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Published winter, spring, summer and fall by Historical Federation RO. Box 5254, Station B Victoria, B.C. V8R 6N4 A Charitable Society recognized under the Income TaxAct. Institutional subscriptions .$16 per year Individual (non-members) .$i2peryear Members of Member Societies .$9peryear For addresses outside Canada, add .$5peryear Back issues of the British Columbia HistoricalNews are available in microform from Micromedia Limited, 20 Victoria Street, Toronto, M5C 2N8, phone (416) 362-5211, fax (416) 362-6161, toll free 1-800-387-2689. This publication is indexed in the Canadian Index published by Micromedia. Indexed in the Canadian Periodical Index. Publications Mail Registration Number 4447.

Financially assisted by the Ministry of Municipal Affairs, Recreation and Culture through the British Columbia Heritage Trust Fund and British Columbia Lotteries. Bdtih Cohbia Hitorcal News Journal of the B.C. Historical Federation Volume 27, No.3 Summer 1994 EDITORIAL CONTENTS

Summer. The word conjures up warm days, FEATURES travelling around the province, showing visitors the highlights of your district and, when time Motoring in British Columbia on $3.26 Per Day 2 permits, relaxing with some good reading. Within by Edward L. Affleck these pages you will find references to Hosmer, Hosmer Coffiery Past and Present 3 a newly declared heritage site; Prince Rupert, by Fred Lighfoot where an amazing petroglyph sits beside the The Man Who Fell From Heaven 7 museum; Hagwilget Bridge near Hazelton; Fort Steele Heritage Town near Cranbrook; and Hat by Phylis Bowman Creek Ranch near Cache Creek. In the last is Archaeological Findings in the Prince Rupert Area 9 sue we told of the Chinese exhibit at the Royal by Phylis Bowman B.C. Museum in Victoria and St Anne’s Church The Greening of Glenmore 11 in Parksville. In other words, we supply both the by Wayne Wilson tourist and the armchair traveller with a brief his Fort Steele’s Presbyterian Church tory of places which are open for visitors during 14 the summer. by Lee Chernoff Clayoquot, on the west side of Vancouver Is The Hagwilget and Walcott Suspension Bridge 18 land, has become known internationally as the by Dirk Septer area of confrontation between environmental Croatians Enlivened Mining Towns 22 ists and loggers. Did you know that the by Dr. ZelimirB.juricic Clayoquot area has been mined over the years? See page 26. Mining at Clayoquot 26 Three years ago EL. “Ted” Affleck asked by Walter Guppy whether anyone had written on the flood of Historic Hat Creek Ranch 28 1894. I interpreted this as an offer to write such by Michelle Morrison and Darcy Asta/broff a piece. Before his article arrived I became aware The Great Flood of 1894 33 of numerous references, including the Norbury by Edward L. Affleck letter written from Donald (near Golden). A fam ily member recalled seeing a marker — High REPORT OF CONFERENCE ‘94 34 Water 1894 -.— above the tiny rail station at Ar rowhead at the north end of the Arrow Lakes. Photos on pages 8, 17, 25, 32 and 35. Most of us remember 1948; floods are nasty but descriptions of floods make fascinating reading. Writers and would-be writers, if summer is the NEWS and NOTES 35 time of year for your best achievement, get on to that tidbit of B.C. history you have found and BOOKSHELF prepare an article, typed double-spaced, up to The Northwest Coast: British Navigation, Trade and Discoveries to 1812 . . . 36 3,000 words. Please send it in to the editor (see Review by Werner Kaschel address at the bottom of this page). Guide to the Holdings of the Archives of the Ecclesiastical Province Naomi Miller of B.C. and 37 Review 1y Phyllis Reeve COVER CREDIT Women Volunteer to Go to Prison: A History of the Elizabeth Fry Society of B.C. 1939— 1989 38 Old Mine Building, Hosmer, B.C. was drawn by Sandy Lightfool, Review by Irene Howard who now lives within sight of these walls of the once-huge Tipple Cars of coal from the workings came into the back of the Tipple and Thomas Crosby and the Tsimshian: Small Shoes for Feet Too Large 38 were released on a Philips cross.over dump, tripped to empty into a Review by Margaret Whitehead bin, then released to the outside to rejoin a string going back empty to fhe mine. Coal was passed across a mechanical screen where the Hidden Cities: Art and Design in Architectural Details of Vancouver fine coal, ¾” or less, felt throagh the screen onto a conveyor and and Victoria 39 was transported to the slack bins. Beneath this bin the Larrys were loaded to charge the Coke Ovens. Coal pieces over ‘A” were taken Review by Imbi Harding from the discharge end of the screen by a conveyor lo the “Picking Rough and Ready Times: The History of Port Mellon 40 Tables” where the coat was hand sorted to remove rock pieces. This larger coat was then placed in bins awaiting transportation to end Review 1y Carl Ian Walker users. Much of the Tipple was torn down during World War II to Fields of Endeavour 40 reclaim the metal contained within the Structure. At that time, too, metal doors and door frames were ripped Out of the Coke Ovens. Review bj’ Peter L. Miller Manuscripts and correspondence to the editor are to be sent to P0. Box 105, Nasa, B.C. VOB 2K0. Correspondence regarding subscriptions is to be directed to the Subscription Secretary (see inside back cover).

Printed in Canada by Koolenay Kwik Print Ltd. Motoring in British Columbia on $3.26 Per Day by Edward L. Affleck

“12,075” was the mileage reading on at Yale, head of navigation on the Lower Seattle, Tacoma and Chehalis, reaching the odometer of Godfrey Smith’s 1928 Fraser River and starting point for horse the Portland, Oregon, home of relatives Chevrolet Touring Car as Smith, his wife and wagon traffic on the historical at 9:45 p.m. Most of Monday was spent Olive, and her sister and brother-in-law, Wagon Road. under the roof of the Portland relatives Jean and Angus Gaibraith, pulled away An early start on Monday morning and our travellers were on the road again from 568 Rithet Street, Victoria, on the enabled the foursome to cover the 145 by 6:20 am. on Tuesday, pressing 253 bright summer morning of Sunday, Au miles to Clinton by early evening. The miles north to Port Angeles, Washing gust 16, 1931, bound for the 8 am. Black distance travelled may sound modest, ton, to catch the Tuesday afternoon Ball ferry to Bellingham, Washington. but it well reflects the tortuous state of Black Ball ferry sailing to Victoria. Descendants of James Strachan, a Vic the highway of 1931, as At the Port Angeles ferry dock, the toria settler from pre-Confederation well as the route north of Lytton, which odometer registered “13,872,” indicating days, Victoria-born Olive and Jean were required the motorist to work his way 1,797 miles covered on this ten-day both seasoned motorists, having accom via Lillooet and the road over Pavilion motor trip. Total expenditure for the trip, panied their husbands on trips to every Mountain, a route which even today is including ferry passage, gas and oil, accessible part of over not fit for the faint-hearted. At Clinton, meals, accommodation and “extras”: the past twenty years.. If their middle- the men spent the night in a $1 cabin of $130.23 or $3.26 per person per day. In aged breasts nourished a special flutter the Pine Tree Cabins, while the ladies appraising this $3.26 per diem per capita as the Bellingham-bound steamer Olym repaired to the Clinton Hotel ($3). cost, one should keep in mind that while pic drew away from the Inner Harbour, Angus Galbraith’s notebook contains the Galhraiths and Smiths were not ‘high it was because never before had this many terse comments on the sights livers,” neither were they accustomed mettlesome foursome attempted the viewed on the trip. The Chasm (“a won to doing without a certain number of awesome Fraser Canyon route and the derful freak”), located about twelve creature comforts. Included in the “ex Cariboo Highway to Barkerville. Seated miles north of Clinton, was undoubtedly tras” were stops for ice cream, soft on the ferry deck, Angus Galbraith, an Tuesday’s highlight. Thanks to frequent drinks, roadside fruit, museum admis auditor in the Provincial Comptroller- stopovers at 100 Mile House, Lac La sions, and other such trimmings which General’s office, entered the $14 ferry Hache, Williams Lake, Soda Creek, etc., add to the pleasure of a motor trip. fare ($1.50 per person, $8 for the vehi the foursome did not arrive at Quesnel $130.23 would also have represented a cle) in a notebook which would con until after 9 p.m., but opted to press on substantial portion of the monthly sal tain, by journey’s end, several pages of to Barkerville, arriving there one-half ary paid to Angus Galbraith in 1931. neat entries on disbursements, mileage, hour after midnight, having driven 240 Knowing the zest of the Galbraiths and road and weather conditions, etc. miles since leaving Clinton. the Smiths for motor travel, we may be Thanks to the holiday efforts of this me Barkerville in 1931 could not have sure they considered the outlay worth ticulous public servant, we have a clear been the showplace it is today, since it! record of this 1931 trip over the primi our southbound travellers cleared the tive Interior highways of pre-World War settlement by 8:45 Wednesday morning, II British Columbia and Washington bound for an early overnight stop with E.L Affleck shares this story with us to State. friends at Lac La Hache. Thursday night give us a smile. His more serious re After stopping at Bellingham for mid was spent at Kamloops, and Friday night search centres on sternwbeelers in in day dinner (the Gaibraiths picked up at “the finest tourist camp yet seen” ($4) land waterways. the $2.50 tab). the foursome set out for in Penticton, numerous stops having the Sumas border crossing, bound for being made between Vernon and the Rosedale-Agassiz ferry crossing of Penticton to admire the abundant fruit the Fraser River which permitted a side orchards. trip to fabled Harrison Hot Springs. Re- A Saturday 8:30 am. departure from crossing later at Rosedale, the group Penticton enabled our motorists to reach paused at St. Elmo to gas up ($1.85) and Cashmere, west of Wenatchee, Washing to purchase supplies for a Monday ton, by dusk. 7:50 a.m. was the setting morning breakfast before stopping over out time for a long Sunday drive which night at Yale Lodge Cabins ($3), located encompassed the Snoqulamie Pass,

B.C. Historical News - Summer 1994 2 Hosmer Colliery Past and Present by Fred Lighfoot

“Hosmer — Unincorporated” appears to be a handful of residences beside Highway #3, between Ferriie and Sparwood in southeast British Colum bia. Less than one-half kilometre away, however, stand the shells of buildings connected with a coal mine that was “state of the art” when it opened in 1908. At the lower elevations of the mine, many of the beehive coke ovens, part of the tipple, the powerhouse, boiler house and foundation for the black smith/machine shop remain. The historic cemetery is an interesting feature nearby. Up Hosmer Ridge, at a bench known as A-level, the concrete portals of the origi nal main tunnel and ventilation tunnels can be seen, plus the lamp house and fan house. Inclines, where rail lines were laid, lead down to the main buildings, or up to a second bench, B-level, where there were upper mining tunnels. These inclines are now paths for pleasant hikes otucr 1Iotic. )osmcr Iiiie-sitt. ‘ or cross-country ski challenges. Gradu ally some of the coke ovens, the cem Thispicture was taken when afeasibility study was underway toprepareplansforpresenting etery and two buildings are being the Hosmer Mine as an historic Site. In 1993 the trees growing inside the building were removed and it is hoped that in the roof cleared of invasive vegetation to become 1994 willgo oa NOTE: The trussesfor the roofwere used on the Machine Repair Shops for the Coal Creek Railway, owned by the Crows Nest interpretive displays for tourists and his Pass Coal Company. The Shell Oil Company is the present owner and when they no longer tory buffs. needed the building, the trusses were laid aside to be returned to the Hosmer site, where 1-losmer Mine was operated by Cana they will be included as an important element ofthe restoration process. dian Pacific on a 3,840-acre (1,554 ha) property obtained in 1902 as part of the of the new line, and carrying construc to build Belgian retort ovens with by 1897 Crow’s Nest Agreement. Canadian tion material for the coal company at product recovery and a distilling plant. Pacific purchased the charter from B.C. one cent per ton per mile (roughly sixty By-product tar would have been sent to Southern Railway to build a new rail line per cent of the current tariff rates). Bankhead for making briquettes and by from Alberta through the Crow’s Nest Hosmer had a sawmill which was sold product gas would have been used for Pass and Elk Valley westward to in 1904 by Alex Black to Skead and on-site power. These, however, were Kootenay Lake. The Canadian govern Johnson of Calgary. The investigative never begun and the coke ovens here ment helped to finance the construction and planning phase for the mine at on display represent the last of the early in return for 50,000 acres of land and Hosmer had some construction com format. Despite a brief strike, the ovens for freight rate concessions from Cana menced in 1907. The majority of build were completed by August 1908. The dian Pacific Railway. The only lands ing occurred in 1908 the tipple, boiler first shipment of coal left the Hosmer eventually remaining to Canadian Pa house, power house and machine shops. Mine on December 19, 1908. cific were those coal sections at Hosmer. Two hundred and forty beehive coke The Hosmer Townsite Part of the agreement was a ten-year ovens were built under the supervision On the lower piece of heir Hosmer moratorium on coal mining by the Ca of Harry Oldland from Pennsylvania, property, Canadian Pacific built hous nadian Pacific, provision of rail service who also supervised the building of coke ing for mine workers. Yuill’s 1910 re at specified rates to Crow’s Nest Pass ovens at Fernie, Morrissey and I’.4ichel. port mentions a general mine office, a Coal for ten years following completion Originally Canadian Pacific had planned mess house, a large boarding house,

3 B.C. Historical News - Summer 1994 three officers’ residences, three fore company “house.” than of other years. There were Presby men’s houses, eighty-eight miners’ A third community, a collection of terian, Methodist, Anglican and Catho houses, a hospital and a church. The ramshackle houses, was established be lic churches, each with a ladies’ auxiliary. houses were in rows of similar construc tween the coke ovens and the CP Rail Societies included the Knights of Pythias, tion: all were painted and had nominal way line. This group of about Hosmer Football Club, Odd Fellows, servicing, “electric light and running twenty-five dwellings, not serviced with Sons of Scotland, the Ukrainian Society, water.” “Electricity” meant that a twenty- electricity or water, was known as Hosmer (Men’s) Club, Conservative As five-watt bulb hung by wires from the “Tony’s Camp” due to the mainly Italian sociation, the Hosmer Civilian Rifle Club, middle of the ceiling and burned con immigrants who built their own houses. Maple Leaf Lodge, Hosmer Firemen’s tinuously. “Running water” referred to Hosmer functioned as a busy commu Hockey Club, and a Board of Trade. a communal spigot in the street, one nity during the time that the mine was Dances were held in either the Opera for every six houses. Miners paid rent operating. Newspapers for 1910 give House or a hotel. Musical entertainment of either $7 or $12 per month for their researchers a better view of that year was sometimes performed by visiting “celebrities” hut more often was local talent presented at an organized, or an im 1 promptu, gathering. Early $r - ‘1 1/) silent movies were shown in Hosmer Opera House or occasionally in the Queen k ,‘ . “‘“ ;‘ Hotel. In the hotel, the film projector had to be set up 1:71 -cf’ outside and shone through /Af a window on to an interior It “‘L7 wall for viewing. The cost to see a movie in 1910 ranged from ten cents to I twenty-five cents. On August 1, 1908. a fire destroyed most of Fernie. Many Fernie residents were evacuated by train to Hosmer. Norma Fink, still a resident of Hosmer, remem bers travelling out to Hosmer on a lumber train with her mother. Her father did not leave Fernie till many hours later, after help ing to fight the fire in his lumberyard. The refugees were sheltered in the brand- new coke ovens. The fire spread to above Hosmer be fore it abated due to rain. The timbers at the mouth of the mine tunnels were 4qi - burned and had to be re placed before underground work could proceed. And the powder house was ig nited, detonating the dyna mite stored therein. The Life ofa Mine Worker Table 4.2 shows the Two coke ovens at Hosmet as seen in 198() by artist Sandy Ligbtfoot, show that time has moved the wages for various mine insulating dirtfrom atop the brick ovens and spread it across what was a level wharfor walkway. When positions through the years operationa4 a hopper car called a “Larry” ran on tracks above the ovens. The Larry was equipped to load both the east-facing and west-facing ovens standing back to back of the Hosmer Mine opera tion. It should be remem

B.C. Historical News - Summer 1994 4 bered that for outside workers, supplying Trail smelter with their this small wage was for a ten-hour coke requirements. The 1911 day. Underground workers spent strike further riled smelter person eight hours in the mine, to which nel as coke had to be brought in was added travel time to walk to from Pennsylvania at $10.55 per the upper mine levels. Sunday ton. In 1912 the power house was the only day off, but prob burned and, once operations ably was not much of a “day of were resumed, there was a short rest” with home chores to be age of railway cars allotted. Over done. Note the division of work burden began to bulge in the ers into white, Japanese, Chinese lower tunnels so expensive im and Indian categories, indicative provements, such as double of racist attitudes predominant at tracking to B-level amd replac that time. Another point of inter ing horses with air-pressured lo est is the 1911 increase in poten comotives, were done in 1913. By tial salaries for coal miners, which June 1914 Canadian Pacific an resulted from a lengthy strike that nounced permanent shutdown of year which severely decreased Hosmer Mine. Ironically, the Gen annual production. It was a mile- eral Superintendent for Natural long trudge up to the A-level, es Resources, Lewis Stockett, based pecially tough when heavy snow in Calgary, was sent to Hosmer had fallen. (It is conjectured that to direct the closure of the op a sturdy specimen be delegated eration where he had been man to break trail for a few cents re ager until 1911. Stockett gave ward at the end of the day.) Be instruction for the removal of fore going underground, each mine equipment and structures to miner had to collect a lamp from be shipped to Bankhead and the lamp house and obtain their other Canadian Pacific facilities. numbered brass tag which iden Most of the machinery eventually tified those in the mine at any went to the Stores Department, given time. The lamp and the tag Coke Oven No 5 West. The surveyors rod stands on the wharf while Irrigation got timber and landing against the front the oven. J had to he returned before a man of Below the ovens, some of the mine houses. By July foundations u’ere built offlat sandstone rocks proceed to a depth of could to the wash house. sixfeet. This provided the necessary supportfor the oven and 28, 1914, A- and B-level open Within the mine, the room and rail lines thatpassed over the tops ofthe ovens. Railway tracks ings had been securely fenced pillar system was used for extract adjacent to the wharfwere supplied with hopper cars which and outside tracks and pipes had ing coal. This was exhausting were band loaded by the operator who bad to rake the coke been taken to the tipple yard. from the oven onto a wharfand then load the physical car. Thefloor of labour associated with each oven sloped slightly to allow drainage ofthe water used Private property owners were dangerous dust which created for quenching thefire withim There was still enough heat to left with scant reason for exist respiratory problems as well as ignite the nextfilling ofcoal loaded through the trunnel atop ence. Miners drifted away, most potential explosions. Hosmer the oven. Dirt covered the brickwork to bold the beat belter able to find work in other col Vegetation gradually invaded as shown by the trees and vines Mine reported one fatality in 1909 around the mouth ofthis oven. lieries in the Crow’s Nest Pass. and 1912, with three in both 1913 Photo courtesy of the author. Those that stayed remember the and 1914. Gravestones tell us that time the electric light was cut off a number of residents died while in their after living expenses were deducted. permanently. In 1922 John S. early thirties. The 1908 fire, and others, reduced the D’Appolonia and Alex Morrisson of The assignment at the coke ovens was log supply for all area sawmills, includ Coleman bought many of the Hosmer perhaps even harder. Each man was as ing the one at Hosmer. The Hosmer houses, cut them in half, and shipped signed six ovens, of which three would colliery produced less than its expected them to Coleman where they were re be ready each shift. Five to six tons of quota of coal but a slightly larger per assembled, repaired and either sold or barely quenched coke had to be pulled centage of coke from the East Kootenay rented out. from each oven manually with a metal district. Michel, Morrissey and Coal Somehow a portion of Hosmer re long-handled rake weighing sixty Creek were run by the Crow’s Nest Pass tamed viability. Despite the closure of pounds (27 kg). Husky men, usually of Coal Company and Corbin Mine pro the Great Northern Railway spur, and Slavic origin, were hired for this job, duced near present-day Byron Creek the reduced use of the Canadian Pacific which went on seven days a week on Mine. The Hosmer coal seams were Railway line, passenger stops were made three shifts. The labourer received be nipped off unexpectedly, folded and at the tiny building which replaced the tween eighty cents and one dolLar per mixed with conglomerate more fre earlier station. The population warranted oven, giving a maximum of eighteen quently than predicted. Hosmer Mine keeping the school open but teachers dollars per week, leaving scant to spare had been havng difficulty in adequately did not stay very long. One teacher. at-

5 B.C. Historical News - Summer 1994 _____

tracted from by higher pay NUMBER EMPLOYED: 1.908 1909 1910 1911 1912 19t3 1914 U in British Columbia, stayed at Hosmer Above Above Above Above Above Above d Above only one term “because she could not Job Classification Supervision and find a boarding house that had a bath Clerical Assistance 8 7. 6 10 9 tO 11 9 14 it 14 12 15 14

— — tub.” There were enough residents to Whites — Miners 64 — 87 — 115 — 65 - 100 - 138 113 - - Miners’ Helpers 74 — 113 — 187 — 78 — 100 - t38 113 justify a local post office from to Laboarers 90 58 17 87 52 95 60 85 80 88 150 124 144 92 1906 Mechanics and 1948. (It is now on a rural route from Skilled Labour - 48 i 33 36 31 31 24 40 35 36 j 20 24 67 68 - - Boys 3 1 ‘ — 10 - 9 1 9 — 15 13 19

Japanese - Fernie post office.) Modern transporta - I - — Chinese , - 8 - - tion allows today’s Hosmer residents to Indians — — — - commute to work, and school buses take Total Euployed 239 361 256 145 394 145 239 143 329 150 460 173 452 185 children to district learning centres. MEAN DA1LA WAGE: 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 Much of the Hosmer Mine equipment, such as locomotives called “dinkies,” Job Classification Supervision! $5. 65*3 $6.. $10.3 $6. I $10.3 $0. $13.3. TIC. $13.3 $5. $9.. $6.. 89., went to other mines in the area. The Clerical 3.75 3.75’ 3.50 3.75 3.50 3.93 2.42 2.50 2.50

Whites — Miners $3,75. $3.50.3 83.50.3 87.3. $7.3. 87.3.30 $7-.3.30 drums from the A-incline hoist went to Miners’ Helpers 02.75.1 $2.50 $2.50 $2.75 82.75 $2.75 $2.75 2.50, Maple Leaf Mines on the Alberta side of Labourers $2.50 $2.25 $2.50 $2.75 $2.50 $2.75 $2.75 $3. $2.75 $3.. $3.30 $3.40 $3.03 $2.90 *2.25{ .2.25 2.47 2.47 .2,75 -2.47 .2.75 .2.47 the Pass. Some of the tipple steel went Mechanics! $4. $3.50 $3.68 $3.50 $3.68 $3.85 $3.85 $3.75 $3.85 $3.75 $4.25 $3.75 $4.25 Skilled i 2.75 -.2.75 .3 -.2.75 .3. .3. .3. .3, .3 .3. .2,90 .3. .2.90 to Michel. In 1938—40 all the remaining Boys $1.25 $1.25 ‘81.501 $1.80 $1.37 $1.37 $2.. $2. I .129 1.37 1.37 steel and iron (including corrugated Chinese $1.50 roofing) was removed for use in World Source: Reports of Minister of Mines, B.C. 1908—1914. War II. In 1948 a major flood of the Elk River washed out the Hosmer bridge. Table 4.2 Daily wagesfor Hosmer Mine workers, 1908—1914. The facing stones from many of the coke ovens were taken and used for rip-rap up a “before” and “after” coking se Fred Ligbfoot is one ofthefounders of to stabilize the river bank near the bridge quence. Hosmer will offer little known the Hosmer Heritage Society. In 1984 be site. In 1973—74, when Stevenson Road historical features in a lovely setting only was project manager for a federally was widened, 148 ovens were de one-half kilometre off a main highway! fundedfeasibiity study which had scant follow-up action until the fall of 1993 stroyed. The heritage restoration project when a crew of twenty-four worked as is concentrating on a series of thirty-six part ofan Elk Valley enhancementgrant ovens which are in quite good condi from theprovincialgovernmenL He built tion. The cement pillars which supported his family home across the roadfrom the overhead track for the “larry” the shell of the old tipple. The sketches dumpster are still sound. Some trunnel are done by his wife, Sandy. caps are in place eighty years after their last firing. It should be possible to mock- BIBUOGRAPHY

Brown, FT. Leslie. The Pass: Biography n/a District Renewed and a Than Long Gojie, unpublished manuscript, 1977. 275 pp.

