Studies in the Crow's Nest Pass coal industry from its origins to the end of World War I

Difficulties in the first two decades of the Crow's Nest Pass coal industry derived from the context of its opening and many operational circumstances.;In the first years of operation Crow's Nest companies met numerous obstacles. Geological conditions were troublesome: some seams were uniform, clean, with hard coal capable of coking, while other seams or parts of the same seam were not. Crow's Nest coal deposits were also dangerous. The angled position of coal seams made underground operations labour dependent. Constant negotiation with the workforce bureaucratized relations.;Labour dependence underground and markets requiring high quality products encouraged technological sophistication on the surface but these operations were also disrupted by many different problems.;Coal companies also initiated town development and their involvement showed a pattern of retreat from first engagements for a variety of reasons.;The development of Crow's Nest coal sprang from two intersecting movements: the northward drift of mineral discoveries and the western advance of transcontinental railroads. Crow's Nest development was assured by government involvement and the presence of capable entrepreneurs nearby. The arrangement facilitating railroad construction through the Pass gave one large company first chance at development and postponed participation by smaller companies until later.