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 Copper Mountain Fire - Princeton, BC Posted by:  T0SHEA
N 49° 26.964 W 120° 29.791
10U E 681449 N 5480428
Near the centre of the Princeton cemetery stands a stone cairn with a bronze plaque affixed, a memorial to the nine men killed in the 1928 fire at Copper Mountain.
Waymark Code: WMN8B0
Location: British Columbia, Canada
Date Posted: 01/18/2015
Views: 2
Copper Mountain was a small mining town situated at a rich copper deposit about 10 miles south of Princeton. Copper was first discovered there by a trapper in 1884, with the first claim staked in 1892. Due to the isolation of the claims and low copper prices, no mining took place until several years later, with the first ore shipments taking place on October 18, 1920. The mine was then shut down until the mid twenties. By 1926 there were three "glory holes" being mined, with ore being shipped to the Granby Smelter in Grand Forks via the Kettle Valley Railway.
BUNK-HOUSE FIRE
The most serious disaster to visit Copper Mountain was the bunkhouse fire on 18 March, 1928. At that time, Jack McLaughlin was superintendent at the Mountain, with Steve Swanson mine foreman. Nine men were burned to death, and many more were injured. With the exception of H.W. Towl, whose remains were shipped to Penticton, all were buried in Princeton cemetery on 23 March. Ministers of Anglican and United churches conducted funeral service in the Orange Hall, which was then opposite the Star office. A year later a service was held when the memorial cairn was dedicated in Princeton cemetery. The plaque bears this inscription:
“In memory of Ralph P. Bassett, 1888; Patrick J. Dermody, 1863; James McKay, 1875; Daniel A. McPherson, 1875; Alex Matheson, 1882; Nils Solid, 1898; Martin Swanson, 1871; H. William Towl, 1885; William H. Upjohn, 1900. These men lost their lives in the fire at Copper Mountain, B.C. March Eighteenth, 1928. Erected by Copper Mountain Athletic Association.” During the year a new bunkhouse was built to replace the one destroyed by fire.
From Coalmont History
Cairn Location: Princeton Cemetery
Cairn Purpose: Mass Grave Memorial
Types of rock: Rough cut granite
Cairn Condition: 
Type if different from above list: Not listed
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