Open Collections

 VOLUME 3, NO. 12
SOUTH  FORT  GEORGE, B.C    MARCH 23rd,  19 12.
$3 PER ANNUM
KELLY, DOUGLAS & CO.
WHOLESALE COMING
s        -*— — ■.■ —
Kelly, Douglas & Co., the Vancouver wholesale grocery firm,
are making plans to establish a
wholesale house here during the
coming summer.   This information has been received from reliable sources. The firm of Kelly,
Douglas & Co. is well known in
British Columbia. It does a large
volume of business in this part of
the province, and is making ar-
ranements to get into the field
here for the supply of its trade
area in the northern interior by
the new route via Edmonton.
The warehouse will probably be
erected along the waterfront on
this townsite.    This is the first
time a wholesale house has announced its intention of establishing a branch in the new north
and it foreshadows the new order
of things coming into being with
improved  transportation  facilities.   The trade of the railway
belt through the Fort George district alone will be an enormous
one from the time construction
starts here, and it is to be anticipated that the wholesale supply
men of Vancouver will establish
branches here in the immediate
future, or else let their trade go
by default to the capital of Alberta.
BOARD OF TRADE
^REORGANIZED
A meeting was called last
Tuesday evening in the Firehall
for the purpose of reorganizing
the South Fort George Board of
Trade. This organization has
of late been to all intents and
purposes defunct, and as its influences during the early stages
of the town's development
brought about most desirable results, the business interests here
are seeking to revive the organization. Mr. A. G. Hamilton, who
has been president of the organization during the past two years,
occupied the chair. He stated
that the organization was a most
necessary adjunct to the proper
growth and development of this
town, and stated that whilst he
wished to do anything in his
power to further the aims of the
hoard, he wished to tender his
resignation, forming the vacancy
of president as well as that of
vice-president and secretary.
Several members of the Board
apoke in terms of praise of the
good work that Mr. Hamilton had
done during his term of office,
and the board as a body reluctantly accepted his resignation.
The following gentlemen were
then elected to hold office until
he regular annual meeting of the
board which falls due in May:
President-John Campbell.
Vice-president-J. B. Daniell.
Secretary-H. B. Close.
The aims of the South Fort
George Board of Trade will be to
protect the investor, to give out
reliable information to the outside
world upon all subjects relative
to the northern interior, and
more particularly to South Fort
George.
A special Btage arrived from Ash
croft Wednesday bringing more than a
ton of express matter.
WILL LOSE ND TIME IN
LOCATINGSOIJTH LINE
Vancouver, March 19.—It is
understood that Messrs. Foley,
Welch & Stewart, who recently
entered into a contract with the
provincial government to build
the Pacific Great Eastern Railway from North Vancouver to
Fort George, will shortly place
survey parties in the field for the
purpose of locating the line. The
route covers a distance of ap*
proximately 450 miles. Construe*
tion will be started at the south*
ern end at a point on Howe
Sound not later than July 1, and
the road, it is stipulated, must be
finished within three years.
That this well-known contracting firm does not intend to lose
any time in getting the big un-
dertakiug under way is evidenced
by the fact that Mr. A. C. Dennis
of Winnipeg, on behalf of the
contractors, has already made an
inspection of the route from
North Vancouver almost to the
Green Lake summit, over thirty
miles beyond Newport, at the
head of Howe Sound. The trip
was in the nature of a reconnai-
sance to ascertain the main topographical features of the country
and to determine the character
of the work. That it will be unusually heavy had already been
determined by C. P. R. exploratory surveys made forty years
ago, and by the location surveys
made during the past two years
by Messrs. Cleveland & Cameron,
on behalf of the Howe Sound &
Northern Railway, whose charter
and other rights, it is understood
will be shortly taken over by
Messrs. Foley, Welch & Stewart.
