“THE TRAIN’S A COMIN’
...All Aboard!”
2024 marks the 130th anniversary of the train coming to Barry’s Bay.
The StationKeepers MV, who now operate the railway museum located in the train station located in the heart of Barry’s Bay, are marking this huge occasion with a celebration on August 31, 2024 at the Train station and Water Tower Park
The StationKeepers will unveil a new, hand-built, wooden children's play structure in Water Tower Park. The design resembles an old locomotive and several rail cars.
The Valley Gazette wanted to mark the anniversary with a special section dedicated to the rail history of the area. Inside you'll find history on the pre-rail days of logging and history of the trains that passed through town.
Inside, you'll find stories about the major players in launching rail service, memories of people who rode and worked on the line and how the station has evolved over its 130 years.
We hope that you enjoy this commemorative publication.
TheValleyGazette
The railway hotel peeks out from behind the station and freight shed at Madawaska. Wilno was the site of Canada's first Polish community.
Published by Lavigne Media
Publisher
Michel Lavigne
Production
Derek Layman
Editorial
Robert Fisher
Toni Lavigne-Conway
Contributors
David Villeneuve
Victoria Cybulskie-Blank
Arthur Rumleskie
John Mintha
Barry Conway
Theresa Prince
Joanne Olsen
David McBride
Robert and Cathie Corrigan
Joseph and Peggy Rumleskie
Ralph Pecoskie
Don Derraugh
John Bozak
Jacques S Leroux
StationKeepers MV, a not for profit group of volunteers, is pleased and privileged to host the 130th anniversary celebrations of the arrival of the railway in Barry’s Bay. Our iconic railway station and wooden water tower are truly one of a kind treasures.
The station houses a museum of railway artifacts, stories of local builders and heroes and is home to programs which celebrate local culture. The Water Tower Park, with its new addition of a train inspired play structure will continue to engage local families and visitors for years to come.
This anniversary celebration would not be possible without the interest and dedication of many who came before our group. The efforts of the preservation and restoration committees and local history and culture organizations ensured that the station did not come to the fate of similar stations in the area. The Township of Madawaska Valley and its Council have recognized and appreciated the value of the station and water tower park and provided ongoing financial support regarding structural and accessibility improvements. Local businesses have generously contributed to StationKeeper fundraising efforts on an ongoing basis. The StationKeeper membership continues to grow and fund ongoing programs and core volunteers spend endless hours unearthing facts and folklore. We would also like to thank the local media, in particular the Valley Gazette, for its promotion and support of our events during this anniversary year. This special edition devoted to our railway history will be a keepsake for many.
Joanne Olsen, President
StationKeepers MV intends to keep riding the rails for years to come. We welcome new members aboard at any time. Visit our website therailwaystation.ca or come meet us at the station!
“130 years is a remarkable achievement. The dedication of everyone involved is truly commendable. What a wonderful legacy.”
Thanksgiving 1981.
Photos Al Best
The history of logging in the Madawaska Valley goes back well before the train arrived.
In 1840 a few young men in their twenties explored the lakes and rivers of the area. James Skead and his younger brother, Robert, put two canoes into the mouth of the Madawaska River as it poured into the Ottawa River in Arnprior. Along with four friends, they paddled upriver, against the current, and deep into the Algonquin Frontier, a canoe trip of over 250 kilometres. It took two weeks to portage around 29 dangerous waterfalls and rapids, all carefully noted by James until his party arrived, with the first snowfall, at Bark Lake.
A History of Barry’s Bay - lumbering the Madawaska
Rewritten from a presentation by Barry Conway at the Barry’s Bay train station early summer 2024.
Skead had so carefully mapped five years earlier. James also organized the Madawaska River Improvement Association bringing together local lumber kings, barons and princes -- people such as John Egan, Joseph Aumond, Robert Conroy, and Peter Aylen -- and got them to support his ingenious Madawaska River works scheme that would benefit them all.
There, the young men built a small log shanty, naming it Skead’s Depot. Nothing was heard of them for the rest of that winter. In spring, Big Jim and Little Bob, as the Skead brothers became known, returned to Arnprior, along with a raft of white pine. An impressive feat for the day.
Danial McLachlin, a lumberman in Arnprior, took notice. In 1842, he sent his best timber cruiser, a young Irishman named James Barry, up the Madawaska. Barry and a small crew canoed to the western end of Kamaniskeg Lake, a place the Algonquins called Beautiful Bay. From then on, the area was known as Barry’s Bay.
Within three years, the Madawaska River became internationally known as the most productive timber river in the entire British Empire. In 1845 alone, well over forty million board feet of square timber and saw logs were floated down the Madawaska to Arnprior. Big Jim, Little Bob, and James Barry made it possible. They supervised the construction of almost every dam, slide and chute built to get that timber safely past those 29 waterfalls and rapids that James
By 1857, settlers were arriving in droves along the new Opeongo Colonization Road that passed right by James Barry’s old shanty as well as Skead’s Depot. The Crown land agent in Clontarf, T. P. French, who was responsible for that new settlement road, hired James Barry’s cousin, Denis Barry, whose job was to take mostly Polish-Kashub settlers up to their Opeongo lots towards Barry’s Bay. The townsight of Barry’s Bay gained the double distinction of being named after not one but two Irish Barry's.
By 1867, James Skead became senator in the new Canadian Parliament, which was being built from timber harvested on the Madawaska.
John Egan died prior to Confederation. J. R. Booth soon took on his mantle. Booth bought Egan’s Madawaska River timber limits and won the contract to supply lumber for the new Parliament buildings, Booth had bigger plans than Egan.
Booth started replacing forestry and sawmill horses with steam engines; he also built a short railway to move logs overland to the Ottawa River and got involved in Great Lakes shipping. By the mid1890s, he was building the longest private railroad the world would then know. Booth’s Ottawa,
Continued on page 4.
Danial McLachlin
James Skead
J.R. Booth
The photo shows the terrain through what is, today, Algonquin Provincial Park, during construction of the Ottawa, Arnprior & Parry Sound Railway. Algonquin Park Archives, public domain photo
Continued from page 3.
Arnprior and Parry Sound railway (OA&PS) passed right by James Barry’s old shanty in 1894 where Tom Murray spent the summer building Booth’s OA&PS railway as a waterboy. Murray, born near Barry’s Bay, was 14 at the time.
In a life spanning 101 years, Murray witnessed great changes to his birthplace, including watching James Barry’s old shanty eventually be transformed into a real home located at 33 Stafford Street. Early in the 1890s, Dan McLaughlin’s Lumber Company sold Booth
the land to build his railroad station in Barry’s Bay. Nearby land was subdivided and building lots were offered for sale. Along the shoreline of Barry’s Bay, McLaughlin saved the best water access for his own large, steam-powered sawmill the company he built once a train could bring up its heavy machinery.
Before long, Booth trains were passing through Barry’s Bay, loaded with timber that no longer needed to be driven down the Madawaska River past the 29 waterfalls. That same railway passing through Barry’s Bay would also eventually carry 40 percent of all Prairie wheat grown for export. Two hotels quickly sprang up in the village of Barry’s Bay, then three churches and dozens of wood-frame houses for sawmill workers and their families.
Barry’s Bay put out its welcome mat looking for any and all lumberjacks interested in hard work and steady pay. One of those who answered that call was John Omanique, a young Polish-Kashub.
While emigrating to Canada as a boy, Omanique got separated from his widowed mother and ended up alone in the United States. He eventually discovered that his mother had settled in Barry’s Bay and rejoined her around the time the railway first arrived. McLaughlin’s sawmill initially kept the lion’s share of the local lumber business. Still, there was room for local entrepreneurs. Murray and Omanique were two who heeded that call. By 1902, when Murray was in his early 20s, about the same as as James Skead was when he first saw Bark Lake, Tom formed Murray Brothers Lumber with his older brother, Mick. Eight years later, when the McLaughlin mill was put up for sale, the Murray brothers and Omanique saw a business opportunity. They formed Murray & Omanique Lumber and took over McLaughlin’s mill in Barry’s Bay.
Continued on page 5.
Peter Biernacki was on his way to becoming a much-loved Roman Catholic priest who eventually built St. Hedwig’s Church, St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic School and a nearby convent for an order of teaching nuns who ran the school.
Tom Murray
Continued from page 4.
In order to help pay for all of that religious and educational activity, the town pitched in every summer for Father Biernacki’s famous fundraising picnics. Thousands of passengers got off the train in Barry’s Bay for a day of festivities. Crowds watched baseball games, marching bands, played games of chance, listened to federal cabinet ministers’ stump speeches and stuffed themselves with local cookery. Sometimes, they even got to watch Tom’s younger brother, Bill, perform his professional slack wire act. In winter 1910, Barry’s Bay got its first outdoor rink, complete with a onehorse zamboni, electric lights, and a rink boards good enough for both women’s and men’s hockey teams. All compliments of Murray and Omanique Lumber.
Tom Murray also heard the siren song of politics. He was first elected reeve of Barry’s Bay then spent sixteen years as MPP. Murray and Omanique had already started shipping by rail millions of board feet of dimensional lumber and square timbers all over North America each year.
The summer waters of Barry’s Bay seemed full of log booms, maneuvered to the mill by pointer boats and alligators, small steam-powered barges that worked like tugboats. Barry’s Bay became well known for turning such alligators into floating cookeries or sleep-aboard bunkies, perfect for a week’s work down on the lake. It is thought that the Mayflower, which sank Nov. 12, 1912 on Kamaniskeg Lake, hit a deadhead log which punctured its hull.
The 20th century also brought significant change. The First World War was over, the Ottawa Valley’s second great lumber king, J. R. Booth, passed away in 1925; and Murray and Omanique eventually dissolved their partnership in 1929, the year Tom Murray was first elected to the Ontario legislature. Omanique stayed at the mill in Barry’s Bay and reinvented himself as the Barry’s Bay Lumber Company; while Mick and Tom reverted to their original Murray Brothers Lumber Company; they soon built their own new mill at Cross Lake on the far side of Bark Lake.
Both companies somehow survived the break-up as well as the Dirty Thirties, as did the Princes, Rumleskies, Chapeskies, Dalys and dozens of others who ran local lumber companies.
The Second World War reduced local manpower significantly. The lumber industry was conscripted itself as an essential war service and those who remained at home were shifted into high gear. Diesel engines soon replaced most of the horses. During the war, Omanique eventually sold his mill
to John P. Conway and moved his company, first to Algonquin Park then to the Bonnechere River. He never gave up the name of his Barry’s Bay Lumber Company.
Omanique retired after the war, turning control of his company over to his son, Joe Omanique. The Murray brothers did much same, moving Murray Brothers to Madawaska where it remains today.
As for those thousands of young men in their twenties who followed Big Jim and Little Bob into the Algonquin fronter to spend winter nights having to bunk in timber shanties, if you stop long enough in Barry’s Bay, you may see some old ghost who will tell you a thing or two about pointer boats and alligators.
Early controversy over location of the Water Tower
Toni
It’s hard to discuss the history of the Railroad Station without making mention of the rivalry between two influential figures, Canadian lumber tycoon and railroad baron J.R. Booth , and local businessman Frank Stafford who owned the first general store in the Bay known as “the People’s Store” that stood close to the Barry’s Bay Railroad station. Their controversy was legendary and many people in town recall the story. There are many versions of the tale, but we believe the following account by Bob Corrigan to be what most people believe to
The dispute between Frank Stafford and J.R. Booth resulted in the train station being removed for a time from Barry’s Bay to a point a couple of miles west of Barry’s Bay (Martin’s Siding). That happened in January 1895. Apparently, Mr. Stafford had given 2 acres and a right-of-way to J.R. Booth for free. Mr. Stafford was unhappy when the railroad company proceeded to install the water tank too close to his store, and Stafford felt that his store was in danger of being burnt by sparks from the locomotives. The problem was resolved before that summer ended.”
