski Date of Interview: Feb. 29
Length of Interview: 1 hr.
1. Anne Shoup
2.
3. Anne Aitkin
4. Cobalt St.
5. No phone
6. 27
Shelbourse, Ontario
8. Father Scotland, Mother Canada she died when I was 7 yrs. old
9. Shelbourne, Ontario
10. 1962 left Cobalt returned in 68 to stay
11. Car 12 no. 11 Highway,
12. welding
15. nil
16. welder
17. Homemaker
18. The looks of the town was terrible, but as far as the people go they are Al
19. Busier than it is now
20. Game to Cobalt on a holiday, and ended up staying
21. There was quite a bit of work in 1968 there was lots of work but not in 1962
22.
23,
24. 3 room house in Gillis Limit 1962 Paid $5. per month rent
25. With in laws at Gillis
26. Carried from neighbours next door 50 feet
27. Hydro
28. wood stove
29. heated building with coal stove
30. Same as there is now. There was T.B.S. here and Laura's shop
31. hotels
32. none
33.
34. 12 yrs.
35. buses, cars, trains
36. Dr. Belland
37. Good
38. Toronto
39. still at school
40.
41.
42.
43.
44.
45.slacks
46. slacks
47.Nothing than what I usually do during the week
48. I have a watch and ring that was my mothers
49. It’s home
50. Friendly people
51. Since Mr. Mathews has become mayor there has been lots of old shacks torn down New Parks, miners Festival
52. feel bad about the unemployment situation
53.yes
54. Don't like the rents and the cost of living in Cobalt
55. see more work
56. Would like to see some industry with no pollution. Good steady pay roll for men and women
57. summer
58. watch tv
59. sewing, jig saw puzzles, knitting
60 They are giving to have to bring in something, because there is nothing. If the price of silver went up. The mines would be open and the smelters too. An awful lot of people made their money out of Cobalt. They didn't but should put some of the money back in Cobalt
61. Quite a bit, miners Festival, Recreation our parts pur lakes are just beautiful and the friendly people
62. someone who has money
Mrs. Shoup--.seems very intelligent and is living on Welfare separated from her husband--has enrolled in a R.N.A. course for next September-to be able to support her children and be independent.
1.Bruno Guiseppe Simoni
2. Spaghetti- --
3. Geraldine MacDonald wife
4. 136 Lang St.
5. 679-8465
6. 35 years old
7. Soligo Province of Treviso Italy
8. Soligo Province of Treviso Italy
9. Italy
10. February 28, 1957
11. By boat to New York on the liner "Constitution"
12.New York to Toronto from Toronto to North Bay
13. Came alone because my sister and her husband were already here and
for me saying I would find a job here - there was no back home and my mother was a widow raising a family of five
14. Two weeks after I arrived I began working at Agnico Mines
15. was employed in Dalton Dean's office in Haileybury as a secretary
16. I am a Bricklayer by trade and I work for Link Lake Construction
17. Housewife18.
18. It a desolate looking town some of the mines were closing and
Elliott Lake was just starting quite a few families moved to Elliott lake at the time of the boom. I was promised a good job with bonus pay, so I went to Denison Mine for two years
19. It was a quiet town with about 2700 people, some of the mines were operating and I had no difficulty getting work.
20. I came to Cobalt expecting to find a job and was employed 2 weeks after I got here.
21. The principal industry was mining we had the Cobalt Foundry, Northern Metal Co., and TTL (Temiskaming 22. Testing Laboratory)
23. 8 hours a day and 44 hour week
24. About $1.30 per hour
25. Was married in 1962 and I rented a small apartment on Lang Street
In 1967 I bought a house on Lang Street from Mrs. Rochon who moved to Timmins. It was a roomy house with 6 rooms. I completely remodelled it beginning with a new foundation and new chimney panelled all the walls stuccoed the outside - it had 2 large bedrooms a living room, dining room kitchen and bathroom
26. Always had not and cold water system
27. Electricity with all the conveniences, TV, automatic washer, fridge, stove, toaster, iron, kettle, mixmaster and radio.
28. Use electric stove for heating
29. Oil furnace. I am now renting a 5 room double house since 1971 for $145 a month.I feel there should be an investigation into the price of renting in the area, especially Cobalt.
30. There were still quite a few stors when I arrived, Buck’s, TBS, Smith’s Men’s Wear, Chinese Laundry, Peters, Tackle & Gift Shop. Ascillino had a rooming house with store downstairs sold clothing shoes assortment of jewelry and china. Rowdon’s Hardware, Blacks Hardware, 3 restaurants, Damiany Grocery, Quality Grocery, Despres Grocery, Empire Meat Market, and of course every Friday was market day where you could buy fresh meat and produce and dairy products.
31. Theatre, Finn Hall where we held many Italian Dances. Some of the best times I’ve had were there., Community Hall, Legion and our two hotels, Fraser House and Miner’s Home.
32. Soccer both in Italy and here, there was a tri-own soccer team started name of Cohalis the first two letters of Cobalt, Haileybury and the first three of New Liskeard.
33. In Italy
34. Grade 8, took a separate course for a few months in English
35. Bus, train, cars, air travel from Earlton or North Bay
36. Dr. Dunning
37. Misericordia Hospital in Haileybury there was no Hospital in Cobalt
38. In Haileybury, all three
39. Still school age and the youngest is 6 months
40. Not working
41. I found working conditions quite good this was the first mine I ever worked in.
42. Drill contests, mucking contests and I got a first prize in drilling and second prize in mucking in the 1966 trials.
43. Lunch pail - sandwiches and coffee
44. Main meal was always suppertime
45. I can remember always wearing sports clothes except when working on plastering.
46. On Sundays dressed in good suit to go to Church then usually change to sports top
47. Watch TV in winter I ski in summer we go to the lake or I like driving around
48. have a set of tools that I brought from Italy which I treasure
49.The new buildings downtown. new subdivisions have done a good job of renovating old buildings, 2 nice parks and everyone seems to be renovating their homes and lots.
50.makes the town look better
51. the downtown area looks better with all the new buildings that have gone up, motel unit, new Red & White, new Library, new Deluxe Grill
52.I don't like the looks of the two muck cars downtown painted silver and rust - they should have been left in their natural form & colour
53.Yes there are several things I don't like about Cohalt
54. Don't like educational system of bussing the children out of town to school when we have schools right here. Don't think the rents should be as high as they are. I am paying $145. monthly for only 5 rooms and I have heard of other instances about high rental they are much too high for the labour and should be investigated.
55. Yes I would like to see some changes
56, We should entice new business places in town and give local labor the
opportunity of a job there are no public bids on jobs - these should all be up for public tender to give everyone a fair chance. I know I have asked about some jobs when I heard they were starting and in
town here you have to be a relative to get one. I am thinking of
starting my own business and I have not had any encouragement or help
in any way. I could perhaps contract and hire a few people.
57. I enjoy summer the best because you can go out and enjoy the nice weather
58. Like to follow sports on TV ski in winter, swim and go to the lake in summer and driving around.
59. I like carpentry work and I like bricklaying
60. Secondary industry locate new foundries or factories perhaps technical school for the young to learn their trades
61. We should definitely encourage tourist trade as this is a good area for this
62. We have an excellent museum mining tours, historical spots, lakes for fishing, beaches for swimming good spots for hunting and all easily accessible.
