Schumacher, Ontario
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Schumacher is a community situated within the city of Timmins, Ontario.
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[edit] History
[edit] Frederick W. Schumacher
The community is named after Fredrick W. Schumacher. Schumacher was born in Denmark in 1863. He was schooled first in Texas, finished his early education in Denmark, and then received a pharmacy degree in the United States.
Schumacher earned a comfortable living as a druggist before changing careers to become a travelling pharmaceutical salesman. He was a respected and somewhat successful as a salesman. Schumacher later met the owner of the company he worked for and began courting his daughter before he eventually married her. He then went on to found his own patent medicine company.
It was about this time that Schumacher heard of the gold discoveries in the Porcupine Camp which would later become known as Timmins. Unlike other American investors, he decided to see the gold strikes for himself. At the time of his visit, the community currently known as Schumacher was called Aura Lake (Kirkwood Vet).
The big three mines — Dome, Hollinger, and McIntyre — were already established when Schumacher became involved with the Porcupine Camp. He sent in two of his own geologists to survey the region before he made any investment decisions. Then, in 1912, he purchased 160 acres of "veteran" property near the Dome mine, and as well as eight acres between the Hollinger and McIntyre mines. Copy of 1911 Property Map
There was an occupied house on the eight acres between the established mines, and although he did not have to, Schumacher bought the house for a fair price from the family who were squatting on his newly acquired property. He built the only mine shaft of Schumacher Mines on this eight acre property which he later sold to the Hollinger Mines. Schumacher was also highly involved with buying and selling property within the town which would come to bear his name. However, he never had a permanent home in Schumacher, as he was only a visitor there, owning a mansion in Columbus, Ohio.
Schumacher was approached by Dome Mines for the 160 acres of land that he owned adjacent to their property. The original Dome offer in 1912 was $75,000, and Schumacher countered with $150,000. Dome declined the counteroffer. In 1931, Dome approached Schumacher again with their offer of $75,000 for the 160 acres, and again Schumacher countered with the same $150,000, but warned that if they refused, he would double his price. Dome refused again. Eventually, Dome Mines acquired the 160 acres from Schumacher for a price of $1,125,000 in 1936. Schumacher made several donations to the community which now bears his name over the years. Among these donations, the one which may be the best known part of his legacy is the $1,000 donated for presents each Christmas since 1916 for the school children of the town.
[edit] Sandy McIntyre
Sandy McIntyre was originally from Scotland, where he was named Alexander Oliphant. Little is known of his life in Scotland except that he was unhappy with his life there, so he left his wife in Scotland, changed his name to Sandy McIntyre, and began a new life in Canada.
McIntyre became a prospector in 1906 and immediately turned his eye to northern Ontario. He came to the Porcupine Camp with his partner Hans Buttner (a German immigrant about whom is known very little) in 1909, right after Hollinger and Gillies.
In fact, McIntyre and Buttner staked their best claims later in the evening on the same day that Hollinger and Gillies staked theirs. McIntyre was perhaps the most famous and colourful of the early Porcupine stakers. The McIntyre mine did not establish ownership as quickly as the Hollinger and Dome mines did. McIntyre lost all of the money he made from his discovery. He stayed in the public eye long after his retirement, although he never could hold onto money for very long. He died in 1943 at the age of 74.
[edit] Culture
In the heart of the "City a with the Heart of Gold" (Timmins) reveals the unusual character and life of a tiny Croatian-dominated mining community in of one of North America’s largest gold producing areas. From the early 1900s the little town of Schumacher, Ontario emanated a unique spirit and heart, nurtured through a close knit Croatian-Canadian community.
This wonderful and distinct place reveals it’s unique character through the stories of the residents. Schumacher is an extraordinary community that defies time and geographic barriers – past and current residents maintain a special bond; every five years, former residents (of varying cultures) return from all over Ontario, Canada and beyond, for a town reunion. Stories are recounted, memories shared and the connection that each resident felt as a member of this special town, is remembered and restored.
In the center of the town is the Croatian Hall, the heart and soul of the community where social gatherings, weddings, christening and even funerals all took place. In this Croatian-Canadian community, babysitters were rarely considered; children attended events with their parents. It was truly a family based town. For many of the Croatian families, the Croatian Hall was not just a social gathering center, it was the heart beat; it was a second home. The tales are of community closeness, where Croatian families bonded as they adapted to their life in Canada while maintaining the essence of their European culture… stories that are heart warming and heartbreaking; memories of happiness and hardship and of near death experiences working in the gold mines of Ontario….memories of a very unique community.
