Mosher
History

Source: Fred and Anja Turuba
The Newago Timber Company, owned by American interests, Consolidated Papers Incorporated, did logging throughout Northern Algoma prior to the Second World War. Usually they shipped the logs by rail to Michipicoten Harbour and boomed to Wisconsin which converted them to pulp.
Newago had negotiated with the provincial government for special rights to harvest all types of lumber, including all pulpwood and sawing varieties. Newaygo in return promised to pay a special flat stumpage fee for all sawing varieties and a second rate for pulpwood.
The company purchased both Mildred and Martin Townships, each 148 kilometres square, from the Algoma Central Railway (ACR) for a steal. The ACR was in the midst of a massive dieselization program which necessitated a considerable amount of extra capital.
They established a townsite on the ACR in 1951 at a point 5 miles north of a siding named Price. Its name came from after Henry S. Mosher, president of Newago’s Canadian operations. The ACR built loading and servicing facilities as well as an agent’s house, section man’s house, a bunkhouse for section hands and a station. The townsite contained a dozen permanent bungalows for employees and families. A two-bedroom home rented for $33 a month. Single men lived in a large bunkhouse. The company also had a cookhouse and offices. In addition, the village included a large building containing a school, recreation hall, general store and a post office. Following a fire in the recreation hall, they built a new school and recreation hall – this time in separate buildings.
During cutting season, which ran from approximately from May to August, 150 employees were on site. After scaling, work during the winter months consisted mainly of digging out and shipping all the stacked woodpiles, using a team of horses. The mid-1950’s saw mechanization take over. They finally traded in axes and bucksaws for chainsaws, trucks and tractors. Union representation came from the Lumber and Sawmill Workers Union, complete with a steward. Office supervisors received a pay of $400 a month.
The small town was situated 160 kilometres south of Hearst and 100 kilometres north of Hawk Junction. Due to its remote location, it needed to be as self-sufficient as possible. Electricity came from generators with gas for cooking. A doctor came from Hawk Junction once a month.
This company was well versed in work safety. Surprisingly, all emergency accommodation and provisions were taken in with a special ambulatory system. Operations ceased in the mid-1970’s and moved nearer to Hearst. They either moved or demolished everything in the townsite.