Railway workers building the track in 1895 in Barry's Bay. On the left is Tom Murray who is now popularly known in Barry's Bay as "Old Tom." Others in the photo are unidentified.
Lavigne-Conway
Frank Stafford J.R. Booth
Log chutes were used to transport logs around rapids. The chute at Crooked Slide Park in Combermere is a reconstruction of an original slide that was built at the site on Byers Creek. Robert Fisher photo
Press reports from summer 1892 indicate the first shovel went in the ground for the Ottawa Arnprior and Parry Sound (OA & PS) Railway on July 11.
The OA & PS was formed in May 1891 when the Ottawa and Parry Sound Railway merged with the Ottawa, Arnprior and Renfrew Railway. The section from Arnprior to Eganville opened Dec. 18, 1893 and the section from Eganville to Barry’s Bay opened Oct. 1, 1894. On Nov. 2, 1896, Madawaska became the divisional point on the OA & PS. A new five-stall roundhouse was built in Madawaska as a result.
From the Ottawa Free Press, July 11, 1892
“The first sod was turned today, at Arnprior, in the construction of the Ottawa and Parry Sound railway. There were no formalities observed, work along the line being simply begun in real earnest. It is understood that the contracts for the construction were signed this afternoon.”
A formal groundbreaking ceremony took place a week later on July 19.
From the Almonte Gazette, July 29, 1892
“CARP NEWS
The first sod. - on Tuesday, 19th inst., at 7 a.m., the first sod on the O.A. & P.S.R.R. was turned at Mr. Wm. Rivington’s farm near this village. The ceremony was performed by G.N. Kidd, Esq., Warden of Carleton County, and was witnessed by a large concourse of the inhabitants, amongst whom were several gentlemen from Ottawa - Dr. G. Falls, Dr. Pearson, John Kidd, Esq., barrister, and F.O. Hirsch, Montreal. As the sod was duly placed in position in the center of the road the assembled crowd manifested their approbation by rounds of cheering and applause. The ceremony was witnessed by Geo. A. Mountain, C.E., A.H.N. Bruce, C.E., Robt. Bruce, C.E. Arthur Simpson, Esq., Messrs. Fauquier Bros., Dr. Groves, Messrs. D. McElroy, Thos. J. Armstrong, Wm. Barton, Thos. Hodgins, John Carruthers and others. In the evening the warden entertained the engineers, contractors and chief promoters of the railway scheme to supper. The table being cleared, Mr. Kidd, in proposing the health of Her Majesty, said he considered this the most important day Carp had witnessed
The beginning and end of the railway
for many a year. He was very pleased to have the privilege of thus meeting the chief engineer and his staff, together with the contractors and so many interested friends. Thereafter Dr. Groves proposed the health of the president of the road, John R. Booth, Esq. In the absence of Mr. Booth, Mr Charles Mohr, Reeve of Fitzroy, responded. Mr. Thomas J. Armstrong proposed the health of the engineering staff, to which Chief Engineer Mountain, Messrs. Bruce and Simpson replied. Mr. Sullivan, one of the staff, sang in fine style “Our Jack’s Come Home Today.” The toast of “The Contractors “ was next given by Mr. David McElroy. Introducing the toast Mr. McElroy proposed a conundrum, “Why did the road not go via Tolbolton?” Answer: because it was too monotonous, had too much mohr (moor) and no Mountain nor Groves on that route!” Messrs. Fauquier and Brennan replied. Mr. Mohr proposed the health of the chairman, to which Mr. Kidd responded in a lengthy speech. Auld Lang Syne and God Save the Queen brought the harmonious gathering to a close at an early hour.”
On March 1, 1959, Candian National Railway began Dayliner service between Ottawa and Barry’s Bay. Dayliners were self-propelled, air conditioned cars for passenger travel. They were also called Budd Cars after the company that built them, The Budd Company. Passenger service between Ottawa and Barry’s Bay was discontinued July 7 1961. The last train left Ottawa at 8:10 p.m. Canadian Pacific abandoned Eganville subdivisions between Douglas and Eganville and Payne and Douglas on Dec. 16, 1970 and Feb. 20, respectively. On Jan. 20, 1966, the Dominion Lime Products (aka Bonnechere Lime Works) closed. The lime industry had a long history in the region, dating to about 1907. The closing of the plant at Eganville meant the end of the last narrow gauge railway in the area.
-Source, Colin Churcher’s Railway Pages and Old Time Trains
The road that Booth built
Robert Fisher
John Rudolphus (J.R.) Booth built the Ottawa, Arnprior and Parry Sound Railway (OA & PS) to haul timber from forests to mills in the Ottawa Valley. Just under 264 miles long, the railway wasn’t lengthy but it was important. For a time it was the busiest railway in the country. In addition to timber, the railway carried as much as 40 per cent of western grain, picking the grain up in Parry Sound and transporting it to Ottawa. Booth owned timber rights in, what is today, Algonquin Provincial Park and a mill in Ottawa. In addition to the OA & PS, he also bought the Canada Atlantic Railway (CAR) which ran from Ottawa to Vermont, thus assuring a route to the United States for his timber. The lines were consolidated in 1899 and sold to the Grand Trunk Railway company in 1905.
All that remains of the roundhouse in Madawaska are some remnants of the foundation. The turntable rotated cars to one of five bays.
company wanted to get it open before Booth got his OA & PS finished. The CPR beat Booth to Eganville and, as a result, Booth re-routed his road about a mile southwest of town. Courts decided which company would get land near Killaloe. Booth had been deeded the land. The CPR wanted it. The court sided with Booth.
The OA & PS was not Booth’s first rail line. In 1884, he built a five-and-a-half-mile line from Lake Nosbonsing to Lake Nipissing; the Nosbonsing and Nipissing Railway (NNR)
The OA & PS started as two separate lines. The Ottawa, Arnprior and Renfrew Railway which went from Ottawa to Renfrew and the Ottawa and Parry Sound, which went from Renfrew to Parry Sound. The two lines, chartered in 1888 were consolidated into the OA & PS in 1891.
The first shovel went in the ground in 1892 and a section from Ottawa to Arnprior was opened in 1893. Railways were big business at the time and several lines operated in competition. Booth’s OA & PS competed with Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) and east-west lines the CPR was building. The CPR Atlantic & North-West line was planned and the
The first train ran the entire length of the OA & PS route on Dec. 21, 1896. While named the OA and Parry Sound railway, the line did not run to Parry Sound. The town and Booth had a disagreement over cost for land at the harbour. Parry Sound was, at the time, the deepest freshwater port in the world. Booth took advantage of a law allowing expropriation of Indigenous land for rail lines and made the endpoint of his line at Depot Harbour. In 1898, he added a steamship company, the Canada Atlantic Transport Company which allowed him to take cargo by land and water faster than any other company.
Several private spur lines connected to the OA & PS as did the NNR. A divisional point; a local headquarters for a rail company that is often an important maintenance depot, was built later at Madawaska along with the roundhouse.
The CAR officially took over operation of the OA & PS in 1899 and the OA & PS name ceased to be used. Grand Trunk Railway bought the CAR in 1905 and by 1910, trains ran every 20 minutes there was so much business.
Grand Trunk went bankrupt and, in 1923, the federal government nationalized the line, merging it with the Canadian National Railway (CNR).
The nearly 240-mile route from Ottawa to Parry Sound of the Ottawa, Arnprior and Parry Sound Railway was once the busiest rail line in Canada. Wikipedia graphic
Photo Dave McBride
When it comes to a passion for the railroad and a love of history, local boy Mark Woermke is someone with a great deal of knowledge about the topic.
Hosted by the StationKeepers MV as part of their celebrations to commemorate the 130 th Anniveersay of the railway in the Bay, Mr. Woermke recently gave an informative presentation on the people who kept the local train service moving and on track, the employees of the Barry’s Bay Railway Station spanning a period of seventy-eight years.
Not only is the topic one he is enthusiastic about, it’s also personal.
“Without the railway, this station, and the people who worked in it,I wouldn’t be here today. I mean that literally. My parents met here when they were railway employees.
But beyond that, I have benefited from three generations of association with this railway and this station: my father started his CNR career here, my paternal grandfather raised his family on a section foreman’s wages along this line, and my maternal great grandparents owned and operated the Balmoral Hotel whose existence was tied to the railway.”
He acknowledged other people in attendance who had relatives who worked at the Station in the past.
Among them was Daniel Gutoskie (son of Leonard Gutoskie), Jane Foster and sister Mary Recoskie (daughters of Donald Recoskie), and Jean Sayyea and her sister Patsy Terreberry (granddaughters of Albert Fox).
The Railway’s vital role in the history of Barry’s Bay
Mr. Woermke noted that the arrival of the Ottawa, Arnprior and Parry Sound Railway “was the most important event in the history of Barry’s Bay. Without it, Barry’s Bay might not have developed, or it would be a very different community.”
He went on to explain that in the railway’s heyday “large lumber operations, smaller local mills, the corundum mines at Craigmont and the turpentine plant in Barry’s Bay all depended on the railway to ship their products.”
Area farmers “ shipped livestock, milk, and other agricultural products to city markets and received new agricultural equipment on the train. Shopkeepers and citizens depended on the railway to bring their groceries, household supplies, mail, parcels, catalogue orders and newspapers.”
Mr. Woermke gave lots of examples of how the trains provided for passenger travel as well. “ It transported doctors in, and critical patients out; and it was the means by which, when necessary, police, coroners and magistrates arrived in the community, Moreover, it provided an opportunity for locals to travel for leisure, to honeymoon, to attend to business, to go to college, or to enlist for military service.”
He also reminded us that at the time, the telegraph, facilitated though the railway staff was the only means of rapid communication and that people and businesses relied on it to send important and urgent messages and news be it local notices or that of national importance.
Staff Positions
While the railway may have been the heart of the village, it was only as good as the staff who kept everything running. Mr. Woermke detailed the roles and responsibilities of the
Rediscovering the Past
A presentation on the Station Agents, Operators & Clerks of long ago
Toni Lavigne-Conway
The presentation of employees included some very interesting personal facts gathered and addressed Woermke. Some are noted below.
• Frank Milloy was probably Barry’s Bay’s first agent. The earliest reference to him is an 1895 land transaction where he is identified as the station master and one of the trustees of the Barry’s Bay Methodist congregation. No doubt he was caught in the conflict between local businessman Frank Stafford and the railway which caused the station to be closed, moved several kilometers west, and returned to the village.
• In 1895, the Barry’s Bay correspondent reported in the Eganville Star that agent Fred Eastman was the first bicyclist seen in the neighbourhood.
• On May 2, 1899, The Ottawa Citizen reported that “Mr. Casey,” station agent at Barry’s Bay, had left his position so that his wife might claim a $100,000 inheritance.
• In 1911, Philip Lawler , his wife, Annie Vancuski, and their infant daughter, were living in the agent’s quarters above the station. As agent, Philip would have interacted with victims, survivors, officials, investigators and reporters in 1912 when the steamer Mayflower sank in Lake Kaminskeg on its way from Barry’s Bay to Combermere with a loss of nine lives.
• Harry Taylor arrived during one world war and left during another. A Madawaska native, Harry signed on with the railway at Madawaska in 1913 and had four brothers who were railroaders. Two were agents, one was a brakeman, and another was an engineer. Arriving in Barrys Bay in 1917, his tenure here lasted until 1940 making him Barry’s Bay’s longest-serving agent.
consult the booklet Agents, Operators and Clerks at the Barry’s Bay Station 1894-
for biographical sketches on the individuals listed above.
various positions held at the station.
“Sometimes called “station masters” Agents were the railway’s sales reps in the community. They sold, delivered and supervised, all the freight, passenger and telegraph services required by individuals and businesses.”
