Page 32 - Giv'er Miramichi Magazine - Christmas Giver 2023

All that Remains - Part Two

David Ernest Hutchison: A Great Miramichi Benefactor

By: Charlotte Loggie, Miramichi Historical Society

David Alexander Ernest when he took the Minister of Public
Hutchison (1847-1918) This second Works, John Morrissy, with him. The
son of Richard Hutchison, known all his trip took over five hours, including the
life as Ernest, was born on New Year’s time needed to cut away windfalls
Day in 1847. (branches or tree limbs blown down).
His father, Richard (1812-1891) After this trip, the Minister pushed
had taken over Alexander Rankin’s through legislation that the road would
lumber business in 1852 and when he be “turnpiked” or paved, possibly with
died, the business of running R. toll gates.
Hutchison & Co. gradually devolved to There is another famous Hutchison
Ernest, and by 1890 he was the sole automobile story from Mr. Jack Ullock:
manager. Even though the need for “Hutchison was also in competition
wooden masts and timber for with Snowball to see who could put the
shipbuilding had declined severely most miles on their cars. With his long
since the mid-1800’s, the lumber trade trips to the United States, Ernest won
continued to increase as wood was still each time. Each spring, Hutchison and
a primary building material, and pulp John Miller, who lived in Millerton,
and paper production really took off in would have a race to see who would be
North America from 1890 onwards. Chatham who raced against Hutchison the first to drive to Newcastle. One
Ernest Hutchison focussed his business and won. Snowball named his boat spring the weather was wet, and the
on these needs, managing his father’s Darn Sight Faster. After his defeat, roads were in poor shape, but
company for 17 more years. In 1907, he Hutchison put his boat away and never Hutchison was determined to get to
bothered with it again.” (Remembering
sold it to Miramichi Lumber Company Newcastle first, so he hitched a pair of
which was a subsidiary of the David Alexander Hutchison, Bread ‘n’ horses to his car and made it to
International Paper Company of New Molasses, by Janet Stothart, 2004) Newcastle before Miller did.” (Bread
York. The sale realized $300,000 which Hutchison was also very interested ‘n’ Molasses, Janet Stothart, 2004).
in today’s money would be over nine in the automobile. In 1906 he purchased Hutchison’s community
a 2-cylinder Russell from the
million dollars. involvement and philanthropy are well
Boats, Cars, and Philanthropy Lounsbury Co. It was the 25th documented. From starting as a County
Ernest Hutchison was interested in automobile to be registered that year in Warden to serving in the House of
all forms of machinery, and it has been New Brunswick, and only the 3rd to be
reported that he knew more about steam registered in Miramichi. The next year,
he bought a 50-horsepower Royal
mills than the engineers who ran them.
This interest spilled over into other Tourist which could seat seven
machines such as yachts, speedboats, passengers. Royal Tourists were made
and cars. As early as 1881, Hutchison by Royal Motor Car Company and
was involved in organizing regattas on known as big, luxurious, and reliable
autos. A 50-horsepower vehicle cost
the Miramichi River, where he
competed enthusiastically. A good story, between $3500 and $4000 in 1907
told by the former Curator of the which would be somewhere north of
Rankin House Museum, Mr. Jack $96,000 in today’s money! The
Ullock, is as follows: “Mr. Hutchison company’s slogan was “The Pink of
Perfection” and the Royal Tourist was
was a very competitive man. At one time
he had a boat he believed to be the certainly a luxury vehicle.
fastest on the Miramichi. He called this Another famous Hutchison story An advertisement in McClure’s magazine in
boat Pretty Damn Quick. There was concerning vehicles details his journey 1904 for the Royal Tourist. Ernest Hutchison
another boat owned by Snowball in from Miramichi to Bathurst in 1913 purchased the luxury automobile in 1907.

32 www.GiverMiramichi.com Christmas 2023