100,000,000 Bushels!

Canadian Government Elevator, Prince Rupert, 1958. Opened for business in 1926, this elevator had a capacity of 1,250,000 bushels. CNR 1274, an SW1200RS, is arriving from Terrace, having dropped off the log cars at Port Edward, some 10 miles s.e. of town.

Charles Melville Hayes, the visionary who put Prince Rupert on the map, envisioned 100,000,000 bushels passing through the Port! But that vision perished with Mr. Hayes, who was in transit on the “RMS Titanic.”

For many years the elevator in Prince Rupert was only used as an “overflow” facility, with the bulk of grain being shipped out of Vancouver. Indeed, between 1937 and 1951, there were only nine shipments, a total 63,000 tons loaded!

During the period we lived there – 1957 through 1959 – there seemed to be at least a ship a month as I recall.

Many ships that called in Prince Rupert were brand new vessels on their maiden voyages from the shipyards of Japan.

The “M/V Achios Nicolaos,” also on her maiden voyage, ready for loading on a cold day in December 1957.

My sister and I would board these vessels and prowl around, always immensely interested in those powerful engine rooms. Few paid attention to us, and several times we’d bring crew home for dinner. My parents were a Welcome Wagon committee, and we loaded the crew members with newspapers and magazines to take back to the ship!

In 1970, a consortium comprised of United Grain Growers, Cargill Grain and Pioneer Grain took over operation from the Canadian Government, and in 1987 the facility was dismantled. A new grain elevator opened at Ridley Island in 1985 some 10 miles from Prince Rupert.