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HosmerThe town of Hosmer suffered the tragic fate of mine closure and became little more than a ghost town within six short years of its opening. Hosmer was built around the nearby coal mine and 240 coke ovens that were owned and operated by the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR). The Hosmer mine sent out its first shipment of coal in December of 1908 after the CPR spent $1,500,000 and employed 500 men in its construction.3 The CPR built the Hosmer town site just below the mine. Initially it consisted of the company office, a boarding house, a mess house, a small hospital, three company houses for officers, three more for foremen and close to sixty miners' houses. Hosmer quickly grew to include a part of town that was not owned and operated by the CPR. Rather than the rigid rows of company houses, private homes and commercial buildings were constructed.4 After the first shipment of coal left Hosmer the community quickly to became alive with social gatherings, lavish weddings and musical events at the Hosmer Opera House. The town developed its own Board of Trade, orchestra and hockey team. Its population was estimated at close to 1,200 people which was a relatively high figure in British Columbia at this time.5
With a bright and prosperous future the residents of Hosmer looked ahead with hope and anticipation. As production levels continued to improve, the Hosmer mine was expected to have a long productive life. The coal mine was, after all, the central contributor and supporter of Hosmer residents and local businesses. The population of Hosmer along with its hotels, shops and churches all depended heavily on miners' wages. Mine employees were shocked when, in June of 1914, they received the announcement that the mine would be closed immediately and permanently. Faulty coal seams had created difficulties in extracting a consistently high quality coal and hindered the mine's production. CPR found the mine's performance to be disappointing and decided to cease production entirely.6 With no warning and facing immediate closure, workers quickly sought employment in the nearby mine of Coal Creek or in Michel some 30 km up the valley. Due to transportation limitations at this time moving was inevitable. As miners and their families were forced to leave, shopkeepers watched their businesses dwindle to nothing. By July of 1914 the machinery, timber and miners houses had already been shipped to other CPR operations and shortly thereafter the company shut down the town powerhouse. The community of Hosmer almost completely disappeared as the foundations on which the town was built and had survived upon for many years had crumbled.7 |
Introduction | Elk Valley | The Kootenay Smelter | The Missing Link | Heat and Electricity | Pacific Steamships | The Strikebreakers on Vancouver Island
© MM Fernie & District Historical Society.
