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60-541: The Frank Slide was a massive rockslide that buried part of the mining town of Frank in the District of Alberta of the North-West Territories , Canada, at 4:10 a.m. on April 29, 1903. Around 44 million cubic metres/110 million tonnes (120 million short tons) of limestone rock slid down Turtle Mountain . Witnesses reported that within 100 seconds the rock reached up the opposing hills, obliterating

120-466: A National Historic Site in 1958. It was later designated a Provincial Historic Site of Alberta . The provincial government designated the slide area a restricted development zone in 1976, which prevents alteration of the site. In 1978, a memorial plaque was erected. The Frank Slide Interpretive Centre, within sight of the mountain, was opened in 1985. A museum and tourist stop document the Frank Slide and

180-442: A bale of hay, lying on rocks, under the collapsed roof of her house or in the arms of her dead mother. The legend was based primarily on the story of Marion Leitch, who was thrown from her home into a pile of hay when the slide enveloped her home. Her sisters also survived; they were found unharmed under a collapsed ceiling joist. Her parents and four brothers died. Influencing the story was the survival of two-year-old Gladys Ennis, who

240-665: A land area of 29.83 km (11.52 sq mi), it had a population density of 866.7/km (2,244.7/sq mi) in 2016. Cochrane Ranche provided the corral setting for the 1954 National Film Board of Canada documentary Corral , by Colin Low , whose father had worked as a foreman at the ranch. This film played theatrically across Canada and was named Best Documentary at the Venice Film Festival . Cochrane houses attractions such as Cochrane Ranche Historic Site and Bert Sheppard Stockmen's Foundation Library And Archives, located in

300-455: A late shift that night in the town's boarding house, had been given permission to stay overnight for the first time. She was the only member of her family to survive. Her father was working outside the mine when the slide hit, while her mother and six siblings were buried in their home. All 12 men living at the CPR work camp were killed, but 128 more who were scheduled to move into the camp the day before

360-509: A month underground. The mule had subsisted by eating the bark off the timber supports and by drinking from pools of water. The mule died when his rescuers overfed him on oats and brandy. The town's population not only recovered but grew; the 1906 census of the Canadian Prairies listed the population at 1,178. A new study commissioned by the Dominion government determined that the cracks in

420-462: A top-heavy, steep cliff. Cracks laced the eastern face of the mountain while underground fissures allowed water to flow into the mountain's core. Local Indigenous peoples of the area, the Blackfoot and Ktunaxa , had oral traditions referring to the peak as "the mountain that moves". Miners noticed the mountain had become increasingly unstable in the months preceding the slide; they felt small tremors and

480-740: Is a town in the Calgary Metropolitan Region of Alberta , Canada. The town is located 18 km (11 mi) west of the Calgary city limits along Highway 1A . Cochrane is one of the fastest-growing communities in Canada, and with a population of 32,199 in 2021, it is one of the largest towns in Alberta . It is part of Calgary's census metropolitan area and a member community of the Calgary Metropolitan Region Board (CMRB). The town

540-413: Is another theory, which suggests that large masses of material create seismic energy that reduces friction and causes the debris to flow down the mountain as though it is a fluid. Geologists created the term " debris avalanche " to describe the Frank Slide. Numerous legends and misconceptions were spawned in the aftermath of the slide. The entire town of Frank was claimed to have been buried, though much of

600-429: Is inevitable, though not imminent. The south peak is considered the most likely to fall; it would likely create a slide about one-sixth the size of the 1903 slide. The mountain, continuously monitored for changes in stability, has been studied on numerous occasions. The Alberta Geological Survey operates a state-of-the-art monitoring system used by researchers around the world. Over 80 monitoring stations have been placed on

660-478: Is intersected by Highway 1A and Highway 22 . Cochrane has a reputation for its western culture—clearly seen when one wanders the streets (particularly First St). The town is a popular destination for ice cream and coffee in its quaint western-themed stores as well as for windsports , golfing , hiking and other adventure activities. Cochrane is also a small industrial centre. Major industries include lumber, construction, retail, and agriculture ( ranching ). It

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720-580: Is located in the federal electoral district of Banff-Airdrie and is represented by Blake Richards in the House of Commons . He also represented Cochrane from 2008-2015 as the MP for the federal electoral district of Wild Rose . He replaced long standing MP Myron Thompson , who was originally elected as a member of the Reform Party in 1993. Cochrane is home to schools from the public Rocky View School Division No. 41 ,