Highlights
I went back to Italy to live in 1969 w sold my home furnishings car and all-left but I only stayed over for about 8 months. There were no opportunities for me there. I came back to Cobalt in 1970 and like it here. I would like
I would like to start my own business and stay here so I am hoping for some encouraging help from municipal heads in the way of some contracts and I will start my business at once, I hope to realize this sometime soon before I have to go elsewhere
Carmen Stubinski Feb. 16, 1972
1 ¾ hrs
1. Mrs. Theresa Slaght (Elliott)
2.
3. Sabourin
4. 28 Silver St. Cobalt
5. 679-5917
6. 47
7. Cobalt, Ontario
8. Mother Ironside, Que., Father Hull, Quebec
9. Married in Cobalt 1908
10. Oct. 16, 1925
11.
12.
13. 8
14. Storekeeper
15. Worked at the Haileybury Hotel all my life
16. Liquor Store Manager
17. Homemaker
18. too young
19.
20.
21. baby
22. Seven days a week, no days off, 12 to 15 hours a day sometime
23. $20.00 per month, $9.46 every 2 wks, overtime 25cents per hr.
24.Frame wooden building
25. Worked, because my Mother had a stroke
26. in the house, cold water only.
27. electricity
28. wood stove
29. quebec heater
30. Buckovetskys, Cora had a candy shop, sold pure silk stockings, Vellis ladies wear, Woolworths
31. Go to dances at community hall
32.
33. yes
34. nine years
35. Street cars
36. Dr. Taylor
37. Yes, The Miners hospital. It had long stairs going in with bannisters around them and there were beds all over that you could see
38. Haileybury Hospital
39. Still going to school,
40. to young
41. I remember bringing my dad's lunch to the assay office at the O'Brien Mine 104, on my lunch hour. We walked there on our noon hour
42.
43.
44. Same as we eat now
45. Nothing we were so tired from working
46. Navy blue jumpers and white blouses
47. Really dressed up groovie grinder dresses
48. .Went picnicking to Bass Lake on Trudels Coca Cola truck. We would
make our ice cream at home and take it to the picnic in the freezer
49.. Little sterling silver spoons. My mother in law gave me were
over 125 years old
50. Its a little town
51. A good place to raise children. No pollution, good friendly
atmosphere
52. Parks, new steps and Grandview and Prospect, Community Hall
up dated
53. Have 3 banks, now we are down to one. Long distance and Northern
Telephone moved to New Liskeard. The Railway centralized the
operations in New Liskeard. Pop factory moved
54. No
55.
56.Would like to see an industry come in
57. Broom, hockey stick manufacturers - anything to make more
employment
58. summer time
59. Watch the kids play hockey
60. Make waste paper baskets out of old crocks pasting old stamps on them, upholstering, pottery, sew, knit
61. The world marketing has dropped which caused the mines to close. We have to get secondary industry in the area.
62. Particulary all kinds of pe6ple'mould be interested as we have all denominations of friendship to offer
63. Boating, hunting and fishing, Lots of lakes, good recreation.
HIGHLIGHT
Mrs. Slaght is a quite person, doing many crafts, when she
is not busy looking after her family. A good mother and homemaker.
Joanna Stubinski Date of Interview: March 8, 1972
Time 3 hrs.
1. Mrs. Charlie Smith
2. Orpha
3. Church
4. 7 Helen St
5. 679-8200
6. 81
8. Father in Calabogie, Mom in Arnprior
9. Ottawa Valley
10. trains were packed with foreigners , Orpha, her sister and sister-in-law came together
these with fur caps sat across from them, The men decided to eat so started un¬packing the lunch sack. opened a can of meat with jack knife sister started to giggle and then they all started to giggle and then the men got mad. Then they took out a long roll of bread snapped it in half, over knee the broke it off with their hands,
were really glad their husbands met them in the Bay, because they were afraid of the men when they got to Cobalt they could hardly get off the train for the men and people. Her husband had bought a store keeper out and had had all the food delivered for she arrived to her little black shack on Earl St.
C.P.R. and T.N.N.O.
Lots of relatives here and husband, no children yet
14. Miner
15. Housewife
16. dead
17. Housekeeper, her son Eric lives with her.
18. Liked cobalt, because it was busy, but really suffered with the cold.
19. Busy roads had to buy their water by pail when water was delivered the water man would nick the door frame, with the nicks reached to bottom they would have to pay. had to save dish water to scrub the floor. Also gathered snow to melt for water. Her and her husband found a little spring on Earl St. They sat beside it so other people wouldntt notice. So he sent Orpha home for a pail and dipper, so they go one fresh pail of water i to drink. The next morning her husband went to get some more water and found an old Finlander there in no time at all everyone knew about the spring and it dried up. There were quite a few springs running aut of rock cuts
20. Came because husband was here
21. mining, store clerks
22. 8 hrs. per day
23.75 per day
24. Little shack, one room, bed at one end, stove at other, Went out a lot so didn't stay home too long.
25. Went to Christmas programs had a lovely tree. lots of food and drinks which men enjoyed
26. Drew the water, filled up the barrels. Then a few yrs, later the town put up a pipe about a block from their home. then they had to aarry it. They had to pay the town for putting up the pipe.
27. Coal and oil lamps and carbine lamps. Bought all oil at Rowden's he did a very good business in coal oil
28. Wood stove
29. Wood or coal found it very cold
30. Beautiful shops, down to the end of Lang St. Mrs. McDougall had a ladies shop, down in Tressider’s parking lot
31. 5 theatres, vaudeville shows, ropes across theatres and people would ride bicycles, across them country doctors, in tents selling snake oil, preached about it, peddled medicine everywhere
32. Always had horse and dog in the winter In the Cobalt lake
33.
34. Grade 8
35. Horse and buggy wagons, snow ploughs made of wood drawn by horses, livery stables sidewalks up high over roads. Charlie and Orpha would rent a horse and Buggy on
Sunday for Brady Lake, with friends, or just went for rides
36. Dr. Taylor, Dr. Cain or Schmidt
37. All children born at hone
39. Just as soon as they finished school
40. Eric, Railroad, Gordon, Railroad, Eddy-, Mining Eng. , Alf, Miner
Duggie, Railroad, Eilleen Telephone, Lena, Telephone, Donald, Mines
41. The mines started with a hole, then would build shaft over it.
42. Then the town got going good they had drilling and mucking hand steeling and other contests. The Ball Park out at west Cobalt, always a busy place, women would go and watch the ball games, everyday if possible, They even bought in stampedes, One day Orpha and her husband were watching a game and she saw a big husky fellow walking with a tiny women. She said she knew the man so asked who he was, and couldn't remember
the name, Her husband said it was Ambrose Murphy and he was going to marry that girl Orpha said she remembers that as plain as day.
43. Meat, Eggs and Potatoes for breakfast, very heavy meals, and deserts
44. same, always ate frozen lunches as it was so cold at the mine. They bought a house after 2 yrs. and paid $4.00 ground rent a month.