TONS Lake. D.W. .4 Study o/’ Landscape Evolution in the Crows,wst Pass Region, 1898—1971, PhD dissertation, 225,000 — Graduate Faculty, Norman, Oklahoma, 1972. 184 pp.

200,000 — YuilI, H.FI. “Hosmer Mines Ltd., B.C.,” Journal ofthe COAL PRODUCTION Canadian Mining institute, 12th annual meeting, 1910.

175,000 — 230—252.

British Columbia Inspector of Mines. Letter l3ooks 150,000 — 1902—1914.

125 000 —

100,000 —

75,000 —

50 .000 —

... 25,000 - “ /‘COKE PRODUCTION ..— 0— I I I I 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 YEAR FIG. 4.1 1 VARIATION IN GROSS PRODUCTION OF COAL & COKE AT HOSMER MINE, 1908-1914

B.C. Historical News - Summer 1994 6 The Man Who Fell From Heaven by Phylis Bowman

Petroglyphs, or marks and signs in the tractive daughter for his bride.) He told this version, Wegets and his brother, who rocks along the rugged British Colum them he was going to travel up into the were born of unions between two mor bia coast, were made by Indians in past sky and then disappeared for several tal brothers’nd two spirit sisters, were years to denote boundaries or owner days. When he became hungry he re expelled in their human forms from the ship edges, or perhaps to tell a story, turned to the village and told them he spirit world. Descending toward the say the archeologists who have been had fallen from the sky and took them earth, Wegets’ brother decided to land studying them these past few years. to show them the spot in the rocks made in a soft bed of seaweed, where he soon Researchers claim that most petroglyphs by the impact of his body when he sank out of sight. Warned by his broth on the Northwest Coast are faces domi landed. A similar story tells of how he er’s fate, Wegets chose to land on the nated by eyes, often with one eye dif threw a lot of rocks into the water on a rock, ‘here he became firmly embed ferent from the other. ded. He managed to entice a land otter Among the dozens of to free him and travelled up the Skeena large and small and varied River, spreading the arts of mankind, and markings on the rocks various rocks upon which he walked or along the shores of the sat are commemorated by the Prince Rupert harbour and Tsimshians. Although “The Man” is com nearby Metlakatla Pass is pletely covered by water twice a day by one which has been repro the swirling ocean tides, it remains duced in the B.C. Museum clearly outlined under a large tree on a in Victoria and also in the solitary point in one of the small coves National Museum of Man in Metlakatla Pass, an unsolved conun in Ottawa. It’s called “The drum which will probably never he Man Who Fell From solved but a fascinating marker on the Heaven” for it is the out shores of the Pass and one which has line of a human figure on provided much interest and speculation the rocks on Roberson by those who have seen it or heard Point in the Pass, a six-foot- about it. long figure with a circular Another interesting petroglyph is one head, straight long arms found by an Anglican missionary- and rather short legs. And teacher, Canon W.F. Rushhrook, who it had been there as long discovered it lying on the shores of as anyone could remem Observatory Inlet, just north of Prince ber. It had evidently been The outline of “The Man Who Fell From Heaven” is clearly Rupert, in 1938, while on his travels up outlined on a rock on Roberson Point in Metlakatla carved with stone tools Pass near Prince Rupert. It is covered twice daily by ocean tides and down the coast on the mission ship long, long ago by someone and there are many tales of bow it got to be there. Northern C’ross. The missionary, who who wished to commemo served for many years in Port Essington rate an important event and there are summer day when all the men were and other little communities on the many versions told to explain its exist away fishing, and when the women and coast, described the boulder as a “to ence. children who had been left in the vil tem in stone” and thus practically inde One was related by Dominion arche lage came to see what the commotion structible, so it is of unique interest as it ologist Harlan Smith, who visited the site was about, he told them he had just is the only one of its kind “in captivity” in the mid-1920s arid said he was told landed from heaven. Which tale is true He had lived amongst the Tsimshians by a resident from Hazelton that the is up to the listener to believe, but, at and studied their ways and this is what carving marked the place where the any rate, the young fellow evidently he wrote about petroglyphs on June 22, body of a drowned man had been re impressed the chief with his tale and 1938: covered. A different story was told him ended up marrying the daughter with “When similar art in wood has per by the Tsimshians who claimed the fig her father’s wholehearted support. ished, this will remain a concrete evi ure was etched there by a Metlakatla A third story involves the mythologi dence historic, social and cultural, of the band member who wanted to impress cal tale of that mischievous culture hero aborigines of this district, More aborigi his fellows. (Some say it was a strong Raven, or Wegets as he was known to nal rock carvings are on cliffsides or young fellow who wanted to mostly im the Tsimshians. and concerns the origin bedrock so that the interested public press the hand chief and so win his at- of a line of village chiefs. Accorcling to sees only impressions or photographs

7 B.C. Historical News - Summer 1994 — this is indeed original. the west to be with her This stone formerly father when an attractive marked the south bound young woman and ary of the hunting and worked at the Prince fishing domain of the fam Rupert Public Library for ily of Nachklats (meaning several years. She often ‘partly furred cub bear just travelled on the Northern emerging from hiberna cross with her father, and tion’) and was a deed to it was he who married her the family of that domain and the young man who which stretch northward worked for a time on the from An-ga-ish (the place vessel. Fred Skinner, in where the boulder was June of 1938 in the little carved) to Nisha-Aks (In St. Peter’s Anglican dian River) on Observa Church in the east end of Beloved Anglican missionary, Rev. WF. Rusbbrook, pictured on the beach on tory Inlet. Observatory Inlet, north ofPrince Ruperl beside the huge petroglyph rock be Prince Rupert, where he “As a totem, it has the discovered there. He moved it on to tbe mission boat Northern Cross with the was in charge of the serv advantage over wooden help ofhis engineet; Albert Eyofson and it now sits infront of the Museum of ices after leaving his trav Northern RC in Prince Rupert. toterns in that it neither els on the mission boat. could be destroyed, He had built a little home burned nor carried away by maraudering of archeological students have taken for himself in 1912 in the woods high enemies. So the boulder which is to us rubbings of it to study and keep as me on a bluff overlooking the east end of

simply a curio with crude markings, is mentoes of Indian customs on this coast Prince Rupert harbour — and main to the native a family history stretching many years ago. Canon Rushbrook, who tained a well-kept lawn and vegetable back possibly many hundreds of years, had come to the north coast from On garden around it, and when dozens of laboriously chiseled through long hours tario where he had been ordained in little wartime houses were built in that of patient toil, possibly by many artists 1901, was stationed for a time at Port area to house construction workers dur and at widely separated times. On the Essington before coming to the new lit- ing the Second World War, that section upper lefthand corner is carved an ea tie port city of Prince Rupert to conduct of the east end of Prince Rupert was gle, Nachklat’s crest, thus we know that some of the first services there. And then named “Rushbrook Heights” in his hon the family was an important one. Crests from 1912 to 1929 he was skipper- our and the docks below it “Rushhrook are social emblems in local Indian life. teacher-missionary aboard the Anglican Floats.” The well-known and well-loved The fish (a halibut) and the beaver face, mission vessel, travelling to all the little canon died in 1951 and is buried in the etc. depicted on the stone indicate biways, conducting services, baptisms, Prince Rupert cemetery, leaving thou intercrestal marriage. You will note that marriages,funerals, and distributing lit sands of fond memories behind of the

the Eagle does not again recur — a tacit erature, and doing, oldtimers said, services and kindnesses he conducted evidence of the native social custom that “obliging acts for young and old, thus in his many years in his travels to bring members of the same crest, though of embodying the spirit of sacrifice for the help, love and joy to the pioneers and no blood relation, might not intermarry. good of others which is the meaning of settlers in isolated communities on the Any breach of this code was classed as the cross of Christ.” He conducted serv north coast of British Columbia. incest and punishable with death. The ices once a month at a stated time in spiral-like drawing denotes the origin about twenty different places, and be of the family as Gish-Ga-Aks (‘dwellers ing a practical gardener and poultryman, of fresh water’). Near this carving was was able to give expert advice to the found an ancient stone chisel and there settlers. He had a most congenial na is little doubt this was one of the tools ture, carrying sunshine where he went, with which the work was done. The with lonely pioneers greeting him af Nachklats family from whom this stone fectionately, their faces beaming with carving was purchased now lives in pleasure to see him again, children es

Kincolith — ‘The Place of the Skull’ — pecially being attracted to him as to a on the Nass River.” magnet. He visited lonely The unique stone was placed near the lighthousekeepers as well as scattered little fountain in Totem Park on Fraser settlers, bringing the Christian message Street in Prince Rupert for years, but then and news of the outside world. was moved to the front of the Museum His young wife died soon after the of Northern B.C. on First Avenue West birth of their little daughter, Dorothy, several years after the museum was con and it was with a sad heart he took the An entertainer emulates Gracie Fields at rela structed in 1958. Thousands of tourists child back to Ontario to live with BCHF Conference 1994 in Parksville. have stopped to admire it and dozens tives there. However, she returned to

B.C. Historical News - Summer 1994 8 Archeological Findings in the Prince Rupert Area by Phylis Bowman

The first surveyors and railroad work ancient China and Greece, Rome, Meso mountain goat, sea otter and seals, and ers who trod the shores of Prince America and Peru by millenia and not more than fifty species of birds, includ Rupert’s vast harbour and environs at merely centuries.” ing sea ducks, ravens, geese, loons, ea the turn of the century were certainly Prince Rupert’s harbour is about the gles and gulls. Nearly 5,000 tools and not the first humans to do so. Teams of geographical centre of 200 miles of other implements made from bone, archeologists from the National Museum shoreline between the Nass River to the stone, shell and wood were found, as of Man in Ottawa who have been carry north and Swindle Island to the south well as fishing and hunting weapons ing out extensive explorations on the — the traditional territory of the with bone and stone points, and har north coast since 1968 have uncovered Tsimshian-speaking people. Between poons. hundreds of artifacts and articles used 1966 and 1973, ten of the fifty sites in To make the reproduction at the mu by former residents, the Tsimshian In the immediate area of the harbour and seum look authentic, samples of each dians, long ago, with some of them dat Metlakatla Pass were excavated, with type of soil were sorted and keyed to ing back more than 5,000 years. Various archeologists finding more than 15,000 position in the excavation walls and then samples show that these people had artifacts, several hundred burials, fixed with polyvinyl acetate to suitably been short and stocky, with the aver 200,000 pieces of animal bone, and hun sculptured sheets of styrofoam and as age male adult being about five feet, dreds of samples of soil, shell and sembled to look like the continuous four inches tall, and the women about burned wood. They searched through profile of an excavation. More than three inches shorter. the “middens” which were the garbage twenty tons of shell and soil from the Life had not been easy for these in dumps of the villages which contained actual site were gathered by hand, habitants of the dense forests and rocky clam and mussel shells, barnacles, gravel packed into 200 wooden crates, and shorelines of the coast, for the remains and earth, besides household utensils loaded into boxcars to be shipped to found showed that arthritis had been a and tools, human remains and primi Ottawa. To complete the illusion of a common ailment amongst them, with tive tools, all enabling the archeologists real “dig,” botanists classified the types dental problems afflicting many, for they to piece together the complex jigsaw of trees and shrubs which grew on the had eaten coarse food composed mainly puzzles of life and how they existed in site, and samples of each were gathered of dried fish and shellfish, and had used the harsh lands so long ago. and preserved for exhibition. New tech their teeth often as tools: to hold bas In order to preserve one of those sites niques were developed to preserve the ketry fibres and to soften them with sa and to show what they were investigat living appearance of the vegetation and, liva, and to chew hides to make them ing, the researchers chose a site on the at the same time, meet the strict fire code more pliable. Parts of some skeletons shores of Dodge Cove on Digby Island regulations. The limbs of huge cedar found showed the kind of bodily stress to reproduce in the museum in Ottawa trees were preserved intact, but sheets caused by paddling canoes, for the In an idea of what it was like to search of cedar bark were removed from the dians used this method to get from is through these former garbage disposal trunks and mounted on fibreglass cores land to island, to the fishing grounds, sites. The chosen site, 600 feet along at the museum. and up and down the coast and rivers. the shoreline and 200 feet inland, was Moss, rotten wood, and hemlock, The death amongst infants and small named “The Boardwalk” as it was along spruce and fir needles, all part of the children was high, it was found, with side the shoreline beside the long gov forest floor, were gathered, sorted and childbearing difficulties no doubt short ernment wharf which stretched out into fumigated before being taken east, to ening the lifespan of women, with most the cove. It had been one of the main make the illusion of being in an actual of them dying in their early thirties. The winter villages of the Tsimshian Indi midden complete, especially since a tape men outlived them by several years, but ans. is played while the visitors gaze at the few people lived much past their fifties. Digging to a depth of twenty feet, the reproduction — a tape of seagulls cry Researchers say the sites on the north workers meticulously sifted through half ing in the winds and the tidal waves coast of British Columbia were “among a million cubic feet of debris and found dashing onto the rocky shores. Listen the oldest human habitation in the New many treasures, such as a wide variety ing to that tape it is easy to imagine the World, with their 5,000-year history ante of food remains, including shellfish, par rustling of the trees above and the blue- dating the great dynasties of ancient ticularly butter clams, little neck clams green of the northern waters on the vast China and the blossoming of civiliza and mussels, bones from salmon, hali length of beaches and rocky ledges tion in Egypt, Babylon, India, Persia, of but, deer, wolf, porcupines, beaver, bear, dashing against the shores in the rise

9 B.C. Historical News - Summer 1994 and fall of the tides and winds. supply of salmon to carry them through eventually destroyed by heavy machin The “Boardwalk” was not the only the year. They dwelt in such houses for ery preparing the site for tanks, and ar valuable find of the archeologists for in about six months out of the year and it cheologists were disappointed to find 1971 a team working on the mainland was then that the main ceremonies were their work cut short and the site ruined. just to the east of the Indian village of held and social life enjoyed. The artifacts, including wooden wedges Merlakatla found a site measuring 600 Another valuable midden found on for splitting wood, digging sticks for feet long and 250 feet wide, covering the western shores of Digby Island clams or root crops. hasketry, fragments an area of about three acres. Part of the showed thirty-four house depressions. of arrows, spear handles made of wood area had been cleared for potato farms proving that from 300 to 500 people — and even a wooden howl — were by the natives long ago, but the rest was could have lived on that site years ago. immediately immersed in water after untouched. Most of the sites on Digby Island have being uncovered to prevent decompo Described as one of their richest finds remained untouched over the years, but sition. All of the artifacts were catego in their years of research in the Rupert a very valuable midden on the north rized to Ottawa for final analysis. And area, crews found a large cedar plank western shores of Kaien Island has been there they are on display, interesting and house once used by the Tsimshians, thus obliterated by construction crews. Situ fascinating proof that many Indians lived opening up new fields of facts and ated by the railroad’s Mile 93 milepost, in this area many years ago. knowledge for the archeologists. The 1.6 miles east of the Prince Rupert Via Those Indians who lived on the rug roof of the house had long since caved Rail station, this midden showed the site ged west coast then lived off the land in, but a couple of the beams which had been a large Indian village, and and devised many tools and methods had supported it were still in fine enough searchers discovered there were bone to garner their food from the sea and condition to yield important clues to life points which might have been used as the land. They had adapted well to liv and housing in that area in the latter fishooks or harpoons, a small stone adze ing beside the ocean, just as they un part of last century. The site, on the blade for woodworking, a small scraper derstood the rough terrain of the shores of Venn Passage, became known probably used for scraping hides, and beaches and shores and forests, and they as “Knu Site” and could have been lived several large chopping tools used for made their tools and artifacts to cope in as late as 1830. rough woodworking. with nature and the fish and animals. The archeologists surmised the house Archeologists started work on this site They knew and understood the ebb and to be dated somehere between 1780 in 1973 when it was found that artifacts flow of the tides and currents, and the and 1850 as it was in the style of the were being uncovered when the area changing winds which could gently waft Tsimshian and Nishga dwellings as de was being excavated for the construc like a summer breeze or quickly change scribed by the famed explorer, Franz tion of port development at Fairview to a violent storm which could lash huge Boas, in 1896. Eight large posts, rang Terminal, just west of the Prince Rupert waves to a boiling point. These quirks ing from twenty-four to thirty inches in Fishermen’s Co-operative Association’s of nature the archeologists knew too, diameter, marked an area of occupation plant. There, the searchers discovered and it is these which they have imitated roughly forty-five feet square, with about remnants which showed there had once in their display of the tools used and 1,800 feet of living space. The construc been a large Tsimshian village well over the life lived on the rugged west coast tion of the house was very interesting 2,000 years ago, and major artifacts years ago to try to give the present gen in that it was a little different from the found included some waterlogged hark eration, with all their comforts and mod ordinary type used by the people at that basketry and hard pieces of preserved ern conveniences, a glimpse of the work time. There were absolutely no wood as well as remains of houses and and hardships which the Tsimshians fastenings of any kind found, such as house posts. One section was of spe endured to eke out a living in the areas nails or spikes, and the planks measur cial value to the researchers for a stream of Digby and Kaien Islands long before ing about six by eighteen inches were bed had penetrated the soil and it was the explorers and missionaries arrived laid on top of one another. Before this in this entirely water-saturated ground to radically change their lives find, archeologists had only photographs that such items as wood tools and bas forevermore. on which to base their research so com ketry were found in excellent condition. ing upon this site was a real find. The crews used the utmost caution in ********** The house was unique in that it had a uncovering these artifacts, using high- Port Edu’ard author Phylis Bowman has plank floor — a sure sign that it had pressure hoses to wash them from the written extensively of interesting and belonged to a high-ranking chief, or was sides of the dig, afraid to use metal trow historical events in the north coast area a house of ceremony. It had been a els due to the organic artifacts being so and became most interested infacets Qf house of about forty people — they and fragile. Indian l[e and lore when interviewing their belongings stayed on the outside The North Coast Tribal Council re arcbeologistsfrom the Museum ofMan edge of a twenty-five-foot square de quested the Department of National in Ottawa who came to searchfor and pression in the centre which was used Defence to consider extending the time study relics and tools and weapons for cooking and working. The main sea for port expansion when plans were found on Prince Rupert harbour beaches. son of activity for the people then was being made there in June of 1987 to in the winter time when they returned expand the terminal to install and store from the Skeena and Nass Rivers with a hunkering fuel ranks, but the site was

