Early Prince George News
|
Fort George Herald October 8, 1910 The Grand Trunk Pacific party of 4 artists, consisting of J. Wesley Swan, photographer, R.E.W. Lett, immigration agent, G. Horne Russell, landscape artist and F. Talbot of Montreal, a contributor to different magazines, have arrived in Hazelton. The party travelled over the proposed route of the Grand Trunk Pacific from Edmonton with the object of securing data and information for further acquainting the public with the country adjacent to the route of the new transcontinental railway and their work should bear good fruit. The party were more than pleased with the wealth of material encountered on their trip across the continent. December 1910 Officers of the Central Conservative Association of the Cariboo District were: Hon. President John A. Fraser, President J.L. Hill and the executive committee were Otis Earley and J.P. Davies for Quesnel, W. Kennedy and H.A. Carney for South Fort George, E.S. Peters for Fraser Lake, W. Fletcher and L. Muller for Barkerville, H.J. Gardiner for Stanley, A.P. McInnes for Alexandria, J. Hargreaves and W. Adams for Soda Creek, L. Champion and Hardy for 150 Mile House, H.L. Walters for Horsefly, George McAllister for Quesnel Forks, H.J. Bayliff for Chilcotin and J. Goldie for Nechaco. A.E. Dow of Spokane arrived and has taken the old Herald building on Second Street in South Fort George where he will open up a laundry plant. May 1911 Erbert Leinke and Charles F. Weigle, American entrepreneurs, opened a brick yard in South Fort George. February 17, 1912 The big fire bell, purchased by Chief J.R. Campbell, arrived here this week, and has been delivered at the fire hall in readiness for hoisting to its position in front of the building. The bell weighs over five hundred pounds and will be audible for many miles. W.F. Cooke, writing form Ottawa, states that whilst in Edmonton recently, it appeared that freight would be moving west from that city about the middle of next summer. The Fort George Herald is going to shorly commence the publication of a serial story. It is entitled "The Losing Game". March 30, 1912 On election day M. C. Wiggins presided as deputy returning officer, with William G. Fraser as poll clerk. The poll was held in the road superindendent's office on Second street. H. E. Cordingly, of Vancouver, was an arrival on last evenings stage. He takes the position of accountant for Kennedy, Blair & Co. Mr. Moore, official of the provincial land department, who spent a couple of weeks here investigating matters connected with pre-emtion lands, left on Monday's stage for the coast. W. F. Cooke, of the Northern Lumber company, who has spent the past three months in the east, returned to South Fort George on last evening's stage. Mr. Cooke, like all who have visited outside points of late, predicts an enormous influx of people to this country this year. South Fort George still (unreadable) the palm as an investment proposition, he says, and the demand for residence and business property will be keen with the opening of navigation. Mr. Cooke was the representative of the independent interests of this district at the recent sitting of the railway commission at Ottawa, and promises The Herald a full report of the proceedings at an early date. H. Baker, freighter, arrived from Quesnel Monday with 4000 pounds of powder for road construction in this locality this season. The explosives are stored on the Collins Addition. Similar quantities have been forwarded to Nechaco and Fraser Lake. I. A. White has acquired the interest of A. G. Hamilton in the livery business hitherto conducted by Hamilton & White and will carry on the business at the old stand on Second street. Mr. Hamilton goes to the farm across the Nechaco, to which place he has already forwarded farming implements, seed and equipment for the spring work. Not wishing to break off too suddently with the busy affairs of city life, he promises his friends to come over and spend Dominion Day with them. The Bank of B.N.A. has opened a branch in Lillooet with Mr. Jas. Cran as manager, who is well known here. J. P. Enemark of the B.C. Market, left on Sunday for Soda Creek to complete arrangements for shipment by first boat of live stock brought last fall for a spring delivery. April 1912 The Little Nugget cafe, corner Hamilton and Third, was opened for business this week. Mrs. Norwald is proprietress. The title is a misnomer, as this is the largest restaurant in the Cariboo. Up-river pre-emptors are beginning to arrive here by canoe for their semi- annual haircut and stock of provisions. They report an unusually mild winter which allowed of land-clearing operations being carried on without a stop. Many strange faces are seen on the streets these days. As the boats have not yet begun to arrive, the supposition that the strangers "mush" in over the road must necessarily be the correct one. The airship theory is scouted. Superintendent McNevin is starting a gang of workmen Monday on the completion of the road from here to Mud River. From the latter point it will extend to Stoney Creek. Several miles are already built in this direction from the Stoney Creek end. Excavation has been commenced for the new ofice building for Messrs. Wesley and Wiggins on Hamilton Street. A four-foot plank walk is being laid from the Close & Brown Co. store to the corner of Third avenue. The committee appointed by the Board of Trade to take charge of public improvments is performing its duties in a highly creditable manner. Many unsightly places have been cleaned up and streets and lanes put in first-class condition. With the big rush of newcomers to arrive as soon as river navigation is under way, Proprietor Johnson of Hotel Northern is figuring on just how to accommodate the incoming throng. Right now the large hostelry is taxed to accommodation, so it has