Feb 09, 2019 — GREENWOOD, BC (BG)

I. Robert Jacobs

While many men came to Greenwood seeking wealth, some left Greenwood to find their fortunes elsewhere. Today's Person of Note, I. Robert Jacobs, was one of them. We begin at the end of the story…

I. Robert Jacobs was a resident of Greenwood, with occasional absences, from 1899 to 1903. In 1904 he moved to Montreal, where his brother, Jacob A. Jacobs, lived. After a brief return to Greenwood he left for Ontario, where he and his brother would earn great wealth. Their success was heralded in the Rossland Miner and the story was reprinted by the Boundary Creek Times:_[1]

LUCKY BOB JACOBS
Said to Have Made a Million Dollars in Cobalt Camp

"Many ex-Rosslanders have made fortunes since they left this city, and this is the case particularly with those who go to other mining camps. Robert Jacobs, who worked in Crow & Morris' cigar store, and for a time was associated with the same firm in running a tobacconist business in Greenwood, is among the fortunate ones. About two and a half years since he and his brother, Jacob Jacobs, secured a property in Cobalt, Ont., which proved to be among the richest mines of the camp.

It is said that Robert and Jacob have each made a million on the mine, and, as it is still producing, they are likely to make as much more. At one time Robert, when he lived here, was unable to secure employment in a store and he applied for and secured work as a laborer in a smelter, and held the place for several months. Now he is a millionaire and can afford, if needs be, to have a smelter of his own. — Rossland Miner."

J. A. Jacobs' Mine — Kerr Lake, Ontario
"Kerr Lake Mine, Cobalt Region, 1907 — Principal vein on Kerr Lake property,
consisting of 90% pure silver, and measuring to 10 to 12 inches wide on the surface."
[ Photo: Mindat.org ]

The photograph above, although the names are not captioned, seems almost certainly to be of the Jacobs brothers, I. Robert and Jacob A. There is a convincing family resemblance. The Jacobs claim was discovered in 1904 on the shore of Kerr Lake, Ontario, about 5 km. east of Cobalt, on the west side of Lake Timiskaming.

According to Mindat.org_[2], the mining site was operated by J. A. Jacobs of Montreal until 1905, when it was taken over by Kerr Lake Mining Co., who operated it until 1928. Various references indicate that Jacob A. made the initial discovery in 1904, and I. Robert followed him to Ontario the following year.

Prior to the big excitement of striking it rich in Ontario, I. Robert Jacobs lead a seemingly quiet, but busy life in Greenwood. A Times column announced his first endeavour here in September 1899:_[3]

"The Queen Cigar company with I. Robert Jacobs as manager, will open in the Imperial hotel block in a few days. A large stock of choice cigars and general smokers' articles will be carried."

A few weeks later his store fixtures arrived, and the tobacconist opened for business:_[4]

"The Queen Cigar company with I. Robert Jacobs as manager have opened in the Imperial hotel block. The store fittings are the best that have ever reached Greenwood and the stock is in keeping with the fittings."

[ Photo: Boundary Creek Times — Sep 30, 1899 ]

[ Photo: Boundary Creek Times — Dec 02, 1899 ]

In October 1900, I. R. Jacobs invested in his first Greenwood mining enterprise:_[5]

"I. Robert Jacobs, the popular proprietor of the Queen's Cigar Store, has purchased from Ben Kirkpatrick the Elmer No. 2 claim near the B. C. mine."

Jacobs continued to advertise his cigar shop, with ads running regularly through 1900, into February 1901.

In March of 1901, I. Roberts and an associate, Adolph Fisher, travelled to Rossland and spent a few days there. Later that spring he travelled to Nelson, staying at the Hume hotel, along with several other Greenwoodites. In late May he and Fisher took a trip to West Fork._[6]

That summer, Mr. Jacobs made the news in a more exciting story:_[7]

"There are somethings I. Robert Jacobs can do better than drive horses. He was driving down from Phoenix this week when he met a four horse stage going up. A general mix up of horses, men and rigs followed. Result: Use of a crutch, a claim to an accident company and the confinement in the hospital of W. H. Asquith, who put too much confidence in Bob's ability as a driver and rode in the same rig with him."

