Mosaic of Zeballos

"I had worked in other mines - but without this job - I might have gone into a different line of work." *Walter's Story* "In April of 1947, I hired on to go to Privateer Gold Mine at Zeballos. I was only 19 years old, but I had worked two years in the mining industry, as a lab assistant and as an assayer’s helper. I was hired by a Mr. McConnel, who was the managing director; he was also the son-in-law of D.S. Tait, who was president of
the mine. The Vancouver office was small, probably only three people there. I traveled by ferry to Nanaimo on Vancouver Island, and then by train to Port Alberni on the west coast of Vancouver Island.
"I boarded the Princess Maquinna for an overnight trip north to the west coast of the Island. It made the trip once a week; I think it only went as far as Kyuquot, and then returned to Victoria. It did not stop at Zeballos on the return trip. At that time, it was the only way for people on the west coast of the Island to get mail and supplies. Not too long after that, people could fly on a small passenger floatplane, but most people sailed on the Princess Maquinna. "I arrived in Zeballos the following morning. Someone from the mine always met the boat. Usually it was the manager, Harry Hewat, or the master mechanic, Gardner Thompson. They met the boat to pick up new employees and collect the mail after it had been sorted at the post office. The mine was about four miles from town.
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