EEE ee THE WHLIAMS LAKE TRInDNE BRITISH COLUMBIA Before the advent of the Pacific Great Eastern Railway into the Cari- boo, long trail drives to steel at Ashcroft were a necessary evil to the business of ranching. This picture, taken in 1914, shows Norman Lee of Hanceville, topping the crest of the hill go- ing down into Ashcroft, which is seen in the distance. New Wealth Along Old Trails The rich furs of the north were the first wealth to be carried down the historic trails of Interior British Columbia. Later the gold of the Cariboo spread the word of this Province’s wealth to the world and once again the old routes brought progress to Canada’s western province. Now, at the turn of British Columbia’s century, ion lines follow the ancient paths, carrying the riches of the Peace River country to consumers of the Cariboo, Okanagan and Kootenay natural gas transmi: districts. In its transmis: Natural gas, the modern wonder fuel, has opened up a new industrial empire in B.C. where business and industry can escape the high cost of coastal locations . . . where workers can settle in communities unsur- passed in North America for friendly, comfortable family living. ion and di Natural Gas Co. Ltd. has a $25,000,000 stake in the future of Interior British Columbia. tribution systems Inland Redstone man worked for H.B.C. 7] as clerk in 1890 Fact that he is the son of a prominent English cler, foreign languages, Tanch yman, educated at Heidleberg and speaks two : receives passing mention when you interview Edward Penrose Lee in hi house at Redstone. pride a document that proved he w month to the Hudson’s Bay Company back in 1890. The carefully paper hiring nd Mr. Lee was paid this monthly salary for clerk- ing in the company’s Kamloops store. - preserved was a BUILT IN 1895 He had been here two years then, coming out to the Chil- cotin first at the invitation of his brother, Norman Lee. Then he went to Kamloops for his brief fling at the store busi- - ness, returning to the Chilcotin to establish his ranch at Red- stone. today was built in 1895. Among his memories of the old days in the country he re- calls the busy village of Soda Creek, where whisky sold for 25¢ a glass, the same price as a packet of needles. WAGON ROAD Travelling out to the Chil- cotin, the first place on the road after leaving the Soda Creek ferry was the Salmon Ranch. Twenty-five miles far- ther on was Meldrum’s, and it was another 25 to the Becher place. Another 30 miles brought you to Tom Hance’s, and that was the end of the wagon road. From there you packed in supplies. Ranching was far from a lucrative business in those early days, with the only stock saleable being three-year-old steers. These brought around $18; and it was necessary to drive them to Ashcroft, a trek that took from 12 to 14 days. BULLD OUTLET The “way out” was made shorter when Norman Lee staked a man called Franklin to cut a 50-mile road to Gang Ranch property to connect up with the ferry there. At 87, “Young Lee” keeps active and mentally alert by doing a bit of work around his ranch and spending a great deal of time writing of the early residents of the Chil- cotin and life in those days. When he first came to the dis trict he was tagged with the nickname ‘‘ Young Lee” so people wouldn't confuse him with his older brother, Nor- man, and to this day he is still called that by some old- timers. The house he occupies EDWARD PENROSE LEE Isnardy left home for New World at 14 One of the area’s earliest settlers was Amedee Isnardy, who was born in Nice, France and at the age of 14 left home for the New World, He went first to Mexico, staying there for a few years before heading for California in 1849. Ten years later he came to British Columbia. He recalls there were .only four houses in New Westminster when he arrived there. Travelling the lake route, he went through Lillooet and up into the Cariboo. In 1862 he established his ranch at Chim- ney Creek. It was below this ranch were travellers crossed the Fraser to go into the Chil- cotin, and at this crossing the present suspension bridge was built. In 1900, a race track was built on Becher Prairie, near Riske Creek. A three-day meet was held annually and people came from as far away as Redstone and Soda Creek. “ind ted T three-day rest sod-rook = But he displays with as worth $35 a Page 1 HIGH LIVING COST P The ] cause of originate in the Cariboo. In that city 1890's, Dota; $12 a dozen ang nd. beet pou! was $la With"an eye to the profit to be made, Chilcotin © rancher Norman Lee §0t the idea of a 1200-mile trail drive to the Klondike. Hig diary, to be pub- lished soon, gives the detailed account of the drive. The drive