been decided to erect a large tent on the vacant space west of the hotel. This tent will be floored and have windows and doors. Comfortable camp beds will be installed and every convenience made for guests. April 20, 1912 Several settlers will commence planting early next week. Plowing has already been done in some sections. Reports from lower Cariboo are to the effect that scores of wagons and outfits are on their way to Fort George. The immigrants are travelling in a leisure manner and enjoying the scenery en route. There are also a number coming in afoot. The Citizen May 14, 1925 Hutton Sawmill was Completely Destroyed The fire which broke out in the vicinity of the Hutton Sawmill on Wednesday evening last completely destroyed the V.G.G. company's sawmill, but energetic work by company employees prevented the fire from spreading to the planner mills and the lumber yard. The company has some 14 million feet of lumber in the yard, and about the same quantity in logs along the line of railway and in Eagle Lake. It is understood the sawmill was well covered with insurance. The Citizen May 25, 1925 Local Happenings A meeting of the directors of the V.G.G. company will be held next week when a decision will be arrived at as to what action will be taken as a result of the destruction of the company's sawmill at Hutton. The Citizen February 4, 1926
The annual convention of the farmers' institutes in District "C" was opened in the ballroom of the Prince George hotel yesterday afternoon. John Henderson, President, was in the chair. The following delegates were seated by the credentials committee: The Citizen March 31, 1932 Notice of Auction Sale An auction sale will be held at Penny, B.C. on Tuesday, April 12, 1932 at the hour of 9 P.M. when 23 parcels of land being a subdivision of the S.W. 1/4 of Lot 5496, Cariboo District, situated in the vicinity of Penny, B.C. will be offered for sale at Public Auction. Terms and conditions will be announced at the time of sale and further particulars can be obtained from the Government Agent, Prince George, B.C. or from the Dept. of Lands, Parliament Buildings, Victoria, B.C. N. Cathcart, Dept Minister of Lands, Victoria 23 March, 1932 The Citizen April 14, 1932 Improved Holdings at Penny Auctioned off on Tuesday George Milburn made a trip to Penny on Tuesday to auction off a number of sub-divisions in the SW 1/4 of Lot 5496, Group 1 Cariboo, upon which improvements had been placed by settlers without authority. The lands department had made a sub-division of the quarter section, respecting the various improvements and this produced a number of lots ranging in size from one-half acre up. All of the improved parcels were not bid on but 5 persons protected their holdings by bidding on the lots they were interested in. The parcels made an average price of $25 per acre. The purchasers were H. Mellos, John Harbacz, K. Aussland, J. Finlaison, R. Johnson The Citizen July 14, 1932 Sinclair Spruce & Snowshoe Mills to Resume Sawing - Crop Prospects on the Prairies having Beneficial Effect on Lumber Industry The sawmill industry to the east of the city showed signs of returning activity this week, due largely to the crop outlook on the prairies, where the cut of the mills in this district will have to find its market while the exisiting tariff sheets B.C. softwoods out of the U.S. market. During the tie-up of the mills in this section most of the lumber stocks this side of Winnipeg have been depleted, and with the demand expected a number of the district mills may resume logging. Sinclair Spruce, operating the mill at Sinclair Mills, is opening a camp at Penny and may furnish employment in one way or another for approximately 100 men. It is said the company is figuring on an immediate cut of 6 million feet. Much of the lumber will go into the building of small elevators at central points along the railways for the holding of this years wheat. The Swanson mill at Snowshoe (unreadable) elevators. The mill at Newlands is expect to commence cutting the large stock of logs in Eaglet Lake, which were purchased from Eagle Lake Spruce Mills. These logs have been in the water a considerable time, and the lumber is not expected to grade very high, but they were secured at a very low price which, with the prevailing price of labor, will admit of the production of a very low priced lumber. The Citizen August 4, 1932 Historic Northern Hotel of South Fort George is to be Demolished Al Johnson has disposed of the historic Northern Hotel in South Fort George which was famous throughout Canada. The hotel was built in 1912 when the first contract were let for the building of the Grand Trunk Pacific through B.C. When it was going good the Northern probably enjoyed the most lucrative bar trade of any hotel in the dominion, employing a battery of 16 barkeeps behind the counter and half as many bouncers in front to remove those who had ceased to be profitable. The old hotel had been sold to Sid Roberts for $1,050 and will be broken up for the timber it contains. The Citizen November 24, 1932 Strikers take Charge of Relief Camp at Penny. Andy Forrest Forced to vacate his Post as Foreman Early on Saturday Morning A row broke out Saturday morning at the relief camp in the vicinity of Penny, in which some sixty men are being maintained. Most of the occupants of the camp are "strikers" who waged a legal battle with the police for several weeks in Prince George before consenting to go into the camp. From the start the men maintained they should be permitted to run the camp themselves, taking exception to the government foreman and cook. Saturday morning they decided to put their plan into effect and Andy Forrest, who was in charge as the representative of the Public Works Dept. was ordered to get out. Andy did not take kindly to the orders to quit and tapped the most aggressive of