Frank and the Mountain That Slid
The world has seen its fair share of disasters, from hurricane Katrina, to the collapse of the World Trade Center, and even the earthquakes that have happened more recently. Many people have had their life turned upside down and inside out within minutes but have been able to recover somehow. One disaster that hit the Crowsnest Pass in Alberta, Canada, was the tragedy called Frank Slide. Within two minutes, in the middle of one of the coldest nights that year, the small towns that surround Turtle Mountain had their world come crashing down on them. This paper will explore, in depth, how the region, rightly named the Crowsnest Pass, operated before, during, and after the slide that took the town of Frank.
At first, the region of the Crowsnest Pass was a well thriving and quickly expanding mining community. Many different mines were operating in and around the Pass. Bellevue, Frank, and the Leitch Collieries were the main mines located in the Crowsnest Pass back in the 1900s. With the direct connections to the Canadian Pacific Railway, transporting the coke and coal from the Pass to other parts of Canada, and even all over the world, was made easy. As the mining industry was booming, many towns and collieries started showing up all over the Pass. Hillcrest, Blairmore, Coleman, and Lille, were all different collieries and towns that were found operating at and around the base of Turtle Mountain. The town of Frank, which was founded by Henry Frank, was soon to become a place that Canada would gravely remember forever.
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Frank was one of the major mining towns in the Crowsnest Pass. Over six hundred residents called Frank home in the year 1903. A majority of the town’s people worked at the Frank mine because it was one of the largest employers in the Pass. Located at the base of Turtle Mountain, travelling between the mine and town was quick and easy for a lot of the workers. As the mining industry boomed, so did the small town of Frank. While more people moved to the Pass the need for more businesses grew. More and more businesses began to set up shop in Frank with high hopes of profit in the wealthy region. From general stores to blacksmiths, almost anything someone needed back then could be found.
Many of the mountains in the Crowsnest Pass are very rich with coal. Workers were brought in from all over the world to work in the mines scattered throughout the valley. They would dig into the side of the mountain; extracting coal from the mountain walls as they made their way deeper towards the center or higher towards the peak. The coal is then transported to a distillery that would then break down the coal. The leftover residue is known as coke. Coke is defined by the Merriam-Webster’s dictionary as “the coal residue that is left after destructive distillation and is used as fuel.” Coal and coke is what kept the Crowsnest Pass, and even the province of Alberta, thriving in the late 1800s to early 1900s. That was until April 29, 1903, when the Crowsnest Pass would be changed forever.
While most of the people of the Crowsnest Pass were tucked away in their beds and a few workers down at the mines, Turtle Mountain was taking a turn for the worst. Around four o’clock in the morning, the thunderous rumbling and strong vibrations given off by the mountain started to wake many of the towns. The peak of the mountain had collapsed and was rushing down towards the town. Even with the deafening roar of the rock slide, it still wasn’t enough time to get everyone out safely. The east side of Turtle Mountain was crumbling, with only the town of Frank in its sights. Within minutes almost half of the town of Frank was instantly devoured, leaving nothing but rocks, debris, ruined lives and lost souls.
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It all happened within a blink of an eye. The mountain had crumbled and overtook the town of Frank, with most of the town completely unaware of its crumbled surroundings. In all of the commotion the other towns didn’t realize the severity of the situation and were unable to act quickly. Within hours the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, who are also known as the RCMP and emergency crews were at the scene to help the victims of the tragedy. It took weeks to dig through the wreckage to try and help uncover any survivors. In the end, only twenty four people were rescued alive, at least three of those survivors were small infants. Over fifty bodies still remain under the rubble that crumbled off of Turtle Mountain. Almost half of the town of Frank had been covered, as well as, the railway that ran between Frank and the Mountain. The covered railway also made the rescue efforts more difficult.
As the town of Frank lied buried under all of the destruction, seventeen mine workers found themselves trapped inside of Turtle Mountain. They were trapped over one hundred feet down in the mine shaft. After much deliberation and a lot of digging, on April 30, 1903, over twelve hours after the disaster, the miners were able to free themselves up from the collapsed mine (Ricketts, 2008).When they escaped they were finally able to see what had happened to the town. What some of the men had to face next would be devastating. Some were reunited with their families, while others mourned the loss of theirs. Many lives would be changed forever following that dreadful night.
