Manitoba's Worst Train Disasters: Brandon (1916)

© Christian Cassidy, 2013

This is one in a series on Manitoba's worst train crashes.

Brandon's C.P.R. depot and yard c. 1912 (source)

On the morning of January 12, 1916 a "snow train" was working in the yards of the Brandon's CPR station. Aside from a supervisor and the train's crew, it consisted of temporary labourers who shoveled the snow drifts from around the tracks. This particular train consisted of ten cars and a caboose.

The morning was cold one. According to Environment Canada's archives the maximum temperature for the day was -36, the low was -46. That created ice fog which, when added to the dark smoke drifting around from the yard's roundhouse, dropped visibility down to mere meters.

At around 10 a.m. thirteen men from the snow train were packed into the caboose to warm up as it inched down a "Y" track to merge onto the main line, (most witnesses claimed it was moving between two and four mph).

Also at 10 a.m. a freight train loaded with livestock bound for Winnipeg was pulling out of the yards. Before it departed, the crew was told to keep an eye out for a snow train on the tracks ahead. The conductor left the yard traveling at a slow speed, perhaps six mph. At 10:05 the crew of the freight train felt a small bump, not enough force to knock them off their feet, but they knew had struck something.

January 12, 1916, Brandon Sun (source)

Despite the slow speeds involved, the outcome was devastating. The trains struck just as the snow train was merging with the main line. The force lifted two empty flatbed cars from the snow train off the track and into its caboose. It was completely crushed and the men in and around it, sixteen in total, were killed. Three others succumbed to their injuries in the following days later for a total of nineteen dead.

January 14, 1916, Winnipeg Tribune

The province was stunned. Railway accidents were part of life on the prairies, I found two other multiple-death accidents that same month, but this appears to have been the worst train accident in Manitoba to that point in time, (and remained so until the Dugald train disaster in 1947). It made news across the continent, from Calgary to New York.

Aside from the snow train's crew and a supervisor, the men working on it were temporary labourers, most were Galacians, at the time listed as Austrians but apparently modern-day Ukraine). They were desperate for work, and took the job despite the cold and potential danger. (This portrayal of survivor Mike Shadlock gives a sense of who these men were.)

The Free Press noted that "Some of them had very large families whose sufferings promise to be very acute if something isn’t done for them in the immediate future," (January 13, 1916 Winnipeg Free Press).

January 14, 1916, Winnipeg Free Press

An inquest began the next day in Brandon's city hall chambers. Because so many of the witnesses were still in hospital, only a handful of people could be called. They included yard supervisors, a dispatcher and some of the crew from the freight train.

The freight train conductor confirmed that he had been warned that there was a snow train working ahead of him. He told the inquiry that's why he proceeded at a slow speed - around 6 mph. He did not expect to come across the train so quickly, just a couple of minutes after pulling out. Due to the fog and smoke, even at their low speeds, the crash could not be avoided.

Some witnesses, including the conductor, made much of the fact that a snow train is not allowed on the main line. If they had followed the rules, they said, the crash would not have happened.

Brandon City Hall: Inquest scene (source)

The inquest resumed on January 25th when more witnesses could be called. City Hall's gallery was packed, many potential spectators had to be turned away. 

Survivors from the snow train were called. They testified that they received no warning that a freight train would be pulling out of the station that morning. When asked if he had thought of giving a warning, the foreman of the yard replied "No, not me. The crew of the snow train should look after their own safety. I expect every man to look after his own train. I could not look after all the trains," (Winnipeg Free Press).

It was also noted that no flag man was on duty in the yard. This was not required but someone was usually there to help prevent this sort of thing. Many, though, agreed that given the visability there may have been little that anyone might have seen until it was too late.

As for being on the main line, investigation by the inquiry since that first day of testimony found that "rule 93" allowed work trains to travel on or to cross the main line so long as they were within the boundaries of the yard, which the snow train was.

January 26, 1916, Winnipeg Free Press

The jury returned their verdict later that day exonerating both crews and putting the blame on the CPR. Their decision read, in part:

 “We find that the accident was caused by the negligence of the Canadian Pacific Railway company in not safeguarding trains working in the yards and to which the inclemency of the weather contributed to a considerable extent.” 