B.C. Historical News - Summer 1994 10 The Greening of Glenmore by Wayne Wilson

Study of the settlement process is that time. The land turned from brown most part, that supply was insured by aided significantly by the use of historic to green, a new road network was set the construction of dams at the outlets photographs. Panorama views provide in place. and manicured blocks of fruit of upland lakes in the hills that flank a benchmark for landscape change; trees replaced open grazing range. The the main valley. The Postill Lake Darn portraits help humanize the past; snap change was dramatic, rapid and com is typical of early dam construction. Log- shots of special events, workplaces and plete. crib, rock filled and earth and clay cov streetscapes add context to “place.” A The catalyst in this change was water. ered, it withstood years of wave action. series of views taken over the years re and the Irrigation Company, In this case, at twenty-eight feet high, veals the scale, pace and direction of with its parent, the Central Okanagan the dam held back 2,408 acre-feet of change. In the Glenmore Valley, Lands Ltd., recorded every inch of its water for use in the heat of summer.3 Kelowna, the landscape changes irrigation system on film. A set of more From this point water was released brought about by the settlement proc than one hundred photographs captured into Mill Creek, where it flowed until ess are given particular focus by a the construction of the main storage darn reaching the headgate. Built like a small unique set of photographs that record at Postill Lake to the orchard lots on the control dam, the headgate took water the very genesis of an orcharding land valley floor and everything in between. into the irrigation system at the neces scape that has become synonymous with Although details differ from system to sary elevation to service benchiand and the Okanagan region.’ system, this photo collection provides a valley bottom lands. Generally, the wa Between 1904 and 1914 the entire model for understanding the circum ter moved by gravity at a grade of one Okanagan spatial economy shifted from stances surrounding the start of foot per thousand feet. extensive to intensive agriculture as Okanagan irrigated horliculture in this Once in the system, a complex and orcharding replaced cattle ranching and case, the Greening of Glenmore. expensive network of canals, flumes, grain growing.2 In the Glenmore Valley Okanagan orcharding requires a siphons and ditches carried water to the that shift took place in less than half ready, reliable supply of water. For the orchards. The more efficient canals and

Prior to irrigation development the Glenmore Valley was known locally as Dry Valley or Starvation Flats. It is not dfficult to see why. Kelowna Museum photo No. 1 O,380A

With a regular and ready supply ofwater, Glenmore Valley took on a civilized, deciduous green hue. Kelowna Museum photo No. 10,380

11 B.C. Historical News - Summer 1994 Downstream side ofPostillLake Dam. This is one oftbe clearest Two- and four-horse teams pulled band graders called photos oflog-crib, rock-fill construction “fresnos.” Kelowna Museum photo No. 10,347 Kelowna Museum photo No. 10,289

Building concrete-lined irrigation canals for the Glenmore British Columbia’s rugged terrain made construction of Valley. Note the cast outforms on the right. irrigation works dfflcuU and expensive. In the Glenmore Valley Kelowna Museum photo No. 10,301 this elevatedflume was typical ofthose works. Kelowna Museum photo No. 10,271

Irrigation’s visible hardware. This 32-inch siphon took water These “laterals” ran dtwn the east and west sides ofthe valley. across the Ellison Valley to Glenmore. Once in place, the area’s transformation could take place. Kelowna Museum photo No. 10,323 Kelowna Museum photo No. 10,270

B.C. Historical News - Summer 1994 12 ditches were concrete lined. Using port able wooden forms, crews laid out a section of canal and poured the con crete. While it set they prepared the next section to the proper grade, depth and width. Horse-drawn graders, called “fresnos,” were used to remove large amounts of earth and gravel. Where terrain or cost would not al low the construction of canals, elevated flumes crossed gulleys and rocky out -4 crops. By and large, these were a sys —. MAr LENMflEelLLtiLLEYS tem’s weak point. Support structures could be easily washed out and, because Cl5TfilSIUtl 5Y5TE14 KELDW IIIUIIATIDNCDLTfl they were made of wood, the wetting and drying cycle they faced rotted them quickly. Siphons were used extensively in the Okanagan. In the case of Glenmore, a thirty-two-inch steel siphon crossed the Ellison Valley to take water to a large regulating reservoir. From this point, canals ran along either side of Glenmoré Valley. The new supply of water changed the landscape and the picture of Glenmore Valley looked wonderfully prosperous at this time (1912). Unseen in the pho tographer’s record, however, the Kelowna Irrigation Company had laid a poor foundation. Between 1910 and 1915 the company spent more than $500,000 to build the irrigation works. largely invisible. Flumes, siphons and FOOTNOTES Unortunately, it had built poorly. canals have been replaced with buried By 1916 the provincial government 1. There are now two known sets of these pressurized pipe — all that is seen to photographs, the most complete of which is held had recognized the problems and hired day is the sprinkler. In the Glenmore by the Glenmore-Ellison Irrigation District. The A.R. Mackenzie, a Vancouver engineer, Kelowna Museum holds the other set and has Valley, however, the transition can be made four-by-five-inch copy negatives of each. to survey the system. His report called better understood because this photo for more than $325,000 of repairs to be 2. For more detail on the historical geography of series records, in detail, one important Okanagan irrigation see K.W. Wilson, Irrzgati,zg carried out over the ensuing seven years. starting point of Okanagan landscape The Okanagatv 186O-192 unpublished MA Included was the relining of more than change. thesis, UBC. 1989. 5ee also D. Dendy, One Huge two miles of canals and scraping Orcharth Okanagan Land Develop men! and Companies Before The Great Wa unpublished BA repainting the main siphon. Honours Graduating Essay, UBC. 1976. These problems clearly threatened Wayne Wilson is anAssistant Curator at 3. AR. Mackenzie. Report on the Phjsical and Glenmore growers and they quickly Financial condition of the Irnation Projects of the the Kelowna Museum and works largely applied to the government to take over Province. Part I, p. 36. This detailed report at its satellitefadiity, the British Colum the failing privately owned and oper supplies the remainder of the statistical bia Orchard Industry Museum. Wayne information quoted here. ated water company. In 1920 a public is also a professor of geography at body, the Glenmore Improvement Dis Okanagan University College. He holds trict, purchased the water system from an MA in Historical Geography (UBC), the Kelowna Irrigation Company and having written his thesis on Okanagan embarked on a new approach to water irrigation; 1860—1920. management in the Okanagan Valley. Water, during this era, changed its sta tus from a private resource to a public good, and Okanagan orchardists were at the forefront of the new management strategy. Today the valley’s irrigation works are

13 B.C. Historical News - Summer 1994 Fort Steele’s Presbyterian Church by Lee Chernoff

Fired by the rumours of rich and boun Presbytery of Calgary.1 Reverend John Glass Duncan did ar tiful strikes in the Kootenay region, and This new presbytery would reach far rive in early January of 1898 via the stage stricken by “gold fever,” the 1860s saw into the , of which Fort Steele from Kamloops Presbytery in the north. hundreds of fortune seekers pour into a (previously Galbraith’s Ferry) was rap He was a Scot, born and raised in Glas region otherwise uninhabited, save by idly becoming the capital. gow, who entered the ministry and was the Native Canadian. The next two dec A few years later, in the summers of ordained in 1882. ades continued to witness this trickle of 1893 and 1894, a Presbyterian mission Upon his arrival Reverend Duncan prospectors and their families into the ary by the name of Reverend A.D. immediately set about his business and area — a trickle which increasingly gave McKinnon was stationed in a field ex relocated the congregation from the way to a flood as the years passed by. tending from Fort Steele to Golden. His school house to the Opera House. With The Kootenay region by the late 1880s mandate consisted of three separate his prime objective being the founding was well on its way to becoming a set charges: Fort Steele, Galena and Wind and construction of a building, follow tled region, and this especially so when ermere. Reverend McKinnon’s most ing the first service on January 23, a the main line of the Canadian Pacific pressing concern was to set up an edu meeting was held to that effect. Accord Railway was completed in 1885. With cational facility, and this he forthrightly ing to the session notes of the day, it the population steadily rising in this did at both Windermere and Fort Steele. was decided that the congregation “new land of opportunity,” the Presby For lack of a building, in these early should have a Sabbath school as well terian Church in Canada saw the land years, the Presbyterian congregation in as “a choir, and that Mrs. Frizzell be as one of increasing opportunity as well. Fort Steele met to worship within the leader.” Mr. Henry Kershaw, of H. The first men who had journeyed into one-room school house which the com Kershaw and Son General Store, was the region came seeking gold; these men munity had erected in 1894. The other “delegated to look after (the) collection who followed would come seeking a Christian denominations, the Roman plate and reading desk.” Dr. Hugh Watt, much more precious commodity — the Catholics and the Anglicans, met and the physician at Fort Steele, was ap souls of men. shared the building as well — each de pointed as treasurer.3 The year was 1887 and the nomination being designated a specific The meeting accomplished a great General Assembly of the time during the day to hold their respec deal, not only in terms of settling cer Canada Presbyterian Church tive services. Such practice continued for tain specific matters just mentioned; it was meeting in the City of Win the next four years, with various Pres also set in motion the plans for con nipeg, its concern focused on byterian missionaries being assigned struction, and with them, the mindset the expansion of Home Mission each summer and departing in autumn.2 of the people who would be called upon work on the western prairies As Fort Steele continued to grow, the to sacrifice and apply themselves to the and in the mining camps of the Presbyterian folk resident there also in arduous task. British Columbia mountains. creased. Soon the demand grew so great A short three weeks later another

Rev. James Robertson ... Super that a lonely missionary was stretched meeting was called to elect trustees to intendent of Missions for the beyond his ability. Something had to be receive the deed of property. The

North-West ... rose to address done. The Presbyterians in Fort Steele Prospector(Febmary 18, 1898) records: his fellow policy-makers. Con waited anxiously for the decision of the At the close of the Presbyterian sumed with a passion to spread Church government. service held in the Opera House Christian teachings across the Finally, word came and was published last Sunday evening a congre land and to claim new fields for in the local newspaper, The Prospector gational meeting took place for the Presbyterian cause, he in which reported: the purpose of electing four of spired his listeners as in his An ordained missionary of the their number to the position of Scottish burr he told of human Presbyterian Church is to be trustees for the new building to ity sweeping over the country sent here this fall, in view of be erected as a place of wor in the wake of the newly built which the local members of the ship. The ReverendJ.G. Duncan

railroad: ‘These tides of immi denomination are contemplat chairman ... explained gration will not wait for us,’ he ing the erection of a church briefly the purpose of the meet said. ‘If we lose these people building. ing. The election of trustees was now we shall have a wild and Excitedly, the congregation looked then proceeded with, and the godless West.’ His plea met a and prepared for the arrival of their first following gentlemen were ap response and the Assembly full-time minister, expected to arrive in pointed: Messrs. Henry moved to form a great new the new year. Kershaw, Malcolm Mclnnes,

B.C. Historical News - Summer 1994 14 Robert Duncan Mather, and ber agreed to pay twenty-five cents per On May 7, 1898, The Prospectormade Hugh Watt, M.D.4 month, while “Mrs. Mather and Mrs. an announcement concerning the said At the meeting the question arose as Mclnnes were appointed to collect sub organ: to how the building would be financed scriptions which had been promised The new organ (Bell, Cathedral and what means the congregation would towards minister’s salary and church model) for the service of the adopt to secure the funds. The Prospec expenses.”8 Presbyterian Church is now tor continued: With actual construction still a ways shipped and may be expected the congregation agreed to off, the Presbyterian congregation con shortly at Steele. It comes from form a Ladies’ Aid Society to tinued to meet in the Opera House, Guelph, Ontario, via Jennings. take up the work of collecting worshipping each Sabbath evening at It ought to be a first-class or subscriptions and help forward 7:30. Sabbath School and Bible Class gan, as its real cost is $300.12 any scheme having for its ob were held there also, at 3:00 in the af Amidst the busy-ness of organizing the ject the furtherance of the Pres ternoon. members and overseeing the develop byterian Church.5 The accumulation of the funds was ment of the construction plans, Rever The week was full of proposals, rec slow but steady throughout the spring end Duncan also tended to his regular ommendations and finally a decision months, with regular soirees and church pastoral duties of teaching and preach was made on the 16th of February re socials being held by the ladies. It will ing, as well as conducting both wed garding the petition for a loan from the do well to give an account of one such dings and funerals. An account of the Church and Manse Building Fund of the soirée, as recorded in The Prospector; latter is preserved for us in the May 28 Presbyterian Church of Canada for Mani which was held in the Opera House on publication of The Prospector The highly toba and the North West. Estimating the the 15th of March: esteemed lady who has passed suddenly cost of the building to be $800, it was There was a large attendance, away is Mrs. Hirtz, wife of Mr. Richard decided that half of that sum be re as all seats were occupied. The Hirtz of the Fort Steele Mercantile Com quested: “$150.00 in grant and $250.00 ReverendJ.G. Duncan acted as pany. Reverend Duncan made the fol loan ... to be repaid in three annual in chairman and introduced the lowing remarks: stalments — $50.00 first year, $100.00 singers, speakers and reciters to We have all been startled and (next two), the congregation being ex the meeting. Though the pro saddened by the sudden death $400.006 pected to raise the other The gramme was a long one it was of Mrs. Hirtz ... We remember petition was a success. gone through with wonderful her geniality, her earnestness, The trustees were not alone in their celerity, as all the performers her vigor of mind, her love of planning and implementing that week; were thoroughly conversant home, and her faith in God. She the infant Ladies’ Aid Society went right with the parts they had taken has gone from this earthly scene to work as well. The Prospector reports in hand ... Where all did so well to be ‘forever with the Lord’ on a successful pie social held on Mon it would be insidious to special Her death ... ought to deeply day evening, the 14th, at Dalgardno Hall. ize ... It was the general opin solemnise our minds and hearts. There was a large attendance. ion that this soiree excelled any Again and again we are taught The social took the form of a that had ever been held in Fort that life is uncertain, and death conversazione, and all felt quite Steele, and the talent displayed is universal, irresistible, and in happy in the entertainment af by the various performers was exorable. We are called upon

forded. The arrangements of the quite a revelation ... the meet to live the life God desires us

dining hail were all that could ing broke up with the singing to live — the life of faith in the be desired, and every variety of of ‘God Save the Queen.’9 Son of God. We are warned by pie was ready to suit the tastes The newspaper the following week the teachings of His Word, by of all.7 reports the funds raised as being $72.25, His Spirit, by the dispensation The Ladies’ Aid Society, indeed, and writes: “The proceeds of the pie- of His Providence, by prevalent proved to be the pillar of strength social of a former date are also with the sickness, and by the sudden throughout the planning as well as the same bank, the Exchange and Safe De ness and frequency of death, to construction phases of the building, rais posit.”0 flee from the wrath to come, to ing both funds and spirits when both Such was the work of the Presbyte lay hold of eternal life, to seek dropped dreadfully low. They were a rian Ladies’ Aid Society at Fort Steele, the Kingdom of God and His determined group of women devoted which continued on through the spring. righteousness, to believe with to the vision of seeing the building of At one of their regular meetings it was the heart unto righteousness in the first Presbyterian church in South intimated to the society “that a gener Him who is the Son of God and East Kootenay realized. The initial of ous offer of an organ for the service the Savior of Mankind. fice-bearers of the society were: presi had been made. The Society heartily He concludes his sermon with these dent, Mrs. Mather; vice-president, Mrs. accepted the offer, thanked the donor words: Goodnow; secretary-treasurer, Mrs. for his generous act, and ordered the May we be ready when the Mclnnes, assisted by Mrs. Underhill. thanks of the Society to be engrossed in Master cometh. May these According to The Prospector; each mem the minutes)’ words of the Divine Master ring

15 B.C. Historical News - Summer 1994 in our hearts: ‘Be ye also ready, Once begun, construction progressed solved, it wasn’t until well after the turn for in such an hour as ye think rapidly, and fund raising continued. By of the century that it was finally put not, the Son of Man corneth.”3 September the building, though still behind them. On January 14, 1900, the As was mentioned above, Reverend unfinished, was functional. On Septem church session notes record that a sec Duncan not only conducted funerals, but ber 4, 1898, the people congregated to ond loan be applied for in the amount weddings as well, as this news clipping hear their first sermon preached from of $400 “in aid of defraying the cost of reports: within their new building, situated on building the church.”2° The Rev. Mr. Duncan informs Selkirk Avenue, by the secretary of Brit On a larger scale, as a result of the The Prospector that he has now ish Columbia North West Missions, Rev railway passing by the Fort, the post- tied the marriage knot eight erend Charles W. Gordon. 1898 years witnessed a slow but steady times in the Fort Steele District. The end was in sight. In October an decline both in the economy and popu He notes that there were 7 acetylene gas apparatus was installed, lation at Fort Steele. For most of the years bachelors, 1 widower, 4 spin being the new illuminant of 1898. “The between 1898 and 1925, Fort Steele re

sters and 4 widows. There ap gas was tested ... with a small quantity mained a student mission field. One pears to be a neck-and-neck of carbide and burned an hour and a such student, C.L. Cowan, visited Steele race between the widows and half. It gave great satisfaction.” The Pros in 1908 and his account is as follows: the spinsters.’4 pector goes on to state that “this gas During his weeks work the min

And so Reverend Duncan saw both promises to come well to the front in ister would go by ... mule to the spiritual needs as well as the on this age of progress.16 drawn stage to the almost de going and pressing concern of organiz By December the building was com serted town of Fort Steele. A ing the congregation for the future pleted, in time for a Sabbath School scant 200 people now lived construction of the building. Christmas Social. there. Many buildings stood With the $250 grant received from the The church was beautifully empty, cows and horses Church Building Board, Winnipeg, and decorated for the occasion, and roamed the streets, but the few through much effort on the part of the a magnificent Christmas tree inhabitants look forward ea congregation, who had managed to raise was loaded with valuable gifts gerly to worship in the neat lit

$480, on July 16, 1898, tenders were for the children ... After a short tle frame church on the bench called for construction by Treasurer interval, tea and cake were above the Kootenay River.2 Hugh Watt. Now that the preparation served, and then came the chief As time passed even the few dwin and planning phase had passed, there attraction of the evening the dled, and for all purposes the church was both a sense of achievement as well arrival of Santa Claus who ap became inoperative.22 It remained this as a re-mustering of their strength and peared in appropriate costume way until, in the mid-1930s, it was reo

resolve as they looked to the actual erec as the ‘children’s friend’ ... All pened as a United Church for a short tion of the building. That same week, the children were highly de time, through the efforts of Mr. and Mrs. on July 28, the congregation gathered lighted whilst the older people G.C. Cobb. 23 During this reopening, ses on the two lots which had been donated were much amused.17 sion minutes were again recorded which by Mr. R.L.T. Gaibraith, for the purpose Such was the celebration in the newly state that some maintenance was done of laying the foundation of the build finished building. Proudly opened to the to the building. A fence was to be ing. It was a ceremony of deep reflec public for viewing, The Prospector erected surrounding the church and Mr. tion and undoubtably many a mind praises the finished work and describes George Barr was appointed to take wandered back to the days of Reverend the interior in one of its articles: charge of the construction.24 That same McKinnon when a building of their own The wainscotting is of year, 1934, Mr. Voisey was to “paint the

was but a far distant dream. Here now tamarac (dark) and white pine church for the sum of $95.00 ... there

they stood after countless soirees, so set alternately, and the carved was to be two coats ... same color as cials and much prayer. Reverend pulpit and well made seats en the English Church in Cranbrook.”25 As Duncan began to speak: hance the neatness of the was earlier mentioned, the reopening We are here gathered together church. The windows show su was but for a short time and again the

in the presence of God for the perior design ... As the church building stood vacant, only infrequently purpose of laying the first Pres is now lighted with the new il visited by various church groups. Finally, byterian church in South East luminant there is much to be in 1961, Fort Steele was declared to be

Kootenay ... Let our aim and thankful for ... quite an attrac an historic park, and buildings of the endeavour be: the conversion tive appearance.’8 1890 to 1905 era were moved and re of sinners and the edification The Prospector adds: stored for public viewing. The historic of believers. Let us pray that the Of course there is a consider church of John Glass Duncan, the La Lord will bless this enterprise able amount to be paid off, but dies’ Aid Society and the Fort Steele Pres begun today so auspiciously for this debt is not expected to be byterians was one of such buildings ‘Paul may plant, and Apollos hung up too long.’9 salvaged and incorporated into the park. water, but the Lord alone giveth Although, optimistically, The Prospec The church stands to this day, on its the increase.’13 tor predicted the debt soon to be re relocated site at the corner of Rocky