Of the six hundred residents, only sixty nine fatalities were officially documented. Twenty one of those sixty nine fatalities were listed as mine workers, nineteen were male adults, seven of them were women, and twenty two were listed as children. A group of men were also believed to be camping on the outskirts of Frank. The total number of the men camping there that night is still unknown to this day (Seager, 2006).
The Crowsnest Pass has always been covered with campsites, so even more lives could have been lost that night, but no one will ever know.
Many of the people of Frank were lucky to have walked away from such a tragedy. After many days of rescue efforts only twenty four people were pulled from the rubble. The Canadiana website shared the names of the survivors. The listed survivors were Mrs. John Watkins and her three children, Thomas, Fernie, and Ruby; Sam and Lucy Ennis and their five children, Delbert, James, Arthur, Hazel, and Gladys; James Warrington, Lester Johnson, Marion, Jessie, and Rosemary Leitch, who were the daughters of Alexander and Rosemary Leitch, who were the founders of the Leitch Collieries. Annie Bansmen and her seven children, Alex, Carl Jr., Frances, Rose, Hilda, Kate, and Harold were also listed survivors. Gladys Ennis, who was the last known living survivor, passed away in 1995 (Frank Slide Interpretive Center, n.d).
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In addition to the survivors, there are many local tales of survivors. One of which is about a small baby girl being found unharmed on a rock after the slide, but no evidence has ever been found to support these stories. Although three young infant girls were rescued from the disaster, none of them completely fit the myth that is still told to this day.
In addition to the tragedy, the covered railway was also causing many of the mines to slow their daily operations. Slower operations meant the loss of money because the mines could not get the product out. Since many of the people from town worked in the mining industry, the slowing of work meant relocation to find new work. This was the beginning of the changes to come to the Crowsnest Pass. It took some time to piece the Pass entirely back together again. The Canadian Pacific Railway company took approximately three weeks to clear and repair the rail line. It took about another week to reopen Frank mine to its workers. The mine was officially closed for good in 1918, due to unsafe work conditions and the slowdown of the mining industry (SOS!-Canadian Disasters, 2006).
However, the big question still remains. Why did the mountain crumble in the first place? What caused this horrific disaster to happen? At first the blame was placed on the mines and the work they did on the mountain. Mining was said to cause weakening of the mountain’s structure because of the vibrations given off by the machinery that the workers used. After many years of researching the disaster, scientists are beginning to believe otherwise. “The location of the rivers in respect to Turtle Mountain, harsh Canadian weather, and a small bit of the mining at the base of the mountain, lead to the Frank Slide.” (Cruden & Martin, 2007) After so many years of having to battle the harsh conditions that the mountain had to face, there’s no wonder as to why the 650 meter tall, 150 meter thick, and one kilometre wide, eighty two million ton piece of limestone came crashing down onto the town of Frank (Bergmen, 2003).
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In the years following the tragedy, the slope of Turtle Mountain was deemed by officials to be potentially unstable. The north peak is still moving each year, making another slide in the future very possible. Most of the residents in the slide’s path relocated away, fearing another slide (Finks & Vincent, 2003).
Town officials then moved the town of Frank to its new location, which is just northwest of its original location, where it can still be visited today. Frank was relocated because of the possibility of another slide and the town’s inability to expand eastward. The town was also renamed New Frank due to its new location and the tragedy that had taken place in the previous years.
As a result, many different preventative measures have been put into place in case of another slide. To this day the right peak, which is the north peak, of Turtle Mountain is unstable. There are many different types of sensors, as well as, geologists and scientists constantly watching its progression. Although the mountain is only moving a millimetre each year, the sensors will be able to detect any movement and warn the people of the towns below well before the disaster would take place (Bennett, 2008).
Even though there are many different measures in place to protect the people, a lot of residents are still weary of living in the slide’s path.