45. Housedress, heavy wollen stockings as it was so cold
46. Dolled up
47. Went to Church and would walk all day, after children born never went out much. Went to the show 3 or 4 times a week as it only costs 5 cents
48. some furniture from first house, table and dresser, dishes over for years old, and a cake plate and mothers pictures
49. Likes it its better now but had more fun in the early days
50. memories
51. like all changes, sorry the recreation director had to be fired
52. no
53 likes it as it is
54.
55. yes
56. Lots of things, Cobalt will be good yet. It always comes back
57.Spring,summer and winter
58. belongs to lodges and church groups, goes to the teas
59. sewing and plants and flowers
50. Thinks it’s awful, if people would plant gardens, grow more food, keep it for winter. More people should do for themselves.
61. People living here their hones are here. just want to stay here as she loves it
62. Museum, library, community Hall, Churches, tours, Hunting and fishing theatre, Historic sites.
Highlights:
Orpha's interview was terrific. A sweet old lady with so many stories to tell. She told me ( she could tell stories for a week or more of different things that happened in Cobalt. A tape recorder would be the answer there. She would not live any place else but Cobalt as all her memories of the wonderful times she had still linger in her mind. As though they happened yesterday.
Joanna Stubinski:
Please add this to Mrs. Charlie Smith's interview:
At one time in Cobalt there was quite a fair size island at the end of Cobalt Lake. The
Mining men wanted to get rid of it. so they drilled underneath it. then blasted. It spun around and around until it hit bottom. Mrs. Smith said the sound and the feeling it gave her was awful. It was really something to see.
There were people that came from all over just to see this. People that came from Toronto This happened over 30 yrs. ago. After sinking the island they had it mined.
Orpha also remembered the washing of the Nipissing hill. They did this so they could
see where the veins of silver were. They used a hose 5" in diameter, had to use a saw horse because they were so big.
The water pressure was so great it uprooted trees. It was another interesting thing to see.
This took 2 months to do. People came from all over to watch. When they finished you could see the veins of silver and Cobalt. It was beautiful. This was in 1918 the hill was a qully with a thousand stumps or more, still there today
Mrs. Smith’s father would have been 111 in four months when he died.
She showed mea framed picture with the following writing from the Province of Ontario to her dad.
Mr. Spencer Church Calabogie, Ontario
May I extend to you on behalf of the Government of the Province of Ontario
Heartiest congratulations on you one hundredth Birthday and good wishes for your Health and Happiness
Parliament Buildings
Toronto
Provincial Secretary (couldn't make out his name)
Name of interviewe: Joanna Stubinski Date: March 7 1972
Interview
Joanna Stubinski March 7, 1972
1 ½ hrs
1. Mrs. Gordon Smith
2. Ena
3. McCrank
4. RR #1 Gillies
5. 679-5780
6. 49
7. 1922, North Cobalt
8. Parents came from Ottawa vicinity
9. Ottawa
10. 3 wks. old
11. Came on box car, day of fire, Oct. 4, 1922, then lived in Cobalt, because house burnt down. Nearly died of smoke inhalation. Father told her she had turned black, but came around.
12. by rail
13. 8 with parents
14. Railroad, 0.N.R.
15. started to train for a nurse, but had to stay home to look after father when mother died
16. O.N.R. Office Supervisor in New Liskeard
17. Housewife, Husband was in 2nd world war for 4 yrs. bits of a bomb went through his back it was broken in France, Back still gives him a lot of trouble
18. Only went to tavern on Saturday, remembers Lang St. full of stores, Always came to market with her mother and had to carry a huge basket home, the market was at the old T.T.L. Mother used to do translating for the Doctors on Sat. Also went to Stock brokers, very busy place
19. Same as now except for more stores
20. House burnt out, in 1922 fire
21. Mining, store clerks, accountants
22.
23.
24. Flat roof, lots of stove pipes, 5 bedrooms, big pantry dark wood, big verandah and garden father kept chickens, had a huge cellar on bed rock
25. Remembers xmas when it was raining out, got moccasins but couldn't wear them, Had a tree
26. in house
27. Hydro
28. Wood
29. Coal and quebec Heaters
30. Remembers many shops up Lang St. Hats shop and MacDiarmid’s
31. Sleigh rides, skated, played games in snow, ball, went to the odd show.
32.Skated and skied every Saturday
33. St. Pat's, Cobalt High
34. 13
35. Walked horses and sleigh, street cars, then buses
36. Dr. Case
37. Mother had broken arm, went home from school to visit mom nurses put her out. It was
a ramshackle looking building
38. Haileybury Hospital Dr. Arnold
39. Bob and Carol both in School
40.
41.
42.
43. Don't know, father was an accountant
44.
45.Mother made clothes
46.Dressed up
47.Went to Church also in evening ate big meal, had visitors
48. Aunt gave her, sugar shaker and cream jug, silver ware
49. It’s home
50. Sentimental reasons
51. Liked the move down to Gillies because of summer and scenery in Cobalt, likes new store and Town looks nice
52.no
53.no
54.
55. No
56.
57. summer
58.her hobbies and shovelling snow
59. Pottery sewing and woodwork
60. more industry
61. Permanent residents, ex Cobalters
62, Tavern, roam around, Historic Sites, tours, scenery, hunting and fishing
The Smith's lived at 24 nickel St. for over 20 yrs. then built the new home on the Lake, which is just beautiful. Ena does many things with her hands especially making stools, cupboards and different pieces of wood work, Was a terrific neighbour.
Name of Interviewer: Joanna Stubinski Date of Interview: Feb. 23
Interview: Length: 1 1/2 hrs.
1. Mrs. Jessie Smith
2.
3. F i f e
4. 6 Nickel
5. 679-8195
6. 82
7. Bernie, Scotland
8. Mother and father both from Scotland
9. Scotland
10. 1931
11.Train
12. 0.N.R. line
13. 5 people
14. baggageman
15. housewife
16. dead
17. Retired first world war-was a Corporal. He was gassed during the war in England-took a long time to recover. Died 7 yrs. ago.
18. Very good-first town where there was people to get to know. People were friendly
and helpful.
19. Street cars-taken away the day after she arrived--beginning of the depression
20. Her husband was transferred
21. mining and 0.N.R.
22. 48 hrs. per week
23. $90. for 2 wks.
24. lived on Nickel St. upper-duplex
25. Spent it with family in Kirkland Lake
26. Running water
27. Hydro
28. electric
29. Coal stove
30. Eaton's-Woolworth's--Buckavetsky's and T.B.S.
31. shows--bingo, Church work--made your own fun
32. played golf, swimming
33. no
34. Went to school in Scotland--high school
35. Train, streetcars, cars, taxis
36. Dr. Case
37. Very small, but good
38. Porquis Junction
39. Allan 17, Art 18, Betty 18
40. Al at Jewellers, Art Construction, Betty Housewife
41. same
42. July 1st and reunions----they held contests
43. substantial
44. same as today
45. House dresses
46. Good clothes for Sunday
47. When we got the car, went for rides on Sunday, went to Church
48. Cup and saucer, brought from Scotland shape of a babies pot, 200 yrs. old.
49. Everything—-likes the neighbourhood
50.
51. Big improvement in streets and appearance of town
52. Don't like the stores going out of busine
53. no
54.
