Where was Camp 16?

[Leanne Riding]

By the looks of that information, Camp 16 was in the west riding of the 
Yale electoral district in 1898 ("YW"). Geographically it was actually 
closer to New Westminster than to Yale. The clue to this is the "16," 
which is usually "mile 16" from somewhere important, so the first thing 
to do is to look at an old map. In 1898 that means it's probably 16 
miles up the railway from New Westminster.

Near that area was apparently a granite mine which is catalogued as Camp 
16 (49 45 54 N, 121 26 31 W). Here is some information from the Ministry 
of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources about that site: "CAMP 16, 
CATHMAR [...] The Camp 16 (Cathmar) quarry is situated near the Canadian 
Pacific railway line between Spuzzum and North Bend and operated up to 
1912. A considerable amount of stone was quarried for use in culverts, 
bridge piers and as fill along the line. It is not believed to have been 
of high enough quality for use as building stone. [...] The quarry 
consisted of an irregular excavation approximately 200 metres long in 
the mountain side above the railway." (EMPR IND MIN FILE (Granite 
Quarries (in Ministry Library)) Parks, W.A. (1917): Report on the 
Building and Ornamental Stones of  Canada, Vol. V, No. 452, Department 
of Mines, pp. 75-77. 
http://www.em.gov.bc.ca/mining/Geolsurv/Minfile/App/Summary.aspx?minfilno=092HNW068)

Sounds like very hard work smashing up all that granite for the railway. 
Might that be something that convicts do? Or would paid workers actually 
do it?

If you visit the BCGNIS link below, you can click on another link to 
view some really interesting names of other nearby geographical features 
within 5km. The BCGNIS database says that Cathmar is not an official 
name. It was a former railway point, W side of Fraser River, S of Boston 
Bar, Yale Division Yale Land District. "The CPR construction camp & 
station called "Cathmar" was located here circa WWI, and so-labelled on 
BC map 2B, 1914." (BC place name cards, or correspondence to/from BC's 
Chief Geographer or BC Geographical Names Office. 
http://srmwww.gov.bc.ca/bcgn-bin/bcg10?name=51758)

I was amused that there is a "Skuzzy" Lake nearby. That was a popular 
word back home. Wonder if that word relates to CJ at all. Other familiar 
words too. Anyways, this area has a very rich history; whoever studies 
it will be well rewarded for their effort.

Zoom in on this map, too, to get a feel for the area. 
(http://atlas.nrcan.gc.ca/site/english/maps/archives/1stedition/economic/transportationandcommunications/page20)


David Robertson wrote:

>I have Chinook letters written by people whose return address was "Camp 16."
>
>There are people listed at that location in the 1898 BC voting rolls, for 
>example online at:
>
>http://www.rootsweb.com/~canbc/vote1898/votemo.htm
>
>But where was Camp 16?  Where can I read more about it?  Was it a railroad 
>camp, a logging camp, or something else?
>
>Thanks.
>
>--Dave R
>
>To respond to the CHINOOK list, click 'REPLY ALL'.  To respond privately to the sender of a message, click 'REPLY'.  Hayu masi!
>
>  
>

To respond to the CHINOOK list, click 'REPLY ALL'.  To respond privately to the sender of a message, click 'REPLY'.  Hayu masi!