HERITAGE FEATURE
Fernie ’ s Great Northern Railway By Kevin Allen
In the early twentieth century , Fernie ’ s coal prospects were so hyped that it attracted the interest of Minnesota capitalist James Hill , the owner of the Great Northern Railway . In 1901 , the railway announced that it would build a new line from Jennings , Montana , to Fernie . When complete , they planned to become the local Crow ’ s Nest Coal Company ’ s largest customer , shipping coal across America .
Throughout 1902 , the developing rail line , called the Crow ’ s Nest Southern , advanced towards Fernie , reaching Elko in the spring and Morrissey in the summer . In July 1904 , a terrible bushfire threatened the town of Fernie . The fire , it was claimed , spread from the rightof-way clearing for the Great Northern construction about a mile and a half south of town .
The Free Press reported : “ The fire ran quickly over the right-of-way slashing and in a twinkling was spreading over the slashing of the Elk Lumber and Manufacturing Company . The high
16 wind drove the fire over the dry brush with irresistible fury . The smoke rolled upwards in dense black clouds , darkening the sun and making an impressive sight not too soon to be forgotten by the towns-people who became alarmed for the safety of the town . Considerable damage was done to residential property on the west side .”
Afterwards , a fire inquest heard testimony that the fire was started by negligence in how the railway company cleared and burned their right-of-ways . Despite their potential culpability for the blaze , the Great Northern Railway was progressively getting its track closer to Fernie . Throughout the autumn , the Crow ’ s Nest Southern crew was in West Fernie , laying track and working on the bridge crossing of the Elk River . The railway had scouted out its future train yard and depot in main town , approximately where the Park Place Lodge stands today .