January 26, 1916, Brandon Sun

There are mentions in the Free Press and Sun of the city, local churches and the Galacian community coming together to support family members immediately after the crash. 

I cannot find any indication of there being a memorial anywhere in brandon for the workers who died.

January 14, 1916, Brandon Sun (source)

The Dead:

Compiling an accurate list of the dead has been very difficult. 

My initial list was compiled from lists and small stories that appeared in the Free Press and Sun in the days following the crash. Sadly, newspapers didn't take the same care and attention reporting on the death of "foreigners" that they did for other citizens. Names were misspelled, photos not published, and surviving family information - when mentioned - was done so in  generalities. This incident was no different. 

I assumed that the Brandon Sun's spelling (and addresses) that appeared around the time of the inquest was the better source as they may have had access to official documents and may have used the city's Henderson Directory, (which weren't always correct, either). 

When compared to the listings at the cemetery, though, spellings sometimes changed again. I am not fully confident in the cemetery's records - their lack of dates of birth and the fact that every man was born in generic "Austria" tells me that the information provided to them wasn't gleaned from official sources like immigration records. I have, nonetheless, taken their spelling as the official one. Alternative spellings from the Free Press or other Sun stories appear in brackets.

January 13, 1916, Winnipeg Tribune

Merging the newspaper and cemetery lists produces 21 victims. At the time of the closing of the inquest on January 25 there were 19 victims. It is possible that "X Somerton" from the newspaper list was a completely wrong name. A possible explanation for the other additional names is that there were additional victims. The day after the crash, when there were 17 victims, it was expected that there would be up to 20 as four or five people were in extremely serious condition and not expected to make it. They may have died at a later date but the cemetery records list the date of death as the date of the crash. 

There are also a couple of men named in the crash that do not appear on the cemetery list - perhaps they were buried at family plots in other parts of the province.  


I am presenting this list even with the incorrect numbers, preferring to have a duplicate, misspelled name, than leave a victim off the list.

Note that the "Austria" mentioned is likely present-day Ukraine / Poland.

Brandon Cemetery. Box 20 is where workers are buried (source)
Top: photo of row 20. Only 5 have gravestones. (photo by me)

From newspaper records and cemetery records:

1. Michael Balawyder (Balawiydes, Balawiyder?), 13 Assiniboine.  Born 1888, Austria. (20-B20)

2. Stephen Batycki (Steve Bilyski? Butyski?), (37)1st Street. Born 1879, Austria. Left a wife and "one or two" young children. (20 B5)

3. Wasyl Bolinski, 2109 McDonald Avenue. Born 1886, Austria. Died Jan 12, 1916, Brandon. (20-B10)

4. Joe Dryla (Dreyley?), 101-7th Street. Born 1900, Austria. (20 B04)

5. Ignace Kircharski (Kirhakiski (Kirkakiski?), 53 1/2 12th St. N. 44, born 1872 Austria, (20 B019)

6. Anthony Jarnowski (Anton Lamonski ?)(Yamonski?), 29-14th Street N. Born 1886 Austria, died Jan 12 1916 , Brandon (20-B7)

7. George McGhie, acting supervisor, 340 Rosser Avenue. Born 1878, Aberdeen Scotland. Left a wife, children George (14) and James (3). (C16-46)

8. Alex Meskowski (Mikoski?) – 19th Street N. Born 1865, Austria (20-B11)

9. Harry Moroz (Morz?) Born 1876, place unknown. (20-B12)

10. Mike Robeck 54–14th Street N. Born 1866, Austria. Died Jan 12 1916, Brandon. (20-B8)

11. Tony Rutkowski, 52 -14th Street N. Born 1866, Austria. Died Jan 12 1916, Brandon. (20-B9)

12. Shenik Lowestian (Sowerstran?) , 930 Stickney Avenue. Born 1887 Austria. (20 B13)

13. John Lacarski (Tarcarcki?) 53-15th St. N. (the last man to die, in hospital the following morning). Born 1891 Austria (20 B16)

14. John Lisawski (Tysostoy?  (Lysostey ?) Born 1887, Austria (20-B13)

15. Anthony Rzemyk (Tony Zamock?) 22. Born 1894, Austria (20 B17)

From newspaper records only:

16. *Anthony Shamick, 57-9th Street S. (Buried?)

