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 One early settler in the Prince George area that deserves
honourable mention was one Jack B. Daniels, the first Editor and Chief in the District.
The Fort George Herald had it's humble beginnings in a 10'x12' shack in Fort George, serving a town with a population of less than 300 hardy souls. The little newspaper survived on the land sale advertisements which were, by law, required to be printed not only in the Government Gazette, but in local papers as well. The printer of the Herald was Billy MacKay.
In 1909 John Houston established the Fort George Tribune. Mr. Houston was the ex-mayor and an ex-newspaperman of Nelson, BC. He had also established a newspaper in Prince Rupert prior to settling in Fort George. Working out of a tent-covered shack the first issue of the Tribune appeared on local counters on Saturday, November 6, 1909, and on every subsequent Saturday after that.
Unfortunately, Mr. Houston became ill the following winter and died while enroute to Quesnel for treatment. In the summer of 1910 Mr. George J. Hammond backed Albert Dollenmeyer in the purchase of the paper and it was moved from South Fort George to his
town site in Central Fort George. Jack Quinn, formerly of the Cariboo Observer, was brought in to run the newspaper.
The Herald was sold and Jack Daniells founded the Prince George Post on November 21, 1914. Soon afterward, in 1915, two other newspapers were started, The Daily News and The Star. The latter of the two was later absorbed by the Prince George Citizen in 1916.
With the establishment of The Citizen, which was then published by ex-mayor of Vancouver, Louis D. Taylor, all other papers, save for the Herald, ceased to exist - and it wasn't long before it too expired.
Another valiant effort was made when the Prince George Leader appeared on the market, but it too soon merged with The Citizen, leaving the latter to claim the dubious
honours of being the only newspaper to be printed in Prince George from 1923 on. It remains a healthy source of local, national and international information to this day.
With the land sales boom in Fort George and area in the early 1900's, it was a banker's race to see who could establish the first bank in the district. The Bank of British North America won the
honour by a mere day and was opened in early May 1910. Lorne McHaffie was manager and John (Jock) Munro was teller (and the only bank employee).
The Bank was located in a tent-store across the street from the proposed new building site, the tent-store belonging to Kennedy, Blair and Company. Opening funds totalled $50,000.00, a rather tidy sum even in those days, and which was considered 'sufficient' to start banking.
The Traders Bank fell one day short of claiming the illustrious title of 'first bank in Fort George'. Traders Bank staff consisted of Harry C. Seaman, manager and Frank O'Flaherty, teller.
In 1915, due to financial conditions of the times, the South Fort George B.N.A. Bank was amalgamated with that of Prince George, located on George Street. John Munro continued to manage the establishment.
South Fort George - Fort George Herald, August 27, 1910:
Architect and Contractor - John Bronger, Second Avenue
Banks - Bank of British North America, Hamilton Avenue; Traders Bank of Canada, Second Street
Butchers - W. T. Ewing and Chas. Houser, Second Street; Frank Cannon, Second Street
Baker - Fred Tremier, Second Street
Barbers - Francis Hoffercamp, Second Street; Ben Baker, Second Street
Confectioners - McGahgren & Thorne, in course of construction
Hotel - Hotel Northern, in course of construction
Lumber Mill - Fort George Lumber & Navigation Co., Second Street
Laundry - Hing Lee
Merchants - William Blair & Co. , Second Street; A. G. Hamilton Second Street
Land Companies - The Mercantile Trust Co., Third Street; The North Coast Land Co., Second Street; The Wright Investment Co., Hamilton Ave.
Pool Hall - Birch & Luke, Hamilton Avenue
Photographers - J. Simonson, Second Street
Publishers - Fort George Herald, the Northern Interior Printing Co., Fourth Avenue
Restaurants - The South Fort George Restaurant, Third Street; McGaghren & Thorne Second Street
Real Estate Agents - N. H. Wesley & Co., Second Street; J. Vincent Shaw, Hamilton Avenue
Stationers and Tobacconists - Campbell & Sewell, Second Street
Shoe and Harness Repairing - H. G. Rowatt, Hamilton Avenue
Steamboat Warehouses and Landings - B.C. Express, wharf, warehouse and offices, Foot of Third Street; Fort George Lumber & Navigation Co., wharf and warehouse, Foot of Second Street
Surveyors - Gore & McGregor, Third Street
The Fort George Commercial Club of Fort George, BC - November 26, 1910
The purpose of the club:
An organization formed by the leading business men of Fort George for the purpose of spreading reliable and up to date information regarding the resources, growth and advantages of Fort George.
During 1909 the Natural Resources Security Company, the largest force behind the Commercial Club, subdivided 100 acres which they put on sale in Vancouver as town lots of 'Central Fort George' at $100, $150 and $200.
President: J. C. Halleran, agent for the Natural Resources Security Co.
