THE WILLIAM LAKE TRIBUNE BANK of MONTRE 4! TOWN’S FIRST BANKS The town’s first banks are still with us, although their quarters have improved considerably since the days these pictures were taken. Both of these one- room affairs were on the other side of the tracks below Railway Avenue. The Bank of Montreal ar- rived first, and the outlet here was a sub-agency for the branch at 150 Mile House. That tarpaulin- covered piece of equipment standing to the left in the Bank of Commerce picture, under the watchful eye of a clerk, was the branch vault. The grain fields gave way to a new town Story of first ten years’ srowth The townsite of Williams Lake was still cov- ered with grain that summer of 1919 but no one was worried about a crop. Surveyors were already at work laying out the streets, working ahead of the sweating crews of construction workers who were laying steel around the lake, This was the birth of a town, and on hand to see the sight were Hon. John Oliver, Premier of British Columbia, and seve- ral of his cabinet ministers. And there was a bigger show to come. In September the track was completed. On the scene was Mrs. Ethel Slater, who later wrote of the event: “Then came the thrill and ex- citement of a lifetime, the first whistle and bell of the PGE engine as it rounded the bend from the Onward Ranch a few miles along the lake. Every man and his dog in the Cari- boo seemed to have congre- gated to welcome the great event, as they came from Chil- cotin, Soda Creek, Quesnel and ranches near and far, and In- dians from the various ranch- erees, doubly excited to behold their first traiu following the construction crew as they laid track to the Williams Lake depot.” Thus ‘a town was nora We have gathered ihe high- lights of the first 10 ye growth, and these are chronological order . 1919 One of the first buildi; was the Bank of Montreal, p The Horsefly express is taking off! Here Alex Meiss, pioneer-resident and Sub-agemcy of the 150 Mile branch, it was followed by the Bank of Commerce. Both banks operated from small shacks across the tracks Rod Mackenzie had his Working on the Fraser Mackenzie store, which. completed that winter. Bob Henderson was running the “Borland” post office and a general store across the creek from the Borland House. Cattle and Horses were graz- ing the townsite. men and was 1920, The town was a scene of wild confusion as merchants goaded “contractors and workmen by day to greater efforts to be the first in operation and reap the reward of the boom. Cattle ranchers, gold miners, tie- hackers and cowboys joined in a boom-town celebration by night. There was no jail, no police, nor was there a licensed prem- ises or bar, but there were veral excellent bootleggers who imported stock from Alberta and gave a good ser- vice at reasonable prices. Fraser and Mackenzie store was completed. The first Lake- view Hotel was up enough to hotelman of Horsefly, starts up the Oliver Street hill. Moore Store in the background. be a shelter by the midsummer Stampede, which was managed by Herb Spencer, with assis- tance from many others like Jo Flieger, Bill Smith, “Cyclone” Smith, Leonard Palmentier, Antoine Boitanio. Bill Smith hada restaurant going which is now incorpor- ated in the Maple Leaf beer parlour. Bob Henderson had built a store where the Bor- kowski block now stands. Hand Lee Rooming House and Cafe went up where Swanson Truck and Equipment now stands. The Canadian Bank of Com- merce opened for business in their present quarters on Noy- ember 23, 1920. Fred Bucholtz built and operated the first bakery on the corner /of First and Borland, with the building still standing The Grand Central Hotel was completed and apened by George Smith with Bill shar- ing in it, Bill then started the Log Cabin Hotel on the corner of Oliver and Railway, where the Ranch Cafe-is now. The Smith interest in the Central was sold to Mr. and Mrs. Ted Weyneberg who had been oper- ating a cafe at the “50.” The PGE present station was built and also the freight shed. Harry Curtis bought the saw- mill from George Moore on the mountain, and was supply- ing lumber as well as contract- ing and building. Jack Elliott built a meat market on the upper side of the Log Cabin lot where the Ranch Hotel entrance is now. The first school started in the fall in the Lakeview Hotel. Each building, no matter how small, “ officially opened with a big celebration and dance. was ao That’s the T. A. The T. A. Moore Store, now Al's Variety, was built and the second floor was the town dance hall until the stampede Hall was constructed in 1925. Mr. Moore went on to build a pool room next door-on Rail- way Avenue with Newt Claire, Ted -Weyneberg and M. F. Johnson operating it until Mr. Johnson bought the business later. H. Fox opened as a barber in the front of the pool room and later built next to the Lakeview. This building was later torn down to make