They also received orders by telegraph, maintained detailed files and ledgers and were responsible for keeping the office clean and stocked, the station waiting room tidy and warm and kept freight shed and grounds secure, organized and safe. According to Woermke, “sometimes agents were referred to as “agent-operators” because they had to be qualified telegraphers.”
The Operators had the important job of operating the telegraph machine and facilitating communication. It was explained that “the telegraph poles that lined the railroad track held two lines. One was for railroad communication, and the other was for commercial telegrams. If stations were small, agents would be responsible for both railway and commercial telegrams, but if stations were busy, operators handled the public or commercial telegrams. At times, the commercial telegraph companies were
separate entities from the railway and operators worked for them.”
Clerks assisted agents when things got busy at the station. “Clerks may have had specific responsibilities like freight and express, or they may have been assigned tasks like delivering telegrams, calling customers, preparing reports, filing, cleaning, maintaining kerosene lamps, and stoking the coal stove. Often, clerks were gaining on-thejob experience for future careers as operators and agents.”
Meeting the People that made it all happen
Before introducing the railway staff, Mr. Woermke acknowledged that although he’d done months of research in preparation for the presentation, he was not aware that a complete roster of all the personnel existed and that his work was still one in progress.
“It’s also a starting point, and the list is growing. In the last two weeks, I’ve added three more people.”
He presented the names in order of dates, also noting significant events in history (like the wars, the depression, major economic developments ) that would have affected both the railroad and the staff.
• Bert Needham. When the artist Tom Thomson drowned in Canoe Lake in 1917, station it was Bert, agent at Algonquin Park and former operator in Barry’s Bay who sent the following telegram message to Thomson’s family in Owen Sound: “Tom Thomson drowned in Canoe Lake. Body found. Now awaiting burial there. [ In 1952, Bert attended a ceremony at Beechwood Cemetery in Ottawa where the “Canada Atlantic Old Boys” organization placed a wreath on the grave of the founder of the Ottawa Arnprior and Parry Sound Railway, J.R. Booth.
• When he retired in 1949, Alfred Fox was Barry’s Bay’s second-longest-serving agent. One of Alfred’s sons, Howard, a World War II veteran, married Mary Etmanskie, and they raised their family in Barry’s Bay.
• Gwen Billings was hired as a railway clerk during World War II. Like other railway staff, she received heartbreaking news about families during wartime, and her experience of delivering two telegrams to the Biernacki family in 1944 was shared. The operator received the first telegram informing them that their son had been killed in action. Gwen was chosen to deliver the message because she knew the family. She telephoned the soldier’s uncle, Monsignor Biernacki, and together they delivered the terrible news. About a month later a second
notifying the Biernacki’s that another of their sons had been killed.
• Roy Woermke started as a clerk in the Bay in 1943, but he only worked there for about eighteen months before going out on the road as a relief operator, working in at least sixteen stations in Eastern Ontario before 1951 when he was appointed agent at Lake Traverse Station in Algonquin Park. He married Gwen Billings that same year. In his retirement, Roy chaired the Railway Station Restoration Committee and served briefly as a councillor for the Village of Barry’s Bay.
• Don Recoskie was a young lad from Wilno when he started his railway career as a Clerk. By 1957 he was working as a relief operator at various stations including Barry’s Bay and in 1960 he became a
permanent operator in the Bay, continuing to work there until 1963.
• Len Gutoskie, who grew up on a farm on the outskirts of Barry’s Bay, was sixteen when he started at the station as a Clerk in 1942. In 1947, Len likely set a record for the Barry’s Bay station when he sold a ticket to resident Frank Ritza who was embarking on a journey to Mexico City. Len learned telegraphy and went on to work as a relief operator in Eastern Ontario stations including Maynooth and Alexandria. In 1949, he married Yolande Blais and eventually he returned to the Bay as an Operator in the early 1950s staying until 1957 when he was appointed agent in Wilno.
• Barry’s Bay’s last permanent agent wasJack Beach. Jack’s father, Tom Beach, had a long career with the
Daughters of Donald Recoskie (Jane Foster and Mary Recoskie of the Kitchener) remember they had strict instructions not to touch the telegraph machine. “Dad was very proud of his job and always loved the area. We also remember it being tough on mom to be home alone raising us kids when they decided that dad would go on the road to work as an operator across Ontario.”
railway, and Jack’s brother Gerry also worked at the Barry’s Bay Station. Jack and his family lived in the agent’s quarters above the Station where one daughter broke her leg falling on the stairs, before moving to a larger home on Bay Street. He was known for his cheerful disposition and community involvement as a member of a school board committee, a community centre board, the chair of the Association for Community Living, and he was involved with local service clubs.
Mr. Woermke closed the presentation by acknowledging that the railway staff “witnessed and participated in significant events that affected the development of the village of Barry’s Bay, the life span of the railway and their own personal lives and, by doing their jobs, they contributed to the growth of this community.”
He then invited audience members to share their own stories and recollections about the days of the local railroad.
Daniel Gutoskie youngest son of the Len Gutoskie remembers little chicks being delivered on the train, and how his family had one of the first television sets when his dad was an agent at the Wilno station. “All the area kids would come over to watch a cowboy movie. We also had a phonograph player in the station and had a lot of fun dancing in there.” Len Gutoskie, Clerk/Operator.
Donald Recoskie, Operator.
Harry Taylor, a Madawaska native, was the longest serving Agent to work at the Barry’s Bay Station. Seen here, fourth from left, with his brothers, most who also worked on the railroad.
Albert Fox was the 2nd longest serving agent at the Station and is the grandfather of Jean Sayya and Patsie Terreberry.
Jack Beach was the last serving agent at the Station. He was the son of Tom Beach, agent at the Killaloe Station and the brother of Joan (Omer) Conway of Barry’s Bay.
Roy Woermke, Clerk.
For well known local historian and genealogist Theresa Prince, preserving the history of her hometown, including the historic Railroad Station, came quite naturally.
“ I always had that interest (in history) in me. I remember in grade one when I started school, and the teacher would ask what your mother’s maiden name was. I knew that but all the other children didn’t. They would just say, it’s mom. And when I became a widow very suddenly in 2000, I also wanted to know more about my husband’s family too, but when I started that I thought I should do mine first, so I switched back to my own.”
Ms. Prince would later go on to research and subsequently find an abundance of historical information dating back to the 1800’s, during the time when the Railway, that was mostly driven by the lumber industry, was the heart of Barry’s Bay, it’s economy, communication and daily life.
“When I was looking at my mom’s side of the family (she was a Kovalskie) I wanted to know what Barry’s Bay was like from her growing up, so I began researching the early settlers and the businesses that existed back then. Of course,the railway was a big a part of the history of our town.”
In doing her research she realized that unfortunately, stories and information of long ago were not always recorded or written down like that might be today, which sometimes made it harder to gather information.
“I wish we had asked our families more about the town and the railroad station. We never asked and wish we had .” Her interest in that era would also motivate her to later become a founding member of the StationKeepers MV, a non-profit group committed to preserving the history of the Railway and the local Station building in Barry’s Bay. Despite never having ridden the train herself, she does have personal stories of the days of the train in the Bay.
Toni Lavigne-Conway
“As kids, we could hear the sectioncar coming through town in the afternoon as we walked home from school. If we were dallying and heard that we knew it was around 4:30, so we better get home,” recalled Theresa, noting their family farm was a good three mile walk each way to school. Even from there, she says they could still hear the train whistle blow every day from the farm.
“I also remember all the box cars sitting behind Palubeskie’s general store; that’s where the pulp was loaded. There was always lots of activity there. I know some of the town kids would tell us stories of playing in those box cars. And other people remember when pigs were shipped by train. There was some fencing around where the Water Tower is now, and they would have the pigs ready to load them onto the train.”
Reflections of Growing up in a Train Town
But one particularly special memory that brings an soft smile to her face, is one that also speaks to the strength and resilience of her mother, who like many others, relied on the train for the delivery of goods and services.
“Every year my mom always ordered baby chicks from the hatchery in Renfrew, and they would come here on the train. She would walk the two miles to town to get them because we didn’t have a vehicle, and she’d have to hire a taxi to bring the chicks back home. We were always so excited. They came in a big wooden box with little holes in it so the chicks could get air. I imagine my mom would have had to write a letter to order them and send it through the post office.”
Stories like these demonstrate the significant role the railroad played for the town and families like Ms. Prince’s, since chicks like these were not just cute, little animals, they represented future food, income, and the ongoing cycle of farm life for many local families.
Editors note: This Christmas tale was told by the late Arthur Rumleskie to Dave McBride of Madawaska. Dave recorded Arthur’s memories and submitted them to the Valley Gazette just in time for Christmas. Arthur was a local historian, who passed away on April 15, 2010, at 92 years of age.
In the 1930s, there were no snowplowed roads in the country in the winter months. The only snowplowed road through the Valley was the railroad. On Christmas eve, people would ravel to the villages by horse and cutter from their country homes to do their Christmas shopping. The stores were open ‘til 10 p.m. Christmas eve. Later on, they would go to the church for midnight
A Christmas story from Arthur Rumleskie
services. Back then, Charles and Dan Murray owned the original Frank Stafford’s general store in Barry’s Bay. There were 25 horse stalls built behind the old store which extended from Highway 60 to the railway right-of-way. Teamsters would tie and feed their horses there while they went shopping in the stores.
There were crowds of people shopping in Murray’s old general store in Barry’s Bay. It was a busy place in the 1930s around 6 o’clock in the evening. Somebody shouted outside the old store: “The Christmas train is coming! Hear the whistle blowing for the Wilno crossing!” People went from the store to the CNR railway station, the Christmas passenger train blew its steam whistle once more for Murray’s railway crossing then the train stopped at the station.
There were crowds of people gathered at the station. Passengers would disembark from the train coaches. People were busy meeting relatives and friends at the station in the 1930s. Men wore the long old fashion overcoats with an inside pocket on the left side of the coat. One man meets his good friend. They shake hands wishing each other a Merry Christmas. While they were standing having a little chat together near the locomotive engine, one man pulled out a mickey of whiskey in the midst of the steam from the train engine. Even the engineer or Constable Bill Johnson would have hardly noticed the two men having and enjoying a little Christmas cheer near the engine. It was the most joyful time of the year. After the commotion was over, the Christmas passenger train would back down the tracks a short distance to take on water at the water tower for its journey to
Madawaska and Whitney.
The water tower was between the station and Murray’s old store. After taking on water, the train pulled up to the station and stopped.
Then, in a few minutes, the conductor shouted, “All aboard!”
The engineer blew two short whistles and rang the bell. The train began to move slowly away from the station on its journey to Madawaska and Whitney. The train blew two long whistles for the Paugh Lake crossing.
The Christmas passenger train began to pick up speed. In less than a minute, the train blew two long whistles for Martin’s Siding Road crossing. The train was gone bringing with it Christmas cheer to the people of Madawaska and Whitney.
Fond memories of Christmas eve at Barry’s Bay in the 1930s.
Local historian Theresa Prince recalls her memories of growing up in a train town
Arthur Rumleskie was a local historian who passed away in April 2010. Having never married, he donated his entire estate to local charities.
Rumleskie was an avid train enthusiast, and had amassed a collection of historical photos and artifacts over the years. File photos
THE RENFREW MERCURY, AND COUNTY OF RENFREW ADVERTISER.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1894. An Enticing Excursion - Through the Wilno Pass to Barry’s Bay - Next Tuesday, 9th Oct.
