Western Dominion Collieries Ltd of Bienfait Saskatchewan

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of Web Editor, Doug Gent © 2016

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** WARNING **
Old Abandoned Underground Coal Mines can be Very Dangerous,
Due to Collapse, and Mine Gases (Noxious and Flammable).
Extreme Care should be taken around them, due to Falls, Sudden Ground Collapse, and Bad Air,
and in NO Circumstances should People enter into ANY Mine Openings, or Associated Caves.

The Material Contained on my Sites, is NOT to Encourage Personal Investigation of these Mines,
But only as a Historical Record of these Long Abandoned Mines.
Please View these Mines from a Far, Safe and Legal Distance.
Always Observe Private Property Rights, and Obey ALL Warning Signs.
************************************************

Pictures below sent to me by Margaret Cuddington
from Gordon O. Cuddington's Photo Album
with a big Thank You!

See Alexander Craig McMiken Wilson History here
He was General Superintendent at Western Dominion
from Spring of 1939-1943
in charge of all their Coal Mining Operations

Aug 1, 1946	Western Dominion Tipple
Western Dominion Overall View	Western Dominion Stripping Plant
20 ton Euclid Truck with Soldiers, Parade?	Western Dominion 20 ton Euclid Truck
20 ton Euclid Loaded	20 ton Euclid Dumping Coal
Tom Cuddington's Truck	Western Dominion Truck no 7 1946, 4 ton, driven by Tom Cuddington
Truck no 7 loading with coal	Doing Local Deliveries
Blizzard Mar 1942	Blizzard Mar 1942
Dave Auld ca 1934 he was Face Boss	Air Shaft- See note 1 below
Air Force Bulldozer	Air Force Truck Not sure why they were at the mine?

Note 1- Text on back of AIR SHAFT photo:
"Bucket just dumped coal into truck.  Coal was hoisted up from the air
shaft by the drag line.  Taken on Sept. 6, 1942 at Taylorton Coal Mines.
First air shaft to be dug for deep seam mine.  
The truck is a 20 ton Euclid."

First Walking Dragline & B-E 320B Shovel
 at Western Dominion

RCMP photos, taken during the 1939 Strike
No Hotels or comfy patrol cars in those days

written on the back of one of the photos
"Taken in time of the Strike in 1939.
RCMP came to let the Western Dominion Coal Miners work
on account of picketers

Per an article Nov 3, 1939
An attempt was made to open the Wilson Mine #2
a separate unit of Western Dominion Coal Mines.
whose stripping plant went into action when the
RCMP led workmen to the mines,
through groups of picketers, lining the roadside.
the Briquette Plant donated Briquettes for the barrel
you see, where the Patrolmen could warm their hands.
At this time the United Mine Workers of America were picketing.

Oct 18, 1939 Albert Turner, wife and 2 children
plus 5 other families were evicted from Company houses at the mine
Bill Hemmiger family
Adam Young family
Max Passiac family
Bill Redwood Family
George Redwood Family

August 1939 the Saskatchewan Coal Miner's Union
Taylorton, Local 1, was formed at Western Dominion.
Affiliated with the Canadian Federation of Labour.
they had a closed shop agreement,
with check-off rights.
Union dues automatically deducted.
They had to hire only men that belonged to this union.
The Canadian Congress of Labour at the time,
claimed it was a Company Union.
3 votes were taken during the 1939 strike,
and the men voted to stay with this union each time.
In Dec 1939 a settlement was reached.
The SK Coal Miner's Union stayed at WDCM
The Mine Workers Central Union, MWCU, at the other mines.
This Independent Union was formed in 1939
by an Arbitration board, which intervened in the 1939 strike.
All their international affiliations were also stopped,
for the duration of the war and 1 year after.
the United Mine Workers of America
and the Canadian Federation of Unions
and other unions would stay out of the field,
for the duration of the war and 1 year after.