The following year, I. R. Jacobs and partner Louis I. Ostroski of Greenwood gave notice of their intent to apply for a grant on Crown lands._[8] Jacobs apparently went on the road shortly after, to eastern parts unknown, but his return to Greenwood was noted in the Times socials._[9] Given that this trip out east was in 1902 — well before his brother's discovery of the Cobalt area silver claim — we can assume that I. Robert involved himself in some other prosperous enterprise there:

Prodigals Return

"Old timers who sought new fields are returning daily. From Thunder mountain, Alaska, Arizona, the East, South Africa, in fact from all quarters of the globe, Boundary Creekers are returning to their own. They say that this camp is good enough for them and that in all their travels they saw nothing that gave richer promise of a great future. Even that canny Glengary Scotsman I. Robert Jacobs is back again. Like most Scotsmen Robert knows a good thing when he sees it and although acquiring fame and fortune in the east, he couldn't resist the temptation of returning to Greenwood. The return of old timers indicate good times, just as boys playing marbles is a sign that spring has come."

Whatever the nature of his business in the east, Mr. Jacobs continued to invest in business here in Greenwood, buying a piece of farmland in the fall of 1902:_[10]

"I. Robert Jacobs has purchased a half interest in the Eholt meadows from M. D. Hall. The Eholt meadows which are situated about five miles above the city contains several hundred acres of first class land. The property was purchased by Mr. Hall about a year ago and since then he has added many improvements. The land is very rich and will produce large quantities of farm products.

I. Robert is an experienced agriculturalist. He was raised on a farm in Glengarry and spent the best years of his life following the plow."

Interestingly enough, on the same page of the Times that reported on Mr. Jacobs' background in farming, we learn that he sat on a jury that was considering a case about a Boundary Falls farmer who was seeking damages over a water dispute. (The farmer lost his case.)

Along with his other business endeavours, in January 1903, I. R. Jacobs was elected as honorary secretary by members of the Greenwood Club._[11] His was joined in this association by his mining partner, L. Ostroski, who was appointed to a club committee.

Along with social duties, Robert Jacobs stayed closely involved with local mining interests. In February 1903, he was one of a delegation representing the industry:_[12]

Mining Convention
Greenwood Sends a Large Delegation to Victoria

"The Greenwood delegates to the provincial mining convention left for Victoria by the Great Northern on Sunday morning. There were ten in the party. At the meeting held on Friday evening there was a large attendance. Over 200 members were enrolled. It was decided to leave the election of two delegates to the Greenwood Miners Union. The Union met and elected Sid Oliver and Wm. Essenza. The other delegates were Mayor Smailes, Frederic Keffer, Albert I. Goodell, Harry Johns, M. Gilbraith, H. P. Dickenson, W. G. Gaunce and I. Robert Jacobs.

At Friday night's meeting a resolution was passed instructing the Greenwood delegates to bring up at the convention the discussion of compulsory arbitration. The delegates were also authorized to work to secure the holding of future conventions in one of the mining towns of the interior."

It was reported that Jacobs took a trip in June 1903 to Northport, Washington._[13] Sometime between then and November 1904 he left Greenwood for Montreal, taking up residence in the city where his brother lived._[14]

From Montreal, he published a congratulatory note in the Times personals, celebrating Duncan Ross's success in winning an election for the Boundary liberals. Jacobs's informed that he was in Montreal, celebrating Ross's win, and asked when his friend would be coming east.

Apparently not yet decided about where to make his permanent home, a February 1905 Times report announced:_[15]

"I. Robert Jacobs, formerly of this city but now of Montreal, will return shortly and make this his permanent home."

A month later, however, the story was different. Mr. Jacobs, apparently a renaissance man, had been expanding his horizons in the east, studying art, and would remain back in Greenwood for only a few months:_[16]

"I. Robert Jacobs, of Montreal, returned to town this week after a prolonged absence. Mr. Jacobs in the meantime has been studying art and high finance. He owns extensive mining interests in the Boundary and will remain in Greenwood for some months."

Back in Greenwood, I. R. Jacobs never stopped scanning the horizon for new opportunities. An April 1905 Times report tells of an exploratory trip he took to the Okanagan, which he apparently found wanting…_[17]

"I. Robert Jacobs returned this week from a tour of the Okanagan country, going down the Columbia river to near Wenatchee. Mr. Jacobs was on a sight-seeing a[nd] pleasure trip, and incidentally sizing up the railroad situation with a view to business location. He found the country fairly well covered with sagebrush and inhabited principally by gophers, with an occasional settler whom fate had stranded and necessity compelled to till the almost barren soil for an existence.

