Tawagami selected as CPR divisional point but "lakes and swamps" saw it moved to Chapleau in 1885

CPR station 1886

The Canadian Pacific Railway divisional point that became Chapleau was supposed to be at Tawagami, seven miles east of the present community, but because of the lakes and swamps about there, it was situated where it is in 1885.

According to an article in the Richard Brownlee papers, among the very first "white women" who moved to Chapleau were a Mrs. S.B. Eyrie and her daughter Edna who became Mrs. Cressey, they arrived from Tawagami in September 1885.

By the end of 1885, there were about 400 citizens, most of them men. There were some women as residents by this time but many had left for the winter.

Apparently the Eyrie's had a boarding house but a "great bush fire" swept through that section of the fledgling community, and as a result they lived in tents  for about a year.

Also, as Chapleau was being established people lived in two rows of boxcars, one called Goslin Avenue and the other Stovepipe Avenue.

At the same time T.A. Austin set up shop in a tent in "old Chapleau" near the site of where the Lady Minto Hospital was opened in 1914. In February 1886, Mr. Brownlee who was about 18 arrived, and had a barber shop beside Mr. Austin's place of business.

Later in 1886, Mr. Austin built the first store on Birch Street where the Dominion store was later located, and he added a leanto for Mr. Brownlee's barber shop.

T A Austin store 1886

Tom Carr and his family were among the first citizens and they ran the first boarding house, popularly known as the "Pig's Ear," located across from where Smith and Chapple was located. Actually it would have been located across from the Austin store which had changed location. This later became Beamish and Smith then Smith and Chapple, now Chapleau Village Shops.

JMcN Austin then Beamish and Smith then Smith and Chapple, now Chapleau Village Shops

 Mr. Noel de Tilley "had the honour of driving the first engine into the station, that was in the autumn of 1885." Mr. and Mrs. de Tilley lived in a cottage next door to Tom Carr's boarding house.

Most reports I have seen over the years give credit to Mrs. Noel de Tilley for the naming of the community. The article I am using says that "Mr. R. Duschene, the civil engineer found it quite a problem to select names for all the places along the line and turned to her for an inspiration. She suggested that they name this town after (Joseph Adolphe) Chapleau, the Conservative member of parliament and Chapleau it became."

Very active in the community, before the Roman Catholic church was built, it was at their home that mass was sung on Sunday. Visiting priests also made their home with them,

That first winter was apparently bitterly cold and disease was rampant but these first citizens who had left their former way of life to create a new community in the wilderness. And they did. 

A boxcar became the first station, office building and train dispatcher's office. Very quickly a roundhouse with turntable and water tank had been erected. By 1886 a station had been completed.

The article noted that these "sturdy railroaders had a hard winter though, for the roundhouse ... had no doors. When there were snowstroms the section men had to come an shovel the snow away. There was no storehouse for oil. It was kept outside in large barrels and had to be heated before it could be used. For valve oil tey had to use tallow. ...'

I have included a photo of Bill Pellow's delivery wagon as a reminder of how deliveries were made. J.T. Serre made deliveries by dog team and sled in the winter months.

Amazingly, by the end of 1886, churches had been established, and an active social and sports life were underway. By 1889 they were curling and playing hockey, and a brass band had been started. Chapleau's first newspaper The North Star was being published. Mr. Brownlee also noted that the first school with 12 pupils had been started.

On a personal note, I am fascinated with these early years in the history of Chapleau, and so much appreciate having the Richard Brownlee papers, kindly loaned to me by Margaret Rose (Payette) and Bobby Fortin, to help me connect the dots from in the beginning. My email is mj.morris@live.ca

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Chapleau stands with Humboldt Broncos during hockey tragedy in Saskatchewan

More than 40 years ago now I took a course in 20th Century European history from Dr Jacques Goutor, and the first thing I learned from him was that hockey kept Canada together.  Well, he didn't actually come out and say that exactly, but on the first day of class he told us about his arrival in Canada from France.

Dr Goutor told us that upon arriving in Toronto, he went out and bought the newspapers and the headlines were LEAFS WIN STANLEY CUP! It was 1967, our Centennial year as a nation, and the Toronto Maple Leafs had defeated their arch rivals the Montreal Canadiens in six games. It was to be the last time the Leafs would win Lord Stanley's mug. 

If newspaper headlines were about hockey, Dr Goutor decided that Canada would be a great place to live having been raised in France during World War II. He stayed and had a distinguished career at the University of Western Ontario. He died a few years ago.

Ever since,  I have watched the headlines of Canadian  newspapers, and headline writers are ecstatic on those days they can proclaim victory for their local hockey team when it wins a title, and are beside themselves with joy when Canada wins internationally. But they know their audience. Hockey has kept it it all together in this vast and magnificent land where we will travel great distances for a hockey game, and complain about that other great Canadian unifier, the weather.