17. *X Somerton

18.  *Joe Boloski (Boleski? Bolaski?), 61-7th Street N. An Austrian immigrant, left a wife and "four or five" children. (Brandon Cemetery - source)

From Cemetery Records only, (these do not specify that they died in the train wreck but are in the same section of the cemetery and share the same "Austria" birthplace and date of death.)

Stephen Greskow Section: (20 B18), Born 1878, Austria. Died Jan 12, 1916. 

Wasyl Sojczik Section: (20 B15), Born 1889, Austria. Died Jan 12, 1916.

Andrew Malnozok Section: (20 B21), Born 1886, Austria. Died Jan 15, 1916.

Also in this series: Brandon (1916); Carberry (1946); Dugald (1947) which will be updated soon; and Birdtail Creek (1968)

UPDATES:  

- There is an update to this post about Brandon's train disaster

- Check out my Winnipeg Free Press story from 2014 with more updated information

- For more Brandon, Manitoba history posts from my blogs

West End Dumplings Radio - the non-radio edition

I told a fib on air last week. It turns out there wasn't going to be another show this week. West End Dumplings radio ends its run with a 1 and 3 record. 

I did have a show lined up, though. Here's my notes. If it went ahead this is sort of what it would have sounded like ...


Guest 1: Winnipeg Architecture Foundation
The WFF launched its website earlier this year. Since then it has continued to add material and events.

Song 1: Moody Manitoba Morning
For a generation of Manitoba schoolchildren Moody Manitoba Morning was inescapable - part of every music class and choir recital.

Written by WestMan's Rick Neufelld, it was a hit for Montreal-based group The Bells in 1969. I was never a fan of the Bells' version but in 2012 as part of the Manitoba Covers project, the pride of Kelwood, Manitoba, Alana Levandoski gave it a soulful remake.



Guest 2: West End BIZ Mural Tour Guide 

In 2010 Where magazine named it one of the best 10 outdoor activities in Canada. They're back and there are a couple of new murals ready to be unveiled.


Song 2: Marshall McLuhan Remix 2010.
Marshall McLuhan was born this week (July 21, 1911). He grew up in Winnipeg, graduating from Kelvin High School and the U of M. In the late 60’s he did a spoken word album, (note his great elocution, courtesy of Leone Mitchell). In 2010 New York's DJ Spooky gave it a remix.

Guest 3: History of Canadian Snack Foods

The University of Winnipeg's Janis Thiessen is researching the social history of Cnadian snack foods. She's starting in the right place considering that two of the grand-daddies of the industry started here: Old Dutch and Nutty Club.

Song 3: The Sultan

On July 23 1963 a band called The Squires had their first recording session at CKRC studios in Winnipeg. The most famous member of that band was a 17 year-old Kelvin High School student named Neil Young. Here is one of the songs recorded at that session.

Guest 4:  Sunshine House 

At the corner of Logan and Shrbrook is Sunshine House,  which largely serves street-involved and homeless people, many of whom have addictions and are affected by HIV. More about their services, Solvent Users Recreation Project‏, and upcoming community picnic at Duffering 

Song 4: Gonna Fly Now
On July 23, 1983 the Gimli Glider touches down. I couldn't find a song about a jet plane running out of fuel and being forced to crash land on a race track. So, here instead is Bill Conti's 1977 hit Gonna Fly Now. 




History Tidbits (Time Permitting)

July 24, 1992 - Percy Haynes dies. He and wife Zena ran the iconic Haynes' Chicken Shack on Lulu Street. Aside from its famous chicken, the restaurant became a musical hotspot, visited by the likes of Billy Daniels, Oscar Peterson and Harry Belafonte.  

July 26, 1881 - The first CPR train crosses the newly built Louise Bridge. It was a victory for Winnipeg who wooed the CPR main line away from Selkirk Manitoba with the promise of a free bridge and exemption fromm property taxes in perpetuity.

July 28, 1958 - Terrance Stanley "Terry" Fox is born in Winnipeg. He grew up in B.C.. His Marathon of Hope to raise money for cancer research ended before it could reach his birthplace when cancer claimed his life. 


