Frank
In
March of 1901
Mr.
A.L.Frank bought land and mine plans for $30,000.00.
By
the end of the summer
there
were 25 miners cottages, a large boarding house,
a
bunkhouse and an eating house completed.
In
that same year the C.P.R. spur line,
to
what would later be called Frank Station, was completed.
Now
the coal could be loaded directly onto the rail cars.
The
public opening of the town of Frank was September 10, 1901.
A
mud slide at Cowley wiping out the tracks
almost
ruined the opening ceremonies.
In
November of 1901 the Canadian-American Coal and Coke Co.
was
up and running.
In
1903 the slide that devastated the town
and
part of the mine,
split
the mining property.
After
numerous interruptions the mine closed in 1917.
For
more on the slide and its impact
on
the Crowsnest Pass click on the rock.
Be
sure to check out the Frank Slide Interpretive
Centre Site.
The
town had survived less than 3 years!
A
lime works was constructed but it ran out of suitable rock.
The
sanitorium closed as well.
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