MSS 127, PC 136, MC 17

Title: North-West Line Elevators fonds

Dates: 1899-1985

Extent: 6.12 m of textual records and other material

Administrative History: North-West Line Elevators was first organized by the Manitoba Elevator Operators in 1899, under the name North-West Elevator Association. The membership included twenty-four companies or individuals representing 272 country elevators. In 1904 the Association was incorporated by a special act of the Manitoba Legislature under the name of the North-West Grain Dealers Association. The membership had increased threefold to include 95 companies or individuals representing 780 elevators. John Love was the first president of newly incorporated Association. The first ten years were marked by rapid expansion. By 1910 the membership had risen to 164 companies or individuals with the number of elevators practically doubling to 1500. Five years later 30 more companies had come on board with the number of elevators growing to 2900. Through amalgamation of some of the smaller companies the roster declined to 101 companies in 1925 but the number of elevators increased to 3741. During the Depression in 1935 the membership declined to 55 companies but still managed to represent 3345 elevators. In 1937 the Manitoba Legislature amended the Association's capital stock set up. In 1940 the company changed its name to the North-West Line Elevators Association. The Association lobbied for preferable rail rates for shipping. They attempted to block line abandonments by the C.P.R. and C.N.R. The Farm Service side of the Association performed grain research through its demonstration plots and seed testing laboratory. At its peak the Association cover elevators spanning the Prairie Provinces & Thunder Bay and represented the interests of most of the leading grain companies in Western Canada. The company still had an administrative board in 1992 but two years later it had come under control of N.M. Paterson & Sons Ltd. and is now dormant.

Scope and Content: The fonds consists of seven series; Corporate Records, 1899-1972; Public Relations, 1935-1972; Financial Records, 1904-1985; Legal Records, 1954-1969; Operational Records, 1913-1977; Map Collection (MC 17), 1963-1975; Photograph Collection (PC 136), 1940-1963

Source of Supplied Title: Title based upon contents of the fonds

Restrictions: There are no restrictions on this material

Accruals: No further accruals are expected.

Finding Aid: An on-line finding aid is available at the link below and a printed finding aid is available in the Archives' reading room.

MSS 127, PC 136, MC 17

We greatly acknowledge the financial support of the Manitoba Department of Culture, Heritage and Tourism and the Heritage Grants Advisory Council in the creation of this finding aid.