Timmins, Porcupine Gold Camp, northern Ontario

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IMMINS

Porcupipe Gold Can?p

NORTHERN ONTARIO.

Illustrated

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N the year 1907 the Porcupine District was for the first time thought seriously of
by mining men, capitalists and speculators as a likely field for the mining of the
precious metal, gold.

The only means of reaching the district was by canoe and portage and over
the hard trail, loaded with supplies and the necessary tools the dauntless pros-
pectors made their way, through bush and over lakes and rivers to a rendezvous
at the Eastern end of what was called Porcupine Lake, which rendezvous
latterly became the Townsite of Porcupine.
Meanwhile a Townsite was being formed by private enterprise at the Western end of Porcupine
Lake and here the town of South Porcupine, by reason of its nearness to the stakings to be known in
the future as the Dome Mine prospered as a business and industrial centre.

Prospectors at this time were very busy around the Metagama River and it was in October, 1909,
that Jack Miller, Ben Hollinger and Alex. Gillies had severally staked the claims on the South of
Miller Lake and Gillies Lake which claims were subsequently to be merged and form the locus oper-
andi of the now famous Hollinger Gold Mines, Limited.

In the Winter of 1910-1911 the Ontario Government Railway extended their line into South
Porcupine, thus bringing railway communication within six miles of the present town of Timmins.

In 1911 a disastrous bush fire occurred which completely destroyed all buildings including the
new stamp mill which was being erected, causing the cessation of all activities. New supplies and
plant were immediatelv rushed in over the new railway, only to be destroyed by the Great Fire that
swept over the entire Porcupine District that same year causing the death of many brave lives.

In order to facilitate construction throughout the Camp, two sawmills were erected and they
turned out all the lumber used in the Hollinger plant and buildings, and made it possible to carry on
construction without being hampered by congestion on the Railway in its advance to the present ter-
minus in the Timmins Townsite. .

To provide suitable living conditions for the families of those employed in the different mines, the
Campbell Veteran claim of 160 acres was purchased and the present town of Timmins, as called after
the well-known family of that name, was laid out and developed.

Timmins is an incorporated town municipalitv administered by a Mayor and six Councillors, and
slopes gently to the Metagama River some three-qu'arters of a mile to the Western boundary, whence a
good supplv of water is obtained.

During the Winter of 1911-12 work was actively pushed in the various mines, especially by the
Dome Hollinger and Mclntyre Companies, and on'june 15th, 1912, the Hollinger Mill commenced
the treatment of the ore which opened up big possibilities for the near future. Unfortunately these
expectations were defeated bv a strike through the camp in November, 1912, which completely de-
moralized the various companies for many months. Since the Summer of 1915 the camp has gone
ahead bv leaps and bounds, the larger mines paying regular dividends while others were rapidly get-

ting on to a good financial basis, when like a bomb from the clouds came the Great War and stopped
all further progress. The War seems to have hit the camp just as it seemed to be entering a sea of
financial prosperity, for what with the demand of men for the different Battalions, and the rise in
cost of all materials and supplies, the different mines found it very difficult to keep going, in fact most
of them suspended all operations, while only the stronger mines such as the Hollinger, Mclntyre and
Dome, were able to keep going to even a small extent.

Now that Peace has been declared, however, the Camp is rejoicing at the turn of the tide. Not-
withstanding the great setbacks, the district has gone ahead to a surprising degree in regard to busi-
ness and industrial enterprise and civil government. The reconstruction of the Hollinger Company
has been effected, the Acme and Miller-Middleton properties being merged with the original holdings
and the capital of the company increased to $25,000,000 through the guiding hand of Mr. Percy A.
Robins, who has now relinquished his post to live in California, still, however, retaining his Direc-
torship. He has been succeeded by Mr. Alexander F. Brigham, of American and South African ex-
perience, who has already proved himself to be a distinct acquisition to the business end of the
Camp. In 1918 the Company subscribed to the Victory Loan to the amount of $1,750,000 and all
this out of a property which nine years before was an unproductive tract of bush far removed from
civilization or transportation.

South Porcupine is again beginning to show great activity owing to the loyal support of its citi-
zens and now the Great Dome Mine has again opened up operations in full force and other mines of
great promise too, there is no doubt a great future is rapidly approaching.

Timmins has been a town of continuous growth and has gone ahead of its neighbors so steadily
that it is now the metropolis of the Porcupine District — this is due largely to the fact of its ideal
location and its nearness to the Hollinger. Mclntyre, Porcupine Crown, Vipond North Thompson and
many smaller properties. The town council has always adopted a progressive policy and to-day
Timmins has concrete sidewalks, well maintained roads, drainage and water systems and efficient fire
brigade with an up-to-date electric fire alarm system. The educational side of Timmins has not been
neglected as it possesses in both its schools, the finest and best elementary schools in the Province.
The religious life of the town is well looked after with Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Bap-
tist and Salvation Army Churches with their various organizations. And in the New Empire Theatre
situated opposite the Railway Station, Timmins has one of the finest and most comfortable theatres in
the Northland. The management in their choice of pictures cater only to the best.

The district possesses an abundance of water power, the Northern Canada Power Company having
at their plant at Weiwaitin Falls, and Sandy Falls on the Metagama River enough reserve to supply
the needs for many years to come.

The next few years will be years of tremendous expansion for the district and the people are
sufficiently optimistic to predict the growth of the Porcupine with its surrounding mining activities
until it becomes the greatest mining camp in the world.

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Fire Hall and Police Station, Timmins, Onl

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Goldfields Hotel, Timmins, Ont.

Oueens Hotel, Timmins. Oni.

Separate School, Timmins, Ont.

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Tn 111 .1 rac Strei Timi

Hemlock Street, Tiniiiniis. Ont.

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Viepond Noi th Thomp ;ov Mini Timmii "<

Pr>W< ' H'Hisr ut IXiiik Mm. Smitli I'

Third Avenue, Timiruns, Out.

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Public School, Timmins. Ont.

T. & N. 0. Railway Station.

Third Avenue, Timmins, Ont.

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Main Street, Schumacher, Ont.

Mill >.f i h( H

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Third Avenue, Timmins, Out.

Mattagumi Landing From tie river

The North Crown Mine, Timmins, Ont.

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Sandy Falls, Ont.

Mill of Mi. Dome Mine, South Por< upine

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rl Saw Mills in B 11 I

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Mclntyre Min<\ K< humacl i i On!

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He-Hinder Mine from T & N. O Railway Track, Timmins, Out.

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Pretty Scene mi Uip Mattagami River, Timmins, Ont.

Printed bv The Photopelatine Engraving Co. Ltd., Ottawa.