B.C. Historical News - Summer 1994 16 Mountain Avenue and St. Mary’s Street, 9. The Prospector, Mar. 19, 1898. 10. The l’rospecton Mar. 26. 1898. restored and functional. Throughout the summer months its doors open each 11. The Prospector. Apr. 16, 1898. CORRECTIONS Sabbath for worship services. In his ser 12. The Prospector. May 7, 1898. mon on the clay the congregation gath PROFFERED ered to lay the first foundation post, 13. The Prospector; May 28. 1898. Branwen Patenaude of Quesnel presents the Reverend Duncan’s hope was that the 14. The Fernie Free Press, May 6, 1899. following information found during her own church 15. The Prospector, July 30, 1898. research on Cariboo history. These items apply [would] he an ornament to the to “Lord of Williams Lake,” B.C. Historical News, town, and that within its walls 16. The Prospector; Dec. 3. 1898. pp. 26—27, Vol. 27:2. they who fear the Lord will 17. The Prospector, Dec. 31, 1698. 1. To begin with, William Pinchbeck did not set meet and take counsel of God.26 foot in the Cariboo until 1860 when he 18. The Prospector; Dec. 17, 1898. Indeed, the Presbyterian Church to this arrived in July of that year as Constable to day remains “an ornament to the town” 19. Ibid. Gold Commissioner Philip H. Nind. (Ref: and an invaluable connection to the rich Philip H. Nind, letter of July 23, 1860. 20. Fort Steele Presbyterian Church: Session Notes. GR1372. F1255. BCARS) heritage of South East Kootenay. Entry Jan. 14. 1900. 2. It was not until 1875, following the death of 21. Turnbull, Elsie G. Church in the kooteiiaj’s— The Thomas Menefee, successor to Davidson’s Story oft/ic tin ited Church of Costar/a in Kootenat’ ranch, that Pinchbeck acquired the “Upper l’resht’tere Thtil Times Ltd.. 1965. p. 32. The author researched and wrote this Ranch” at Williams Lake. (Ref: Papers during the summer of 1992. He is a stu 22. As the church dwindled, regular congregational attached to Crown Grant #2923/16. B.C. dent who portrayed the Presbyterian and session tneetings were also discontinued. As a Lands, Legal Surveys Branch, Victoria, B.C.) minister at Fort Steele during the tour result there are no session records between the years 19ll32. ist seasons of 1992—93. This manuscript 3. William Pinchbeck, due to his having been a Constable at Williams Lake in 1860, did is courtesy of the Cranbrook Presbyte 23. ‘t’urnbull. Elsie Id. Chinch in the Kootenats— The Story v/the United Church v/canada in Kootenat’ command some authority in the local district rian Church and Fort Steele Heritage but was not, to my knowledge, ever Prest’htert’. Trail Times Ltd., 1965, p. 46. Town. appointed a Justice of the Peace. 21. Fort Steele Presbyterian Church: Session Notes: FOOTNOTES Entry July ‘i. 1934. 4. It was in 1884 that Pinchbeck journeyed to England where he married Alice Killam. (Ref: Turnbrill. Elsie G. Church in the Kootenays— 25. Fort Steele Presbyterian Church: Session Notes, 1. The ColonisI Sept. 30, 1884, p. 3) Stori n/the united Church u/Canada in Kooteitaj’ Entry Sept. 11. 193’i. Preshyteri’, Trail ‘l’iittes Ltd.. 1065, p. 8. 26. The l’rospector; July 30. 1898. 5. When Pinchbeck returned to the Cariboo in 2. For a list of Fort Steele’s Presbyterian missionaries the fall of 1884 he brought with him his sister and ministet’s refer to Appendix 11. (Available from SOURCES Annie Anders and her husband William, who the Editor on request.) worked for Pinchbeck at the “Upper’ l”ernie Free Press roadhouse. (Ref: Colonist, Oct. 14, 1884, 3. Fort Steele Presbyterian Church: Session Notes, Entry p.3) Jan. 23. 1898. Fort Steele Pre:.byterian Church: Session Notes Helen “Emma” Pinchbeck 4. The Prospector; Feb. 19, 1898. 6. was not a hhrt Steele Prospector daughter but a niece of William Pinchbeck, 5. Ibid. Turnhull, Elsie G. Church in the Kootenays— The Story who arrived in the Cariboo with the wedding u/the (‘nited chit rch 0,/Canada in Kootenay party of 1884. (Ret: Ibid) 6. Fort Steele Presbyterian Church: Session Notes, Entry I’reshytery, Trail ‘limes Ltd.. 1965. Feb. 16, 1898. 7. When Pinchbeck and Lyne dissolved their Ltnited Church of Canada: Archives, Vancouver, B.C. partnership in 1888, William Lyne and his 7. The Prospector. Feb. 19, 189$. American wife left Williams Lake to settle in White, Derryll. Fort Steele: Here History Lir’es. Heritage Ashcroft, where Lyne purchased an interest 8. The Prospector. Feb. 26. 1898. House Publishing Company Ltd., 1988. in the Ashcroft Hotel and became the proprietor in 1894. (Ret: Ashcroft Journal, Nov. 13, 1974. History of the Ashcroft Hotel) Writing competition Chair It was William Lyne, Jr. who settled at Deep Pamela Mar honors Robert Creek in 1889. Swansonfor his latest book Whistle Punks & Widow 8. Following her husband’s death in 1893, Alice Makers Pinchbeck did not “sell off the assets” This Conference 1994 photo because there weren’t any. Pinchbeck had courtesy of George Thomson. been carrying a large debt for a number of years, owed to the Gang Ranch, who immediately foreclosed on Pinchbeck’s property and belongings. Alice Pinchbeck left

Williams Lake soon after — with nothing. (Ref: B.C. Land & Investment Agency Ltd., Series 1 .D.—1 03. p. 105, Victoria City Archives, Victoria, B.C.)

17 B.C. Historical News - Summer 1994 USA _

The Hagwilget and Walcott Suspension Bridge by Dirk Septer

Around 1930 the residents of Walcott, would best serve the area, so the steel decking cost required for a wider bridge. a tiny community between Telkwa and was narrowed down to make this pos One of the reasons the bridge at Houston, depended on a cable ferry to sible. The steel was narrowed down to Hagwilget had been condemned was the cross the Bulkley River. In 1930 Walcott a new four-foot (1.2 m) wide footbridge ends of the heavy cables had deterio was a flagstation on the Canadian Na with a step approach. Construction of rated. Now, since the rebuilt bridge at tional Railway, with a population of the bridge started on March 10. Twelve Walcott would have a much shorter thirty. The Walcott railway station and weeks later, on May 31, 1932, the bridge span, it was argued that the cables could the post office were on the west side of was opened for traffic. be cut off to a point of perfect safety. the river, while other houses and farms Though the Walcott residents had Despite endeavours by Sam Cocker, were on the other side. In Conservative candidate, May 1931 the children re Bob Reid, general foreman, siding on the west side of and others in the Omineca USA, the river were unable to at c\’ constituency, Walcott had to tend school due to the : -r. be satisfied with the foot flooded condition of the bridge. river. Later that same year In later years the question the Walcott District Con Mborm of widening the bridge and servative Association started thus making it suitable for lobbying the provincial gov vehicular traffic came up ernment to replace the ferry. many times. However, the In October 1931 A.M. government always re Manson, MLA at the time, sponded with the same ar wrote to the Minister of Pub R. gument: too expensive. To lic Works that: upgrade the bridge would Wolcott (sic) very badly Haz&ton require an entire new floor needs a bridge. The Hagwilge system. The towers would ferry is a dangerous have to be rebuilt and the one, and loss of life will distance between the cables occur there one of these Smiths increased. Also new hang times if the Department ers would probably be re continues to use it. In quired. As an alternative, the these times of unem Frinco government suggested the ..\Rtporj Hcustn ployment relief it would possibility of constructing a

be possible to build a Morice L road on the west side of the bridge at comparatively river from Walcott to the sta small expense. tion at Quick. A few years earlier the old Before relocation to suspension bridge across Walcott this bridge had for the Bulkley River at almost twenty years Hagwilget, an Indian reser spanned the canyon at vation near the historic vil Hagwilget. Over the years lage of Hazelton, had been condemned. originally requested a footbridge, they this canyon across the Bulkley River at In 1931 it was replaced by the bridge were now unhappy with it. The settlers Hagwilget had been the site of four dif that is still in use today. The cables and claimed that the cost of the narrowed- ferent bridges. The first two were built steel from the old bridge were stored at down bridge would be as much, if not by the local Indians. These bridges were Hazelton. Using these materials, the more, than providing a crossing for cars. constructed according to the cantilever bridge was rebuilt at Walcott in 1932. It The high cost of cutting down all the principle. Tree trunks were projected was decided that a four-foot (1.2 m) wide angle irons to the new size would across the river from both sides and wide footbridge with a step approach more than offset the small increase in cantilevered over natural rock outcrops

B.C. Historical News - Summer 1994 18 Hagwilget c. 1932. New (still existing) bridge on left, old suspension bridge (now at Walcott) on right. Photo courtesy Bulkley Vavey Museum or artificial ones. They were counter- fic increased dramatically and also the ing an overland line redundant. weighed with logs and rocks. Transverse mode of transportation changed. Horses Before opening the bridge to traffic, wood planking was lashed to the trunks and mules were now used to carry heavy the new structure was tested. Women with cedar ropes. When the trunks did loads. In 1880 the Indians built a new heavily loaded with packs were marched not meet, the gap was bridged with a bridge from wood and telegraph wire. A over the bridge, while below the bridge suspended filler piece. This type of con Ministry of Transportation and Highways the men were standing by with poles to struction had the advantage that no publication described this structure as the support part of the bridge in case of block and tackle or construction scaf earliest known bridge of any size in Brit emergency. For over thirty years this folding were recluired. The only tools ish Columbia. The quite elaborate struc crude bridge carried local Indians. pros needed were knife and axe. It was not ture ‘as constructed of wood poles tied pectors, traders and settlers beyond the used in Europe at the time, hut was together by telegraph wire. It supported deep canyon. Through photographs and widely known and used in Asia. It is a six-foot (1.8 m) wide pathway across a even postcards the structure became not known if the Indians developed the span of 150 feet (45 m), joining cliffs some very famous. But its bastardized archi construction method by themselves, or 100 feet (30 m) above the river. Though tecture never achieved the same grace whether this knowledge came from their the cantilever principle supported by ful elegance of the older Indian bridges. place of origin. These bridges looked struts was used again, some new con Around 1913, Robert Kelly of the firm frail and insecure to a white man’s eye struction methods were applied. New Kelly-Douglas and Co. was promoting and many refused to cross them. knowledge was added in the form of a new townsite called New Hazelton. The first bridge at Hagwilget was built king-post trusses at either end and a In order to attract more settlers to the around 1856 using poles and cedar bark queen-post truss in the centre. Telegraph district, Mr. Kelly decided to put in a rope. It was some 150 feet (45 m) long wire from the abandoned Collins Over new high-level bridge at Hagwilget and 100 feet (30 m) above the water. land Telegraph line was also used to con across the canyon. It would replace the The bridge, which was built on a lower struct a suspension system. Some of the old structure built by the Indians. level, was about six feet (1.8 m) wide materials used in this structure came from The British firm of George Cradock and able to withstand 300-pound packs the telegraph wire abandoned in the and Company obtained the contract for across it. When Colonel Charles S. Hazelton area. the new suspension bridge. This firm Bulkley arrived during the mid-1860s, During the mid-1860s an attempt was was at the time trying to get into the the Indians agreed to have the bridge made to establish a telegraph link from western American wire and cable trade. strengthened with wire. A photograph North America to Siberia via British Co Building this bridge, they considered, of the bridge taken by Charles Horetzky lumbia and Alaska. The construction of would be good advertising for their in 1872 shows a resemblance to a grace the ill-fated Collins Overland Telegraph wares. Thus they took the bridge con ful spider web. All the other bridges line came to an abrupt end in 1867. The tract at a very low price. were built at a higher level than the first. Western Union Telegraph Company suc The firm of George Cradock and Com With the arrival of the white man, traf cessfully laid a transatlantic cable, mak pany was originally founded in the early

19 B.C. Historical News - Summer 1994 years of the nine made the bridge un teenth century as a popular with the pub hemp and rope-mak lic. Oldtimer Perry ing concern by the “Dutch” Cline de original Cradock. In scribed the structure 1853 his son, George as follows: “The Cradock, moved the bridge was very nar works from row, just wide Darlington to enough for a car if the Wakefield. Here, in owner was an expert 1854, the firm ex driver and cold so panded its line of ber.” products by adding “Dutch” Cline was the manufacture of a familiar figure up wire rope. In the and down the Skeena 1870s, John Lang, River. Before joining works manager of the the British Columbia firm of R.S. Newall Provincial Police, and Company, dis with others he had covered and patented operated a winter a new improved way mail service from of making wire rope. Hazelton to Prince The now well-known Construction ofsuspension bridge at Hagwilget 1913 Rupert. The mail was Lang’s Lay refers to Photo courtesy Public Archives of Canada PA 95778 transported by dog the strands being laid team along the Grand in the same direction as the individual was of the stiffened suspension type. Trunk Pacific right-of-way before the wires, thereby spreading the wear and The special stiffened structure was the rails were laid. As Hazelton’s policeman, tear, resulting in longer life. When Lang first of its kind to be hung from catenar it was to Cline that the outlaw Simon joined the firm of George Cradock as ies of locked coil cables which do not Gun-an-noot gave himself up in 1919. manager, they were granted the sole and rotate nor lengthen. Stiffening girders This Kispiox Indian of the Carrier tribe, exclusive right to the patent, which was minimized undulations of the platform nicknamed “the Phantom Indian,” also taken out in Germany, France and when heavy loads passed over it. All avoided being captured for more than the United States. In 1881 the firm ceased the steel work for the bridge was made thirteen years after being accused of hemp rope-making and concentrated in Wakefield, England, and shipped over murder in June 1906. Encouraged by entirely on wire ropes. In 1900 Cradock in pieces. The main cables, made from Cline, a friend of Gun-an-noot per erected their own acid open-hearth steel Cradock’s Improved Plough Steel, have suaded the fugitive to hire a Victoria works and rolling mills. By 1903 they a diameter of 2 7/16 inches (6.19 cm) of lawyer and face a trial that he was sure had two wire-drawing mills and twenty- locked coil construction. The bridge, would end in acquittal. At the trial held six stranding machines to deal with which was of a very light construction, at Vancouver, it took the jury only fif every size of rope. Lang’s Lay was widely had a roadway of nine feet (2.7 m). It teen minutes to acquit Gun-an-noot. adopted and proved its advantages in was designed for both vehicle and foot It took such a long time to get the practice. At that time, Cradock’s was the traffic and would carry a moving load excavation started that the Cradock com only completely self-contained firm of 18,000 pounds (8,172 kg), distributed pany sent out their chief engineer making wire ropes from the raw mate over a length of sixty-seven feet (20.1 William Spencer. Percy Cradock, grand rial, which they processed themselves, m). The deck and the two towers were son of the founder George Cradock, to the finished article. One of their early built out of wood, described as “the fin came to British Columbia to spend sev specialties were wire ropes for steam est coast fir,” supplied by the British Ca eral months in Hagwilget, supervising plowing, and they acquired a reputa nadian Lumber Company in Vancouver. the work. His visit was prolonged by tion for particularly durable products of The span between the centres of the the fact that the local building contrac this class. In 1908 the firm became a two tower saddles was 451 feet (135.3 tors ran into financial difficulties before private limited company, until it was m). The bridge was anchored on both the work was finished, and he had to merged into British Ropes Limited in sides with four three-inch steel bolts, two wait some months to collect payment. 1926. to each cable and buried in blocks of Around the middle of June, one of the The bridge at Hagwilget was the big concrete measuring fifteen by twenty- Indians employed in the construction of gest Cradock ever built and the first the one feet (4.5 x 6.3 m) and weighing ap the bridge was killed after a fall of thirty- company built in Canada. At the time it proximately 150 tons. five feet (10.5 m). The fatality was acci was the largest construction project un The structure was 266 feet (79.8 m) dental and it was decided that an inquest dertaken in the northern interior of Brit above the water, and swayed gently in was unnescessary. Had the vicitim been ish Columbia. The wrought-iron bridge the slightest of summer breezes. All this white and of British descent, things

B.C. Historical News - Summer 1994 20 might have been dif erable increase. ferent. The constnic— So, the bridge came tion of the bridge was straight from England completed in the au and had never been tumn of 1913. in Mexico. When Since the provincial contacted, the author government deemed of the Interior News the route to Hazelton article on the over the existing low- Hagwilget bridge level bridge ad commented: “Oh, I equate, Mr. Kelly was just made that up. I forced to also build had to get that bridge new approaches to to Hagwilget some his bridge. Early No how. You should not vember 1913 a road believe everything I crossing was sur write.” veyed and construc For years the bridge tion of a road started. received minimal In 1920 the provin maintenance. Only cial government pur some redecking and chased the bridge for other small repairs $12,000. In 1928 the were carried Fol __ out. bridge was consid Hagwilget c. 1914. Old Indian bridge inforegroun4 suspension bridge in background lowing the 1972 flood ered unsafe and Photo courlesy Museum some renovation work closed to traffic. was done on the Three years later, when the Tolmie gov firmed this Mexican connection. pilings and footings. By the late 1970s ernment considered the construction of However, after two years of corre the structure was in very poor shape. The a highway to the Yukon, the old bridge spondence with sources in Canada, pilings were all rotten, as they had been was replaced by the current one. At the Mexico and the United Kingdom, major for years. All that held up the bridge was time, this new suspension bridge was inconsistencies in the story were found. balance and the suspension of cables. It the highest in Canada, 262 feet (78.6 rn) The alleged location of the bridge in would have needed only a slight lean to above the water with a span of 460 feet Mexico was not in an earthquake zone. make the whole structure come down. (138 m). It has a sixteen-foot (4.8 m) It was also questionable whether this In 1980 the Ministry of Transportation and roadway and contains over a million type of bridge ever served as a public Highways expressed its intention to close pounds of steel and cable. It is interest bridge in Mexico. Such bridges were the bridge. ing to note that the cables for the new usually made of stone. A thorough After heavy public pressure and po bridge were supplied by British Ropes’ search of Ministry of Transportation and litical intervention, Highways changed Canadian factory, which by then had Highways’ files confirmed that the bridge its mind and started major repairs on been established in Vancouver. Thus was was not bought from Mexico. the bridge. In 1983 the two wooden tow the parent’s work continued by its The final piece of evidence came from ers were replaced with steel ones and greater offspring. a British firm that took over the company the substructure was rebuilt at a cost of For a while, the history of the that previously had taken over the firm $105,560. Also, two concrete piers were Hagwilget bridge became somewhat that originally built the bridge. This corn constructed and rip-rap applied. It cost clouded. According to an article that panys 1922 bridge catalogue shows a another $15,961 to paint the structure appeared in February 1980 in the photograph of a bridge “connecting two in 1986. Smithers newspaper The Inferior News, townships situated in the far West of Though considered a waste of money the bridge built at Hagwilget in 1913 Canada.” The description in the brochure by some, this beautiful structure and came from Mexico. There it spanned a of the bridge at Hagwilget continues: unique landmark received a new lease gorge near Agua Caliente, connecting The site of the bridge is inter on life. Not a vital link anymore, the okl two small villages. An earthquake later esting, as it lies in the direct suspension bridge at Walcott still serves wiped out these two villages but left the route taken during the great some local residents, fishermen and bridge virtually unscathed. Since the vil rush to the goldfields of other recreationists. lages no longer existed, the bridge be Klondyke. Indeed, it was here came redundant and was sold to British that the last of the old Hudson’s Columbia. The provincial government Bay Company trading posts was The author makes his home at Telku’a. would then rebuild the bridge at situated. Probably due to the facilities offered by this new He volunteers at the Bulkley Valley Mu Hagwilget. Anybody who read the arti seum in Smithers. cle, including officials of the Ministry of bridge, the population of the Transportation and Highways. con- district has since shown consid

21 B.C. Historical News - Summer 1994 ______

Croatians Enlivened Mining Towns by Dr. Zelimir R Juricic

It was an unpredictable December in eighty Croatian miners working at Ex up in one such household. 1929. Early that month, a freak snow tension. By 1929 their number had been “The house in which we lived is still storm sent pedestrians and motorists into reduced to less than thirty. Many had there. It was a double lot. And we had a panic. Ladysmith’s steep streets resem migrated to other parts of Canada and cows. And my father ... he worked like bled a winter amusement park. Joyous the United States; others returned to the a slave. He worked in the mine, and he red-cheeked children blocked traffic, “old country.” One former Croatian worked at home; he had to, I mean with skiing, tobogganing and showering an miner commented: “What else was there all that property. And he would grow noyed passers-by with snowballs. For for them to do here, in Ladysmith? There hay. We all had gardens, you know — the most part, motor might be sixteen by ists stayed home. twenty lots, but we all Only the bravest had gardens. It was a dared try their luck nice vegetable gar on the icy streets. den, you see Then, by mid-month, Croatians made wine. the rains came. It They all had grape rained heavily for , vines. They would sit several days and the under their vine and snow turned into wet, talk about their wine. dirty slush and mud. And that was their Motorists heading up- life. And my mother Island were delayed j used to milk her for hours at Qualicum cows, and take the after the Island High milk round the neigh way was made im bourhood, maybe passable when the five cents a quart, or rains washed out the j whatever it was in roadbed.1 It looked those days. Often my like there would no Extension mine and camp, c. 1920. father would tell me, Photo courtesy S.C. Archives and Records Service HP 78692 “white Christmas” in ‘Go look for the Ladysmith that year. cows.’ And then I’d The area’s economic climate looked was no work. And they were young men come home and say, ‘Did our cows have just as bleak. Due to the depressed world with families to feed. We had a hard, horns?’ My father looked at me and coal market, production at the nearby but good life here, while it lasted. Some smiled: ‘When you grow up, you’d Extension mines was drastically cur really good times, oh boy, did we ever. know.’ Quite a few people had cows in tailed. Earlier in the year, two shafts were But, deep down, we knew they would that neighbourhood. And we had chick closed indefinitely and, for a period in not last. We knew.”3 ens and pigs for a short time.”4 the summer, the entire operation of Ca The Croatian miners and their fami “Oh, yes, we had everything we nadian Collieries (Dunsmuir) Ltd. was lies lived between Fourth and Fifth Av needed,” remembered Tom Kulai. “My shut down for the first time since 1912. enues, in the resideniial section of uncle used to phone and my mother By late August 1929, one mine had reo Ladysmith known as “on the Hill.” It was used to say, come on over to stric (un pened, but only part-time; it produced a true international village, with a cos cle’s) place. What am I gonna do there? a meagre 1,676 tons of coal, about ten mopolitan mix of people: French, Bel Trampin’ on zeije (cabbage), she said. per cent of its normal output.2 gian, Austrian, Finnish, Italian, Polish, That was my job. Cabbage. Used to Especially hard hit by the downswing and others. The single Croatian men make zeianica (pita with cabbage and in the economy were the small ethnic lived in boarding houses and hotels, green vegetables). And we had pigs. communities in Ladysmith, including the while the miners with families lived in Used to do everything with them.”5 Croatian mining community. In the pe their own homes. Most had vegetable Croatian miners were all strong young riod of Ladysmith’s greatest growth, from gardens, and some kept cows, pigs and men who had been lured to Dunsmuir 1908 through 1912, there were over chickens. Margaret Kulai-Thomas grew Wellington-Extension Collieries’ mines

