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Members dues for the year 1987/88 were paid by the following Members Societies:

Alberni District Historical Society, Box 284, Port Alberni, B.C. V9Y 7M7Atlin Historical Society, P0. Box 111, Atlin, B.C. VOW lAOBCHF - Gull Island Branch, do Marian Worrall, Mayne Island, VON 2J0BCHF - Victoria Section, c/o Charlene Rees, 2 - 224 Superior Street, Victoria, B.C. V8V 1T3Burnaby Historical Society, 5406 Manor Street, Burnaby, B.C. V5G 1B7Chemainus Valley Historical Society, P0. Box 172, Chemainus, B.C. VOR 1 KOCowichan Historical Society, P0. Box 1014, Duncan, B.C. V9L 3Y2District 69 Historical Society, PC. Box 3014, Parksville, B.C. VOR 2SOEast Kootenay Historical Association, P0. Box 74, Cranbrook, B.C. V1C 4H6Fraser Lake Historical Society, P0. Box 57, Fraser Lake, B.C. VOJ 150Galiano Historical and Cultural Society, PC. Box 10, Galiano, B.C. VON 1 P0Golden & District Historical Society, Box 992, Golden, B.C. VOA 1HOLadysmith Historical Society, Box 11, Ladysmith, B.C. VOR 2EOLantzville Historical Society, c/o Susan Crayston, Box 76, Lantzville, B.C. VOR 2HOMission Historical Society, 33201 2nd Avenue, Mission, B.C. V2V 1J9Nanaimo Historical Society, P0. Box 933, Station A, Nanaimo, B.C. V9R 5N2Nanooa Historical and Museum Society, R.R.1, Box 22, Marina Way, Nanoose Bay, B.C. VOR 2RONorth Shuswap Historical Society, P0. Box 22, Celista, B.C. VOE 1 LOPrinceton & District Pioneer Museum and Archives, Box 687, Princeton, B.C. VOX iWOQualicum Beach Historical & Museum Society, c/o Mrs. Cora Skipsey, P0. Box 352, Qualicum Beach, B.C. VOR 2T0Saltspring Island Historical Society, PC. Box 705, Ganges, B.C. VOS lEOSidney and North Saanich Historical Society, P0. Box 2404, Sidney, B.C. V8L 3Y3Silvery Slocan Historical Society, P0. Box 301, New Denver, B.C. VOG iSOTrail Historical Society, P0. Box 405, Trail, B.C. V1R 4L7Valemont Historic Society, P0. Box 850, Valemount, B.C. VOE 2A0Vancouver Historical Society, P0. Box 3071, Vancouver, B.C. V6B 3X6

Affiliated GroupsB.C. Museum of Mining, P0. Box 155, Britannia Beach, B.C. VON 1JOCity of White Rock Museum Archives Society, 1030 Martin Street, White Rock, B.C. V4B 5E3Fort Steele Heritage Park, Fort Steele, B.C. VOB 1 NOThe Hallmark Society, 207 Government Street, Victoria, B.C. V8V 2K8Nanaimo Centennial Museum Society, 100 Cameron Road, Nanaimo, B.C. V9R 2X1Lasqueti Island Historical Society, Lasqueti Island, B.C. VOR 2JO

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British Columbia Volume 22, No. 1Historical New Winter, 1989

Journal of the B.C. Historical Federation

Contents

Features PagePackers and Packhorses of Stewart

by Cane Jones 2

The Dewdney Trail Through the Kootenaysby Frank Merriam 7

The Johnson Street Gang:British Columbia’s Early Indian Art Dealers

by Ron Hawker 10

Marianne & Amelia Kinbasketby Shelagh Dehart 14

Affair of the Magistrates Editorialby Helen M. Coyle 17

Primo Galiano The Spring ‘89 issue is on theby Ralph Brine 18 theme “Education”. Several ar

ticles have come in and moreThe Old Murray Church have been promised so that we

by Joan Bellinger 22 may glimpse our history fromrural schools, private schools, aNews From Branches 23 city high school, and special ed

Book Shelf: Bock Reviews ucational programs.We are still requesting arti

Journal of a Voyage with Bering des for the Fall issue -

review by Dr. W Kaye Lamb 26 “Memories of the 1930’s”.Trampers of historic trailsThe Harrison - Chehalis Challenge; a Brief History of the Forest will welcome the return ofIndustry around Harrison Lake and the Chehalis Valley

review by John Gibbard 27 maps and articles by R.C.Harris, commencing in the next

Island in the Creek edition.review by Peggy Imredy 28 The featured articles herein

are on diverse topics set atPeople of the Snow: the Story of Kitimat 28 widely scattered locales. TheFrom Snowshoes to Politics 29 Packers is a colorful story rereview by George Newell counted in the vernacular, andFederation Affairs The Johnson Street Gang was

Report from Officers 30 prepared as a term paper foran M.A. degree. We hope that

Writing Competition & Convention ‘89 31 our readers will appreciate thecontrasts.

Scholarship Winners & News Publishing Committee Report 32 Naomi Miller

Manuscripts and correspondence for the editor are to be sent to P0. Box 105, Wasa, B.C. VOB 2K0Correspondence regarding subscriptions are to be directed to the subscription secretary (see inside back cover)

KC. Historical News1

In June 1934 I stepped ashorein Stewart on the northern B.C.Coast. I had just left my childhoodhome on the flat prairies in theparched, almost treelessSaskatchewan parkland belt.Suddenly I found myself in themidst of steep, heavily forestedmountains with huge blue glaciers,snow covered slopes topped by barren rocky peaks, and always withinsound of the glistening littlestreams that tumbled down fromthe melting snows above. The contrast left me awestricken. The salttanged smell of the sea with its relentless tides promised interestingbeachcombing adventures. The peopie were all friendly, with interesting backgrounds, but they casuallyused phases of speech which wereunfamiliar to me.

The only familiar things insight were some horses roaming thetidal flats and wandering around intown, Coming from a farm I hadbeen raised with horses; they werepart of the family. We raised andtrained them. They were alwaysunder control, and their individualities blended into their use in teams.These Stewart pack horses were different. I struck up a friendship witha man named Ray Cyr from PincherCreek, Alberta. He understoodthem. Between him and the packhorses I was given a whole new education.

First of all the packhorses weresurvivors, born and raised in thewilderness of the Caribou countryThe weak and stupid ones never

reached working age so the horses Ifound up there were smart andtough, worked as they were with almost no physical control, we had tocontrol them by voice once we hadtaught them our language.Mountain bred, they were as surefooted as goats. Some were used assaddle horses, some broke to harness for freight teams and all wereused to carry packs. And the packswere anything that anyone wouldpay to have moved from here tothere over narrow trails on the steepmountain sides, the packs were secured with the famous DiamondHitch.

As with the farm horses they allknew their names which often derived from an individual’s tricks orappearance. “Buttons” would watchfor his chance then reach out andsnip a button off your shirt from asneat as you please, sometimes hewould get his teeth full of chest hairwhich earned him a good slap onthe nose and a bawling out whichdidn’t deter him at all on the nextopportunity. “Snap” would reacharound while you were adjusting hispack and snip the hip pocket offyour pants, sometimes he would goa little too deep with dire consequences for both. A blue roan withchina eyes was of course called“Chink”.

In the early summer of 1934Crawford Transfer got a contract tomove a lot of machinery over theMissouri Ridge to the portal of anunderground gold mill the C.M. & S.were building. This was to be a

twenty-two mile horse packing job,four trips a day. Bill Crawford ofCrawford Transfer had been born inPhoenix, B.C., worked with horsesin many mining areas of the province before coming to Stewart: herehe turned the more active part ofthe business over to his sons-in-lawBill Esstelmont and Lew Behnson.

In preparation for this theybrought in about a dozen head ofgreen bronc’s from the Caribou toadd to their existing string.

Everything came to Stewart byboat in those days, either C.N. orUnion Steamships. When thosebronc’s were unloaded off the C.N.S.Prince George early one morningthey were trainsick, seasick andconfused so it wasn’t too difficult toget them the two miles to their newhome on the tidal flats at Stewart.

All the horses had to be shod because of the rocky and icy trailsthey would be working on. Gettingthe shoes on that bunch of horseswas quite a circus, but it also gotthem used to being handled.

Most of the bunch were in theirprime, but there was one grey thatwe were sure the Caribou cowboyshad thrown into the bunch for a jokeon us. He was old, wild and smart,and in his only previous experiencewith men they had hurt him with abranding iron. He fought us everyinch of the way and we only got theshoes on him by stretching himacross the Blacksmith Shop floorwith a block and tackle, helpless hewould still bite and we had to throwa blanket over his head and sit on itto prevent anyone getting hurt.

Finally one morning we threwthe packsaddles and some horse-feed in a truck and head and tailedthe string up to the Big MissouriMine.

Next morning bright and earlywe saddled up and started puttingpay loads on them, another circus,but we didn’t do too bad till we gotto the old grey. He wasn’t about tosuffer any more indignities and wewere wasting too much time so weloaded him with some heavy greenpit props that were lying around,

Packers and PackhorsesOfStewart

by Cane Jones

B.C Historical News2

four inches in diameter and eightfeet long. The load came up over hishead so he couldn’t rear, it stuck outon both sides so he couldn’t roll overit was too heavy to buck with andtied with a double diamond, he justcouldn’t get rid of it, though he suretried.

When the string was headed upthe trail he fought his way to thelead and he held that spot all theyears I knew him. When we gotover the hill we unpacked all thehorses except the old grey, he wasstill playing games so we said “Lethim carry it back”.

Same thing again at noon whenwe watered and fed the horses andloosened some of the cinches to letthem rest. We watered and fed thegrey but we couldn’t touch his packwithout more games; the packerswere in no mood to play. That afternoon he carried his load both waysand we didn’t even offer to take itoff till that night when the horseswere unsaddled watered and fed.We rubbed their backs and checkedthem for saddle sores and girthgalls and checked their shoes, allexcept the old grey, we never wereable to pick up one of his feet unlessthere was something wrong with it.Next morning he accepted his pay

load like a veteran and took his selfappointed place in the lead.

He turned out to be one of ourbest lead horses, when we werechasing and not leading a stringwe would sometimes have four orfive horses between us and the leader and sometimes he would getquite a ways ahead, when we knewof a fork in the trail on the first tripover on a new job we would have tomake our way up to the leader toshow him which fork to take, not always easy on those narrow trails toget past those bulging packs andspooky horses. We didn’t have to dothat with the old grey. When hecame to a fork in the trail he wouldwait till he knew you could see him,then he would step out and if youhollered he would pull his foot backand go on up the other fork. He wasa natural snow bucker; if he gotbogged down in snow or mud hedidn’t panic or fight or give up butwould very patiently figure his wayout and let you help him. We calledhim “Grey Eagle”.

Fred Young and Jack Rennie ofStewart Cartage sure had some nicewell broke horses. Fred’s saddlemare was a beautiful clean limbedBay with an intelligent eye named“Goldie”. She was a real friend andreally knew her job. Jack Rennie’sfavourite for a long time was a fiesty little grey named “Danny”. Hedidn’t have anything left to learnabout helping you work a pack-train.

One of their teams was a pair offairly heavy set Sorrels named

“Dempsey” and “Jeff”, Dempseywas a lead horse and Jeff was number two and he would fight anyhorse that tried to take Dempsey’splace at the head of the string.

You had to be careful loading astring to get them in their proper order otherwise you had a battle onyour hands until they got themselves sorted out. Those narrowtrails were no place for a battle, if ahorse fell or got pushed over theedge it was sometimes lost due toinjury One horse I knew of fell intoa crevasse on the Marmot Glacieiher body came out in the creek atthe toe of the Glacier some yearslatet; perfectly preserved by the ice.

Stewart Cartage got a contractto haul some ten foot lengths ofwooden wire-wrapped eight inchpipe up to the Molly B. Mine forJohn Haahti or “John the Finn” ashe was known. This property wasjust across the Bear River fromStewart. The river was low, notswimming deep for a horse, so withDempsey and Jeff and Bess andKid fourup on a freight wagon wehauled the pipe across the river tothe foot of Mt. Rainey.

The switchback trail up to themine was too crooked and crowdedpast trees and boulders to haul thepipe up with “Go-Devils” a dragwith short runners under the frontend pulled by one horse, too heavyto lead two to a horse for a balancedload. So Fred got a bright idea, hebuilt two little swivel bolsters ontwo sawbuck saddles. We loaded alength of pipe on Dempsey and Jeff

r

“

;.5

Fred Young and Ray Cyr loading ore on “Babe” at Mountian Bay Mine,Stewart, B.C. 1937.

Packtrain leavingMarmot Glacierwith a ton of coal. 1938.

3 B.C. HistoricalNe

one end on each horse and headedthem up the trail, we almost wentcrazy trying to help those two horses get that load around those narrow switch backs but finally made itwithout hurting a horse. We gavethe horses a few oats and wentdown for another length of pipe, after that was loaded we had our bestidea of the day, we headed oldDempsey up the trail and took ashortcut to the top. Left to themselves the horses seemed almost totalk to each other as they inchedthat awkward load around thesteep narrow corners, not fast butpatiently and surely with an occasional shout of encouragement tillthey got to the mine where we waited for them. We unloaded and fedthem some more oats and wentdown for another load which theyhandled the same way. Those twohorses carried a couple of hundredfeet of pipe up that hill practicallyby themselves.

“Bess” and “Kid” were fairlyheavy black horses, old Bess’s hindend would just about fill up a wholebarn door, she was wide. Kid was,like his name, a big good naturedkid who would follow Bess anywhere.

We were Rawhiding Ore downfrom the United Empire Mine northof Stewart. The trail was about fourthousand foot drop in four miles andsteep in places (the only access tillthey put the tram in) the snow trailwas good. A load was about a ton ofsacked ore wrapped in a green cowor horsehide and pulled by onehorse. On the steeper pitches thehorse would sit on the front of theload and balance and steer with it’sfront feet, no way to stop or evenslow down much, one miss-step andthe whole shebang would roll to thebottom. They didn’t make manymistakes and we felt that the old-timers seemed to enjoy it.

Three of us on this job, six horses. One morning we were prying thefrozen loads loose and headingthem down the mountain when Mr.Billy Dann came along. Billy Dannwas the Mine promoter and he hadbeen up for a visit and to gather

more fuel for his promotion fires. Hehad decided to go down that morning and thought it would be nice toride down so he hopped on the frontof a load. Bill Stewart said “I don’tthink that would be a very goodplace to ride Mr. Dann”, but Billyinsisted “ I will be quite comfortablehere” and he clapped his mittenedhands and clucked to the horse.

We pried the load loose and oldBess headed down the hill, at firststeep pitch she sat right down onBilly’s lap and there she stayed formost of the four thousand feet. Billywas in trouble, with a ton of ore behind him and almost a ton of horsein front he could only scream andpound futilely on old Bess’s rump.She was too busy keeping her balance to be distracted and made itsafely to the bottom. Billy waswalking quite well in a couple ofdays and he even bought us all adrink.

Jack Rennie was probably one ofthe best horsemen and Packers inthis or any other country. As aMuleteer in the Canadian ArmySiberian Contingent that was sentto Murmansk during the FirstWorld War and through service inthe N.WM. Police he had a very interesting career in handling horses.He always favoured the militarytype of packsaddle because it waseasier on the horses than theSawbuck saddle in general use. Hishorses seemed to understand andreturned his affection for them. Heliked a drink but that was no excuseto neglect or abuse a horse norwould he allow any liquor out on apacktrain, except maybe a smallmickey of rum to make a hot rum atthe end of a long cold wet day’s rideto liven us up enough to care for ourhorses before getting our supper.The horses came first.

One Fall Jack got caught withtwo horses by a seven foot fall ofsnow up on Texas Creek where hewas go-deviling out some ore. Therewasn’t much grub for him or thehorses, no hope of anyone coming infor days, the snow would be theretill Spring with more to come anytime, four miles to the Premier Mine

Road might as well have been to themoon. He didn’t want to leave hishorses, they might starve before hecould make it back to them (providing he could make it out).

He decided to try to get themout. There were several narrowKapoc mattress’s in the desertedbunkhouse so he carried some ofthem out and laid them in a line onthe snow and led his horses ontothem, then he picked up the firstmattresses and carried them ahead,floundering in the deep snow he repeated this maneuver for forty-eighthours and succeeded in getting hishorses down to the Premier roadand safety. The mattresses weretorn to shreds by the sharp shoes ofthe horses and Jack was dead beat,but he saved his horses.

