MATERNAL NAMES
THE VENTURE
In the Toronto Daily Star, on Friday October 28th 1921, an interesting article appeared that mentioned Benjamin McEwan.
A group of businessmen in Toronto applied to trap, kill and also propagate beaver in a northern area of Ontario. The Company formed with Benjamin McEwan as the president, was called the Northern Rice Lake Fur Company of Toronto.
The land in question was a track of 4,160 acres these men had gained from the James Bay Company in June 1920, hoping to make it profitable not only from the trapping of beaver, silver fox, and skunk but also with a breeding project regarding the beaver.
One of the government departments allowed them the permit to occupy the land, but a second was only allowing them to use six acres for their breeding purposes.
The land in question was northwest of Sudbury and about twenty-five miles east of the CPR between Ostrom and Woman River. I found interesting the nearby town named Ostrom and would be interested to know how it got its name. Ben’s first wife was Frances G. Ostrom.
The article mentioned they had received a permit to use only six of the four thousand acres to install four imported foxes, ten imported mink, twenty Ontario racoons and one hundred imported black skunk. The company found the decision disappointing and could not understand that while the government was trying to encourage more game sanctuaries, they could trap and kill ten beaver but not to keep any for breeding purposes. The initial project hoped to have thirty male and thirty female beaver for propagation. Water covered two-thirds of the land, with the remainder being populated by birch and alder trees; ideal for raising beaver.
The company had planned to fence off the areas with beaver and muskrat for their protection. They also had plans to consider the feasibility of raising silver fox.
When the news of the refusal came to the company, they started exploring the possibility of establishing a fur-bearing animal ranch in Quebec, where they believed they would receive a better reception.
Finally, in the Toronto Daily Star on Saturday, December 3rd 1921, The Honrourable Mr Mills, who has charge of the department of game and fisheries, conceded the right to breed beaver in captivity. The department sent a letter to the Northern Rice Lake Fur Company stating that they had no objection to the breeding of beavers and muskrats as long as enclosures were provided. This revises the ruling that was previously made.
Over the next several years the company advertised their wares in the Toronto Newspaper.
The Rice Lake Fur Company had ad in the Toronto Daily Star (1900-1971)
December 8th 1939; pg. 40
Toronto Daily Star (1900-1971) January 10th, 1940; pg. 40
Over the next several years the company advertised their wares in the Toronto Newspaper.
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* A special note of thanks to my cousin Marion Moore for information about Ben's Fur Venture.