B.C. Historical News - Summer 1994 22 either from the U.S. or directly from the sical director. With help from the na shepherds, a new wonder; Svim na old country in search of a better life. Be tional organization in the United States, zem/i/To all on earth — peace and joy; fore advancing underground and work the orchestra purchased twelve instru and Narodi nam se kraz/ nebeski/The ing as miners — to become a miner they ments: bisernice and brac for playing heavenly King is born to us. Not only had to learn mining techniques and pass the melody and bugarzje and berde for the Croatians, but the miners of other government examinations for a miner’s playing harmony. By accompanying nationalities enjoyed singing the kodele. ticket — they worked as trip or rope rid dancing and singing at concerts and on Even the worshippers who could not ers, miners’ helpers, loaders, chunkers and special occasions, the orchestra helped speak Croatian joined in. There was a muckers, pushers, cagers, sprag men and to preserve the musical heritage of the special bond of understanding between mule drivers.6 Due to their lack of educa old homeland. At first, the enthusiastic miners at Christmas which transcended tion — some were illiterate7 — many tamburasi spent many hours practicing language and cultural boundaries. “In never became miners, but spent most of in the basement of the Tunnel Hotel in those days we were of different nation their working lives at jobs which they Extension, the favorite place of miners alities, the Croatians, the English and learned from experience and which re for “washing down the coal dust” and others, and had our own special kind quired no certification. playing bocce. When, on the order of of culture, but at Christmas we all got To the Anglo-Saxon population of the Dunsmuirs, the miners and their together because coal miners, they all

Ladysmith, the Croatians were known families .— together with businesses, had the same job. They all had the same by any number of names, ranging from churches, hotels and private homes — worries and the same way of life. “others”8 to Crots, Slavonians, Slays or were relocated to a new settlement at Croatians had a good time. Some

Austrian Slays — since until 1918 Croatia Ladysmith, the tamburitza players couldn’t talk English, but that didn’t was under Austrian rule. The other Slavic “plucked their strings” in the basement matter. They knew a little bit of Ger miners — among them Poles, Czechs, of the old Roman Catholic Church, man, you see, and they picked up Eng Ruthenians, Montenegrins, Slovenes and which was turned into the Young Men’s lish too. At Christmas, it really didn’t

Russians — knew them as either Institute hall in 1904 and used by vari matter whether miners understood each Croatians or, more intimately, as ous church and music groups for enter other. They all had a good time.”3 Zumbercani, the people from tainment, dances, music practices and The tamburasi became a permanent Zumberak, referring to the area in north Christmas parties for the children. Over fixture at Croatian picnics, marriage and western Croatia from which most of the years, the Croatian tamburitza or christening ceremonies and, of course, them originally came. Among them chestra staged many concerts in Exten frequent private parties (Croatian zabave). selves, they addressed each other as sion, Ladysmith, Chemainus and “We had a spare room, and we had a kum (godfather), a kinship term which Nanaimo. Their unique music buoyed bunch of apples there. You could smell is frequently used as a friendly form of people’s spirits and warmed their hearts. apples in there. And in that room, we address. “Oh, yeah, they all came from “Tamburitzas? We loved it. Yeah. When used to, when we were little kids, dance one locality in Croatia ... you could even these guys played, well you could hear in there, with these tamhuritzas. And then call from one to another. From one vil them from here all the way down to at the Finn Hall ... and I remember once lage to another.”9 Nanaimo. And when they travelled, they them havin’ a concert there. Yeah, the In 1903 the Croatian miners in played on the bus, too. Beautiful mu Croatians had. And, then they had their Ladysmith founded the National Croatian sic. Such a nice, really nice music.” picnics, the lodge picnics. We had lots of Society, Lodge No. 268, named “St. The tamburasi were most in demand picnics. Oh yeah, there was lots of them.

Nicholas,” the first Canadian branch of at Christmas and the New Year, when And they’d cook a lamb or a ... pig, I the National Croatian Society of Pitts Croatians everywhere observe age-old don’t know. I was small. Like in those burgh, Pennsylvania, itself the first Advent, Christmas and New Year’s cus days, if you had picnics, the kids went Croatian fraternal benefit society on the toms, especially kolede (from the Latin too. And if there was a christening, there

American continent. The founding meet calendae, the special Christmas carols was a little, you know ... zabava. Maybe ing of St. Nicholas Lodge was held on and hymns. Dressed in their national twenty, thirty people in one house. Beer, October 21, 1903, in the home of a thirty- costumes,’2 the tamburitza players whisky, anything. And always a barrel of year-old Croatian miner named William would accompany children and young wine. Always. Oh, we all used to have a (Croatian Vasilij) “Bill” Keserich. It was men as they went from house to house good time. Everybody. They had their cel attended by eighteen members, who all singing special Yuletide songs, wishing ebrations, they all got together and had a joined in unanimously electing Keserich good health and happiness to house good time. Many were single men. But as their first president.’° holds and receiving food and gifts for never heard of any fight, or anything like Besides providing its members and their performance. A curious blend of that. Never! Different than it is today. Oh, their families with insurance protection, simple religious themes and more ma I loved that music, I just loved it. Get-up- the National Croatian Society offered terialistic requests for a generous hand and-go-with-it type of music.”4 many cultural and social activities to its out, such old festive songs were the Like other groups in Ladysmith shar members. Soon after its formation, the favorites of Croats in Ladysmith: Kyrie ing the same cultural background and newly established Ladysmith lodge Eleison/Jesus is born; Veseije ti language, the Croatians tended to group founded the Croatian “tamburitza” or navjescujem/I bring you glad tidings; together, belong to the same organiza chestra, with Jack Djuric as its first mu- Christian folk; Opastiri, cudo novo/Oh, tions, and attend the same church. “We

23 B.C. Historical News - Summer 1994 all went to the Ro man Catholic Church in Ladysmith. Just like anybody else, went to church now and again, then. But, when we were kids, they made us go to church. Just like an ordinary family, you know. ‘15 Before the new St. Mary’s Catholic Church was built in 1904, Father Verbeke, the first pastor, cel ebrated masses and performed other spiritual duties at a small temporary chapel in Exten sion, where many of the Catholic min Croatian wedding, Ladysmith, 190& At thefar left areJuraf Badovinac his wife, andyoung son, George Tom Kulai photo ers still worked and lived. According to the 1902 parish reg held in the hail of the Queens Hotel in ing in the pits. In 1929 he could con ister, the church at times appointed a Ladysmith, and on recommendation of sider himself lucky indeed to still he Slavic priest to attend to the spiritual the two established members, George working. needs of its Croatian parishioners: Rajakovic and Janko Kulai, Ilija Two days before Christmas, the the above children were baptized by the Badovinac became a member of the Badovinac home was buzzing with fi Reverend Father Rech, a Slavonian society.18 For the next two decades, he nal preparations for festivities which priest, who had charge of Extension for would serve variously as vice-president, would continue uninterrupted through a few months, up to the time that the secretary treasurer, chairperson of the Epiphany. Pigs were already slaughtered inhabitants of Extension were requested committee for sick members, and the so that the traditional roast pork would and forced to go and live at Ladysmith.”6 committee to help the victims of drought not he missing from the Christmas ta With the coming of the Depression, in Croatia.19 When his fifteen-year-old ble. Poppy seed and walnut cakes were the once vibrant Croatian community son George started work in the mines, being prepared, together with roast beef, slowly began to disintegrate. Without Ilija persuaded him to join the society sausages and homemade bread. There any work, its members started to drift too. “My father put me in when I was a was plenty of wine in the cellar. This away. By Christmas 1929 only a hand young fella starting in the mines. He said, year, too, the tamburitza orchestra, of ful of Croatian miners were still work gee, you never know what’s going to which George was a member, was ready ing. Ilija Badovinac was one of them. happen — it’s dangerous work.”2° The and waiting for the kodele. On Decem Badovinac was born on May 15, 1873, Extension mines had their share of mis ber 23, early in the morning, Ilija took in the village of Bulici in the province fortunes. On October 5, 1909, thirty-two the miners’ train to Extension for his last of Zumberak, Croatia. At the age of six men, including six Croatian miners, were shift before the Christmas holidays. Later teen he came via the United States to trapped underground in No. 2, the worst that day, young John Pecnik also went Vancouver Island, seeking better wages. tragedy to occur there in years. Ilija nar to the mines, not to work, but to look He first worked in the mine on Diver rowly missed becoming a victim him for work. He saw Ilija Badovinac there. Lake, in the Nanaimo district, “pushin’ self. “My father was lucky he got out. It was a tragic meeting. cars on the side entries in the mines, on Him and another young fellow were on “My home was up, on top, right across two by fours ... for they only had steel the other side of the trap doors when from the church. And if I wasn’t workin’, rails on the main railway ... It was a the explosion occurred. Gee, it blew my mother would be after me, she’d say, hard life.”17 When the Wellington-Exten them doors to smithereens. Everybody John! I’d say, what’s a matter? You go sion Collieries mines opened up, Ilija that was on the inside of the door got look for a job! Go to Extension. I didn’t found a job there. Soon his wife Martha killed. If he and his partner were on the want to go to Extension anyway, never and a young son, George, came from other side of the door, they’d got it too. liked it. So, I got on the bike, went up the old country to join him. In 1907, at That was how close.”2’ there. Old Bill Wilson was boss. I got a special meeting of the Croatian lodge, Twenty years later, Ilija was still work- there around two thirty, the miners were

B.C. Historical News - Summer 1994 24 comm out of the tunnel there, round Tonzetic still live in Nanaimo. And the Rade Vrlenic, Ilija Sajatovic and Pravo Rajakovic, In 1926 the name of the society was changed to three o’clock. Well, first train that come, tamburitzas? They don’t play them Croatian Fraternal Union/Hrvatska t3ratska they had motors runnin’, takin’ a hun anymore. The instrnments have been Zajednica. Since its founding in 1894. in dred, hundred twenty car trips, goin’ out gathering dust in the Pittsburgh, Penn.. the national organization has basement of a grown into an organization with 100,000 members, — I see George Badovinac’s old man home in Nanairno, perhaps waiting for the largest Croatian organization om.side Croatia. I am grateful to Drago Balaban. secretary-treasurer on top of a load — dead. Got killed. I the day when the music and colour of of Nanairno lodge, for permitting me to view and never asked for a job. That was it. I never another Croatian Christmas will bring joy make use of this material. went back anymore. Yes, well them days to the people of Vancouver Island. Interview, a man was worth nothin’. You might as 11. Zelimir B. Juricic with Ton) Kulai, ibid. well forget about him. You know, they 12. Interview. Myrtle Bergen with George Badovinick. never lost a car of coal. They just put ibid. Dr. “Bob” Juricic is a professor in the him on top of a load, and take him out. Interview, II. Department of Slavonic Studies and a 13. Zelimir Juricic with Tons Kulai, ibid. I knew him well! I knew George and director ofthe Croatica Research Group 14. From interviews, Zelimir B. Juricic with Margaret I’ve been in their house many times at the University of Victoria. Kulai-Thomas, ibid., and Drago Balab.tn with Tom His sister and his family.”22 Kulai (Nanaimo: July 1991). FOOTNOTES According to the local press reports, 15. Interview, Myrtle Bergen with George 13;idosinick. “Ilija Badovinac, a Croatian miner, was ibid. 1. ‘Rains cause closure of Island Highway” Thc’ instantly killed while at work as a miner Ladysmith Chronicle (Ladysmith: 27 December 16. The catholic Parish of St. Maryk Ladj’srnish 1901— 1929) Nc). 20, vol. 20(11. in No. I section of the Extension mine 1988 Today and Yesterclaj’ (Ladysmith 1988). 1 would like to thank The Rev. William Hill, [‘astor, at 2:30 Monday afternoon, by an exten 2. “Coal output on Vancouver Island” The Ladt’s,nith St. Mary’s Rectory, Ladysmith. for helping me chronicle (Ladysmith: 8 November 1929) No. 15, sive fall of coal and rock. His partner, compile material on Croatian/Slav parishioners in vol. 20(11. Roberts, had a narrow escape from Extension and Ladysmith, and for providing me with a copy of this valuable publication. death, being caught on the inner side 3. Interview, Zelimir B. Juricic with Tom Kulai (Nanairno: 18 August 1991). of the cave-in. Rescue parties labored 17. Interview, Myrtle Bergen with George llackvinick, ibid. over two hours before the body was 4. Interview, Zelimir B. Juricic with Margaret Kulai Thomas (Ladysmith: 8 August 1991). recovered, but it was found that death 18. Zapisntk DrttsO’a Svc’tog Nikole it Ladtsntithj’ (Ladysmith: 21 October 1903) 59. had been instantaneous, the remains 5. loterview, Zelimir B. Juricic wtth Torn Kulai. ibid. being badly crushed. The late Mr. 19. Ibid. 6. See Zelimir 13. Juricic, Mules miners’ beast of Badovinac was 55 years of age ... Be- burden” Times-colonist (Victoria: 19 July 1992). 20. Interview, Myrtle Bergen with Gectrge l3aclt,i inick, side his wife, he is survived by three ibid. sons, George, Daniel and Tie, and one 7. Canadian Collieries (Dunsmuir Ltd.) Record Bcx)k. Ray Knight Collection, Ladysmith. daughter, Miss Caroline, at home.”23 21. Ibid. See also Zelimir 13. Juricic, “Croatian ntinc’rs died in blast’ Times—Colonial (Victoria: Sunday, 8. Interview, Zelimir B. Juricic with Viola Cull “Yeah, 1929, two clays before Christ September 29, 1991). (Ladysmith: 13 December 1992). mas,” recalled his son George. ‘That was 22. Interview, Myrtle Bergen with John l’ecnik 9. Interview, Myrtle Bergen with George laclovioick a tough Christmas, that. And he was the (Victoria: B.C. Provincial Archives and Records (Victoria: 13.C. Provincial Archives and Records Services, Coal Tyee History Project “4051:98—99). only one killed.”24 Services, Coal Tyee History Project #4051:14). After the closing of the mines in Ex 23. ‘Extension miner killed on Monday” The Ladtwmith 10. Zapisnik Drtistva Seetog A’ikole n Lacli’smithy tension, on April 10, 1931, the National Chronicle (Ladysmith: 27 December 1929) No. 20 (Ladysmith: 21 October 1903) 1. The founding vol. 20(1, 1. Croatian Society Lodge 268, St. Nicholas, members were Vasilij Keseric, Miko Keseric, Juro Keseric, Nikola Magovac, Janko Kuljaj, Viktor moved to Nanaimo, where it continues 24. Interview, Myrtle Bergen with George l3aclovinick, Micik, Johitn Bojovski. Juraj Badovinac, Janko ibid. as a focal point for the Croatian corn- Poptivic, Tomo Kuljaj, Mato Krizmanic, Simon mu nity. George and Caroline Baclovinac Frgacic, Miko Herak, I’etar Zivkovic, Stjepan Bulic,

The host committee for Conference 94. Left to light Core Skipsey, George Thomson and Jim Storey, Qualicum and Jean Higgins, Judith Van Oyen and Paddy Cardwell, Pa,ksville.

Myrtle Haslam of Cowichan Bay hands over the gavel to Alice Glanville of Grand

Forks, April 30, 1994. .., ,_•_. ‘

25 B.C. Historical News - Summer 1994 Mining at Clayoquot by Walter Guppy

Clayoquot Sound Deposits of cop is not noted as be per-iron minerali ing an important zation and mining area today gold-bearing quartz but it does have a veins were discov history of mining ered at Bedwell activity that began River as early as with an influx of 1896 but this first prospectors before boom petered out the turn of the cen within a few years tury. The extent of with nothing with this boom is indi production possi cated in the follow bilities being devel ing excerpt from oped at the time. the diary of Mrs. Later a company G.E Roiston, the with its head office wife of a mission in London, Eng ary who came up land, acquired a to the trading post copper prospect on of Clayoquot on Big Interior Moun the steamer tain, between Willapa in 1898: Tidewater Copper Company, Stewardson Inlet, Clayoquot Sound; 1923. Bedwell River and Photo courtesy B.C. Archives and Records Service 725-3356 There is plenty Drinkwater Creek, on all sides. and proposed to Bye and bye no doubt there will cant contribution to this development. put a mine into production with access

be men and means to make this Bedwell River — known as Bear River from the Bedwell River side. Seven miles

a Western port of great impor at the time — was the focal point of of wagon road were completed and ma tance. It seems strange that so much of the early mining activity, with terials for an aerial tramline landed at little is known of this part of nine of the thirty-two mineral prospects the head of Bedwell Sound when war the Island, a part that can eas of the Clayoquot Sound area mentioned broke out in 1914 and the crew aban ily be reached for many miles in the Annual Report of the Minister of doned the project to enlist. A slump in beyond this. No doubt this ig Minesfor 1898 being located there. Gold copper prices in 1918 and the difficult norance will not continue long. was first found in this river by a mem access discouraged further development Every day brings fresh miners ber of the party led by John Buttle of of this property. and prospectors who with fe the Vancouver Island Exploration Com Interest in the area revived when gold- verish desire to get gold and pany in 1865. The stampeders that bearing veins were discovered on a other precious metals will push flocked to the area in response to this tributary of Bedwell River seven miles their way through mountains of report met with little success, but a group inland in 1938. A boom of considerable difficulty, and the country will of Chinese persisted and found work proportions developed and two mines, soon be opened up. able concentrations in a boulder-strewn the Musketeer and the Buccaneer were Clayoquot never became “a Western section of the river about six miles up put into production, producing between port of great importance” as visualized stream. It is reported that these Orientals them nearly 7,000 ounces of gold be by Mrs. Rolston and, in fact, the site of left the area in a body in 1886 because fore being closed by war-time conditions the trading post she visited is now only of, it was said, superstitious fear engen in 1942. This area of upper Bedwell a privately owned resort. However, the dered by the sudden death of one of River is within the boundaries of village of Tofino that was established their number. Subsequent activity in the Strathcona Park and is now closed to nearby did become the centre of con area was centred on the discovery of mining. siderable commercial enterprise along lode deposits of gold and base metals, Elsewhere in Clayoquot Sound, small the coast, and mining made a signifi rather than placer mining. ore shipments were made from various

B.C. Historical News - Summer 1994 26 mines and prospects at various times, made to the report pre the largest being 1,500 tons containing pared for the Clayoquot 60,000 pounds of copper, 3,544 ounces Sound Sustainable De of silver and 569 ounces of gold from velopment Strategy by the Kalappa Mine on Meares Island in Dr. N.C. Carter of Victo 1913. ria which gives an esti The Indian Chief Mine at Stewardson mate of $9.5 million Inlet, thirty miles northwest of Tofino, spent on mining explo was a somewhat larger-scale operation ration in the Clayoquot with an integrated mill and concentra Sound area between tor. It was operated by the Tidewater 1980 and 1989, itt addi Copper Company during the 1920s and tion to an estimated ex again by Japanese interests shortly be penditure of $10 million fore the outbreak of World War II. Total on the Catface copper production from this mine was 2,430,310 project since the early pounds of copper; 55,000 ounces of sil 1960s. ver and 722 ounces of gold from 72,000 Exploration activity tons of ore. has declined in recent During the 1960s interest was mainly years as a result of gen in copper, but the Musketeer gold mine erally unfavourable eco at Bedwell River was rehabilitated and nomic conditions and operated for a brief period and 734 particularly because of ounces of gold was produced at the uncertainties over land- This 1898 Department of Mines map shows the location of Tofino Gold Mines operation near the use allocation. However, mineral prospects in the Clayoquot Sound area Rivers bad head of Tofino Inlet. Also, during this it can be expected that not yet been surveyed so the mapping of inland features is inaccurate. same period between 1960 and 1964, it will revive when con the Brynnor Iron Mine to the east of the ditions improve and Clayoquot Sound area produced three there will be mining in the Clayoquot The author is a long-time resident of million tons of iron concentrate. Since Sound area into the next century and Tofino. He haspublished a book on miii that time, most of the mining-related beyond. ung on Vancouver Island and in 1993 activity in the Clayoquot Sound area has Wilderness Wandering describing travel been directed towards exploration for awayfrom the main roads. large mineral deposits rather than small-scale production. - This exploration activity was stimulated by the dis covery of the Catface cop per deposit in 1960. Subsequent drilling and underground drifting has in dicated that it contains over 180 million tons of 0.35 per cent copper ore. No doubt the oldtimers knew of this occurrence of low-grade mineralization — a mala chite-stained bluff that can be seen from a boat out in the channel — but they wouldn’t have considered it as being ore. However, modern technology has proven similar deposits to be feasible to mine (Island Copper Mine at Port Hardy An accurate map of on Vancouver Island is an Cl.ayoquot SounL Courtesy of Alimaps Canada example). Ltd., Markham, Ontario On the subject of explo ration, reference can he

27 B.C. Historical News - Summer 1994

Historical News B.C. Summer 1994 28 -

came McLean to Columbia, British learn company in the 1860 pre-empted and in Spokane, couple The Washington.

During his endeavours. years new in the in stayed valley retiring after from woman “Mi,” as met he known whom

the as Creek site selection Hat of for his excellent its winter McArthur feed. for his McLean family. first native a married

chief McLean also trader influenced his Hat Creek the Valley well was known tended beyond to business his interests

acumen had that The business made through herds the and cold, their winter McLean’s personal ex commitment

the Creek Hat valley. of grasslands land grazing needed that support could tion techniques.

and family, large horses his to cattle the 1850s. late Gregoire McArthur and the colony be to irriga by serviced flood

and Hudson’s Company, Bay moved his oxen the during months and of winter Hat Creek the was in the ranch first

ending career the thirty-year a with two as many horses, hundred mules as Road. Cariboo Douglas noted also that

manently this in McLean area, retired, for care Company employees to hired of one finest the the on roadhouses

decided come had per settle to the time Bay McArthur. were Both Hudson’s Douglas deemed McLean’s enterprise

Hat at McArthur’s in land Having Creek. Antoine and junction Neil were Gregoire McLean at the Ranch, James Governor

at land and Creek interest an had Cache near Creek-Bonaparte Hat the River so way much that, so visiting when —

he pre-empted had new beginnings; The Europeans first occupy to land the His agricultural its on development was

Cariboo the region looked for toward valley. the which redirected water creek. the from

forts the around McLean, colony. too, a through built when highway new constructed was a flood system irrigation

trader Kamloops in and other at Fort be it as seen destroyed longer no was and tion resourcefulness, McLean

of years eleven chief as retirement after Creek. unfortunately, rock, The Hat can mer water shortages. determina With

trader, found also on himself verge the then and as Creek, Chapeaux known ranching operation, sum facing despite

Bay Company McLean, Hudson’s chief became by rock creek. the Later large to establish it land his a as and farming

time, same the Donald our About depressions a in three noted hat-like tions valley. the in diligently He worked

the mouth the creek. the of land near French who early by Canadians the beginnings opera of McLean’s

as called first it Chapeaux, aux was The station house only marked

Archives B.C.