DEATH OF GEORGE J. WALKER
The death occurred in Barkerville on Monday, March 18th, of
George J. Walker, ex-Government Agent for the Cariboo district, and later of the Fort George
district. The immediate cause
of death was dropsy, from which
the deceased had suffered for
some time. George J. Walker
was a well-known figure throughout the whole of Cariboo. He
was born in Barkerville some 40
years ago. He followed the mines
of Williams Creek in the days of
the gold rush and was appointed
to the gold commissionershipand
government agency about four
years ago. Throughout the district Mr. Walker was highly es-
teemec\ As government agent
he won a reputation as a careful
and painstaking administrator,
and as a man who would spend
unlimited time and care in making plain to anyone those matters
in connection with the many acts
under his authority which were
not thoroughly understood. The
deceased leaves a wife and two
children in Barkerville. The
funeral was held last Thursday.
For some time previous to his
death Mr. Walker had been sinking rapidly. He was taken to
the Barkerville hospital recently
where he was under the care of
Dr. Callanan. The case was
hopeless, however, and in spite
of every medical aid death came
speedily.
Mr. John A. Fraser, who is here
on his political campaign, stated
to The Herald that he saw the deceased in the hospital at Barkerville last Saturday, and that at
that time he appeared to be in the
best of spirits. Mr. Fraser received the news of his death here
and although the telegram was
not wholly unexpected, tiding of
the death of George J. Walker
comes as a shock to the country
that knew the man so well and
esteemed him so highly for his
many excellent qualities.
MADE $200,000 OFFER
FOR DEPOT LOCATION
Townsite Exploiting Cwnpuiy's Proposal
Regarding Fort George Timed Down.
Ottawa, Ont.—(Canadian Press
despatch.) —"I will not direct any
railway to construct a station at
any point when the railway is not
within 300 or 400 miles of the place
in its construction."
Such was the statement of Chairman Mabee in concluding the application of the Natural Resources Security company for an order directing the Grand Trunk Pacific to erect
a suitable station near the townsite
of Foit George, before the Railway
Commission. When the construction
of the road reaches a point near the
town, the chairman intimated that
the case could be reopened.
It was brought out that the town-
site company had offered the railway
$200,000 in notes to have a station
built near their townsite. This offer,
however, the company, after accepting conditionally, turned down.
"This company should not be legalized into exploiting land. It has
been making absolutely false statements as to the intentions of the
railway company," said A. E. Fripp,
for the Grand Trunk Pacific.
George J. Hammond, president of
the townsite company, was then examined. Asked by Mr. Fripp if he
were guilty of certain misdeeds
charged against him in the Fort
George Herald, published in South
Fort George, the rival townsite, Mr.
Hammond stated: "I have been
charged with every crime in the
calendar by that man," referring to
its editor, "but never by the
authorities." It was further stated
that the latter was out on bail on a
charge of extortion.
[The editor of The Herald is prepared to prove all the statements
made in this paper regarding Hammond and his operations, before a
British court of justice. Regarding
the statement made in the foregoing
despatch as to the charge of extortion, it is as malicious as it is false.
-Ed. Herald.]
John A. Fraser Addresses
An Enthusiastic Gathering
SAWMILL FOR DONE CREEK
W. F. Cooke, of the Northern
Lumber Co., now on his return
from Ottawa, writes that he has
completed negotiations for the
purchase of a large mill for the
townsite at Dome Creek, in which
Mr. Cooke is interested together
with several other gentlemen
who have been prominently identified with development enterprises in the Fort George district.
The mill will have a large capacity and will also include a shingle
plant Up to the present time
all buildings here have been covered with patent roofing, and although this material gives satisfaction for a brief period it is
found unsuitable to the weather
conditions.
Dome Creek is about midway
between this place and Tete Jaune
Cache, and is situated at a point
commanding a magnificent view
of the Rocky mountains.
THE NEW INDIAN VILLAGE
The contract for the building
of the Indian villages, which was
a clause in the agreement for the
salecf the Indian Reserve here
by the red men to the G. T. P.,
will be offered for tender about
the first of May, or earlier. The
plans call for 30 houses, two
churches and a schcolhouse. The
houses are of two sizes, 4 and 5
rooms. These houses will be
built mostly on the Goose country
reserve, or Reserve No. 2, about
six miles up the Fraser river on
the west side.
.The Conservative meeting held in
the Fort George Theatre on FouUh
Street, last Thursday evening, was a
successful event in the campaign ol
the Conservative candidate, John A.
