McGill Library
McLennan Library Building3459 rue McTavish
Montreal, Quebec
H3A 0C9
Reuben Bennett d'Aigle Fonds
Fonds
25 cm of textual records, photographs, and phonodisc
Prospector Reuben D'Aigle was born in Chipman, New Brunswick. He joined the Klondike Gold Rush in 1898 and over the next half-century prospected in northern Ontario, Québec and Labrador. D'Aigle staked some successful claims, but ironically he is most famous for a strike he narrowly missed making, the 'dome' of gold which became the Hollinger mine (1907). The financial crash of 1929 prevented him from exploiting his valuable iron-ore claims in Labrador.
The D'Aigle papers fall into three series: diaries, correspondence and a scrapbook of photographs and memorabilia. The diaries (1912-1914, 1927, 1935-1952) are largely devoted to a day-by-day account of prospecting journeys. Correspondence with members of his family, partners, prospective financial backers and government mining bureaus covers the years 1900-1959. The scrapbook contains personal mementos, newsclippings about D'Aigle, photographs of his journeys, lists of supplies for prospecting trips, and maps, some drawn by D'Aigle himself.
Originals, Printed Materials, Photocopies, Phonodisc and Photographs