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Wilhams Lake Tribune

NEWS EXCHANGE

OF THE CARIBOO

Volume 21 -- Number 46.

WILLIAMS LAKE, B.C. Thursday, November 26, 1953

Single copy 10c. $2.50 per year.

NEW POST CFFICE
OPENS MONDAY

Commencing Monday morning
you will pick up your mail at the

new Pyblic Building on the,corner _|..

of Second Avenue and Borland
Street

Postmaster Cece Rhodes and his
staff will close the wickets in the
old’ post office for the last time
Saturday afternoon and the move
into the new quarters will be made
Sun

As far as prospective box holders -
are concerned, the facilities in the
new building will still not be ade-
quate enough. With 405 boxes
available, Mr. Rhodes states that
when present box holders are ac-
commodated and the waiting list
is taken care of, there will only be
80 left and he expects that these
will be snapped up within a couple
of days

Local Elks
Install Officers

Members of the locar Elks Lodge
held their annual installation night
last Thursday with Past District
Deputy Vern Taylor of Burns Lake,
officiating.

Ladies of the Order of the Royal
Purple assisted with the ceremony
and later served refreshments.

Tribute to the long years of ser-
vice given to the lodge by retiring
secretary Arthur Haddock was given
by Mr. Taylor. Marking the occasion,
Mr. Haddock was presented with a
life membership in the lodge. He has
been secretary for the past 15 years.

Th lodge paid sad tribute to the
memory of J. J. Beesley, who died
recently in Victoria. Mr. Beesley was
a charter member of the local lodge
and it first secretary. In speaking of

al

him, Harolé Richardson said he ha

been an outstanding community
worker in the years he lived here.
Mr. Beesley was also a charter mem-
ber of the Williams Lake Branch of
the Canadian Legion and Mr. Rich-
ardson said that on the occasion of
the departure of Mr. Beesley and his

wife, the two organizations sponsored ,
a farewell party that dwarfed any;

similar function he had ever seen,
showing how popular the couple had
been throughout the community.

Hunter Wounded
In Bush Accident

Donald W. Gallagher, 25, of Lac
La Hache, suffered a gunshot, wound
in his left arm yesterday when his}
.22 rifle accidentally discharged.

According to police reports, Mr.
Galiagher was hunting rabbits in the
vicinity of Hordos Sawmill where he
is employed, when the accident oceur-
red. The hunter had climbed a log to
investigate a noise in the bush when
he slipped and fell, the gun discharg-
ing at the same time. He was rushed
to War Memorial Hospital by his em-
ployer, John Hordos.

;not much

+...» FAMILIAR FIGURE

spection work was carried out.

Joe Smith, former Brand Inspector, is pictured here with
his familiar black briefcase on one of the catwalks over the
Cattlemen's Association stockyards,

where much of his in-
Photo by Blackwell's

Forest Grove area Was seated

Nominated for the position were
E. R. Weaver, retiring trustee from
Forest Grove, and Everet Greenlee
of Canim Lake. The first yote was
taken by show of hand, and Mr.
Greenlee had a one-vote margin. This
result was questioned by a represen-
tative who noticed that Mr. Weaver
had not voted, and when the candi-
date admitted he had not known he
could vote under the circumstances, |
the meeting called for a second vote
being taken by ballot.

This resulted in the 18 represent-
atives being deadlocked, and a three-
minute recess was called before an-
| other vote was taken.
| Before issuing the ballots, School
‘Inspector Wm. Mouat asked the nom-
inators of the two candidates to say
a word for the men whose names
they had put forward, and finally
called on the candidates themselves.

For those representatives who,
were not personally acquainted with |
the candidates, the brief talks were
help. In both cases the

Cattle Industry Lost

Valucble Man When

When former Brand Inspector Joe
Smith emptied his battered and fa-
ailiar brief case this fall and laid it
side to go into retirement, ranchers

“were unanimous in the opinion that

they had lost the services of a valued
government department man.

‘And in this case they also lost a
working contact with someone who
brought years of practical ranching
experience to his job, and a knowl-
edge of the history of district spreads
dating back to the turn of the cen-
tury.

