Cape Breton's Magazine

were looking for a way to sell it, after Forsythe died. (Were these people local to Cape Breton?) No. (And, again, they are not asking you what do you think, should we sell the plant? I take it the directors do not come to the general manager.) They do in some companies, but they didn't in the DOSCO case. The directors just decided to get out, or whatever you call it--ex- cept some of them. Jodrey was the main one. (He thought it was wrong, and you agreed?) Yeah. Very much agreed. (What did you see happening if they sold that plant? Espec? ially if they sold to A. V. Roe?) Well, A. V. Roe didn't know anything about steelmak? ing. I don't know that I had this idea at the time, but it certainly came to me af? terwards . They wanted to build up their Canadian holdings, make money on them, and then ship the money back to England. A. V. Roe--they later became Hawker-Siddeley-- they were in bad shape in England. I was told by a man who was well-informed that they owed some 96 million pounds to the government and all they wanted to do was make money here in Canada and ship it to England for the benefit of A. V. Roe, Hawk- er-Siddeley, or whatever you like to call them. They had no real interest, other than that, in building Canadian industry at all. (So in 1957, people with these attitudes come to own the Sydney steel plant.) Yes. (And all of DOSCO?) They bought outright. (When A. V. Roe bought the plant in 1957, were your instructions changed as to what you were supposed to do?) I remember the first visit here of Sir Roy Dobson. Fellow named Frank Smith was president then. Dob? son was his next in line. They came down here shortly after they'd taken over. There was no decent place around here for our people and guests to stay when they came here--so we had a suite on the top floor of the hotel. We were up there. I re? member him coming over to me and putting his arm around my shoulder. He said, "Clem, you have to stay with us." I said, "Yes sir, I know I do. I own 8000 shares of DOS- CO and I've got to protect my own interest. Otherwise, I wouldn't." (You had no faith in them from the beginning?) None whatso? ever. They kind of laughed and passed it off. And I stayed for awhile. I had a 5- year contract. (And in that time, according to the news? papers, the productivity of the plant con? tinued to go up.) Oh yes. We still spent money for modernization, as you call it. (So A. V. Roe was- willing to put money back into the plant.) Well, for awhile. Then they started to make exorbitant charges, in my estimation. For instance. Sir Roy Dobson was chairman of the board of DOSCO--he was paid a large salary. He was represented as the boss man for Canada for Hawker-Siddeley. But that salary was all charged to DOSCO. Should have been charged to the Hawker-Siddeley head office in Toronto and a proportion of it charged to DOSCO. And they did several things like that. The costs were going up every year on this account. CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE Support the Flight Celebrating the 75th Anniversary of the Silver Dart 1909-84 GEORGE'S ENTERPRISES AND LAUNDROMAT BADDECK ' -.'r'ijffi' Let's make her soar in '84! '**?w??' Colliery Inn "'Glace Bay 28 Newly Renovated Units For Reservations, Phone 849-9333 NEWLY ENLARGED, LICENSED RESTAURANT OPEN ALL YEAR 'ROUND Harbour Restaurant Children's Portions Try Our Butterscotch Pie Telephone (902) 224-2042 Cheticamp, Cape Breton Take Out and Diet Dishes on request Tourist Brochures & Colour Printing A Specialty PRINTERS LIMITED 180 TOWNSENO STitEEX SYDNEY, N. S. TELEPHONE (902) 664?M6 Princess Historic Mine Located in the Town of Sydney Mines, Cape Breton DAILY TOURS 10 A.M. TO 4 P.M. JUNE 15 TO SEPT. 11 NO RESERVATION REQUIRED Retired miners will be your guides when you experience the exciting adventure tour of a real mine. From history to heritage, the visitor can enjoy a thrilling trip down a shaft to see how mining is carried out today. Every tour of the mine is accompanied by a veteran miner. Visitors, wearing protective clothing, miners hard hat and lamp, descend down a 682 foot shaft to pit bottom. The equipment used in a modern longwall mining operation has been maintained at the coal face. The tour then views operations at pit bottom after which man-rakes are boarded for a trip to the surface. At the head of the tunnel, a narrow gauge train, powered by a mine diesel, waits to take visitors back to the mine site where they will turn in their safety equipment. It's a thrilling and informative adventure tour for the whole family. A Gift Shop and the Cauldron Restaurant are also located on the grounds of the Princess Historic Mine. (53)