The Renfrew Masons of the old A.F. & A.M. degree and those of the more recently organized Royal Arch Chapter - have combined their forces and announce the most attractive excursion of the season for Tuesday of next week. It is over the O.A. & P.S. Ry. to the western part of the county, just opened up by that line. The excursion will leave Ottawa by the regular train departing at 8 a.m. and passing Renfrew at 9:50. Arriving at the celebrated Wilno Pass - the disputed pass which gave birth to the long legal fight between the C.P.R. and the O.A. & P.S. - the train will be stopped long enough to give excursionists an opportunity to climb the mountain, and view the scenery: which those who have seen it declare to rival the highlands of Scotland, and to exceed in beauty the famous Adirondacks. Four lakes can be seen at once from the top of the hill. The train will pass Round, Golden and Silver lakes: and reach Barry’s Bay about noon. In this neighborhood of delightful hunting and fishing grounds the train will remain until 5 o’clock, when a special train will make the return trip. Return fares - from Ottawa, $1.50; Carp, $1.40; Kinburn, $1.30; Galetta, $1.25; Arnprior, $1.25; Glasgow, $1.00; Renfrew, $1.00; Admaston, $1.00; Douglas, 90c.; Eganville, 80c.; Golden Lake, 75c.; Killaloe, 50c. Children, half-price. A refreshment car will accompany the train, and hot lunch can be procured. If the day is fine, an enormous crowd will probably take advantage of this trip into hitherto unknown country.
Archive newspaper articles from Bob Corrigan Two articles that appeared in Renfrew Mercury and Renfrew County advisor regarding train excursion that stops
in Wilno and Barry’s Bay
Submitted by Robert Corrigan
bolder and more mountainous in appearance; but the approach to that height of land is so gradually upwards, that the scenery is no more striking than is to be seen in other parts of the Free Grant districts in other counties. The sky had been overclouded about the time the train started; but began to clear before Barry›s Bay was reached; and although there was a keen wind blowing, the weather enabled the excursionists to enjoy wandering around. The Bay is about three-quarters of a mile from the station; and some of the party were soon taking their picnic meal there. Across the bay a substantial house and well cultivated farm were visible: but the steamer to Combermere, which some expected to be there, was not to be seen. The soil between the station and the shore of the bay is sandy: and though some deserted buildings and unfinished foundations are to be seen near the shore, now that there is railway communication,
with a Journal reporter last evening he stated that the three men who met their death were “loading a hole” with dynamite, had placed three cartridges in position and were about to place a fourth when the explosion occurred, from what cause will never be explained. The three men were blown many feet high in the air and one of them named Geo. Marsten from Carlow was killed outright.
«Another named William Kellar of Palmer›s Rapids, lived for an hour and the other an unknown Englishman died four hours afterwards. The bodies were horribly mangled. During the night coffins were made in which the remains were placed. Kellar›s remains were taken to his home at Palmer›s Rapids, the other remains were buried in the vicinity.»
«The accident occurred in a part of a rock cut at the western outlet of the Hagarty Pass. Between fifteen and twenty men were working within a few yards of where the explosion occurred.»
THE RENFREW MERCURY, AND COUNTY OF RENFREW ADVERTISER.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 19, 1894.
The Excursion to Barry’s Bay. The excursion to Barry’s Bay, on Tuesday, the 9th inst., under the auspices of the Renfrew Lodge A.F. & A.M., and Bonnechere Chapter of Royal Arch Masons, was well patronized, - there being about 250 excursionists on board the train when it left the Renfrew station: about 100 being from Renfrew. The number was added to at the other stations - Admaston, Douglas, Eganville, Golden Lake and Killaloe. The number from Renfrew would probably have been greater, had it not been for the excursion to Ottawa, to hear General Booth, of the Salvation Army. A chief attraction of the Barry’s Bay excursion was the opportunity afforded to see the country opened up by the Ottawa & Parry Sound Railway: the free grant settlements in the Opeongo Road district being unknown territory to many of the residents of Renfrew town. There is a marked contrast between the first few miles out of town on the Kingston & Pembroke and on the new road. On the first named, rocky hills form the prominent feature in the scenery long before - and after - Calabogie is reached: while on the new road, throughout the greater part of the township of Admaston, the cleared and cultivated farms of the Bonnechere Valley are seen. From Douglas westward the ground is rockier and stonier, and what clearings there are show how unattractive were the surroundings of the earlier settlers on the Opeongo Free Grants. Passing glimpses of Mud, Golden, Round and other lakes, break the monotony of the “bush” along the line. It is not until the Wilno Pass is being neared that the hills become
it is probable that Barry’s Bay will in no long time be fairly settled between the station and the bay. - Some of the excursionists had taken their guns along, hoping to do a little hunting. But the noise of the popping off of guns was of rare occurrence; and no big bags of game were brought in - and no fish stories were recounted. All the game within some distance of the line, it is said, has been cleared off, for the time being, by the Italians who were working on the construction of the line. The roadway is smooth and in good order: and as opening up a hitherto comparatively unknown district, the first excursion is likely to be the fore-runner of many more in years to come. The younger generation, with their High School and College notions, have now a chance of seeing up there, what the backwoods of Canada were, which their fathers cleared.
The «George Marsten, of Carlow,» was the only son of Mr Marston, who, many years since kept the Basin Depot house, at Barnet & Mackay’s depot at the Basin. Mr Marston subsequently kept other stopping places between Renfrew and the Basin Depot. For a time he removed to Renfrew, and kept a store in lower centre town. George was then a growing boy of about a dozen years of age, and gave promise of turning out a young man of good character and disposition. His father, after leaving Renfrew, took charge of Mr McGuire’s lumbering farm near Mattawa, and still resides there. Mr and Mrs Marsten came down by the C.P.R. from Mattawa, and took the O.A. & P.S. train to attend the funeral of their unfortunate and lamented son.
2 Articles about the explosion that appeared in the Renfrew Mercury
THE RENFREW MERCURY, AND COUNTY OF RENFREW ADVERTISER.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 10, 1894.
The Fatal Dynamite Explosion. The Ottawa Evening Journal of Friday last, published the following account of the dynamite explosion, mentioned in last week›s Mercury. It will be seen that it varies from the report received here as to the number of men killed and injured:
«The particulars of the dynamite explosion on the O.A. & P.S. Ry. construction at Barry›s Bay, which resulted in the loss of three lives as mentioned in yesterday›s Journal, are now at hand.
«Mr G.A. Mountain, chief engineer of the O.A. & P.S. railway returned to the city last evening from a trip to the vicinity of where the accident occurred. In conversation
THE RENFREW MERCURY, AND COUNTY OF RENFREW ADVERTISER.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 1894.
The Enterprise, in its report of the late fatal dynamite explosion at Barry›s Bay, says that the foreman, Raymoud Dunning, was within six feet of the charge when it exploded, and was blown, by the concussion of the air, fully 150 feet up the side of a hill, but fortunately fell on a brush heap, and in a few minutes was able to get up. Marston was found about thirty feet from the point of explosion, resting on his knees and face. He was still breathing, but unconscious, and died in twenty-five minutes. One arm and one leg were broken; the upper part of his face filled with gravel, and his breast injured with stones. Wm. Deer had his clothes completely torn off; and one leg and one hand had been blown off. He was delirious, sometimes calling on his mother. He died in about three hours. He was from England and had been in Canada about a couple of years, and the day before his death had been saying he would go to see his mother next year. Louis Kellar’s body was fearfully mangled, being disembowelled. He was from Palmer Rapids, and leaves a wife and four children. He and his brother intended to start for home the next day. - The remains of young Marston were taken by his sister, and brother-in-law, Wm. George, who reside at Barry’s Bay, to Eganville, and interred in Melville cemetery: Rev. Mr Rattray officiating at the funeral. - Mr M.J. O’Brien informs us that the foreman was not blown so far, as abovementioned; but only about 20 feet.
Reviving a Piece of History
Developing the Museum and Bringing a Caboose
Toni Lavigne-Conway
Barry’s Bay may not be her hometown but, for Cathie Corrigan, it’s definitely home. It’s also the place where she travelled by passenger train from Ottawa in the summer of 1960 to attend a girls’ camp called Tekakwitha, located on Lake Kamaniskeg.
She still has vivid memories of the night she disembarked at the historic Railway Station that sits in the heart of Barry’s Bay.
“I remember we arrived from Ottawa in the dark one night and it was pouring rain. Some local men and boys came around with cars to drive us to the camp which was located just behind where the old Polish graveyard is on today’s Kartuzy Road, just off Siberia Road.”
Coincidentally, one of the fellows that came to pick up the girls that night was none other than local boy, Bob Corrigan, and although she didn’t officially meet him then, he would later turn out to be the man she would marry.
“I remember when I met Bob years later and we began dating, I was shocked to hear that he came from the Bay and that he had a connection to the Camp. I also remember that, when we were at the camp, a bunch of boys would row by in their boats to wave at us, and we, of course, always waved back. I’m pretty sure one of them was Bob!”
Besides this isolated encounter at the Barry’s Bay Railroad Station, Cathie says she really didn’t have any other connection to railroads or trains other than the fact that her grandfather had worked for the CPR in Ottawa. But that didn’t stop her from becoming passionate about doing her part as a volunteer to help preserve the history of the Station. Cathie would also go on to play a huge part in helping to develop what would later become a museum of artifacts that would delight both local residents and visiting tourists.
After marrying Bob, the couple settled in the Bay where they still live today. Cathie worked as a nurse, and Bob as a high school teacher, and together, they raised their four children here.
Cathie first became involved with the Station through Bob’s affiliation with the Railway Station Restoration Committee, and sometime in the mid-90s she assumed the role of volunteer Curator at the Station. “ Marion Atchison was doing the job at the time but was wanting to leave and I remember her saying, ‘Oh, you’ll just come in and clean a bit.’” When Cathie started that job, there was already an Information Centre operating out of the building in the summer months and the South of 60 Arts Centre had taken up residence there seasonally as well. As part of her Curator’s role, she was keen on collecting and restoring railroad artifacts. “I remember that I had a little section in the middle of the building where I displayed some of the items I’d gathered. Later, we had a cabinet built to display some of the smaller things and keep them protected. ”
Cathie says she got most of the museum pieces from local residents or from those visiting the town. “Lots of people stopped in to get information and then saw some of the train things displayed. So many people were very generous and just wanted to see things preserved.”
There is one particular story of kindness that she and her husband Bob remember in the early days of her volunteering. “One Saturday morning, we went to a garage sale on a property just south of town. We noticed there was a neat train item there, but it had a big price on it, more than the museum could afford. We asked the seller if he might be willing to sell it to us for less, mentioning our affiliation with the Station. But he wouldn’t lower the price. That’s when another man at the
to Town
sale overheard our conversation and said that he would like to buy the item for us. And he did, with his own money. It was so nice of him. That man was Pat Hickey and his wife, Frances Skebo.”
The quest for more artifacts continued with an idea to secure an old caboose to serve as a complementary historical landmark for the Station. A search began and, in 2004, some friends told Cathie they’d seen what turned out to be a vintage 1922 red caboose, south of Ottawa, in a campground called Hither Hills, that was then being used as a trailer.
“Our friends talked to the owner about us looking for a caboose, but the camp operator said it belonged to her husband who was a train buff and that they weren’t interested in parting with it at that time.So, I wrote the woman a letter, telling her all about our community’s history with the railroad and how we’d restored the Station and the Water Tower and that, if they ever wanted to part with the caboose, to please contact me.”
Years went by before Cathie received a surprising phone call from the owner, Ruth Millar, who said that her husband had passed away and she was ready to part with the caboose. She was even willing to donate it to the Museum.
As wonderful as that was, there was now the issue of how to get it to the Bay intact, but that problem was solved once
again by Mrs. Millar and her family, who offered to donate $5,000 towards transportation costs. “They were so very generous, and they didn’t even have a single connection to the area. They just appreciated that it would continue to be a part of history.”
It took months of planning that included a few delays, but when the momentous day came, a convoy of trucks carrying the caboose, wheels, and equipment, pulled into the Water Tower Park, and the old Caboose made its new home in Barry’s Bay.