Secretary/Treasurer: Edward Roberts, accountant for the NRSC
Executive Committee: J. A. Shearer, head contractor of the NRSC
H. J. Carney, pre-emptor who sold out to the NRSC
W. J. De Beck, manager of telephone building erected gratuitly by the NRSC
D. R. M. Perkins, manager Blair's Store
J. C. Quinn, editor Tribune owned by the NRSC
J. T. Carter, to run a hotel for the NRSC
Louis Kindred, employee of NRSC
G. B. Robbins, employee of NRSC
H. W. Gross, employee of NRSC
A. B. Clark, employee of NRSC
T. M. Lewis, employee or NRSC
S. H. Senkpeil, employee of NRSC
Some prices in 1911 in South Fort George - Eggs - $1.50 - dozen, butter - $.50 lb, pork - $.40 lb, beef - $.25 lb, potatoes - $8.00 bag, chickens -$5 each, hay - $60 ton (wild), wheat - $.08 lb, oats - $.05 lb.
Fort George Herald - September 7, 1912
The 1912 South Fort George baseball team was the Central British Columbia champions that year and winner of the Carney Challenge Cup.
To do this they first took on the Central Fort George team at the
Nechako ball ground in a local final on Sunday, September 1, 1912. Before one of the largest crowds ever for such an event, the South, with the help of pitcher Russel Walker, played sensationally. In fact, it if were not for a controversial call resulting in Central scoring a run, the South would have shut them out. The game ended 12 - 1 in
favour of the South Fort George team.
The players and scorers:
South Fort George - Mr. Gilleran, second base, scored 1 run; Mr. Henry, short stop, scored 1 run; Mr. L. Walker, left field, scored 1 run; Mr. Sullivan, first base; Mr. Brown, centre field, scored 2 runs; Mr. Close, catcher, scored 2 runs; Mr.
Russell Walker, pitcher, scored 2 runs; Mr. Collins, right field; Mr. Sheredon third base, scored 3 runs.
Central Fort George - Mr. Hunter, catcher; Mr. Withers, first base, scored 1 run; Mr. Boyd, pitcher; Mr. Lucas, second base; Mr. Ledger, third base; Mr. Andrews, short stop; Mr. Le Branch, right field; Mr. Senkspiel, center field; Mr. Everett, left field. Mr. A. B. Clarke was the umpire.
The win over Central Fort George advanced the South Fort George team into a sudden-death final with the Quesnel team for the cup. The Quesnel team arrived on the steamer "B.X." Monday, September 2, 1912 for the game on the South Fort George diamond. Walker and the South Fort George team duplicated their performance of the previous day in another winning effort. The game was a close 4-2 in
favour of the South in the 6th inning before they opened up a big lead in the 7th. The game ended in an 11-3 triumph for the South Fort George team to claim the championship.
The players and scorers:
South Fort George - Mr. Gilleran, second base, scored one run; Mr. C. Brown, right field, scored 2 runs; Mr. Sheredon, third base, scored one run; Mr. Russel Walker, pitcher, scored 2 runs; Mr. H. Close, catcher, scored 1 run; Mr. Henry, short stop, scored 3 runs; Mr. L. Walker, left field, scored 1 run; Mr. J. Collins, centre field; Mr. Sullivan, first base.
Quesnel - Mr. Larson, catcher; Mr. Lafken, right field, scored 2 runs; Mr. C. Price, third base, scored 1 run; Mr. P. B. Carson, first base; Mr. McPhail, left field; Mr. G. Davis, short stop; Mr. H. Windt, right field; Mr. Hill, second base; Mr. J. D. Rear, pitcher. Dr. Lazier and Mr. S. Curtis were the umpires.
Both of these games, closing the season, were the best ball that was ever witnessed here.
G.T.P. Railway Staff at Prince George - March 7, 1914:
Following is the personnel of the railway staff now stationed at Prince George:
A.F. Bickford, general agent; W.A. Knowles, telegraph operator; J.H. Bickford, cashier; Jno. Finnegan,
baggage master; M. McKay, freight clerk; F.J. Ratcliffe, car checker; Jas. Elwood, night operator; A.H. Mahar, locomotive foreman; H. Saunders, car foreman.
The first 'Port of Entry' warden in Prince George
was P. Campbell. All goods passing through the customs to or
from foreign countries were to be cleared at the Prince George
office.
The first 'Jitney' service was started by
E. P. Campbell. Tickets sold at 24 for $3.00 (for regular users)
and single tickets were available to transients. The route was to cover
Prince George to Central and South Fort George. A regular evening service
accommodated movie goers from the Rex Theatre every half hour, commencing at 8:00
p.m., until the close of the theatres.
December 1932 - dressmaking; the undersigned is prepared to do dressmaking at the following rates - housedress 50 cents, dinner or evening dress $2.50, ladies coast $3.00, girls coats (6-15 yrs.) $2.00, childrens coats $1.50, afternoon dresses $1.50 - Mrs. Ralph Nehring 3rd Ave.
December 1932 - new classifications of Teachers' salaries, Elementary set at $780.00 for 10 months, Junior High $1100.00 and High School $1200.00, both for ten months.
December 1932 - the Hotel Grosvenor offers new low winter rates; daily $1.50 w/o bath, $2.00 w. bath; weekly $7.50 w/o bth, $10.00 w. bath; monthly $25.00 w/o bath, $30.00 w. bath.
December 1932 - Christmas dance, gents $.50 and ladies $.25; turkeys $.20 per pound, beef pot roast $.09 per lb., Japanese oranges $1.20 per box, picnic hams $.15 per lb., mincemeat $.15 per lb., butter - 3 lbs for $.65, apples $2.00 for 40 lbs. Admission at the Strand Theatre 40 cents, 20 cents and 15 cents.
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