780-460: Is notable as being one of very few communities in Canada with no business tax. The hill is also a popular training ground for cyclists from the area, who take advantage of its 7% grade and 3.5 km (2.2 mi) distance. Vegetation in the Cochrane area is mostly a complex of grassland and aspen groves. Mixed forest, with white spruce most conspicuous, covers north-facing slopes and part of

840-438: Is now home to about 200 residents. Rockslide The term landslide refers to a variety of mass wasting events (geologic slope failures) that include slumps , slides, falls, and flows. The two major types of slides are rotational slides and translational slides. Rockslides are a type of translational event since the rock mass moves along a roughly planar surface with little rotation or backward tilting. Rock slides are

900-516: Is now part of the Municipality of Crowsnest Pass in the Province of Alberta and has a population around 200. The site of the disaster, which remains nearly unchanged since the slide, is now a popular tourist destination. It has been designated a provincial historic site of Alberta and is home to an interpretive centre that receives over 100,000 visitors annually. The town of Frank was founded in

960-480: Is one of the largest towns in the province and is eligible for city status. According to Alberta's Municipal Government Act , a town is eligible for city status when it reaches 10,000 residents. In the 2016 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, the Town of Cochrane recorded a population of 25,853 living in 9,757 of its 10,225 total private dwellings, a 47.1% change from its 2011 population of 17,580. With

1020-535: Is surrounded by Rocky View County . Cochrane was established in 1881 as the Cochrane Ranche, after Matthew Henry Cochrane , a local rancher. It became a village in 1903 and it had a newspaper and volunteer fire department by 1909. Cochrane incorporated as a town in 1971. Cochrane is situated at the base of Big Hill in the Bow River Valley. It sits at an elevation of 1,186 m (3,891 ft). The town

1080-683: The 2008–09 school year was given by the board of trustees in April 2008. There are two trustees (one from each board) elected to represent Cochrane Schools at their respective boards. The Greater Southern Alberta Catholic Francophone Region #4 has one trustee for the Region from Cochrane. Cochrane is also home to the Canadian Southern Baptist Seminary , the flagship seminary of the Canadian National Baptist Convention ,

1140-664: The Bow River valley. The following neighbourhoods are located within Cochrane. The Cochrane Generals are a Junior B Hockey Club based out of Cochrane Alberta Canada. They are members of the South Division In the Heritage Junior Hockey League. They have been playing out of the Original Cochrane Arena from (1984-2001) - (2018–Present) In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada ,

1200-478: The Canadian branch of the largest US Protestant denomination. On October 7, 2019 the town launched COLT (Cochrane On-Demand Local Transit). An app based local transportation service, described as an " Uber bus system". The transit system, which was chosen due to its significantly lower operating cost compared to traditional route based transit, allows for users to request a ride on demand from one of over 150 stops in

1260-493: The Cochrane Ranchehouse. Cochrane is home to many annual events each year: Cochrane has a town council consisting of an elected mayor and six councillors elected at-large . Councillors are elected by the eligible electors by voting for up to six candidates and the six receiving the largest number of votes being elected. The position of deputy mayor is rotated through the councillors over their term. Elections are held on

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1320-497: The Town of Cochrane had a population of 32,199 living in 12,096 of its 12,578 total private dwellings, a change of 24.5% from its 2016 population of 25,853. With a land area of 31.58 km (12.19 sq mi), it had a population density of 1,019.6/km (2,640.8/sq mi) in 2021. The population of the Town of Cochrane according to its 2019 municipal census is 29,277, a change of 4.7% from its 2018 municipal census population of 27,960. At its current population, Cochrane

1380-460: The blocked entrance before one miner suggested he knew of a seam of coal that reached the surface. Working a narrow tunnel in pairs and threes, they dug through the coal for hours as the air around them became increasingly toxic. Only three men still had enough energy to continue digging when they broke through to the surface late in the afternoon. The opening was too dangerous to escape from due to falling rocks from above. Encouraged by their success,

1440-481: The cold snap and rapid freezing resulted in expansion of the fissures, causing the limestone to break off and tumble down the mountain. Though the GSC concluded that mining activities contributed to the slide, the facility's owners disagreed. Their engineers claimed that the mine bore no responsibility. Later studies suggested that the mountain had been at a point of "equilibrium"; even a small deformation such as that caused by