room for the hotel addition built in 1956. Herb Spencer had built his livery and feed stable, which still stands at the Junction of the lanes behind Swanson Equipment. Sam Marwick, 150 Mile blacksmith, .built the shop where Gordon Cole now operates his saw shop, and was about the busiest man in town. 1921 This was the most confused year in the valley. A fire took the new store of Fraser and Mackenzie, the Lakeview Hotel, a new dance hall of Herb Spencers that was under con- struction next to the store, and Jack Elliot’s meat market. It also took the lives of two Men, Bernard Weetman and Johnny Salmon. ‘The government departments were trying to get established. James Boyd, district forester, was operating from the 3or- land with “Sandy” Chisolm as clerk. Frank Gallagher, in charge of the new police de- partment, was living in a log cabin at the Borland. The first Government Agent here, R. M. McGusty, who was Here is a more recent picture of the trucks of T. J. Hodgson’s mail and This pioneer firm started at the 150 Mile House, and except for stage line. also registrar of the court and gold commissioner, started operating from the Henderson store on Railway until the courthouse was built in 1924. McGusty was moved to Quesnel and his assistant, Hubert Campbell, took over un- til 1926. L. CG. McLure became the next agent, and he was sue- ceeded in 1947 by Mrs. Jessie Pigeon, who had joined the staff here in 1927. Jack Hamilton was Sheriff. The Indian Department did not establish an office until 1929 with H. E. Taylor as Indian agent. Prior to that Isaac Og- den and Ewan McCloud were agents with the office at Clin- ton. Agent McGusty was the first magistrate, followed by the other government agents and then Dr. Connolly, E. B. Hart, H. Lambirth, J. D. Smedley, C. H. Poston and S. S. Leith. In the Forestry Department office, Mr. Haddon served until 1926, when George Copley took over and served until 1931. Rey. A. D: McKinnon arrived in town this year and the United Church and manse was built on the corner of Second and Oliver. These buildings were moved in 1953. The Bank of Montreal was com- pleted at the corner of First and Oliver. One of the Williams from Horsefly started a garage at the corner of Oliver and Sec- ond, where Williams Lake Motors is today. Reports and Memories lead to the belief ‘that there were about three cars in town. The Public Works offices were at 150 Mile, with Evan Jones in charge. Crews were trying to grade out some of the of the firm Lake in 1921. ~ — Se one short period, has served the Chil- cotin since 1914. streets, also build a new Chil cotin road up Borland” Mountain. To add to the troubles of the new town, nature turned on the rain and it kept up most of the summer, fall and into the winter. LoTse to pull a load up the hill in Oliver Street to the government ~ office site. The first school, which still stands as the annex to the Blementary School, opened in the fall. After the fire in July Fraser and Mackenzie and the Lakeview were rebuilt. Jack Elliot, with Fred Mellish as a partner, built a meat market at the site of the present Williams Lake Meat Market. This was subsequently taken over the following year by Jack's brother, Ray, who operated it until it was sold to R. C. Cot- ton. The Weetman residence was next to the meat market and was used as an emergency hospital and nursing home. About the first patient was a man named Achieson, who was shot on about August 31, and was faken to the hospital for treatment but died. Angus Black, who had a shanty and stable next to the present Simpson’s-Sears for his draying It took five horses ~ i ins aaah business, was tried on a man- - slaughter charge and given one year. Achieson was buried be- side pioneer William Pinch- beck on Stampede Hill, Carruthers started a garage on the site of the old Oliver Theatre and later sold it to Red Hellier, who opened a movie theatre in 1924. This Continued on Page Hight f This Section The headquarters was moved to Williams SERVING THE CARIBOO are the two companies of C & S Tire Service Limited of Williams Lake and 100 Mile House and C & S Automotive Sales Limited in Williams Lake. The tire firm started first in 1953 and shared the post-war growth of the district until today, the plant is as modern and well-equipped as any you would expect to find in a big city. Owner Al Carswell has kept pace with the demands of the ranch- ing and logging industry and no expense has been spared in installing the very best equipment. wagen cars and commercial vehicles, In 1958 C & S Automotive Sales Limited was formed as a retail outlet for Volks- Managed by Norton Olsson, it progressed by leaps and bounds with a ready market for the amazing product with its apt title— The Most Sensible Thing on Wheels. Al and Norton take pleasure in saluting British Columbia’s 100th birthday and ex- pressing their faith in the future of the Cariboo.