Song 5: "Never Give Up On A Dream"
This song was co-written with Bernie Taupin and Rod Stewart. it was a tribute to Terry's Marathon of Hope. Proceeds from the song went towards cancer research. It was released in 1981, just month prior to the runners death. Never Give Up on a Dream.

West End Dumplings - The Radio Edition pilot episode!

Tune into the pilot episode of West End Dumplings - The Radio Edition on Wednesday on July 17th, 2013. If you miss the original broadcast, be sure to catch the podcast here ! Here's what you'll hear on the show:

Big Orange Trolley

You may have seen it traveling around the city. I'll talk to Steven Stothers of the Winnipeg Trolley Company about bringing a dedicated tour bus back to the city and what tours they have on tap for the summer.

Little Brown Bugs

"I'm a clean person in a clean house, I can't get bedbugs" - it just doesn't work like that.  James Lyons, Bedbug Prevention Coordinator, will give tips on how to avoid them, how to figure out if you have them and what to do to get rid of them.

 Putting the "Park" in Parking Lot

Winnipeg PARKing Day is coming ! Nominate a parking space that can be transformed into a park for a day by July 26th. We'll talk to an organizer of this event and more about the upcoming Winnipeg Design Festival  in September.

A Little History

What would a West End Dumplings-related show be without local history ?! I'll relay a few interesting tidbits that took place in Manitoba history this week and try to pair them up with related songs !

The Playlist

Rolling Stones - 19th Nervous Breakdown

Oh My Darling - Champs de Bataille

Uncle Smokey - Oh, Boy Do I Love Bears

Gordon Pinsent - Cod Liver Oil

Blue Rodeo - Side of the Road

The Sun sets on two rural weeklies

There was some sad news yesterday that a couple of weekly papers, albeit young 'uns by rural Manitoba standards, were shut down by Quebecor, which also owns Sun Media. The Beausejour Review and Lac du Bonnet Leader had a combined publishing history of nearly 100 years.

Quebecor bought the weeklies in 1998. Until yesterday their Manitoba roster consisted of The Beausejour Review, The Interlake Spectator, The Lac du Bonnet Leader, The Selkirk Journal, The Stonewall Argus & Teulon Times and the Portage Daily Graphic, (which recently went weekly).

I know people who live in some of these communities and most have been underwhelmed by their community paper in recent years. A thin gruel of local news that had become a vehicle to deliver (mostly) Winnipeg-based corporate flyers. Nonetheless, much of what community news there was will likely not get covered now.

Some would say that being owned by an Eastern chain increasingly interested in flyer distribution than community news meant that the end was near. Of course, the alternative argument is that if they hadn't been owned by an eastern chain wanting to use them as "flyer wrappers" they may have disappeared long ago.

I had to piece this look back at the history of the two papers from places like the Free Press archives and local history books from the communities. Perhaps symbbolic of how a local paper can lose touch with their community when owned by a large conglomerate, any history of the papers - event the year they were first publsihed in -  doesn't appear in the actual paper or on their websites. In Quebecor's "cookie cutter" web and newspaper design there no room to insert "Part of your community since 1945".

Springfield Leader, December 4, 1945

The Lac du Bonnet Leader's history dates back to 1945. That's when Alfred W. Hanks, publisher of the St. James Leader, branched out to the region with the Springfield Leader, based in Lac du Bonnet. This is late by rural Manitoba weekly standards but remember that Lac du Bonnet wasn't incorporated as a village until 1947, Pinawa was incorporated as a Local Government District (LGD) in January 1962.

The Free Press noted the new entry into the newspaper market on their editorial page. It said that it was a sign that southeast Manitoba, long the desolated "backwater" of the province, had "made it".  They commended Hanks for the quality of his recently-published first edition and noted that "The path of the publisher of the weekly newspaper is beset with pitfalls but the rewards, in the shape of satisfaction with community work well done, are considerable," (Winnipeg Free Press, October 9, 1945).

In the 1962 the paper became known as the Lac du Bonnet Springfield Leader, in the late 70s or early 80s it became the Lac Du Bonnet Leader.

The Beausejour Review is a true newbie, created in 1994.