Herb Charlton, Big JockMorrison and Charlie Beale werewell known packers aroundStewart. On one joo Rennie hadthree or four men camping at themouth of the Marmot Rivei packingore out of the Marmot EngineerMine and other small mines on theMarmot River and Katy RyanCreek. The men were sleeping in asmall tent on the beach, they wereworking hard, the days were longand after a couple of weeks theywere getting pretty edgy One evening as they sat around their firesmoking and retelling their storiesof problems with particular horses,bad pieces of trail and peculiarloads that had to be packed. Theylooked across the salt chuck to thelights of Hyder B.C. and HyderAlaska. Those twinkling lights gottoo much for Herb and he decided topay them a visit, he got a rowboatand rowed across accompanied bythe joshing of the other men.

Later that night they werearoused by a heavy black figurefumbling and snuffling around inthe dark tent and trampling ontheir legs. Jack pulled his feet outfrom under the blankets and aimeda mighty kick at the intruder as heroared “Get out of here you drunkenson of a bitch.” As his bare feet hit afurry hide instead of his waywardpacker he realized that he had

B.C. HistoricalNe4

kicked a large Black Bear. The kickbowled the Bear right out of the tentand it took off for the tall timberwith no harm to anyone.

One Christmas the town decided to erect a large Christmas Treeat the intersection of the two principal streets, the tree was lit andsomebody set up a washtub at it’sbase to serve as a Punchbowl, aseach celebrant came along to sample the punch he would add the remaining contents of his private bottle to improve the flavour Needlessto say the contents of that punch-bowl got pretty potent. One of JohnCampbell’s cows came along andtook several big guips of the mixtureand got tighter than hooty owl,staggering about and causing greathilarity among the onlookers.

Big Jock was pretty well alongwith his Christmas celebrationwhen he approached the punchbowlAfter several generous samples hedecided this would be a good placeto take a nap, he hadn’t been asleepvery long when Charlie Beale camealong with some cronies. They decided after due consultation at thetop of their voices that they shouldplay some trick on Big Jock, Charliegot out his knife and cut Jock’s tinpants off just above the knees.

When Big Jock woke up a littlewhile latter he stood up and realized that his pants were too shortso he stooped over to pull themdown thus exposing a large area ofStanfields Golden Fleece, when hestraightened up the pants were stilltoo short so he stooped over to pullthem down again, after several of

these trials and errors he decidedthat there was some skulduggerygoing on and his big temper flaredat being the butt of somebody’scrude sense of humour; he lookedaround for the culprit and maybe because he was laughing so loud decided that Charlie was the cause ofhis embarrassment. Breathing Fireand Brimstone he staggered afterCharlie who managed to get on ahorse and took off on the Hyderroad. Big Jock got another horseand lit out after him.

Somehow Charlie managed tostay on his horse and in the lead,all the way past Hyder and up toThirteen Mile on the Premier Mineroad. By this time they had soberedup a little and Jock in his shortpants had cooled off so by mutualagreement they spent the rest oftheir holiday partaking of the hospitality of Dago Marie’s Roadhouse.

Built leanto against the eastside of Young and Rennie’s barn, beside the Bear River, was theirBlacksmith Shop. Every year inMarch Fred would go out to theshop with kegs of new and unformed horseshoes and fire up hisforge. As you approached the shopyou could hear the tap, tap, tap ofhis hammer striking lightly on theanvil. When you entered the shopthere would be Fred tapping awayat a red hot horseshoe, busy withhis forge and anvil and sometimesbursting into a bit of song as he prepared new shoes for their dozen or

so horses, getting ready for the upcoming work season. The air wouldbe filled with the smell of Forge fireand hot iron, a good smell. Aroundthe inside walls of the shop, aboutfour feet off the floor a 2x4 wasnailed to the studding, by May onthis board would be hung aboutfourteen sets of new horseshoes,four shoes to a set, all with sharpened caulks, ready to go but with nonames attached.

The horses went barefoot in thewinter; in the barn or roaming thetidal flats except the ones that wereworking which were shod with verysharp caulked shoes known assharpshod, to gain footing on theicy winter roads and trails. Finallyone day Fred, always congenialwould quietly suggest that we bringKate, Jip or some other namedhorse into the shop and as the horsewas brought in he would go to thatarray of horseshoes on the wall andselect a set, the horses feet weretrimmed and the new shoes nailedon, they always fit with very littleadjustment, no two horses feet areexactly the same but Fred had themall memorized. He always had afew sets of general size shoes onhand and we always carried acouple of these shoes tied onto oursaddles for temporary replacementif a horse lost a shoe on the trail. Ifwe were working away from homewe would get word down to Fred tosend up a new shoe for Babe’s lefthind foot or whatever and when the

Packtrain with building supplies.Marmot River-1926.

Horses on snowshoes at Big Missouri Mine, June-i939.

5B.C. Historical News

shoe arrived it always fit.On winter trails the horses were

not packed but pulled go-devils orrawhides or were teamed on freightsleighs. The day would start earlywhen the snow was frozen and wellset, about one or two o’clock in themorning, by eight or nine o’clock thesnow would soften and the horsesfeet would punch through. Whenthis happened the horse would stopand wait for us to come and put onhis Snowshoes. The Snowshoes weused were of two different types,one was called a pipe and chainshoe, it was made of a fourteen inchcircle of pipe with two cross chains,the horses foot was strapped to thecentre of the cross chains. The othertype was made of laminated wood,three gouges were made in the topof the snowshoe to fit the caulks ofthe horseshoe. A U shaped bolt fitted over the horses hoof andthrough the snowshoe where it wasfastened with two burrs and washers. It was a disaster if you lostyour little Crescent wrench in thesnow. To train a horse to wearSnowshoes was really quite easy,you just put the Snowshoes on himand turned him loose in the yard tofigure it out for himself. Some horses never got very good at it butmost of them soon learned not tooverstep and trip themselves. Theyseemed to understand the advantage of wearing the Snowshoes.Sometimes we would tell visitorsthat the horses got so smart theywould carry a stick in their mouthsto knock the snow off the snowshoesif they got too heavy

One of my favourite horses wasa little Bay with a blaze and whitestocking known as ‘Old Missouri’.He was really too small for a pack-horse but was feisty, tough andsmart. Like many of the men inthat country he was a loner anddidn’t mind being away from otherhorses so was used as a chore horsearound the Big Missouri camp andwas a pet of all the miners.

When the C.M. & S. drove thetunnel through the Missouri Ridgeto the portal of their undergroundGold Mill it was just under a mile in

length and all hand tramming because there was no power yet for anelectric ‘Locie’. Somebody suggestedthey use Old Missouri for a PitPony. He was equipped with aCarbide Miners Lamp in his bridleand hitched to a little train of threeore cars by a ring on his singletreewhich slid on a horizontal hook nearthe front of the first car; when hestepped off the track to the left thering slid off the hook and he wasunhitched. The ore cars were sidedumping Vee cars with a fifth wheelon the side which rode up on a rampon the dumping block to empty thecar it was very difficult to push theheavy cars up on the dumpingblock, but if you hit it fast enoughthe momentum would carry the carup the ramp and it would dump itself. Old Missouri soon learned thatif he came out of the mine at a deadrun the cars would just ride up onthe dumping block by themselves,so he would come galloping out ofthe drift and step off to the side andwatch his train go by. One of theworkmen would come over andcheck his lamp and hook to the other end of his train and send him infor another load.

We tried all kinds of tricks toget him to pull a fourth car evenempty but he would just balk. If hislamp went out he would wait forsomeone to come along and relightit for him then he would carry on.He didn’t have a driver except forthe first few days. He knew allabout lunch boxes and he loved cakeand cookies, after he had poppedopen a carelessly left lunch box theowner usually had to get a new one.Sure he had a few wrecks but whatrailroader hasn’t.

In the summer of 1936 it wasdecided to take a couple of horsesinto the Unuk River to do somepacking for the Premier MiningCompany. Harold Berg and SamKirkpatrick headed in with Dannyand Baldy. It took them eighteenvery difficult days to make that onehundred miles from the mouth ofthe river. All their problems weren’twith the terrain. One evening asthey were making camp Harold had

gone to the creek for a pail of waterand as he got back he found a largeBlack Bear making a meal of theirgrubpile, his rifle was leaningagainst a couple of sacks of oats onwhich the bears two cubs were playing cock-of-the-rock. With the cussing of the men and racket Haroldwas making with a stick on thebucket, plus the fuss the horseswere making, the Bear decided totake her family to a quieter placefor supper.

On another occasion a horsewas needed to do some packingfrom a lake that could only bereached by air. So a horse was bundled up with ropes till he looked almost like a mummy and manhandled into a floatplane. With BillCrawford sitting near his head witha singlejack in case he got a footloose he made the flight safely tothe lake where he was pushed outof the plane and hauled ashore before he drowned. The ropes weretaken off and he went to work. Justanother day in the life of aPackhorse.

On a trip into the Salmon Goldproperty the packer was LeeCockran, a rather small but strongand wiry man who was very ingenious about getting awkward loadsup on top of packhorses. The horseswere loaded with grub for the Drillcamp, all done up in egg crates andwooden orange boxes covered withthe usual canvas tarp. In one placethe trail crossed a steep hardpackedsnow slide which extended downabout a thousand feet to the SalmonGlacier.

All the horses made it safelyacross that snowslide except‘Chink’, he fell and rolled on hispack demolishing the woodencrates. When he got back on his feethe didn’t like the new feel of hispack so decided to get rid of it.Every time he bucked his rumpwould smack up under the shattered crates and several cans of tomatoes or whatever would shootinto the air and go rolling down theslide, I saved most of them but thelittle yellow vinegar keg that hadbeen his top pack took off rolling

B.C. Historical Ne 6

and bounding to the bottom, too farto fetch it back.

When ‘Chink’ settled down wegathered up the groceries andwrapped them in the tarp to makea pack. We found that the lid hadcome off a tin of orange marmaladeand Chink was smeared with thestuff from his tail to the tip of hisears, the saddle and lash ropeswere so slippery with orange marmalade that it was almost impossible to get a grip on them to tie downthe load. I never knew a can ofOrange Marmalade could spread sofar.

All the tales of the Hardinessand Intelligence and yes, theCussedness of the Packers andPackhorses can never be told. Butwhenever and wherever you meet apacker he will have more tales toadd to the lore of the ackhorses.

DefinitionsString refers to line of horses in single file, a Packtrain head andtailed. The halter of each horse istied to the tail of the horse ahead ofit. Usually only used to move astring of unloaded horses along aroad.Tin Pants. Protective clothing madeof heavy canvas duck material alsoknown as ‘Bone Dries.’Mucking Sheet A metal plate placedon the floor of a mine to receive thebroken rock or ‘Muck’ of blasting.

Carl Jones stayed in the Stewart area doinga variety of jobs until he joined the army inWWI1. He worked in Warfield, Saskatoon,Crowsnest Pass, and Mica Creek prior tomoving to Creston in 1967. He is involved inmany community groups in Creston., including the Historical and Museum Society.

Edgar Dewdney was commissioned by Governor Douglas tocreate “a mule trail with gradesthat could accommodate wagon roadstatus at a later date.” The first section of this trail was built in 1860between Hope and Princeton, andextended to a mining camp at RockCreek in 1861. A gold find in theEast Kootenay prompted the government to engage Dewdney to extend his trail in 1865 to Fishervilleon Wild Horse Creek. This east-westroute through southern B.C. ultimately became Highway #3.Although the chief purpose of thetrail was to give merchants inVictoria and New Westminister access to markets in mining camps, itbecame a factor in opening up manyareas to homesteaders.

The writer will quote from archival documents to explain the problems that Edgar Dewdney faced inhis search for a trail through theKootenays. Excerpts from lettersand documents are italicized: commentary is in regular type. The

main document is an end-of-yearproject letter and accounting inDewdney’s handwriting forwardedto Joseph Trutch, a Minister in theColonial Government of JamesSeymour.

‘1 have the honor to inform you

that in accordance with instructionsreceived from His Excellence theGovernoi I left New Westminster onthe 12th of April, 1865 in charge ofa party to explore the country between Soyoos Lake, and Wild HorseCreek for the purpose of decidingupon the best line for a mule trail between those two points, also to superintend its immediate construction, as well as other works morefully described in my letter of instruction dated 10th April, 1865.The House, the Chief Conimzssionerof L & W and Surveyor General.”

This gives a brief outline of theduties Edgar had to carry out. Theinstructions described the grades hewas to install (which were not morethan 12%.) In other letters he re

B.C. Historical News

The Dewdney Trail ThroughThe Kootenays

by FrankMerriam

EdgarDewdne 1865.PABC HP12677

7

lates his necessity to lay out muchsteeper grades to accommodate thesteep mountain terain. “My operation commenced at Soyoos Lakefrom which place I set out with myparty on 13th of May.

I had previously visited Mr.Angus McDonald of the Hudson BayCompany at Colville to obtain fromhim information regarding the different routs (sic) I proposed exploring, and with which he was acquainted; from him I received muchvaluable information.”

Dewdney indicates his trail orline through this section started atSoyoos Lake and was part of theeast west line forming the SouthernCrossroads at Osoyoos. He refers toearlier discussions (1864) withAngus McDonald, Chief Factor FortColville, Senior over Chief TradersJoseph Hardisty of Fort Sheppardand Joseph McKay at FortKamloops.

“In my previous reports fromFort Sheppard and Koutenais Lakedated respectively May 28th andJune 2nd, I described what my success had been in following what Isupposed to be the line indicated byMi: McDonald; up Boundary Creekto its Forks then eastward to theIchivoniton (or north fork of KettleRiver) crossing about ten miles fromits mouth, then through a divide atthe north side of the largest mountain in that neighborhood, calledMcDonald’s Mountain, to theColumbia Riven”

He made a preliminary traverseto find a route further north of theinternational Boundary He trekkedthrough todays Greenwood and theEast Fork of Boundary Creek,Jewell Creek and Jewell Lake, overinto Pass Creek and down acrossthe Inchivoniton (Granby River) tenmiles north of Grand Forks, northwestward to the north ofMcDonalds’ Mountain (Mt.Gladstone) and arrived on theArrow Lakes near Renata.

“You will find I was unsuccessful in this section. Had I found onthe east side on the Columbia, apracticable line for a road to

Koutenais in connection with this Ishould have made a further exploration of McDonalds Pass. On my arrival at Kootenais Lake from theColumbia River; a Description ofwhich exploration I forwarded in areport dated June 20, I was inhopes I had succeeded but subsequent examination convinced methat no feasible divide existed bywhich a trail could be continued,without following the Lake to itsnorthern end and about 20 miles upthe stream flowing into it from thenorthwest, then striking across theOld Indian Trail to the headwatersof the Columbia...”

Edgar indicated his disappointment at not finding an eastern passfrom todays Castlegar through theSelkirks to Kootenay Lake. He wentup the Kootenay River via the steepIndian trail through dense undergrowth, along the many falls, to thewest arm of the lake. He sent reconnaissance teams up to Rose Pass,Fry Creek and Hammel Creek,north to Glazier Creek and theKinbasket Trail of the early 1800’sover Jumbo Pass to the WindermereValley.

‘4s I mentioned in my report ofJune 20th I considered this a longexpensive line and one that wouldnot have carried out the object of myexpedition. I consequently gave upall idea of it and proceeded southward to the lower end of the lake.”

This is where Dewdney decidedto search for a line further south inthe Cascades and Selkirks. Hemoved his crew to the south end ofKootenay, or the early white man’sname - Flatbow Lake. Flatbow being a direct reference to the sturgeon-nosed canoe the Indians usedhere, only found elsewhere in theAmur River Swamps in Siberia.

“Here I instructed MesersTurner to return to the Columbiaand examine the valleys throughwhich the Hudson Bay Companyhad constructed a rough trail, andthrough which I was informed horses had travelled the previous yearand also if favorably impressed withit to blaze that line at once.”

From here he sends Mr. Turnerwith a small crew back to FortSheppard through Summit Creek,Lost Creek, Salmon River and to themouth of the Pend 0 Reille acrossthe Columbia from the Hudson BayCo. Post. This trail had been reopened by H.B.C. men in 1864. Thisroute was also explored previouslyby the Palliser Expedition in 1859when they despaired of a commercial crossing of the Koutenais bottom lands.

“I, with the remainder of myparty continued to explore the country between the east side of theLake and the valley of the Mooyiealong which the trail to Wild HorseCreek runs.

I considered this in every respect fit for a road, being almost level and with good feed. I arrived atWild Horse Creek on the 13th ofJune as I was satisfied that theonly continuous line of communication between Soyoos Lake andKoutenais, north of the 49th parallel and south of the upper end of theArrow Lakes was as follows. I determined to commence work atonce.”

The rest of the crew, includingMr.Mepps and Mr. Howell (two ofDewdney’s immediate Deputies)went east from the Creston area toFisherville on the Wild Horse River.He mentions the trail in the valleyof the Moyie. This, of course, is theline established by David Thompsonin 1808 later became part of theWalla Walla Fur Brigade Trail.

“Starting from Soyoos Lake, Ifollow generally the old trail atBoundary Creek, crossing it about 3miles from its junction with theKettle River; thence to the Columbiavia the trail known as McKays’, butmaking such deviations (sic) aswere necessary to avoid bad grades-- this section I estimate at 110miles.”