‘The Smith family had long been as-
sociated with the Clinton area when
Joe was born in that town in 1885.
His mother was born near Pavilion
and his father had been a resident
of the district since he was three
years old. Joe’s maternal and paternal
grandfathers took part in the mining
rush around Barkerville in its hey-
day. In 1860 his paternal grandfather
purchased the new Clinton Hotel
(mow the oldest operating hotel in
the province) and it remained in the
family until 1912.

Joe first came to this part of the
Cariboo in 1905, working for the
goyernment on a bridge gang, At that:

Services of
Joe Smith Retired

time the only building on the site of
ihe present town of Williams Lake
was the old Borland place, a large
ranch house that was later demolish-
ed and the lumber used in the con-
struction of four homes in town.

Since then, with the exception of
an eight-year fling at grain farming
in Alberta and one year spent with
a survey crew on the proposed PGE
extension to the north, he has been as-
sociated with this immediate area.

After his first job with the bridg-
ing gang he drove stage for a while
and worked in the Bullion Mine.
‘Then he managed the Alkali Lake
ranch for four years before moving
to Alberta. Repeated crop failures
brought Joe back to the Cariboo and
the running of several district ranch-
es, including four years on the Chilco
Ranch.

In 1941 Joe had reached the age
when most of us are looking ahead to
retirement, but he took on the job
of brand inspector.

According to him there has been
notbing unusual in the work, just
year in and year out of doing a job —
and the ranchers themselves will tell

a

you that it was a job well done,

Clese Vote Recorded to Seat
Trustee from | Forest Grove

School area representatives of District 2 20
faced with an unusual problem at their annual meeting here
Saturday when it took three ballots before a trustee for the,

7 found themsélves

uominators said they believed their
man would proye a conscientious
trustee and then
that they believed his opponent
would probably do an equally good
job. Trustee Weaver told the meeting
that he liked the school board work
and ‘‘took a real interest in school
matters." Mr. Greenlee’s contribu-
tion was “I have lived in the area for
30 years and thought it was time I}
took an interest.”

The final vote on the question of
who would represent Forest Grove
saw Trustee Weaver returned by ay
10-8 vote.

Filling the two other vacancies on
the board, Bill Sloan was elected from
Williams Lake and H. P. Wheatley
of Miocene was elected from the
Horsefly zone.

ZONE CHANGE- DROPPED

A suggestion from Inspector Mouat
that several changes in the district
zones be made to result in better
trustee representation ran into a
snag when it was pointed out that

j administration might suffer.

The principal change would have
relieved the zone 3 (Cariboo High-
way) trustee of a heavy pupil popu-
lation by moving 100 Mile area into
Zone 5 (Forest Grove) and the
areas of Gyncoe, Soda Creek and
MeLeese into Williams Lake zone.

There was no objection raised to
the move in the south, but Board
Secretary C. B. Macqueen warned of
the possibility of an administrative
problem arising if the north shift
was approved.

There are now four representa-
tives in Williams Lake, of whom two
a named as trustees, The shift
would give the zone seven represent-
atives with the same number of
trustees. This would work out if the
trustees elected always .came .from
if one or more trustees
came from the northern areas, Mr.
Maequeen said the work of operating
the district would suffer,

The reason for this is strictly a
atter of location. Signing power
handed to two trustees, and as it
would be an unwieldy way of doing

business to have this power m the|

ands of a trustee living miles away
‘rom the board office, this has always
fallen to the lot of town members.
The same applies to the majority of
he routine committee work, the two
members close to the scene of apera-
ions get the work,
(continued on page 5)

hastened to add'

Announce Sale
Of Government
‘Phone System

Sale of the Federal Government's
telegraph and telephone system in
British Columbia was announced
Tuesday in Ottawa.

Turned over to the B.C. Telephone
Co. and the Canadian National Tele-
graphs for $1,500,000 as a joint
operation, the move brings a close
io a long phase in the pioneer ser-
vice that started in the gold rush

ane telegraph line started in 1865
as a part of the United States scheme
to run a continuous communication
line from the States up through Brit-
ish Columbia and across the Bering
Sea to Russia. That plan was aban-
doned when the trans-ocean cable
was laid, but the part of the line from
New Westminster north to Quesnel
and Barkerville was to play an im-
portant part in the development of
the interior.

