George Fife managed Chapleau Electric Light and Power Company from 'humble beginnings' to 'efficient public utility'

For 46 years the Chapleau Electric Light and Power Company, had been an "important and intimate part of both private and business life in Chapleau" but at midnight on August 31, 1955, an era came to a close, according to Vince Crichton in "Pioneering in Northern Ontario'.

From 68 homes in 1909 when J. McNiece Austin bought the Mageau and Leblanc power plant and holdings, to the 826 homes plus businesses in 1955. the company had provided the community's electricity needs.

Mageau and Leblanc had built a sawmill on the east bank of the Nebskwashi River (near what is now commonly referred to as the Memegos Property) in 1899, and by 1909 were replacing its first power plant.

Vince wrote: "Coal oil lamps were hazardous to the operation of sawmills, so the owners built the first hydro plant in Chapleau at their mill site in 1905. The purpose was to provide adequate lighting for the mill and its allied establishments as well as to provide hydro for the growing town of Chapleau".

Mr. Austin needed someone to manage the operation of the plant and company, and persuaded George Fife to take the position. Mr, Fife arrived in Chapleau in 1910 from Renfrew.  His duties included those of manager, technician, electrician, line and installation man and bill collector, Vince noted.

As an aside, Mr. Fife is the grandfather of Robert Fife, one of Canada's most distinguished journalists, currently Ottawa Bureau Chief of The Globe and Mail.

Until 1916, the company only provided night service from one half hour before sunset to one half hour after sunrise.

Vince noted that in 1914, there was a building boom in Chapleau as 50 new homes were built plus the Town Hall, Lady Minto Hospital and Fire Hall.

By December 1915, meters has been installed, and rates beginning on January 1, 1916 were 10 cents a killowat hour with a service charge of 25 cents per month. minimum rate of $1.00 per month and a power rate of $45.00 per horsepower per year with 24 hour service now provided.

By 1918 a new storage dam was started which was replaced in 1929 by the concrete dam with which many of us were familiar, as well the power house was built.

The company realized in 1946 that the available water supply could not cope with the demand for power  and a diesel unit was installed.

Clyde Fife, after returning home from service in the Royal Canadian Air Force in World War II became assistant manager in 1948, and in due course succeeded his father as manager.  Yes, for readers who do not know, Clyde is Bob's father.

Residential school in background

In 1955 the Township of Chapleau had purchased the holdings with the exception of the hydro plant and dams, and agreed to take the entire output of the company.

Vince noted that by 1955 "from a humble beginning in 1910 with a staff of two, the company had expanded to an efficient public utility ... with a staff of three operators, two electricians and line men, a secretary, and assistant manager and a manager."

George Fife "devoted his life to the power company but not to the exclusion of service to Chapleau in other respects. He served as a councillor and was the reeve from 1938 to 1942  -- which included scheduling an "unofficial visit" by King George VI and Queen Elizabeth on their Royal Tour of Canada in 1939, at about two a.m.

The first hydro commission was established in 1956 with Cecil Smith as chairman and members were C.O. Carlson, Leo Racicot and Larry Ribout.

By 1965, a contract had been signed with Ontario Hydro and on September 1, a new era began when a new line was completed into town. Vince wrote that the plant was "deserted and still." 

The Chapleau Post in a tribute to Mr. Fife upon his death said that he watched the company grow from "supplying a handful of homes to ultimately serving the entire community", arriving when "life was rougher, amenities fewer, and there were great things to be done."

It added: "In assuring an adequate public utility, he did much to assure greater development of Chapleau as a modern community.

"Equally enviable is the safety record for Chapleau Electric Light and Power. In a hazardous industry he was able to boast that no employee was ever killed or injured in an industrial accident."

The newspaper article concluded that many communities boast of citizens who devote much to them and Mr Fife was one of them who had done so as Chapleau and the north had "grown great from men like him".

My email is mj.morris@live.ca