Securing the caboose and getting it here, however, proved to be only half the battle since restoration of this historic beauty was also needed to ensure it would stand solid for years to come. Once again, the community stepped up to support the project with donations of money, supplies and labour.
Cathie explains that “structural work and painting took place in 2012, thanks to Don Webb and Sandy Kingsmith. They had the knowledge and expertise to do the muchneeded work; without them, we would not have the caboose today.”
In 2015, a local roofer, Rod Turner, offered to donate his time and materials to replace the roof.
“So many people have made this project come to life. Their generosity is truly amazing,” said Cathie.
As to how the caboose came to sit at the Water Tower Park, Cathie invited the members of the Station Restoration Committee to go for a walk around the property and give their opinion on where it should be placed. After careful thought, they all agreed that the best location for it would be the Park so that its size wouldn’t detract from the Station itself and the park area around the Station could still be used for other things.
Today, residents and visitors enjoy being transported back in time every time they set eyes on the restored caboose, perhaps even thinking of the train conductors and brakemen that would have used the car as their office and living quarters back in the day.
Members of the Township and Station Restoration Committee acknowledge the generous donation of the caboose by the Millar family, in memory of Michael W. Millar.
Photo Michel Lavigne
Rail travel was a boon to the logging industry. It made travel simpler and quicker. The early days of the railway were also dangerous days. Numerous derailments occurred, trains colliding with each other and, sadly, many lives were lost. Often young lives. These are a few of the wrecks and derailments that happened in the Eganville to Whitney stretch of the road. Derailments and other collisions would bring numerous people out to the scene, almost like a social event for the townsfolk.
From the Ottawa Citizen, January 21, 1897 THREE MEN KILLED FREIGHT TRAIN WRECKED ON THE PARRY SOUND RAILWAY. A Run-Off Above Barry’s Bay, One Hundred and Ten Miles from Ottawa, in Which a Fireman and Two Brakemen Lose Their Lives.
The unusual record of immunity from serious accident which the Ottawa, Arnprior & Parry Sound railway has enjoyed since it opened for traffic, was broken last evening by a casualty which occured near Barry’s Bay, resulting in the death of three train hands and the injury of another.
The killed are:
Charles Hutchison, fireman, aged 26, single. James Casselman, brakeman, aged 45, married. William Russell, in charge of store car, aged 35, married. The injured man is William Taylor, engineer, scalded about face and hands.
The dangers of the early days of rail
car special, in charge of Superintendent Donaldson, and having Dr. R. W. Powell on board, left for the scene of the accident at 11 o’clock. At Galetta the train was met which had been despatched down from Barry’s Bay with the two injured men on board, Taylor and Russell. The latter were being attended to by a doctor who boarded the train at Renfrew. Russell was found to be fatally injured, and he died just before the train reached the Carp.
The Disaster.
The train to which the accident occurred was No. 60, way freight, which left Ottawa yesterday morning at 8:30, in charge of conductor Aris and engineer William Taylor. The train as it left Ottawa consisted of 27 laden cars, and was doubtless still a very heavy one when it reached Barry’s Bay at 7.15 last evening.
Four miles above Barry’s Bay is a short side track, known as O’Brien’s siding. It was here the disaster occurred.
It appears that the train was running along at a moderate speed. Just as the siding was reached the engine jumped the track, through what cause is not yet known, although it is surmised that an open switch had to do with the run-off. Two cars were standing on the siding. Into these the derailed engine crashed and was thrown into the ditch, falling upon her side. Several of the cars following were also derailed and over-turned. When conductor Aris, who was in the van at the rear, reached the engine he found engineer Taylor groping about the cab blinded by scalding steam, and fireman Charles Hutchison crushed in between the engine and the embankment. With the assistance of the train hands the poor fellow was extricated. He was still conscious and able to speak but his injuries were of such a nature that he survived his rescue but a few minutes. Casselman, the forward brakeman of the freight, was also riding in the cab. When the crash came he was thrown over into the embankment and wedged in between the tender and the car following. He lived for an hour or so after being taken out and laid in the van, being quite conscious and able to speak a few words to his mates. He died, however, before the first relief arrived. Russell was badly scalded, but not until he was examined by the doctor at Renfrew, two hours later, was the extent of his injuries known. These, eventually, proved fatal, the patient expiring on the way down to Ottawa. So soon as the dead and injured were removed from the wreck a train hand was sent back to Barry’s Bay for help. At that station there was a locomotive on the siding, and with a car attached she was dispatched to the scene of the wreck. This relief train made the return journey to Ottawa in quick time, only remaining at Barry’s Bay long enough to land the bodies of Casselman and Hutchison at the station.
Arrives at Ottawa.
The train consisting of a locomotive and van, with the injured engineer and the body of Russell on board arrived at the Elgin Street Station at 12.45 this morning. Engineer William Taylor, accompanied by Dr. Powell, was driven in a cab to his house at 291 Nicholas Street. His face and hands were bandaged, but he stepped from the van without signs of weakness, and to the inquiries of a group of fellow-employees gathered at the landing, returned the cheery answer that he was all right. The doctor’s report, while somewhat less sanguine, gave the impression that he considers the patient in no immediate danger.
Homes of the Victims.
The body of William Russell was taken to Roger’s morgue where an inquest will probably be held. The news of his death was broken to his widow at midnight, at her home on First avenue, by a kindly neighbor. The poor woman’s grief was uncontrollable. She is left a widow with two small children. For the intelligence of her son’s death, Mrs. Hutchison was not holy unprepared. The telephone call from the Canada Atlantic office, sent about eleven o’clock, was for her husband; but somehow a premonition of the purport of the message it had been intended to give him, had he been at home, flashed across her mind. And so she dispatched a nephew down to the office in response to the message, remarking that she knew “something had happened to Charlie “ a few minutes afterwards she learned the sad story of his death from two gentlemen, who had been sent to break the news.
Chief Train Despatcher Duval, of the Booth system, having ascertained that the father of the dead boy, Mr. Charles. Hutchison, of 34 Kent street, was at Renfrew, communicated with him at once by wire so that he will be able to take the early morning train to Barry’s Bay, where the body of his son lies, awaiting the coroner’s inquest.
Relief Sent Promptly.
The run-off occurred at about 7.30, and at 9 o’clock word of the accident was briefly telegraphed to the train despatcher’s office here from Barry’s Bay. Measures were promptly taken to forward relief to the sufferers. A tool
Charles Hutchison was a bright young fellow, well thought of by his employers. He entered the service of Canada Atlantic about five years ago. Previously to that he was for a short time on the C.P.R. He was the nephew of Dr. Geo. Hutchison.
The Other Victims.
James Casselman, the brakeman, was the fourth of his family to perish in a railway accident, three brothers having been killed on the road at various periods during the past six or eight years. He was a married man, of 45 years of age, and lived with his wife and only daughter at 62 Cedar street.
William Russell had for some time been employed at the freight shed on Elgin street; but laterally was in charge of the store car. It was in this capacity that he went out yesterday morning with his car to distribute stores to the several stations along the line. He resided at 44 First avenue, and leaves a widow and two children but poorly provided for.
The remains of Casselman and Hutchison will be brought home to-day.
From the Eganville Enterprise, May 5, 1883
THE A & NW Ry. IN HARD LUCK: Two Smash-Ups in One Week.
The first accident to a passenger train on the Eganville Branch of the CPR took place yesterday (Monday.) The noon train which consisted of the engine and tender, two flat cars loaded with the alligator tug, “Bonnechere No. 1.” two freight cars, a baggage car and two passengers cars, had just passed the street leading to the bridge on its way to the station, when the wheels under the first freight car by some means became detached and coming against the wheels of the second freight car also detached them. The engine with the flat cars and the body of the first freight car, after it
Continued on page 14.
Continued from page 13.
became detached from the others, went on for some distance, the body of the car bumping along the ties and rails. The second freight car and baggage car went off the track toward the embankment. The passenger cars did not leave the rails. The first freight car, which was loaded with buggies for Mr. R. Reeves received comparatively little damage from its rough usage. The second freight car was badly smashed up and the baggage car was also considerably damaged. Fortunately the second freight car and the baggage car went off the track toward the embankment in rear of Mr. T. G. Boland’s house. Had they gone off towards the other side they would have gone down an embankment of twelve feet and might have dragged the passenger coaches after them. Fortunately no one was injured.
About nine o’clock on Thursday morning, the residents of the Plaunt section of Renfrew were startled by a report of cannon-like force. Hasty inspection showed there had been an accident of some sort on the CPR line - a large flat-car standing high in the air. It seems that the A. & N. - W. engine with a box-car attached was being shunted, and a line of flat-cars being obscured from the engineer’s view, he dashed his engine and car into them with considerable force. The brakes were on the flats and the first car of the line was simply doubled up like cardboard, the large timbers being snapped in half; and the iron-work being bent in all directions. The box-car was slightly damaged and the hind trucks forced off the rails. The damaged flat overhung the CPR main line, but was quickly pulled away from its dangerous position.
From the Ottawa Journal, February 28, 1908 A broken rail caused a run off and partial wreck this morning at Eganville Junction four miles west of Renfrew on the Canadian Pacific Railroad. The accident happened at 6.58 to train No. 96, known as the “Winnipeg” coming to Ottawa from the west in charge of Engineer B. Chapman of Ottawa and Conductor Ledkea of North Bay. --only injury was burns to the cook. More. The baggage car slid down the embankment and is standing on end and the mail car, dining car and sleeper were turned over on their side. The other four coaches simply left the track and are resting on the ties. -- The engine, No. 1113 was not damaged much.
EGANVILLE, Ont. Sept. 7 (Special) Three persons were killed, one is in critical condition and two others escaped with a shaking up when their automobile plowed into the engine of the CNR’s Ottawa to Barry’s Bay Special one mile east of here on Saturday afternoon.
- - -
The accident occurred at 5.30 Saturday afternoon when the slow moving train drawing five passenger-laden coaches, started to move to westward across Spring street crossing, one mile east of here on Highway No 41 between here and Matawachan.
The automobile, driven by Albert Kelly, crashed into the engine of the train and bounced several feet to land upright in a .wrecked condition. Engineer George Turner, of Hurdman’s Bridge at the controls of the CNR train, brought his locomotive to a stop less than 100 yards after the crash. Although a piston on the engine was broken, the train was able to continue its journey to Barry’s Bay. The conductor was William Swinwood. of 110 Clegg street, Ottawa
From the Ottawa Journal, February 8, 1904
A Canada Atlantic railway freight train consisting of 36 cars of logs in charge of Conductor Connelly which left Madawaska late Friday evening the 5th inst. for Ottawa jumped the rails near Killaloe station at 7.45 p.m.
The train was running at a moderate speed, when she suddenly left the rails, overturning 16 cars and the tender, which was almost completely demolished. Fortunately the engine did not go over, which greatly lessened the danger to the driver and fireman, although as it was they had a very close call. Driver H.H. Leggat, who stuck to his post, had enough presence of mind to shut off the steam as soon as he felt that something was wrong. He, however, strange to say, is the only one of the train hands that was hurt. He was thrown from his engine and falling backwards across an iron bar was considerably bruised about his back. Last evening he was resting nicely, and hoped to be out again in a short time.
As soon as word had reached the city a wrecking train was despatched to the scene.
From the Ottawa Journal, January 23, 1934 TRAIN IS DELAYED.
Motor trouble on the C.N.R. Madawaska-Pembroke-Ottawa train this morning as it was leaving the sheds at Madawaska caused it to be more than two hours late on arrival at Ottawa. Due at 10.55 a.m, it did not reach here until nearly two o’clock. Some difficulty was experienced in getting the engine off the turn-table at Madawaska with the result that a steam engine had to be commissioned to convey the passengers here.