Fraser. The meeting opened at 8.30
to al crowded house. Mr. William
Kennedy, vice-preBident o! the local
Conservative Association was in the
chair. He introduced the speaker of
the evening in a few brief sentences,
calling on Mr. Fraser to tell the
audience what had been accomplished during the sessions of the twelfth
parliament at which Mr. Fraser and
his colleague had represented the district. Mr. Fraser spoke at considerable length. He dwelt upon the various important measures that had
been placed upon the statute books
during the session just terminated,
principal amongst which were the
amended Liquor Licence Act, Tl,e
Public Health Act, and the Ruilvmy
Legislation. He quoted the public accounts to show the large annual increase in expenditure for public works
in the province, and intimated that
the future policy of the government
would include yet greater expenditures as circumstances justified. Mr.
Fraser stated that since the last
provincial election in November 1909,
when the McBride administration ras
returned to power with such a sweeping majority, it has been the aim of
the administration to disarm criuc-
ism of its actions as far as possible
by submitting itB proposed important legislation to the care of commissions, whose duties consisted in
investigating every phase of their
subject and'laying their findings Le:
fore the government. These measures
were adopted in order that the lee
islation brought before the house
should not become faulty law through lack of opposition criticism, an'd,
according to Mr. Fraser, in spitt of
the large majority during the past
term, the country had received legislation which was probably going
through the house with fewer blemishes than if a stronger opposition
were aligned against the government.
Speaking of the Railway Policy,
Mr. Fraser pointed out that this
measure was practically similar to
that upon which the McBride government last went to the country.
He pointed out that the people of
Cariboo had already supported thin
similar policy, endorsing the construction of government-guaranteed
lines of railway that did not penetrate this district directly, and that
the big plank in the present platform
was the immediate construction of a
.ine of railway from Vancouver to
Fort George up the Fraser valley, a
route that will open up the whole of
the great lower Cariboo country. Mr.
Fraser even dwelt at some length on
that much criticized measure, the B.
C, Land Act. He pointed to the fact
that the government had withdrawn
all land from sale in this district,
when the purchasing of land had
threatened to become so general as to
crowd out pre-emptors. Mr. Fraser
brought bis speech to a conclusion by
appealing to northern electors to
support the McBride administration
on their record, and by assuring the
audience of his best endeavors in behalf of this district in the event of
his re-election next Thursday. Mr.
Kennedy asked if there was anyone
in tbe audience who desired to ask
any questions, whereupon Mr. A. G.
Hamilton rose to n-quest an explanation for the delay in the construction of the Fort George Stoney
Creek wagon road. Mr Fraser stated
that every effort was to be made
during the coming summer to complete this work. Last year, he explained, the road was constructed for
a distance of forty miles from either
end, leaving a gap uncompleted of 30
miles in the middle. The land to be
traversed in this gap, he stated, was
the worst part of the road, and he
expected that the work of construction would be completed by next fall
in spite of every oij.tacle. The meeting broke up with cheers for the
speaker:
MR. JOHN A. FRASER
Conservative Candidate for Re-election
to the Provincial Legislature.
The Herald representative cornered
John Anderson Fraser Up when he
was executing the glad-hand stunt on
the street with a shifty voter. Tho
Herald man sat down by the roadside and watched the ceremony with
critical admiration. It was over. The
Herald wanted to interview him, why
yes, he would be delighted. We explained that thero were certain matters which had caused a good deal
of dissatisfaction locally—matters on
which   explanation    by    Mr.  l'raser
would assist his cause. He stated
that he would be delighted to reassure the people through the columns
of The Herald' upon any doubtful
points.
"What is to be done, Mr. Fraser,
with regard to the construction of
tbis road from here to Stoney Creek,
ashod the interviewer.
"V.-.U niUBt understand," said Mr.
