Western Dominion Collieries, Page 3

Taylorton, Saskatchewan, Canada

Western Dominion Collieries Ltd.- Page 3

Western Dominion Collieries Limited
Taylorton Saskatchewan

Pictures below sent to me by Margaret Cuddington, from Gordon O. Cuddington's Photo Album, with a big Thank You!

some of these photos I believe were from Alex Wilson collection

See Alexander Craig McMiken Wilson History here
He was General Superintendent at Western Dominion, from Spring of 1939-1943, in charge of all their Coal Mining Operations

Aug 1, 1946

Western Dominion Tipple

Western Dominion Overall View

Western Dominion Stripping Plant

20 ton Euclid Truck, with Soldiers, Parade?

Western Dominion 20 ton Euclid Truck

20 ton Euclid Loaded

20 ton Euclid Dumping Coal

Tom Cuddington's Truck

Western Dominion Truck no 7

1946, 4 ton, driven by Tom Cuddington

Truck no 7 loading with coal, Doing Local Deliveries

Blizzard Mar 1942

Dave Auld
ca 1934 he was Face Boss

Air Shaft- See note 1 below

Air Force Bulldozer

Air Force Truck

Not sure why they were at the mine? Soldiers in the parade, so possibly brought them to the mine.

Note 1- Text on back of AIR SHAFT photo:
“Bucket just dumped coal into truck. Coal was hoisted up from the air shaft by the drag line. Taken on Sept. 6, 1942 at Taylorton Coal Mines.
First air shaft to be dug for deep seam mine. The truck is a 20 ton Euclid.”

“No Name”, Bucyrus-Monaghan 5W Dragline- (First Walking Dragline in area)

Bucyrus-Erie 320B Shovel- (First Stripping Shovel in area)
all at Western Dominion

RCMP photos, taken during the 1939 Strike
No Hotels or comfy patrol cars in those days

written on the back of one of the photos
“Taken in time of the Strike in 1939.
RCMP came to let the Western Dominion Coal Miners work, on account of picketers

Per an article Nov 3, 1939
An attempt was made to open the Wilson Mine #2, a separate unit of Western Dominion Coal Mines. whose stripping plant went into action when the RCMP led workmen to the mines,
through groups of picketers, lining the roadside. the Briquette Plant donated Briquettes for the barrel you see, where the Patrolmen could warm their hands.
At this time the United Mine Workers of America were picketing.

Oct 18, 1939 Albert Turner, wife and 2 children
plus 5 other families were evicted from Company houses at the mine
Bill Hemmiger family
Adam Young family
Max Passiac family
Bill Redwood Family
George Redwood Family

August 1939 the Saskatchewan Coal Miner's Union Taylorton, Local 1, was formed at Western Dominion.
Affiliated with the Canadian Federation of Labour. they had a closed shop agreement, with check-off rights.
Union dues automatically deducted. They had to hire only men that belonged to this union.
The Canadian Congress of Labour at the time, claimed it was a Company Union.
3 votes were taken during the 1939 strike,
and the men voted to stay with this union each time.
In Dec 1939 a settlement was reached.
The SK Coal Miner's Union stayed at WDCM
The Mine Workers Central Union, MWCU, at the other mines.
This Independent Union was formed in 1939 by an Arbitration board, which intervened in the 1939 strike.
All their international affiliations were also stopped, for the duration of the war and 1 year after.
the United Mine Workers of America and the Canadian Federation of Unions and other unions would stay out of the field, for the duration of the war and 1 year after.

Copies of these photos were submitted to Saskatchewan Archives

Western Dominion Company Store Bill dated Apr 3, 1914

Western Dominion Company Store Bill dated Apr 28, 1914
2 Photos above submitted by Barry Dies June 27, 2021