The Coastal Courier - Glace Bay October 10, 1984 - Wednesday MICHAEL MACNEIL - LIGHT-KEEPER J. Earle Pemberton was another of Glace Bay's great story gatherers and at one time published a small sheet called "Punching With Pemberton" which contained many items of interest to sportsmen. He also had many stories to tell of the early days in Glace Bay. One story concerned the life and times of a Mr. Michael MacNeil, a Cape Breton light-keeper who passed away in 1938. He was born at Castle Bay in 1852, was seventeen when Confederation was celebrated, and later worked in collieries in Pictou, Sydney Mines, Reserve, Gowrie in Morien, and Bridgeport and was quite accustomed to the difficulty of travelling in those days. He had worked at the old Sterling Mine when it was operated by Mr. Mitchell and Charles Rigby and later became a veteran teamster, running the stage from Bridgeport to different parts of the colliery district. His last job, as a driver, was that of transporting a Mrs. Nolan and her six children, who had arrived that day from Inverness, to Caledonia. The following day, the Sydney and Louisbourg Railway was completed and had its first train service. This Mr. MacNeil came to Glace Bay in 1869. He had worked as a trapper in the pits at Morien and then as a coal digger in Bridgeport, at a time when, naturally, there were no paved highways such as exist today. The road from South Head went along the shore clear around to Lingan, and then continued on to Sydney and was not even negotiable by wagon. Therefore, when supplies were needed, a horse and saddle was pressed into service to make the long, hard journey. This Mr. MacNeil was keeper of the light at the Port of Glace Bay (then Little Glace Bay) and it was one of his duties every evening, rain or shine, to light the lamp and set the storm signals to warn fishermen of approaching danger at sea. He often recalled the busy days of Glace Bay Harbour when it was possible to walk from one side to the other, so closely packed were the vessels. These were the prosperous days of Glace Bay, made so by the continous arrival of vessels and steamers here for supplies of coal. Mr. MacNeil was also noted for his insistence on impressing the government with the necessity of placing harbours and piers in first class condition, something which is still being stressed with great improvements taking place in the summer of 1984. Mr. MacNeil was also rememered vividly by senior citizens of this town for he was, in 1927 when St. Joseph's Hospital celebrated it's twenty-fifth birthday, the leader of the Jubilee Celebrations Parade. Attired in a Prince Albert rock suit, "vintage of 1880", Mr MacNeil, was an outstanding figure, flanked by the Misses Coady and Shannon of the nursing staff. This Mr. Michael MacNeil died in 1938, predeceased by his wife a number of years before. A son, James P. MacNeil, who resided on the old homestead, died in 1955. One of Michael MacNeil's special stories, concerning a first contact with store bought flour, will be told in another issue of the Coastal Courier. **************************************************************************