55. yes
56. more stores
57. Spring
58. O.K.O. Club, Church, Bingo, Daughters of Scotland
59. Knitting, watching television
60. Don't know
61. people with no cars
62. Museum, parks and recreation
When I asked Jessie if she had a nickname she told me no. But, I know differently--they all call her Gabby. Because no matter when you try and get her she's on the phone. When her dad died in England here mother asked the expense of the funeral and he said
I will take one of your cups and saucers, and Mrs. Fife wouldn't give it.
Carmen Stubinski Date of Interview: March 16, 1972
Time 4 hrs.
1. Laura Smith
2. Ef
3. Laura De Wolf
4. 679-5624
5. 70 Nickel St.
6. 84
7. Claire County Michigan, USA Dac Kingston
8. 16 miles our of Kingston
9. Kingston
10. 1908
11. Trian
12. West North 70, North Bay north to Cobalt
13. 5
14. Prospector, sold insurance in winter
15. housewife
16. dead, prospected all his life when there’d be a rush he’d take off
17. .retired
18. I came to Cobalt when my dad who was here ahead of us wrote to Mother for us to come up. So my mother brother Frank and I came to Cobalt. I was 18 yrs. old at the time Dad rut a tent up on Nickel St. we stayed there all summer. Dad said I think will stay here, so he went back to Kingston and packed up our furniture. Where the first tent was. Dr. Hare built himself a home there. Dad moved our tent near the tracks on the corner of Commission Street and Grandview for the rest of the summer. When Winter came we moved into a house behind Paddie Martins. We had a good view of the lake on the hill, it was quite a drop to the tracks and lake on the hill, The station was like a show everyone went to the station to see the trains come in. Prospect Hill was so slippery at times welt just slide down in the mud. There were wooden sidewalks on each side of the road.
We use to canoe on Cobalt lake every night after supper. Dad use to worry about us out on Cobalt Lake in the canoes, Mother made him sell his canoe we felt bad. I used to sail with Vince Keepey. Keepey’s had a drug store on Lang Street. Vince and his sister Blanche ran the drug store. There were a pump house on Cobalt Lake so had to keep his eye on the kids in the canoes.
There was one boat on Cobalt Lake owned by Northern Power. Howard Holley was operator of the ship
Remembers the day the Catholic Church blew over across the East side of the railway bridge.
One day my dad said were going out to stake some claims. We walked from Cobalt to
Giroux Lake walked the pipeline and returned this was 20 miles. We used snowshoes- dad and I. I staked 3 claims. The next day we were to go to Haileybury to register the claims at the Registration office. I couldn't walk for 3 days. I was 24- yrs. old at the time. my Husband had the oldest prospecting licence in Ontario prospecting
20. Because my dad was a blacksmith. He had a blacksmith shop on Lang St.across from Daminani’s Store/ Later he sold his blacksmith shop to Ambrose Murphy. My dad move to the Soo 1913.
21.
22.
23.
24. We owned and built the house beside Dr. McGarry on Prospect Ave. Harold Fleming owns it and I remember we’d go by horse and wagon to Lorraine Valley to pick blueberries. We got so many I preserved a lot and decided to go up in the attic and dry some on the floor. I forgot about them. In the spring the boys used blueberries for their pea shooter. I nearly died laughing. Blueberries were plentiful in those days.
25. Can’t remember
26. Had it in the house. These seem to be a lot of silly questions.
27. Hydro
28. cook stove, burned wood for cooking
29. Hot water system
30. We had 4 children. Four millinery shops here at one time.
31. Milton Carr built the building that Woolworths had their store.
I was friends with Mr. & Mrs. Carr in those days. He built his house on Silver Street. Later Murray Watts father bought the house and they lived in it. Cliff Moore owned the Cobalt Mess, that stood near where Leo O’Shaughnessy lives today directly across the street was the one Cobalt Mess that I knew of. It was private, owned by Cliff Moore. He hired a full time cook to cook for the guests. That came and went steadily. They used to have some great poker games there in the early days and stakes were high. They all had lots of money and played the stock market. One time dad went on a prospecting trip for Cliff Moore. He had one room full of expensive tents, sleeping bags, some silk ones, pack sacks any of the guests who went prospecting left their equipment behind. This was in the early 30’s Cliff Moore owned the drug store on the corner.
Dr.Rouchie had an office on Lang St. Later his office became a millinery shop. Later it was Belgium’s Jewelry store. Next down to the imperial bank. We were burnt out in the Lang St fire in 1910. After the fore we stayed at Trypps till we built a house on Nickel St. We sent all our clothes to Arnprier to be cleaned after the fire. Everything was by train in those days. The box car our clothes were in caught on fire.
32. we had good times in those days we use to drive by horse and buggy to Haileybury to and dance. We use to have lots of dances in the hall on Argentite Street. I use to wear hobble skirts. They sure were foolish things to walk in. We had lots of card parties, good lunches and not much drinking in those days, just the men.
36. Mr. McLaren
37. Miss Reed use to run the Mines Hospital after she left. Mrs, Dr. Mitchell took her job.
38.Wilfred, Shaft and Bill Donaldson lived here then. When Mrs. Dickson was nurse, her first
baby she helped bring into the world was Evan Donaldson, when Mrs. Dickson died
Evan Donaldson was a Pall Bearer. Evan was very good to his family. They lived here for many years. He sent his Mother and Sister on several trips to Europe, USA. Evans Donaldson is living in Toronto today. He is a millionaire.
39. in their 20’s
40.
41. Both in mines.
42. There wasn't the safety features in the mines those days. Didn't even wear the mines days., Didn't even wear hard hats or safety boots. Dad worked in the mine when they use to use candles they'd take a handful of clay put water on it. Make a mud pack .-stick it on their hat let it harden and put their candle in it. In 1911 they brought in the Hydrolic Air System from Ragged Chutes. There was lower oxygen n content so they couldn't use the candle anymore. That is when they started to use the Carbide Lamp
43.
44.
45. Printed satin dress, chiffon dress
46.always wore french heels. Had a pair of white kid high laced boots had back and brown ones toe. My wedding hat was small rim with a large black feather Plume that started on the top of my head and came down the one side. Mrs. MacDougal made it she had a millinery Store. I had a cream tailored serge suit to go with my white high boots. Everything was tailor made. Had the boys suits hand made by Mr. Carlson in Haileybuyr.
47.Have a rocking chair my father bought when my brother was born 88 yrs. ago. Would like to have it refinished some day. Have an old quilt 200 yrs, old. My great grandmother gave this quilt to my grandmother when she got married,
48. Went to church then picnic at Sass Lake we’d paddle across to the island to eat our lunch.
We picnic at Moores' cove and the spur line.
The Caris, MacKays, Keeleys, Dr. Sommerville, Evans McCraig, Bob O'Gorman my husband
used to go to Haileybury to catch the Meteor and Cruise down Lake Temiskaming. We Always took a picnic basket.Later we'd go with the Ralph Taylor's they had a boat. We were able to cook own meals on his boat. We went down Lake Temiskaming and the Hudson Bay Post was there. George Taylor started the hardware Store when he died Bill and Ralph became owners Ralph lived across the street from us.
