The Life Of A Mineral Lake Logger
Mineral Lake was replaced with a large gang sawmill close to the planing mill in Cranbrook. By February the new sawmill was operational, producing 55,000 board feet per shift. According to Melody, there was a delay for workers, who helped to clean up the debris before exiting the site. Eventually, men from Mineral Lake moved on to new sawmills in the vicinity, or left to pursue different career paths.
“My Dad and many others moved into Cranbrook to work at Crestbrook, which took over the Mineral Lake work,”
Dan speculated that some of the men spent time with their wives, making up for lost time, before going back to work.
CS&D remained relevant over the years by benefitting workers and the community. It did the best it could to care for its workforce while expanding operations. The company’s humanitarianism carried workers through the great depression when it acted as one of the only firms to bring on new workers in anticipation of a brighter future.
Kootenay Spruce Mills at Mineral Lake c.1950
