Lot 225: George Bourchier (Canadian, active circa 1912) Camp at Steephill Falls on the Magpie River, Ontario

Camp at Steephill Falls on the Magpie River, Ontario
signed 'Geo E Bourchier' (lower right); bears extensive inscription to mount
watercolour and bodycolour
11.5 x 36.5cm (4 1/2 x 14 3/8in).

The inscription to the mount reads:

"Original Sketch shewing my Camp vicinity of 'Steep Hill Falls' on the Magpie River, Ontario, N. shore of Lake Superior - Elev 1328 - also one of my Dog teams coming in from Grassett adjoining White River on the C.P.R., the coldest place in Canada. During the Winter of 1912 I was Engineer-in-Charge representing the Lake Superior Power Co. of Sault Ste Marie. Ont. during the construction of a large Steel Concrete Dam by contractors. This Winter was a very severe one - at my camp the temperature ranged from 30° below Zero to 65° below Zero but the work was carried on, I might say, without ceasing. At site of the Power House 5 feet thickness of Ice had to be blasted out to allow of Divers working under water removing small boulders, debris, etc."

Steephill Falls boasts the largest of several hydroelectric plants along the Magpie River. Construction on the historic dam began in 1911 and took 2 years to complete. A "flat-slab buttress dam", Steephill was built in order to supply power to the Magpie iron mine located 20 km north and 2km west of the Magpie River. When the mine closed in 1921, Steephill continued to supply power to pyrite and gold mines in the Goudreau area. The dam was abandoned in 1927.