Fast forward to April 6, 2018, and the Humboldt Broncos of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League, are travelling by bus for a playoff game --- something that at this time of year, was occurring across Canada. It is playoff time.

I turned to Pam O'Hearn Morin of Chapleau, the mother of two boys who play hockey for help. 

Pam posted on Facebook that on "Friday night I went to bed and had never heard about the Humboldt Broncos. Fast forward to Saturday morning with the tragic news; it is the kind of news that shakes you to the core and for so many reasons. As a parent, THAT IS your worst nightmare. But as a parent of two beautiful boys who not only play hockey (and other sports), the travelling is part of that....to and from games....near and far...great weather and crazy weather. But we do it for our children and for the love of the game. "

Pam of course was referring to the tragic bus accident that, at time of writing, had claimed the lives of 16 people associated with the Humboldt Broncos.

Courtesy Pam O'Hearn Morin

She added: "Hockey will never be the same. Every time I watch my kids play or enter an arena, I will always hold a place in my heart for the victims, their families, the survivors, their friends and everyone in that community that has no doubt been affected by this.  What now? Prayers will continue and any gesture that symbolizes unity and strength we will do."

After watching the vigil in Humboldt, Pam added  "But we have also witnessed the outpouring of support from all over. I always hug my boys and tell them I love them..lately....I am doing more of that. "

While I have believed that hockey was a great unifier, and I too have watched the outpouring of support in communities large and small, and indeed from around the world, never in my life, have I seen such an effort to bring us all together and it is working. Like Pam, many had never heard of Humboldt, Saskatchewan. I had because I worked as a daily newspaper reporter at the Saskatoon Star-Phoenix.

I also contacted my friend Gord Woods, whose son Dakotah is currently playing Junior hockey with the Dryden Ice Dogs, and since he was 13, has been travelling on buses to follow his dream. The hockey community in Canada is small in a way, despite distances, and Dakotah knew some players on the Humboldt Broncos.

Courtesy Gord Woods

Gordie added that after receiving the news of the tragedy, he hugged Cedar and Hunter, his children at home, and "phoned Dakotah with a hug". I am sure that was happening all across the country.

I also turned to Charlie Purich, a former Chapleau hockey star who has played hockey most of his life and in the 1960s was referred to as "the catalyst' of the Chapleau High School hockey team.

Charlie Purich circa 1964

Charlie said: "A split second sooner or later, it might not have happened.I think back over the three years I played for Laurentian with all the bus trips down south and back from Sudbury.

"All the car trips to Wawa, Blind River, Sudbury, Timmins, Espanola.All the train trips to Sudbury, Schreiber, Terrace Bay. All to play hockey and be part of a team and to show pride for my town.

"On every team we had such a collective group of supportive players, coaches and trainers.We had fans that joined us both at home and away games.Priceless.

"Nothing can describe that feeling.This terrible happening has touched all of us."

Thank you Charlie. Like Charlie I travelled from Chapleau thousands of miles on hockey trips over the years, and fortunately there were no mishaps. 

Back  to Pam who organized a group photo in Chapleau on Jersey Day for the Broncos with activities across the country

Pam explained: "What started as an idea this morning because I am simply a mom of two boys who play the game. My heart hurts for everyone affected and yet this picture reminds me that there IS strength in numbers and I am so blessed to be surrounded by so many kind people! The photo to which she is referring is the one above of Chapleau folks.

"Thank you all for coming out and thank you to all those who shared the post and were there in spirit. Taken on the Chapleau River, the place where it isn’t uncommon for many to begin playing hockey. It is a simple gesture to show that we-CHAPLEAU (not all present of course but due to the short notice I am still proud) stand with all of you who are affected by this tragedy. In the darkness, there is a light...a light that has been glimmering...glimmering with Hope shown through unity, Prayers, Strength and Love.

"Thank you Kari Luhtasaari for taking the time to capture this picture and thank you to Wade Cachagee for the awesome sign and Joel Langelier for his drone photo."

Yes Pam, many of us throughout the history of Chapleau began playing hockey on the "Front River" where you had the photo taken, and on the pond on the "Back River" too.

Way back Dr. Goutor used hockey as a metaphor for safe place to live after the horrors of World War II. In 2018, the outpouring of support for all those affected by this tragedy demonstrates once again that Canadians from all walks of life, and communities large and small, can focus on actions which bring us all together. For sure my friends, the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

My most sincere thanks to Pam O'Hearn Morin, Charlie Purich, Gord Woods, Pat Purich Russell for their assistance with this column. My email is mj.morris@live.ca

Jimmy Hong member of family who gave chosen community a "warm and unforgettable example of the true Canadian spirit"

Boo, Mrs Hong, Jean, Jim, Yen

For about 100 years in the history of Chapleau, Fong Hong, his wife Sue, affectionately called "Ma" and their family have been associated with business in the community headed since about 1960 by Jimmy Hong.