From the Ottawa Journal, July 24, 189 AN INQUEST TONIGHT - An inquest will be held to-night over the remains of the late J.A. Bull of the O.A. and P.S. Ry., who died yesterday as a result of injuries sustained at Whitney Saturday.
- -UNDER THE WHEELS
JAMES A. BULL MANGLED BY A TRAIN Employee of the O.A. & P.S. Injured Saturday Night, and Died Yesterday
Derailments and collisions were common occurrences in the early days of rail travel. This is a collision on the Ottawa, Arnprior & Parry Sound line built and operated by J. R. Booth. Mattingly Image Collection, public domain photo
From the Ottawa Journal, September 2, 1925
Instantly killed by C. P. R. Train
Renfrew, Sept 2 - Struck By the C. P. R. Eganville passenger train at 11. 15 today, Charles Cochrane, 23 years old, employe of the Renfrew Machinery Company, was instantly killed. He felt sick while at work in the factory and decided to return to his boarding house. He was taking a shortcut across the tracks when he was killed. It is believed he tried to save himself too late, as only one foot was cut off. Cochran arrived in Canada from England last spring. He lived here with his brother, who came to Canada with him. An inquest will be held.
From the Ottawa Citizen, September 8, 1947
Three Die As Car Hits Train At Eganville
James A. Bull, of 19 Second avenue, a fireman on the Ottawa, Arnprior and Parry Sound Railway, was so badly injured by being run over by a train at Whitney Saturday night that he died yesterday morning. While Mr. Bull was standing on the tender of his engine shortly after six o’clock Saturday night, filling the boiler of the locomotive with water, a shunting engine jolted against the rear end of the train to which the locomotive attended by Mr. Bull was attached.
Fell to the Track.
The collision caused the man to lose his balance and fall to the ground. The train, set in motion by the jolt, passed over him, cutting off his right arm and crushing his right leg. He was pulled out and taken to Ottawa in a special car. In spite of all that could be done for him, however, he passed away yesterday morning.
The late Mr. Bull was 20 years of age and lived at the residence of his father, Mr. Enoch Bull, foreman for S and H. Borbridge, trunk manufacturers. He was a member of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Trainmen. 9
-Source, Colin Churcher’s Railway Pages
ROBERT FISHER Staff Reporter
BARRY'S BAY – Is there still a train engine at the bottom of Carson Lake?
Was there ever a train engine at the bottom of Carson Lake? Or is it simply a matter of local lore not unlike the Loch Ness monster in Scotland or other mythical creatures and sightings?
Frank Burchat, who’s a member of the Carson Trout Lepine & Greenan Lakes Association (CLTG) said the question came up about six years ago at an association meeting.
“One of the main members of the association was asked a question whether or not the train was still in Carson Lake,” said Burchat.
Rumour and local legend has it that in 1909, Aug. 16 to be precise, a Grand Trunk Railroad train derailed passing the lake. Supposedly the engine, tender (coal car) and perhaps a couple flatbed cars went into the lake. Even that’s not certain though.
As the story goes, there was rain that washed out and loosened some of the track bed. The train derailed on the loose ground and slid down the hill into the lake. Newspaper clippings from the time confirm a derailment.
From the Renfrew Mercury Aug. 20, 1909: “There was a wreck on the Grand Trunk Railway on Monday through an unusual cause – a cloudburst. The accompanying torrent of rain rushing down a steep hillside undermined nearly a mile of track near Carson Lake…”
A local rail buff, Colin Churcher, told Wendy Wolak, another member of CLTG, that he had no information about a car that went into the lake.
“People thought it slid into the lake because it is very deep,” said Burchat. “At that end the slope goes down to 100 feet within several hundred feet of the shoreline.”
No information exists about whether a search was conducted for the rail cars. Wolak did some research and found that if the equipment could have been recovered, the railway would have done so.
With the question posed at the association meeting, the search was on. Burchat said the town told the association it would put up a historical plaque if evidence of the engine or any part of the train was found in the lake.
Burchat is a recreational diver. He dove the site several times and other recreational divers have, too.
“Never found anything,” Burchat said flatly. Rumours persisted, he said, from people in the area that divers had gone down, 25 to 30 years ago, and found a train. There is no evidence supporting these stories and no one has been able to contact the divers.
“At some point, someone told me they retrieved a teapot and some cutlery,” Burchat continued. He said that was possible because the engineer and fireman would be in the engine for long periods of time and would take meals while travelling.
“We’ve not found any of that stuff,” he said. “Couldn’t find the name of who may have retrieved it, couldn’t
Solving the mystery of the Carson Lake train derailment
find the names of the divers that claim they’ve seen something.”
Fast forward to 2023
This past August, some professional divers were brought in to search and an OPP search and recovery team that was working in the area also assisted in the search.
Local Kris Totosko searched the area and found nothing unusual on the lake bottom. He did notice an anomaly in one spot.
The OPP team was at the lake working on a missing person cold case of someone who was presumed drowned in the lake and were attempting to finally close the file.
The OPP dive team had side-scan sonar and shared some of their images of the area of the lake where the train was rumoured to be. No sign of a train or mechanical equipment turned up on the OPP sonar images. They did find something in approximately the same area as Totosko had.
A dive team of Wayne and daughter Samantha Gignac responded to a request for divers and made four dives in Carson Lake, including the area where the anomaly had been found.
Larger rocks, trees and branches is what they turned up. No train engine, tender or other evidence of rail
equipment in the water.
Going back to Churcher, he followed up with more information from searches of other local newspapers and found no evidence of a train in the lake.
“I have no record of a locomotive in Carson Lake in my listing of sunken locomotives,” he said in an email to Wolak.
“The logical explanation is it got taken out,” said Burchat. “If it was ever there at all.”
The human tragedy
William J. Thurston was the fireman on the train. His body was found crushed under a rail car at the site of the derailment. There’s no information about whether he was found on land or in the water.
There were stories in three local papers about Thurston. Apparently several of his family members worked in the rail industry, including brother John who was a station master at several stations including Barry’s Bay. Thurston’s niece Norma lives in Whitney. His grave is in the Catholic cemetery in Madawaska on Route 523 just south of Route 60.
A plaque dedicated to Thurston stands near the site of the derailment along the old rail line, now an ATV and snowmobile trail.
Frank Burchat addresses a group at the unveiling of a plaque dedicated to William Thurston who was the fireman on the Grand Trunk Railroad train that derailed near Carson Lake in 1909. Submitted photo
William Thurston’s headstone in the Holy Trinity Catholic cemetery in Madawaska. Robert Fisher photo
Ralph Pecoskie - Submitted by Ralph Pecoskie
The wheels were mighty big, hard looking discs. Being connected by thick, huge slabs of iron and every now and then the polished piston connecting to them moved slightly, hissing a sharp puff of steam. There was amazement registering in my mind as a young boy of five years or so in 1954. Standing at the station platform, early December, we waited to board a train, with my mother, travelling to Simpson’s Pit station to see my grandmother. That station, at Barry’s Bay was an adventure and smelled burnt.
Growing up four houses down from the tracks crossing Paugh Lake Street, we were connected to the railway. Sometimes up to 14 rail cars parked on the siding, as far down as Slim Coulas’s clothing store, provided time for young boys to run on top of the box cars, pull on the air release levers and play with the huge hose couplers. The station was a mighty hurried and mysterious place of activity.
Don Derraugh - Robert Fisher
Don Derraugh sent the short summary below. The Gazette spoke with him afterward to get some more detail on his reminiscences of the railroad. My father was a section foreman on this railway from 1941 to 1981. I have worked on the railway when some of the men took their holidays. The money was very good but the work was very laborious. I had to work hard for my money.
My sister and I would take the train at Golden Lake every Saturday to Killaloe and have our music lesson at the convent in Killaloe. My sister played the piano and I play the violin. We played at senior homes, legions, curling clubs and many special events. I can relate to a lot of stories about this experience. I have some of the old passes that we used to allow us to travel on the C. N. R. My father was section foreman from Golden Lake to Eganville, Golden Lake to Lake Dore, Golden Lake to Killaloe and for the last few years he was road master from Pembroke to Brent on the Pembroke line. He would get calls on the weekend to come and remove the cattle from the track if a train was coming. My father worked at Rock Lake in Algonquin Park on the C. N. R.
Derraugh said he began working as a vacation fill-in for summers when he was about 18. He thought it odd that the men would have on long underwear in the heat of summer. They told him, ‘It won’t be very long,’ and he would be wearing it, too. Sure enough, after a short time hauling creosote-coated railway ties, he joined the others in their long johns. “You get that creosote on you, boy, you know it. It burns like acid.”
Derraugh remembers riding on what they called the gas car along the main line to get from place to place. It was a gas-engine, motorized car that moved them along quickly. The older hand pump cars, he explained were used in rail yards where speed wasn’t as crucial. He did work with his father on occasion and didn’t get any special treatment for being the boss’s son. “For me it was pretty much slave labour,” he laughed. They worked in teams moving ties into place and he had to work as hard as everyone else otherwise the team would get
Rail Reflections
out of sync and behind. “I had to keep with the other guys and I had a heck of a time because I wasn’t used to that kind of work and they were.” Derraugh remembered the way station agents used to communicate with train engineers. If the agent had a message for the engineer, he would secure it to a long rod with a loop at the top. The engineer would reach out and put his arm through the loop as the train was passing the station and that’s how he would get messages. “If the agent wanted to talk to the engineer, that’s how he did it.” The engineer would read the message and take the pole to the next station to drop it off where it would get picked up and brought back by a train coming in the other direction. The agent didn’t have a whole bunch of message rods, “so if you lost the rod, you were in trouble.” Derraugh also remembered travelling on a vehicle called a velocipede, which was a three-wheeled cart that carried workers along the road. The velocipede was a manual contraption with a handle that the rider pushed back and forth to propel it. The vehicle could carry one or two men and some supplies.
Derraugh’s father started working to take rails out around 1961 or 1962 as the days of the rail through Renfrew County started to wind down. “They had all the rails out except for Barry’s Bay.”
When Derraugh became a teacher he applied to work in, what was called, Frontier College, which was a travelling school for rail workers. The workers would attend classes in a rail car at night after work. He wasn’t able to get hired on with that program.
He related a story he heard from others about how people got off the train as it slowed to cross a bridge over the Bonnechere River. As the train slowed, people would move to the back and jump off the slow-moving train onto the bridge trestle. One winter, a fellow apparently jumped off the train onto the bridge, slipped and fell into the freezing river below. “And he came right back up through the same hole,” which is something that rarely happened he was told. “Most people that go through the ice, they drown. If they’re lucky they find an open hole someplace. But he went down, he came (and) popped right back up through the same hole.” If you didn’t slip off the bridge, Derraugh said, “you had shorter walk into Golden Lake,” that if you wanted to get off at the station.
The velocipede, a three-wheeled cart could transport rail workers and supplies short distances. The cart was moved by a rider pumping a handle back and forth. Public domain photo
Rail Reflections
John Bozak - Robert Fisher
John Bozak’s father began working on the railway in 1961 as a section man in Killaloe. “A section man was simply the grunt,” Bozak said. “He was the man who drove the spikes,” and took orders from the section foreman. The section gang was responsible for all maintenance on their section of the track. Each section was about 10 miles long. They replaced rails and ties, kept the culverts clear, cut brush around the track. “Their job was to keep the iron horse on top of the road.”
He got transferred to Barry’s Bay in 1978 and stayed until trains no longer stopped in the town in the early 1980s and by the end trains were only coming through once a week.
He learned a lot from his father about the trains. “Odd numbers always go west, even numbers always go east,” and it’s still the same today. “Nothing has changed.”
