Garnet Napier Coyle's home was in Montreal, Quebec.
He came West to Acme about 1910 and operated a Hardware
store. There he met and made a close friend of
esse Gouge, who
owned a machinery store.
Mr. Gouge became enthusiastic about
coal deposits in the
Drumheller Valley, but not having enough capital himself to
finance a venture of this type, he interested Mr. Coyle in the
project, with the result that "G. N." sold his store in Acme for
$4,500 and borrowed $10,000 from his Mother, and he and Jesse
opened the
Newcastle Mine.
It was a well-known fact, not
only locally, but amongst G. N's associates back East, that in
any investment he made, he doubled or tripled his money, which
gave him the name of the "man with the golden touch."
Mr. Coyle spent several months a year in
Drumheller checking on
his investments. He usually hopped on a plane, carrying nothing
with
him but a box of Kleenexanything he required could be purchased
when he came. His home while in Drumheller was the Hotel
Alexandra "where the guest was king," and Charlie Guterson, nicknamed "The
Black Prince" was his genial host and friend.
As well as
having an interest in the Midland Mine, the Newcastle
Collieries and the A.B.C., he had an interest in Jim Beatty's
farm,
owned several dwellings, and eventually owned both the Regent
and
Napier Theatres (the latter being named after him).
Garnet Napier Coyle died in Quebec May 30, 1961.
The article titled "Garnet Napier Coyle" by
Marguerite Playle is reprinted from The Hills of Home: Drumheller Valley (Drumheller
Valley History Association, 1973). The Heritage Community Foundation and the
Year of the Coal Miner Consortium (the Atlas Coal Mine is a members) would like to thank the
author and the Drumheller Valley
History Association for this contribution.
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