It all began when Fong Hong arrived in the village circa 1916, and started Hong's Laundry which he closed and in 1924 opened the restaurant which to my generation was called the Boston Cafe. After Fong Hong died in 1940, Mrs. Hong continued to operate the restaurant and raised their four children: Yen, Jean, Jimmy and Harry (Boo).

Jimmy who had graduated from Chapleau High School, attended Ryerson and returned home to help his mother and took over the management of the restaurant in 1960. In due course, it was totally renovated and emerged with a new name -- the Redwood and Hongrs. He was actively involved in the Chapleau business community for most of his life. Growing up he helped out in the restaurant with his sister and brothers.

Fong Hong

When Jimmy died on April 1 at age 79, it marked the end of an era in the community's history even though he had retired within the past two years. His brother Yen, who had built the Bridgeview Motel retired in 2009, while sister Jean, a retired nurse lives in Toronto and Harry died some years ago.

Jean, Jim Yen 2012

I have such fond memories of  growing up with the Boston being our central place as kids where we went to hang out and to play as well.

Although Boo was more my age, Jimmy would often join us upstairs above the restaurant, and the late Harry 'Butch' Pellow recalled one anecdote in which I was involved the day Jimmy gave us boxing lessons. 

Butch noted that Jimmy had boxing gloves, and when it came time for my lesson I was "whacked in the face and called it a day." 

Jim and I in deep hockey discussion. He won!!!!

So much for boxing but Jimmy and I remained friends and I had good good visits with him at the Chapleau High School reunion in 2012, at a party in Toronto at Butch and Brigitte's in 2014 and in Chapleau when he made the Redwood our headquarters for the launch of The Chapleau Boys Go To War which I co-wrote with Michael McMullen in 2015.

Jimmy and all the Hong family were involved sports and Butch recalled in an article called GO BOSTON that he was "A powerful steady and fast skater and great stick handler". 

Jim and Butch 2014

After reading a piece by Lillian (Donivan) Therriault about the family  in Chapleau Trails, edited by Dr. William R. `Bill`Pellow, a member of another Chapleau pioneer family I  recalled one hockey anecdote in which Jimmy was involved.

She wrote: "Ma Hong let the boys turn the restaurant into a hockey arena on two successive Sundays and the front entrance door and back kitchen door were used as goalposts. Over the next two Sundays, the boys easily managed to wreak havoc on the family business breaking the glass in the front door and destroying the large wind-up pendulum clock hanging over the back door. Ma Hong closed the arena!!!!" Great fun while it lasted. I was there!

Bill Hong, Yen's son, who played on the team, shared the story of all seven of his family members participating in the same hockey game. 

Bubbie, one of Yen Hong's daughters and to the best of my knowledge the first girl to play organized hockey in Chapleau was on the team and was also the captain. Bill commented: "How do you think I felt with my sister as captain of the hockey team!" Bill played defense while his sister played right wing.

Jimmy Hong was the referee and his son Murray was one of the linesmen. Three more of Jimmy's  sons --Geoff on defense, Doug at centre and Barry on left wing were all named on the scoresheet. Only Steven was not involved in the game.

We also played river hockey on the ice beside the old town dock at the beach on the "front river"  which was usually brutally cold but who cared!!!

Jimmy played on the famous Chapleau High School team of 1956-57, and after retiring as a player refereed Junior B and Intermediate games for many years. When I returned home to Chapleau in 1968, Jimmy and Raoul Lemieux got me involved as an official again.

CHS Hockey team 1956-57

While attending high school he also served as an officer in 1181 CHS Cadet Corps and on the Student Council. He also played in the Chapleau fastball league, and curled. He was also a member of the Masonic Lodge.

Stan Barty, Ian Macdonald, Neil Ritchie, David McMillan, Jim Hong 1957

No story about any member of the Hong family would be complete without a mention of Ma Hong's Boston Cream Pie. I am not sure if Jimmy was taught the secret to it but I had some on the three occasions I have seen him in recent years. His sons Murray, Doug and Geoff and sister Jean, and brother Yen had it for sure.

Jimmy Hong was my friend, along with other family members for over 70 years. I was so touched with the outpouring of affection for him when the news that he had died was posted on Facebook. 

I think Lillian (Donivan) Therriault summed it all up. She wrote that Hong and Ma had "richly blessed the small community of Chapleau indelibly leaving their mark, not only on the landscape but on its citizens.... and also given their chosen community a warm and unforgettable example of the true Canadian spirit."

Rest in peace Jimmy.   My deepest sympathy to the Hong family. My email is mj.morris