Warner elevator row

Warner elevator
General information
Architectural style	agriculture
Town or city	Warner, Alberta
Country	Canada
Coordinates	49.1634°N 112.0643°W / 49.1634; -112.0643
Construction started	1913–1960s
Completed	1960s
Demolished	X.C. Hadford Company (1950–2001) Ogilvie Flour Mills (1929–2000) Ellison Milling & Flour Co. (1939–2000) alberta farmer's co-operative elevator company (1913-2014) Alberta Wheat Pool (1951-2014) Alberta pool elevator (1928-2014)
Client	Current owner(s) Viterra
Technical details
Structural system	Wood-crib
Design and construction
Architect	Companies (builders) United Grain Growers X.C. Hadford Company Alberta Farmers Co-operative Elevator Co. Alberta Pacific Grain Co. Federal Grain LTD. Ogilvie Flour Mills Ellison Milling & Flour Co.

Warner elevator row is a group of historic wood-cribbed grain elevators with three elevators standing in a row from south to north, alongside the Canadian Pacific Railway, that travels from Great Falls, Montana to Lethbridge, Alberta, on the east entrance of the village of Warner, Alberta, Canada. At one time the row had seven elevators.

History and significance

Alberta Farmers Co-operative Elevator Co. built 1913 then taken over by Alberta Pool Elevators. Ca. 1920.

Many of the once-common wood-crib grain elevators throughout Canada have been torn down. Warner now only has Three elevators, the other Inglis elevator row (Inglis, Manitoba), with a total of five elevators. Warner's elevators have not been protected. In 2014, two of the elevators were demolished.

Prior to 1911 Warner had two elevators, one was a 30,000 imperial bushels (1,100 m³) house built by Alberta Pacific Elevator Co., and the other was a 25,000 imperial bushels (910 m³) elevator built by Jones and Dill. In 1913 the first elevator remaining group was constructed by the Alberta Farmers' Co-operative Elevator Co..

The structural and history of each elevator was influenced by developments in the grain industry and individual companies from before WWII to the 1980s.

The elevators built at Warner date from 1913 to 1960. The row included an early example of the Alberta Farmers' Co-operative Elevator company design, and an example of several different complex component arrangements; elevator and twin, elevator and annexes of several types, original type offices and replacement offices. The row has a total of two complexes, with a total of three elevators. The elevator built by Ellison Milling and Elevator Co. in 1939 is an architecturally significant example of a 1940s complex that has undergone almost no change, comprising an elevator, two balloon annexes, and a track side office/warehouse, usually associated with an earlier period. There are only a small number of elevators from the later 1930s left standing in the province; a reminder that few were built for some time after 1934. This elevator was demolished in the early 2000s.

The elevator row at Warner is included in the book "Grain elevators of eastern Saskatchewan" by Jim Pearson.

The grain elevators

The grain elevators in Warner were strongly built, and consisted of four complexes (six elevators). The individual elevators, with the exception of the UGG elevator, have had little modification and several have old small scales and air dumps in situ. The first elevator was built in 1911 when the Canadian Pacific Railway line reached Warner.

Panorama of the Warner elevator row with a total of six elevators still standing, Warner, Alberta

Demolitions

Since 1999–2014 a total of six elevators have been torn down at Warner, bringing the row to a total of two complexes, with a total of three elevators.

History

The history of the elevators in the row from north to south, those still standing and those demolished is presented:

United Grain Growers

United Grain Growers elevator built 1960. 134,000 imperial bushels (4,900 m³).

This elevator and accompanying annex was built 1957–1960. It was UGG's second elevator at Warner, the first having been sold to Alberta Pool Elevators in 1928. It was licensed for 134,000 imperial bushels (4,900 m³) in 1960. The elevator has had substantial upgrading in the late 1980s, including the installation of a new leg that has required heightening part of the cupola roof. The metal bin annexes on the south side, complete with drag auger, also date from this time. A cyclone dust collector and truck loading spout have also been installed. A roofed warehouse located track-side on the north side of the elevator, was most likely built at the same time as the elevator.

X.C. Hadford Company (demolished)

This elevator was built by X. C. Hadford Company in 1950. It was licensed as a 15,000-imperial-bushel (550 m³) seed plant in 1952. It is now operated by Demeter Argo, owned by the Alberta Wheat Pool. In 1992 it was licensed as a primary elevator with a capacity of 240 tonnes. It is used to handle mustard seed. No further information on the structural history of the complex has been found. This elevator has been torn down.

Alberta Farmers Co-operative Elevator Company (twin) (demolished)

Original 1913 Alberta Farmers Co-operative elevator. 35,000 imperial bushels (1,300 m³)

This 35,000-imperial-bushel (1,300 m³) elevator was built in 1913. It measures 31 × 42 × 65 feet (9.4 × 12.8 × 19.8 m). This elevator is one of two oldest extant examples of the standard design used by Alberta Farmers' Elevator Co. 1913–1917. It is built on the standard plan used by the Alberta Farmers Co-operative elevator company. It has a pyramidal roof with a gable roofed cupola housing the head of the leg. Archival photographs of other Alberta Farmers' Co-operative Elevator Co. facilities suggest that this elevator probably originally had an office that sat trackside beside the elevator also served as a warehouse.

