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The railway link to Millertown.1900
Millertown, Newfoundland, Canada
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The history of Millertown is a story of men, horses, oxen and steam in a capital venture that defines the men who worked there. An economic venture into the wilderness of central Newfoundland that changed four hundred years of fishing history for the Newfoundlander's who began working their.3
Planning the next phase.1900
Millertown, Newfoundland, Canada
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Arriving in St. John's Newfoundland in August of 1900, Lewis Miller was delayed in St. John's for a month while the branch railway line to Red Indian Lake was being completed. This delay was costly as he had with him a workforce as well as the equipment, horses and oxen for the logging venture.5
The completed town.1900
Millertown, Newfoundland, Canada
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Before winter's snow he built the town to house the families of the workforce who had brought with them all their household effects, to live in the Newfoundland wilderness. Living in tents during construction, the construction of accommodations had to be completed, then, winter logging operations could begin. With the railway link finished, construction started on the sawmill, as the equipment could now be brought to the site.7
Millertown in Winter1901
Millertown, Newfoundland, Canada
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Winter saw the completion of the mill with the town covered in a blanket of snow, as seen from a hill overlooking the town and lake, where a community church and school were being built.9
Building the Piers1900
Red Indian Lake, Millertown, Newfoundland, Canada
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During the winter freeze up piers were built to anchor the holding boom required to hold the logs from drifting off by the changing winds.11
A lakeside landing.1900
Red Indian Lake, Millertown, Newfoundland, Canada
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By spring the sawmill was completed, ready for the pine logs that were cut during the winter, and piled at different shoreline landings waiting for the spring thaw.13
The lake and town with the Mary March River in the background.1901
Millertown, Newfoundland, Canada
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The winter cut was successful and in the spring two steam powered vessels, a paddle wheel tugboat called the Alligator hauled the logs off shore and the Steam Ship Lady Mary towed the booms of logs to the holding boom around the sawmill jack ladder. |
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