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John J. Brown (1882-1934)

John J. Brown (1882-1934)

Posted: 10 Jul 2014 6:55PM GMT
Classification: Query
Surnames: Brown, Giberson
John Brown (1882-1934, son of Colwell Brown & Rebecca Giberson) "...drowned in the hot pond at Juniper." Any idea what "the hot pond" in Juniper is referring to?

Re: John J. Brown (1882-1934)

Posted: 12 Jul 2014 12:25AM GMT
Classification: Query
There was a lumber mill in Juniper. A hot pond was used to thaw out frozen logs in winter. Otherwise they would ruin the saw.

Thomas.

Re: John J. Brown (1882-1934)

Posted: 19 Jul 2014 4:45PM GMT
Classification: Query
Thank you Thomas! :-) Now I'm wondering how they kept a pond "hot" during the winter months... :-D

Re: John J. Brown (1882-1934)

Posted: 20 Jul 2014 9:27PM GMT
Classification: Query
Edited: 20 Jul 2014 9:35PM GMT
Probably by a water heater fuelled with lumber scraps and hog fuel and then emptied into a pond lined with clay. One way was to use the exhaust steam from the mill engines to heat water. These were first used about 1890. Sometimes a roof covered the pond to keep the heat in. These ponds would be roughly 100-125 feet by 300-500 feet. Today hot ponds are usually made of reinforced concrete, to prevent polluting streams and ground water. Fraser's, in Plaster Rock, started about 1900 but did not build a hot pond until 1953. I guess they cut timber in winter and sawed in the summer using the same crew.

The hot pond in Juniper appears to have been heated by steam as John Brown had a 'scald over the whole body'. He fell into the pond and apparently lived for 10 hours after the accident. There appears to have been a 'special file' (inquest?). He lived in Bath and the doctor was from Plaster Rock; kind of strange since he was injured in Juniper. Also strange is that he died at 10 a.m., suggesting he fell in about midnight, if he lasted 10 hours.

Thomas.
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