1500-448: The disaster indicated that Frank had been "nearly wiped out" by the mountain's collapse. It was thought the rockslide was triggered by an earthquake, volcanic eruption or explosion within the mine. The majority of the town survived, but the slide buried buildings on the eastern outskirts of Frank. Seven cottages were destroyed, as were several businesses, the cemetery, a 2-kilometre (1.2 mi) stretch of road and railroad tracks, and all of

1560-513: The early morning hours of April 29, 1903, a freight train pulled out of the mine and was slowly making its way towards the townsite when the crew heard a deafening rumble behind them. The engineer immediately set the throttle to full speed ahead and sped his train to safety across the bridge over the Crowsnest River . At 4:10 am, 30 million cubic metres of limestone rock with a mass of 110 million tonnes (121 million US tons) broke off

1620-482: The eastern edge of Frank, the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) line and the coal mine. It was one of the largest landslides in Canadian history and remains the deadliest, as between 70 and 90 of the town's residents died, most of whom remain buried in the rubble . Multiple factors led to the slide: Turtle Mountain's formation left it in a constant state of instability. Coal mining operations may have weakened

1680-438: The face of the mountain to provide an early warning system for area residents in case of another slide. Geologists have debated about what caused the slide debris to travel the distance it did. The "air cushion" theory, an early hypothesis, postulated that a layer of air was trapped between the mass of rock and the mountain, which caused the rock to move a greater distance than would otherwise be expected. " Acoustic fluidization "

1740-412: The fields of geologic science and engineering continue to perfect methods of rock slide detection, assessment, and warning. New earth observation tools have supplied a much enhanced ability to detect potential rock slide hazards. Analysis of sequential InSAR and LiDAR data provides a very valuable regional view of slope movement. Once susceptible areas are discovered, detailed analysis can be carried out at

1800-616: The founding of the town on September 10, 1901, with a gala opening that featured speeches from territorial leaders, sporting events, a dinner and tours of the mine and planned layout for the community. The CPR ran special trains that brought over 1,400 people from neighbouring communities to celebrate the event. By April 1903, the permanent population had reached 600, and the town featured a two-storey school and four hotels. Turtle Mountain stands immediately south of Frank. It consists of an older limestone layer folded over on top of softer materials such as shale and sandstone . Erosion had left

1860-407: The geometry of a hill through excavation, can also change the stress state, contributing to slope instability. Amongst these erosional properties, water is arguably the most effective geologic agent that causes mass-wasting events to occur. Water aids in the downslope movement of surface material by adding weight to the soil and by filling pores which tends to push apart individual grains, decreasing

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1920-443: The gravitational force on the rock exceeds the ability of the slope to resist that force. Therefore, anything that erodes or impedes the mountain's ability to resist this force may be one of the causes of mass-wasting. While a major event such as an earthquake can cause large rockslides to happen, a majority of slides occur due to a combination of gravitational pressure and erosional influences. Anthropogenic activities, such as altering

1980-461: The mine's buildings. Approximately 100 people lived in the path of destruction, located between the CPR tracks and the river. The death toll is uncertain; estimates range between 70 and 90. It is the deadliest landslide in Canadian history and was the largest until the Hope Slide in 1965. It is possible that the toll may have been higher, since as many as 50 transients had been camped at the base of

2040-452: The mine's existence would have helped trigger a slide. The mine was quickly re-opened, even though rock continued to tumble down the mountain. Coal production at Frank peaked in 1910, but the mine was permanently closed in 1917 after it became unprofitable. The slide created two new peaks on the mountain; the south peak stands 2,200 metres (7,200 ft) high and the north peak 2,100 metres (6,900 ft). Geologists believe that another slide

2100-509: The miners cut a new shaft that broke through under an outcropping of rock that protected them from falling debris. Thirteen hours after they were buried, all 17 men emerged from the mountain. The miners found that the row of cottages that served as their homes had been devastated and some of their families killed, seemingly at random. One found his family alive and safe in a makeshift hospital, but another emerged to discover his wife and four children had died. Fifteen-year-old Lillian Clark, working

2160-477: The most dangerous form of mass-wasting because they incorporate a sudden, incredibly fast-paced release of bedrock along a uniform plane of weakness. These uniform weaknesses are key to identifying rock slides because unlike slumps, flows, or falls, the failed material moves in a fairly uniform direction over a layer of solid, pre-existing rock. Rock may break down while falling during rockslides. The sudden, rapid release of material found in rock slides combined with

