Introduction

Coal Markets Develop

Problems Arise

The Tide Turns

Problems Arise

Excitement about the coal seams near Fort Rupert soon faded when the HBC began to encounter problems. The seams were no thicker than four and a half inches and followed unpredictable folds and faults.¹⁴ Moreover, much of the surface coal was laden with salt from the nearby ocean and would not burn properly in ships’ boilers.

"Hudson Bay Company's Establishment at Fort Rupert with Shell Island and the Harbour, May 8, 1866" BCARS PDP02874

Soon the HBC found that employees were not willing to work these unproductive seams. John Muir’s party was not accustomed to opening new shafts and searching in vain for coal.¹⁵  Tension mounted as the Company ordered them to dig drainage ditches and perform other menial tasks which they felt were beneath their skills as miners. The discontented miners went on strike against Chief Trader at Fort Rupert, William McNeill, and his son-in-law, George Blenkinsop, who had threatened the miners into working and imprisoned those who refused.¹⁶ The Muir party and several other recruits vowed to leave Fort Rupert, whether on the next ship or by canoe.¹⁷

Above Left: "Captain William Henry McNeill, 1860's" BCARS A-01629
Above Right: "George Blenkinsop (H.B.C.), CA. 1863" BCARS A-01124

The First Nations people around Fort Rupert, less experienced in mining and feared as murderous warriors, proved to be more reliable employees. Hundreds of Kwakwak’wakw¹⁸ had set up villages nearby to trade coal and furs for HBC goods. They mined the surface outcrops and seams just below ground, enabling the HBC to fulfill its contract with the Pacific Mail Steamship Company (although the coal was of poor quality).¹⁹ The Kwakwak'wakw were also helpful in transporting the black fuel, using canoes and baskets to get it to ships anchored five miles out from the shallow harbour.²⁰

"Fort Rupert, 1881" BCARS B-03566

The next party of recruited Scottish miners were just as unprepared as the first migrants. The HBC hired Boyd Gilmour to replace John Muir as oversman.²¹ Three miners volunteered at the last moment to replace the deserters, leaving their familiar homeland for an uncertain future, albeit for guaranteed wages over the next three years. Among the party was Robert Dunsmuir, who would go on to control many of Vancouver Island’s coal mines when they later became more profitable.²²

The miners under Gilmour’s supervision continued to search for workable coal seams in vain. Faced with the same labour problems, Gilmour proved to be less of an oversman than his predecessor.²³ He was also inexperienced as a geologist, just as Muir had been.²⁴ The two oversmen became harsh rivals in later times, when the HBC rehired Muir.²⁵

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