Larry Stadlemen, his sister Angie and Bert often dropped in to have a cup of tea with us. We were friends like a lot of others. When we were burnt out on the Lang St. fire
We lost our piano. We asked everywhere finally a year later it turned up in North Cobalt.
The man that had it tried all over to find out who owned it. We were lucky it turned up. It was
given to me by my father in 1901. the same year the queen died. It had won 1st prize in a fall fair in Kingston
49. I’ve lived here 64 yrs and I like it
50. Wouldn’t feel at hone anywhere else
51. Improvement in homes
52. Removal of mines, payrolls, downgrading of employment, depletion of Ore
53. yes
54. Lack of facilities for parts, conveniences, regardless of this knowledgable Characters, engineers, Dr. , Professional people made their academic home here people. Lots of wealth came out of Cobalt
55. Yes
56. Would like to see a V.O.N. Make daily visits again. People should keep their sidewalks shovelled
57, Spring
used to love to sew. Bake and read paper daily
59.not now
60. its universal
61. Tourists point of view
62. Unique mining town with a good past History Artists think this is an artist’s paradise. Mrs Smith has a lot of antiques and pictures very interesting woman.
Joanna Stubinski Date of Interview: Feb. 17, 1972
Length of Interview: 2hrs.
1. Mr. Robert Sopha
2. Bob “Tip”
3.
4 26 Cobalt St.
5.
6.Cobalt – Galena St.
7. 52
8. Mother – Lake City Michigan Father—Hastings County
9. Cobalt
10. 1920
11. Born at home
12.
13.
14. Worked at Buffalo Hines Mining Corporation Canada then L.C.B.O
15. Housewife raised 9 children
16. Inspector with Liquor License Brd.
17. Housewife.-(The former Anita Regimbal) 5 yrs. 1940-45 Sgt. with R.C.E.M.E.
18. Born opposite Mining Corporation. Knew everyone that worked there--went underground at 6 yrs. old.......-Thought Cobalt was great Remembers old timers reunion--Also
the dog Cobalt. Kelso Roberts practised law over Woolworth's Building. Dog Cobalt belonged to one of the Slaght's..-Moved in 1926 to Philips boarding House. Parents operated it. Tore it down in 1936
19. Between 10-15,000
20. Born here
21. Mining
22. 8-5
23. $1.50 per day in 1938 work for Jack McGale on farm from daylight till dark slept over the Kitchen--$15.00 a month. He fed them suckers--caught in the spring
24. Galena St. 2 storey--Rivet's House parents kept chickens, pigs, horses, cut and hauled own wood.
25. Remembers xmas--when parents would hide presents and they would have to look for them
26. Running water--paid ground rent
27. Electricity
28. Wood stove
29. Wood and Coal
30. General store where Mr. Talon--Merv Kelly lived--a friend worked in store and stole , so they could smoke them
31. Rodeo came to Cobalt--once--Jake Smith brought it from Western Canada came to
old fairgrounds-horses cattle and Bulls
32. Played hockey--always-..skated old year out and in. Year in--wore speed skates
Played ball
33. yes
34. High School--1932--first year Cassidy and McAlpine taught
35. Street- cars--went to Liskeard for 12 cents few cars later on
36. Dr. E. W. Mitchell
37. good hospital $1.00 month for hospitalization--Dwyer girls nursed there
38.
39.
40.
41. All mines were operating safe for working fire at Dotsy mine. Adelaid Leonard only survivor. All hair burnt off in fire 1928-29
42. Contests out at old fair grounds--Hand Steeling. Had Fall fair out there to
display vegetables
43. Went to Market-had best food--always had a garden
44. good food
45.
46. Had one pair of Trousers-Dad tore his trousers and Bob had to Lay across mothers
knee while she sewed it
47. Dressed up on Sun
48. went to Sunday School
49. Book ends--made at school-crests
50. no better place to live--only boom town in north
52. Yes
51. Native
53. progress in Landscaping
54. No
55.
56. more industry
57. above
58. Summertime
59. parties..-member of Lion & Legion welfare officer for legion veteran's cemetery for 26 years.
60. Fishing and hunting
61. Higher price of silver to get mines going
62. Americans and Canadians are going to move in to get good clean fresh air campers and tenting trailers.
A number of facilities available.
63. Tourist attractions—Air plant at ragged chutes.•-mining museum--very unique•-parks miner’s festival
Joanna Stubinski May 29,1972
3 hours
1. Alma and Les Steele
2. Alma Steele (Armstrong)
3. R R 1# 1
4. 679-8662
5. 60
6. Manitoulin Island, even though we were living in Cobalt. Mother went to look after her mother when she had her baby and it just happened I was born there also. Dad was in Nipissing.
7. My dad came to Cobalt in 1904 and mother came in 1909 they were married in Marcy 1910 on Manitoulin Island
14. Dad did mining and lumbering
15. Mother had a sister living at the O'Brien she used to work as a housekeeper
that is my mother did.
16.Hydro
17. Housewife
18. I always loved Cobalt
19. Always had a ball I'd babysit to make money to go to the dances. Got 25 cents
a night. Went to a lot of dances in Latchford. Cobalt was a lot busier than now. People seemed to be more sociable. There were also a lot more house parties
20. Dad came because of the silver rush and mom came because her sister was here.
21. I worked as a housekeeper in 104. Used to walk both ways.
23. $2 a week
24. My first home was on Silver St. Past MacMillans garage. I played with the
Petrakos kids. It was a duplex with 3 bedrooms and a big living room.
Dinty Moore who owned the drug store in Cobalt has a mess at the top of Cobalt St. It was a hangout for bachelors. Some of them lived there. Mrs. Ross from West Cobalt did the cooking. Dinty Moore had a riding club. Some of the men that belonged were Cap Fancy, "A-Moss, MaCluskey's, Paul & Dick. I'll never forget Moore's riding horse it was black except for having white legs up to the knees. It looked like he wore knee socks. A.K.Roberts the lawyer belonged to the club. I also remember Teddy Buckman he was an artist and always wore white shoes. We had a horse and buggy. Mother & Dad sat on the seat, and we sat with our backs to the dashboard.
25. X-mas I remember mother was pregnant. It was X-mas eve and she had painted
the floor orange so we couldn't put up a tree. I remember my sister and I got up at 5 am Mom had bought us each a fur coat and muff and a doll. When and dad came down later we were both asleep by the stove with out coats and muffs and our doll in our arms.
33. I started school at First Brook went there for 2 years then moved into Cobalt.
36. Dr. George Schmidt
37. The hospital had the darlingest nurses Misses Knight, Reed and Doherty. I was in -before my baby was born in 1938. It was closed in the 40's
48.My treasures are old school pictures and gifts from my first marriage,
49. Friendliness of people. I just want to stay right here.
1. Les Steele
2. 62
7. Minouth Hastings County
10.Came to New Liskeard, when I was 1 year old. We lived 9 miles north of there on a farm.