2220-438: The mountain and had been buried with no hope of survival. In reality, there were 20 miners working the night shift at the time of the disaster. Three had been outside the mine and were killed by the slide. The remaining 17 were underground. They discovered that the entrance was blocked and water from the river, which had been dammed by the slide, was coming in via a secondary tunnel. They unsuccessfully tried to dig their way through

2280-457: The mountain continued to grow and that the risk of another slide remained. Consequently, parts of Frank closest to the mountain were dismantled or relocated to safer areas. Several factors led to the Frank Slide. A study conducted by the GSC immediately following the slide concluded that the primary cause was the mountain's unstable anticline formation; a layer of limestone rested on top of softer materials that, after years of erosion, resulted in

2340-442: The mountain while looking for work. Some residents believed that they had left Frank shortly before the slide, though there is no way to be certain. Most of the victims remain entombed beneath the rocks; only 12 bodies were recovered in the immediate aftermath. The skeletons of six additional victims were unearthed in 1924 by crews building a new road through the slide. Initial news reports stated that between 50 and 60 men were within

2400-430: The mountain with a steep overhang of its limestone layer. It has long been unstable; the Blackfoot and Kutenai peoples called it "the mountain that moves" and refused to camp in its vicinity. In the weeks leading up to the disaster, miners occasionally felt rumblings from within the mountain, while the pressure created by the shifting rock sometimes caused the timbers supporting the mine shafts to crack and splinter. In

2460-430: The mountain's internal structure, as did a wet winter and cold snap on the night of the disaster. The railway was repaired within three weeks and the mine was quickly reopened. The section of town closest to the mountain was relocated in 1911 amid fears that another slide was possible. The town's population nearly doubled its pre-slide population by 1906, but dwindled after the mine closed permanently in 1917. The community

Frank Slide - Misplaced Pages Continue

2520-403: The north peak, overlooking the town, was not in imminent danger of collapse. As a result, the evacuation order was lifted on May 10 and Frank's citizens returned. The North-West Mounted Police , reinforced by officers who arrived from Cranbrook , Fort Macleod and Calgary , kept tight control of the town and ensured that no cases of looting occurred during the evacuation. Clearing the CPR line

2580-436: The oncoming locomotive of the danger. The CPR gave him a letter of commendation and a $ 25 cheque (approximately $ 750 in 2019) in recognition of his heroism. Early on April 30 a special train from Fort Macleod arrived with police officers and doctors. Premier Frederick Haultain arrived at the disaster site on May 1, where he met with engineers who had investigated the top of Turtle Mountain. Though new fissures had formed at

2640-478: The peak of Turtle Mountain. The section that broke was 1,000 metres (3,300 ft) wide, 425 metres (1,394 ft) high and 150 metres (490 ft) deep. Witnesses to the disaster claimed it took about 100 seconds for the slide to reach up the opposing hills, indicating the mass of rock travelled at a speed of about 112 kilometres per hour (70 mph). The sound was heard as far away as Cochrane , over 200 kilometres (120 mi) north of Frank. Initial reports on

2700-460: The peak, they felt there was limited further risk to the town; nevertheless, the CPR's chief engineer felt that Frank was in imminent danger from another slide. Siding with the latter, Haultain ordered the town evacuated, and the Geological Survey of Canada (GSC) sent two of its top geologists to investigate further. They reported that the slide had created two new peaks on the mountain and that

2760-462: The region in March was followed by a warm April, causing the mountain snows to melt into the fissures. GSC geologists concluded that the weather conditions that night likely triggered the slide. The crew of the freight train that arrived at Frank shortly before the disaster said it was the coldest night of the winter, with overnight temperatures falling below −18 °C (0 °F). Geologists speculated that

2820-428: The region's coal mining history. Though Frank recovered from the slide and achieved a peak population of 1,000 shortly thereafter, the closure of the mine resulted in a longstanding decline in population. Frank ceased to be an independent community in 1979, when it was amalgamated into the Municipality of Crowsnest Pass along with the neighbouring communities of Blairmore , Coleman , Hillcrest , and Bellevue . Frank

2880-423: The resistance of the material to movement. While these processes can cause a slide to happen, the speed and potential devastation of a rockslide is often determined by the severity of steepness presented by the failing slope. With increasing populations in rural areas around the world, the hazards presented by potential rock slides are becoming more of a pressing issue moving forward. Luckily, individuals working in