the strikers on the head with an axe handle. The man went down with a bump on his head, but was not seriously injured: but with the overpowering odds against him Andy decided discretion was the better part of valor and agreed to quit. He came into town on the local train in the afternoon and reported the disorder to the Government. L.C. Gunn, local head of the Public Works Dept., decided to replace Forrest with Harry Brown and Sergeant McKenzie and a couple of police officers went up to Penny on Saturday's delayed train to install him. The police found everything quiet at the camp when they arrived and Brown took over without any fuss. So far as the trouble with Forrest was concerned the occupants of the camp appeared to be suffering from an attack of amnesia, in that they were unable to recollect anything in the way of a disorderly happening, the bump upon the head of the man whom Forrest hit was the only tangible evidence of the unpleasantness of Saturday morning. The camp has settled down again to its usual routine, the only difference being that Harry Brown is in charge instead of Andy Forrest. The Citizen May 10, 1934 Effective this week the Canadian National Railways are operating two-way freight trains per week between Prince George and McBride. They will now leave Prince George Mondays and Fridays at 8 AM, returning from McBride Tuesdays and Saturdays. More Activity is Being Shown by the District Mills / An Advance of $2.00 in Lumber Prices Has Been Noted Since First of Year / New Market in East / United Kingdom Preference is Prized and Eastern Market is Being Neglected There are brighter days in store for the sawmilling industry of this section, and there will probably be half a dozen mills operating before the end of the summer. The demand for lumber has been stiffening and the price has advanced by from $2.00 to $3.00 since the first of the year. For the first quarter of the year there were 195 cars of lumber shipped, approximately five million feet, as compared with 65 cars for the first quarter of 1933, and of the total shipments for the first quarter of the current year 107 of the cars were sent forward in March. The month of April witnessed sustained shipment 105 cars going forward to market. The output of the district mills is being marketed in Eastern Canada and Alberta with about 1/8 going to U.S. points as far east as Chicago. A favourable feature for the millmen of the district is the virtual absence of all lumber stocks in the line yards on the prairie, while the stocks in the yards along the railway east of Prince George have been cut to a new low, being estimated at less than 20 million feet. It looks as if the B.C. mills will be subjected to less competion this year as a number of the Alberta mills have closed down. The improvement in the Eastern Canada market for B.C. lumber is said to be due to the attention Eastern Canadian mills are giving to the export market in Great Britain, causing them to more or less neglect their local market. The Eagle Lake mill at Giscome is sawing again and will probably be busy for the rest of the year with the large accumulation of logs in Eaglet Lake. The Sinclair Spruce Mill has logging crews in the bush getting out logs. This company will also do the logging for the mill at Bend, the controlling interest in which is said to have been acquired by J.F. McMillan, president of the Chisholm mill at Chisholm, Alberta. Mr. McMillan was a heavy purchaser of the timber licences of the Fraser River syndicate and it is said his purchase of a majority interest in the Jack mill at Bend was arranged to permit of the sawing of the timber purchased from the pulp and paper syndicate now in course of liquidation, the logs being take out and driven down the Fraser by the Sinclair Spruce. The S.B. Trick mill at Aleza Lake is to start logging at once, taking out a million feet in an initial effort. The Red Mountain, near Penny, is being rebuilt by J.P. Myers, and the Swanson Lumber Co. will likely rebuild the mill recently destroyed by fire at Snowshoe. Nothing definite is known as yet as to the chances of the mills in this district to share in the export business which has developed in the United Kingdom. A sample car has been dispatched but it is too early to say whether the market holds much for the district mills. The Citizen October 11, 1934 Work Started on Hudson Bay Slough Bridge Big Fills to be made on Sides and Slough will be Crossed with a Short Straight Wooden Trestle / Large Crew Engaged at Work / Other Important Provincial Work Now Getting Under Way Will Relieve District Unemployment Conditions Work on the making of the fill across the Hudson's Bay slough is now well under way. The job contemplates the raising of a big fill from both sides of the slough, and the leaving of a small opening in the center which will be spanned by a short trestle. The work is being prosecuted with teams and hand labor, and is providing employment for the maximum number of men in and around the city. As the base of the fill will be eighty feet wide it will take a large quantity of material to bring it up to the crossing level. This is being taken from the hill on each side of the slough. The appropriation for the job is $6,500, nearly all of which will be paid out for labor and team hire. The work is being laid out to reduce the curves to each approach, with a short straight trestle across the slough opening. The Citizen July 30, 1936 Mellos Company's Store and Hotel Wiped Out by Fire The general store and hotel, operated by Halvar Mellos at Penny, was destroyed by fire on the morning of Thursday, July 23. The Mellos Hotel was the most popular stopping between Longworth and McBride, it having been recently constructed and equipped with all modern conveniences. The loss will be a heavy one as it is understood the owner carried no fire insurance. |