Mr. Jacobs believes that the greater part of the country over which he traveled would, with water, become good ranching and fruit land, but, he added, with a sigh, there is another place of which we frequently heard in our youth, that would be equally benefitted by a supply of pure spring water."

It's doubtful that he was referring to his childhood home in the wet highlands of Glengary, Scotland. Perhaps it was tongue-in-cheek, Dante-esque.

Leaving the Boundary for what would be a momentous experience in the east, a June 1905 Times report announced I. Robert Jacobs' return to Ontario:_[18]

"A letter has been received from Bob Jacobs who is at Harleyburg, Ont., in what he says is the "richest camp in the world." He also sends a photograph representing himself and Jack Empey in an attempt to penetrate a hard lime formation with hammer and drill. To show the strenuousness of the work they are engaged upon they are both stripped to the waist. It would perhaps have appeared more realistic had they extinguished the fire before the photo was taken. It might also not be out of place to suggest that a 7 or 8-pound hammer is a more effective weapon than a prospector's pick in forcing a drill into hard rock.

Bob says that Roy H. Clark, Bob Longley, Fletcher, and Jack King are in the camp, and John Cormick, H. B. Munroe and Duncan Ross are expected shortly. In conclusion he says he and Empey expect to "clean up some coin" on their property."

While Harleyburg is situated within the Temiskaming Lake region near Cobalt, it is not known if the mining site referred to above is the same one discovered and owned by I. R.'s brother, Jacob Jacobs. The entire region around Cobalt was jumping with cobalt/silver discoveries at the time, and there certainly could have been multiple claims. But all references we find indicate that the Kerr Lake/Cobalt site was discovered and owned by Jacob A., and was managed by brother Robert. Both profited handsomely. In December 1905, the Times reported on the brothers' good fortune, while others missed the boat:_[19]

PASSED UP BONANZA
Bob Jacobs Tells What F. J. Finucane Missed

"Francis J. Finucane, capitalist of Spokane, had a narrow escape from being a quarter owner in one of the 17 properties that comprise the famous Cobalt mining district in the Temiskaming section in northern Ontario.

In 1904 he was offered one of the four shares in the Jacobs property for $500. The letter containing the offer did not reach Mr. Finucane for some weeks, and was pigeonholed. This year the mine shipped 320 tons of ore to Newark, N. J., the gross receipts of which aggregated. $200,000. Another carload will be delivered to the smelter this month, bringing the year's output up to $250,000 gross.

Robert I. Jacobs, manager of the Jacobs cobalt mine, is in the city. He formerly resided in the Boundary district of British Columbia and is here to attend the Oppenheimer-Fischer nuptials.

The seventeen mines comprising the Cobalt district, said Mr. Jacobs yesterday, are now producing on a basis of five to six million dollars annually. The camp is practically only a year old, and the deepest level yet attained is 100 feet. The ore occurs in true vertical fissures from one to five inches in width. Average values are enormous. On our property the ore averages about $2,000 a ton. …

Mr. Jacobs has a number of fine cobalt samples with him. He is not personally interested in the ownership of the property under his management, a brother in Montreal being the principal owner. Spokesman Review."

The following week's Times seconded that report:_[20]

"I. Robert Jacobs, formerly of Greenwood, but now fast becoming rich in northern Ontario, was a visitor in the city from Saturday to Monday last. He had some very rich specimens of cobalt ore which he was showing to his friends, and almost caused a stampede from Greenwood to the East."

His pockets full of silver, Robert Jacobs kindly did not forget his friends in Greenwood. Nor did Mr. Finucane, who had missed that shining boat:_[21]

"Two of Greenwood's former residents, who have won fame and fortune in other fields, have not forgotten the little Catholic church in this city nor its hard-working father. Father Bedard's heart was gladdened a few days ago by two cheques each for $100, the donors being F. J. Finucane of Spokane and I. Robert Jacobs of Cobalt, Ont. The substantial gifts are much appreciated by Father Bedard and his congregation."

