|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
 |
|
Technology in the Form of Transportation Although Fernie was an important centre for the East Kootenays, one must not forget the fact that the town's foundations were essentially built on coal mining and were still heavily supported by this industry. Would the residents of Fernie be able to survive the closure of their main employer, the Coal Creek mine? Coal Creek eventually shut down for good in 1958 due to poor markets. The community of Coal Creek slowly disappeared and as Fernie was still highly dependant on miners' wages, it was thought that it would soon follow. Times had changed since the days of the Morrissey and Hosmer mines. Technology had progressed by leaps and bounds, manpower was being replaced by machinery, and automobiles had become a common form of transportation.18 The Automobile
Technological
advances in transportation allowed for drastic changes to lifestyle,
settlement patterns, and employment opportunities. It was this
technology that gave Fernie an advantage over communities such
as Morrissey and Hosmer. As a result of the automobile, people were no longer forced to reside close to their places of employment. Weather, climate and terrain were much less of a concern as vehicles offered protection from the wind, snow and rain and paved roads allowed for fairly smooth traveling. After the abandonment of the Morrissey and Hosmer mines due to a lack of transportation and a rather extreme climate within the Elk Valley, the unemployed and their families were forced to relocate in search of work. Some of them were lucky to find employment in nearby communities, others were not. Fortunately for Fernie, the Coal Creek mine endured until the late 1950’s. Upon its closure many people were left unemployed. Miners searched for work elsewhere, some finding employment in the nearby coal mine of Michel or in communities even farther away such as Cranbrook. Due to technology and the automobile, it was possible to remain in Fernie and commute the long distance to and from work. Although Fernie had grown little since its earlier boom years it was still an ideal location for settlement and could still provide many services that other, smaller communities could not. |
Introduction | Elk Valley | The Kootenay Smelter | The Missing Link | Heat and Electricity | Pacific Steamships | The Strikebreakers on Vancouver Island
© MM Fernie & District Historical Society.