Another preventative measure that the Crowsnest Pass is taking to protect both the land and the people are the development restrictions. No new development can take place in the ‘splash zone’. A ban has been put into effect to prevent the loss of homes and lives when Turtle Mountain slides again (Bill, n.d.) To summarize, no new homes, businesses, or towns can be built around the base of Turtle Mountain, this way no one will be put into immediate danger. It can also help prevent the destruction of anymore land in the Pass. The ‘splash zone’ is the area that is located at the base of Turtle Mountain that is predicted to be hit by the next slide. Land outside the zone may still be developed, although not much development has happened in the past few years because of the economy.
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Today, many of the towns still thrive in the Pass. Logging is now the biggest industry in the region. The logging industry provides different jobs such as loggers, machine operators, truckers, and mill workers. While some mining does take place, many mines have closed due to unsafe conditions. The town of Lille has since then disappeared, mostly because of the loss of the mining industry. Lille is now known as the Crowsnest Pass’ ghost town. The ghost town is quite hard to find because the road has grown over and is unsuitable for cars to drive on. Blairmore and Coleman are the two main logging towns, due to the easy access to the logging roads that lead up to the mountains and forests. The town of Hillcrest is the only town that lies in any extreme danger to this day. Approximately twenty homes will be destroyed when Turtle Mountain slides again.
Nevertheless, the people that currently reside in the Crowsnest Pass do realize that they do face some danger but continue to live there because of many different reasons. Some have lived there all their live, taking after previous relatives before them. Living close to the site of Frank Slide reminds them of their history. Others live there because it is close to the Alberta/British Columbia forest, making the commute to work simpler for loggers and truckers that transport the wood from the forest to the mills. A seldom few choose to live there because the scenery is just breath taking beauty and the whole atmosphere is peaceful. The Crowsnest Pass is a very calm and relaxing place, perfect for a nature enthusiast or even a retiree. For whatever their reasons, people live in the Pass and will most likely continue to do so for many years to come.
In memory of the victims of that one horrific night and to educate people of one of Canada’s worst natural disasters, as well as one of Canada’s most beautiful places, the Frank Slide Interpretive Center was built. It is perched up in the hills on highway three, opposite of Turtle Mountain. It was recently renovated with new interactive activities for the whole family. It also includes a recreation of the day after the slide, films that recount the slide, different information plaques and dioramas, and a walk through of the rubble that still lies at the site of Frank Slide (Bennett, 2008).
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Dinosaur fossils that have been found in the Pass can also be found on display at the Frank Slide Interpretive Center. There are many different artefacts that were dug up after the slide that are on display, such as old pots and pans, different mining equipment, and even articles of clothing were found. Photos and stories about both the survivors and lost souls of Frank Slide can also be viewed. There are also many displays and information about other towns that are located in the Pass, as well as, information about the geography and how the Crowsnest Pass was formed.
In conclusion, many places may suffer from disasters, but it is how the community pulls together and gets through them that matters. Most of a town can be completely destroyed but its memory will still live on. Over seventy people lost their lives in less than two short minutes. The land and many different lives were changed in a quick blink of an eye. Hopefully, with the information outlined in this paper, the memory of those seventy or more will spread, even if to just one person. The will and strength of a community to pull through a tragedy is very empowering. It just goes to show what the human spirit can endure in the tough times of survival.
References
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Revamped Frank slide center helps visitors remember disaster. Canadian Press, The. Retrieved August 5, 2010, from Newspaper Source Plus database.
Bill, K. (n.d).
Extra sensors planned for Alta Mountains where frank slide killed 70 in 1903. Canadian Press, The. Retrieved August 5, 2010, from Newspaper Source Plus database.
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Before the Frank slide. Canadian Geotechnical Journal, 44(7), 765-780. Retrieved August 5, 2010, from Computers & Applied Sciences Complete database.
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The Frank Slide – The Mountain that Walks. Retrieved August 20, 2010, from Mysteries of Canada: http://www.mysteriesofcanada.com/Alberta/Frank_slide.htm
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Frank Slide. Beaver, 76(2), 41. Retrieved August 20, 2010, from MasterFILE Premier database.
SOS! Canadian Disasters. (2006, February 14).
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