The telephone system was later
included and today the service owns
18,000 miles of line, has 4550 tele-
phones and links 167 communities
with the outside world. The system
includes parts of Vancouver Island
and stretches from Vancouver up to
Atlin by land line and from there to
Dawson City in the Yukon by radio.

Main long distance lines include
miles between Ashcroft and
Prince George, 275 miles between
Williams Lake and Bella Cooja and
53 mies between Williams Lake and
Dog Creek.

Date of the official transfer of
ownership of the system will be an-
nounced later,

P.W.D. installing é
Load Scale Here —

Truckers guilty of exceeding the
road limit during the spring break-up
will not be happy with the news that
weighing scale is being installed be-
side the main highway just across
from Neufeld Bros; garage.

The scale is a portable type and
| besides the concrete pit being con-
structed here, two more will prob-
ably make their appearance in the
astsle by spring, one near 150 Mile

nd one in the vicinity of 100 Mile.

The one set of scales for the three
‘pits can easily be transported by car
‘from place to place, and District
Engineer Ray Cunliffe states that
PWD men will carry out spot checks
throughout the year. It will not be
operated on a steady basis.

Usefulness of the scale wilt not
be limited to catching overloaded
units. It will help the PWD office in
advising truckers on load distribu-
| tion when they apply’for special per-
mits.

In the case of" the Fraser River
bridge, for example, the ordinary
limit is 10 tons, but a special per-
mit can be obtained for 25 ton loads,
provided the load is distributed prop-
erly over the truck axles. The scale
eliminates guesswork in this distri-
bution of weight,

Installation of the scale does not
mean that truckers will have to gauge
their weight load to within a pound
of the limit. PWD men have been
instructed to allow a margin of 1000
pounds before laying charges.

The scale at Williams Lake is ex-
pected to be in operation within a
week,

Outbreak Of Thefts
Worries Police

Thieves haye heen particularly
busy in town the past three weeks,
according to police.

‘Their activities have included theft
of equipment from road construction
camps, theft of tools valued at $250
from Hodgson Bros. garage and
breaking and entering a tool shack
owned by Lignum Ltd., and removing
nails and saws from the premises.
Car owners have reported a series
of thefts. In one case a rancher
Jeft his truck on the street for 15
minutes and he returned to find tools
| stolen. One man reported a bedroll
removed from his car.

and improvements.

Necessity of some move in this di-
rection was first brought to the fore
when the commissioners were
formed that a complete sewer system
for the village would cost an esti-
mated $130,000. Working on infor-
mation that this ‘borrowing power’
is based on 20 per cent of the total

in-

Mission Project
May Assure Power
For 150 Mile In 1954

As a result of the project being
carried out now to provide electric
power to St. Joseph’s Mission, from
the B.C. Power Commission’s Wil-
jjiams Lake plant, it is understood
that residents of 150 Mile stand a
good chance of being serviced next
year.

Local plant manager Basil Gale is
now working on plans for the exten-
sion of the line into 150 Mile, includ-
ing the results of customer surveys.
This plan will in all likelihood come
up before the Commission’s directors

work program for the coming year.

Chances of the 150 Mile being
serviced prior to the Mission project
being undertaken were slight, but
«gy about four miles necessary
* into the line ast it passes
Sugar Cane Reserve, onstruction
costs will be more in line with cus-
tomer potential. The Power Commis-
sion undertook construction of the
line into the Indian Residential
Schiol when the Federal goverement
agreed to put up a substantial part
of the cost.

/Bella Coola Trade
Group Wins Award
From B.C. Chamber

Recognition of the work of the
Bella Coola Board of Trade in organ-
izing the project that has resulted
in a third road outlet from the inte-
rior to the coast has been made by
the British Columbia Chamber of
Commerce.

At the chamber’s recent annual
convention, the Bella Coola Board
was awarded the “gavel of the year”
award for communities under 3000
population. The board, with a dis-
trict of 2000 population to draw
from, has a membership of 109.