This and following paragraphsexplain where Edgar Dewdney decided to install his famous trail. Iwill use todays names to show theactual traverse through theBoundary and Kootenays. From

B.C. Histori1 News8

Osoyoos to Boundary Falls, somethree miles northeast of Midway.From here it goes almost straighteast to Grand Forks (GrandePrairie) and then again on Hwy. #3to Cascade. It enters the RosslandRange via Chandler Creek toO’Farrel and Alder Creeks, andthrough a low pass some two milessouth of the mile high Santa RosaPass. They went down the southfork of Santa Rosa Creek across BigSheep Creek and just to the north ofMt. Sophia, to the south fork ofSophia Creek and descended toLittle Sheep Creek, up this and overinto Trail Creek, thence down toTrail. I believe both the Creek andcity were named after the trail.McKays line is a reference to thework done by Joseph McKay inyears previous for the Hudson BayCo. This line was Fur Brigade status and “Devuations” were necessary to bring it up to wagon roadpossibilities.

“1 crossed the columbia abouttwo miles above the Boundary lineand keeping down its east bankhalf a mile, leave it and continuedup the Pend 0 Reille and LittleSalmon Rivei then down the valleyof Summit Creek to KoutenaisLake; this section I estimate at 64miles.”

From Trail the route led downthe Columbia to Fort Sheppard andcrossed to the Pend 0 Reille onehalf mile uprive1 up the Pend 0Reille to the Salmon and up this toLost Creek; up and up to the summit of the Selkirk, the trails highestelevation (over 600 feet), down thenorth fort of Summit Creek. Fromthe summit No. 3 Highway coversmost of the line all the way toCranbrook. Near the mouth ofSummit Creek, Edgar had to turnnorth some four miles to the narrowest and highest land across theKoutenais Swamps, known in theearly days as Lone Tree Ridge.

“Here I met with the only difficulty on the whole line, which was,to determine at what point it wasmost advisable to establish a crossing. The valley of the Koutenais ishere about three miles in width and

at high water is almost entirelyoverflowed and I found that thehigh water crossing of which I hadbeen informed, and upon which Iwas depending, was a few hundredyards below the Boundary line; after several days search I was compelled to adopt the present one,which will require rather a largeoutlay to make it a convenient andpermanent crossing; an estimate ofthis and other required work I shallgive you before closing my report.”

This paragraph tells of the firstcrossing of the Kootenay Swampsby an artery of commerce. It wasthe first joining of the East andWest Kootenays by wagon road,thus starting the first white man’sdevelopment of the Creston Valley.The Great Northern Railroadpushed ahead with plans to offsetthe transportation values of theColonial Trail. The CanadianRailroad, which I believe was the secret mission of Pallisers’ work, opposed the move and great court battles were waged. In a separateletter Dewdney explains in full hisproblems to find a bit of solidground to cross this valley. He estimated this crossing at $8000.00 including a ferry

“On leaving Koutenais Lake Ifollow up Goat River about twentymiles and leaving it turn eastwardalong occasional meadows to thetrail on Mocyie River which I joinabout eight miles north of theBoundary line and continuing alongthe old trail reach Wild Horse Creekin an estimated distance of one hundred miles from Koutenais Lake.”

This adds to paragraph seven.In still another Dewdney lettei heexplains a contract with WilliamFernie for him to build the line fromWild Horse to the Kootenay Flatsinto a wagon road. Fernie’s letter ofOctober 1865 indicated completionincluding corduory across to theKootenay River. This road went upthe Peavine River from the northend of Moyie Lake into the southwest of Cranbrook, and rightthrough to the site of Gaibraith’sFerry at Fort Steele. Brevity hascreated an almost capsule look to

my stories and comments. Therewere many other historical events indirect connection with the installation of the Dewdney Trail, especially in connection with the HudsonBay Co. both before and after. Thiswould transform this story to atleast a pocket book edition. Its effectwas more profound on the CrestonValley than any other communitythat appeared along the route.Many of the early settlers andsquatters came in over the trailfrom both directions to start thefarming, mining and logging of early commerce. The first attempts atreclamation of the flats by BaillieGrohman were assisted by the easeof access. Men and machines haveovercome the problems of theKootenay Swamps. The Highwaygoes through on a causeway southof that ferry which linked east andwest for many years. Visitors maystill walk on a piece of Dewdney’strail beside the Creston ValleyWildlife reserve. There your imagination can take you back to 1865.

Frank Merriam live8 in the Cre8tonValley where he has been active in severalgroup8, andprOject8. He was a Scouter formany years; served on the Creston ValleyWildlifeManagementBoard; devotes hoursto the Creston & DistrictMuseum and wasEditor for the publishing of a histoey ofWynndel. He walked mile8, pored over old

and 8pent weeks at theprovincial andH.B.C. Archives to familiarize himselfwiththeDewdney TraiL

9B.C. HistoricalNe

The curio dealer played an important role in the dissemination ofNorthwest Coast art in the latenineteenth century. Since mostNorthwest Coast art came out ofBritish Columbia and since Victoriawas the main trade center not onlyfor British Columbia, but for the entire Pacific Northwest, it is not surprising that the city had the largestpopulation of dealers on the PacificCoast between the years 1880-1912.

The curio dealers’ significance istwo-fold. First, they were essentialto museum collectors as suppliers ofvaluable artifacts. They often provided the necessary contacts for collection in the field as well since manydealers had spent time as traders inthe northern, more isolated areas.Second, the curio dealers catered tothe nineteenth century’s growingtourist industry often providing theonly avenue for purchase for the casual private collector and the souvenir-seeking tourist.

Tourism in modern terms is essentially a Victoria invention. TheIndustrial Revolution and its accompanying boom in urbanization created two new sectors of English society. The first was an urbanpopulation that became the principalmarket for the passenger railwayand for the popular excursion associated with it. The second was anew class of fundholders and financial intermediaries, whose wealthwas not committed to land and whoformed the market for trade andtourism as soon as the supply of

transport made travel possible. TheNorth Atlantic trade between Britainand North America, developed primarily by this second new class inthe mid-nineteenth century, playeda decisive role in encouraging transatlantic passenger lines, easternNorth America was within only fiveor six days of European ports. 1

Tourism in western Canada began in the early 1870’s and wasclosely associated with the railroadas the Canadian Pacific Railwayused tourism and luxurious accommodations to promote immigrationin the west and to pay for its expensive mountain passes. By the1880’s, tourism had become a significant concern on the west coast astransportation connections were improved with the completion of theCPR’s transcontinental line in 1886and the implementation of a transPacific ocean liner route fromVancouver to Hong Kong in 1889.2The railway in particular broughtthe new class of British transatlantic travelers to western Canada.

In the early 1880’s, followingAmerican political stabilization inthe immediate post-Civil War period, there was also a resurgence inthe Alaskan economy and a tour ofthe inside passage betweenWashington state and Alaska wasinstigated. Originating in anAmerican port, such as SanFrancisco, Portland, Tacoma,Seattle or Port Townsend, this tripmade announced stops at theCanadian ports of Victoria andNanaimo. It also made unan

nounced stops at smaller Canadiancommunities like Port Essington,Port Simpson and later PrinceRupert before continuing on to FortWringel (later called Wrangell),Juneau and Douglas. On its wayhome, it made a brief stop at Sitka.The entire round trip took thirtydays from San Francisco and itspopularity grew dramatically overthe decade. In 1884, the line reported 1,650 sight-seers; by 1890, thisfigure had jumped to 5,007.

Although Victoria did not have acoherent formal policy towards tourist promotion until the TouristDevelopment Agency was foundedin 1901k, it held a strategic positionin both these schemes. It had longbeen the port of entry for all settlers, missionaries, adventurers andgold seekers heading north and hadoriginally been designated as thePacific terminus for the CPR’s transcontinental line. When this honourhad fallen to Vancouvei the CPRcontinued to promote tourism inVictoria through a maritime connection between Vancouver and Victoriaand later through the constructionof a large, luxurious Chateau-stylehotel on the Victoria harbor front.Victoria was also conveniently located at the halfway point betweenSan Francisco and Alaska. Thismade it an important stopover onthe inside passage tour and localmerchants made every effort to takeadvantage of the burgeoning touristtrade. It is no coincidence that thefirst curio dealer appeared inVictoria in the early 1880’s, just asthe tourist trade was beginning toemerge as an important economicfactor.

The Industrial Revolution,which created a tourist marketthrough improvements in transportation and the expansion of awealthy middle class, also contributed to the field of museum collecting. With a wealthiei more educated and better-traveled middle classcame an interest in the surroundingworld and its varied cultures, bothpast and present. Rooted essentially in the eighteenth century interestin archaeology and the classical

The Johnson Street Gang:British Columbia ‘s EarlyIndianArt Dealers

by Ronald W. Hawker

ac. Historical News 10

past, the attraction was expandedin the nineteenth century to includethe non-European world. This is duein part to the increased immigrationof British citizens to other parts ofthe British Empire and their subsequent exposure to outside cultures.The Northwest Coast, with its richand sophisticated Indian cultureand art, became an area of interestto ethnological museums and bylate in the century; there was reportedly more Northwest Coast arton the eastern American seaboardthan there was on the Pacific Coast.

The Industrial Revolution alsoimproved national and civic economies and more money was nowavailable for cultural and scientificendeavours. This, coupled with private philanthropy, moved artistic,ethnological and scientific collectionsinto the public domain. DouglasCole writes of museum collecting inthe Pacific Northwest:

The period of most intense collecting on the coast coincided withthe great growth of museums of allkinds. In the late nineteenth century national, civic, and academicpride had combined with governmental aid to science and culture,and more particularly with an enormous outpouring of capitalist philanthropy, to bring about the foundation or expansion of an incrediblenumber of institutions devoted tothe exhibiting of scientific and artistic objects.5

Victoria was again the port ofentry for museum collectors. It wasthe center for transportation to thenorth and provided the collectorswith contacts and guides. In turn,the intense period of museum collecting in the 1880’s led to the installation of Northwest Coast exhibits in major metropolitan museumsand at important national and international expositions.6 Theseevents, along with the foundation ofa Provincial Museum in Victoria in1886, encouraged an awareness ofIndian art and undoubtedly helpedcreate the curio market in Victoria.

The Curio Dealers in VictoriaIn the period between 1880 and

1912, there were five companies orstores active in the curio business in

Victoria. The individuals involved inthe business were Andrew AlfredAaronson, John J. Hart, JacobIssac, Henri Stadthagen, andSamuel Kirschberg and his partnerFrederick Landsberg.

A.A. AaronsonAndrew Alfred Aaronson was ac

tive in Victoria as early as 1882. Hewas listed throughout his career asa pawnbroker and his store was located at 75 and 79 Johnson Street.Aaronson, like most of the dealers,seems to have had a colourful personality. He was familiarly knownas ‘uncle’. At a Colonial and Indianexhibition in 1886, he dressed in abuckskin suit with a wide sombreroand told the British press at the exposition that he was in charge ofB.C. Indian curios, that he wasknown as ‘Wild Dick’, and that hewas “...employed to hunt the recalcitrant Indian to his forest retreat.’This report was greeted with a mixture of skepticism and amusementon behalf of the local press, who replied: “Fancy Aaronson huntingIndians!”8

While Aaronson did not dedicatehimself solely to the curio business,he did make some important sales.He sold material to James Terry; aprivate collector associated with theAmerican Museum, George Dawson,a geologist from Montreal with theCanadian Geological Survey who, in1898, bought a collection fromAaronson that was sent to Ottawaunder the direction of the FieldMuseum, and C.T. Currelly, the director of the Royal OntarioMuseum.9 Aaronson appears tohave retired in 1905.

J. IsaacVery little information is pres

ently available on Jacob Isaac. Heowned Isaac and Company as earlyas 1884 and was listed in the directory as a general dealer in merchandise at 36 Johnson Street. In 1886,the Indian Commissioner Israel WPowell, who had earlier helped assemble a collection for the Americancentennial exhibition inPhiladelphia and who had been active in collecting for the American

Museum of Natural History in NewYork, arranged a shipment ofTsimshian and Nisga’a articles toNew York from the Nass andSkeena Rivers through Isaac. Theshipment was valued at $90.10 By1887, he was listed as a dealer infurs, robes and Indian curios and in1889, his shop, called the IndianBazaar, was located at 43 JohnsonStreet. He seems to have left the curio business in the early 1890’ssince from 1890 to 1895 he was listed as either a clothier or the ownerof a California auction store.

John J. HartJohn J. Hart was in British

Columbia at least as early as 1859.He was a merchant in Fort Hope, ‘before returning to work in Victoriasometime in 1861. Hart, anothercolourful personality, was sometimes involved in less than legitimate business deals. In Septembei1861, he was arrested for sellingshoes and boots stolen from the cargo ship The True Briton.’2 WhileHart was found not guilty inNovember of the same yeai since hewas apparently unaware that thegoods were stolen 13, in 1864 hewas fined $500 for operating a business and having liquor on Indian reserve land in Comox on northernVancouver Island.’4

Hart was in the curio businessin Victoria as early as 1882 whenhe was listed in the directory as adealer in furs, guns and Indian curios. By 1887, he was specializing incurios and his business becameknown as the Indian Bazaar. In1889, he formed a partnership withJacob Isaac and was listed in theannual directory with J. Isaac andCompany at 43 Johnson Street. Hebought Isaac out the following year.He is recorded as the sole proprietorof the Indian Bazaar (also knownsimply as the Bazaar) in the 1890directory Hart probably retired orat least left the curio trade in 1899or 1900.

Hart published a small bookletthrough his company in 1894. Amixture of Indian mythological stories, advertising and questionable

11 B.C. Historical News

history this booklet was aimed primarily at the tourist population. Heboasts that the Indian Bazaar hadthe “... largest and finest assortment of curios on the Pacific Coast”and that it was “... the only Indianbazaar in Victoria.” He then ‘respectfully’ invites the public, “... especially tourists...” to visit and inspect his stock.

In his advertising, he alsostrived to equate the NorthwestCoast tribes with past civilizationsmore familiar to visiting Europeanand American tourists. For example, he claims a resemblance inspeech patterns between Indian andPhonecian languages, assuring thereader that this was solid evidencefor contact and exchange of ideas between the two cultures. The bookletalso contains descriptions of artifacts at the Indian Bazaai including one of a forty foot totem polefrom Skidegate on the QueenCharlotte Islands. Again his pitchwas aimed at equating the Haidawith a better known ancient civilization. He writes: “... it is probable itwill be sent to London, and set upnext to Cleopatra’s needle; so that aspecimen of ancient Egyptian andHaidah work can be seen side byside.”

Franz Boas is known to havebought masks and cedar bark rinfrom Hart’s Indian Bazaar in 1894’sand according to Hart’s booklet, thecompany also sent a number ofgoods to the World Exhibition inChicago in 1893.

Henri StadthagenStadthagen was active in

Victoria at least as early as 1901when he was mentioned in a BritishColonist report on a visit by theDuke and Duchess of York. The article, date October 5, 1901, mentions that a group of Haida Indians,who had come to see the Duke andDuchess, were giving public performances in order to raise money fortheir return trip to the QueenCharlotte Islands. Their two performances had only netted $22 andthey were forced to sell dancingclothes, curios and baskets to

Stadthagen. Probably relieved to beable to return home, they gave hima farewell potlatch dance. The article also mentions that the Duchesspatronized Stadthagen’s shop.

Stadthagen, whose shop was located at 79 (see front cover) andthen at 621 Johnson Street, frequently used newspaper reports ofroyal visits to his store in his advertising. In addition to the Duchess ofWales, Prince and PrincessColloredo-Mannsfield bought curiosand baskets from him in December1904.16

While Stadthagen occasionallyenjoyed royal patronage, he was notalways celebrated by more seriouscollectors for his fair deals. In thesummer of 1907, James WhitbreadGleishei Fellow of Trinity College,Cambridge, bought some artifactsfor his friend Baron Anatole vonHugel and the Baron’s CambridgeUniversity Museum of Archaeologyand Ethnology After correspondingwith von Hugel, Gleisher bought afour-figure totem pole for the museum that Stadthagen claimed belonged to the frog tribe of VancouverIsland’s Nootka Indians. This designation was meaningless as it apparently had been carved from a telegraph pole by a resident of theVictoria Songhees Reserve known as“Nutka Jack”7

Stadthagen’s advertising mate-

rial was obviously aimed at the tourist market as well. In addition tocarrying reports of royal visits, hispromotional cards emphasized that“.. Indians never make two articlesalike, so beware of the fake stuff... Ihave no stories to lie to you forwhich you have to pay extra.” Healso claimed that his store carriedover 5,000 objects.

