The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, September 24, 2003 - A3 ee | Bidders brave rainstorm | equipment sale at logging Internet played a big role, too By JEFF NAGEL THE AUCTIONEER rattles out his rapid-fire pitch for bids until no more arms are raised. “Sold to the Internet for $40,000,” he calls out. -At-the-other- end of a computer on Saltspring Is- land, excavating contrac- tor Larry Bader is the win- ning bidder, And so went the first of a string of D& Cat tractors at the Ritchie Brothers auction here Thursday. Despite a fierce down- pour, hundreds of people showed up to watch more than 300 pieces of equip- ment, most owned by local logging contractor K*Shian Construction, go to the highest bidders. It drew everyone from local ski club enthusiasts out to buy a few radios to the Oregon bidder who paid $425,000 for a tower- ing Thunderbird swing/grapple yarder. People. came from New Aiyansh and Smithers, from five Canadian prov- inces and 12 U.S. states. In all they paid out $3.3 million — roughly half the selling price of Skeena Cellulose. , Three-quarters of the purchases went to B.C. bidders like Bader, of Gulf Island Trucking and Exca- vating. It was the first time the auctioneers had come to Terrace for a sale since the industry collapse of the early 1980s. For some it was a poignant.sign of the tough times. For others it was a great bargain-hunting op- portunity. And’ for more, who kept their hands in their pockets, it was simp- ly a spectacle not to be missed. “ “~ didn’t really buy much,” said Gerry Praslos- ki, a custom car crusher from Vanderhoof, who paid AUCTIONEER’S AIDE points to prospective pur- chaser as another piece of equipment was sold $400 for a welder. Some of the biggest pieces of cquipment went cheap, observers said, and the ‘pleading tone of the auctioneer backed that up. “We're only half way to where we should be,” the auctioneer told the crowd while bidding was under- way on a Madill grapple yarder that ultimately went lo a Terrace buyer for $140,000. “Come on boys,” he said, “We're talking that cheap Canadian money here.” Michael Bowen- Colthurst, of Water Lily Bay resort, snapped up a Caterpillar excavator for $5,000, “IT was really pleased, . he said of his buy, . “It’s sort of ‘sad! to see’ that much equipment be- ing sold out of the area,” Bowen-Coalthurst added. Moa, Potar BEAR DIAMONDS" . the precise Proportions of alf wl 58 facets On a Sirius Polar Bear ‘Diamond di isplay a perfect balanca of briliance, fire and scintillation, Canadian cut and Canadian polished with precision to the Worlds highest standards, Ask to see the Polar Bear. laser engraved on each diamond, this Is your Suarantes of exceptional quality and authenticity of Canadian Origin, Discover the beauty of the Northern Lights within every Polar Bear Diamond, -Jonger can: you. ” Cutlér * Ueridtided tas" “Each one of them means jobs lost to the cammuni- ty.” Frank Cutler, the owner of K’Shian, was price pro- tected, Ritchié Bros. guar- anleed he would walk out of the auction with a mini- mum amount of money, and it turned out the sales exceeded the guarantee. The veteran logger will take his. money to the safety of the sidelines for a while, though he doesn’t rule out a re-entry. He has watched his losses mount as each new month and year went by while the norihwest waited for Skeena’s. new. owners to fire up, “After you wait for three years how. much walched buyers test out hk equipment. He remains optimistic <= Aadegges male and sip owed the Goxeriiminre bf Norttowatl Taredirins, ised ides Weld.’ Sept. 18 at a massive auction in Thornnhill. Most of the equipment belonged to K’Shian Construction. eae . Auctioneer Greg Rollo the industry will get back gn its feet in the new year = but not™ enough to keep risking his own cash. “It's the longest time * Optimistic” Auction stats M Total sales of $3.3 million. mM 682 registered bid- ders. More than 90 per cent were from B.C. but some came from Alberta, Ontario, Que- bec, Oregon and U.S. states including Flori- da, Texas and Califor- nia. @ 85 Internet bidders from as far as the Netherlands, Italy, Belgium - and New Zealand. They spent $300,000. I've seen Terrace this dead,” Cutler said. “I think if it’ doesn’t change id eight months we'll see other contractors doing this.” UPTO ‘400 IN ARCTIC WEAR OR ACCESSORIES OR A FREE 2" YEAR EXTENDED WARRARTY CONTRACT! News In Brief Kitwanga mill fires up NEW SKEENA Forest Products restarted its Kil- wanga sawmill this week, ending a four-month shutdown. It means 44 mill workers are now back on the job there and 30 more loggers and related forest workers are going back into the bush. “Market conditions have improved sufficiently to justify the resumption of operations at Kitwanga,” said New Skeena vice-president Don Stuart. The startup will inject $3.6 million as a result of company spending on wages, supplies and services into the region’s. economy. between now .and Christmas, he said. The news comes as New Skeena continues to work on its financing package required to start both its Prince Rupert pulp mill and its sawmill in Ter- race, Connector wanted AN INTENSIFIED push is on to get the province to upgrade the Cranberry Connector. City council here says the road connecting High- way 37 to the Nisga’a Highway would make an important tourism route if it were good enough for general use. “It's in very, very bad shape,” Christensen said, ; Improvements to the forest service road have also been repeatedly urged by the Kitimat-Stikine regional district. The route was once in much better shape when there was more logging in the area. councillor Stew Council comes cheap THE MONEY paid to Terrace's city council for their efforts is rated as a bargain elsewhere in B.C. Terrace’s mayor is paid $21,515 — well under the $32,360 benchmark derived from an average of 11 benchmark communities. The survey was prepared by the City of Quesnel, where the mayor is paid $36,000. Salmon Arm’s mayor, at $47,700,. was the highest paid of the 11 surveyed. Councillors in Terrace get $9,379 — again lower than the benchmark average of $13,080 among the communities surveyed. Olympic gold eyed NORTHERN TOWNS are vowing to push to make sure 2010 Olympic benefits flow north. The North Central Municipal Association is pushing Victoria to ensure more wood is used in Olympic facilities and to allow ‘hinterland busi- nesses to compete for Olympic contracts. The NCMA also wants international teams com- ing here to train in all parts of the province, not just the Whistler-Vancouver area. They also want a rep from the region appointed lo the Olympic corporation board. - “Northerners are feady willing aiid ablé'to help,” said NCMA president Ted Armstrong. "2004 = irae Cut 4921 Keith Ave., Terrace, B.C. Phone 635-3478 , - Fax 635-5050“.