In making the award, the B.C.
Chamber states:

“This question (providing a road
to the Chilcotin) has vexed citizens
in this lovely valley community for
many years and was one of tho rea-
sons for forming the Board of Trade.
Dissatisfied with years of govern-
ment inactivity, the Board decided to
go it alone if necessary. The Board
explored a completely new road route
over 40 miles long through the coast
range. With donations and loans,
32 miles of road were built from the
western extremity of the Chilcotin
Road towards the coast. But then

they ran into expensive rock work
which threatened to nullify their
efforts.””

“Attracted by this example of self-
help, the provincial government ap-
propriated $50,000. With this help,
the Board cut the final four miles
through and today a road connection,
rough but passable, exists to Bella
Coola.”

“The entire responsibility of en-
gineering, exploration and main-
tenance was and is being borne by
the Board of Trade. A road camp
was established and maintained for
ten months, As a result of this ef-
fort, British Columbia has a third
highway outlet to the coast midway
between Vancouver and Prince Ru-
pert, opening up a large area for
settlement and development as well
as tourist traffic.”

Blanket 20 Percent Boost
In Property Assessments
Approved by Commission

Commissioners finally made the step Tuesday night te
increase the village’s borrowing power when they approved a
blanket increase of 20 per cent on the assessed value of land

assessment, less any bonds for ser-
vices still outstanding, the board
found that if the complete sewer
system was considered and finally
approved by the ratepayers, the pro-

ject would probably be thrown out by -

Victoria on the basis that the bor=
rowing power of the village wouldn't
cover the cost. Under the new boost
in assessment, the village borrowing
power would be about $252,000.
From this would have to be sub-
tracted the water system bonds still
outstanding of $91,500, leaving a net
borrowing power figure of $161,500.

Prior to the assessment jump, the
total assessed yalue of land in the

in January when they consider the,

|village was $179,830. This will rise

to $215,796. Total assessed value of
improvements was $870,300, will
jump to $1,044,360.

Even with a 20 per cent hike in
assessment, most homes and residen-
tial property will still be far below
true market value. The assessment
before the rise was based on 60 per
cent of building costs in 1941. Iso-
lated cases, particularly in commer-
¢ial property, may be out of line on
the new assessment roll, but owners
have the right of appeal when court
of revision is held.

Commissioners are emphatic in
pointing out that the rise in the
assessment figures is designed sole-
ly for the purpose of clearing the
way to increase borrowing pow=
er of the village. napas, #@ means of
getting more taxes. ~

Tax revenue is goyerned by the

mill rate, set annually in the spring.

If the present figure of 20 mills was

maintained, the assessment jump

would be reflected in a corresponding
jump in taxes, but commissioners
will work to maintain the tax rev-
enue close to its present figure, which

would mean a reduction of the mill

rate.

SEWER SYSTEM

Further paper work on planning
the village sewer system was left out
of Tuesday night's agenda, will come
up at a special meeting to-morrow
night.

One residential permit was approv-
ed by the meeting for an $8000 home
for W. J. Holtom.

Two Months Sentence
For Theft Charge

Theft of a refrigerator and an oil
heater from a construction camp last
year brought a sentence of 6 months
imprisonment to a McLeese Lake
resident in police court last Thurs-
day.

Lowell John Reson, 36, pleaded
guilty to the charge of theft of the
two articles from a construction
camp at Whiskey Creek in Septem-
ber, 1952,

Police located the refrigerator
buried in the ground about 50 feet
from Reson’s house. The heater

was in his home.

Faulty Engine
Grounds Aircraft

Two special flights handled air
traffic here Saturday when the north-
bound regular plane developed en-
gine trouble about 15 minutes out.

The aireraft made an uneventful
landing after one engine began to
give trouble, but it was left here
until repairs could be effected. A
Plane on the Prince George-Edmon-
ton flight was routed back here to
pick up the north bound passengers

and an extra flight was flown up from
Vancouver to handle those going
south,

A company truck brought a new
engine up Sunday and a crew worked
all day Monday installing it.
plane left for

eight o'clock Monday night,

=