Only weeks after they had been ordered by Agent McLaughlin (center) to arrest Sitting Bull as an attempt to calm the growing unrest from the Messiah Craze (Ghost Dance), the Sioux police pose victoriously for Barry's camera. The arrest attempt was disastrous, resulting in the deaths of six Indian police, Sitting Bull, his son Crow Foot and eight of Crow's followers. The panic which followed culminated in the infamous Wounded Knee affair two weeks later. Red Tomahawk (front center) killed Sitting Bull. (Harbaugh, P., 1982)
Donkersloot began working at Brandon University in 1970/1971 as the Clerk of Works. From 1973 until his retirement, he was the Director of Physical Plant.
The 1960s campus expansion necessitated a large, updated heat source so a central steam plant fueled by coal was built north of the campus adjacent to the CPR rail lines on Pacific Avenue. A 25-year agreement was made between the University and John R. Brodie of the Great West Coal Company, which guaranteed BU lower coal prices tendered by the Canadian National and Canadian Pacific Railways on an annual basis. Brandon College Engineer John Kasiurak officially opened the Heating Plant on 24 January 1962. An extension and/or upgrade of the steam plant appears to have occurred in 1970.
Until the 1990s, heat was piped underground to the campus from the Pacific Avenue Heating Plant but inspection standards were outpacing the maintenance and repairs required to keep the plant operating smoothly. Consequently, a new steam plant was built immediately adjacent to the University to the west of Darrach Hall on 20th Street. This building was essential to handling additional loads from the proposed library expansion. The original steam plant was subsequently sold.
Custodial History
Photograph was taken by Tom Donkersloot during construction and stored in albums in the Physical Plant H-Hut until they were transfered to the McKee Archives by Doug Duncalf in May 2008.
Scope and Content
Photograph shows Brandon University's completed coal steam plant at 20th Street and Pacific Avenue. Photograph is looking northeast. The Towers apartment building is visible in the background.
Notes
Donkersloot recorded the date and time each photograph was taken on the back of the photos.
The fountain for people was in the small basin at the rear. From there, wasted water went through a pipe to the large basin in front to be used for dogs and, no doubt, horses on occasion. This was one of two drinking fountains on the fair grounds - the other being by the children's paddling pool just inside the main gate on 13th St. In addition to the two fountains on the fair grounds, there was also one on Eighth St. across from the Baubier Hotel in the early days (Brandon: A City, Barker, p. 52). LAS.
Custodial History
For custodial history see the collection level description of the Lawrence Stuckey collection.
Scope and Content
Old McLaren School on Provincial Exhibition grounds