Records and Photo courtesy #63818 Service

name its

Riviere from derives area a reasonable cost.

Donald McLean

The region’s Cariboo history. the of stay overnight bunks, the in for all

part remain important an The traditions establishment an even offered

their through hunted area, the north and the to Cariboo goldfields.

years of Shuswap of natives sands headed whiskey they as —

1860. in thou For establishment meal a shot a have perhaps and —

Ranch’s long the before travellers begins could rest horses, their

Creek Hat history the By The Valley’s summer 1861, of weary

Restaurant” folds. or Station.” “McLean’s

un came history the Ranch the of ries, as known “McLean’s

sto Through their Creek log foot Ranch. be soon five structure that

of Hat the the in holdings by ture constructing twenty-two a fifty-

prosperous a ous: fu him, his and he seeking to after set sons work

nity follow individuals Many financial for would is success obvi

be his That vision. not McLean in alone opportu would an saw

Hat he McLean’s and Creek dreams took, shape Barkerville. to north

Whatever route old from enjoying. through grow directly Yale,

ment, could and family which lifestyle a open he a intended to

Cariboo his a for home McLean Wagon envisioned Road develop

knowledge be Donald that may it or proposed the of come;

Most to likely, yet snows the gained McLean winters of prior in ing

I’ll

rush forag would and cattle up open horses region. his tured the

pic firsthand knew he that have might Cariboo establish; the to

from gold hoped he the Fraser the roadhouse also he imagined River,

he been Having Perhaps see to years of one ago.. first the forty and

ideal the hundred some conditions agriculture. Creek Hat Valley for

good and the open of winter the provided pasture, vistas looked over

Hat that first he Creek, thoughts fertile its as McLean’s soil with

much about Don only can region the imagine knew and One

and Darcy Morrison Astaforoff Michelle by

Hat Creek Ranch Historic raised a total of four children: Donald ever, cannot be confirmed. Sophia to listen for the howl of a coyote. Jr., Elizabeth, Duncan and Alexander. The expansion into the Cariboo If the animal barked four times, she was Shortly after Ali’s death in 1848, the Hud continued at a furious pace. Alfred to follow it and the coyote would lead son’s Bay Company sent McLean to Wadclington. a Victoria entrepreneur, at her to her husband’s cache of gold. Four manage the Babine Lake trading post, tempted to construct a toll road from days after his death, Sophia heard a just north of Fort St. James. Here, with Bute Inlet, across the Chilcotin Plateau, coyote howl four times; she followed it an unknown Bahine woman, he fa to Alexandria on the upper Fraser River. up the mountain. Sophia was unable to thereci one son, John. The death of his The objective was quick and easy ac find McLean’s special coyote; if there first two wives added to his responsi cess to the goldfields.Mr. Waddington, was a cache, it never has been found. bilities, hut he remained a dutiful father, however, ignored previously established For several years after her husband’s providing well for his children and keep aboriginal occupation of the land. Many death, Sophia tried to keep the Ranch ing them with him. In 1854, at Fort Al of the Chilcotin natives were angered and roadhouse going, but this proved exandria, McLean wed a woman named by the unwanted intrusion; they feared too difficult. Complicating her situation Sophia Grant. While living in Kamloops, that the travellers through their territory further was the fact that Donald McLean Sophia gave birth to five children: Hec would herald the return of smallpox and had not pre-empted the land on which tor, Allen, Christina, Annie and Charlie. the further decimation of their people. years of hard work were built: Sophia Their youngest, Archie, was born at Hat In the summer of 1864, Governor and her family were squatters and could Creek. McLean had eleven children by Frederick Seymour asked McLean to join not sell the roadhouse property. Form the time he and Sophia settled their fam an expedition, led by Gold Commis nately, another individual would see the ily creekside, in a series of simple log sioner George Cox, to end the violent same potential in the Hat Creek prop cabins. native rebellion that had developed. erty as had Donald McLean. George The summer of 1862 brought hopeful McLean raised twenty-five volunteers, in Dunne purchased Neil McArthurs Hat prospects; the Cariboo Road was com cluding his own son Duncan, and Creek property — on which McLean had plete to Soda Creek. Unfortunately, headed north to help locate the Chilcotin been a squatter in 1866. The acquisi McLean’s hopes never materialized. Al rebels. Early one morning in July of 1864, tion of the Ranch was completed in 1867, though the road increased the number McLean was shot in the back. He was when Dunne, out of “good will,” pur of travellers passing by the Ranch, the wearing a breastplate, but it had not chased Sophia’s claim to land, building new McLean family business never re saved him as it had on several previous and improvements. Sophia, and those ally prospered. Nonetheless, McLean occasions. children still at home, moved to continued to work hard in an effort to Donald McLean did not leave the Kamloops. make the venture successful. Reports Ranch entirely, even in his death. Leg Upon acquiring the Ranch, Dunne suggest that during this time McLean end has it that before he left on the began expansion of the existing opera tried his hand at prospecting. This, how- deadly exjdition, McLean told his wife tion. He invested a great deal of money

29 B.C. Historical News - Summer 1994 monitor, and 250 head of cattle to manage, Billy was a busy man. For this reason, the ho tel came to be adminis tered by Charles McNichol. A new and exciting period began at Hat Creek Ranch in 1894 when Cargyle sold the property and buildings to Stephen Tingley, the owner of the BC Ex press Co. Tingley had a long and famous career as an express driver, which began when he was a young man un der the employ of Frank Bernard. Barnard owned Barnard’s Ex press Stage Company, which he had estab A view of Hat Creek Ranch today. The DX Darn is adjacent to the corrals, the freight horse barn is in the lished in 1859 at Yale to are dry foregrounL The main house is in the centre with the McLean cabin adjacenL The hillsides typically carry people, parcels interior vegetation with bunch grass, sage brush and tumbleweed. Photo courtesy B.C. Heritage Trust and mail into the Inte nor of British Columbia. toward the construction of new build banking,” one can only imagine the suc Shortly after Tingley began working for ings, and added a barn, granary, a cabin cess the Harpers might have brought to Barnard, he returned home to New Bruns and new corrals. In 1872, Dunne built a Hat Creek had they felt the same attach wick and there married Elizabeth Harper. second floor onto the roadhouse, which ment to the land as Donald McLean had. The newlyweds returned to Yale, where included eight hotel rooms up and a To help repay the mortgage, Dunne they planned to raise a family. In 1873 lady’s sitting room on the main floor. leased Hat Creek House — as the old Elizabeth died tragically in a buggy acci

Financial difficulties thwarted Dunne’s station house was now called — to Gus dent, leaving behind her husband and two improvement efforts, and in 1873 he Shubert for $500 per year. Even with sons, Clarence and Fred. Tingley, who mortgaged his property to Jerome this income, Dunne failed to meet his had been driving the buggy, which Harper for $2,000. loan payments, due in part to his ten backed over the canyon edge near Yale Dunne’s financial hard times would dency to spend a great deal of money after meeting a group of native women bring the Ranch’s history together with at the Hat Creek House bar. Jerome on the narrow road, always blamed him two of British Columbia’s more prosper Harper died in 1874, and by 1881 the self for the accident because he had not ous ranchers: Jerome and Thadeus effects of the economic slump had been carrying a whip. He remarried sev Harper. The brothers, both entrepre forced Thadeus to foreclose on Dunne’s eral years later in Victoria to Pauline neurs from Virginia, came to British Co mortgage. In the same year, for a sum Laumeister. Pauline gave birth to two lumbia in 1854. Their interest in the Hat of $3,000, William Cargyle of Dog Creek daughters, Pauline and Ada. Creek roadhouse was rather limited; became the next individual to shape the Tingley became the sole owner of the these brothers were cattlemen and the development of the Hat Creek Ranch. BC Express Company in 1866. He had Ranch provided an ideal location to rest “Billy” Cargyle brought more enthusi developed the reputation of being the their herds on the long drive from the asm — and more development — to “fastest whip in the west,” due most of Chilcotin Gang Ranch to their holdings the Ranch. He erected two additional all to one particular trip. Tingley drove in Yale and Kamloops. The Harpers barns, including the first phase of the four people 380 miles in thirty hours, became quite prosperous through land BX Barn, to house the stage horses that which was quite a record. Tingley be purchases, and they established several passed through the valley. Billy pur came increasingly successful, purchas large ranching operations in the Inte chased a billiard table for the bar, or ing several properties — including Hat rior. The Gang Ranch, the Harper Ranch “men’s room,” then called “The Stag and Creek — which served his stage com and the Perry Ranch, all Harper broth Pheasant.” Cargyle’s personal attention pany well. His tales of exciting trips and ers’ purchases, remain large cattle op to the Ranch was limited due to his di adventures on the road brought the ex erations to this day. Also involved in verse business concerns. With the con citement of life on the Express to the lumber and grist mills, and “unofficial struction of a new hotel in Ashcroft to Ranch.

B.C. Historical News - Summer 1994 30 The Hat Creek property expe fight the Great War. The region rienced further change under its shrunk in size with improvements new ownership. In 1901 Tingley to transportation, and hotel serv added a two-storey west wing to ices were no longer required for the roadhouse, which featured a the now short trips through the large kitchen and additional din valley. ing space. The expansion contin Though closed to the public, ued: a piggery; a three-section operations at the Ranch contin barn for draft horses and mules ued on with Doering’s stepson, to serve the lucrative freight busi John Basil Jackson, who returned ness he had developed: a black to Hat Creek as the full-time man smith shop; and the BX Barn was ager after serving in the Royal Air expanded to house an additional Force during the war. Charles six teams. Tingley also decided This bar room looks much the same as it did at the turn ofthe Doering continued to spend his to have the old McLean cabin century when it served travellers on the Cariboo Wagon RoaL retirement years between Vancou moved. From its location near the Photo cowlesy B.C. Hentage Trust ver and Hat Creek until his death creek, the cabin was relocated in 1927, at age seventy-one. Af directly behind the Hat Creek ter her husband’s death, Mary House, where it would he used Doering returned to her home in as a meat locker and an icehouse. Duncan. hut remained owner of Many of the Ranch operations, the Ranch. Basil remained active in particular the management of manager in his mother’s absence. the hotel, were assigned to man Mary died in 1940, leaving Hat agers and lessees throughout the Creek to her son. Ranch’s history. The Hat Creek Until Basil married Dorothy Ranch owes much of its success Parkes of the Bonaparte Ranch in to the numerous managers hired ‘,.,, 1937, the big old roadhouse must to direct its operations. A succes have seemed a lonely place. Basil sion of managers. most moving lived there for a number of years on to sLI pervise Operations of until he wed, hut chose to mod -. their own, handled business for ernize the house with electric light Tingley between 1899 and 1910. Original blacksmith shop at Hat Creek Ranch. ing as a wedding gift for his bride. Photo courtesy B.C. Heritage Trust Tingley had fully retired by 1905, Some things did not change. how and finally sold the Ranch to ever; the house remained Charles Doering in 1910. Tingley re the south side of the house. The animal uninsulated and, in the extreme cold of mained in Vancouver until his death in varieties on the Ranch even received ad winter, the ood stoves had to be stoked 1915 at the age of seventy-six; Pauline ditions: an avid pheasant hunter. twenty-four hours a day. The Jacksons Tingley lived in Vancouver until 1947, Doering stocked the valley with one remained in the house until 1952. when where she died at age ninety. hundred Chinese pheasants. Aided by Dorothy built the new and warm house Finally, Hat Creek Ranch would once his wife, Mary, and her interest in that she had been dreaming of for quite again he owned by an individual who Morgan and Kentucky horses, the Ranch some time. Basil spent one night alone truly appreciated the Carihoo landscape. became known as one of the best horse- in the old house, perhaps in protest of Doering, a very wealthy owner of the breeding operations in the province. Dorothy’s extravagance, but was observed Vancouver Breweries. had been in love And the name changed too. Once “Hat with his duftie bag over his shoulder the with the Bonaparte countryside for quite Creek Hotel,” then “Hat Creek House,” following morning, heading for their some time. In fact, Doering had wanted “McLean’s Station” finally became “Ho new home. Hat Creek Ranch since the time of tel Hat Creek,” The operation remained with the William Cargvle’s ownership of the prop What began in 1860 came to a formal Jacksons until 1977 when John Basil erty. The $30,000 paid to Tingley over a end in 1915. when Doering closed the Jackson passed away. Subsequently. five-year period was just the beginning doors of Hotel Hat Creek to the public. Dorothy sold the entire property to BC of Doering’s purchases. He continued Times had been changing rapidly, par Hydro. Two years later a portion of the to buy property around Hat Creek. in ticularly since the turn of the century. property, 320 acres containing the ranch cluding over 2,000 acres of deeded land The mule pack train and stagecoach era buildings, was again sold, this time to and an additional 18,000 leased acres had neared its end; the Cariboo Wagon British Columbia Heritage Trust. Dorothy for cattle grazing. Road was now frequently travelled by spent her remaining years in her house Once again the Ranch would be automobiles; Ashcroft and Cache Creek at the Ranch, until her death in the sum changed to suit its new owner. Doering had grown into substantial communi mer of 1993 in her ninety-seventh year. expanded Hat Creek House with the ad ties: and the population had temporar Through changing times and chang dition of a two-storey private section to ily decreased as individuals went off to ing hands, daily life on the Ranch went

31 B.C. Historical News - Summer 1994 largely uninterrupted. It was always a room. Perhaps it is the ghost of the Chi that would open the Interior of British busy place. Through the winter the nese cook watching over the precious Columbia. And Donald McLean stopped ranching operation employed about six orchard. Legend has it that one cook first. ranch hands, and in the summer the would get very angry as bears made a The Historic Hat Creek Ranch, located number would jump to as many as habit of coming into the orchard at night eleven kilometres north of Cache Creek twenty. The hands were paid between to eat the apples off the trees. The cook at the junction of Highways 97 and 99, $2 and $3.50 per day, depending on worked long hard days and could not is owned and managed by the British seniority and job title, and Hat Creek stay awake all night to watch for the Columbia Heritage Trust and can be vis provided many employment opportu unwanted guests. After some thought he ited year-round, with full visitor sew- nities between ranching and the hotel, finally came up with a brilliant idea. He ices available from mid-May to the majority of them filled by natives tied strings from each of the trees in the mid-October. Admission is by donation. from the Bonaparte area. orchard and pulled the strings up to his For further information, please call (604) Hard work meant hearty appetites and bedroom window and attached a bell 457-9722. a cook was employed for the roadhouse to the strings. If any of the strings were The Ranch goal statement iS: and hotel. From time to time, Mrs. snagged by a bear, the bell would ring The Historic Hat Creek Ranch McCosh, a neighbour from down the and alert the cook, who would then is to be conserved and pre road, would cook for Hat Creek; usu jump out of bed, grab his gun and fire a sented for the educational and ally, however, the Ranch employed a few shots into the air to scare the bear recreational benefit of the pub Chinese cook. In 1910 the cook received away. To this day, he is still watching lic, illustrating its role in the evo $30 per month to cook for the hotel and his shotgun still sits by the window. lution of ranching in British guests and Ranch staff. While the hotel The Ranch, as it stands today, repre Columbia, and the development operated, laundresses and chamber sents more than the initiative of its of freighting, transportation, maids were also engaged at a rate of $3 former owners, the administration of its and accommodation on the to $5 per week. Each of their jobs was many managers, and the endless work Cariboo Wagon Road from 1860 important to the Ranch’s success. One of hired hands. People lived at Hat to 1915. woman, entered in the hotel ledger as Creek, and the hopes of newly wed “Indian Mary,” was mentioned as hav couples, the laughter of children, the ing gone on strike for a pay increase for trials of ranching, still echo through the Two staffmembers at Hat Creek Ranch her job as a laundress. The endeavour valley. Captured in the Ranch’s history collaborated to prepare this articlefor was successful, as she did receive a raise. are the little events that tell of the the B.C. Historical News Our thanks to When a house has such a long his Cariboo region’s rich past: James Doug manager Dwane Scott for putting this tory, with so many different inhabitants, las, Lord Dufferin and Judge Begby all project on the winter schedule. there are bound to be stories of ghosts, stopped in for a drink at one time or and Hat Creek is not without spiritual another; unknown miners stopped for SOURCE dwellers. Some people claim to have a rest on the way to their dreams; the Mel Rothenburger and Sydney Jones. The Hat Creek seen the figure of a small man looking stagecoach stopped along its well-trav Ranch A Histo,y 1993. Out the window of the Chinese cook’s elled way, bringing the men and women

Conference 94 speaker Kim Recabna Clutesi poses with her Allison Mitcham, winner ofthe Lieutenant Governors Medal cousin, Francis Recalma, and a nephew, MichaeL The ceremonial for her book Taku poses with her daughter Naomi (who button blanket drapes over an apron decorated with appliqué provided many illustrations for the book). Professor and ornamental copper pieces. The cedar hats are topped with Mitcham lives in daughter Naomi lives in white ermine andfaced with a crest ofmother-of-pearL Atlin, BC

B.C. Historical News - Summer 1994 32 The Great Flood of 1894 by Edward L Affleck

This year — 1994 — marks the hun Transportation in British Columbia was ability know much more about dredth anniversary of British Columbia’s equally devastated by the Great Flood of it than I do as we have had no great spring flood. While a centennial 1894. A series of washouts on the Cana news from the east or west for celebration is scarcely called for, a few dian Pacific Railway line west of the 15 days, all traffic being com words on the subject might be appro Rockies severed train connections with pletely blocked. The extraordi priate. In June 1893 the U.S. Congress Eastern Canada for forty-one days. There nary thing about it is that it was repealed the Sherman Silver Purchase was a resurgence of activity among so entirely unexpected, as our Act, which had been enacted several sternwheeler fleets on the Fraser and floods are not caused by rain years previously to maintain support for Thompson River systems as this versatile but by snow fallen some the price of silver. This repeal triggered craft worked its way over the flooded months before, the fall of which a collapse in the world market price of terrain to bring succour to settlers and was not much out of the way silver, and within weeks a general fi livestock trapped by the flooding. hut we had a nasty cold spring nancial panic spread over North The Columbia River waterways, more and no hot weather to melt the America. The mining camps in south sparsely settled, proved equally unruly snow, followed by seven of the Kootenay, which had been riding high during the 1894 run-off. Bridges, tres hottest days I have seen in the on the 1891—92 discoveries of fabulous tles and culverts on the few wagon roads country. 97 degrees [Fahrenheit) silver-lead-zinc lodes in the Slocan Min and railways already constructed were in the shade. The consequence ing Division, were particularly devas swept away. Kootenay Lake rose to was a rush of water all at once tated, hut general financial misery spread unprecedented heights, causing waters which sent bridges and railways throughout the northwest. The 1893 to surge back into the Kootenay Flats, and towns flying. What the loss building construction boom in Vancou obliterating the great land reclamation of life has been I have no idea ver paused for a deep breath, and ru project which was underway. The set as all telegraphic communica mour had it that half the imposing tlements of Revelstoke and Trail experi tion has been stopped also but dwellings on Vancouvers elegant West enced severe flooding, while the we heard they were rescuing Georgia Street were facing mortgage burgeoning city of Kaslo. incorporated settlers by steamboats along the foreclosure. in 1893, received a triple whammy in Fraser River. In the Fort Steele To compound the misery, the 1693— 1694. A severe fire on February 25 wiped district we have one bridge left 94 winter proved to he protracted. out many buildings in the lower town. out of six, but what further dam Record snowfalls were recorded in many By June 3, lake water was lapping at age it has done there I do not of B.C. ‘S Interior mountains, and win the windows of those buildings and know as the water was not ter’s chill lingered on and on into the dlwellings still standing east of Third nearly at its highest when I left spring days of 1894. In the waning days Street and eroding the support for those There are not many settlers of May, a hot spell finally struck the bu ilclings undergoing reconstruction. On along the Kootenay River but province, causing the hefty snowpack the afternoon ofJune 3, a freak tornado along the Columbia, Fraser and in the Rockies to melt with astonishing working its way north on Kootenay Lake Thompson I am afraid they rapidity. As the headwaters of both the succeeded in demolishing much of what must lose their entire crop. Fraser and the Columbia Rivers lie in was still standing on the site. Kaslo stag Golden was flooded and An the Rockies, the snowmelt in these two gered. hut by the time the farmers started thracite. a town some 50 miles river systems caused flooding unprec 1895 seeding in the , the east, was half swept away. I had edented in the nineteenth century. At plucky mining settlement was once to walk to Golden and back the the crest of the flood in the Fraser Can again on its feet. other day to hold [Provincial yon, the Alexandra Suspension Bridge The following extract from a June 12. Voters’ Listl Court of Revision, was within inches of being swept away. 1894, letter written to his mother by the track being flooded in many The most heavily populated area to be young East Kootenay settler FR Norbury places. I had to take to the hills. struck by flooding was the Fraser Valley provides an excellent contemporary ac NC) OflC turned up at the Court below the canyon. Farms in the entire count of the 1894 flood: as they were too busy fighting Chilliwack, Sumas and Matsqui areas Donald, B.C. water, besides no one takes any were inundated. When the waters finally You will probably long be interest in politics in this divi receded, heavy deposits of salt-laden silt fore this reaches you have sion and Col. [Jamesi Baker will made it impossible to seed crops that heard of the disastrous flood he unopposed year. The stench of rotting salmon per from which this western coun How great was the spring flood of meated the length of the Fraser River. try is suffering and in all prob 1894? The systems used to gauge the