14. My dad was a farmer for a year. We then moved to Clear Lake in 1911. Our home was a cold 2 story shack. Dad hauled mining timber and lumber. He worked later Years at the Mining Corp and the Nipissing-in 1932, he bought 20 acres " in Coleman Township near Loon Lake. My mother lived there for a year and really hated it. So I took it over. West Cobalt was really thriving in those days. Tom Jackson, Hickey McIntyre, Ramsay's Store, a real mean old bugger, Peter's Amiotte, Sandy Stewart, Brewer, Harold Bowden, Emma Kennedy, Roses, Teddy Peak, Ray Buttle McIsaac, Crawford, Mayberry, Parson, Valley, Piche, Sydney, Miss Ross, Conroy, Dearing, they had 3 daughters could never have son, Kate, Stewart, Othmer, Lesellet,FRed Easen, Rochester. These are just some of the people that lived
out there then. It is sure different today. I went to West Cobalt school, it had 2 rooms. Miss Rowe was my teacher. I was in the air force four years, 23 months in Newfoundland, Bagotville, Quebec, 6 months to Dartmouth N.S. I was then discharged in from 1941-1945.
18. I horsed around a lot in Cobalt had a real good time. We were very poor in those days, If we pissed it wouldn't even run down the hill. We usually had to roast our poplar wood before we'd burn it. Where Bigelow's house is today there used to be a big apartment house.first job was in 104 working on a gov't
crusher. I worked 10 hours a day and was paid 35 cents an hour. I worked for Jim Shannon. Len Bigelow and I walked back and forth, every day. I worked at the Mining Corp. for a while, also in the bush for Bill Smith, Then from 1950 to 1952 worked for Len Cunningham at Ungava Bay, the geese had to fly backwards to keep the snow out of their faces. Then for Roger Gareau near Gowganda I started with Hydro in 1957. I really like Cobalt as everyone is so friendly. Alma and I both like the changes made in Cobalt and would like to see any change that would better the town. Cobalt has a beautiful historic background to offer any visitor even myself, living here for 60 years. I'd never live any other place. Alma and Les just love dancing. If there's a band any place playing, you can be sure to see them there dancing.
Joanna Stubinski April 24, 1972
1 1/2 hours
1. Mr. Roger Stevens
4. 19 Cobalt
5. 679-5976
6. 38
7. born Cochrane 1933
8. Dad in Temagami in 1907 - Mother in England
9.Cochrane then Temagami
10. 1961 came to Cobalt family came in 1951 - I joined the RCAF
11. train
12. Northern route - ONR
13. Just the 3 — I was the only child
14. Soft drink business - Dad and his brother had it from 1951 (coke factory)
15. Clerked in Buck's then the post office
16. Metropolitan life insurance
17. housewife. In RCAF 10 years posted in Comox B.C. and Cold Lake Northern
Alberta, also Bagotville & North Bay, Camp Borden & St. John's Que.
18. Knew a few people because of going to school that is High School. but could think of better places to live.
19. More active than now - more mines operating and people very friendly no problem socially
20. business opportunity
21. mining - refinery - foundry and store clerking
22. 60 hours
23. $225. a month
24. Apartment - over pop factory - was a mess but we fixed it up the best we could
25. spent X-mas with parents, they lived on Nickle St.
26. Running water
27. hydro
28. electric stove
29. Hot water heating. Grandfather had businesses in Temagami. Had the station restaurants from North Bay to Cochrane. Ronnoco Hotel -Garage - outfitters Co. - restaurant and grocery store - the Old Stevens house in Cochrane. My dad was born and raised in Temagami. We went to Cochrane because he worked in the railroad. I always came to Temagami to spend my summers - moved there finally in 1938. Lived by the lake. No electricity but had water outside plumbing then moved to Toronto for 4 years came back in 1944. Then lived on the island where dad lived. to-day only in a log cabin, that had no water, lights - for about 1 ½ years while father was building the new house. Had no hydro at first and a diamond drill well. Very exciting growing up there.
Very few motor boats. Always went by canoe - the summers were really fabulous
30. TBS, Buck’s were closed- Woolworths, Quality grocery - Dominion - Rowdon's
Shaw’s store – Bilodeau, Damiani and Mrs, Audet
31. Temagami - consoling - Goddard's Theatre I met Pat at the Friday night dances
We were there when dance started and stayed right till the end. These were every Friday night. Dorothy Houston played
32. Played hockey - football - basketball - summer sports.
33. Temagami Public - went to N. Liskeard 1 year then bussed to Cobalt High
34. grade 11
35. trains - cars - buses
36. Dr. Dunning
37. Nothing in Temagami but remember the ONR had a hospital coach they parked at the station. Later on we always went to Haileybury
38. Comox B.C.
39. Still in school
42. Just what they had at the festivals never participated as I was never interested in mining
43. wore coca cola uniform
46. If I went to church - dressed up
47, always went to Temagami on Sundays
48. Grandfather's watch (pocket) - diaries , my grampa had and wrote while at sea. Written in 1874 I really cherish these. Also an old coke bottle with New Liskeard written on it.
49. I like Cobalt for the fellowship of people I associate with
51. Done a lot to the town. Cleaned it up a great deal
52. Don't like the recreation policy - or school system having to bus children -and the removal of grade 13
53. Have to leave town to make anything - no job opportunities
55. yes
56. Secondary industry - the town really only has mining to depend on.
57.Springtime
58. Kiwanis - curled until last year
59. no
60. another industry - put in a steel mill instead of Adams and Sherman mines -sending iron pellets to Hamilton.
61. Lent itself to tourism
62. Cobalt has a type of old romance to it. Very unique atmosphere
Highlights : Roger is now planning to move his family to North Bay in June as he could not get any work around here. He is as hard working Kiwanian whom I know for sure will be missed a great deal.
Joanna Stubinski April 26, 1972
Interview 1: and 15 min
1. Mrs. Roger Stevens
2. Pat Morin
3. Morin
4. 19 Cobalt St
5. 679-5976
6. 39
8. Cobalt
9. Cobalt-grandparents from Buckingham and Hull
13. 3
14. Dad worked in grocery store where Bilodeau's are today
15. Housewife
16. sells for Metropolitan Life Insurance
17. Housewife
18. Always loved
19. Busy but it was on it's way down
20. Grandparents came in 1905 to Giroux Lake mining
21. Buck’s 8 hrs.
22. $13 week
23. Fine-Duplex on Earl St. wooden frame
24. exciting people made more of it always had a lot of visitors
25. in house
26.hydro
27. wood stove
28. wood stove and oil stove in living room
29.Bucks, Vellis, Irwin's Grocery, Carps, Luvawitz, Men and boys shoes, Tom Black,
30. Candy Store by Miners home, Larabie's took it over, Woolworth's Dominion, Purdy's restaurant, Olive Sally Shop, Eric's men's wear.
31. Always danced at Community Hall, more fun than kids have now, usually hang _around
the Minerva had Club 47, Church socials girls church group worked with guides spent a lot of time in
Temagami summer.