When his father started in 1961, trains were still going as far as Whitney. The roundhouse at on Madwaaska, “was pretty much dismantled when Dad started.” The water tower in Killaloe had been taken down, although the station was still standing. Diesel engines had pretty much taken over and steam was a memory from a bygone era. Bozak’s father was the last section foreman on the Beachburg subdivision in 1982 or 1983. The trains stopped running in 1995, Bozak said and when he goes along the rail bed now, “it’s amazing how fast nature takes over.” The land along the rail line was very open and now, “the maples are growing up like crazy.” The part of the line from Barry’s Bay to Madawaska stopped being used in 1972 and from then on the train only came as far as Barry’s Bay, Bozak recalled.
Bozak said the beginning of the end for the train, particularly passenger train, was after the Second World War. People started making more money and moving around in their personal vehicles. A car could get someone from point A to point B faster. “It got to be the train was just too slow,” Bozak lamented.
you sit on my chair. You’re going back to Killaloe.’ He said it was a thrill for a boy of about 10 or 11 years old. “I remember the horn blowing and waving at everybody going through the crossings. It was amazing. Just amazing.” Another time he got to ride in the caboose where there was a big leather chair in the crowsnest and he turned on a little motor which ran a windshield wiper because it was raining hard that day. “That’s 45 years ago. But I remember that,” Bozak said with obvious enthusiasm and fond recollection.
Bozak remembers playing hockey from school to spend the day with his father on the railway. By seven in the morning the lineup of trains coming through that day would be transmitted along the telegraph line. Crews, he said, would have dinner at the Opeongo Restaurant around three or four in the afternoon. He and his father climbed into the engine and Bozak sat in the brakeman’s seat. His father told him not to touch anything. The crew came back to make the trip back to Ottawa. Bozak jumped out of the seat and the brakeman said, ‘Son, you go back and
Bozak related a story of taking his now-wife, then-girlfriend on the maintenance motor car one weekend morning with his father on a trip through Algonquin Park. “She said it almost put you to sleep. The clickity-clack, clickity-clack.” She had her heart in her mouth going over some of the bridges in the park, her feet dangling off the side of the motor car, “the end of the ties flying by and the white water,” in the river below flowing over the stones. They saw all manner of wildlife. She told him, ‘it was truly wonderful, really something. That was a really cool experience.’
His father told him, in the early 1990s the end was coming. “And sure enough in December of ‘95,” they shut down the Beachburg subdivision, “and that was it.
“We don’t have a railway left in Renfrew County at all,” Bozak lamented.
A spike hammer used by Ken Bozak, John Bozak’s father, during his time working on the railway as a section man. Robert Fisher photo
The Canadian Pacific Railway presented this embossed plaque to Ken Bozak upon his retirement. Robert Fisher photo
From left, Michael O’Brian, Ken Bozak, Jack Panke and Louis Dombroskie in 1965 at Lake Traverse. Submitted photo
A day on the Barry’s Bay switcher
Jacques S. Leroux
This story originally appeared in the October 2009 edition of Branchlines published by the Ottawa Railway Society. Reprinted with permission
I had an opportunity to go on the CN Barry’s Bay switcher and Conductor Harry Anson told me I was more than welcome to go home with them. On Friday, July 29, 1966, I took him up on his offer. I was working at Whitney, Ontario, as operator and returned home to Ottawa on the weekends.
The switcher arrived from Ottawa at about 1730 with SW1200RS 1298, ten empty chip cars, a baggage car and the van. The brakeman and I unloaded the express while they were setting off the ten empties. When we were done, the switcher headed to the wye to turn the consist while the conductor and I waited at the station. After returning from the wyeing, the conductor and I got in the van while they picked up six loaded chip cars and left for Barry’s Bay about 1815. When we left Whitney, we followed the Madawaska River for a ways. The river was clear and you could see the reflection of the train and also the tree line on the water. Approaching the town of Madawaska, we slowed down to 10 mph to cross the old wooden trestle and the conductor brought me out of the vestibule to show me the ruins of the old roundhouse of J. R. Booth’s railroad. Back then, Madawasaka was a busy terminal. Today you can still see part of the foundation beside the new library. We arrived in Barry’s Bay about 2010 stopping the train just north of the siding switch, cut the engine off and headed to the south end and backed ont o the train in the siding and then backed onto the main line to pick up the remaining portion and headed to the wye for the night. The conductor said I could sleep in the van for the night which I did while the rest of the crew slept in the bunkhouse. In the morning, we got up at 0700 and we all crossed the street for breakfast. After we ate, the conductor and I went to the station to get the train orders while the crew backed the train onto the main line and waited till we got our clearance. The agent-operator at Barry’s Bay was Jack Beach. After receiving the train orders and clearance, the conductor gave me the engineman’s copies and told me I could ride the engine to the Walkley Yard in Ottawa. I read the train orders which consisted of From K Example 1 (706’s annulment) with Form G Example 4 (1298 run extra with right over), Form W Example 1 at Nepean and Form U Example 3 (Tailend protection) with 3 Form Vs and a clearance with the dispatcher’s initials FPL (Fred Leroux, my father!).
Rail Reflections
The conductor and I left the office and gave the signal to the engineman to proceed to the station. While we were waiting for the train to arrive, I looked across the track at the old water tower. Both the station and water tower are still standing in 2009. I got on the engine and gave the engineman (Charlie Whitmore) his train orders. He then said to me, “I see we’re going to get screwed today. Your old man’s working!” I replied, “Then it should be fun!”
When the conductor got on, he brought the engine to life. We left Barry’s Bay at 0815 with ten loaded box cars, five flat cars loaded with lumber, two empty tanks, seven gondolas loaded with ties, 14 chip cars, baggage car and the van. Oour first stop was Killaloe and we picked up two chip cars. The next town we went through was Golden Lake and the engineman told me to look behind the station where you could see the old roadbed going towards Pembroke which was the Locksley subdivision. The next stop was Eganville where we picked up a car of lumber. The station was located on Highway 41 about a mile south of Eganville. We were on the move again and came into Renfrew junction and crossed the old CPR Kingston sub which has been abandoned for a while and then into the town of Renfrew. After passing Renfrew, we went by Horton Pit which had a bunch of loaded ballast cars ready to be picked up. On approaching Arnprior, we had a stop signal to the interlocking with the CP Chalk River sub and waited for a CP eastbound to go through. Once we got the signal, we proceeded over the diamond, went through town, then slowed to 10 mph before going over the Madawaska River. Once we were on the bridge I could hear the old trestle cracking all the way across. I felt my heart pumping while waiting for the trestle to give way with a quick trip to the bottom of the river. The engineman got into laughing after I made the comment, “Thank God we made it across.” The only thing remaining today are the pillars.
We were approaching Carp and the radio came to life calling for our location. The Horton Put turn was just leaving Walkley Yard in Ottawa. As we were coming into South March, we could see the approach signal to the Beachburg sub indicating red and once we were by the home signal, we had a clear to proceed. Coming into Bell’s Corners, the Horton Pit turn was waiting for us with GP9 4467, 40 empty hoppers and a caboose. We finally arrived Walkley Yard about 1320. Pulling by the yard office, I got off and went inside and met the operator for a few minutes before leaving.
I did make another two trips on the Barry’s Bay switcher before I moved on to another location. There’s not much left of the Renfrew subdivision – the only stations still standing are Barry’s Bay, which is now a retirement centre and Killaloe which is a tourist information centre. The only wooden trestle left is at Madawaska.
Rail Reflections
Rail Reflections from the late Arthur Rumleskie
These stories were hand written by the late Arthur Rumleskie
The railway picture with the woman and the hunting rifle is Mrs. Michael Wikiera wife. Michael Wikiera was the railway boss for the Grand Trunk railway company at the Opeongo parks railway boarding house which was 14 miles west of Barry’s Bay. During the World War 1 from 1914 to 1918 the Grand Trunk railway had armed watchman at every bridge and trestle along the 264 miles of railway line to protect the railway bridges and trestles from the enemies. The enemies would blow up the bridges and set fires to burn down the wooden structures along the rail line to cause bad train wrecks and delay shipments of military goods.
We were very isolated
By Msgr.J A Pick
Up to the Second World war we were very isolated here in these parts. It was a very close knit community. There was not much outside influence. Hardly anybody even had a radio. After the 1920’s there were roads, but there were not many. The main communication was the train. Everybody used the train because very few people had a car.
Barry’s Bay
By Joseph and Peggy Rumleskie
Train time in the Valley Passenger trains in the 1940’s and 1950’s going west on its journey from Ottawa would arrive at the Eganville train station around 10a.m. The onward the train would stop again at the Golden Lake junction and take on water at the water tower then on to the Ruby Flag station and then it would arrive at the Killaloe station at 11 a.m. Moving along the train would stop Simpson pit and arrive in Wilno at around 11:15 a.m. Then the train would arrive at Barry’s Bay train station around 11:30a.m. The train then would make its way to the Water tower to take on water. After that it would get turned around. At around 12 noon the passengers would board the train and go back on its journey to Ottawa.
They were good old men. I worked with a lot of the older men. They showed me what to do and they were good engineers! They tell you to do this or this or that. And they ask you what would you do with this or what you would do with that. And that is the way you would learn from the. Oh there were a lot of steam engines back then. There were two, three, four , five perhaps six steam engines. One was 300 horsepower and Oh noisy and big!
Now everything is gone. No more sawmills. Everything has disappeared. They used to get the logs in the park and float them. Now they truck them, but years ago they used the train to send them to Ottawa. I remember. Big log train would come along and take sixty to a hundred cars of logs. Took them to a great big mill in Ottawa and I bet its not there any more.
A mixed train would back on to the main line at the station after the passenger train left. The mixed train would leave the Barry’s Bay train station at 12:30 p.m. on its journey west to Pock lake in the Algonquin park area. The mixed would then turn around at Pock lake and return back to Barry’s Bay at around 5p.m. Then the train would lick up more freight cars and later on start its journey to Ottawa. The mix train from Ottawa would travel to Madawaska , Whitney three times a week and the passenger train traveled from Ottawa to Barry’s Bay six times a week. There was no train on Sunday. With fond memories of the train in the Madawaska Valley, Arthur Rumleskie
Station at Ruby. Leo Kedroski, Barbara O'Malley and Peter Kulas.
Water Tanker Circa 1920’s
Rail Reflections
Land is Land
By John Mintha
Box Cars and Box Socials
Some reflections written by David Villeneuve
I was born in 1899 and I’m doing pretty good so far. God gave me good health and that’s on thing about it. I must praise him for now for that. I can eat good and I can sleep pretty good too.
My father told me this story many times- the Germans owned Poland and my father had to go for conscription. He was 18 years of age and he did not want to go to the conscription. He wanted to come with his father to Canada. His father knew the caption on a boat very well.
We used to ride the boxcars…
There were no doctors like today…. There were no doctors like today. Today everybody is pretty near a doctor and in those days the closest doctor was in Eganville. It took nearly three days before you got to him. We lived way back in the farm and about four miles in the country. So my daddy had to walk to Barry’s Bay and it took him pretty near two hours to walk. The he would send a telegram to Eganville. Then the doctor in Eganville was going to come but the train had just left. He had to wait for the next day to come. So it took him two days before he could come. At last the doctor came to Barry’s Bay. A fellow named Dunnigan had a kind of taxi with horses so Dunnigan drove the doctor to us. The doctor then quarantined us for 30 days because of diphtheria. He wanted to give us a needle and when I saw there was something going on, I ran away. I ran to the stable and the taxi driver saw where I ran. Daddy came in and he had his whip. I was hiding but then I said “Oh here I am” and daddy picked me up and brought me to the doctor and I got the needle and I live today.
There you have it boys!
My father worked for J.R.Booth when he was building the railroad. My father earned 75 cent a day and that was a good deal. You are baloney and bread and the next day you ate bread and baloney.
Where I was born, we should call in a shanty! It had a scoot roof just lie a camp. It was made from hewed timber and nothing in it. After things got better dad built a new house down there with two rooms or three rooms in it. We then turned the shanty in a granary and put our grain in it. We also put oats and peas in it too.
