AS THINGS ONCE WERE. Reports from Terrace’s Heritage Park by Alie Toop We owe a lot to pioneer scribe Ted Johnston Pioneers of the Terrace Area, 1890 - 1918, the book written by - Albert Edward "Ted" Johnston, truly reflects this column, As We Once Were. In the foreword of the book, Ted writes: "My memory only goes back to about 1909. Infor- mation about anything before that time comes from my memories of hearing my parents or the ‘older folks talking. As the older gener- ation is fast disappearing, I can not now go to them for informa- tion." Leafing through the book pre-empted DL 4362, which included Lost Lake on the Kalum Lake Road. Pat, an Irishman, was a fair-sized man, fairly husky, and quite a character in the early _ days. He drove a team for Ed _ Eby, mostly freighting to the Kalum Lake area. When Pat had a few drinks too many, there was, usually some excitement. Pat was also a teller of tall tales. One day he met a German chap from the north end of Kalum Lake. This chap was a serious type, not given to joking, and he spoke between Hughie and Tommy Stuart, another Scot. It seems that Hughie slipped out from the meeting ahead of Tommy and waited at the foot of the stairs for him to come down. When he did, Hughie slashed him with a knife, making a nasty gash in his fore- arm. Tommy, a much younger and stronger man, overpowered Hughie. After the fracas, Tommy had to have nine stitches in his arm. Al Grider and his wife came to we find many names our gener- broken English. Pat was telling Terrace about 1913. Grider was a Terrace’s Ted Johnston launched his newly published book, ation has not heard of. The fol- him a tale of meeting a bear on _ tall, athletic, ex-navy man from Pioneers of the Terrace Area, last summer at Heritage Park. _lowing are some excerpts of the trail face to face. Pat said, the United States. Grider had one + Without Johnston's encyclopedic memory and the effort he put Ted’s book. "And the bear was coming horse and operated the first trans- into writing the book, a significant part of the area's history would _ Ernie Roberts: Ernie, a straight at me with his mouth fer business in Terrace. He met have faded into oblivion. medium-sized man, worked in the open." Then he stopped. The all the trains and hauled the mill for George Little as a shingle weaver (shingle sawyer). The edges of the shingles were trimmed with a saw, and while trimming the shingles, Ernie trimmed some of his fingers, as most shingle weavers did. John Wentz, 1906. Jack, a slender man of medium height, came from Idaho. He home- steaded in Dutch Valley, D.L. 1701, west of Fred Bohler’s place on the Kalum River. He cleared a piece of land. It was very hard clearing land with big three- or a four-foot cedar and cottonwood trees around. By Jack’s own | admission, he had a face that only a mother could love. About 7 4 the time of the first world war, a: Jack went back to Idaho. He : came back a few years later with a wife. Someone asked Jack how he managed with his face to get a wife, and Jack answered, "I only courted her after dark. She never had a good look at my face, until after the wedding." Another all but forgotten char- ‘acter of the past is Patrick Hea- ley. He arrived around 1908. Pat German fellow was getting quite excited by this time, and he asked Pat, "What did yous doo?” With- out cracking a smile, Pat said, "I put my hand down his throat, grabbed his tail and pulled him inside out. Then he ran the other way." The German chap mulled this over for a minute and then said: "I doo not belief dot." _ Another person by the name of Hugh Morven MacPherson arrived here in 1909. Hughie, as he was known, pre-empted lot DL 5760. A tall Scotsman with a heavy moustache, he had been in the South African Police before coming to Canada. Hughie was 4 high-spirited man, and this tended to make people dislike him. Dur- ing the early days, politics was 4 very serious business. Political meetings were usually exciting events. No women were allowed, as they were not allowed to vote in those days. Feelings sometimes ran quite strong at these political meetings. At one particular meet- ing, held in the hall above Eby's store, this was no exception. There had been an argument _ freight to the stores. Once in a while he would hire a school boy to help him when he had to. unload a boxcar, and the young- sters were always anxious to get this job, not because of the pay, but because it was something different to do. Grider was also a member of the first band in Ter- race, The above named are some of the colousful characters who helped shape Terrace, the way it is today. We all owe a big "thank you" to Ted Johnston. Most likely we would have never known of these people if he had not sat down to put on paper what he remem- bered. More of the oldtimers should do this; collectively, it would make fascinating reading. Have you bought your tickets to the Oldtimers Reunion Banquet? Heritage Park is now open from Wednesday to Sunday. Hours of operation are: Office, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tours, 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For information, call 635- 4546, Edythe Benoit, Terrace Jodi Archibald, Terrace Cathie Frezell, Terrace Yvonne Llewellyn, Terrace Darlene Cornell, Stewart Susanne Higginson, Terrace Tom Casey, Stewart T 4 Polly’s Cafe. rt . Chinese & Western Cuisine Mon.—Thurs. 10:30 a.m. — midnight Fil. & Sat. 10:30 am. — Tam, Sunday 12:00 am. — 10 p.m. 4913 Keith Avenue, rj ae 638-1848 o: 638-8034 Ms ve G XS RESTAURANT & ae “i?” Chinese & Canadian Food “Wx. ee ae) S Thearsday 14:30 aan. — 11:00 Apige “Fri - Sat 1:30 aan. — 1:00 avn. a Sunday 12:00 a.m, 10:00 p.m. 4643 Park Avenue 635-6111 G This Week SurrET LUNCH BUFFET LUNCH | In AUGIE’S LOUNGE see!) )=©=6 NOON - 2:00 P.M. jama! 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