The community and surrounding region has had a number of newspapers in the past, starting with the Brokenhead Times in 1902. The longest serving paper was likely the Beausejour Beaver (later the Manitoba Beaver) which published from 1959 until around 1994.

Manitoba's Worst Train Disasters: Carberry (1946)

This is one in a series on Manitoba's worst train crashes.

September 23, 1946, Winnipeg Free Press

At 10:15 on the night of Saturday, September 21, 1946 an east-bound CPR freight train was stopped at the small yard a half-mile west of Carberry, Manitoba to switch tracks. Moments later, it was struck from behind by another east-bound CPR freight train.

Three men were killed, all from the Winnipeg-based crew resting in the caboose of the first train. They died instantly. Three other crew members were seriously injured. 

The cargo consisted of wood and grain. No other people were injured and the town was not impacted.

"Train accident at Carberry" (source) **

When word reached Carberry about the crash, locals rushed to the scene. One man, W. McKay, had to bring a welder's torch to remove two of the injured that were pinned between the engine and the tender car. Dr. Galloway provided first aid until they could be rushed to Brandon General Hospital.

A coroner's inquest was held on May 15, 1947. It heard from 25 people, including the surviving crew members of both trains. The verdict exonerated both crews but recommended that more needed to be done to ensure protection for trains stopped to switch tracks.


I can find no mention of any memorial or monument. A decade later Carberry and region released their 75th anniversary book but the crash gets no mention under  the news from 1946.

March 5, 1934, Winnipeg Free Press

It was not the first multiple-death crash near Carberry. On March 2, 1934 two Brandon CNR men were killed when their freight train derailed six miles west of the town. Arnott Cochrane, fireman and  Walter Enright, engineer, were found dead under their locomotive. Ice on the tracks was believed to be the cause.

Those who died:

William Alexander Kirkland (57) was the conductor of the first train. Born and raised near Milverton, Ontario, he joined the C.P.R. in 1911 as a brakeman. He had been a conductor for 25 years without incident. He lived at 450 Atlantic Avenue and left wife Lola and an 18 year-old son, Jack. He is buried in Brookside Cemetery, Winnipeg.

T. J. "Tommy" Melvin was a general trainman. He had joined the railway just one week before the crash. This was his first trip as a crew member.

The Melvin family were originally from the Pipestone area but moved to Winnipeg where Tommy  attended Lord Selkirk School. He married Margaret Sumpton of Pipestone and the couple had a two year-old son, Beverly, and lived at 1810 Midmar Avenue.

He enlisted with the RCAF in May 1943, soon graduated from No. 5 Air Observation School (at Winnipeg Airport), and served overseas from June 1943 to July 1945. He is buried in Elmwood Cemetery.

James Gillespie Ferguson, 44, of 644 Elgin Avenue was Born in Scotland and came to Winnipeg in 1929.  He worked as a delivery man for a local bakery for fourteen years before serving overseas in the Army Medical Corps. In 1943 he joined the CPR. He left wife Isabella and an 18 year-old daughter Sadie.

Those who were injured:
 
The three inured men were brought to Brandon General Hospital in serious condition. It appears that they all survived.

Jacob Gurski of 882 Boyd Avenue was the train's fireman and had to have a leg amputated the following day. He resumed work with the CPR as a boilermaker and retired in 1952 after 45 years service with the company. He died July 27, 1972 at the age of 85.

The other crew, J. Knipe, the train's engineer, of 533 Inkster Boulevard and Frank Cushman of Brandon, both received serious burns. It appears that they both survived.

 

 September 23, 1946, Winnipeg Free Press

In Memoriam, September 21, 1948, Winnipeg Free Press

** The photo at Peel's does not have a date but I think it is a photo of the same crash based on similarities between it and the Free Press photo. Notice the man in the cap in both images. 

Farewell, McDiarmid Lumber

A number of long-time retailers have disappeared from Winnipeg streets recently. Some were national chains like Zellers, others were local shops like The Sweat Shack and Kelekis'. Earlier this summer the McDiarmid Lumber chain was taken over by McMunn and Yates, the Dauphin-based hardware chain.

I thought I would take a look back at McDiarmid Lumber story before the stores fade from our memory.

