McLean Mill

Continued from page twelve

femuing of all its components. The
only major component missing from
the sawmill was the carriage which
was sold to an entreprenuer in
Squamish.

Dave MacDonald, general man-
ager at McLean’s Mill, says that for-
tunately quality drawings remained.
of the carriage and that it has been
rebuilt to exact specifications.

Over time, the historic site will
develop exhibits to showcase all
phases of the operation in different
time periods. The major themes will
be sawmilling, logging, labour and
people, including the roles of gov-
ernment and labour and transporta-
tion and market.

The McLean family, headed by
patriarch R.B. McLean, moved from
New Brunswick to B.C. in the early
1900’s. It secured private timber
rights in the 1920’s in the Beaver
Creek and Beaufort Range.

With his family, R.B. logged for
farmers clearing land and produced
timbers and construction grade lum-
ber. The wood was originally sold
locally. Through the 1930’s and 40’s
the family developed international
clientele.

The late I.W.A. organizer Mark
Mosher brought the mill into the
International Woodworkers of Amer-
cia Local 85 in 1942 and it stayed
union until its closure 23 years later.
At its peak period the company
employed 22 in the sawmill and 15
workers in logging.

Local union officer George Rogers,
who is the son-in-law of Mosher,
says there are a lot of people in the
Alberni Valley who have family
members that worked at the
McLean’s Mill through the decades.
“We have a lot of pictures of our
members hanging up in the union
hall who used to work out there.”

“As kids quite a few of us used to
go.up to the old mill site and hang
out and go fishing,” he added.

“It’s really a unique part of our
heritage.”

Mr. MacDonald anticipates that
during the official opening on July 1
there will be over 100 former employ-
ees of the mill in attendance.

“There is a large amount of infor-
mation on the mill site in writing
and a lot of fond memories of work-
ing here,” says MacDonald. “That is
a rich resource in terms of inter-
preting the site. A lot of kids grew
up in the camp and now they have
memories as adults.”

When the oldtimers get together

Photo courtesy McLean Mill

e Clockwise from top left are Local 1-85 president Monty Mearns, local
officer George Rogers, and the mill’s general manager Dave MacDonald
inspecting fresh sawn lumber, a 1912 Washington Iron Works Steam
Donkey, the mill’s bull edger, and a Ross Carrier from the late 1930's -

early ‘40’s (middle).

they will be talking about numerous
things including how the old two-
man steam driven carriage used to
rock back and forth, about the old
Hayes logging trucks, what was
done in the blacksmith shop, how
the cookshack was operated and

what the bunkhouse facilities where.

oR

like, and how the old Washington
Iron Works 1912 steam donkey
pulled in logs.

“It’s going to quite a sight, seeing
the old mill running and the people
getting together,” says Rogers. “It’s
going to become a major attraction
for the valley.”

¢ Retired Sproat Lake mechanic Joe Krizek has been getting a 1929 Bald-
win locomotive ready for the ride from Port Alberni to the mill site.

LuMi

WORKER/APRIL, 2000/13