$40.00 CAD
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Large photo of a railway track gang, some putting down ties, others the rails for the 84-mile CNR railway branch to the mining town of Flin Flon Manitoba.
On back typewritten:
Track laying machine, Flin Flon Railway, Manitoba
Also stamp:
Handwritten photo # 30268
Comes from the estate of a French collector who died in 1947.
24.50 x 18 cm
(Red text is an electronic watermark that is not physically part of the photo for sale)
The discovery of the huge, rich copper/zinc discovery at Flin Flon (circa 1915) galvanized the entire area north of The Pas in a mining claim-staking frenzy...interests were willing to put up the millions required to construct a metallurgical complex at Flin Flon and a hydro generating station at Island Falls - but a rail line to Flin Flon was essential to supply the undertaking. On December 17, 1927 an agreement was signed between the Province of Manitoba, Manitoba Northern Railway and Canadian National Railway to construct a line to Flin Flon 'for the purpose of developing Manitoba's resources.' The contract was awarded to Dominion Construction with a completion date of September 30, 1929.
Dominion Construction's fiery president, Harry Falconer McLean was the driving force behind the railroad construction from The Pas to Flin Flon - the 84-mile branch line of Canadian National Railway that was to put Flin Flon on the map and open up northern Manitoba. Skeptics believed that the job could not be done due to the rugged terrain of muskeg, lakes and rock - not to mention harsh weather conditions.