got underway on May 17, 1898 with 200 head of cattle. Five cowboys, a horse wrangler and a cook made up the party, with 30 Pack and saddle horses, About the same time three other: drives were on the way north. Jim Cornell was about a week ahead of Lew with 75 head, Jerry Grayelle had mov- ed off three days earlier with 100 head, and behind Lee was Johnny Harris with 200 head. Lee’s account tells of almost insurmountable odds in the trek north, not all caused by nature, _ ARTFUL INDIAN It had been planned on swimming the stock across the Mud River, but when the party came to the stream it was found to be unusually wide at the point where the trail met the water. Subsequent investi- gation showed that an artful Indian who operated a ferry there had dammed the river farther downstream to force travellers to use his conveyance at the trail, Lee took, his drive farther down the river and crossed safely. The drive made Hazelton made. There was no ration on rum there though, and several igh cost of living in Dawson City was the One of the most famous cattle drives to ‘and some of them became vic- of the cowboys were in no con- dition to hit the trail at the end of the’ allotted time and the rest was extended a further three days. The horses began to play out tims of mud fever and lost théir hooves. Most of the an’ mals died and the cowboys were forced to continue the drive on foot. The Lee drive arrived at Telegraph Creek on September 2 and there they found Jim Cornell operating a butcher shop as an outlet for his beef. Lee’s plan called for driving on to Teslin. Lake and there slaughtering the beef and raft- ing across the lake and down the rivers to Dawson. END OF DRIVE On October 3, four and a half months after leaving the Chileotin ranges, Lee arrived at Teslin Lake. Here two rafts, 40 feet long: and 16 feet wide were con- structed and the animals slaughtered. On October 17 the rafts were loaded with beef and the voyage started. They sailed for two days without in- cident but on the third day disaster struck. A tremendous gale got up and wrecked both rafts. The other two parties fared no better. Harris was ahead and missed the storm, but his cargo was “frozen in” about 200 miles above Dawson and was a complete loss. Gravelle’s beef suffered the same fate. Norman Lee returned home without a cent, but his reputa- tion was such that Vancouver cyholesalers backed him and he again built up his Chilcotin Ranch. “Arst ORMAN LEE Meldrum one of firs settlers Meldrum Creek is named « after Thomas Meldrum, one of the earliest settlers in this part of the country. There is no record of the correct date of his arrival, but as he came in- to the country with William Pinchbeck, it must have been in the late 50’s or early 60’s. Located about 20 miles south of the Soda Creek ferry Meldrum Creek was the “ gate- way to the Chilcotin” up to the time the Chimney Creek route was inaugurated in the 1890's. Meldrum was born on board ship in 1828 when his parents were en route to Canada. They settled in Ontario and Thomas, came west as a young man. Before the bad winter of 1886 to 1887, elk roamed the Chil- cotin in large numbers. -The moosé was reported im 1914. OMPTED DRIVE Saga of cattle country ended on Teslin Lake Settled in B.C. when young man Norman Lee, one of the Chilcotin’s best- known ranchers, came to British Columbia in 1882, when he was a young man of 20. He had travelled England in company with a Rev. Horlock, and the two men rode the CPR to its terminus at Boston Bar and walked from there to Nicola. At Kamloops Rev. Horlock started the first Masonic Lodge and young Lee was one of the lodge’ first four members. from He met up with E. P. Bay- lift at Cherry Creek Ranch and the two men pooled resources and headed for the Chilcotin. They’ settled first at Redstone in 1884 on the site of the present Bayliff ranch. When his partner married, Norman moved down the valley, buying the present Lee Ranch from Danny Norberg. PAID IN GOLD PIECES This earlier Norwegian settler ran the store he had built in the 60’s and the build- ing still stands today, although it is not used for the same pur- pose. Norberg had one pecu- liarity: he didn’t believe in paper money, and Norman had to pay him off in $20 gold pieces. Because of this love of gold money, coins were turned up for years afterwards in old tins and odd corners. Norman Lee sold his hold- ings in 1913, but the ranch was not paid for and it was in such a run-down condition ‘that he took it back’ in-1azg. He died in 1937. The British Columbia Centennial Committee is proud to join the people of Williams Lake in their celebrations of our Province’s One Hundredth Birthday.