According to Cole, Stadthagenleft the curio business in 1911 because of the increased difficulty ofsupply.’8He actually left Victoria forLos Angeles in 1910, although muchof his left-over stock was stored athis sister-in-law’s house in town.Since the duty was too high to import his collection to California, in1922 he attempted to sell a largeportion of it to C.E Newcombe andthe British Columbia ProvincialMuseum.’9

Samuel Kirschbergand Frederick LandsbergKirschberg and Landsberg

opened a pawnbrokerage in Victoriain 1887. By 1890, their shop was acombination loan office/curio boutique. In the early 1890’s, the business expanded and Kirschberg ranthe Victoria loan office and curioshop while Landsberg took care oftheir Vancouver men’s clothing store.Kirschberg dropped out of the business in 1894 and was jailed as adebtor in 189920. Landsberg, a refu

Artifacts from the Landsberg Collection. PN 9748

B.C. HistoricalNe12

gee Polish Jew who had arrived inVictoria in 1884, continued as proprietor of the Victoria Loan Officeand curio shop (also known as theIndian Bazaar) until 1911, when,as Henri Stadthagen had done theyear before, he left the curio business because of increasing supplydifficulties.21

These two operated on a largerscale than the other Victoria dealers(for illustrations of material sold byLandsberg, see accompanying photo). In 1896, Kirschberg shipped acollection of artifacts from the central coast and Thompson RiverAreas to New York where he hopedto take advantage of higher prices.Unfortunately, the steamer carryingthe collection caught fire and theshipment suffered some damage. Itwas offered for sale as salvagewhen Franz Boas bought all but tenpieces for $800.22

Landsberg also seems to havehad the best rapport with the museum collectors as they repeatedlymade major purchases from hisshop. He was reported to haveshipped five cases of curios to themuseum at the University ofPensylvania in 190023. In 1903,Dorsey and the Field Museum inChicago bought $500 worth of goodsfrom him and another $200 worththe following year. In 1914 and1915, although Landsberg had officially left the business, Samuel A.Barrett, the first curator at theMilwaukee Public Museum, made

two large purchases, including amodel of Chief Skidegates houseand two coppers24.

Museums and museum collecting became a major theme inLandsberg’s advertising campaigns.Reports of these major sales were often leaked to the local press.Particularly in 1903, newspaper articles complained about the loss ofnative Indian relics to the UnitedStates. In one such report, an anonymous visitor from New York complained that a large portion ofIndian artifacts were being housedin American institutions like theMuseum of Natural History in NewYork and the Smithsonian Institutein Washington.

I have seen the grand collectionin the possession of Mu Landsbergof this city, and such assiduity as hehas shown in the gathering andclassifying of these rare specimensis worthy of the warmest praise. Iestimate his collection to be worthnot less thwi $20,000, but I am ledto believe that as he is desirous ofleaving the country, he has offeredthe collection at a far lower figurethan that, and that it has been declined. It will be a sad day forBritish Columbia if that noble collection be allowed to join those inNew York and Washington, and Iunderstand both institutions arevery eager to purchase.25

The tone of the interview suggests that the report was plantedby Landsberg. The praise of hisbusiness practices is one-sided.There is no anger directed towards

him as an unscrupulous businessman. After all, he was responsiblefor the sale of these large collectionsto the American museums. It is alsointeresting that the anonymous visitor felt he was capable of estimating the worth of Landsberg’s cbllection when, earlier in the article, heclaimed that he had to check themuseum placards in New York tomake sure the articles were reallyfrom British Columbia.

Cole feels that Landsberg exploited the local press in order to encourage a local market for his material.26 In some respects, be mighthave been successful. The CPR’sEmpress Hotel bought a set of totem poles through Landsberg for itslobby27. In 1906, he obtained permission from the tourist associationto open an Indian Exhibition28.From this point on, his business letterhead bears the title: ‘Landsberg’sFree Museum.’ While his free museum was aimed at the tourist market, it is important that the TouristDevelopment Agency and the peopleof Victoria felt officially for the firsttime that Indian culture was of highenough market quality to act as apromotional device in attractingtourism. This was the first step inlocal acceptance and encouragementof local indigenous art.

CondusionThe first Indian art dealers in

Pacific Northwest were centered primarily in Victoria, British Columbia.Their colourful personalities were instep with the frontier atmosphere ofthe community at that time. Oftenhaving worked at the outlying trading posts, they had direct connections with Indian artists andagents along the coast and were instrumental in providing goods topurchasing agents for the largermuseums and other collecting institutions.

In turn, the museums were important in promoting an awarenessof Northwest Coast Indian artamong the general public throughout North America and Europe. Thecurio dealers sought to take advantage of this awareness as Victoria

Sold By Aaronson. PN 1275

13B.C. Historical News

began to put greater economic emphasis on tourism. The dealers alsoattempted to equate local Indianart with civilizations more familiarto tourists such as those of ancientEgypt and Phonecia. Promotionalmaterial published by the dealersthemselves often referred to the relationship between their businessesand the museums, implying that atourist could buy an artifact of thesame quality as one owned by theSmithsonian Institute, and to ownan artifact from the NorthwestCoast was similar to owning, for example, an ancient Greek vase. Thisploy seems to have been economically viable enough to have gained official sanction from Victoria TouristDevelopment Agency. While nativeIndians were not treated any betterthan they had been before, by 1903to 1906 it is evident that Euro-Canadians had recognized thedrawing power and economic valueof their art. As far as the white manwas concerned, the number of whiteresidents in British Columbia,Indian Christianization and theslow pacification of Indian landclaims eliminated the Indians as athreat. Their traditions could nowbe used to further the economic prosperity of the region. The economicand political atmosphere in theprovince and the direct involvementof the dealers thus promoted an appreciation of local indigenous art.

Although dealing in Native artfrequently began as a side venture,the market proved lucrative andmost dealers soon chose to concentrate their business efforts on selling Native artifacts. The most prosperous period was in the lastdecade of the nineteenth century Atthis time, the market was bigenough to allow for four shops atone time. This competition encouraged more creative marketing techniques and led to the publication ofadvertising materials such aspamphlets and postcards. The moresuccessful dealers, like Stadthagenand Landsberg, also leaked news oflarge sales to the local media, hoping to establish a legitimate reputation and to encourage local interest

and patronage.The promotional material pub

lished by Landsberg in particular,including his manipulation of the local press, encouraged the recognition of Indian art as part of BritishColumbia’s official heritage.Although Landsbergs motives wereprimarily commercial, his newspaper articles and selling policieshelped spark a genuine concern forthe loss of Indian relics to foreign,particularly American, collectors.This was reflected in public concernsover the British Columbia ProvincialMuseum’s buying policies and probably contributed to the increase inits budgets for Northwest Coast artifacts.

Ron Hawkerprepared thispaper whilehe was a student at University ofVictoria.Since obtaining his MA. in History, 1w hasmoved to Japan where he and his wife areteachers of English at a college inMatsuyama.

1. A.G. Burkart and S. Medlik, Tourism: Past, Prmenta,al Future, London: Heinemann 1974, pp. 5-22

2. Edward J. Hart, TheSelling olCanada,TheCPKandtheBeginningeofCadianTourNn, Banif: Altitude1983.

3. Ted C. Hinckley, “The Inside Passage: A PopularGilded Age Touo” Pacific Nurthwret Quart&t Volume56, No.2, April 1963, pp. 69-71.

4. Charleo Lillard, SerenShiflingeAYeerT1wHistoryc(VanurLslancHorsdal and Schubert 1986, p.193.

5. Douglas Cole, Captured Hentage’TheScmmblefurNurthwast Coast Artifac% Douglas and Mc[ntyre1985, p.287.

6. Ibid, pp. 90-92.7. British Colonist, August 10, 1886, p.3.8. lbi4p.3.9. Cole,CapturedHeiitage, pp. 84-85, 181-182, 197, 290.10. Cole, Captuserl Heritage, pp. 83.11. VictoriaGazette, April 14, 1839.12. BoitishColonist,September 16,1861, p.3.13. 1b4 November 13, 1861, p3.14. Jbi December 31, 1864, p.S15. Cole, captured Heritage, p. 137.16. Bntish Colonist, December 14,1904, p.S.17. Cole, captured Heritage p. 233-234.18. Ibid, p. 246.19. Henri Stadthagen to CE Newcombe, November 28,

1922, volumeS, file 136, Newcombe Papers.20. British Colouist, March12, 1899, p.S21. Cole, Captured Heritage, p. 246.22. Ibid. pp. 145- 146.23. Britishcolonist,September 16, 1900, p.524. Cole, Captured Heritage, p. 197, 247 - 248.25. British Colonist, August 7, 190326. Cole, Captured Heritage,.27. Cole, Captured Heritage.28. Frederick Landsberg to CF. , December 4, 1906,

Volume 4, file 92, Newcombe Papers.

Marianne&AmeliaKinbasket

by Shelagh Dehart

Marianne, wife of Chief PierreKinbasket, was not born yet whenthe Shuswap men first went to“Kinbasket Country” in theColumbia Valley. Pierre was ayoung boy when he came to the BigBend country with his father on oneof the early trips. There were timeswhen Marianne spoke wistfully ofher life as a child with her brothersand half sisters, “Oh my beautifullakes. There they sit without me. Iam here because I have to be wheremy husband is.” The lakes she wasreferring to are Adams Lake,Shuswap Lake, and KamloopsLake. Their permanent homes wereat Adams Lake but they roamedaround Sicamous, Kamloops,Enderby and eastward. Theystayed clear of the Vernon andPenticton Indians because theywere hostile toward them. In winterthey lived in pit houses covered withtimbers, insulated with birch bark,and entered by a ladder placed inthe smoke hole. Close to their pithome there would be storage pits -

clay cellars lined with birchbarkwhere dried meat and berries werestored.

She was ten years old when shewas baptized by a Catholic priest.His name was Per Sak (Per usuallymeans Father). Her father had twowives. The priest told him he had tokeep only one wife. That was thesaddest day in her young life; agreat shock to the family, She oftensaid it was as if Death had come toclaim their other mother. Mariannebelieved in native superstitionswhen she was young, but became avery religious person when shejoined the Catholic Faith.

When they were married, her

B.C. HistoricalNe 14

husband told her he was taking herto a beautiful country. She wasfrightened because she was going toKootenay country and one of hercousins had been kidnapped fromAdams Lake by some Kootenays.They came on horses through theRogers Pass following a narrowtrail. Some parts of the trail weresteep rocky slopes which were madepassable with a lashed corduroy oftrees known as “horse ladders”. Hernew home was somewhere south ofGolden. Their first child was bornbefore they came to settle atStoddart’s Creek near Athalmere.She had four girls. A baby boy diedand that ended the line of hereditary chiefs. At the time of FatherFouquet and Brother Burns three ofher daughters were sent to St.Eugene Mission School. They wereAmelia, Angelique and Rosalee.

Most foods were boiled but somehad to be roasted. Roots for winteruse were baked on hot rocks in theground. They used elk meat, moose,deei sheep, goat, beaver (freshonly), marmot, bear, and porcupine;dog-teeth daisies, tiger lilies, bitterroot (the bulbs only), wild carrots sosweet and crisp eaten raw, wild potatoes, onions, saskatoon and somany kinds of berries. They usedbitterroots to thicken saskatoonstew, and in other dishes too. Theold people never used salt or sugaron food. During the winter they hadto soak food overnight to prepare tocook the next day. Dry meat andcorn took two days soaking to makethem eatable. For tea they usedHudson Bay tea, broth, or manykinds of leaves from trees - some ofthese had to be dried. They had nouse for “dirty meat” meaning pork,horsemeat, chickens and eggs,though they sometimes gatheredduck or goose eggs. A treat was theinner bark of young pine trees inspring time. Fun food was soap berry whip. The hostess puts soap berry juice in a dish and whips it witha wad of soft grass. When thick herguests sit all around her and starteating it from the dish with forkedsticks. If they have enough to eat ofit - all is well. But if it begins to look

low and they know that there is notgoing to be enough to satisfy theirappetite, the air gets thick and uncomfortable. The hostess, if she’squick enough, suddenly leaps awayfrom the group and runs for her life.If they catch her they rub her faceand head with her grass whipperand crown her with her dish. Herscreams, the noise and laughter,one can imagine!

Chief Pierre lost his sight whilestill a robust man due to an injuryto his eyes. Marianne helped herblind husband to clear land. He dugout boulders, sawed trees and logs.Marianne directed him with,“Higher” “Lower”, ‘A bit to theright”, “Left” or “Jump to theright.” Poor man, he got hit on thehead one time from a falling limband his wife came close to tears tosee him hurt.

They used goose grease for skinlotion; balsam tree resin for skintroubles; juice of a certain kind ofjuniper needles for laxative. Thechiefs wife had been a midwife before she left her country and continued her job until the doctors came tothe valley. She brought into thisworld the first white child born inthe Windermere country. The son ofJack Taynton was born at Sinclair(now called Radium). They namedhim after his Uncle Bill Taynton,formally known as William Sinclairbecause he was born at Sinclair.Marianne pulled out her own teethwhen she had to.

Marianne lived at KinbasketLake with her cousins when themen went there to hunt caribou.While there they looked after gravesleft during previous camps there.She never went to the prairies withher husband because there was always the danger of running intoBlackfoot bands. She had seen returning buffalo hunters badlywounded on her first trip to FortSteele. Her mind was set that shewould have nothing to do with future trips to the prairies.

The Kinbaskets had a littlechapel in the log cabin that theybuilt. Even in her eighties,

Marianne Kinbasket walked thethree miles to church winter andsummer. When she left home to livewith her daughter Amelia, somebody went into the empty house’and took all the framed holy pictures, vases, statues, and rosariesfrom the chapel. Taken as well weretreasured old letters from FatherCoccola and Bob Galbraith, postcards and other items. The correspondence between Pierre and hisfriends was done by daughterRosalee when the old chief lost hissight.

Marianne loved animals. Shetalked to them and they seemed tounderstand. When she called themby the name they came running,even squirrels became friends. Shehad two pet beavers in a pond byher house; they were tame. One daya white man came and opened thedam; away the beavers went, sailing down the creek to the ColumbiaRiver which was only half a milefrom her home. Marianne was kindand very patient. She had time tocomfort and wipe away the tears ofyoung and old, to taste water fromeach pailful (lard pail) of water thather grandchild brought in from thecreek just to please her. If she washome when a cowboy or hunterstopped at her cabin he was sure toget a cup of tea and all the breadand butter he could eat. She madeher own butter and baked her ownbread. Many times she served tea toBob Galbraith, the Indian agent.

When her husband died shelived first with her daughterRosalee. When Rosalee was killedby a horse, she went to live with another daughter, Amelia. One dayshe was clearing a part of her land,said she didn’t feel like her old selfand took to her bed. She died sevendays later in August 1933 at age86.

*************

Amelia Kinbasket was born inthe Columbia Valley. She went toschool at the age of fifteen to the St.Eugene Mission school, then aframe building close to the St.Mary’s River bridge. There she met

15B.C. Historical News

Father Fouquet, Brother Burns andthe nuns. The students had to learnthe English language (from FrenchCanadian nuns) and do all thehousework. They were given lessonson how to cook, bake, preserve meatand fruit, knit sew and crochet. Shemanaged third grade in three yearsbut had to leave school at eighteenbecause that was the law of theschool.

Amelia worked as a helper orbaby-sitter for some of the early settlers in the Windermere Valley. Shewas married in 1903 by FatherNicholas Coccola to William HobbsPalmer from Amherst, Nova Scotia.They lived in a teepee for a time tillthey were able to buy land atStoddart’s Creek. They cleared theland with hard work and good olddynamite. Amelia raised cattle,hogs, chickens, saddle horses andPercherons. The horses were sold toroad camps along with potatoes,vegetables, meat, butter and eggs.She did mending for road gangsand tanned deer hides to makeclothing. (The Shuswaps didn’t dobeadwork in the old days. They copied that kind of work from theKootenays in later years. Her mother tells of Shuswaps diving intoAdams Lake for colored beads, butthey were used for necklaces only)

Amelia and her husbandtrapped fur bearing animals in thefirst years of their marriage.William was soon able to purchaseenough tools and land at Wilmer,B.C. where he set up a blacksmithshop where he was kept busy foryears. Amelia kept the trapline going besides her other business.Although she had only a gradethree education she was good at addition and subtraction. We supposethis stems from every day dealingsthat had been going on for years.When a fur buyer handed her money for some muscrat pelts, shescoffed and said, “Pshaw! Can’t youadd?”

Amelia and her husband weretwo busy people. She spent muchtime with her own affairs and hehad his own jobs. When she was

youngei too busy to manage herhome, a native girl was live-in babysitter and housekeeper. There wasalways a handyman living in theold log house, behind the mainhouse, usually these were men happy to have a place to stay and workfor their board.

Around 1928 Palmer sold hisbusiness in Wilmer when motorizedfarm machinery and cars becamenumerous in the Windermere country He then went to work for theGovernment as Grader man withhis team of Percherons. Wages werelow. From then on he went downhill.