2940-880: The separate Calgary Catholic School District , and the Greater Southern Alberta Catholic Francophone Region #4 (CSCFSA). As of 2022, there were twelve public and separate schools in operation within the town boundaries. In November 2006 the Rocky View School Division accepted a proposal by the Cochrane Christ-Centred Education Society to set up a Protestant Christian education program in Cochrane. The Cochrane Christian Academy opened its doors at Mitford Middle School in September 2007, offering kindergarten to grade 4. Approval for expansion to include grade 5 for

3000-491: The sheer size and weight of the material that is falling is what gives these events the potential to have devastating effects on human life and infrastructure. Rock slides are very common in the over steepened canyons and drainages of Idaho, particularly in those areas like the Salmon River Canyon where more than 5,000 feet of elevation may exist between the ridge tops and the canyon bottoms. Mass-wasting occurs whenever

3060-488: The slide had not arrived—the train that was supposed to take them there from Morrissey, British Columbia , failed to pick them up. The Spokane Flyer , a passenger train heading west from Lethbridge , was saved by CPR brakeman Sid Choquette, one of two men who rushed across the rock-strewn ground to warn the train that the track had been buried under the slide. Through falling rocks and a dust cloud that impaired his visibility, Choquette ran for 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) to warn

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3120-558: The southwestern corner of the District of Alberta , a subdivision of the North-West Territories , in 1901. A location was chosen near the base of Turtle Mountain in the Crowsnest Pass , where coal had been discovered one year earlier. It was named after Henry Frank who, along with Samuel Gebo , owned the Canadian-American Coal and Coke Company, which operated the mine that the town was created to support. The pair celebrated

3180-447: The specific site. These assessments are used to determine the amount of material that will be released as well as the speed at which this material will be transported. Once a site is deemed hazardous, different types of geologic engineering techniques are used in order to prevent the compromised slope from failing. Some of these designs are listed below. Cochrane, Alberta Cochrane ( / ˈ k ɒ k r ə n / KOK -rən )

3240-469: The subject of several books, both historical and fictional. Curious sightseers flocked to the site of the slide within the day of the disaster. It has remained a popular tourist destination, in part due to its proximity to the Crowsnest Highway ( Highway 3 ). The province built a roadside turnout in 1941 to accommodate the traffic. Town boosters unsuccessfully sought to have the site designated as

3300-434: The superintendent reported a "general squeeze" in the mountain at depths between 1,100 metres (3,600 ft) and 1,500 metres (4,900 ft). They found that coal broke from its seam; it was said to have practically mined itself. An unusually warm winter, with warm days and cold nights, was also a factor. Water in the mountain's fissures froze and thawed repeatedly, further weakening the mountain's supports. Heavy snowfall in

3360-406: The supposedly buried bank. Several people, telling amazing stories to those who would listen, passed themselves off as the "sole survivor" in the years following the slide. The most common such tale is that of an infant girl said to have been the only survivor of the slide. Her real name unknown, the girl was called "Frankie Slide". Several stories were told of her miraculous escape: she was found in

3420-547: The third Monday in October every fourth year. As of October 19, 2021, the town council consists of mayor Jeff Genung and Councillors Susan Flowers, Patrick Wilson, Morgan Nagel, Marni Fedeyko, Tara McFadden, Alex Reed. Cochrane is located within the provincial electoral division of Airdrie-Cochrane . It has been represented in the Alberta Legislature by UCP MLA Peter Guthrie since the 2019 provincial election. Cochrane

3480-464: The town itself was unscathed. The belief that a branch of the Union Bank of Canada had been buried with as much as $ 500,000 persisted for many years. The bank—untouched by the slide—remained in the same location until it was demolished in 1911, after which the buried treasure legend arose. Crews building a new road through the pass in 1924 operated under police guard as it was believed they could unearth

3540-598: Was found outside her home in the mud. The last survivor of the slide, she died in 1995. In total, 23 people in the path of the slide survived, in addition to the 17 miners who escaped from the tunnels under Turtle Mountain. A ballad by Ed McCurdy featuring the story of Frankie Slide was popular in parts of Canada in the 1950s. The slide has formed the basis of other songs, including "How the Mountain Came Down" by Stompin' Tom Connors , and more recently, "Frank, AB" by The Rural Alberta Advantage . The Frank Slide has been

3600-427: Was of paramount importance. Approximately 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) of the main line had been buried under the slide, along with part of an auxiliary line. The CPR had the line cleared and rebuilt within three weeks. Intent on reopening the mine, workers opened passageways to the old mine works by May 30. To their amazement, they discovered that Charlie the horse, one of three who worked in the mine, had survived for over

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