Anyox
Anyox, BC, Canada
Anyox BC
From the Tsimshian word that means “Hidden Water”
Located at West Side of Observatory Inlet at Granby Bay, At the Mouth of Hidden Creek, in Cassiar Land District
Lat- 55°25'00“ N, Long- 129°49'00” W
Portion of Map from link below, modified
Anyox Townsite, with Granby Copper Smelter in background
Picture above sent to Helene McRae, by Simo Siipola, from Finland.
Picture from his Uncle Janne Haapajoki's Collection
His Anyox English name, John Jackson.
Tid bits of History
Captain Vancouver came to Observatory Inlet in 1793
Who found the Copper ore and staked the property first!
Sounds like a simple question to answer. But after 3 days of research I am still not 100% sure. Here is what I found so far
Ore body discovered in 1889 by John Flewin, and Charles Todd, per one source, but date on this one doesn't make sense.
possibly they transposed the date? or it is all wrong.
a manuscript by Mr. Hutchings, and a book by Peter Loudon, list the original stakers as:
W. Collison, Albert Flewin, and Dan Robinson, in 1898
excerpt from the book-
“In 1898 three Indian chiefs, (etc) who owned hunting grounds, (etc) came down to the Nass and told Collison tales of a Mountain of Gold (etc.) Collison started off
–met Flewin and Robinson and staked Eureka Group, next day staked the Bonanza Group”
3 natives involved were- Albert Allan, Luke Nelson and Isaac Gurney
After the staking in 1898 - development carried on summer of 98 and the spring of 1899
–The following summer 1900, M.K. Rodgers, representing the Daly Estate came into the district
Donald Robertson in Port Simpson in 1901, age 38 in ON, shown as a Carpenter
But I found an article dated Sept 12, 1901 that is more likely the truth.
It claims about a year earlier, ca 1900, a big Indian, (their words, not mine), named Albert Allan found the location of this mine.
He then went to George Rudge, H. Collinson, and J. Flewin, all in Port Simpson, and all 4 went to investigate the find.
When the sale was made to M. K. Rodgers, they each owned 1/4 of the mine.
Allan went to Victoria with his money, to buy supplies for a new store.
So I think Albert Allen was probably the fellow that should get credit for finding the ore here.
M. K. Rodgers bought the mine from the 4 men for $46,000, He was the advance agent of the Amalgamated Copper Company of the US.
Sept 12, 1901 he was working the claim with 20 men.
Myron Knox Rodgers became the last Private owner, of 20% of the mine. I know he was in charge of the mine by 1909
Hidden Creek Copper Mine
courtesy Grant Walker, CA
June 1910- the Hidden Creek Mining Company, were to build a $500,000 Smelter at Goose Bay, Portland Canal.
Goose Bay became Granby Bay
Granby bonded the Hidden Creek Group of Mines controlled by M. K. Rodgers, at Goose Bay
the bond was for $400,000.00 and was for 4/5 interest in the mine.
$250,000.00 had already been spent erecting wharves, a sawmill, and an 8 drill compressor plant.
Deal was made by Jay P. Graves, President of Granby, and the mine was examined by O. B. Smith Jr. of Phoenix BC
By 1914, Granby Consolidated Mining, Smelting and Power Company, established a Smelter, Powerhouse, Dam, Coke Plant, Railroad, Wharfs, etc. here.
They spent over $5,000,000.00 developing the mine.
1917- 600 men working here. BC Mines Branch encouraged them into creating a Rescue Crew.
1917- Assayer at Anyox- Eugene Gilbert Archer
July 1918- 2 week strike at the mine.
ca 1919- F. M. Sylvester, Managing Director of the Granby Co.
Mar 3, 1919- Fire destroyed ore bins, tracks, and damaged the smelter, causing $50,000 in damage.
1919- E. E. Campbell, Mine Manager at Anyox. He shows up here in 1914 records as well.
1919- O. B. Smith- Mine Superintendent
1919- 3,000 men employed here, Room and board for singles was fixed at a low cost, and married men paid per room, $3.50/ room per month, water and light included. Miners made $4 per day.
1920- Mr. H. S. Munroe- General Manager of Granby
ca 1920- Valentine Quinn, Comptroller of Granby
1942- Forest Fire destroyed the town
The Granby Company etched “Stolen” on light bulbs, so employees would not steal them.
Coal for the Smelter operation came from Granby's mine, at Cassidy, Vancouver Island, near Nanaimo.
Coking Plant and needed docking facilities were located at Graves Point, 1 1/2 miles from the Smelter.
Coal Bunkers were built, 52 feet wide, and 300 feet long.
750,000 feet of lumber was used to build them. Each one held 12,000 tons of coal.
This mine when it operated was such a heavy polluter, from the sulphuric acid it produced, that for miles around there was no trees, no animals.
No one had a garden, as nothing would grow. Imagine what the workers breathed here!
In those days environment was not a concern. It was all about making money.