Amelia had seven daughters.She sent them all to the St. EugeneMission School near Cranbrook.They were to learn the CatholicFaith and not follow their father’snonsense. He was a non-believer buthad promised the priest that hewould join the church; that he neverdid. She hoped or wished that herdaughters would marry native men.Only one daughter did; she marrieda Kootenay whom she met at St.Eugene’s Mission.

Amelia Palmer was a personwho moved fast in more ways thanone. IMPATIENT! She would neverrepeat an order or command to herchildren. “Why waste my breath?”The leather strap was always onthe wall ready for use if needed.One thing Amelia was never happywith was the root cellar that herhusband had built. “An Indian cellar is best!” She dug this herself.When finished it was a hole in theground eleven or twelve feet deep,about 35 or 40 feet in circumferenceat the bottom but a narrow openingat the top. She used a pick andshovel, put the gravel in a bucket,sent it up on a cable on a pulleyhung from a tripod over the hole.Her saddle horse attached to thecable pulled it up when she yelled“Git ap”. She then climbed out ofthe hole by her ladder and emptiedthe bucket. It took her a year to finish the cellar.

In the ‘30’s she occasionally hadfamilies camp at her place and pas

ture their horses in her lower field.She fed many people, men especially, who came to her door for foodand lodgings, She would have herhusband take them to the barn andput them up in the hay loft. Somecame in old cars. One prairie familyhad a milk cow on a rope tied behind the wagon. These people werecoming from the “dust bowls” ofAlberta and Saskatchewan on theirway to a better land.

Things don’t always go smoothly with most of us. So it was withBill and Amelia. Come electiontimes they were sure to have disagreements about the candidates. Hewas always Liberal and shethought the Conservative Party wasbest We have known them go theirseparate ways to the polls atAthalmere on voting day. Once hedrove away without her so shejumped on her saddle horse, tookthe short-cut along the C.P.R.tracks, and voted before him.Another time he drove away to thepolls alone and she followed him inher old Ford Car. Amelia had a trickup her sleeve: if she wanted to talkto her people about something thatneither her husband or childrenshould hear she conversed inChinook. Despite the bickering,Amelia missed her husband afterhis death. She seemed to lose interest in everything. She sold most ofher cattle and horses and sold herproperty - 309 acres to a son-in-lawfor $1.00, then sat around saying“Any socks need mending?” and “Iam good for nothing!”. This hardworking, vigorous woman died inWindermere and District Hospitalin June 1957 at the age of seventy-five.

Author Shelagh Dehart recalls that hermother seemed cold and too busy to spendtime with her children. Young Shetagh lovedhergrandparents and was loved in return.GrandmotherMarianne dedgwted Shelaghas the Kinbasket family historian, a role shehas ftdfilled for most ofher 70+wars..

** ** * ****** * *** **

B.C. HistoricalNe 16

In the hurly-burly world of theFraser Valley Gold Rush it becameapparent to James Douglas thatsome instrument of law and orderwas necessary He asked for and received help from the House ofCommons in London. Thus it wasthat the Royal Engineers arrived inVictoria in October, November andDecember 1858. Two sections of theengineers and Governor Douglasproceeded to Langley; where on thefifteenth of November 1858, the official birth of the Province of BritishColumbia occurred.

The first military service of theRoyal Engineers was the followingmatter.

At Yale was a residentMagistrate Whannell. Two milesfurther down the river at Hill’s Barwas another resident Magistrate,Perrier. Between these twoMagistrates there was bitter jealousy.

On Christmas Day, Farrell, aminer at Hill’s Bai went up to Yaleto celebrate. He imbibed much toofreely. As he strolled down the streethe saw a Negro, Dickson by name,standing by the door of his own barber shop. Farrell, heavily loadedwith Christmas spirit and an aggressive nature committed a seriousand unprovoked attack on Dickson.

The news travelled quickly toHill’s Bar. Here Magistrate Perrierdecided that Farrell resided at Hill’sBar and should have imbibed athome and decided to investigate theincident; despite the fact that it hadnot occurred in his jurisdiction. Hesent a constable to Yale with a war-

rant for the arrest of Farrell.Before the constable had been

able to reach Yale, Farrell had beenarrested and locked up for contemptby a constable on the advice of theYale Magistrate Whannel. When theconstable from Hill’s Bar reachedYale with the warrant he was alsoarrested and locked up for contemptof court for daring to enter Yale forsuch a purpose. The YaleMagistrate thought this was a reflection on his impartiality. This action enraged the Magistrate at Hill’sBar. To further complicate matters,Ned McGowan of Hill’s Bar presumed to advise Magistrate Perrier.Ned McGowan had been a judge inCalifornia. The Magistrate took Mr.McGowan’s advice. The Hill’s BarMagistrate issued an arrest for theYale Magistrate, Whannell, and hisconstable for contempt in arrestingthe Hill’s Bar constable.

On a “posse conitatus” from theBar McGowan and his friends entered the town of Yale, arrested theYale Magistrate and his constable,opened the jail, released the Hill’sBar constable and took possession ofthe original offender.

When the whole matter came before the Hill’s Bar Magistrate heavyfines were assessed. Whannell, theMagistrate from Yale, was fined forcontempt of court.

This type of action was not acceptable to Whannell, He send wordto Governor Douglas at Victoria thatNed McGowan, whom he depicted asa renegade of renegades, was not tooverthrow British power in the colony. The Governor called upon

Colonel Moody to put down a supposed rebellion. Twenty-five sappersunder Captain Grant as well as aparty of bluejackets and marinesmade their way up to Yale. Theywere accompanied by Chief JusticeBegbie to dispense justice; they alsotook with them a field-piece - notknowing what to expect.

When the whole companyreached Yale, all the pertinent factsof “:Ned McGowan’s War” were revealed. The result of this “comic opera” was that Ned McGowan entered into an elaborate andsuccessful defence of his conduct inthe whole affair. After showing theChief Justice and the officers how topan for “pay dirt”, McGowan hostedthem to a champagne lunch in hishut. But both Magistrates lost theircommissions.

The Royal Engineers returnedto Langley with never a shot fired,and “:Ned McGowan’s War” becameonly an amusing anecdote.

Note: Mrs. Coyle researched thiswhile she lived in Chilliwack. Shenow resides in Princeton where shehas served as Curator of thePrinceton Museum since 1979.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Royal Engineers in British Columbia 1808 - 1863.

His Honour Frederick Howby

Richard Wolfenden, Victoria, B.C. 1910

Affair oftheMagistrates

by Helen M. Coyle

17B.C. HistoricalNe

PrimoGaliano

by Ralph Brine

I wonder how many Galianoitesrealize that our ‘sceptered isle’ wasnot the first in B.C. waters to benamed after Commander DionisisAlcala Galiano of the Spanish NavyAnd further that Valdes Island our

immediate neighbour to northwardalso had a forerunner. The unearthing of this bit of geographical triviabegan last winter upon receipt of aletter from a relative in England.The missive was to point my wifeand I onto a sleuthing foray whichat first seemed like a wild goose-chase but ultimately turned out tobe a journey of discovery

The instigator of our investigation was Peter Bowshei a memberof London’s legal profession and,like myself, somewhat of a historybuff. While engaged in research

work he had come across a copy ofan Act of Britain’s Parliament whichstated that a sum of £150,000 wasto be allocated as a temporary advance to the Government of BritishColumbia, Canada. The intent ofthe loan was to enable theGovernment of British Columbia toset aside specified properties andmake them available to impoverished Scottish crofters. It was hopedthat these fresh and hungry immigrants could be employed in a newly financed deep-sea fisheries industry proposed for B.C.’s west coast.In June of 1892 the British

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B.C. Historical News 18

ing. Yours’, etc.Parliament passed an Act and theB.C. Legislature passed two Actslaying out the conditions relative totheir purpose. Peter sent along copies of the three Bills in question,mentioning that “Galiano’ could befound on Schedule A of B.C’s secondAct.

In his letter Peter expressed thedesire to contact descendants of thesettlers who had come out underthis scheme. He was looking for letters, family reminiscences and photographs that might relate to therelatively recent migration. If wecould provide some local contacts hewould endeavour to trace the familyconnections from his end. He concluded with: “Is this of any interestto you or has it all been researchedbefore? I see from the telephone directory that there are many Mcsand Macs on Galiano ----.“

To say that my interest wasaroused would be putting it mildly.Marney and I, as members of theGulf Islands Chapter of the B.C.Historical Federation, had attendedseveral lectures sponsored by the society and had talked to fellow members whose Gulf Island ancestrywent back as far as the mid 19thcentury However we couldn’t recallanyone making reference to a government sponsored, land settlementimmigration policy of that era. Iopened our ‘A Gulf IslandPatchwork’ put out by the B.C.Historical Federation as well asMarie Elliott’s ‘Mayne Island andthe Outer Gulf Islands, A History’,to no avail. I contacted Marie Elliottby telephone thinking that perhapsshe had unearthed some relevantmaterial since her publication. Sheconfessed that what I was reportingwas all news to her. She suggesteda trip to the B.C. Archives inVictoria might be helpful.

I phoned several old time families from Galiano and Mayne suchas the Stewards, the Robsons, MaryHarding and Wibur Deacon; I drewa blank. They all knew of longstanding residents with Scottishbackgrounds but the arrival timesdidn’t jibe with the 1890’s period.

None of them had heard ofhordes of Mighty Macs invading theGulf Islands. The rhetorical question I got back was, “I thought crofters were farmers, not fishermen?”The only fishing industry aroundthis area with racial connotationswere the Japanese with their salteries. Peter was right in saying thatthere seemed to be a good smattering of Mcs and Macs aboard Galianobut by and large their immigrationpapers are stamped ‘Kerrisdale’,‘Shaughnessy’ or some other minorfiefdom on the lower mainland ofVancouver.

The final phone call I made wasto Alistair Ross, an active memberof the north-end GalianoCommunity. As his name implies,Alistair has Highland blood in hisveins. Although the founder ofScottish Country Dancing onGaliano and with a keen interest inlocal history like the others, he hadno knowledge of any massive transfer of Scots from their crofts to therocky shores of Galiano. Howeversince he was contributing news fromthe North End to the Galiano chapter of the Driftwood, the weeklynewspaper published in Ganges onSaltspring Island, he said he wouldbring the matter to public attentionby inserting a ‘search’ article in hiscolumn.

With that our investigationceased until the spring of ‘88.Waiting for us on our return was ahandwritten letter from a Mr. W.Norton of Vancouver who had this tosay: “I have been given a clippingfrom the Driftwood of Jan. 27 inwhich your friend in England appeals for information regarding thecrofters who emigrated under theBritish Scheme as the B.C. Gov’tfailed to accept the British loan.

The only crofters who came toCanada with Gov’t assistance settled in the prairies in 1888 and1889. An article on the proposedB.C scheme appeared in B.C.Studies about 5 years ago. The author was Jill Wade. Sorry to be thebearer of bad news but I thoughtyour friend might appreciate know

Well if Mr. Norton was right itcertainly explains why GulfIslanders hadn’t been struck with aCeltic cultural shock. If such a thinghad occurred we might have becomeanother Cape Breton with tartansdrying on the clotheslines and attendance at Gaelic night schoolclasses ‘de rigueur’.

I re-read the documents Peterhad sent. Coming across the reference to “Galiano’ again it stated under the heading Goletas Channel toQuatsino Sound: “The unallottedportions of townships 30 and 39and west half of 28, townships 41,42, 35, 34 and 22 with the Cox,Lanz, Galiano, Balaclava, Hirst andGordon Group of Islands.”

Suddenly the light came on. Iwasn’t sure about Goletas channelbut I did know that Quatsino Soundwas on the north west coast ofVancouver Island, far removed fromour Galiano between Porlier andActive passes. A quick look at chart#3001 for Vancouver Island confirmed that the area in questionwas indeed the northern tip ofVancouver Island and some of theislands such as Cox, Lanz andBalaclava are shown. However inspite of the scale of about threemiles to the inch, I could find nosign of a Galiano. Either the chartwas of too small a scale andGaliano a mere unlabeled dot orsome clerk of the Legislature hadmade a mistake, or there had beena name change.

We now had two reasons to visitthe B.C. Archives - to search in thelibrary for Jill Wade’s article andthe Map Room to track down theanomaly of another Galiano. In thelibrary we soon located Jill Wade’sreport in the Spring of 82 edition ofB.C. Studies #53 and had a copymade of it. But upstairs in the maproom we found the solution to that‘other’ Galiano. An Arrowsmith mapof the 1850’s showed, off the northeastern tip of Vancouver Island, justbelow the 51st parallel of latitudeand about 300 miles to northwardof our residence, two adjacent is

19B.C. Historical News

lands called Valdes and Galiano.What a shock! Aware that ‘ourGaliano had been named after thefirst European known to have seenour verdant shores it was a bit of acome-down to find out that we werenot, as it were, “originals’, after all.It was Galiano himself who hadnamed the first one. The B.C. Pilotof 1898 had this to say of Galiano:“The largest of the islands on thenorth side of Goletas channel, isnearly 8 miles long and 3 1/2 broad.Mt. Lemon, a remarkable peak ofconical shape 1,200 feet high, arisesnear its south-west part and Maginsaddle consisting of two peaks. 700and 800 feet high, is situated atless than one mile from the westernextreme of the island, --- The southside of Galiano is high, steep-to,and cliffy;

If our Galiano looks like an upside-down Scottish ‘crummoch’ theupstart Galiano is shaped like anequilateral triangle. A check with amodern map indicated that the. twoislands in question are now Hopeinstead of Valdes and Nigei in placeof Galiano. The channel that separates them from Vancouver Island isstill called Goletas, a name supplied by Galiano which was Spanishfor ‘schooner’. The Sutil andMexicana under his command wereboth schooner-rigged. Other mapsindicated that Valdes had beenchanged to Hope by 1866 but thatthe Galiano switch didn’t take placeuntil 1900, as indicated by CaptainJohn Walbran’s ‘B.C. Coast Names’.In it he gives “Nigei’ as a footnoteto Galiano Island. Following thatheading one learns that: “The nameof this island previous to 1900 wasGaliano, given by the Spanish explorers Galiano and Valdes in 1792.It was changed to Nigei by theGeographic Board of Canada toavoid duplication of names, therebeing another Galiano islandnamed by Capt. Richards in 1859 tothe southward of the Strait ofGeorgia.

Everything seemed clear to usat last. In going over the material ofhis legal research the name“Galiano” must have leapt out atB.C. Historical News

Peter, knowing as he did that welived on a ‘Galiano Island’. Sincethat was the only name familiar tohim he would naturally assume itwas part of the Gulf Island group inthe Strait of Georgia, approached byferries from the mainland andVancouver Island. And furthei having just read that financial arrangements for transplanting Scots toGaliano - a bit of ‘scotch on therocks’, had been passed by both institutions, the one in Great Britainand the other in B.C., he wouldagain naturally assume that suchlegislation would amount to a fait d’accompli. How was he to know thatour mutual ‘ships-of-state’ had wobbled a bit as democratic ships arewont to do. Continuing with a navalanalogy one might say that theirpolitical edicts when labeled asboats of the Fleet have a tendencyto run aground on many unseenshoals. At the last moment theymay suddenly veer off on some newtack or perhaps founder and sink altogether into oblivion. The latterhappenstance was the subject of JillWade’s paper, ‘The “GiganticScheme”; Crofter immigration andDeep-Sea Fisheries Development forBritish Columbia (1887-1893)’.

Jill Wade’s story is an interesting and well documented one of seventeen pages. The gist of it is thatthe British Government was interested in making a token assistanceto impoverished hill farmers ofScotland, who, for various reasonswere causing disturbances in 1883that came to be called the ‘CroftersWar’. As it was, and is, the way ofgovernments, a commission was appointed to study the matter anddraw up a report. One of the recommendations from the committee wasfor a state assisted emigration planfor displaced crofters and cottars,particularly those from the northernHebrides and adjacent coasts ofRoss and Sutherland, the centre ofthe disturbances.

Meanwhile on this side of theAtlantic an enterprising immigrantby the name of Alexander Begg(who Jill Wade reported as “havingpursued a varied and eventful ca

reer as teachei journalist and civilservant during his forty years inCanada”) had been reading accounts of the social problems of hishomeland in the local newspapers.A descendant of Caithness crofters,partly out of sympathy for his relations who were under duress andperhaps for more worldly designs,he put together a proposal for crofter colonization and presented it toB.C.’s Lieutenant Governor. In thefullness of time the cabinet, then theLegislature agreed to the proposition and appointed Begg the emigration commissioner without pay.Begg journeyed to the Old Countryand endeavoured to enlist the support of Scottish philanthropists.Finding none he then approachedLord Lothian, Cabinet Secretary forScotland. He rather liked the ideaand promptly steered the measurethrough the proper channels,Presto, Alexander Begg had a deal.The British Government agreed toadvance a loan of £150,000 to theB.C. Government for transferring upto twelve hundred and fifty crofterfamilies to the west coast ofVancouver Island.