Fraser, in reply, "that this road to
Stoney Creek is planned to form a
link in the great trunk road schema
that is to be a future auto route
clear :rom Ashcroft to Hazelton. I
had a very careful survey of the
route made three years ago. The
plans and profile maps In the Public
Works Department show a route (or
20 chains on either side of the actual survey, and it has been our Intention to complete the road as well
as possible, conforming as nearly an
possible to an averge eight per cant
grade. The road, as you know, haa
already been completed to such
points as will give access to present
settlement along its route, the intervening and uncompleted stretch of
thirty miles being uninhabited. To
complete tbe road as rapidly as possible is my firm intention, and you
may place as much emphasis as yon
wish on that point" he concluded.
Mr. Fraser explained further tiiat
it would be a departure from tha
policy above outlined to link up tha
uncompleted route by sleigh road, aa
has been suggested, ignoring the surveyed route and probably traversing
lakes and creeks to provide a certain
route for next winter's traffic. He
admitted, however, that a common-
sense policy would be to push the
construction this season from both
ends, as hitherto, and, in the event
of tbe road being incomplete next
fall, to link up the shorter gap In
the manner suggested, and by to
doing trade between the Nechaco and
this place might be uninterrupted,
and access will be given to a section
of country that will supply this
place with hay, feed and produce.
"You may assure your readers,"
said Mr. Fraser, "that this road will
be completed if lt is practicable to
do so at all. There is a large vote
for this road, and should this prove
insufficient its construction could
oerhapB be completed out of the contingency fund for public works."
This was Mr. Fraser's admission in
response to a suggestion by the interviewer.
"Is it at all likely that the government will take any active steps to
open up the Peace River country?"
he was asked.
"I have read with Interest what
The Herald has had to say on this
important question," said Mr. Fraser
"and I intend to look into the matter of a suitable route to The Peace
river valley for settlers from the B.
C. side of tbe provincial boundary,
but you must remember, that the
routes you have pointed out as practicable are summer water routes,
and would leave the big valley isolated in the winter time."
We suggested that the winter
transportation problem would be
solved in much the same manner as
it was solved here before the wagon
road was built, for If a good summer
supply route were furnished the land
would become productive under the
hand of the settler.
Mr. Fraser is confident of his success at tho polls. VAUU IWU
i.
FORI GEORGE HERALD
PUBLISHED BY THE
NORTHERN INTERIOR PRINTING CO. Ltd.
J   B. DANIELL. PRESIDENT
Devoted   to   the   interests   of   Fort
Oorge nnd  the entire Northern Interior.
J. B. DANIELL. Editor.
A COMPETENT OFFICIAL.
Notwithstanding the injustice
of the Cariboo Central Conservative association in the allotment
of delegates, northern Conserva
A
Oi delegates, iiuruit.ni vjuuoc*. >«- -
tives prudently decided that the peer beneath the mask,
■   "   ■ U»r«   li-nilart   IO   Q     ]aV€f(i
interests of this district would be
interests of this district wouia tt_     - - •---- -- -     -       .    .
best served by giving the gov- affair bail of top, warm^**
THURSDAY'S ELECTION.
Next Thursday is election day.
There are three names on the
ballot paper, a doctor, amerchant
and a farmer. The doctor and
the merchant are the candidates
of a progressive policy; the farmer is a political cocktail. The
doctor and the merchant have
represented us during the twelfth
parliament, and it would appear
that they will do so during the
thirteenth, whilst the farmer
with the ambiguous platform of
principles, who calls himself the
Liberal candidate, is trying to
wheedle his way into the legislative chamber on a platform of
conglomerated political tit-bits
from all policies and a reputation for honesty.
John Anderson Fraser of Quesnel is certainly the man of the
hour in Cariboo. He has, at any
rate, earned the respect and approval of the people of this district by travelling some 800 miles
over the sleigh roads of his constituency to hear what the people
have to say about the administration, and to tell them about
the acts and aims of the McBride
government from the platform.
Mr. Fraser certainly merits the
support of the electorate, and
whilst Dr. Callanan, of Barkerville, his colleague, is more of a
silent partner, his apparent lack
of interest should not be construed into indifference, for although not a man who makes
any impression upon a public
platform, Dr. Callanan is active
in the interests of the district
when in Victoria, and it behooves
us to support him together with
Mr. Fraser in consideration of
the co..ditions involved.
The policy of the McBride government is a policy of progress.
To our own district it means railroad transportation  from Van
couver, and that alone is an item
of policy that the people of this
district cannot afford to defeat.
The Herald believes that the McBride government will be returned to power with five opposition
members only, that is to say,
there are only five seats that The
Herald  considers insecure.    It
will be a source of considerable
gratification to note the ignoble1
defeat of the Vancouver blackmailer, John P.  McConnell, in
Yale.    The "Little man  from
Ymir" has been thrown down by
his own party and his doom is
sealed.   In our own district it is
a toss-up whether John Holt will
save his deposit or not, and had
Dr. Callanan been a man capable
of assisting his colleague in a
strong campaign we venture to
say that Holt would have lost his
two hundred dollars.
The little differences that exist
between the north and the south
of this district can not be associated with either of the Conservative candidates, and The Herald only hopes that both of these
i gentlemen  will appreciate and
recognize the tremendous growth
of development in the north of
their constituency, before which
the importance of old  Cariboo
will pale and wane in comparison,
and that on being returned to
power they will represent the
district as the district should be
represented, and will further the
aims of the  interests and the
people of the north without discrimination, if any has ever existed.
ernment candidates their united
support. It would be folly, however for certain ardent supporters of the government candidates, resident in the south, to
assume that their schemes for
personal advancement will receive the sanction of northern
electors, especially when it can
only be attained by the dismissal
of competent officials.
If the federal government is
sincere in its desire to remove
politics from the civil service, it
would be contributing little to
that end to interfere with W. J.
McAllan as Indian agent at Fraser
Lake.
We had occasion to require the
assistance of Mr. McAllan in his
official capacity during the negotiations which resulted in the
transfer of the rights of the Indians in Reserve No. 1 to the
government, and the amicable
and satisfactory manner in which
the transfer was effected reflected no less credit on Mr, McAllan
than on his associates.
We trust, therefore, that political opinions, to which every
man is entitled and which in this
case have never been offensive,
will not be considered sufficient
cause for dismissal, when the aspirant for ithe position is not a
man more capable.
THE STORY OF THAPAGE
boisterous revellers would hammer on the old man's portal, in «
the middle of the night, but never >.
would his reserve of hospitality
allow such unwelcome guests to
:WJiM*M««j^j^«a^««««M«««*«»
ati__i__tjt
His house is a large rambling
Down at the foot of Fourth
street, and extending upstream
along the bank of the Fraser, is a
potato patch, a log house and a
few smokehouses on a reserve
of few acres. It is the home of
Sousa Thapage.
Sixty or seventy years ago, in
one of the Hudson's Bay post
settlements north of here Thapage first saw the light of day.
He is a French half breed, an old
servant of the "company" and
the pioneer of this place.   He is
ah old man; his hair is white,
and he is lame and walks with a
staff—always with a staff.   Thapage is a man of reticence.   He
talks very little now that a civilization  foreign to  his  whole
scheme of existence crowds about
his home, but in the years that
have passed, in the "early days"
the writer has heard the old man
talk of his life with the "company," of the brigades he used
to sway, of his traverses into the
Peace river country, and always
he talked in French—the French
of the Northwest frontier.
In those days the home of the
old half breed was, besides the old
Hudson's Bay  post,  the  only
house in Fort George.   The surveyors and trappers were ever
welcome,   On occasions Thapage
would give a dance—something
the stranger never would forget.
Indians,  halfbreeds and white
men would gather under the old
man's roof and long into the
morning the revelry would goon.
The music was that of the fiddle
—Hudson Bay jigs, accompanied
by the dull monotone of a deer-
hide drum. Thapage would smile
and welcome everyone, ceaselessly guarding his reputation for
hospitality.    His wife, a great
good-natured woman, would echo
his welcome.    Halfbreed girls
would shyly dance the "square
dances" or huddle together in
groups, bedecked in calico dresses
and startling-colored  handkerchiefs, whispering and laughing
low.   There were times when
winter and cool in the summer,
If you can talk French and approach the old man in the right
manner, he might tell you the
story of the building of that
house—of the number of Indians
who whipsawed the lumber, the
man who dovetailed the corners,
and of the distance from whence
came the clear fir tree, sheltered
from the currents that wind-
checked the useless ones, from
which the "shakes" for his roof
were split.
