SOOKE HISTORY: Vintage photo reveals primitive land clearing in 1930s
A glimpse into the past vs. modern machinery
Elida Peers | Contributed
Land clearing back in the 1930s appears primitive in this photo, in contrast to the highly advanced equipment, including gigantic excavators that are in everyday use today.
Our photo, which came from Margaret Lang, a Milne granddaughter, shows Fred Milne, right, and a neighbour working at clearing land along the Sooke River, across from what we know as the Sooke Flats.
Fred Milne was the youngest of the sons of Edward Milne Jr., for whom Edward Milne Community School is named. He worked part-time for the Greater Victoria Water Board and farming on the extensive family property at Sooke River. Fred Milne was brother to Agnes (Nan) Milne (later Robillard), who was for many years chief operator for B.C. Telephone.
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The contraption in the photo’s foreground was a Wee MacGregor Dragsaw used for cutting firewood, which required two men to operate. These gas-powered units were frequently used within the early settlement as an exciting advancement over two-person crosscut saws powered by elbow grease. An oil can used to facilitate the motor’s action can be seen atop the stacked cordwood.
While most of the growth pictured shows trees of limited size, the two large Douglas-fir rounds seen between the two men would have been cut by a crosscut saw.
As one drives up Sooke River Road today and observes the horseshoe pitch alongside, this view would have occurred over the steep hillside and down the riverbank below.
Fred’s father, Edward Milne Jr., ran the Milne’s Landing Post Office from 1895 to 1940. The house where he and his wife Janet raised their family still stands on a sliver of Milne property at the northwest end of Sooke River Bridge but has not been used for many years.
As a youngster, I can recall visiting the Milne House and being enthralled by the beautiful peacocks which proudly strutted the grounds and listening in awe to their far-reaching, raucous calls.
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Elida Peers is the historian of the Sooke Region Museum. Email [email protected].