Both governments hemmed andhawed for awhile with not a greatdeal happening. Then Begg hustledaround the financial district ofLondon and succeeded in gainingthe interest of a Major WilliamClark and a Colonel WJ. Engeldue.The two entrepreneurs laid the nucleus for The Vancouver IslandDevelopment Syndicate. Its rolewas that of a commercial enterpriseto sponsor both a fishing industryoff the west coast of B .C. for thecrofters to be employed in as well asa land development company toparcel out bits and pieces to the arriving immigrants. With all the necessary measures in place, in 1892both governments received royal as-sent for the appropriate Acts.

In order to bring in an outsideorganization to run the rather largeundertaking, the ProvincialGovernment had to draw up quitean attractive agreement for the developers. They were to be grantedup to half a million acres of public

20

lands along portions of the coasts ofVancouver Island and the QueenCharlotte Islands and the mainland. The syndicate tried for a million and a third acres but they settled for the lesser amount. Theywere also given a ten year moratorium on taxes. All in all the ventureseemed like a neat package thatshould enable the developers to attract some risk capital.

John Robson, Premier of B.C. atthat time and an ardent supporterof the project, initiated the phrasethe “Gigantic Scheme”. He was invited to London to help in the finalagreement between the three concerned parties.

Then on the 30th of June thefigurative ship that was to rescuethe crofters ran into foul weather.John Robson, the main push behindthe scheme, died that day. The shipnow pilotless ran helplessly beforeany contrary winds that blew. Thefirst ill wind was political. The debate in Parliament had turned intoa typically democratic game withleaders of the two parties having tochoose sides. Salisbury who was inpower was supportive of the plan sonaturally Gladstone, the leader ofthe opposition party opposed it. Inthat summer’s election Gladstonecarried the day. The new government immediately reneged on theloan.

Following this reversal of thepolitical winds the Syndicate hadtrouble raising the necessary capitalto put things in motion, Finally, athome, without the strong supportfrom Robson, the numbers of naysgained an ascendancy over theyeas. Many members of theLegislature feared the political risksinvolved in backing a commercialproject with taxpayers money.Would that they could show such restraint today. Others objected to thegrand ‘give-away’ of land and thetax exemptions, as had been donewithin living memory by both theImperial and the NationalGovernments when they had doledout millions of acres of land to theHBC and to the CPR.

By the winter of 1892 Begg’s andRobson’s “Gigantic Scheme” wasdead, never to be revived. The covesand hillsides of the West Coastwouldn’t become havens for the wildmen of the Highlands after all. Theskin of the pipes and the gutturalsof the Gaelic would not be competing with the tom-toms and soft sibilants of the natives. The eagles andravens could rest undisturbed for afew more years.

There is a postscript to add tothis Gulf Island ‘mystery-name-contest’ that entails yet another mixup of nomenclature. In the processof putting together this tale I hadpenned a letter to W. Kaye Lamb,the former Dominion Archivist ofCanada who had recently undergone some rather trying surgery Igave him a brief synopsis of this article. Dr. Lamb, who, in the words ofwriter Peter Newman, is the foremost living authority on early NorthWest Canadianna, penned a replywhich said, in part:

“I can add a detail or two to theCrofter story. Years ago there weretwo men by the name of AlexanderBegg who were confused very frequently. Both were historians. Toadd to the problem of keeping themapart, both published histories inthe same year, 1894. One publisheda History of British Columbia andthe other wrote a three-volumeHistory of the North West. By thetime I arrived at the Archives inVictoria (prior to his appointmentsas Librarian for U.B.C. and subsequently to Ottawa as DominionArchivist) 50 or so years ago, confusion between the two had become somuch of a nuisance that I askedMadge Wolfenden (now MadgeHamilton) to try and sort them out.This she did in a very useful articlein the B.C. Historical Quarterly forApril 1937.

“All this is relevant because oneof the Beggs was involved in theCrofter scheme. This was the Beggwho wrote the ‘History of B.C.’ Hewas born in Scotland in 1825 andcame to Canada (Ontario) in 1846. Iquote the two bits of Madge’s article

that are of interest in the presentconnection:

‘During a visit to his native landin 1872, Alexander Begg was appointed Emigration Commissionerin Scotland for the Province ofOntario, with headquarters inGlasgow. By virtue of his lecturesthroughout Scotland, he succeededin persuading thousands of Croftersto settle in Canada, where theGovernment allowed them to purchase farms on easy terms. - - - -

‘[In 1888] he was appointedEmigration Commissioner for theBritish Columbia Government to investigate the possibilities of settlingScottish Crofters on VancouverIsland, a scheme which was eventually abandoned as impracticable. Byvirtue of his government appointment he appended the initials C.C.(Crofter Commissioner) to his name,in order to distinguish himself fromhis namesake.’

“On the title-page of ‘History ofB.C.’ his name as author is given as“Alexander Begg, C.C.”

So there you have it - a triple-header comedy of errors with mistaken identities of islands,Government edicts and historians,all in one telling.

Perhaps one good thing hascome out of all this historical minutiae. If our relative from Englandhad known that the scheme was ‘aloan that never was’ or if he hadbeen aware that the Galiano ofGoletas channel was not theGaliano of Trincomali channel, whywe would not have found out thatthis ‘sceptred isle’ that we live on ismerely Secundo Galiano rather thatPrimo Galiano and this story maynever have been written.

The author is a hobby farmerliving on Porlier Pass Road onGaliano.

21 B.C. HistoricalNe

The OldMurray Church

1

Murray Church repaintedPhoto by Bern Bellinger

The old Murray Church in theNicola Valley has been restored byloving hands. One hundred and tenyears of history had worn the ancient structure both inside and outside.

It is a great attraction for history buffs and tourists alike, and asthe new Coquihalla Highway hasopened much of the territory thereare more and more visitors.

A cluster of well matured buildings on Highway #5, are highlighted by a little steepled church and itsgraveyard.

Built with a great deal of cornmunit3 effort, St. AndrewsPresbyterian Church was established in 1876. With a bell cast inEngland and a stained glass window constructed by pioneer A.E.Howse, it was quite resplendent. AReverend George Murray was sentfrom Scotland to be the onlyPresbyterian minister in B.C. Hisparish was quite a revelation tohim, as he had to travel over a 600mile area by horseback.

In the early days the church

B.C. Historical News

Quilchena Hotel

was used by both the Presbyteriansand the Methodists, and for a shorttime by the Anglicans. Now anUnited Church it is a colorful chapelfor ceremonies and weddings.

The Nicola Valley also has aninteresting past, and part of this isrelated to the old Quilchena Hotel,built in 1908 by Joseph Guichon. Heestablished it as a refuge for thirstycattlemen and for railroad men - butthe railroad never came.

The landmark was opened witha great celebration drawing the populace from ranches and homes inthe valley. Unfortunately it was later closed until the 1950’s when aGuichon grandson, Guy Rose reopened and restored the hotel. Manyof the original furnishings are stillthere - iron bed, wash stands, andeven a square grand piano. Thehostel, open spring, summer andfall, offers a chance to relax into thesimplicity of ranch life, play thenine hole golf course, or study thebullet holes in the oak bar!

Nicola Lake and River werenamed after a famous Indian chiefwith a reputation; he had seventeen

Photo by Bette Grace

wives. His unpronounceable namewas Hwistesmetxquen, or walkinggrizzly bear. The early fur tradersfound it easier to call him Nicholas.

In September, 1976, a 100thanniversary service of the MurrayChurch was held and very well attended. Through the years it hadbeen helped along the way - in 1926it was reshingled and redecorated,in 1965 the Merritt Kiwanis Clubhad a cement foundation put inplace and they installed electric wiring. Later the fence was repairedand just recently the ‘comfortablecomfy little church’ has received further tender loving care.

The old Murray Church is amuch appreciated little church inthe wildwood, where pioneers restin peace.

22

News From BranchesBicentenaiy of the Chinese

at NootkaFollowing a year of intensive

historical, geographical and nomenclatural research, a suitable mounthin was chosen to name in honourof the Chinese settlers who largelymade up Captain John Meares’ expedition to Nootka in 1788.

Over a period of six months enquiries had been made in the areato verify that there was no knownname for the selected mountain.Nevertheless, a few days before theceremony the native Indians protested that they really did have aname, but having no written language, it was never recorded. Toavoid aggravating the ongoing confrontation at nearby StrathconaPark, the naming was deferred.

Instead, the government proclaimed the following week of May15 to 21st, “The Chinese HeritageWeek” in British Columbia, The ceremony took place on theBicentenary Day of May 13th,1988, at the Parliament Buildingsin Victoria.

Among the dignitaries officiating at the ceremony were ElwoodVeitch, the Provincial Secretary; BillReid, Minister of Tourism,Recreation and Culture; and BruceStrachan, Minister of Environmentand Parks. The B.C. HistoricalFederation was represented by 1stVice President, Mrs. MyrtleHaslam, and Nanaimo was officially represented by Mayor Frank Neyand Mr. Dave Stupich, MLA, together with a large contingent from itshistorical and museum societies.Historical and Chinese culturalgroups from Vancouver Island andthe lower Mainland were also at theceremony and a special guest wasBrian Watkins, the British Consul-General.

Mr. Strachan said that the government is actively seeking a suit-

able mountain to name in order topermanently commemorate theseChinese pioneers.

It was disappointing that theVancouver news did not consider theevent of public interest. HoweverVancouver Island and the Chineselanguage newspapers carried fullreports internationally.

Canada Post, having issuedCaptain Cook and CaptainVancouver stamps in the last tenyears, would not consider producingfurther commemorative for westcoast history

Jacque MarChairman, Bicentenary Project

BoundaryHistoricalSociety

To all members living outsidethe Boundary District.

The annual picnic was held onJune 19 at the newly renovatedFruitova School. The directors of theDoukhobor Society of BritishColumbia were very gracious hosts.John Malloff a former student ofFruitova, gave a splendid description of life in the Doukhobor villages. We have a video of his excellentpresentation, thanks to MichaelLinley. The tour of the flour millwas very interesting also.

The Executive spent considerable time on the Legion’s proposal tomove the Phoenix Cenotaph toGreenwood. We opposed the removal of this historic monument. We areexcited to announce that theBoundary Historical Report #11 iscompleted. The PublicationsCommittee hopes that you will enjoy the stories of our pioneers. We

have reached the stage in our history where we are celebrating centennials, two of which are recorded inour 11th Report 100 years of postalservice in the Boundary and the beginnings of Carson in 1888.

Members of the Executive arePresident Rose Gobeil, 1st V Pres.,Stan Bubar, 2nd V. Pres. L.Sandner 3rd V Pres. B. Bowron,Secretary A. Glanville, Treasurer A.Clapper, Membership andPublications J. Glanville.

The Boundary Historical Societyplans to host the B.C. HistoricalFederation in May 1990 at GrandForks.

Alice GlanvilleSecretary

The Chemainus ValleyHistorical Society

The Chemainus ValleyHistorical Society was started in1963 by Harry Olsen, the author ofWater Over the Wheel, and R.R.(Dick) Pattison who was the ownerof Pattison Pharmacy. There were24 charter members of the Societyand three of them were present atthe June meeting, namely, AudreyGin and Jack Howe of Chemainusand Bill Stein of Nanaimo. One ofthe best known of the charter members was HR. MacMillan. At thebottom of the original list of thecharter members, Harry Olsenwrote “Mrs. Mollie Robinson was atthis time declared the firstHonorary President in recognition ofpast efforts to preserve and recordlocal history.”

Over fifty people crowded intothe lounge at the Harbor ViewApartments in Chemainus on June

23B.C. Historical News

27th to celebrate the 25thAnniversary of the ChemainusValley Historical Society. A shortbusiness meeting was held presidedover by the President, Grace Dickie,who welcomed members and visitorsfrom Victoria to Nanaimo. Everyonewas asked to rise individually andintroduce themselves.

Mayor Rex Hollett and Mrs.Hollett were present and, whencalled upon, Mr. Hollett broughtgreetings from North CowichanMunicipality and talked about thebeginning of the Historical Societywhen Harry Olsen and DickPattison were prominent figures inthe community.

Every year the Society gives athree hundred dollar Bursary to astudent graduating from theChenainus Secondary School andthis year the award was won byJennifer Smith of Crofton, daughterof Mr. and Mrs. Wes Smith. Jenniferand her mother were guests at themeeting and a cheque was presented to Jennifer by the Vice PresidentGwen Hunter.

A “Show and Tell” evening hadoriginally been planned for June butwas postponed until the Septembermeeting. However great interestwas shown in a picture of the 50thAnniversary of the Victoria LumberCompany taken in 1939, also a picture donated by Joe Sandlandshowing 14 well rememberedChemainus veterans of World WarOne.

Following the meeting everyonewas invited to sample the largeAnniversary cake as well as attractively arranged cheese trays pluscoffee and fruit punch.

Among those attending wereMr. and Mrs. Dennis Beddows ofVictoria. Mrs. Beddows was formerly Geri Pattison, daughter of DickPattison. Also present was Mrs.May Wood of Duncan, daughter ofthe late Mollie Robinson who was awell known journalist in the area.Mrs. Harry Olsen was unable to attend so Geri Beddows and MayWood were asked to cut the anniversary cake.B.C. Historical News

Burnaby Historical SocietyThe executive and members of

Burnaby Historical have been verybusy in the last two years. Theyhave been represented at B.C. H.F.gatherings, Heritage Society of B.C.meetings, Burnaby MunicipalCouncil, Burnaby Arts Council, andwith plans for twinning Burnabywith Kushiro, Japan andLoughborough, England. ThisSociety will host the 1992Convention of the B.C. HistoricalFederation, and they have invitedthe Historical Society of Alberta tomake this a joint meeting (reflectingthe success of the joint meeting heldin Banfl May 1988.)

BHS President Evelyn Salisburyrepresented the Society in theMayor’s official party during a visitto Loughborough, England, in July1987. The Burnaby Teachers Choirand private citizens were entertained by the Mayor and Mayoressof Loughborough, and the localTechnical College. A plaque was unveiled above the tombstone of RobertBurnaby. A member of BHS, in1959, discovered and saved thetombstone from demolition as gravemarkers were being carted to thedump when the overgrown churchyard was to be converted to lawn.

President Evelyn Salisburychose Heritage Week 1988 to makea sixth appeal to Burnaby Councilrequesting the establishment of aBurnaby Heritage AdvisoryCommittee. Request granted.

There have been many successful meetings with outings and/orguest speakers. The LOVE HOUSEhas been moved to Heritage Village,saved from imminent demolition bythe intervention of BHS.

Evelyn Salisbury

East KootenayHistoricalAociation

Summer outings in 1987 camein perfect weather following considerable advance publicity.Attendance by members and interested citizens gave tour guides apleasant challenge. Bill Selby ledthe tour in May on the south end of

the Spirit Trail (which runs betweenFairmont and Canal Flats on theeast side of Columbia Lake.): VinceDowney arranged our visit toMoyie: Skip Fennessy took us toIsadore Canyon and the site ofRampart Station.: Albert Olivergave us an excellent outing upPerry Creek: and Vice PresidentVerdun Casselman led fifty visitorsup Wild Horse Creek to the carefullymarked area where a goldrushstarted in 1864.

Guest of honor at the fall meeting was Frank Merriam of Crestonwho had received an Award of Meritfrom the B.C. Museums Associationa few days earlier. Frank has contributed to saving and recording history in the East Kootenays in manyactivities.

Honored at the Spring 1988meeting and luncheon were Bill andMarjean Selby. These hard workinglongtime members of our organization earned their meal by telling ofa recent visit to Kenya.

Summer 1988 saw equal publicity but poorer weather for scheduledoutings. Those that attended theMay outing to Grasmere had thepleasure of the company of severalmembers of the Tobacco ValleyHistorical group from Eureka andRexford, Montana. The St. EugeneMission Church and old Missionschool were displayed by membersof the St. Mary’s Band. Bill Quaileand John Kinnear hosted a visit toFernie and Hosmer.

Authors of this year’s local history books were guests at the Fall1988 meeting. Verdun Casselmanpublished Ties toWater, the historyof Bull River: Derryl White wroteFort Steele Here History Lives andEllen Dixson represented aCommittee that prepared MoyieReflections.

Last but not least, a few volunteers from East Kootenay HistoricalAssociation have undertaken theduties of labelling, bundling andmailing the B.C. Historical Newsnow originating in Cranbrook.

Edward Engel

24

HistoryAwarenessMonthin PrinceGeorge

The Local History Committee ofthe Prince George Public Libraryheld a series of programs inFebruary 1988 to salute the healthcare in the community. The publicenjoyed speakers and slides on:

Five decades of medical historyRemininscences about nursing

in Prince George in years pastA panel of Dentists discussing

the dentists and dentistry in earliertimes.