1913 Co-operative elevator twinned with an Alberta Wheat Pool in 1951.

In 1913 the UFA proposed the establishment of the Alberta Farmers' Elevator Co. as the solution to producers' problems in Alberta. Shares were issued to farmers at $60 par value, payable in four annual installments. The Alberta government provided financing through a loan for 85% of the share sum. In order to market their grain and guarantee their loans during a time of rapid wartime expansion the Alberta Farmers' Co-operative Elevator Co. relied on the experience of the Grain Growers Grain Co. of Manitoba. In 1917 the two companies amalgamated to form the United Grain Growers, with headquarters Winnipeg.

In 1928 UGG sold their 1913 Warner elevator to Alberta Pool Elevator Co. A coal shed that had been associated with the elevator since 1926 was sold in 1940 and removed from the site. In 1940 a 35,000-imperial-bushel (1,300 m³) balloon annex, built by F. W. McDougall Construction Company, was added to the elevator. It was removed at an unknown date. The elevator was twinned with a new elevator constructed by the Pool in 1951. A new driveway was constructed at this time. The 1913 elevator has a high degree of structural and mechanical integrity. The trackside loading area has not been modified. The metal cladding is original to the structure. The cupola, however, has been reclad with siding.This elevator has been torn down.

Alberta Wheat Pool (twin) (demolished)

This 60,000-imperial-bushel (2,200 m³) elevator was built in 1951, and subsequently twinned with the 1913 elevator. It measures 38 × 42 × 65 feet (12 × 13 × 20 m). The elevator has a high degree of structural and mechanical integrity and appears much as it did in 1951. The short scale and pneumatic dump are still in place.This elevator has been torn down.

Alberta Pool Elevator Co. (demolished)

1928 Alberta Wheat Pool elevator. 40,000 imperial bushels (1,500 m³)

This elevator was built by Voss Bros for Alberta Pool Elevator Co. in 1928. It was built according to the standard 40,000-imperial-bushel (1,500 m³) plan, at a cost of $15,300. It measures 34 × 35 × 62 feet (10 × 11 × 19 m). A balloon annex was built in 1940, on the south side. It was removed in 1995. The elevator has a high degree of structural and mechanical integrity, and is complete with original scale and pneumatic dump. The rear part of the office, now that the engine has been removed, has been converted into a warehouse. This elevator served as AWP's No. 2 elevator in the summer of 1997.This elevator has been torn down.

Alberta Pacific Grain Co. (twin)

1918 Alberta Pacific elevator (right) and Federal Grain co., added 1968 (left).

This 45,000-imperial-bushel (1,600 m³) elevator was built in 1918 by Alberta Pacific Grain Co. It replaced a pre 1911 Alberta Pacific Elevator Co. It may have had an annex as it was licensed in 1918 for 60,000 imperial bushels (2,200 m³) and for only 45,000 imperial bushels (1,600 m³) in 1922. In 1953 a 23,000-imperial-bushel (840 m³) annex was attached to the north side of the elevator. A second annex was added in 1959. In 1967 the elevator was taken over by Federal Grain Ltd. The next year Federal built a new elevator and twinned it with the 1918 elevator. The 1959 annex was then moved to the south side of the new elevator. A driveway was built the length of both elevators at this time. The 1953 annex was removed in 1997. In 1972 the complex was sold to Alberta Wheat Pool; in the summer of 1997 it served as AWP No. 4 house.

Federal Grain LTD. (twin)

This 65,000-imperial-bushel (2,400 m³) elevator was built by Federal Grain Ltd. In 1968, and twinned with 1918 elevator Federal had taken over the previous year. It measures 38 × 44 × 66 feet (12 × 13 × 20 m). The elevator has no structural upgrading but it does have an electronic scale, and an exterior loading spout for trucks. This elevator was among the last built on the traditional design, before the single composite design came into widespread use.

Ogilvie Flour Mills (demolished)

This 35,000 elevator was built by Ogilvie Flour Mills in 1929. A 30,000-imperial-bushel (1,100 m³) balloon annex was added in 1940, and a second one with 25,000-imperial-bushel (910 m³) capacity in 1952. One of the annexes was removed in 1997. The driveway has been heightened, but despite this is still too low for larger trucks. An auger is used to dump the trucks into the pit. The driveway ramp is very steep. The elevator has a high degree of structural and mechanical integrity. The elevator has an attached office, that appears to be original to the site. A small scale is still in place along with a pneumatic dump. The metal cladding is typical of Ogilvie Flour Co. elevators. The ghost logo of the company is still visible on the walls of the elevator. The elevator was being used to load mustard in the summer of 1997. This elevator has been torn down.

Ellison Milling & Flour Co. (demolished)

This 40,000-imperial-bushel (1,500 m³) elevator was built by Ellison Milling & Flour Co. in 1939. The annexes were undoubtedly constructed during the war as temporary storage. In 1974 the elevator went to Parrish and Heimbecker. It was purchased by UGG in 1985. The positioning of the annexes, one trackside and the other parallel to the driveway is typical of the layout favoured for annexes during the war when two or more were used. The elevator has had little upgrading; the trackside loading area is intact apart from the installation of a hopper car loading spout. The P&H ghost logo is visible on the east and west sides of the elevator. The elevator office is a larger rectangular wood frame structure with a gable roof. It appears to serve as an office and as a warehouse. The position of the office, trackside beside the elevator with the door facing the driveway ramp, is unusual for a complex built at this time. This elevator has been torn down.

Other Photos

• 

  Alberta Pool Elevator Co. elevator

• 

  Co-operative elevator twinned with an Alberta Wheat Pool elevator