Mechanics Institute an 'elaborate structure' built in 1890 included Chapleau public library and town hall

The Mechanics Institute in Chapleau was built in 1890 on land provided by the Canadian Pacific Railway across from the present Bridgeview Hotel on Birch Street.

According to Wikepedia, mechanics' institutes,  the first one established in Edinburgh, Scotland  contained inspirational and vocational reading matter, for a small rental fee. Later popular non-fiction and fiction books were added to these collections in the library section. Other services were also provided.

The Mechanics Institute was a described as an "elaborate structure", for the times and included the library, a reading room, a hall and space for oganizations to meet in a two-storey building. By the end of 1890, the library had 178 members and 894 volumes. 

Imagine, it  cost $621.02 to build. Perhaps someone can examine the photos and give us an estimated cost to build a similar building in 2015.

By 1895, ladies had become active members,and in 1899 when J.B. Dexter was president of the institute 200 new books were purchased bringing the total number of volumes to 1408 of which 1201 were taken out over the previous year.

The Canadian Encyclopedia says that the institutes began as voluntary associations of working men seeking self improvement through education.

However, the Canadian Encyclopedia adds that "Despite the name, the central figures who developed the Mechanics' Institutes in Canada were rarely manual workers. Rather, the institutes were controlled by shopkeepers, doctors, ministers and small manufacturers who sought activities for themselves, and more importantly, the growing number of urban wage-earners."

They did reflect important features of 19th-century Canada: the constant anxiety of local leaders about social order and stability; the widespread hope of self-improvement through education; and the increasing popular thirst for reading material", according to the Canadian Enyclopedia.

In 1895, Beresford Greatheed, aka Greathead visited Chapleau on his walking tour across Canada from Vancouver to Halifax and visited the institute, according to the Sudbury Journal.

Although Chapleau had about 500 residents when Greatheed visited, he called it a city, and commented that it had "fine churches, CPR shops, three hotels, three or four good stores and numerous fine dwelling houses."

He paid particular attention to the Mechanics Institute, "a fine building erected in 1890 and has a hall where 300 persons could easily be seated - membership is 250 and each member paying $2 per annum. Upstairs is occupied by various fraternal societies such as the Freemasons, Oddfellows. Knights of Pythians, Forresters, etc.

"A fine library exists here and most of the principal journals, magazines are ready for use of membership up until 10 p.m.." he said.

The building also housed the first Chapleau Town Hall from 1901 when the municipality was incorporated with G.B. Nicholson as the first reeve. However, disaster struck in 1910 when it burned down and all the library holdings as well as municipal records were destroyed.  

A new Town Hall was officially opened on December 30, 1913, which appears to have been done while Mr. Nicholson was still reeve. He was retiring after serving since 1901, always returned to office by acclamation. Chapleau's second reeve was T.J. Godfrey.

Information from Wikipedia, Canadian Encyclopedia, Sudbury Journal, George Evans, Vince Crichton (Pioneering in Northern Ontario), Doug Greig, Michael McMullen

My email is mj.morris@live.ca 

Beresford Greatheed, aka Greathead, visited 'city' of Chapleau while walking across Canada from Vancouver to Halifax in 1895

Chapleau folk in front of Mechanics Institute (Crichton collection)

William James Percy Beresford Greatheed, aka Greathead, visited Chapleau in 1895 while walking across Canada from Vancouver to Halifax as part of a wager to walk around the world in five years. 

In a letter to the Sudbury Journal of July 4, 1895, he signs it simply as Beresford Greatheed, but by 1904 when he appears to be still on a walking tour he has become "Professor" Beresford Greathead.

The story goes that in 1895 two clubs in Vancouver sponsored the around the world walk with the winner receiving $50,000, an incredible amount at the time, if he completed it in five years. Greatheed was selected and off he went with no money, only the clothes on his back, no luggage except for a leather satchel containing his notebook, and a rifle with some ammunition.

His letter to the Sudbury Journal says he arrived in Chapleau and Mr. Mulligan - the very genial CPR agent welcomed me and showed me the various sights of the city."

"This place has a population of 500 souls and is built on a fine river."

To those who may already have doubts that Greatheed ever was in Chapleau, in 1895, the Mr. Mulligan to whom he refers was John George who was the Canadian Pacific Railway Dominion Express Chapleau Agent, later renamed CPR Express. John was one of the four Mulligan brothers in Chapleau at the time -- Patrick ran Murrays and Mulligan general store: Thomas was the store's accountant; Charles was a carpenter, and John the Express agent.

My cousin Michael McMullen discovered the Greatheed story while doing research into our family at the Sudbury Public Library while we were on our way to Chapleau for the Chapleau High School reunion. Our respective grandmothers were members of the Mulligan family.

Although Chapleau had about 500 residents when Greatheed visited, he called it a city, and commented that it had "fine churches, CPR shops, three hotels, three or four good stores and numerous fine dwelling houses."

He paid particular attention to the Mechanics Institute, "a fine building erected in 1890 and has a hall where 300 persons could easily be seated - membership is 250 and each member paying $2 per annum. Upstairs is occupied by various fraternal societies such as the Freemasons, Oddfellows. Knights of Pythians, Forresters, etc.

"A fine library exists here and most of the principal journals, magazines are ready for use of membership up until 10 p.m."

CPR station where her arrived by foot! (Crichton collection)

He gives great credit to president Mr. Kyle and vice president Mr. Mulligan for the "good order of things at the institute." It is quite likely that they had become the hosts for his visit as Greetheed had to rely on the generosity of people he met along the way.

He added: "I must not forget however, the polite caretaker whose name I failed to note."

The Mechanics Institute in Chapleau, and there were many across Canada and elsewhere was established by 1890 in a building across from the present Redwood Restaurant on Birch street. It had started as a Reading Club by 1887 and had evolved into the institute, according to research undertaken by George Evans. It burned down in 1910, and many files about the early years of the community were lost as it had also been used as the Town Hall.

However, in his letter to the Sudbury Journal, Greatheed is not so kind in his comments about the Canadian Pacific Railway.

He gives praise to the sectionmen who keep the track in good condition in this division of a "Mr. Kennedy" but that "taking into consideration the tremendous heat, black flies, mosquitoes, and a hundred other evils, the poor men deserve an increase in wages or at least their old pay restored. "These sectionmen have as much responsibility hanging over them if not more, than any other offered on the line, and I must say that I consider it very poor policy on the part of the CPR to treat them with such little consideration."

He promises to write more on this matter later.

Apparently Greatheed did walk across Canada from Vancouver to Halifax, a distance of about 4,000 miles in 12 months, and later walked in parts of Europe. I could not find evidence though that he won the $50,000 prize. There is a reference to him as "the great walker" in The Amazing Foot Race of 1921: Halifax to Vancouver in 134 Days by Shirley Jean Tucker.

However, he reappears in the December 31, 1904 issue of The Dispatch newspaper of Lexington,North Carolina, as Professor Beresford Greathead, giving a lecture to a small but interested group about his journeys. It appears that he is now on a lecture tour of the United States.

He is now saying that his walk around the world started in 1898, and that he has walked 40,000 miles. The article says he was 39 years old, six feet tall and 260 pounds, and spoke four languages.

Undoubtedly, William James Percy Beresford Greatheed, aka Greathead, was an interesting character, who shared his moments in Chapleau, on his way across Canada. Thanks to Michael McMullen for discovering the story. My email is mj.morris@live.ca