Under the boardwalk

“History goes underground!”

That’s the teaser posted on highway signs, flyers and other promotional materials throughout Saskatchewan touting the Tunnels of Moose Jaw.

Since I had never even heard of Moose Jaw before last year (I thought Saskatchewan must have been one of the northern territories with a name that sounded – to me at least – so much like winter and snow), it goes without saying that I had no knowledge of the tunnels beneath this fair city’s downtown streets.

But as soon as I arrived in Canada and told residents that Moose Jaw was on my itinerary, many began telling me that I MUST see the tunnels.

Al Capone, they said, used Moose Jaw as an occasional hideout when things got too hot in Chicago. The tunnels were a part of gangster lore from that period and were a “must-see” attraction for travelers.

My journalist’s skepticism kicked in. The story is certainly feasible; but I had a feeling that it was being told with a wink.

Checking the matter out on the Internet reveals that towns seem as eager to claim Scarface hideout status as others to brag that “George Washington slept here.” B

Brookfield, Wisconsin; Saint Paul, Minnesota; Olean, New York; French Lick and Terre Haute, Indiana; Dubuque, Iowa; Hot Springs Arkansas; Johnson City, Tennessee and Lansing, Michigan are among an apparently endless list of communities claiming that Capone used their fair city as a hideout at one time or another.

One element of the Moose Jaw claim is that the infamous mobster traveled by rail, specifically on the Soo Line. Well, definitive evidence is hard to find; but I uncovered enough to make this part of the story ring true.

On the other hand, most Google hits for “Capone+Moose Jaw” resulted in findings related to the tunnels attraction. I could find no independent historical references that placed the mob head in Saskatchewan.

All of this notwithstanding, the Tunnels of Moose Jaw attraction is definitely a Wandering Dave kind of place. I contacted the headquarters and arranged for a tour and then showed up with my reporter’s notebook and skepticism in hand.

The first of two 50-minute excursions took me through time into a sweatshop laundry operation beneath the streets of Moose Jaw. An “upstanding businessman” owned the business, acquiring cheap labor from “coolie brokers” and keeping them in virtual slavery while they attempted to pay off debts owed to pay for their passage and living costs.

Math worked against them and those that turned to gambling, opium and other vices seldom breathed fresh air and never saw sunlight as Chinese were forbidden to go above ground during daylight hours.

The subject matter of the “Passage to Fortune” tunnel tour is a bit grim; but the theatrics employed by our guide and the frequent use of humor tempered the message. Though it took more than a century, Canadians finally faced up to the wrongs committed against Chinese immigrants. I found that to be consistent with the character of the people I’ve met in the provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan over the past month or so.

By seeking forgiveness and attempting to provide restitution as possible, Canadians demonstrated that even shameful episodes can be transformed into sources of pride when dealt with honestly and with humility.

An hour later, I confess to beginning the second tour with a bit of an attitude. For starters, we had to hike down to the corner and halfway back up the other side of Main Street – in a rainstorm – to reach the tour entrance. I was dressed for spring weather and was more than a little soggy by the end of that trek.

We were greeted by a “flapper” who claimed to be the owner of an establishment that not only sold liquor by the glassful, but was a front for a bootlegging operation overseen by our hostess and her partner, Gus – a Chicago gangster doing business in Moose Jaw.

The latter character, portrayed by a fellow identified as “Ryan,” made my doubts regarding the historical accuracy of the tour completely irrelevant. This was pure entertainment and theatrics. As with any good drama, the audience is required to suspend belief and let the show be what it is.

And what “The Chicago Connection” is, is fun. It’s not likely that every tour guide has Ryan’s talent; but the script is lively and a real laugh riot. There are plenty of facts that no doubt are accurate and plenty of fiction, including a “raid” at the end of the tour that features gunplay – Tommygun fashion.

After the second tour, I had a chance to sit down for a few minutes with Jeff Grajczyk, one of the pair that saw an opportunity in 1999 and took over an operation previously run by a local non-profit organization.

Since then, attendance has more than tripled and the tours have been revamped.

Admission is a bit costly ($21 per adult for a two-tour package); but the management has obviously made a significant investment, has assembled a talented team and has created a memorable experience.

It’s hard to say what anything is “worth” these days; but, I can’t imagine anyone asking for a refund – even if historians one day determine that Al Capone never actually set foot in town.

And that’s the low-down from below ground in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan.