B14. Terrace Review — Wednesday, February 21, 1990

GEORGE LITTLE AND THE CIT

/ HE MADE ON THE SKEENA.

The first of many sawmills to cut the plentiful timber around Terrace was established by George Little. He built it in 1912, and it burned down in 1920.

‘Contributed by Edith (Little) Kawinsky

George Little was born on a farm near Attwood, Ontario, in 1878. At 17 years of age he left home and came west to southern Alberta. In 1898, he joined the frenzied gold rush to the Yukon. George went over the Klondike trail before he was 20, and was referred to as ‘‘The Kid” by his partners.

The seven years he spent in the Yukon were filled with adven- ture, challenge and hardship. While there, George prospected, operated a second-hand store, and an isolated northern trading post. For two winters, he was on the mail run from Skagway to Dawson. On one occasion, the Dawson Times related that George Little was the sole

traveller on the trail, and he had.

delivered the mail when the government thermometer registered 72 degrees below zero.

George was one of four brothers in the Klondike; one brother he located after the family had not heard from him for five years, It was a big day for their father when a letter

from each arrived shortly there-.

after. Three brothers eventually settled in Terrace, the fourth in Alaska. George met many of the notorious characters of the era ‘ and frequently recalled interest- ing and colorful experiences. ‘—In 1905, George left the Yukon by boat and came south, where he looked over the busy communities of Port Essington, Port Simpson and Kitimat. The snow .was deep when he struck out over the Kitimat trail, and when he reached the Skeena River Valley on the 10th of March of that year, it was snow-

gone 9 aa

free and the season far more ad- vanced than surrounding areas. The fertile valley was very ap- pealing as it opened out and proudly displayed its vast un- touched timber resources. He took up a homestead where “The Motel’’ now stands.

The first two winters were lean indeed, since game was not plentiful, and the staples were potatoes and fish. Unfortunate- ly, George was not a good fisherman.

During these early years, George Little acted as Justice of the Peace, and was Porvincial recorder of land transactions and mining claims.

Construction of the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway was underway, and George con- tracted and delivered large quan- tities of hand-hewn ties.

A general store became a necessity, so George undertook this and brought in Tom McMartin, a Yukon partner, to manage the business. The ap- pointment as Postmaster was added to his duties about this time.

The donation of 50 acres to

the G.T.P. Railroad influenced

the present station location. In early days, the station was known as: ‘Littleton’, but because of confusion in the Postal Department, a change was requested and George chose “Terrace” as a name for his townsite. _

The year 1912 was indeed a banner year. June saw George and Clara Beste married in Seat- tle. This pioneer couple, with the others,- were instrumental in moulding the Terrace we know today. There were five children,

ecaar umn ee eT ete pecan sce AE Ae eR em na

three of whom now live in Ter- race. That same year George built a sawmill, which was the first industry in the Upper Skeena. Other happenings of in- terest were the registration of the plan for the Terrace townsite, as well as the planting of the scenic shade trees along Lakelse Avenue. He operated the Ter- race sawmill and had lumber yards in Smithers and Vander- hoof until 1936, when he dispos- ed of these businesses to his employees. During the ‘30s, col- lections were very hard to make in Smithers and Vanderhoof. People wanted to pay him in horses, catile, sheep and hay, but he had to pay his men in Ter- race in cash, so perhaps he sold his barter here so he could meet his payroll, At the time, he em- ployed 30 or 40 men.

In 1924, and again in 1928, George went to the Fiji Islands.. The second trip he was offered the position of Canadian Repre- sentative for Importing Hard- wood. To accept would have meant moving the family to Suva, but the tropical climate was not appealing to Mrs. Little, who with a redhead’s complex- ion, did not tolerate heat well. While in the Fiji Islands, he

visited several small isolated

islands.on timber cruising mis- sions. He encountered natives who had never before seen a white man. Twice he was

thought to be a ‘“‘white god”,

and once a “white devil’’, In each case, he was regarded with fear and suspicion, and for a short time his life was threat- ened. George’s interpreter from Suva finally convinced the loca! people they had nothing to fear. In 1928, George brought back hardwood in log form and it was cut in his sawmill. Today, quite a quantity of furniture made of this hardwood can be found in town. In 1936, he went to Japan because he envisioned timber trade with the Orient. dream was dashed because of future hostilities and world con-

This,

ditions.

During the early days George encouraged members of his family to settle in the village. His brother, William Little, arrived in 1915, and built the family home. He returned with his bride in 1917 and they raised a family, some members of which still reside here. His brother Albert, a bachelor, lived in Ter- race until his death in 1928. About 1920, George brought his mother out from Attwood to live next door in the ‘‘Cottage’’, where she stayed until her death in 1933 at the age of 94.

Three sisters and their families came, Two, Mrs. Jack Greig (Aunt Polly), and Mrs. Tom Brooks (Auntie Ad), stayed until their quite recent deaths.

‘Members of their families are

represented. The third, Mrs. Frank Lazelle and family, stayed about two years during World War I.

Prior to World War I, the need for a postmistress arose, and Mrs. Little’s sister, Miss Mayme Beste, came up from Seattle to competently fill the position. In 1916, Miss Beste

married Knute Olson, and their:

two children ‘still reside in Ter-

race. George’s niece, Miss Jessie.

Morrison, arrived from Ontario about the same time to teach school. Miss Morrison married George Dover about 1914. This family ‘stayed until well after World War II. Many local streets bear these family names.

Following Mrs. Little’s death

in 1943, George was again smit- ten with gold fever. He went to Yellowknife, N.W.T.,. but in 1946 a mining accident resuited in the loss of his left leg. In 1947, George returned to Terrace to live. His keen interest. and faith in the development of Terrace never waned. His life here was a dedicated one, and among his generous gifts to the community are parks, recreation grounds, school grounds and the original hospital site. The first churches established in Terrace, namely St. Matthew’s Anglican and Knox United, each received the same number of village lots that they purchased from George. This was indeed an. example of his fairmindedness.

He was an enthusiastic trap- per and big game hunter and pursued these interests whenever time permitted.

It was with satisfaction and pride that George Little lived to see his 50th year in Terrace. He had lived to see many of his dreams fulfilled when ‘‘my baby’’, as he fondly called Ter- race, grew to about 5,000 people with many modern facilities, in- cluding daily plane service to Vancouver, and international telephone communications.

Yes, many changes had been wrought in those 50 years before “The Founder of Terrace”’ suc- cumbed to a heart attack on 30th of December, 1955. I quote his often repeated phrase, ‘I have lived a full life.’’

Radio program to detail modern search for gold

The recent surge of gold min- ing activity Northwest may gen- erate some local interest in a CBC radio program to be aired Feb. 28.

“Northern Gold” is,a docu- mentary put together by broad- caster Tomasz Piotrowski dur- ing six weeks of interviews with gold prospectors in northern

B.c., Alaska and the Yukon. The program portrays the modern struggle of the. in-. dividual gold-seekers who have to compete against multi-million dollar corporations in the search for precious metal deposits.

It will be broadcast on Ideas, starting at 8:05 p.m. Feb. 28.