JBeatft of jRofaitaiUe 



URING the summer of 1863 a large cod- 

 fishing establishment was started at Ste. 

 Marguerite Eiver, not far from the present 

 site of the Clarke City Pulp Mills. Up to that 

 time all of these big fish-curing stations were 

 under the control of South Shore firms, the Rob- 

 ins, the Leboutilliers, etc. In the present case 

 the promoters were Quebec men, two of whom I 

 had the pleasure of knowing Messrs. Wright 

 and Montgomery. Incidentally I may say that 

 tne enterprise proved a failure. Such an estab- 

 lishment requires quite a number of buildings. 

 As there were not sufficient people in the vicinity 

 to furnish the necessary labor, workmen had to 

 be imported from Quebec. Among those thus en- 

 gaged was a young man named Robitaille. He 

 was about twenty-five years old and a carpenter 

 by trade. After working for some weeks at St. 

 Marguerite River, he left and drifted up the 

 coast, getting a small job here and there. Win- 

 ter found Him at Pointe des Monts, where he had 

 been induced to remain to try hunting and seal 

 shooting with a possible chance of employment. 

 With this latter object in view he had made a 

 couple of trips up to Godbout and had arranged 

 to build the frame work of a house for a fisher- 



