Jim, a tall, stately, and strong man was known to many as “Dynamite Jim.” He was employed as a contractor, building bridges and wharf construction. He worked on the wharf at Wood Islands, Souris, Georgetown, and Basin Head, as well as on the Souris West bridge. Because of his knowledge in using dynamite in the mines, he was an asset to any job.

A very versatile man, he could also dig wells - not by machine, but by hand. To do this, he fastened a large chisel to the center of an iron pole that had a handle at each end. Two men held the handles, and while walking in a circle, pressed the chisel into the ground. A long spring pole, about 25 to 30 feet in length was" secured to the ground and extended to the iron pole. It was used to retrieve the chisel and clay, and bring it back up to the surface.

Jim was a jovial man who enjoyed telling stories to anyone who would listen. His stories were often exaggerated if the younger generation were listening. He delighted in seeing the expressions on their young faces.

On one occasion, he was visiting a neighbour and a little girl in the house was complaining that her hair was too long. In his joking manner, Jim said, “Why don’t you take the scissors and cut your own hair?” Unnoticed, the little girl disappeared and returned later with a new hair-style, one that not even a hair dresser could produce. Needless to say, Jim refrained from suggesting that again.

His son, Bill, recalls an incident that happened during the depression years. His father was splitting a pile of wood and had a dollar in his pocket. The dollar disappeared in the wood-pile. Because it was all the money he owned, and perhaps the last he would see for some time, he and the children moved the pile of wood stick by stick until they found the precious dollar.

Another son, James, remembers asking his father if he could recall

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