Nib Campaner Photo Collection
Nib Campaner, an employee of Federal Grain Limited for 23 years, amassed a collection of black and white photos developed and processed in his own dark room. Federal owned the Northwestern Elevator, the Stewart Elevator, and had a partial interest in the Westland Elevator. The company later sold its assets to Saskatchewan Wheat Pool. Having originally posted his photos on the Historic Photos of Thunder Bay Facebook page, Nib agreed to have his collection housed on the FOGE website. He has also kindly written captions for his photos that include remembrances of the various ships and elevators.
According to Nib, many of the photos are the result of the opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway and were taken between 1953 and 1973. His good friend Gino Taiariol, whose entire career was with the Lake Shippers Clearance Association, would alert him to the ships and their location, and he would head down to the elevator with his camera. His photo collection is an excellent record of the elevators that existed and photos of the construction process and slip forming over a number of years. Nib’s personal favourite is the photo of the grain trimmers loading a ship, but he notes that viewers comment most frequently on the picture of the elevator with the Christmas tree tradition.
Mr. Campaner explained the donation of his collection to FOGE in this way: “I'm thrilled to have the photos available for the enjoyment of others!” Nib used a Minolta Autocord twin-lens reflex camera with a large negative size, enabling enlargement without losing sharpness. A tripod was used for nighttime exposures. Film was processed into negatives and then enlarged to 8x10 on photo paper.
Christmas Tree on Stewart Elevator
It was a Christmas tradition to light up a tree at the elevators. This was at the Stewart Elevator, but it was done at others as well.
Whitefish Bay at Stewart Elevator
This is the Whitefish Bay loading at Federal Elevator, formerly Stewart. The Whitefish Bay was built in 1961, converted at Port Arthur Shipyards in 1969, and then converted back. Its career ended in 1989.
Boxcars at Stewart Elevator
This is a load of the old boxcars going into the elevator where they were shovelled out by hand using a cable pulling a wooden board. A tough, dangerous job. There are a couple of the new hopper bottoms in the background on the left labeled Canadian Pacific. No graffiti in those days.
Algosteel at Northwestern Elevator
This is the Algosteel loading grain at the Northwestern Elevator on the Kam River. In 1987, she was named Algogulf, and in 1990 was renamed Algosteel and converted to a self unloader. The elevator is no longer there. The superintendent was Doug Asquith.
Fort Henry at McTavish Street Dock
This is the Fort Henry CSL package freighter at McTavish St dock on the Kam River where the freight sheds stood. The ship was unloaded by hundreds of workers using hand trolleys, mainly flour and grocery goods like cartons of ketchup. Note the wooden docks and iron tie ups. A sailor would swing over the side with a looped rope and a dock hand would get the metal rope. There was also a huge ramp at that location. Ships bringing in cars would use the ramp. Drivers would then drive the cars to the dealers. The Fort Henry worked between 1955-1988.
Georgian Bay at Pool 4
This is the Georgian Bay loading at Saskatchewan Pool 4 at night.
Westland D Elevator
This is Westland elevator on the Kam River. Now gone. At one time, it was the largest storage facility in North America.
Grain Trimmers
These are grain trimmers loading a ship, circa 1950s.
Hamiltonian at UGG
This is the Hamiltonian loading at UGG in Current River on its maiden voyage to Port Arthur, July 1962. The ship finished service in 1995. Check the massiveness of this ship with the yacht just in front of it.
Hochelaga at McCabe's
This is the Hochelaga loading at McCabe Elevator in Port Arthur, which became UGG M. The Hochelaga had its boilers converted and was completely converted to a self unloader at Port Arthur Shipyards in 1964, and had a replaced boom in 1980. It collided with the Edmund Fitzgerald in 1970 with minor damage. It was scrapped in Colombia.
Menihek Lake at Westland D
This is the Menihek Lake loading at Westland D on its maiden voyage to Fort William. The ship was built in Collingwood and operated between 1959-1985.
Murray Bay at Pool 7
This is the Murray Bay loading at Pool 7. It was the longest vessel on Great Lakes when launched, with the maximum dimensions for sailing the St. Lawrence Seaway - 730 ft beam. 37'9" depth. It operated between 1959-1996, and was sold to N.M. Paterson & Sons and renamed Comeaudoc. You can tell a lake ship like this is new because the sides are not scraped from the locks service.
Northwestern Elevator ruins
These are the ruins of the former Northwestern Elevator on the Kaministiquia River turning basin.
Silver Isle at Pool 6
This is the Silver Isle loading grain at Pool 6 on its maiden voyage to the St. Lawrence Seaway in 1963. The ship was built in Ireland.
Ray Fullerton
This is Ray Fullerton, the Federal Grain office manager.
Red Wing at Federal Elevator
This is the Red Wing loading at Federal Elevator, formerly Stewart Elevator.
Nipigon Bay at Richardson
This is the Nipigon Bay at Richardson Terminal. It was converted from an oil tanker and lengthened by 72 feet at the Port Arthur Shipbuilding Company in 1958. It was scrapped in 1989.
Saguenay at Westland D
This is the Saguenay loading at Westland D Elevator. Its hull was deepened and it was converted into a self-unloader by the Port Arthur Shipbuilding Company in 1972. Its hull was strengthened in Collingwood in 1977.
Scott Misener
An interesting view of the Scott Misener ship loading grain at an elevator.
John A. France
This is the John A. France loading grain in Port Arthur. The ship worked between 1960-2002. It was sold to Algoma Central and renamed the Algoriver, then was sold for scrap to Turkish shipbreakers.
Sir James Dunn at Ogilvie
This is the Sir James Dunn at Ogilvie Elevator. It was built at Port Arthur Shipbuilding Company for Canada Steamship Lines and entered service on May 3, 1952. Its maiden voyage was to Midland, Ontario. The ship was laid up on December 22, 1982 at Midland and did not operate again, until it was sold for scrap in 1989 to Turkish shipbreakers. The ship was towed to Georgian Bay, but its tow line broke in a storm, so sailors had to go back to find her to continue the journey.
Starbelle in Fort William
All ships have a lifetime. This is the Starbelle, built in Scotland in 1913 for Imperial Oil and converted to a bulk carrier in 1952. It was scrapped in 1964 by Lakehead Scrap Metals.
Stewart Elevator addition construction
Driving piles for the addition at the Federal Stewart Elevator by Thunder Bay Harbor Improvements, about 1950-1960.
Stewart Elevator addition construction
This is how the elevators were built. It's called slip forming - an almost continual concrete pouring. After concrete is poured into a form, the form is lifted after a short time for the next pour.
Jane Stove at Thunder Bay Elevator
This is the Jane Stove from Oslo loading at the Thunder Bay Elevator. This ship was built in 1943 in Portland, Oregon, and was sold to the Lorentzens in Norway. It was broken up in 1969. This ship was an early visitor to the most northern port of the St. Lawrence Seaway, the Lakehead. This picture was taken soon after the Seaway opened in 1959.
Tritonic at Westland D
This is the Tritonic loading at Westland D Elevator.
UGG annex construction
This is UGG undergoing slip forming. UGG collapsed into Lake Superior on September 23, 1959. I [Nib Campaner] was there the day before. The collapse created a small tidal wave.
John A. France at UGG
This is the John A France moored at UGG Current River. The ship was sold to Algoma Central and renamed Algoriver, and then sold for scrap to Turkish shipbreakers.
Gordon Leitch at UGG
This is the Gordon Leitch loading at UGG. This ship is a self unloader and was owned by Upper Lakes Shipping. It was later sold to Algoma.