Page 26, THE HERALD, Progress Supp., Tuesday August ra) 1976.

History in ‘The Herald (Gon’t from

way bridge is utter nonsense.
One or two steel bridges will
be worn out before traffic in
this country will justify or
even request such bridge.”

On May 20, the paper said
the people of the district
were unanimous for
retaining the pregent high
location.

On July 15, provincial
officials visited the area and
decided that more, in-
formation would be
necessary before a decision
would be made.

October 7, “Since the high
level bridge was under
discussion last’ summer

The ‘Catholic Church in, Terrace as it looked many years agoOthere has been a lot of talk,

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sENERAL

‘URNITURE

STORES ......

AT17 Lakelse

‘meeting.

7 Piece Bedroom Set "$399

. Kwinitsa - Bridge :
Hwy. 18 West
Mile 6&1

Igneous Bridge
Hwy. 16 West
Mile 68

mostly idle talk, but if it is
talked long enough it takes
on a more serious aspect.

Government engineers have
condemned the high level
bridge and have proposed ta
put up another, but not
where the present bridge is."

The MLA, Dr. Wrinch, said
he would call a meeting and
place before the residents
the reports of the engincers
and surveyors. The Herald
said the people of New
Hazelton were hoping for an
early meeting.

“No use putting off until a
site -has been officially
selected and everything is
cut and dried. That high
level bridge is the lifeblood
of New Hazelton and the
wishes of those people must
be considered irrespective of
any additional costs in
connection with cost of
construction. These are the
people who will use the
bridge and the ones who
have to pay for it.”

On- November 15, the
rumors were confirmed.
The province announced a
new bridge site between the
suspension bridge and the
bridge connection with the
old town of Hazelton. But the
locals still didn’t get any

word from theit MLA about .

a meeting.
Finally, on December 13,
the residents got their

Two reports, from a
govenrment and a private
engineer, said the present
Hagwilget bridge should be
condemned, |

The — engineers also
recommended to the

province that the high level
bridge of Hagwilget and the’
low level bridge at Hazelton
be .destrayed and a new
bridge, with new roads, but
built about midway between
thetwo present bridges, The
reason [for this was cost, |

A new high level bridge at
Hagwilget would come to
$130,000 and a new bridge at
Hazelton $110,000, whereas
the total cost of the proposed
bridge was $107,000.

The Herald said the
proposed new bridge would
strike the railway three
miles west of New Hazelton,
and a mile anda half east of
the South Hazelton depot. It
was feared that the CNR
would apply to close both the
present stations and build 2
new one near to where lhe
new bridge went in. A new
lownsite would be
established, and “the greal
majority of the citizens in
New Hazelton and Hazelton
would be financially ruined
as they could not move at
their own expense."

Thus to save a few dollars
on bridge construction, it
seemed that the government
was ruining the local people.

“Tt was pointed out that
the present bridges were
serving the people very
satisfactorily. The trade
routes are all established.
The roads were all buill and
are in pretty fairshape, The
request for new bridges did
not come from the local
public.

Traffic fram the Kispiox,
the mines and the timber
camps cannot .reach the
railway over any other route
50 easily or socheaply, The
difference belween a new
high level bridge and the
hospital bridge is only
$27,000, which is nothing
compared to the loss the
local people willsuffer by the
change."

In spite of the people's
arguments, the deputy
minister said he would
recommend the new (the
hospital) bridge be built.

On December 28, there

“was a letter to the MLA, Dr.

Wrinch printed in the paper.
It said that the doctor had
not taken a stand on the
issue, Wrinch was asked to

- back the locals,

Agate Bridge
Hwy. 16 West
- Mile 69

page 24

“Are you going to permit
the town of New Hazelton to
be destroyed...?”"

January 4, 1928 - “The
river was successfully

‘Spanned by the natives half a

century ago with a
suspension bridge which
stood until the present
enemies of New Hazelton
took the reigns of power at
Victoria...”

The Herald also said the
hospital crossing had been
turned down by everyone
else because of “excessive
adverse grades,”

Alter that article the issue
appears to have gone into
limbo. Nothing was said for
anew months. The bridge,
however, was removed in
1931.

But now back to Terrace.

In addition to talking of
separating from the
southern part of the
province, the Terrace board
of trade was lobbying for
new rgads and numerous
gravelling and repair jobs.
The BOT was also pressing
for development of
agriculture and tourism, and
for establishment of a golf
course,

Sometimes Terrace got
what it wanted. ‘Word came
through the first of the week
to commence work on the
main highway along the
Skeena."

The Heald's great passion
in those days was
development of agriculture
in the area, The paper
carried many articles giving
information on making a
success of agriculture. They
even went as far as printing
lestimonials from loca]
farmers. ;

“§.  Haudenschild — is
another farmer who can
lestify ta the quality of the
soil in and around Terrace.
He arrived in Terrace in 1910
and purchased 60 acres in
Paradise Valley. The land
being heavily timbered it
was hard to clear but when
cleared he got his reward as
the soil was rich black loam,
His crops of vegetables;

grain and hay are all heavy. °

He kept 12 cows and a
number of other animals and
fed them entirely off the
crops he produced on his own
farm.”

“Robt. Corlett says ‘...we
can grow here in Terrace
small fruits and tree fruits
second to none in the
province,
people remark on the fine
flavor of the fruit fram the
Kootenay and the Okanagan
districts. We are raising
here apples, pears, plums,

- eherries, strawberries

raspberries etc., if they do
not excel the fruit in the
aforenamed districts, in
every way, flavor, size, and
color, they are equal to the
best. Something we cannot

" produce grapes. Come along.
@. here in the growing season

and we will show you as good
Grapes as you ever saw
anywhere,''

“Our chief difficulty is we
have no cannery to take care
of our surplus or unshipable

fruit. Damp or rainy

weather fruit must be
disposed of at home.”
“This is an ideal place for

(Con't on nane 27)

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