Although I. Robert Jacobs was known by many as a pioneer of Greenwood, his time spent in the Boundary was relatively short. Regardless, the story of the Jacobs brothers' success in the cobalt mines of Ontario, and Robert's connection to Greenwood, brings the story well home. And it is a story that will always be part of Canadian history.

[Postcard: Warwick Bro's & Rutter, Limited — Publishers, Toronto ]

In January 1909, Macleans magazine featured a story entitled "The Millionaires of Cobalt"._[22] It memorialized the men who made that mining region famous and were rewarded richly for their efforts. Among them is Jacob A. Jacobs. The story told by author G. B. Vanblaricom could well have been written about early Greenwood:

"The halo of adventure and romance is around every mining camp. What tales of blasted hopes and dire poverty, what stories of sleepless nights, bodily stress and mental torture could be disclosed. Of these, the outside world hears little and, perhaps, cares less. The record of wealth, achievement and success forms the only pleasing picture, luring on the buoyant, expectant spirit in the hope that he, too, may realize some day and realize handsomely. …

Cobalt has produced its millionaires — many of them. The majority are earnest, active Canadians, who, five years ago, little dreamed that fate held for them so cordial a welcome. The big camp was not founded in a day, neither were these fortunes piled up in a night.

The greatest silverized belt in the world has been styled the poor man's camp. By this is meant that he of meagre means had as favorable an opportunity of securing riches as his more independent brother."

The article tells us that prior to making his claim at Cobalt, Jacob A. had been in the wholesale dry goods business in Montreal. His mining claim was situated in "the Crown Reserve and Kerr Lake, in which he recently sold out his interests". Jacobs' claim was the first property in the Kerr Lake district in which silver was found, in the fall of 1904.

The mining prospectors of Cobalt were certainly at the right place, right time.

"What luck," remarks the casual, unthinking observer. In a measure, this may be true, for the element of chance enters more or less into all undertakings, investments and speculations and always will, but back of all stand solid business principles, intelligence and foresight, the shrewd mind, analytical ability and discerning eye that tell men to strike the iron when it is hot. They knew the minute to touch the fuse and fire the shot. Metaphysically speaking, they arrived at the psychological moment. They knew when to sell, when to hold, when to unload and when to acquire. Some to-day retain their original interests, others have added to their holdings, while a few, like Mr. Trethewey, who owns a model farm near Weston, Ontario, on which is the largest tomato plantation in the world, and Mr. Jacobs, of Montreal, have disposed of all their shares and bade good-bye to the great Cobalt district with its hidden affluence."

While not listed among the Millionaires of Cobalt, there was another important person actively working a mining claim in the area: Thomas Edison, the famed inventor. Edison was searching for cobalt ore to use in his light bulbs and batteries. The Edison (Darby) Mine is known today as Edison Mountain.

A few years after Jacob A.'s sale of the Kerr Lake mine, brother Robert returned once again to Greenwood, still intently focused on his business:_[23]

"I. R. Jacobs, one of the pioneers of Greenwood, who recently spent a week in town, returned last night from a visit to Spokane and other places south. Mr. Jacobs will remain a couple of weeks, when he intends going north."

His travels north were also reported by the Times, in August 1908:_[24]

NORTH COUNTRY NOT WASTELAND
I. Robert Jacobs Thinks Telkwa and Bulkley Valleys Have Good Future

"I. Robert Jacobs, one of the pioneers of Greenwood, who when passing through Vancouver the other day on his way through to the Coast cities and Spokane and possibly later to Greenwood was interviewed by the Province and had a good word to say for the North country from which so many men have been coming lately with a grievance. The Province on Monday said:

"Mr. I. Robert Jacobs, a well known mining operator who made a big clean-up at Cobalt, has returned here from a tour through several new mining districts in Northern British Columbia. His mission was to examine various propositions which had been submitted to a syndicate of Montreal and New York capitalists which he organized before leaving the east.

Mr. Jacobs spent most of his time in the Telkwa district. He stated that he was very favorably impressed with the mining possibilities of that region. He had examined some splendid copper and silver prospects but only cared to speak in general terms until he had reported to his associates. …

He had no doubt the Telkwa district was destined to become a large copper producer, possibly larger than the Boundary district, where he formerly operated. He was also favorably impressed with the splendid showings of coal.

