This is a tape for Mrs. Helen Senden at Two Mile. Mrs. Senden, I'd like you to tell us about your homeland where you were born.and where you grew up. My homeland Germany was Germany, - that's where I grew up as a girl. and not Holland? Yes, Germany •• Holland comes later. We were six in the family and we had lots of fun. Played, working too. And I suppose a bit of farming? Yes, farming too. And we had lots of fun when Grandpa came. In the fall, we looked for his coming and he brought us a big paid of honey and we liked thato Did he raise the bees «hLms eLf ? He did. And when I was 15 or 16 I went out to work in a house. When I was 24 I went to Holland where I thought there was much more money to be had. That's where I met my husband and then we sailed for Canada. What was the main reason for coming to Canada? ( Well, the biggest reason was there was more money here, but when we came here it wasn't so easy either. These were the bad years. Yes, the agents would never tell the truth. They used to always say that everything was so beautiful. And you landed in Quebec in May and came by train all the way to Edmonton? Yes, that's right. You were there for two months? Yes, and then we went south to Vancouver, the Queen Charlottes and then we went back to Edmonton where my husband worked in the mine. And your coming to Hazelton was interestingo yes. We were through mining in Edmonton. There was aGerman fellow staying with us who heard about Smithers so he went tbere. Well, it wasn't long we got a letter from him saying (Mrs. Helen Senden - continued) there was lots of work and so we figure we want to work back to B.C. anyhow. We came there and there was nothing to be had, not a thing. So we were stuck there and the feJlow still got no money and no eats •• that's why he want us there. So that was about 1930 when you arrived there? yes. And it was interesting how you started your dairy. You mentioned about Sweets - I understand that the other dairy was that rieht across from them? Yes, that was Sweese and that's when we bou~ht our first cows. We want to buy one cow, but he said no, you got to buy them all. We had no money and we gave hjm $10 down on the whole works, horse and all bottles. Everythin~ complete and six cows and that's when we started up. We started slowly, then we have to buy more cows and when the kids start to grow up they have to help too. You had about 12 cows then? By then yes, and we got more and more when we built the other barn. And you paid him off in a year and a half? Yes, a year and a half •••• $40 a month. And $10 down? Yes, that's all we had. You had pigs and chickens? Oh yes, we have pigs and chickenso We had to do the milking ourselves and we have the cooler there and it work really fine. The milk was put through the cooler and was ice cold. Do you remember how many customers you had? Oh, about 75 and later when we had more cows we had Silver Standardp Red Rosep the store even bought some, and the hospital. And your first house was a little And then we built this house cabin? in 19410 (Mrs. Helen Senden - continued) And you built the dairy Yeah, that's right, later? in 1947. And did you have any help? Oh no, not much. Sometimes when it was hayine-;time, but otherwise not because we milked by hanct first and in later years by machine. That worked out better. Betty and Gordie never milked •• they got away with it. And you mentioned there were two schools. school and the other was an Indian school? One was a hiVh That's righto Sometimes we had a high school. One year we had one, and next year we had not enough children. And in those days we had no oil or gas stoves •• we just had a wood stove and the kids in the winter were all around the heater in the center of the school. And I suppose the children used to slide down the hill? That was the only road into Hazelton then •• did they still take chances then? Oh yes, there was only a couple of cars a day. Bobbie Benson that was George Benson's son - he went to school with his sleigh dogs.- And the sound •• he had bells on the dogs and he went like a horse. And where was he living? Back on Two Mile •• somewhere more in the busho He would be just a little where the school now is. A bit boy then? yes. And you mentioned getting have been a big day. electricity back in 1949. Oh, was it evero A big help for the dairy. How many machines did you have? Two. And how did you deliver the milk? That must - (Mrs. Helen Senden - continued) Well, in 129 we had our first -truck and before just bur-EYe And when did you close that it was the dairy? In 154 or 155. And then you ran the poolroom that as well? for quite a while? In a way .• it was riot such hard work. tne coffee shop then. And you mentioned Did you like We had the poolroom and the show and badminton. Yeah, where the kids went in Old Town. They played make their own fun. to once a week, and there was a show badminton, softball. They had to And there was a big sports day? Oh yes, everybody went to that. And there were only a few houses then in Two Mile? Yes, Mrs. Olson, That was all. IVIrs.York and a few otr.ers. Mrs. Faulkener, And there were wild animals around? Yes - be~rs. We had a cow with a new calf and we couldn't find her one night. We looked next day and couldn't find her. And about two or three days after we found her - eaten by a bear. The bear was still around so my husband got a gun out and he watched for it, and got it. Was the river ever used for skating on? No. They just had the bridge? yes the bridge was there. is across to South Town. flood. A wooden structure where 'Ksan Village It was washed out in 1936 with the "That must have been quite somethin~. Oh yes, the town was half full of water. Some houses and buildings were swept away •• right on the river there.