A review of hospitals, emergencies, epidemics, native and white catastrophes.

These programs were well attended. The local newspaper participated by publishing several articles,and putting out a weekend supplement largely devoted to the earlyyears of medical service to PrinceGeorge.

RESEARInformation on history of skling

sought.

Jorgen Dahlie is presentlyworking on a social history of skiingin the Pacific Northwest with themajor emphasis on the period from1915 to 1945. There is a special focus on the link betweenScandinavian immigrants and thedevelopment of nordic skiing. Hewould welcome information on skiclubs, club projects, tournamentsand the like, Write to him at: 1141Lawson Anvenue, West Vancouver.

Nanaimo Historical SocietyCelebrates Its 35th BirthdayLong-serving members were

honored in Septembei 1988 as theNanaimo Historical Society celebrated its 35th anniversary

Special invitations went out tomembers from the 50’s, 60’s and70’s and to friends and relatives.

Minutes of first Historical

Meeting held June 20th, 1953 inthe Parish Hall of St. Paul’sAnglican Church was read. The firstPresident was Mr. J. C. McGregor.Two of the founding members werepresent, Mrs. Lillian Dixon and Mr.T.D. Sale.

Displayed on the walls were resumés of Mr. J.C. McGregor, andthe officers of 1953. Also short histories of various families who came onthe “Princess Royal” in 1854.(Researched and prepared by PeggyNicholls.)

Life membership scrolls werepresented to J. Len Nicholls, PastPresident, Peggy Nicholls and toMildred Couture. NanaimoHistorical Society’s President, Mrs.Daphne Paterson presented MayorFrank Ney with an honorary membership certificate in recognition ofhis concern and interest inNanaimo’s history

A framed photograph was givento Dr. Jacque Mar in Recognition ofhis work in commemorating the bicentennial of the arrival of the firstChinese on the West Coast ofVancouver Island. The active participation in the work of the Society byPamela Mai a Past President wasrecognized by the presentation of ahand-crafted inkstand with pen andquill.

Many members and visitors entertained the meeting with anecdotes and stories of the past inNanaimo.

The concluding event was thecutting of a birthday cake by BillMcGregor son of the first presidentof the Society, and Mrs. Edna Ince.

Daphne PattersonSeptember 9th, 1988Nanaimo, B.C.

Research Guide for OkanaganHistory

The Central Okanagan RecordsSurvey is Part 1 of the OkanaganSimilkameen - Shuewap Records Survey.This 123 page volume was publishedOkanagan College Press in 1988. Thework was sponsored by the SocialScience and Humanities ResearchCouncil of Canada under a CanadianStudies Research Tolls grant. Historianswishing to consult this volume may findit in many libraries, or order a copy for$10.00 from: History Department,Okanagan College, 1000 KLO Road,Kelowna, B.C. V1Y 4X8.

Research for this project was lead byDr. Duane Thomson, with the help ofDr. Maurice Williams, historian, andKathleen Barlee, archivist. The publication lists the location of thousands ofdocuments ranging in scope fromHospital Auxiliaries to Fruit ProcessingPlants and private collections to TribalCouncil Records.

(left to right) Len Nicholls, Mildred Couture,Peggy Nicholls and Mayor Frank Ney.

25B.C. HistoricalNe

Bookshelf“Books for review and book reviews should be sent directly to thebook review editor,

Anne Yandle, 3450 West 20th Ave., Vancouver, B. C. V6S 1E4.”

Journal of a Voyage with Bering,1741-1742.George Wilhelm Steller edited byOW. Frost. Stanford UniversityPress, 1988. viii, 252 P. illus.,maps, bibliography. $28.50

1991 will mark the 250th anniversary of the discovery of theNorthwest Coast of America by theBering expedition of 1741, and thishas prompted the publication of anew edition of the journal of GeorgeWilhelm Stellei the German physician-naturalist who accompaniedBering. A surprising variety of documents relating to Bering’s voyage inthe St. Peter has survived, butSteller’s journal, though colored by astrong prejudice against naval personnel, is perhaps the most interesting of them all.

The text has a curious historySteller wrote it in 1743, just threeyears before his death in 1746 atthe early age of 37. It seems not tohave attracted much attention untillate in the century when PeterSimon Pallas, a prominent naturalist, published a “reorganized, largely rewritten” version. In 1917 FrankA. Golder found a copy of Steller’soriginal manuscript in Petrogradand secured a photostat for theLibrary of Congress. An Englishtranslation was included by Golderin the documentary collection entitled Bering’s Voyages, published in1922-25, but for some reason thiswas based on the Pallas printed version and references to the originalwere confined to footnotes. This newedition can therefore claim to be “thefirst English translation based completely on a surviving copy ofSteller’s manuscript.”

Steller was highly intelligentand the range of his studies at sev

eral universities had included theology, philosophy, medicine, botanyand other natural sciences. But hewas a loner and arrogant in manner and he was soon at loggerheadswith naval personnel, who chose toignore his expertise. In Golder’swords, “they hated him and he despised them.” Matters did not improve when, after six weeks at sea,Cape St. Elias on Kayak Islandloomed up ahead, with the mainland of America visible in the distance. Having located the continent,Bering’s sole object seems to havebeen to return as quick as possibleto Kamchatka. Only shortage of water compelled him to allow two parties to land on the island. After analtercation with Bering, Steller wasincluded in one of them, but hisshore time was limited to a fewhours - a maddening experience for anaturalist making a first contactwith a land never before visited by ascientist. When he begged for moreshore time, he was told to return tothe ship or be left stranded.

Latet; homeward bound, the St.Peter blundered into a ShumaginIsland, in the Aleutian chain, andbrief contacts were made with thenative Aleuts. Later still, afterstorms and scurvy had taken aheavy toll, the ship ran aground onwhat became Bering Island - treeless and uninhabited, but teemingwith animal and bird life. Here, in ameasure, Steller came into his own.Bering died within a few weeks andWaxell and Khitrov, the ship’s otherofficers, were seriously ill. Steller byexample, demonstrated means ofproviding food and shelter and, moreimportant, saved the lives of manyof the crew by urging them to combat scurvy by eating salad greensand fresh meat. (Previously he had

cured it by the use of scurvy grass,gathered on the Shumagin Islands,which Frost thinks was “probablythe first time in the history of nautical medicine that a ship’s physiciansuccessfully treated scurvy.”) Thebest source of meat proved to be theNorth Pacific manatee or sea cow, ahuge mammal then plentiful butsoon hunted to extinction by Russianfur traders. It was the prize itemamongst the hundreds of plants andmany land and sea creatures thatSteller contrived to note and describein spite of most difficult conditions.

For some months the maroonedexpedition was uncertain whether itwas on an island or had reachedsome remote part of the Kamchatkapeninsula. By April 1742 this question had been settled, and the survivors set about building a smallercraft with timbers from the wreck ofthe St. Peter. St. Peter the lesserwas launched in the middle ofAugust and arrived safely in AvachaBay at the end of the month.Despite Steller’s efforts, only 46 ofthe original ship’s company of 78 returned to port.

The introduction is interestingand informative and the same canbe said of the 40 pages of notes.Frost has found Steller a fascinatingcharacter. The maps are excellent.The translation reads easily, butonce or twice a phase jerks it intothe 20th century. Thus Steller iscredited with having remarked thathe helped the survivors on BeringIsland “even though it was not inmy job description”.

W Kaye LambDr. Lamb, former Dominion

Archivist, is Honorary President ofthe British Columbia HistoricalFederation..

B.C. HistoricalNe 26

The Harrison-Cheehalis Challenge;a brief history of the ForestIndustry anundHarrison Lake andthe Chehalis Valley. Arnold M.McCombs and Wilfrid W.Chittenden. Harrison Hot Springs,B.C., Treeline Publishing Company1988. 136 p. $15.00

Fiction with forest settings,handbooks of forest biology andtechnology and forest surveys andpolicy studies have been with us fora long time in B.C., but personalhistories of any forest regions, apartfrom promotional pamphlets of afew industrial giants, are “likehens’ teeth”. Here at last is one covering the whole history of one forestarea from beginnings in the early1860’s to the present, 1988. Both ofthe authors have been engaged inlogging, mainly in the area, sincetheir boyhood skid-greasing or whistie-punking days, and have knownpersonally many of its dominantfigures; howevei there is nothingpromotional about the book.

As the authors say in the introduction, “The confines of a book ofthis size preclude detailing everyhappening and development in thearea. The book attempts to discussin sufficient detail, howevei the major events, companies, and individuals to allow the reader to appreciatesome of the characters involved andsome of the flavor of what was happening at the time.” Even in dealing with lumber and shingle mills inthe area and with steamboats onthe lake, the book is confined almostexclusively to the influences thesehad on the logging.

Some readers may have troubleunderstanding technical terms relatively new to the industry yet so familiar to the authors that they havenot thought to explain them. For example, since truck logging became amode, the length of the bunks became of importance. “Bunks?” Ahyes, cross-beams of wood or steelacross the bed of the truck to support the logs laid lengthwise of thetruck and held securely between vertical stakes at both ends of thebunks by chains around the load.And what is a “cold deck?” A loose

pile of logs stored on the ground justas dumped there by trucks, tractorsor cable “yarders’. Tractors, called“cats”, short for caterpillars, arecommon yarders now, meaning theyare used to haul logs from wherethey were felled to a road-end orloading deck. Cat yarders usuallyhave steel arches with tackle at thesummit to lift the front of the“drag” of logs clear of the ground forease of hauling. It may be permanently attached to the rear of thecat (a cat-arch) or close-hitched to iton its own wheels (cat and arch).The reader will soon accustom himself to these and other terms, butone still puzzles this reviewer: whatis an “adverse road”?

The authors were obviously dependent on secondary materials tostart their story for most of whichthey were forced to rely on their ownmemories and experiences - they arenot old men -and the memories offriends connected in one way or another with logging in the two parallel valleys tributary to the Fraser byway of the Harrison River HarrisonLake with its numerous tributarystreams and the Chehalis Riverwith its lake of the same name andseveral tributaries. In Chapter 1they simply inform us of the building of the first sawmill in B.C. bythe Hudson’s Bay Co. in Victoria,1848, followed by three other independent ones at Yale, Hope andDouglas to serve those on their wayto the goldfields, around 1860.Chapter 2 is also introductory,sketching rapidly the shifts fromskid-road logging with oxen, thenwith horses, then with steam “donkeys” for yarding, and railways toreplace the skid-roads and horses,all in coast forest outside their area.It also traces changes in provincialforest policy from selling forestlicenses, which enabled speculatorsto buy and sell timber without producing anything, to the “ForestAct” of 1912 which created theForest Branch in the Department ofLands, mainly for fire prevention,but also to measure and collect fortimber taken from crown lands.Chapter 3 summarizes the history

of steamboats on Harrison Lake,from the gold-rush days to their replacement by tugs and launcheswith internal combustion engines bythe 1920’s.

The rest of the book deals moredirectly and in detail with its subject as indicated by the followingchapter headings: 4, Sawmills andshingle mills (1890-1948); 5,Logging railroads (1920-1943); 6,Trucks, wooden roads, and chutes(1920-1945); 7, Early operators(1890’s-1945); The Independentsdominate (1945-1965); 9, C.F.P -

Harrison Mills Division (1943-present); 10, Present situation(1988). Everything in these chapters originated or was still going onwithin living memory

There are two further chapters,one called “Miscellaneous” which,apart from a note on the B.C. ForestService, is really the conclusion ofChapter 3, with the advent of aeroplanes and helicopters; the otherchapter “Remnants of the Past”tells where you may find relics notonly of logging and lumbering, butalso fishing, mining, trading andsocial activities - a good touristguide to the area. The notes onplace names (water only) includedin chapter 11 might better havebeen left for another appendix.

There are six appendices: a listof interviewees and photographcredits; three maps together showing the area in some detail in addition to the frontispiece map of theFraser Valley; a timber lease document of 1892 which shows how little of a human story can be found intwo and a half pages of legal jargon; a list of timber berths in thearea in the 1920’s, with areas andlocations; a list of quote holders of1962 with allowable annual cuts;and a “General discussion of steamdonkeys”. The information in thislast appendix might well have beengiven at appropriate points in thebook but steam donkey buffs willprobably prefer this way.

The concentration on logging isnot just a predilection of the authors. Whereas small mills scattered through the coast woods were

27B.C. Historical News

common at the turn of the centurytoday milling is largely concentrated in large company plants on thelower Fraser and around the Gulf ofGeorgia. Logs for these mills aretransported by water over great distances and sorted to be made intolumber, plywood or paper. Logsfrom the Harrison area are mainlyso used. Where better to see themodernization of the forest industrythan there?

NOTE: The most frequentlymentioned surname in the book isTrethewey, father, five sons andthree grandsons. What is not mentioned is that Earle Brett, owner ofBrett Motors in Chilliwack and alsoof several logging outfits onHarrison Lake and first owner ofLakeside Sawmills at Harrison HotSprings was also of this family. Hismother was a sister of the fivebrothers names on page 51.

JohnGibbardJohn Gibbard, Professor

Emeritus at the University ofB.C.,is a member of the VancouverHistorical Socie1

Island in the Creek, the GranvilleIsland Story. Catherine Gourley.Madeira Park, Harbour Publishing,1988. 96 p. $14.95.

For visitors and newcomers toVancouver Island in the Creek willgive a quick overview to Vancouver’spast as well as a history ofGranville Island. The book is easyto read, and has many excellentphotographs, which may entice people to read a more thorough historyof our city.

Catherine Gourley has condensed the facts of Vancouver’sgrowth in relation to the rise ofGranville Island, to the way we seethe Island today.

One small point: on page 44Gourley refers to the PrimeMinister’s declaration of war on thewireless on September 3, 1939. Imyself heard that announcement,while living in Nanaimo, but we

called it radio at that time.In her acknowledgements I

would rather have seen an acknowledgement to the VancouverCentennial Bibliography, publishedby the Vancouver Historical Society,as it was the publication consulted,rather than members of the Society.

This is a trendy book for atrendy place.

Peggy ImredyPeggy Imredy is Past-President

ofthe Vancouver Historical Society.

People of the Snow: the Story ofKitimat. John Kendrick. Toronto,NC Press Limited, 1987. 179 p. illus., maps. $12.95From Snowshoes to Politics. CyrilShelford. Victoria, Orca BookPublishers, 1987. 289 p. illus.$24.95

In his preface to People of theSnow, Kendrick writes that “Thisbook is the story of the sequence ofevents that led to the creation ofKitimat,” and that it is also “a narrative of events the author has witnessed or in which he has participated.” These commentssummarizes the matter of the work.

Kendrick is ideally positioned towrite about the founding of Kitimat.He assisted in water surveys inOotsa Lake region of central B.C. inthe 1930’s, long before the possibility of situating an aluminum smelter at Kitimat. was recognized. Afterthe Second World War he was againin the region, employed in the investigations into the possibilities of diversion of waters to enable largescale hydro generation at tidewaterand then, when Alcan became involved, with the building of thedams, the power plant at Kemano,the transportation of power to a millsite, the construction of the smelterat Kitimat and the community adjacent to the mill. He stayed to live inthe new town.

For People of the Snow Kendrickexploits his proximity to these

events. Essentially it is an autobiographical account, and a large partof the attractiveness of the book liesin that fact. He gives his readers hisown opinions freely and in doing sohe does not mince his words. Oneneed not agree with him. Of his1937 wanderings in the vicinity ofOotsa he writes: “:We were members of a survey party, an obsoleteform of human endeavour,: an observation which ignores that surveyparties of one kind or another albeitnot of the precise nature of those ofthe thirties and forties, are out inthe wilds of the province each year.A couple of pages later he notesthat “Exploring British Columbiawas a slow fumbling business, oftenproducing results of doubtful accuracy,” an assessment which ignoresthat, faced with an awesome task,the land and other surveyors of theprovince were not only dedicatedoutdoorsmen but also of markedcompetence in their professionalwork. On another occasion he writesthat “one survey camp story ismuch like another,” in spite of hisown stories which are often vividand interesting, and one manwhose way of life apparently didnot fit Kendrick’s criteria he sumsup with “a strange existence for aman admired by everyone he met.”One senses after a while thatKendrick likes to make such personal observations off-the-cuff, in an almost cavalier tone, to spice up thenarrative. They certainly do that.

Kendrick’s style is to introduceeach of his principal participantswith a short sketch, a few observations. This is a difficult thing for anauthor to bring off consistently. Hesucceeds by and large. One character he depicts as “a small man andgiven to sitting in corners, but whenhe spoke everyone listened.” Hedraws a wonderful picture of theman sent in by Alcan to ease relations with those who were to be dislocated by the flooding of the areasaround Ootsa Lake. The dealingswith the residents had not gonewell, the big city men being unableto empathize with the locals. Deepantagonisms had developed. “We

B.C. HistoricalNe28

then found Fred Rowland,” he recounts, and Rowland

“agreed that he should go andlive at Ootsa Lake and try to salvage the situation. Fred had a sadface, and a great capacity for looking sympathetic without actuallygiving anything away.