33 B.C. Historical News - Summer 1994 wicked flood of 1948 were not in place The Lower Fraser Valley comparablesystems harness the Fraser in 1894, but experts agree that the 1894. faced a continuing and serious River, so that ultimately the dyking sys flood surpassed that of 1948 in practi flood threat. Greater floods than tems in the Fraser Valley will again bear cally every area of southern British Co that of 1894 can and will occur, the brunt of the flood stress. When such lumbia. Thanks to post-war inflation and but the specific year or years of a test comes, will we be able to face it a much denser population, the dollar their occurrence cannot be pre with the degree of fortitude summoned loss in the 1948 flood was higher. Those dicted. There is a I in 3 prob by our forebears? who figure they saw it all in 1948, how ability that the 1894 flood will ****t***** ever, might do well to ponder the fol be equalled or exceeded dur lowing message to be found on page ing the 60-year period from Edward Affleck. born in the Kootenays, 183 of the Fraser River Upstream Stor 1973 to 2032 has worked in several communities and age Review Report, published in Victo A predicted flood of this magnitude explored much ofRC He is now retired ria in 1976 by the Canada/British will provide a severe test for the great and living in Vancouver Columbia Fraser River Joint Advisory water storage systems constructed in the Board: Columbia River waterway since 1948. No BCHF Conference 1994

The tide rolled gently over the huge marvellous buffet supper at Island Hall nequins, on video, or flattened in a pro expanse of sand viewed from the Island ensured that all were replete. A fashion tective display case. This retired archi Hall conference centre as inside the past show titled “From the Skin Out” kept us vist predicted that family/home archives, was unrolled by local speakers. The tall watching, listening and laughing. Gwen when well organized, are the treasure est mayor in B.C., Paul Reitsma, and his Speering of the Canadiana Costume of future researchers. counterpart, Jack Collins of Qualicum, Museum and Archives of British Colum The awards for the Competition for greeted the visitors. Members from Dis bia (Victoria) commented as two young Writers of B.C. History were presented trict 69 (Parksville) and Qualicum Histori ladies were dressed from chemise out. by Chair Pamela Mar. She thanked the cal Societies hosted the event. We heard The 1860s garb included a bustle (which three judges who had read and evalu of pioneers who landed at the various was surprisingly compressible), two or ated the thirty-four hooks entered in beaches, then cleared enough of the for more petticoats (one holding the hoops), 1993. Dr. Allison Mitcham of New Bnins est to establish a home; of ships which a garibaldi blouse, wide skirt and a tiny wick attended to receive the Lieutenant floundered on sandbars, allowing the hat. The 1887 garments started with the Governor’s Medal for her book Taku, passengers to dig clams while awaiting chemise, drawers and a larger whale- written about the Atlin district. Allison’s high tide to refloat the vessel; and saw boned corset than in the 60s. Again there daughter, Naomi, has lived in Atlin since examples of the early buildings erected were two petticoats, a lined skirt with 1979 and prepared many of the illustra by early British and European settlers at weighted hem, an elegant blouse topped tions in Taku and an earlier book, Aiim: Craig Heritage Park and while on a bus with either a lovely shawl or a restric The Last Utopia (1989). Robert Swanson tour conducted by Mail Leffler. tive jacket, and small black hat. The was honoured for his Whistle Punks and Kim Recalma Clutesi gave a glimpse 1900s model demonstrated a style which Widow Makers. Absentee winners were of the native peoples who made sea amplified the matronly bosom, and a Lee Stewart for Women Volunteer to Go sonal migration from hunting to fishing straw boater glorified with many flow to Prison: The Elizabeth Fry Society and to food-gathering grounds. It is only ers. A 1908 ensemble consisted of blue Jeffrey Locke, now a law student, for within the last fifty years that these peo taffeta skirt and white tucked blouse, his Best Article, “No Salmon: No Furs” ple have stayed in one place. This young with a restored hip-length jacket in mag (B.C. Historical News, Vol. 26: No. 2). lady, wearing hereditary robes, was nificent Battenburg lace. The model The annual general meeting was con elated that potlatches are again permit wearing this lace jacket circulated, dem ducted very efficiently by retiring presi ted and her family had recently held a onstrating the combination of embroi dent Myrtle Haslam. Committee heads burial potlatch to honour her grandpar dery and cutwork which made reported enthusiastically. Local society ents. From pre-contact civilization, the decorative edging or yardage. Next there representatives summarized highlights of topic switched to pre-historic was a teen modelling a short dress, cape the past year. Election of officers was paleontology with an excellent slide and headband from the 20s, and a so conducted by nominating committee show by Graham Beard. This v’as the phisticated lady wearing a charming chair Mary Rawson. The slate of offic introduction prior to our visit to Beard’s pleated dress with coordinated coat and ers (always listed inside the back cover) private museum in Qualicum and the cloche hat. resulted in two new faces at the council Qualicum Power House Museum. Saturday’s after-dinner speaker, Hugh table. These are Marjorie Leffler of Lunch at the Civic Centre in Qualicum, Taylor, observed that archival garments Parksville, second vice president, and followed by tea at the 80-year-old on live models gave a magnificent ex Melva Dwyer of Vancouver, replacing schoolhouse, now an art gallery, and a hibit — surpassing the items on man- Rawson as member-at-large.

B.C. Historical News - Summer 1994 34 NEWS & NOTES

BCHF ARCHMST HONOURED promote Noon Breakfast Point. In 1989, Museum of Rail Travel hosted the event Our BCHF Archivist when a contest was held to name the as a prelude to the 1995 Heritage Society and Honorary Life regional park in the University Endow Conference which will be held in Member, Margaret ment Lands, “Noon Breakfast Point Park” Cranbrook. Stoneberg, was was submitted, along with supportive recognized recently as historical evidence that gave the attend A HUNDRED YEARS: Princeton’s “Citizen of ing public the reasons behind the rather A MILliON STORIES the Year.” Congratula enigmatic name. This, however, lost out to the memorably forgettable ‘Pacific Spirit There are many special events planned tions! In the photo at at, or connected with, the Vancouver right Margaret is Park.” It should be noted that great care must be taken in using Puget’s rough Museum during this, its centennial year. shown giving her Locals as well as out-of-towners are report from the journal (British Museum Add. MS 17545) for he was a notoriously poor advised to attend and enjoy. Princeton Historical — And in Victoria the Royal B.C. Museum Society at BCHF Conference 94. recordkeeper as far as his dating was concerned. Many of the date headings for has many new programs, rotating dis plays and even out-of-city tours on a busy NOON BREAKFAST the period of the Fourth Boat Expedition POINT were changed and he does not record timetable. Your readers may be pleased to note that their stopping overnight on Beaver Island, Lieut. Peter Puget’s Noon Breakfast prior to entering Agamemnon Channel, KOOTENAY MUSEUM HEAD Point, noted in the Spring 1994 issue of noted on p. 200 of Vancouver’s journal. HONOURED the B.C. Historical News, pp. 12—14, has — submitted by J. E. (Ted) Roberts, been spared from oblivion and that while Shawn Lamb, curator of the museum in Victoria Nelson, was declared “Citizen of the Year it may forever be in the shadow of Point RS. Mr. Bartroli thanks Mr. Roberts for Grey it nevertheless has been recognized 1993” and was honoured at a banquet this note. He admits that “Bowen Island” April 16, 1994. This good lady does as commemorating the contribution made was merely a conjecture. by the men of the boats of Vancouver’s volunteer work for her church, etc., when expedition. In 1981 the writer contacted not busy at the Kootenay Museum. the Canadian Permanent Committee on BOOKS FOR BUFFS OF Geographical Names with the suggestion NAVAL HISTOm’ DOUGLAS HARKER 1911-1994 that the southwest tip of Point Grey be Frank Wade of West Vancouver (who Douglas Harker of Pender Island leaves a designated as Noon Breakfast Point and contributed articles to the News Vol. 23:3 legacy of written history, plus memories of it was agreed that the official position be and Vol. 24:3) has just published A those who were his pupils, neighbours or at49 15.9’ N and 123 15.8’W. In March Midshipmans War: 1941—43. This is one business colleagues. This gentleman was of 1981, Mr. Don Pearson, the B.C. of a trio of naval histories released by an officer in WWII, a schoolteacher, an representative of the C.RC.G.N., con Cordillera Publishing Company with administrator in the Woodward’s Stores firmed that it would be so designated in offices in Blame, Washington, and empire, then headmaster of St. George’s future editions of the British Columbia Vancouver, B.C. School. His written work includes The Gazeteer of Geographical Names, but Woodwards, The Saints (St. George’s), that its use on maps and charts would be REGIONAL HERITAGE MEETING The Dukes (Duke of Connaught’s Own limited to those of the largest scale. The Canadian Museum of Rail Travel in Rifles) and two volumes of which he was Tomàs Bartroli has the story of Noon Cranbrook was the site of the first editor, Gulf Islands Patchwork 1 and 2. Breakfast Point basically correct, though regional meeting of the Heritage Society there is no evidence that Vancouver had of B.C. Directors of the Heritage Society SVEVA CAETANI 1917-1994 stopped in the Bowen Island area on his were overnight guests assigned berths in Miss Caetani died in Vernon on April 27, return from Jervis Inlet. More than likely, it a restored sleeping car. We understand leaving her home to the city as an Art would have been at the Winchelsea or that sleep was interrupted by modern Centre. A book, Recapitulation, featuring Ballenas Island group which match “the yard engines shunting on adjacent lines, fifty-four of her water colour paintings and Cluster of Islands in Mid Channel off and the taller visitors complained of very short pieces of her philosophical writings Noon Breakfast Point” noted on p. 112 of short beds. Local representatives from is currently being readied for publication Puget’s rough journal. Puget’s Noon Creston, Invermere, Fernie, Moyie, by Coldstream Books (for details phone Breakfast Point was not the first of his Kimberley and Fort Steele gave reports 542-1551). Readers will find Sveva’s designations that Vancouver ignored. on their museums, archives and historic article on her family on page 29 of the Earlier on the morning of June 12 (Van site development. Naomi Miller was News, Vol. 27, No. 1, Winter 1993—94. couver’s dating), Puget had given Tongue invited to represent the B.C. Historical Point at Semiamoo Bay at the entrance to Federation. Directors of the Heritage Drayton Harbor, the delightful name of Society attending were Sue Thompson of Strawberry Level, from the “large quanti Grand Forks, Stephen Bathy of Prince ties of tolerable flavoured Strawberries & George, President Arthur Buse of Surrey, abundance of wild Onions.” Vancouver Linnea Battel of Mission, John Stuart of was not impressed. The writer has also North Vancouver and Jim Wolf of New shared Tomàs’ rejection in trying to Westminster. Garry Anderson of the

35 B.C. Historical News - Summer 1994 BOOKSH ELF Books for review and book reviews should be sent directly to the Book Review Editor: Anne Yandle, 3450 West 20th Avenue, Vancouver, B.C. V6S 1 E4

The Northwest Coast: British Navigation, on 14 February 1779. Sound was accomplished in 1794 where both Trade and Discoveries to 1812 James Cook provided the world with charts countries would abandon the settlements at Barry M. Gough, UBC Press, 1992. 265 p., that delineated the Pacific northwest coast, Nootka Sound in 1795, with the exception of $39.95 including new geographical information on allowing temporary buildings to be erected by Professor Gough has spent some of the last present-day Alaska, the Bering Sea and the any country. Nootka Sound was to become twelve years researching and writing about the Arctic Ocean. The sea otters procured by a “free port of exchange.” significance of the British Navy and its influ Cook in Nootka Sound initiated the maritime Inspired by Captain Cook’s literature and ence on the development of the Pacific north fur trade on the Pacific northwest and led to a charts, Peter Pond, a fur trader, explored the west coast. The Northwest Coast: British frenzy of international trading at and around Athabasca region of North America in the mid Navigation, Trade and Discoveries to 1812 is Nootka Sound which quickly expanded up 1780s. In turn, a new land-based fur trade Professor Gough’s fourth book on British the Pacific coast. network was created that would eventually marine influence on the “littorals” off the Pa Men such as Hanna, Dion, Meares and reach the Pacific coast with Alexander Mac cific northwest. In his book, Gough studies Barkley tried their success with the new trade. kenzie’s journey to Bella Bella in 1792—93. the incentives and “efforts of the British sea- No matter how successful these men and their Pond had envisioned a new “Mecca” for the borne activities,” and the international strug companies planned to become in the sea ot fur trade industry on the west coast and he gle among a few European countries for ter trade, they all had one common adver had urged the British government to finan

“advantage and accord” on the Pacific north sary — the East India Company. The charter cially support the North West Company, so west coast. He suggests that British superior and the policies of the East India Company the company could build trading posts on the ity in marine technology, Cook’s delineations were too overwhelming for the mariners and west coast enabling them to hold a secure of the Pacific northwest coast, and Cook’s in mercantilists to overcome, forcing British in position in the fur trade. Pond was unsuccess troduction to the sea otter population in terests to subdue their trading on the Pacific ful in his objective. Nootka Sound all triggered international trade coast. The charter was revised in 1833, al Competition in the fur trade and control of in the sound and abetted expansion into this lowing British vessels to sail into Canton from the land was evident in the form of the Ameri coastal region. the Pacific northwest without requiring the can expeditions of Lewis and Clark, and The earliest proven exploration off the coast East India Company’s permission to enter Kendrick and Gray, which created more pres was completed by Sir Francis Drake, who laid Canton. However, by 1833 the sea otter sure for the British to establish trading posts on claim to today’s San Diego region of Califor population on the northwest coast was almost the Pacific coast As well, the formation of the nia in 1579, calling the land “New Albion.” decimated, making the sea otter trade an un Pacific Fur Trade Company in 1810 and con As early as 1711 the British had plans for profitable venture. struction of Fort Astoria (1811) added to the colonizing territory in the Pacific, and during By the late 1700s the competition in Nootka American control of land and their domination the 1740s George Anson’s voyage initiated Sound became intense. The Spanish believed of the fur trade. The Americans were plying these plans. This voyage was to help destroy they held exclusive trading rights at sea and at their trade for furs as far up the coast as the the “Spanish stronghold on the Pacific.” Nootka Sound. This dogma led to the Spanish Skeena and the Nass rivers. While conflicts between the two imperial arrest of two British whaling vessels in 1789 off Simon Fraser’s and David Thompson’s powers, Spain and England, intensified dur the Patagonia coast and to the seizure of two explorations significantly abetted the British ing the 1720s to 1740s, the Russians had twice British vessels in Nootka Sound in 1790. knowledge of the geography of the regions sailed to the north Pacific (present-day Alaska The Nootka Sound Convention dealt with explored. These expeditions led to the North Panhandle), finding abundant supplies of sea Spain’s desire to exclude rival trading at West Company establishing numerous posts otters for a lucrative Asian market. The Rus Nootka and Britain’s desire for “all nations to in New Caledonia (what is today central Brit sia-China trading of sea otters had been clan trade on the high seas.” Martinez charged the ish Columbia) and in other locations in order destine for many years. In reaction to the captain on board the British vessel (Iphigenia to undermine the threat of American expan Russian exploration in the north, the Spanish Nubiana) with illegally trading in the King of sion and competition on the coast. By 1821, settled the San Francisco area in 1769, which Spain’s domain. the North West Company, for economic and resulted in the Spanish locating sea otters off On the 28 October 1790 the Anglo-Span political reasons, was forced to merge with the the California coast. ish Convention in Madrid was signed between larger Hudson’s Bay Company. The mission of Captain James Cook’s voy Britain and Spain, where the latter country Distance, cost and the East India Company age of 1776 was to search for the Northwest had to return land in Nootka Sound to the were the deterrents leading to the demise of Passage. In 1778, en route to the Pacific north British, promise British whalers sailing rights British participation in the maritime fur trade west, Cook discovered the Hawaiian Islands. in the Pacific, and allow British mariners to on the Pacific northwest. The Americans and On 22 March 1778 both the HMS Resolu trade at sea without fear of being harassed by the Russians were the main traders on the west tion and HMS Discovery entered Nootka the Spanish. This pact between the two coun coast between 1795 and 1825. Sound. tries was not completely resolved until 1794. However, the British superiority in ship Following the contact and interaction with Captain George Vancouver explored the building technology and their discoveries and the natives of Nootka Sound, the vessels were west coast of what is today known as British charts delineated by Captain Cook, and fellow refurbished, after which they went north. Un Columbia and entered Nootka Sound on 28 explorers who followed him, contributed sig successful in discovering the Northwest Pas August 1792. Captain Vancouver continued nificantly to the maritime fur trade on the Pa sage, Cook planned to spend the remaining the negotiations over the Nootka Sound Cri cific west coast and to the westward expansion winter on the Hawaiian Islands, where he died sis. The mutual agreement regarding Nootka from the Athabasca region of North America

B.C. Historical News - Summer 1994 36 BOOKSH ELF to the coast, both directly and indirectly. by the Anglican Church of Canada General mation immediately at hand to the compiler The Northwest Coast: British Navigation, Synod Archives, 600 Jarvis Street, Toronto, of the entry. The parish which I know best, Trade and Discoveries to 1812 is an inforrna Ontario M4Y 2J6, 1993. $15 St. James, Vancouver’s oldest Anglican par five book that has been well researched and My favourite research tools reach beyond ish, receives a minute historical description, written, utilizing both primary and secondary their appointed mandate towards new vistas in contrast for instance, to St. Luke’s on the sources, definitely a scholarly work. One typ of serendipity and surprise. This Guide per facing page. Careful reading of the entries ing error was found on page 23: “occupatori” forms splendidly and is recommended to all shows that St. Luke’s has deposited its origi should read ‘occupation.” On a personal historically minded browsers of reference li nal records, ninety-one centimetres of them, note, I believe that the author could have used braries. It succeeds also in its stated purpose: with the diocesan archives, whereas St James the native term for Nootka, which is Nuu to open up to researchers a “memory of ac has deposited microfilm copies and retained chah-nulth, The Nuu-chah-nulth should be tivity ... which stretches back to the establish possession of the originals. given the respect and dedication for their lin ment of the Diocese of British Columbia in The same dependence on information im guistic/cultural name, whether a person is de 1859, and even before then,” and to allow mediately at hand accounts for a sometimes scribing a contemporary or pre-historic period the Anglican Church “to enter its own memory tiresome vagueness of details, particularly of an aboriginal group. in the course of carrying out its tasks.” dates, which should be verifiable. We are told, Gough, I believe, used the word “discov The introduction provides a useful descrip for instance, that “since about 1974 the ery” loosely when applying it to Cook’s ac tion of the Guide’s contents: BCAYM has published the newsletter, Logos,” quisition of the sea otter pelts in Nootka Sound The guide is composed of fourteen sections. and that ‘by the 1910’s” the Bishop and which sparked the maritime fur trade. The The first eight sections are the entries for the Synod administration had moved from New Nuu-chah-nulth peoples were the first to ‘dis archival holdings of the Ecclesiastical Province. Westminster to Vancouver. Minimal consul cover” the sea otter population and incorpo the six dioceses, and the Vancouver School tation of reference texts and maps might have rate it into their trade network. Captain James of Theology. Then ... there are two glossa helped when describing rural and remote ar Cook perhaps initiated the international mari ries, one is for the record types and other terms eas: Alert Bay is not on Vancouver Island. time fur trade, but he did not “discover” the used in the guide entries and the other is a list These are caveats, not quibbles, necessary sea otter population. of ecclesiastical terms used in the Anglican because the Guide is often fascinating enough Charts or graphs depicting the total number Church; and two indices, one for geographi to cause an unwary user to grant it authority of ships represented by each country trading cal names and one for personal names. Fi where it claims none. on the northwest coast and the years these nally, there is a section of short biographies Browsing Anglicans may learn more than countries traded would have been interesting of individuals prominent in the histories of the they care to know about the paper burden of to see. Information on the marine technology Ecclesiastical Province or dioceses for which diocesan commissions and ad hoc commit of each country’s vessels was lacking, and the significant records are held in the archives and tees. One could meditate on the six centime book could have been improved by using ei a section listing those persons who have held tres of text and six video cassettes left by the ther plans, drawings or descriptions, since this the offices of Metropolitan of the Ecclesiasti Archdeaconry of Vancouver Coordinating issue was one of Gough ‘s main points for Brit cal Province and Bishops of the six dioceses. Committee, charged with planning the Pri ish superiority at sea. The extra information Each of the eight sections, in which the mate’s tour of Vancouver parishes in 1986. would have been useful to compare and con holdings are listed and described, begins with contrasting with only ten centimetres of pa trast the marine technology used by the other an introduction which provides an overview per left by the New Westminster Deanery over countries. of the holdings of the particular archives and a seventy-year period. Professor Gough neglected to mention general access guidelines. Then, a fonds level More profitably and pleasurably, however, John Finlay’s expedition of the Peace River description of the provincial or diocesan ad the browsers might continue leafing through in 1797 that led to the North West Company ministration is provided which summarizes the the Guide, enjoying its riches: from the Dioc establishment of a few trading posts in the whole of the records of the provincial or di esan Church Society (1861—76) formed by northern part of New Caledonia prior to the ocesan administration, which are arranged Bishop Hills in the light of diminishing finan posts founded during and after the Fraser and and described in greater detail in the first three cial support from England. to the Vancouver Thompson expeditions. categories which follow. In the sections for the Island Joint Committee of Ten (1966—77) The Northwest Coast: British Navigation, holdings of the ecclesiastical province and formed to study the ramifications of proposed Trade and Discoveries to 1812 is a great ad each diocese, the entries are organized into union with the United Church (1969—74). Ex dition to Professor Gough’s trilogy on British eight categories. amining the correspondence. notes and clip marine influence on the Pacific northwest The first three categories cover Diocesan pings left by Canon Walter Field Rushbrook, coast that will be a welcome addition to any Synod, General Administration, Offices and first Superintendent of the Prince Rupert library, maritime or history buff’s collection. Officers, and Boards and Committees. The Coast Mission and later historian for Caledo Werner Kaschel remaining categories are: Related Organiza nia diocese, one discovers the typescript of Werner Kaschel, a Surrey tions, Collections, Individuals, Deaneries and. his fictional work The Trailers. I’d like to read schoolteacher, is a member of the last but certainly not least, Parishes. the letter from Rev. F.L. Stephenson written Vancouver Historical Society. Users should heed the introduction’s clari “to a Miss Tatow in England” in 1912. and I fication of the Guide’s intention: not “to re would love to peruse Amy Wakefield’s album Guide to the Holdings of the Archives of place the more detailed finding aids at the of photos from Kingcombe Inlet in the 1930s the Ecclesiastical Province of British Co different archives, but to direct researchers to Phyllis Reeve lumbia and Yukon appropriate archives.” Length of entry in the Phyllis Reeve s the author of The Archivists of the Ecclesiastical Province Guide is not an indication of the extent of a Every Good Gift: A History of St. James. of British Columbia and the Yukon. Published parish’s archival riches, but only of the infor Vancouver.

