The hotel, owned by Dennis Costello, was a large building. There were four large bedrooms upstairs, each with washstands including bowls and pitchers for the visitors as there was no indoor plumbing in these early years. A large parlour downstairs allowed the travellers to relax and visit with their fellow travellers. A kitchen off the large formal dining room, complete with cooks and servants, provided meals for those staying at the hotel. The hotel was a stopover for many dignitaries, especially religious dignitaries such as bishops who made visits to the local parishes. So impressed was one bishop with the hotel and the hospitality he received that on a return visit, he presented Mr. Costello with a picture he obtained while on a trip to Rome. The picture is divided into four sections each depicting a different scene. As is typical of Roman art, the picture included humans in the nude. When the hotel was bought by a local man, Robert Gallant, as a residence for he and his family in the 1930's, this picture was included in the sale. However, both he and his wife Emma thought this picture was a bit explicit for their children. Whenever it was expected the children would be in that room, the picture would be turned over to face the wall so as they wouldn't see the nude figures! The picture still exists and is now owned by Leo Gallant, one of the children of Robert and Emma Gallant, from which it was hidden.

The railroad brought many people together. Going to meet the train was more than picking up the mail or picking someone up who was travelling by train, it was an excuse to get out of the house and see some people. Excursion trains were often put on when tea parties and picnics were held to give other people from neighbouring communities a chance to have some fun. For example, annual picnics were held in a large open field just north of the tracks (across from the present home of Leo Gallant). This field is now woodland but those who remember the picnics can feel the excitement yet.

The children in the area, who were always fascinated by the train, were dually blessed as a long sheet of ice that ran right alongside of the track would form over the peat bog each winter. They would skate contentedly for hours, watching the trains come and go. A few of the railway men used to challenge the children to a race with the train, while it was picking up speed upon leaving the station, much to the delight of the children.

The peat bog in this area was remembered for another reason. In the 1940's, the peat moss which covered an extensive area around the vicinity of the tracks caught fire. What was so unusual about this was the fact that this fire burned underground, using the peat moss as fuel with enough oxygen seeping in to keep it smoldering. This underground fire lasted for a couple of years, even during the winter, kids skating had to be careful to avoid sections of the ice where small bushes poked through as the heat from underground used to come up around the bushes and soften the ice.

Few railway accidents occurred on this section of track although two mishaps were recalled. During the time of the steam engine, the snowplow derailed near the Bear River Station by the home of Roach McGaugh. Using a large tree in his yard for leverage, the railway men attempted to right the train. The weight of the train proved too much for the old tree and the tree broke off, much to the dismay of Mr. McGaugh's children who played in it often. A crane was then called for, coming from Charlottetown, to right the train.

The second accident occurred during a morning run with the diesel snowplow. The plow caught a rail, causing two or three more rails to be sent flying towards the home of Lazarus McGaugh. Luckily a row of trees in his yard took the brunt of the impact, sparing any damage to his house. As one could imagine, the sound of railway ties crashing into the trees and clanging to the ground made a terrible racket. No one was more scared than a Cheverie man, a guest at the time, who was shaving in a room close to the accident scene and took the brunt of the noise, scaring him half to death.

It took roughly ten minutes to travel between New Zealand and Bear River, Bear River and St. Charles and St. Charles to Selkirk. Leonard Peters and Lazarus McGaugh were the last station masters in Bear River.

Copyright
Waldron H. Leard