32. bowling, skating, babmington at Community Hall
33. St. Theresa's old school and Cobalt High School
34. Grade 10
35. buses, trains and cars
36. Dr. Wallingford
37. was in the old Cobalt Hospital brother was in it, all born at home
38. Canox, B.C. 39
39. Still going to school
40. They were all operating but I remember the O'Brien
41. remembers the old ball park but no contests
45. skirts and blouses
46. dolled up
47. went to Church in shoes heat and gloves that matches, always had a big meal then went for walks got ready sunday night to start the week
48. newspaper clippings about her uncle that was crippled, who ran a newspaper, he had 20 boys working for him, did this all from his wheel chair, Wilfred Raymond
49. because it's friendly
51. no
52. don't like schooling or the way we're losing things, also the way people get a down
on someone and practically run them out of town
53. no
55. yes
56. like to see a good industry, something to make it go ahead
57. Fall colors mature around us
58. stay home I used to bowl
59. A little bit of everything
60. completely different type of industry then what we have
61. not ambitious people or we need someone with money to establish something
62. museum, scenery and lakes
Pat really loves Cobalt, and says she hates to leave, but in order for her husband to better himself she has to follow along.
Carmen Stubinski March 1, 1972
2 1/2 hours.
1. Ida Sartorreto
2. Snider
3.Ida Mercier
4.Silver St., Cobalt
5. 679-8470
6. 60
7. Ottawa
8. Vank Lek Hill, Ontario
9.Cobalt
10. was raised in Cobalt left at the age of 13 returned to live here in 1964.
11.Car.
12.South from Swastika
13.three
14.engineer
15 Long distance telephone operator.
16. Was killed in a United Asbestos Mine 21 years ago.
17.Quit my job Friday at the hospital too much pressure and confusion.
18. To be honest about it, when I returned to Cobalt after living here in the early days. It was depressing sight to see all the empty buildings which were eye sores when I visited in 1964. I found an amazing change for the good.
19. It looked as if someone had gone to the hairdressers and had a hairdo. It looked so different it didn't look like a ghost town anymore.
20. For this reason the 0.N.R. had moved their long distance office from Swastika to New Liskeard. There was no work in Swastika. The buses were cut off to Kirkland Lake, and a place to raise my children.
21.I worked at Haileybury Hospital C.S.R.
22.7:30 to 4:00 p.m. - 12:30 to 9 shift.
23. $40. per week.
24. We lived at 106 Earl St. when I was a kid, 2 storey frame wooden building.
25. All I can remember was a Big Christmas tree, dolls and a long stairway. We hung our stockings up in the stairway.
26 In house.
27. Hydro
28. Wood stove, mother made her own bread, preserves, did her own sewing. My sister has my mothers sewing machine still
29. quebec heater, burned coal.
30 There was everything ,stores side by side on each side of Lang Street. I remember shaft store operated by Giachino at one time he had an ice cream parlour. There were lots of blind pigs. There was one blue house on -Earl St. they called it mothers place.
The Bijou on Lang Street, the Lyric and Grand Theatre. I remember a concert at the Grand Theatre that all the school children were in. my sister was a music teacher at the time. She used to teach music at night and work at Woolworths in the daytime.
32. Skiing, skating, play ball, snow shoeing. Lots of swimming in the old pond at the end of Sass Lake, near the Hudson Bay property. They had a big dam :here and we swam in the pond and picked blueberries.There is still a large cement block there from the dam, we now stand on it when we go fishing. There were houses there and a big mine mill there. The foundation is still there. There was also a large building there I never . . went near it. It was for scarlet fever patients. Old Dr. Mitchell and Taylor and Dr. Schmidt was here then. A car hit me and broke my leg that’s how I remember the Dr's. I guess there was only one car then in town as there weren't cars and one had to hit me.
33. St. Hilarion school was the one I attended, it was across the right of way bridge. There was a big Catholic Church next to this school that blew over on Good Friday. I can't remember the name of the Church.
34. 10 years plus business college. St. Hilarion was a big frame building with eight class rooms. Lots of big halls and nuns. After the 1922 fire they had around 500 pupils temporary.
35. We walked, if there was a big storm someone would come along with a horse and sleigh and gave us a ride to school. We took our lunch in the winter and ate in the big basement.
36. The one I remember the most was Dr. Taylor, he fixed my leg when I broke it.
37 There was a mines hospital here.
38 Kirkland Lake.
39. Gary was 18. Jeffery joined the army at 17, Albert 18, Tina still going to Laurentian University.
40. There was no summer work. The only one who got summer work was Tina one summer she worked at the Beach.
41. Lots of mines and shafts. Lots of men going to work with their lunch pails.
42.
43. Lunch pail
44. Big supper at night
45. slacks, skirts, mocassins
46 Occasionnally wore my best clothes on Sunday
47. Church first, catachism at 2 p.m. and church at night
48 .is a large old book dated 1874.
49. A good friendly swing
50. You go down the street and everyone says hello.
51. Parks, lights, new sidewalks. I have a respect for Jack Mathews. He has done a lot of Cobalt. It has cleaned up.
52.
53.
54.
55. Yes
56. Would like to see a few industries start up, we've got the land, water and a place for it. Their own natural resources could come up with an answer. All the older people wouldn't be so lonely, if they could do something in one area to be sold. We have lots of silver in the old dumps and mines are stocked and piled with silver. The price of silver should be up. We are in the Clay Belt. Why can't we package it, get an outlet and ship it out. They. do ceramics all over the country. There should be a good sale for it, if you need a pound of clay to do pottery you buy it 1146 shot in Toronto. Why couldn't it come from here. Seeing they have so much clay here why couldn't we manufacture pots planters etc. Clay has lots of uses.
57. Spring and fall.
58. Playing cards, bingo.
59. Ceramics, summer time, roam the bush,,look at rocks and the old foundations there are interesting.
60. Price of silver to go up. Jobs made to solve the unemployment.
61. Engineers, geologists, miners.
62. Miners Festival very good. Museum, good beach at Bass Lake, Rock Hounds paradise, mine tours, good water,fishing, hunting, beautiful country.
Highlights
When people are taken on mine tours Rock shapes as picks or rocks could be given to the tourists. These could be done here.
Train went to Silver Centre Daily 1926-27. I lived there 2 years..
New Frontier, Keeley Frontier, Whit Lawford, Nipissing, Maidens were some of the mines working there at the time.There were quite a few houses, 1 show, ice cream parlour, restaurant, general store, post office. Quite a few families. I went to Public School there. It was a busy town, so sidewalks, lots of mines.
I'm not too keen on these things (no employment) I do hope they'll do something for these people.
the whole north seems to be sleeping. These people going around with no jobs. It breaks the morals. It isn't encouraging.
Ida enjoys doing ceramics and pottery, long walks in the bush in the summer.
Carmen Stubinski
March 7,1972
1 3/4 hours.
1. Agnes Sutherland ( Mrs. Micheal)
2. Aggie
3. Agnes Vattey
4. 103 Galena St. Cobalt
5. 679-8312
6. 76
7. Wotten Waren, Warwickshire, England
8. England
9. We were married in England
10. May 3, 1918
11. boat 6 days Aquatinia, train
12. Across the ocean to Halifax, took train to Montreal, to North Bay and to Cobalt, took 3 days on train.
13. 3 of us
14. Silver mine
15. housewife
16. I remember the raids in England we used to have to get up in the night and run to the basement for shelter. Met my husband in England before he went to France. When he came back to England he was in the hospital 1 ½ years. We got married when he was in the hospital while he was convalescing. I thought I'd like to come to Canada I've like it from the start.
18. It was a dirty town. Everyone burnt coal and wood and there were piles of ashes on the side of the sidewalks, very different from where I come from.