Today “2014” this mine is now leaching untreated acidic drainage, with elevated levels of some metals, into Observatory Inlet. Scary stuff for all of us.
1936 claims here sold to Cominco
Churches:
Methodist / Presbyterian / Union Church,
Christ Church Anglican Church,
and Roman Catholic Church
(see map above for locations)
Moving Picture Theatre
Anyox Theatre
L. A. Manley- Manager in 1919
(he was also manager of Billiards and Pool Room in 1919)
H. Selfe- Manager in 1922
Harry Milbourne Selfe
b- ca 1882 in England, age 39 in 1921
d- Nov 12, 1941, Vancouver BC, age 60
immigrated in 1903
Manager, Recreation Hall in 1921
wife- Lilian Selfe, nee Gardner
b- June 5, 1895, in England, age 36
d- Oct 4, 1963, Vancouver General Hospital, Vancouver, age 68
immigrated in 1904
daughter- Olive Selfe,
b- in BC, age 9 in 1921
Bank
Canadian Bank of Commerce was here
Newspaper
1921- E. Moss- Editor and Publisher,
Alice Arm & Anyox Herald
published on Saturdays
Ernest Moss
b- Nov 28, 1884 Old Basing, Hampshire, England
d- Aug 24, 1953, Car Accident, S Trans. Prov. Hwy #3, Creston, age 68
buried in Kimberley BC
Publisher of the Kimberley News, before he retired.
Shown as a Carpenter in Alice Arm in 1916
Lived in Chilliwack in 1953, Publisher, Printer, Editor
son of George Moss, and Sarah North
married Annie Mary Freeman, Mar 6, 1916 in Prince Rupert.
b- Croydon England (age 30 in 1916)
son- Arthur Moss
Company Department Store
In 1917, it consisted of- Grocery, Dry Goods, Men's furnishings, Hardware, Furniture, Drugs, Meat Departments, a modern refrigeration plant, and a modern Cafe
Prices were the same as Vancouver.
WW1
Canadian Legion BESL, No 87
William Frederick Eve, Secretary (see Post Office History)
Aug 1915- Anyox War Relief Fund was set up.
Mr. Miles MacInnis Chairman, (see below)
Mr. Charles Wing, Secretary,
and J. W. Lee, Treasurer
Almost every man pledged a day's pay per month to the fund. They raised more money in this little town, per person, than any other place in the Dominion.
Around 400 men left Anyox to fight in WWI, and over 100 were killed.
The Cemetery there has some headstones to commemorate some of those that returned and are buried there. The company promised a job to any man that returned.
Various Clubs
Enoch Lodge #99- Masonic Lodge
Bert Shelton Secretary- 1930
His job was a Clerk at the mine in 1930
Royal Arch Observatory Chapter No 25- Masonic Lodge-
W. F. Eve- Principal (see Post office section)
Anyox #47, Elks club
(link below)
Maurice J. Sheen- Elks Club Hall Manager in 1930 and 1935
Anyox I.O.O.F. -Askew Lodge- No 38
J. D. Wilson, RS
His job was an electrician in 1930
Anyox Rebekah Lodge- No 54
J. McDonald, RS
Canadian Legion BESL #87
1935- F. Henderson Secretary
Anyox Community League
G. W. Hiscroft- President 1922
The Hidden Creek Swizzle Vat
A.O.F.B. (Ancient Order Froth Blowers)
- Blaster- Stan McIntosh
Ext Links Note- NOT my sites
Regional District site http://www.rdks.bc.ca/content/regional-district-community-heritage-registry?q=node/53
BC Geo Names http://apps.gov.bc.ca/pub/bcgnws/names/36025.html
Dam built by John Samuel Eastwood http://library.ucr.edu/wrca/collections/portraits/eastwood.html
Misc
http://journals.hil.unb.ca/index.php/gc/article/view/10249/10642
Full Map, from above http://geogratis.gc.ca/api/en/nrcan-rncan/ess-sst/7496922c-5a08-5e47-bd87-749a3975f953.rss
http://ftp2.cits.rncan.gc.ca/pub/geott/ess_pubs/226/226633/gscmcm_1706_e_1919_mn01.pdf
Modern pictures https://www.flickr.com/photos/xtremepeaks/sets/72157605961102109/
Great old pictures here http://www.anyox.com/
http://www.anyox.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Daily_News_Extra.pdf
Book The town that got lost: A story of Anyox, British Columbia ISBN-10: 0888260407 / ISBN-13: 978-0888260406
Mine info http://www.em.gov.bc.ca/dl/PropertyFile/NMI/103P5_Cu4.pdf
Elks history here http://www.elks-canada.org/uploads/File/history/History-Part3.pdf
Wireless Radio History in BC http://www.roughradio.ca/staff_info/wireless_staff.html
Terrace Library Photos http://terracelibrary.ca/gallery/anyox?tag=all&page=1
Excellent description of mine in this document http://www.lynnheadwaters.com/zincmines/1917_AR.pdf
J. W. Todd story and pic here
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