37 B.C. Historical News - Summer 1994 BOOKSH ELF

Women Volunteer to Go to Prison: A His and women, were left to their own devices, criminality discriminate against women and tory of the Elizabeth Fry Society of B.C. the Salvation Army was the only guiding create inequalities in the justice system, the 1939—1989 friend. The penitentiary, literally a place to E. Frys are well aware of, and in this concur Lee Stewart. Victoria, Orca, 1993. 207 p., encourage and instill penitence, was just be with the feminist interpretation that “women illus., $16.95 ginning in Canada to move away from the in prison have more in common with other “Prison” is a common enough word. Aubrey system of hard labour, silence and women than with male inmates.” (p. 140) Oakalla, Dorchester and Kingston are com solitude, long held to be the means of chang However, in recent years, unlike some other mon Canadian place names. Yet the idea of ing and reforming the character of the anti Elizabeth Fry Societies in Canada, the EFSBC prison for most compassionate people must, social prisoner. Penology as a social science has actually “recoiled from any alignment with on reflection, be almost incomprehensible. To was emerging, and the Archambault Commis prison activists or radical feminists.” (p. 158) go to prison means to be taken out of one’s sion of 1938 reflected the new ideology with The Elizabeth Fry Society in British Colum life, as if one could be separated from it, its recommendations for educating and train bia belongs rather to the volunteer tradition wrenched loose and disconnected and made ing prison inmates to become contributing of “philosophic caring,” working within the anonymous with a number. It means being members of society. justice system and with government and other confined against one’s will and, like an ani The Elizabeth Fry volunteers also aimed to organizations to help women in conflict with mal in a cage, made to obey a keeper. The rehabilitate rather than punish. They were not the law in a practical way. women of the Elizabeth Fry Society of British sociologists, however. Like Elizabeth Fry her Lee Stewart’s history is respectful of the Columbia (EFSBC) well understand the es self, they were practical women with a fund society and appreciative of its efforts. The sential idea of prison, and that is why for over of compassion mixed with good sense, and writing is careful and restrained. At the same fifty years they have been volunteers working their ftrst undertaking was to prod the provin time, this plain, factual narrative is often quite on behalf of women prisoners, providing sup cial government into building a new facility moving for the reader who is willing, like Eliza port and practical help and helping to imple for women at Oakalla. They also persuaded beth Fry volunteers, to understand the idea ment much-needed reforms in the corrections the government to introduce an occupational of prison. system. As one member said, “Only by un therapy program. Throughout the years the Irene Howard derstanding the enormity of the fact of prison EFSBC continued to urge construction of Irene Howard is the author of can the rationale of the Elizabeth Fry be truly more humane facilities, along with implemen The Struggle for Social Justice in B.C.: understood.” tation of a philosophy of rehabilitation in line Helena Gutteridge, The Unknown Lee Stewart’s history of the EFSBC is not, with modern penology. In succeeding decades Reformer. as one might expect of a subject so replete they themselves established a number of with marketable human interest, a sensational group homes for girls and women in conflict Thomas Crosby and the Tsimshian: Small account of female oppression under the Ca with the law, looking to the community for Shoes for Feet Too Large nadian legal system, with lurid glimpses into ways of helping them and reflecting in their Clarence Bolt, Vancouver, UBC Press. 163 the criminal underworld and inspiring sketches programs the new and more understanding p., illus., $35.95 V of women “rescue workers.” When the attitudes towards juvenile delinquents. And Clarence Bolt’s Thomas Crosby and the EFSBC commissioned her to write its story, it all the while, Elizabeth Fry volunteers contin Tsimshian is a welcome addition to what is made clear that it did not want this kind of ued to visit women in prison and befriend still a largely neglected area of research, the People magazine account. As she herself ex them on their release: “Like the trees or the relationship between First Nations and the plains, “They only wanted me to get it right mountains, the Fry women and their homes Christian churches. The author attempts to

— to project the real story of E. Fry.” (p. xii) were familiar landmarks in an alien land assess the nature of this relationship by fo She has honoured their wishes in this inter scape.” (p. 54) cusing on the Tsimshian peoples and their esting and well-documented history which In Canada, offenders receiving a sentence contact with two charismatic missionaries, traces the EFSBC from its beginnings in 1939 of two years or more are sent to a federal Thomas Crosby, Wesleyan Methodist, and as an “offspring” of the Provincial Council of penitentiary; women thus sentenced were, in William Duncan, Anglican. He challenges Women through fifty years of innovative and past years, sent to the only facility available those writers who have portrayed the rela productive work in penal reform. to them, Kingston Penitentiary for Women tionship between First Nations and mission The EFSBC takes for its inspiration the life’s (P4W), for many women offenders half a con aries only in terms of native response to work of the prison reformer Elizabeth Fry, the tinent away from husband, children and uncontrollable upheavals in their lives. He English Quaker who began visiting the infa friends. The EFSBC strongly advocated the refutes the argument that the First Nations’ mous Newgate Prison in 1812, then gathered closure of Kingston P4W, with its barred cells inability to deal with the pressure of white together a Ladies’ Committee. In 1818, one and barbed wire notoriously patterned after encroachment on their land and white-intro hundred years before women obtained the nineteenth-century prisons for hardened male duced diseases led to their acceptance of vote, she appeared before a parliamentary criminals. They urged instead that federally Christian teachings; that their positive re committee to urge more humane living con sentenced women from British Columbia be sponse was a direct result of demoralization. ditions, education and rehabilitative work for housed in provincial facilities through a joint In Bolt’s account, the First Nations are women prisoners. In British Columbia in the services agreement with the federal govern proactive, with the Tsimshians sending for a 1930s, Oakalla was not Newgate: at least chil ment. (The federal government finally an Methodist missionary and, once Thomas dren were not born in prison. Yet British Co nounced in 1991 that Kingston P4W would Crosby arrived, working with him in what the lumbia’s Oakalla Prison Farm housed women be closed in September 1994.) author sees as a mutually beneficial partner inmates under squalid conditions. Their only Lee Stewart emphasizes that the EFSBC ship. Crosby, a man from the lower classes, useful employment was mending the socks does not regard itself as a feminist organiza would gain prestige, a life of adventure and of male inmates. Discharged prisoners, men tion. That outdated attitudes towards female excitement, and vocational fulfillment. The

B.C. Historical News - Summer 1994 38 ______

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Tsimshian hoped to gain access to white po Crosby and uses quotes from one or two of version? litical and economic power. Bolt argues that the women mission staff. Not taken into ac The author also seems somewhat confused although, like native peoples around the count is the extent and impact of their work. by styles. When discussing the Victoria Pub world, the Tsimshian responded to the Chris Bolt concludes, for example, that Crosby’s lic Library (p. 35), he refers to elements in the tian message for a variety of specific reasons, many absences were in part responsible for building as being in the Art Nouveau, Viking, they were strongly motivated by their belief his loss of favour and control. He does not Celtic, Neo-Romanesque and Arts and Crafts that a positive attitude towards Christianity note that during those absences the female styles, and ends up asserting that the building would facilitate their desired assimilation and staff not only continued the practical teach is in a “pure Richardsonian Romanesque guarantee them equality with whites. The ing and medical work of the mission, but also style” with a “Classical portico.” author believes that Crosby’s struggles in later took up the preaching role sometimes as The layout could be improved. By cutting years to keep the Tsimshian attached to sisted by Tsimshian women and men. On one the columns of text in half in order to fit in the Methodism was a direct result of Tsimshian particular occasion, a woman missionary, photographs, the resulting column of text of failure to achieve these goals. Susannah Lawrence, gained First Nations’ ten ends up being only two words wide. This In portraying the First Nations as active interest where Crosby had failed. Why? And does not add to the legibility. participants in the acculturation process, Bolt given that the Crosby Girls’ Home was con The titles under the photographs have been has certainly advanced the writing of contact sidered by the Methodist Church as a vehicle omitted in the first two pages of each section. history. Particularly convincing are Bolt’s ar for assimilation, and that the Tsimshian de These photographs are identified in a list at guments regarding Tsimshian efforts to gain sired assimilation, surely the work of the fe the end of the book, but the reader would autonomy within the church. The research is male missionaries of the Home must be not necessarily know this at first. In some in impressive and the book is highly readable factored into any analysis of Tsimshian mis stances the text describes elements not on the

and generally well organized — although the sionary relations? photographs. In other instances, as on page final chapter reveals information on past re While there is much of value in Thomas 71, there is a reference to “these two panels” search that might have been better included Crosby and the Tsimshian, it is not a defini showing “these two primary B.C. profes earlier. Bolt’s work is sure to be challenged tive treatment of the conversion process; no sions,” but only one photograph is printed. by both First Nations and whites who still fo book that ignores the role of women in that Were the photos in some cases cropped to fit cus on the victimization aspect of contact his process could be. the page with no corresponding change in the tory, an attitude which does tremendous Margaret Whitehead text, or dropped altogether? disservice to those First Nations in the past Margaret Whitehead teaches history at As well, there are typos in the text. The fol who surely did more than simply react to cir Camosun College, Victoria. lowing is an example: “The unknown archi cumstances beyond their control. tect of the Green Shields (sic) building on In spite of its refreshing approach, however. Hidden Cities: Art and Design in Archi Water Street could easily have been of (sic) the book has a fundamental flaW. The author tectural Details of Vancouver and Victoria one of the Five Sisters Block architects.” The states that most of the material for the book Gregory Edwards, Vancouver, Talonbooks, “Green Shields Building” is in fact the was written ten years earlier, but that, in view 1991. 151 p., illus., $22.95 Greenshields Building, and one “of” in the of recent research, he sees no need to make Hidden Cities is a delightful collection of sentence is unnecessary. too many changes. What he has ignored is photographs of architectural details from The text could use closer editing. On page the recent scholarship by women such as buildings in both Vancouver and Victoria. As 63, the author notes “With only a single ex Eleanor Leacock and Carol Devens that ex the introduction notes: ception,” and then goes ahead to give two amines gender as a factor in First Nations’ There are lions, dragons, gods, goddesses, examples. On page 89 he states first that “Of responses to Christianity; because of the work gargoyles and historical figures inhabiting an all the Classical orders the Ionic is probably of such scholars, we know that native women unexplored landscape in the Hidden Cities of the most familiar to us” but in the next para responded differently to Christianity than men. Vancouver and Victoria. graph states that “the Corinthian ... is the most Christianity taught that women must be sub These building elements are indeed “hid frequently encountered Classical order in Van missive to men and the missionaries stressed den” except to those with binoculars or a very couver and Victoria,” the authority of men. How did Tsimshian powerful telephoto lens. The end of the book includes a number of women respond to such white-defined sex The book consists of ten chapters divided suggested tours, which locate many of the roles? Was assimilation at any cost the goal of by the subject matter depicted. starting with buildings photographed in the text, both in both women and men? Given that religious Lions and ending with Inner City Flora, with Victoria and Vancouver. These would assist changes could lead in many respects to the Dragons and The Orients, The Architectural the reader to visit these wonderful sites. marginalization of women, did the conversion Zoo, Hidden Faces and The Romanesque, The quibbles of layout and text aside, the of the Tsimshian lead to female/male conflict? History and Allegory. Gods and Goddesses, book contains innumerable delightful and in And was one reason for Crosby’s problems Classical Motifs, Heraldry and The Gothic, and structive photographs, which are uniformly ex in later years the continued resistance of Art Deco in between. cellent. The photographs of the Marine women? As Devens has suggested for other The photographs are wonderful. The writ Building, printed in colour, are particularly groups, was the persistence of native culture ing, unfortunately, is not of as high a calibre beautiful and well worth close perusal. Buy among the Tsimshian — particularly their spir as the photography. The text is written in a the book and enjoy the pictures. itual beliefs — due in part to Tsimshian wom rather convoluted and awkward style. There Imbi Harding en’s efforts to preserve their “political, are innumerable blind references to “this” and Imbi Harding, a member of the Vancouver economic, and ritual significance”? “these” at the beginnings of sections or para Historical Society, is an architect and The author also notes the presence of graphs. Were there headings in the original librarian. women at the mission. He mentions Emma text that were removed in the final printed

39 B.C. Historical News - Summer 1994 BOOKSH ELF

Rough and Ready Times: The History of opinion would undoubtedly overlook the low Fields of Endeavour Port Mellon wages and dangerous working conditions Albert E. Field. Kelowna, B.C., Jon-N Pub Ellen Frith with Peter Trower. Gibsons, B.C., present in the early days, the sub-standard lishers, 1993. 88 p., $19.50 Glassford Press, 1993. 136 p., illus., $29.95 living conditions, where repairs were at the This autobiography of an Englishman who This book is an excellent example of that mercy of the Townsite Manager (although Port came to Canada in 1927 offers more than a popular genre, the local history, and its even Mellonites seemed to have fared quite well personal history. He came first to Saskatch more specialized and fascinating sub-genre, on this score), the necessity of shopping at a ewan as a farmer’s helper, but soon moved the company town. Its authorship is described company store where prices were always high, to jobs in British Columbia. He worked in as “by Ellen Frith with Peter Trower.” The and where there was the omnipresent odour Anyox from 1928 to 1934, the Bullion Placer respective roles of Frith and Trower are not of effluent from the non-environmentally Mine, 1934—37, and at Allenby, 1937—43. completely clear, but I assume that Frith wrote regulated mills. Often the locals were forced The chapters dealing with those three mining the main text, and Trower, whose name ap to wear some of this unwelcomed effluent, communities are documented with detailed pears with two inserted articles and two po here called “black dandruff.” Perhaps it dem descriptions, names of personnel, statistics ems, provided background material, having onstrates that absence (in both distance and about operations, and many clear illustrations. lived in Port Mellon since childhood. Frith time) makes the heart grow fonder. Fond The author then became a citizen of Prince credited Trower thus in the Acknowledge memories of self-generated entertainment and Rupert for eighteen years. The account of his ments: “whose memories and talents have a well-developed community spirit seem to life while there is anecdotal and interspersed done much to breathe life into this history.” have offset these areas of unpleasantness. with tales and pictures of holidays taken away Rough and Ready is the story of the pulp The optimism and cheerfulness of the resi from Rupert. and paper mill at Rainy River on Howe dents is indeed heartwarming, made evident Kelowna became his retirement home Sound, near the present Langdale ferry, from in the phrase “Well at least Port Mellon isn’t where Field intensified his love for golfing. He the time of the original Squamish Indian set Ocean Falls.” and his wife kept their home there until tlers, to its establishment in 1908 by Captain An attractive, highly readable and well-il Mildred died three years ago. The author now Henry Mellon and Greely Kolts, through its lustrated history, Rough and Ready: The His lives in a seniors’ home in Kelowna. The final twelve corporate manifestations, until the tory of Port Mellon will be a welcome addition pages of the book describe and illustrate many present time. It describes in well-laid-out de to the libraries of those interested in local his friends and relations met on extensive travels. tail the many vicissitudes endemic to the in tory, the pulp and paper industry, company This is a well-produced book following the dustry: periodic changes of ownership, towns and Howe Sound. moves of an enthusiastic commentator. The shutdowns, technological difficulties and de Carl Ian Walker chapters on the now-vanished mining com velopments, problems with markets, starts and The author of Pioneer Pipers of British munities make this book a worthwhile addi stops for various reasons, union activity, lay Columbia and Pipe Bands in British tion for libraries of B.C. history. The book is offs and bankruptcies. Columbia, CI. Walker has worked as a on sale at Marl ka’s Books in the Capri S hop The text is by no means linear. While there Provincial Court Judge in Squamish ping Centre, Kelowna, or at Mosaic Book is a principal narrative adorned with many since 1959. Store, 1420 St. Paul Street, Kelowna, B.C. excellent photographs, the main text is sup V1Y 2E6 or from the author at Hawthorne plemented by numerous inserts, some ac Place, 104—867 KLO Road, Kelowna, B.C. knowledged and some anonymous, providing V1Y 9G5. informal vignettes which deal with interesting Peter L. Miller incidents in the life of the mill and the goings- Peter Miller is a past president of the on in the townsite. In addition, there are many East Kootenay Historical Association. headlined boxes expanding upon some im portant event in the main story. With all of the additions, the reader has to have at least one finger handy so as not to lose his place in the main text. The author has included considerable tech nical data, which I cannot assess. This infor mation would be especially interesting to those with a pulp and paper background and to Port Mellon workers and residents, past and present For the uninitiated, considerable con centration is required if full benefit is to be derived from these topics. - Having lived, adjacent to Britannia and / Woodfibre for many years and having worked - ( 7 at Powell River in my earlier years, all of which operated company towns, I found this topic of special interest I am indeed familiar with This sprayplatform was typical ofthe type recommended by turn-ofthe-century horticultural the oft-repeated litany that the town went books. Infact, there arefew historicphotos that show this type ofplatform. More often the downhill once the road was opened to the applicator simply walked beside the spray machine and used a krng bamboo pole (fitted outside world. The romantics who express that with a spray nozzle) to reach the upper limbs. This etching datesfrom 1913.

B.C. Historical News - Summer 1994 40 THE BRITISH COLUMBIA HISTORICAL FEDERATION

HONORARY PATRON

His Honour, the Honourable David C. Lam, CM, LLD. Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia

HONORARY PRESIDENT

J. Arthur Lower 4040 West 35th Avenue, Vancouver, B.C. V6N 2P3

OFFICERS

President Alice Glanville Box 746, Grand Forks, B.C. VOH1HO 442-3865

First Vice President Ron Weiwood RR #1, S22 Ci, Nelson, B.C. Vi L 5P4 825-4743

Second Vice President Marjorie Leffler 516 WillowSt, Parksville, B.C. V9P 1A4 248-3431

Secretary T. Don Sale 262 Juniper St, Nanaimo, B.C. V9S 1X4 753-2067

Recording Secretary Arnold Ranneris 1898 Quamichan St, Victoria, B.C. V8S 2B9 598-3035

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Members at Large Wayne Desrochers 8811 — 152nd St, Surrey, B.C. V3R 4E5 581-0286 Melva Dwyer 2976 McBride St, Surrey, B.C. V4A3G6 535-3041

Past President Myrtle Haslam Box 10, Cowichan Bay, B.C. VOR1NO 748-8397

COMMITTEE OFFICERS

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BC HIsToRIcAL FEDERATIoN WRITING COMPETITION

The British Columbia Historical Federation invites submissions of books for the twelfth annual Compe tition for Writers of B.C. History. Any book presenting any facet of B.C. history, published in 1994, is eligible. This may be a community history biography record of a project or an organization or personal recollections giving a glimpse of the past. Names, dates and places, with relevant maps or pictures, turn a story into “history.” The judges are looking for quality presentations, especially if fresh material is included, with appropriate illustrations, careful proofreading, an adequate index, table of contents and bibliography, from first-time writ ers as well as established authors. NOTE: Reprints or revisions of books are not eligible. The Lieutenant Governor’s Medal for Historical Writing will be awarded to an individual writer whose book contributes significantly to the recorded history of British Columbia. Other awards will be made as recommended by the judges to valuable books prepared by groups or individuals. All entries recieve considerable publicity. Winners will receive a Certificate of Merit, a monetary award and an invitation to the BCHF annual conference to be held in Chilliwack in May 1995. SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS: All books must have been published in 1994 and should be submit ted as soon as possible after publication. Two copies of each book should be submitted. Please state name, address and telephone number of sender, the selling price of all editions of the book, and the address from which it may be purchased, if the reader has to shop by mail. SEND TO: B.C. Historical Writing Competition P.O. Box 933, Nanaimo, B.C. V9R 5N2 DEADLINE: December 15, 1994. LATE ENTRIES: Three copies of each book must be submitted and must arrive before January 31, 1995. Please phone (604) 758-2828 to clarify shipping arrangements for late entries. ********** There is also an award for the Best Article published each year in the B.C. Historical News magazine. This is directed to amateur historians or students. Articles should be no more than 3,000 words, typed double spaced, accompanied by photographs if available, and substantiated with footnotes where applicable. (Photos will be returned.) Please send articles directly to: The Editor, B.C. Historical News, RO. Box 105, Wasa, B.C. VOB2K0