Mr. Jacobs could not disguise his enthusiasm about the agricultural resources of the Bulkley Velley. "I know Southern British Columbia thoroughly and have yet to see any land to surpass the soil in the Bulkley.'"

After his travels north, Mr. Jacobs was entertained by his old friend and business associate from Rossland, Count Crowe (Max Crow).

FOOTNOTES:

[1] Boundary Creek Times — Dec 21, 1906, p. 8
https://open.library.ubc.ca/collections/bcnewspapers/xboundarycr/items/1.0172569

[2] Mindat.org
https://www.mindat.org/loc-13822.html

[3] Boundary Creek Times — Sep 02, 1899, p. 1
https://open.library.ubc.ca/collections/bcnewspapers/xboundarycr/items/1.0170718

[4] Boundary Creek Times — Sep 30, 1899, p. 8
https://open.library.ubc.ca/collections/bcnewspapers/xboundarycr/items/1.0170723

[5] Greenwood Weekly Times — Oct 31, 1900, p. 1
https://open.library.ubc.ca/collections/bcnewspapers/xboundarycr/items/1.0172860

[6] Greenwood Weekly Times — Mar 28, 1901, p. 3; May 16, 1901, p. 3; May 23, 1901, p. 5

[7] Greenwood Weekly Times — Jun 20, 1901, p. 2
https://open.library.ubc.ca/collections/bcnewspapers/xboundarycr/items/1.0172919

[8] Boundary Creek Times — May 23, 1902, p. 5
https://open.library.ubc.ca/collections/bcnewspapers/xboundarycr/items/1.0170883

[9] Boundary Creek Times — Sep 05, 1902, p. 4
https://open.library.ubc.ca/collections/bcnewspapers/xboundarycr/items/1.0170745

[10] Boundary Creek Times — Oct 10, 1902, p. 1
https://open.library.ubc.ca/collections/bcnewspapers/xboundarycr/items/1.0171086

[11] Boundary Creek Times — Jan 23, 1903, p. 5
https://open.library.ubc.ca/collections/bcnewspapers/xboundarycr/items/1.0170966

[12] Boundary Creek Times — Feb 27, 1903, p. 1
https://open.library.ubc.ca/collections/bcnewspapers/xboundarycr/items/1.0170960

[13] Boundary Creek Times — Jun 05, 1903, p. 6
https://open.library.ubc.ca/collections/bcnewspapers/xboundarycr/items/1.0171090

[14] Boundary Creek Times — Nov 25, 1904, p. 1
https://open.library.ubc.ca/collections/bcnewspapers/xboundarycr/items/1.0170862

[15] Boundary Creek Times — Feb 17, 1905, p. 6
https://open.library.ubc.ca/collections/bcnewspapers/xboundarycr/items/1.0172539

[16] Boundary Creek Times — Mar 17, 1905, p. 6
https://open.library.ubc.ca/collections/bcnewspapers/xboundarycr/items/1.0171708

[17] Boundary Creek Times — Apr 28, 1905, p. 6
https://open.library.ubc.ca/collections/bcnewspapers/xboundarycr/items/1.0171966

[18] Boundary Creek Times — Jun 23, 1905, p. 6
https://open.library.ubc.ca/collections/bcnewspapers/xboundarycr/items/1.0172468

[19] Boundary Creek Times — Dec 15, 1905, p. 7
https://open.library.ubc.ca/collections/bcnewspapers/xboundarycr/items/1.0171894

[20] Boundary Creek Times — Dec 22, 1905, p. 1
https://open.library.ubc.ca/collections/bcnewspapers/xboundarycr/items/1.0172665

[21] Boundary Creek Times — Feb 02, 1906, p. 6
https://open.library.ubc.ca/collections/bcnewspapers/xboundarycr/items/1.0171888

[22] "The Millionaires of Cobalt" — Macleans Magazine, Jan 1909
https://tinyurl.com/yyxzcx8q

[23] Boundary Creek Times — May 29, 1908, p. 4
https://open.library.ubc.ca/collections/bcnewspapers/xboundarycr/items/1.0172356

[24] Boundary Creek Times — Aug 14, 1908, p. 1
https://open.library.ubc.ca/collections/bcnewspapers/xboundarycr/items/1.0171539

REFERENCES:

Wikipedia: The Cobalt Silver Rush
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cobalt_silver_rush