Fred rented a house; it was oneof the log houses we had used as abase for our survey parties. The rentwas later cited as evidence that theproperty had valuable commercialprospects. Fred dealt with this bysaying ‘Oh, I don’t think so.’ Fredbeing Fred, this was accepted.”

There are many such fine episodes in the book. Kendrick’s description of the building of the transmission line from Kemano toKitimat, and of the problems ofmaintaining it, are good history afitting treatment of what he describes as “the best piece of engineering with which I have ever beenassociated.”

It is his ability to present clearly and simply, in language understandable to the layman, which ismost valuable in Kendrick’s book.Engineers have not often given suchvivid accounts of their experiences.When he is discussing the planningof the community of Kitimat, andthe social situation in the new town,he is somewhat uncomfortable, notquite at ease with his subject.

Included are sixteen pages ofphotographs, two maps, an interesting bibliography, and an index.

Cyril Shelford’s FromSnowshoes to Politics takes a moreconventional autobiographical formthan does Kendrick’s book; whereKendrick treats with a segment ofhis life, Shelford follows, in sequence, the major periods of his. Inthe first section of his book (54pgs.), Shelford traces the years ofhis youth in the Ootsa Lake region;in the second (64 pgs.), his years inthe army during the Second WorldWar principally with the invasionof Sicily and the drive up the Italianpeninsula; and in the final section(153 pgs.), the post-war years andhis political career in the B.C.Legislature during which he served

as Minister of Agriculture. The storyis, as he promises the reader in hisintroduction, of “a very eventfullife.” It is a well paced accountcrammed with rich detail.

The tone of the book is in largepart established by Shelford’s inclusion of numerous short accounts ofpeople and incidents. Often theseseem to be included for their anecdotal interest alone, though many areaccompanied by “messages.” Theresult is something approaching thehomilies of a warmed-up preacher oran Aesop. “If there is a message inmy life story” he writes, “:it is thatwhere there is determination, thereis hope, and that what may be seenas a disadvantage, can often beused to advantage.” His own greatdisadvantage -- as he sees it -- isthat he “never actually went toschool in the normal way,” anddidn’t “go on to higher education.”He wishes, however, to share hislessons. His mother advises him,“You never raise your stature bytearing down the other fello” towhich Shelford adds, “I often wishour political leaders today would accept my mother’s philosophy.”Another story prompts him to admonish his reader: “don’t rely onpeople until they are out to the testand you know how they will stand.”He is something of a crusader, andreturns from the war “with the determination to do what I could tomake the world a better place to livein.” There are penetrating analysesof political acquaintances: WA.C.Bennett’s “mind worked so fastwhen it came to politics that no oneI knew could keep up with him.”The son and heir to the politicalleadership, Bill Bennet, does notfare so well. Shelford has some interesting comments on the BobSommers case, and on the weaknesses of our political system.

Throughout the book Shelford isdirect in his comments. The peacemovement of the 1930’s and theweaknesses of the politicians wereto blame for the inadequate state ofthe defences of Canada and Britainand so caused the loss of thousandsof lives. Pacifists were “either naive

idiots or in the enemy camp tryingpurposely to weaken the nation.”Towards the end Shelford criticizes,among others, the environmentalists (“wide-eyed radicals”), theC.B.C. (“didn’t appear remotely interested in the truth”), the churches(for their political activities), publicopinion polls, the parliamentarysystem. No holds barred. All wonderful stuff.

Through it all Shelford moveshis narrative well -- and there isgood continuity. Photographs aredispersed and are valuable complements to the text. There is an“Index of names” which is incomplete and is more a pretense thananything else. It has no useful purpose, and is not nearly complete forthe limited number of persons listedin it. The misspelling of names isdisturbing. Minister of Lands, E.T.Kenney, is spelled Kenny, as is thedam named after him; Shelford hasDease Island Tunnel for DeasIsland Tunnel, Kergan and Evettfor Kergin and Evitt, Sergeant formembers of the Sargent family ofHazelton, Branka for AngeloBranca. Throughout, Stuart River isspelled Stewart, and then mentionis made of the “Granuoluc Mine,north of Stuart,” presumably theGranduc outside Stewart. I am reminded of one character on thePrairies who “wouldn’t give a damnfor a man who couldn’t spell a wordmore than one way.” There aremany other inaccuracies whichought to have been eliminated. Ed.Schreyer is listed as LieutenantGovernor rather than GovernorGeneral, and in an unfortunate paragraph on page 8, someone calledSimpson of the Hudson’s BayCompany is credited with the establishment of Fort St. James.Naturally these inaccuracies causethe reader to be suspicious of thingswhich cannot readily be checked. Onpage 6, he states that his uncletook the paddle-steamer from PortEdward to Hazelton in 1912; quitepossibly, however it’s much moreprobably he would have taken theboat from nearby Prince Rupert orfrom Port Essington. The reader

29B.C. Historical News

must wonder.People of the Snow and From

Snowshoes to Politics are very personal books, written with the clearlystated opinions and feelings of theirauthors. Neither is cold impersonalhistory. They have the bumps andwarts of their authors, and that isas it ought to be.

FederationAffairs

A New CouncilJohn Spittle has represented

the B.C. Historical Federation at aseries of meetings with delegatesfrom other heritage oriented organizations. All attending gained considerable understanding of eachgroups objectives and programs.The exchange of ideas served to reduce duplication of effort in some areas, and promote cooperation wherever possible. The participatingorganizations are: B.C. MuseumsAssociation, Heritage Society ofB.C., Archaeological Society of B.C.,Underwater Archaeologists. B.C.Archivists, and our British ColumbiaHistorical Federation. The presidents of these organizations prepared the following statement to define a new Heritage Council.

*********

Statement On The Organizationof The Heritage Council of British

ColumbiaDated: June 27th, 1988

Name: The name shall be theHeritage Council of BritishColumbiaFunctions of the Heritage Council ofBritish Columbia1. To review and recommend onheritage related policy issuesand legislation as proposed bygovernment or as advocated bythe heritage community.

2. To share and disseminate information among the representatives to the Council who wouldtake such information back orbring it forward from their respective groups.

Organization of the HeritageCouncil of British Columbia1. Basis of organization: Non-

incorporated ie. “informal” bodycomprised of representativesfrom heritage organizations.

2. Basis of membership: Mandateof member organizations mustrefer to a province-wide provision of heritage service.

3. Representation: Each memberorganization has one representative which shall be thePresident or President-designate.

4. Operations: There will be quarterly meetings. ExtraordinaryMeetings may be called by theChair to respond to urgent concerns. The co-ordinating role!chair will be rotated annuallyamong the member organizations.

Government liaison:The Heritage Council in its officialcapacities will relate to theAssistant Deputy Minister of theMinistry responsible for heritage.

A Report from1st Vice PresidentMyrtle Haslam

who attended theHeritage Canada Conferenceheld September 7 - 10,1988

in Charlottetown,Prince Edward Island

1. Meeting of Provincial HistoricalSocieties - September 7, 1988.Attending were representatives

from Alberta, Saskatchewan,Manitoba, Ontario, Nova Scotia, theChairman of the Board of Governorsof Heritage Canada sat in.

Reports were given by theProvinces.

Items discussed were-the challenge of funding publications, designation of historic structures,awards, standards and funding.The need for accurate research programs to enhance special events inthe museum/heritage communityand the role of historical societies inproviding the facts. The topic was ofconcern to all historians.

Selling Canada to Canadians -

Preservation of the McLaughlinHouse, possibly to be demolished fora parking lot. Request copies of letters to our General Motors dealers.

The next meeting will be held inVancouver at Heritage CanadaConference.

We will request a room for ouruse the day prior to registration forthe Heritage Canada Conference.Myrtle Haslam has been asked tochair the next meeting as we arethe host province.2. Heritage Canada Conference-

Managing Our Cities - The NewCollaboration.September 7 - Wednesday eve

ning, Anne of Green Gables Musicalat the Confederation Centre of theArts.

September 8, 9 a.m. - 12:30p.m. - Mary-Liz Bayer hostedProvincial and TerritorialRepresentatives Day. I spoke forapproximately 60 - 90 seconds onour Federation and the CowichanChemainus Eco Museum. Writtenreports on both were submitted.

Jacques Dalibard presented aNews Release and requested allrepresentatives write letters to yourM.P with a copy to Ian SinclairSenator.

Lobster feast and tour of Anneof Green Gables House in

B.C. Hisk*ical News30

Cavendish.September 8, 2-4 p.m.

Workshops-planning, political process developers, citizen groups andconflict.

September 9 - Guest speakers:Mayor of Quebec City, former ChiefPlanner with the City of Toronto,formed director of Architecture andUrban Design for City of Toronto,President of Heritage Ottawa andHistoric Ottawa Development Inc.and Vice President of HistoricProperties Ltd. of Halifax. Evening -

Mayor’s reception at restored CityHall, followed by dinner at historichomes.

September 10 - Walking andbus tours of the City ofCharlottetown 2.4 p.m. - AnnualGeneral Meeting, new Governorselected 7 - 10 p.m. - Banquet andAwards Presentation - Audio-Visualpresentation of award winning projects of host province.

Gabrielle Leger Medal, Lt.Governors Medal for heritage work.

Writing Competition

The British Columbia HistoricalFederation invites submissions forits annual Competition for Writersof B.C. History

Any book, published in 1989,with historical content is eligible.The work may be community history biography, record of a project, industry or organization, or personalrecollections giving glimpses of thepast. Names, dates, and placesturn a story into “history”.

The Judges are looking for freshpresentations of historical information with appropriate illustrations,careful proof reading, an adequateindex, table of contents and bibliography. Monetary prizes are offeredin the following categories.:1. Best History Book by an indi

vidual author (This is eligiblefor the Lieutenant - Governor’sMedal).

2. Best Anthology.3. Special Award - for the author or

editor of an outstanding book.All books receive considerable

publicity. Those submitting booksshould include name, address, telephone numbei cost of book, and anaddress from where the book may beordered if the reader has to shop bymail. Books should be mailed assoon as possible after publicationsto:

British Columbia HistoricalFederation

c/o Mrs. Naomi MillerBox 105Wasa, B.C. VOB 2K0Deadline for 1989 books is

January 31, 1990.

There is also an award for BestArticle each year submitted and published in the British Columbia

Historical NewsArticles of up to2500 words, substantiated withfootnotes if possible, and accompanied by photographs and maps ifavailable, are welcomed.(Photographs will be returned).Deadlines for submission areSeptember 1, December 1, March 1,and June 1. Articles should betyped, double spaced and mailed to:

The EditorB.C. Historical NewsBox 105 Wasa, B.C. VOB 2K0Winners in all categories will be

invited to the annual conference inGrand Forks in May 1990.

Convention ‘89Remember the datesMay 11 - 13, 1989

B. C. Historical Federation - Victoria Branch will host theannual conference at the New Convention Centre.

Registration forms from your local society.

Jim Spilsbury - one of the winners of the 87 Writing Competitionreceives his certificate from Don Sale.

31. B.C. Historical News

ScholarshipWinner

Daniel Patrick Marshall, 26,of Cobble Hill was presentedwith the first annual B.C.Historical Federation Scholarship at a meeting of theCowichan Historical Societyon December 8, 1988. Theaward of $500 was well deserved as this University ofVictoria student has undertaken some interesting researchprojects on topics such aswhether the Bute Inlet Routewas dismissed for politicalrather than engineering reaSons when the CanadianPacific Railway approachedthe west coast; and the role ofearly social organizations inthe development of B.C.Marshall’s interest in our prov

ince’s history was fostered byfamily roots dating back to theGold Rush in 1858. Part of hispursuit of history led him tocollecting old bottles, but he enjoys outdoor sports, playingthe piano and dabbling in electronics. This 4th year studentwas so encouraged by receipt ofthis award that he is now contemplating graduate studies inB.C. History.

RENEWAL TIIV{E?

Check your mailing label. Ifthe top right digits are 22-1,this will be your last issue ofthe Historical News unless yourenew your subscription!membership.

In Memorium

Donald Arthur New, long timeresident of Galiano Island, passedaway December 10, 1988 at theage of 93. He was predeceased byhis wife, Nanette, in March 1988.Mr. New was active in many GulfIsland community organizations,and is a past president of the B.C.Historical Federation. Donationsto S;. Margaret’s Anglican Church,Galiano, or the B.C.H.F.Schclarship fund would be appreciated.

NewsPublishing Committee

ReportThe Committee, which currently consists of Naomi Miller, Anne

Yandle, Nancy Peter, Arthur Lower, Thelma Lower, Mary Rawson,Daphne Sleigh, Margaret Waddington, Ann Johnston, and JohnSpittle, exofficio, met in November. We were concerned to hear that theHeritage Trust may not be renewing our grant (currently $1,000 ayear.) after 1989, and are seeking clarification about this.

Naomi Miller, our Editor, now has her first issue on WomenPioneers under her belt, and it appears to be a very popular one. Thedifficulties associated with establishing a new production team arealso evident, but we are confident that the proof-reading and otherproblems will be overcome.

Naomi has asked me to once again thank Margaret Waddingtonwho sent long and detailed instructions on how to meet the complexPost Office requirements. Edward and Georgina Engel and VerdunCasselman spent many hours mastering the mailing process and weare grateful for their efforts. Undoubtedly we also owe many thanks toPeter Miller for his help in this enterprise.

Ann W Johnston

DanMarshall, a University ofVictoria student in 4th year histoiy,receives the B.C. Historical Federation first scholarship award fromMtle Haslam, Vice PresidenL

B.C. Historical News32

THE BRITISH COLUMBIA HISTORICAL FEDERATION

His Honour, the Honourable Robert G. Rogers, Lieutenant-Governor ofBritish Columbia

Dr. W. Kaye Lamb

President John D. Spittle, 1241 Mount Crown Road, North Vancouver, B.C. V7R 1R9988-4565 (residence)

1st Vice President Myrtle Haslam, P0. Box 10, Cowichan Bay, B.C. VOR 1NO748-8397 (residence)

2nd Vice President Dorothy Crosby, 33662 Northcote Crescent, Mission, B.C. V2V 5V2826-8808

Secretary I Don Sale, 262 Juniper Street, Nanaimo, B.C. V9S 1X4753-2067 (residence)

Recording Secretary Shirley Cuthbertson, 306 - 225 Belleville Street, Victoria, B.C. V8V 4T9387-2407 (business), 382-0288 (residence)

Treasurer Francis Sleigh, Box 29, Deroche, B.C. VOM 1 GO826-0451

Members-at-Large Margaret Stoneberg, PC. Box 687, Princeton, B.C. vox iWO295-3362 (residence)

Alice G!anville, P0. Box 746, Grand Forks, B.C. VOH 1HO442-3865

Past President Naomi Miller

Editor Naomi Miller, Box 105, Wasa, B.C. VOB 2KO422-3594

Chairmen of CommitteesPublications Assistance Helen Akrigg, 8-2575 Tolmie Street, Vancouver, B.C. V6R 4M1Committee 228-8606(not involved with Loans are available for publications, Please contactB.C. Historical News) Helen Akrigg prior to submitting manuscript.

Historic Trailsand Markers

B.C. Historical NewsPublishing Committee

‘Subscription Secretary

Book Review Editor

John D. Spittle

Ann W. Johnston, P.R. 1, Mayne Island, B.C. VON 2J0539-2888 (Residence)

Nancy Peter, 5928 Baffin Place, Burnaby, B.C. V5H 3S8 437-6115

Anne Yandle, 3450 West 20th Avenue, Vancouver V6S 1 E4 733-6484 (res.)228-4879 (business)

John D. Adams, 628 Battery Street, Victoria, B.C.V8V 1 ES 342-2895 (res.)

Naomi Miller

Honorary Patron:

Honorary President:

Officers

Heritage Cemeteries

Lieutenant- Governor’sAward Committee

The British Columbia Historical News Second Class MailP0. Box 35326 Stn. E. Registration No. 4447Vancouver; B.C.V6M 4G5

ADDRESS LABEL HERE

JOINWhy not join the British Columbia HistoricalFederation and receive the British ColumbiaHistorical News regularly?

The BCHF is composed of member societies in allparts of the province. By joining your local societyyou receive not only a subscription to BritishColumbia Historical News, but the opportunity toparticipate in a program of talks and field trips,and to meet others interested in British Columbia’shistory and the BCHF’s annual convention.

For information, contact your local society (addresson the inside front cover)... No local society in yourarea? Perhaps you might think of forming one. Forinformation contact the secretary of the BCHF (address inside back cover.)