19. A bustling town, lots of work.
20. I came to Cobalt because my husband lived here. It was his home town. Mrs. Pat Laronde, his sister lived on Nickel Street. my husband came here in 1906 from Renfrew. The bank was in a tent then. He expected to go to work in the mines again which was the townsite mine. Roberts was his shift boss.
21.Mostly logging and mining.
22. 7 to 5
23. his pay day was around $40. every 2 weeks.
24. We rented a house in West Cobalt. It was very cold and draughty. Its torn down now.
25. I can't remember exactly We always had plum pudding. I make it every year. I like it better than X-mas cake. I make 7 or 8 every year.
:26. We had no water in the house, The pump was in the village. Used to carry waterfrom the lake for washing.
27. Electricity.We had a hanging light bulb. Had to hitch your toaster to the light socket. It’s a wonder we didn’t have fire.
28. Iron wood stove.
29. Quebec heater, burnt wood later coal.
30. We had a little store in West Cobalt, like a corner store. McKewens had a store on Silver Street and Prospect that is where we used to deal.
31. There were 2 shows, dances, and lots of house parties.
32. Didn't have much to do over there (England) The only skating we had is ff we had frost. No organized sports. Used to slide down hills when we had frost and ball in the summer.
33.
34. 8 years That’s all we could get over there unless we went to boarding school
35. Street oars from Cobalt to New Liskeard the track ran beside the -railroad track trains, not many cars.
36. Dr. Mitchell
37. There was a hospital in Cobalt for miners only.
38. England.
39. John 16, Essie 15, Teddie 16, Rose 16
40. I can't remember where they went to work I had 9 of them. Rose was in the army, 2 :,-ears she served as a wac . All worked downtown at local jobs.
41. Lots of them. They were all working you could get a job anywhere.
42.
43. Roast beef, boiled pork, potatoes.
44. Good substantial meal.
45. Mrs. Sutherland laughed. Cotton dresses in summer, high buttoned boots around 8 inches always had a button hook. A hat you wouldn't go out, without it. It was standard equipment.
46. Best clothes, always a hat still used. Don't feel dressed without a hat.
47. go to church morning and night. Go for walks and cook.
48. I've given them away, my grandson in Welland is an antique collector. My basin, large jug etc. I gave it to him.
49. friendly people.
50. It’s home.
51.Like Tressider's new store, community hall, rink, new parks.
52.
53. no.
54.
55. yes.
56.. More work I think the council is doing a very good job. Look at the lovely new houses on Dunning Drive.
57. fall
58. Watch TV, like knitting when I watch TV
59. knitting
60 The mines can't be all worked out. Its a big area. More exploring and the mines reopen. There should be something besides mining.
61. They would be interested if their homes were here,
62. Usually got out and see the town. Visit other people. In summer there is the beach, fishing and hunting. Wilfie brought me home a 15 lb. pike last week we had 4 good feeds of it and still have another neal out of it. It was so good and good hunting here.
HIGHLIGHTS
Since Christmas Mrs. Sutherland has done so much knitting she has a large black plastic bag full of knitting. She knits for the hospital bazaar in the fall. Its hard to believe all the knitting she has ready for gifts and bazaar.
Interviewer: Carmen Stubinski March 31, 1972
3 hrs.
1, Marion Sutherland (Mrs. Jack)
2.Marion McLeod
3. 46 Galena Street, Cobalt
4. 679-6116
6. 78 yrs. old
'8. Picto County, Nova Scotia
9. Mother and dad both born in Nova Scotia
10.Westville, Nova Scotia
11. Cobalt, Dec. 1929
12. 3 of us
14. Fox rancher and prospector
15. Helped in the past office at home
16. died 1969 age 87
17. retired
18. It was pretty bad, there were lots of empty buildings, the only mining at all was leasing and picking the dumps. There were so many men traveling the freight trains when the trains put cars in at the siding. I'd have us high as seven a day asking for meals never missed a day without someone begging meals. They were fine people and just couldn't get a job. We’d take them in and feed them. Then it petered out to a different element. They started to steal. Then we'd feed them in the back kitchen or shed. We never let anyone that asked go away hungry.
19. There were more people then than there are now.
20. Because we were in Porcupine and the Dome Mine burned, So the people were leaving the Porcupine for the other jobs.
Jack was working in Noranda and his brother Hugh wanted him to come to Cobalt. His company General Secrurities Corp. had several properties in Cobalt area such as the Lawson, LaRose, Violet, Princess, University and Mastermet Mine Properties, later Hugh , my husband Jack took a lease on all there properties.
The main ones he worked were LaRose, Lawson, Princess and Violet. My husband and son—in—law Robert MacArther, built a mill on the Violet Property.
I think they prospected in every township in Northern Ontario. North of North Bay to Cochrane, Timmins, He never carried a compass, he never got lost in the bush. He had a sense of direction, don't know how he did it.
He staked where the Noranda Mine is today in Que. on the Horne Fault. He sent the samples to his brother Hugh and Hugh said forget it there's nothing in Northern Quebec So he let the claims go also milled being wealthy thats a prospectors fate.
He also worked putting in a Hydro Line from Matachewan to Timmins before he came to Cobalt. He was helping them lay the line for the power line.
The reason we came to Toronto. I came first. I was very sick and they couldn't operate in Nova Scotia for Thyroid goiter. So I came to Toronto and Dr. Primrose did the operation. That operation was very rare at that time. Dr. Primrose came from Westville Nova Scotia,
That's what brought my husband out from Nova Scotia. He brought out our little daughter and we made our home in South Porcupine.
The hydro line they worked on was private. Not built by Northern Hydro when we moved to Porcupine. The first place wasn't much more than a shack. We had no bathroom facilities we had an outdoor toilet.
We used to buy water by the barrel. We used coal oil lamps Cooked on a wood stove, one thing there was lots of wood
30. Shops weren't too bad.
35. Street car line. Niel McIsaac was motorman
36. Dr. Schmidt and Dr. Kane
37 We had a hospital on the site of Buffams funeral home to-day. They had a big parrot In the window. He was on a stand with a claim on his leg. He was beautiful bird
38. Westville, Nova Scotia
39. She gave dancing lessons. Now she’s teaching art. She does a lot of paintings yet, very active in arts and crafts. She has been painting since she was a public school.
43. I know more about a prospectors meal. I'd have to pack his pack sack and it really was packed as we couldn't forget anything as there was no other way to get food. There would be flour first, soda, cream of tartar, bean, salt pork, canned milk, it was heavy to carry. They always took honey, peanut butter, jam sow belly, tea and coffee and sugar. Their main meal was pancakes and banock
48. Have my family bible I got when I was married. My brother helped me pay for it. I like the way they had put in parks. I’m hyped on the flowers and I like the museum
52. no
53. I would like to see the mines going again and more industry
59. Church, Daughters of Scotland, T.V.
60. More work I don't know what type of work just more work. People that are hard enough up, any kind of work shouldn't bother them.
61. I think tourists might be interested with Cobalt's historical background.
62. So many things. It not our climate thats a cinch. Scenery is beautiful, facilities for swimming excell old mines, rocks very fasinating to them. Open rock cuts, with the ice. Cobalt is terrific a