July 13 1935, Manitoba Free Press

Charles and J. S. McDiarmid, were born in Perthshire, Scotland and came to Manitoba as children in 1887. They opened McDiarmid Brothers Ltd., a wholesale lumber yard, in 1927 at 600 Pembina Highway, the same spot that the current Pembina Highway McDiarmid / M and Y store is today.

The first employees of the yard were: Leo Goulet; Herbert Gunn (truck driver); James Iverson; John Patterson; George Roberts (accountant); and Harry Wallbank.

August 3, 1960, Lögberg

John Stewart (J. S.) McDiarmid, was a long-time employee of Winnipeg Paint and Glass who, by 1926, had worked his way up to vice president of the company. He was also at the start of an impressive career in public service. In 1925 he was elected to city council and in 1927 to the House of Commons. In 1933 he became an MLA and served for 20 years. Afer that, he was appointed Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba.

I could find very little information about Charles, aside from the fact that he was born in Scotland and died in 1968.

A third brother, Peter, was born in Canada and was a local contractor at the time the store opened. It appears he wasn't directly involved in the early years of the store but by the 1940s was a store manager.

May 10, 1946, Winnipeg Free Press

McDiarmid Lumber was a small affair, one of hundreds of wholesale building yards that dotted the city, supplying the goods that built the West. It rarely advertized and appears to have had an uneventful existance until May 10, 1946.

On that day sparks from a welder's torch at neighbouring Borgers Ltd., a heavy machinery company, set a shed on fire. The embers drifted to McDiarmid's yard and in no time their building and 500,000 board feet of lumber valued at $40,000 went up in flames. 

When the fire was finally brought under control both companies lost everything but were able to rebuild from the insurance money.

1946 Henderson Directory

Right through to his terms as an elected official, brother J.S. was listed as president of the company in the Henderson Directories with Charles as Manager. In the 1950s, when he became Lieutenant Governor, Charles became president and his son Allister the store manager.

March 2, 1970, Winnipeg Free Press

Through the 1960s things were changing in the lumber industry. More lumber wholesalers were also getting into the retail end of the business, (perhaps due to pressure from the successful and growing Beaver Lumber chain who followed this model. In 1972 they were bought out by Molson's, the brewing family.)

McDiarmid made a number of changes as well. 

By the early 1960s the original brothers had were gone, (J.S. died in 1966, Charles in 1968 and Peter in 1971). The business was now co-owned by by Allister McDiarmid and Tom Matthews, formerly of Matthews Construction Ltd.. Matthews, it appears, had the controlling interest, (source).

September 29, 1971, Winnipeg Free Press

In March 1970 McDiarmid announced that it bought out Hayward Building Supplies on Portage Avenue in Headingley and began planning the conversion of their Pembina Highway lumber yard into a 7,000 square foot building supply store. The $150,000 building opened on September 30, 1971. 

May 15, 1980, Winnipeg Free Press

In 1973 the former Hayward Building Supplies yard on portage Avenue became McDiarmid's second location. In 1980 a third was added at 200 Meadowood Drive. By 1990 there were stores on Nairn Avenue and McPhillips Street. The chain also had locations in Brandon MB, Yorkton SK, Keewatin ON and Sioux Lookout ON.


In 1997 Tom Matthews, by then chairman and CEO of McDiarmid Lumber, appointed his son-in-law Vincent Ryz, who had been with the company since the late 1970s, as president and COO. In 2008 Matthews agreed to sell the business to Ryz.

Source

Financial difficulties meant some stores and contractor divisions were closed and it led to a family feud that ended up before the courts, (more detail can be fond in affidavits here and here). This eventually resulted in Ryz stepping down and Matthews resuming control in early 2013.

It was announced that McDiarmid was sold to McMunn and Yates in May 2013. 

Related:
McMunn and Yates absorbs five McDiarmid locations Winnipeg Free Press (June 2013)
New Owner for Lumber Stores Winnipeg Free Press (May 2013)
Reno in House of McDiarmid Winnipeg Free Press (March 2013)

Information about people and events in my blogs are gathered from various sources, mostly archived newspaper / periodical stories, Henderson Directory listings and, where possible, Manitoba Vital Statistics Database information. I cannot guarantee that these sources were 100% correct at the time of their publication. If you think that there is an error in this information in any of my postings please contact me at cassidy-at-mts.net