In the early thirties we ha no job and we could not pay for any transportation. We could not pay for it, so we used to ride the boxcars. We use to ride the rails. There were always watchmen, but they could not watch the whole lot. There might be one on each side of the train, but if your were four or five hundred yards away you were okay. So you would wait till they got a little steam up, wait to hear the whistle. As soon as that rain started moving, then you would catch it and away you go. They can’t catch you when it’s going.
They would not bother with you…
They would not bother you unless there were looking for somebody. If they were looking for somebody then they would catch you. They would bring you in the station and ask you a lot of questions. Because in some places, some of the guys used to rob the bank and then jump the freight train. You would ride up on top of the car. If the car was empty then you would go inside the car. If you got on top and you caught hold of the roof, you could make a swing and you could swing right in. That’s the only way you could get in because it was so high up off the ground. If you were on top and the watchmen came they would not come close to you. They were human as well as us. They knew it was hard times. But they were getting paid to keep us off. So they would keep some of us off to show the higherups that they were doing their job. It is the same as a policeman. If he doesn’t arrest somebody he won’t be there very long. There going to fire him.
To get to my mother’s funeral…
I rode on the tender to get to my mother’s funeral. The tender is behind the passenger train. I had just finished splitting a big, big pile of wood. Something told me to get out on the highway. So I got out on the highway and here I saw my uncle. I was wondering what he was doing there. He told me that my mother was dead. My uncle had no money and I had no money. We had to get to Pembroke some way. There were no freights going out. And Ottawa was a big place, it was hard to get in. The inspectors are all over a place like that. Yu have to get away from the station all together. Once the train started moving, then you could catch it and they would not bother you. Because in just two minutes you were gone.
We made it…
Well me made it. And I took all the back streets I could once we got to Pembroke. I did not want anyone to see me because I was all black. You would get very black riding the tender through a tunnel, because it is only about 4 feet from the car up to the round of the tunnel. You can get hurt, and you would get all black because the smoke hits the roof of the tunnel and falls down. We got in at six o’clock in the morning. I got washed and I had a bath and I changed my clothes. I did not go into see my mother until eleven o’clock in the morning. She was buried at two o’clock in the afternoon.
You could say that a natural curiosity in history and genealogy is what led Barry’s Bay native Bob Corrigan to hop on board the Train Station’s revival journey. He, like so many other residents, knew that the Railway Station building was so much more then
Toni Lavigne-Conway
just a stop for the trains that once rolled through the town for almost 80 years. It was an important part of the town’s history.
Although Bob says he’s not quite sure just how he heard about the possible demise of the building, he does remember fellow community members approaching him for help to ensure it stayed around.
In Dec. of 1992 the Barry's Bay Railway Station was designated as a heritage building. The building under-went a massive renovation and restoration in 1994 involving the installation of a new basement, siding and interior renovations. The building was officially opened as a visitor information centre in June of 1995. Today the building hosts the visitor information centre as well as the railway museum.
“Someone asked me if I would be interested in working with a committee of people to help restore the building so it could be saved because, at the time, there was talk of tearing it down like they were doing in lots of the small towns around us. ”Knowing the significant role the railroad played in the growth of his hometown, he and his wife Cathie felt compelled to help in any way they could.
In 1989, a committee was struck consisting of the following members: John Yakabuski (served as chair in 1989), Teresa Sullivan, Roy Woermke (became the chairperson in 1990), Ruth Perkins, Larry Livesey, Clifford Gaffney, Bob Corrigan, Lorraine Briggs, and Clifford Blank. Joining this initial group Lorraine Finn, Willie Serran, Bob and Mary Atchison also become members. Bob took over the chairperson position in 1994.
Determined to keep the Station building vital, the group set about
Major Restoration Ensures the Future of the Station
working with the community to fundraise for some of the money that would be needed for what would no doubt be a massive project.
“The building had to be raised to put in a full basement, and the interior also needed renovations. The outside was in need of new siding as well as a new roof. And that was going to cost a lot of money.”
The Committee began fundraising, doing everything from accepting general donations, conducting raffles, selling souvenir hats and T-shirts, holding golf tournaments and pancake breakfasts to applying for grants.”
Mr. Corrigan notes that the local Lion’s Club, and the Opeongo Seniors Club, and many local businesses were very generous.There were also offers of material and labour and to make the cause more visible to residents and visitors, the committee ensured displays in the community and at craft shows. “I do recall one particularly interesting thing we did back then that you couldn’t do today without getting ministries and governments involved for permission. We would stop the cars at the threeway stop in town on busy Saturdays in the summer to ask for toonies. People were very generous and didn’t seem to mind us stopping them. We did raise a lot of money that way.”
By 1994, the Committee had raised approximately $16 000 which was matched equally by the provincial government as well as the federal government. Along the way, Council members of the Village of Barry’s Bay declared the Station a heritage building, and by 1994, renovations were underway, with the project completed in what Mr. Corrigan describes as “good time.” To the delight of everyone, an official opening of the newly renovated Station was held in 1995.
When asked about his own memories of the train and the Station building itself, Bob says he recalls joining Mattie Conway who had volunteered, along with other drivers, to pick up some young campers that arrived on the train from Ottawa one night and driving them to Camp Tekakwitha.
He also remembers that, as a high school student in 1964, Sister Teresita asked him to deliver a package to the station to be sent out on a freight train. “I remember that Jackie Beach was the agent working there at the time, and I gave him the parcel. I recall that Sr. Teresita was helping me learn how to converse with people by telling me to ask Mr. Beach how he spelt his last name.”
Because of the tireless efforts of the Restoration Committee and the support of the community, the remarkable structure that stands today was saved and the spirit of the railroad era from years gone by was safeguarded.
Train unveiled at 130th Anniversary
The Water Tower Park will now be home to an impressive new wooden play structure that celebrates the town’s proud railway heritage. Thanks to the skilled craftsmanship and dedication of four men, the solid structure will no doubt be enjoyed by families and children for years to come. The idea for the project came from the members of the StationKeepers MV as they pondered ideas that might encourage more use of the Water Tower Park adjacent to the Railway Station.
Joanne Olsen, President of the organization explains, “Our mission is to stimulate and foster community interest, participation, and involvement at all age levels in cultural activities that reflect the heritage of the Madawaska Valley area and its residents. We have been fortunate to be able to present our history and stories in the Station Museum. The Water Tower is one of its kind and resides amongst trees donated in memory of many who have gone before us. The Water Tower powered the steam engines that brought the railway to our area 130 years ago and fueled economic development.”
Toni Lavigne-Conway
three other retirees with lots of building experience and knowledge, to jump on board with him and before they knew it, the idea to assemble a simple little play structure for kids grew to be a much bigger project then any of them could have imagined.
The committee discussed several concepts, settling on the possibility of a play structure that would be a good draw for families and children. Since the town’s identity and development was very much connected to being a “train town”, thoughts quickly emerged that centred around the structure having a train theme.
Four Visionary Craftsmen build a Wooden Train Play structure for Water Tower Park
From the start, it was important to the committee and the builders that the train be made of wood, to reflect the history of the local industry that played a vital role
that The Township has been supportive of the project by allowing the installation of the train at Water Tower Park, consulting on safety standards and supporting the August 31st anniversary event. And finally, she said that the Station Keepers MV are very grateful to the builders who are bringing vision to reality, far beyond their expectations.
“We could not have done this without the men who volunteered their time and skills to do the actual building. The resulting savings from not having to hire a contractor, was significant.”
The builders themselves are incredibly pleased with the outcome of the project.
“The Park needs a train. Children love trains. What better way to fuel interest in our rich history than with a train?” added Ms. Olsen.
At first, they researched the idea to purchase one but that proved unaffordable when they discovered how expensive they were, some estimated at $70,000. And so, the idea to have it constructed soon emerged. As to who would build it, things fell quickly into place when four men stepped up to the platform after a few “gentle” little nudges and encouragement from family and fellow committee members. “When you have family and friends who are part of the committee, it’s fair to say you just might get “railroaded” into a project you might not have seen coming,” chuckled John Olsen, one of the forthcoming builders. Mr. Olsen in turn was able to encourage area residents John Stevens, Alphonse Blank, and Frank Burchat,
in the development of the railroad in our area. After an extensive search, they settled on purchasing suitable building plans from a company in the United States. According to Mr. Burchat, the plans certainly proved to be extensive and certainly meticulous. “The plans looked like a document with about ninety-six pages of instructions!”
Construction of the project got underway at the beginning of April of this year, and in only a month’s time, the volunteers completed the build.
Pauline Burchat, Treasurer of the StationKeepers MV says the total cost for the project is expected to be around $15,000 thanks to the generous support from the community through fundraising efforts ( Heritage Cup, legion show, raffles etc.) as well as with larger donations like those received by the Lions Club and Metro from owners Connie and Neil O'Reilly and Gerard O'Malley.
The local Home Hardware was also on board in a big way by providing a discount on materials and allowing for the use of one of their buildings for the build process and subsequent storage. Ms. Burchat went on to note
“The play structure is around 50 ft long by about 6 ft. wide and is as much like a real train as possible. It has seven components including an engine, caboose, coal and passenger cars, and a tanker.” says Mr. Olsen. “It will be fully interactive for kids since they will be able to climb on board and work their way through the entire structure, car by car.” The play structure also has been vetted by several young children who were delighted with the results of the build. For the builders, being a part of this project has been an enjoyable experience.
Mr. Burchat says he was “happy to have been part of it and we had lots of fun. It kind of forced us all to come out of retirement. We had a good supervisor in Alphonse. We started on time, heard the whistle blow for lunch and brought the project in on time and on budget.” Although now living in the Bay for a few years, Mr. Stevens who originally hails from Toronto, moved here after having lived out west for 25 years. “ It was lots of fun working on the project and getting to meet people. Volunteering is a great way to do that.”
The play structure will officially be unveiled during the 130th anniversary celebrations on August 31st at the Water Tower Park.
Working with that timeline, arrangements have been made for trailers to transport the components from Combermere to its final stop at the park, where it will be reassembled, and a final check completed to ensure everything is a okay.
In building this creative piece Frank, Alphonse and the two Johns have done much more than add an attraction to the park. They have given the town a gift that celebrates its heritage and highlights an important part of our history.
Ottawa Arnprior and Parry Sound Railway line constructed by J.R. Booth in 1894 and station building followed the next year.
Grand Trunk became part of Canadian National Railway.
Ottawa Arnprior and Parry Sound Railways consolidated with parent company. Canadian Atlantic Railway.
Time Line History of the Railway Station Building
J.R. Booth sold railway interest to Grand Trunk Railway of Canada.
Passenger train service between Ottawa and Barry's Bay ended.
Building used as a clubhouse by the Opeongo Trailblazers, a senior citizens group. Last special steam excursion Canadian Pacific Engine 1201 Ottawa to Barry's Bay.
Railway Station insulated (using UEFI, now a banned substance).
Railway tracks were lifted.
Senior citizens stopped using the building because of effects of UEFI.
Canadian National sold Railway Station to Village of Barry's Bay.
Railway Station Restoration Committee formed to raise funds for building repairs. Railway
Over the years the Township of Madawaska Valley has invested in the train station and the Water Tower Park to help preserve the history of Barry’s Bay. The township has seen over $185,000 invested in the past three years to rehabilitate and renovate the railway station, which includes $30,000 in federal grant funding applied for and successfully received by the township. The projects include new siding and insulation, a new accessible automatic exterior door, renovation of the interior washroom to meet accessibility standards, and, most recently, a new ramp at the front of the station. As the owners of this facility, we know these investments are a key component to the longevity and accessibility of the building.
As for the water tower, in 2024 the Township of Madawaska Valley ordered a cultural heritage assessment of the structure to provide historical context and allow the township to properly rehabilitate it in the years to come.