Schumacher, a small town, once having a population of 4000 (people) boasted one of the highest percentage of Croats in Canada from 1940 to 1960. The Croatian community of Schumacher was then called “Mali Zagreb” translated as “Little Zagreb” - referring to the capital city of Croatia. Today the community of Schumacher has a declining Croatian population and the once vibrant Croatian Hall is a little worse for wear. The once grand hall is having a hard time keeping financially afloat and is at risk of closing it’s doors. Frank Sebalj, the hall president hopes the former residents can assist in some way. Frank is looking forward to the upcoming town reunion where he hopes to generate some revenue and a plan to keep the Croatian hall doors open… or this reunion, with functions at the historical Croatian Hall, may be one of the last.
[edit] The McIntyre Mine
McIntyre Porcupine was formed in 1911, adding land staked by Sandy McIntyre to nearby ground obtained by J. P. Bickell. His initial assays were lean, but Bickell kept the faith and the company afloat through these tough times. Later, as grades improved, he obtained additional ground.
The result was the McIntyre mine, which has earned a place in Canadian mining history as one of the nation's most important mines. In 1919, Bickell left the investment business to become president and, later, chairman of McIntyre-Porcupine Mines. Between 1912 and 1955, total production was valued at $230 million and the company paid $62 million in dividends to shareholders.
Sandy McIntyre and his partner Hans Buttner are primarily known for the two claims they staked which formed the nucleus of the McIntyre Mine. Sandy sold his interest in one the greatest gold mines the world has ever know for $65,325 of which $60,000 was never collected. He was however awarded a life pension for the use of his name.
The McIntyre (Number 11) Headframe was completed in 1927. The six compartment shaft excavation underneath it was 4,250 feet deep and 160,000 tons of rock, as well as 40,000 tons of water were removed in the process. The project included 240,000 pounds of powder to blast the rock and 2,256,000 feet of Douglas fir to timber the shaft.
From 1912 to 1988 there were 37,529,691 tons milled at the McIntyre, producing 10,745,361 ounces of gold, indicating an overall grade of 0.29.
In its early days, the McIntyre mine was a nightmare of problems. It was remarked: "it is doubtful if any major mining corporation anywhere was ever established on a shakier foundation." Mine Manager Dick Ennis told how he ran to the bank with hot bullion bars to cover a payroll and how he disappeared underground to hide from creditors.
Overcoming the obstacles thanks to Ennis, the McIntyre Mine went on to set a long list of "firsts" in mining and milling practices, and in health and safety. The McIntyre Mine was the first mine in Canada to have a metallurgist on the mill staff and pioneered employing a graduate engineer as mine superintendent.
The McIntyre was the first mine in Canada to use rubber liners in milling and the first in the Porcupine Camp to apply square-set and cut and fill stoping mining methods underground. Gunitting was developed at the McIntyre and it adapted and introduced flotation to gold milling and the mine was the first in Ontario to sink a shaft to below 4,000 ft.
Always the innovator, McIntyre Mine Manager Ennis took the lead in mine safety establishing early procedures which gave a daily report on safety conditions underground, a standard that is common today.
Under Ennis's leadership, McIntyre became internationally famous when it tackled the serious health problem of silicosis. European researchers had discovered that the scarring of lungs caused by silicosis was the result of a complex chemical reaction between silica particles and lung tissue. A McIntyre research group which included the world-renowned Banting Institute of the University of Toronto pursued the goal of finding a way of eliminating or reducing the solubility of silica particles. Their solution: small quantities of metallic aluminum dust was added to the air in a two-stage dry, which miners passed when they returned to surface.
The non-profit McIntyre Research Foundation was formed to further the use of the treatment throughout the world mining industry.
[edit] The McIntyre Community Building
Mine owner J.P. Bickell had the McIntyre Community Building constructed in the 1930s and had also become the first president of Maple Leaf Gardens. Bickell wanted a comparable facility for his miners, and the arena was one of the finest in Canada outside a major centre.
The "Mac" was modelled after Maple Leaf Gardens, and for a while the seating colours followed the same sequence. The Toronto Maple Leafs would play exhibition games at the Mac, and Barbara Ann Scott used the facility while training for the world figure-skating championships.
McIntyre miners received $13 a month in coupons good for arena services. The structure included an auditorium, gymnasium, hockey rink, curling rink, dining room, bowling alley, broadcast gondola as well as many other sport and social related amenities.
A number of NHL hockey greats owe a measure of gratitude to the "Mac", among them are the eminent Liberal Senator and recipient of the Order of Canada Frank Mahovlich and the legendary "Flying Father", Father Les Costello.
The facility has also hosted a number of other no less prestigious and entertaining events such as professional wrestling, championship curling bonspiels, sanctioned boxing, charitable events, rock concerts, roller derby, and the circus.
Distinguished Group of Seven artist A. Y. Jackson made an appearance at the "Mac" as a guest speaker for the Porcupine Art Club.