The South Fort George townsite
is situated on what was at one
time this old man's pre-emption.
Here he has lived since he left
the service of the "company."
The green waters of the Nechaco
river flow past his door, whilst
across the river the muddy line
of the Fraser water wedges its
way to this bank until it obliterates  the cleaner channel.   His
smokehouses are commodious, his
yard is littered with firewood and
debris, well-fed sleigh dogs play
around the house, and the children cry to each other in their
pretty tongue at their games.
Now these children are going to
school.   They are quick and anxious to learn.   Old Thapage follows the monotonous routine of
his daily existence.   He is a man
of means now, yet his life is unchanged.   The world throbs on
around him, a great city is buildup on his old pre-emption, yet
Thapage pursues the even tenor
of his way.   Sometimes you may
see him in the evening time sitting on an old be'nch in front of
his house,  the waters of the
river gently rocking his dugout
canoe against the rocks a few
yards off, his little brown-faced
grandchildren playing round him
as he leans upon his staff and
looks off into the great country
beyond in which he journeyed, in
which he trapped, and in which
he lived so many strenuous years
as a servant of the "company,"
and taking a child by the hand
he limps off to his house, talking
soft French the while.
Our Prices Will Not Advance |
PE take this opportunity to inform our many customers and the public generally that the low prices
which have prevailed in our store through the summer |[
months will be maintained throughout the winter. jj
PE have been fortunate in receiving most of our heavy ►,
eoods before the close of navigation and having our ►,
own teams will be able to bring our goods over the road fc
at the minimum cost. . S
W. F. COOKE %
RUSSELL PEDEN
jM LUMBER CO. I
StoreTOffice and Lumber Yard, Sooth Fort George |
._**.■■■ m..'m.2W.&J_¥.!0'*2^44W4iT4^44W4\W44W4^t^4^4iW,^,&s'A
C°JU       IF   «„»^raf»   HAMILTON & WHITE
ity Liveiry   proprietors
s^-s,and Feed Stables
Rigs, Saddle and Pack Horses furnished on short notice.
Draying of all kinds and excavating done. Feed of all ports
continually kept on hand.
Terms reasonable and satisfaction guaranteed.
M. C. WIGGINS
farm lands     Real Estate  garden tracts
155 acres 6 miles above
Fort George
T.
i on Nechaco River with G.
—    P. survey throngh property.
Price $12.50 an acre l-3rd cash, balance 6,12 and 18 mos.
Settlers located on 180-acrca of good Goveraacat land.
FOURTH ST.      -     -      SOUTH FORT GEORGE, B.C
Kennedy, Blair & Co. Iii
Cor. Secoid ud Hiaihot Am., SOUTH FORT GEORGE, B. C
Robert Splnks
Painting and Paperhanging
South Fort George : B.C.
We are fully equipped to meet the "rush" of 1912.
Those who will require outfits during the coming
season can procure anything desired at our store. We
sell the best goods at the lowest figures.
Eight Sections
I am prepared to
Locate Pre-emptors
.ON ISO ACRES OF.
WRITE FOR INFORMATION TO
N. C. Jorgensen.
P.O. Bm21. SMlkFMtCw|«,l.t.
South of Fort George, between
West Lake and the Fraser
River. The Pacific & Northwestern line taps the east end
of this block.    $12 an Acre
N. H. WESLEY
REAL ESTATE South Fort George
Good Government Land. 11 ^^^^^^^^^j^^^^^s^i
Close & Brown
South Fort George, B. C.
GENERAL
MERCHANTS
r,2£_^__ __■__. __^__.__^_^_^_^_\
| Do you
contemplate
building?
^ii  Now is the Time to Order Your SPRING |
1A      j,    —!—: \-i~_r_Z 3
Then investigate
^__m__^_wt  w      our workmanship and get our estimate.
QUIT    ^ ^e ^r8t kest dressed man y°u meet—We are
sole agents for;
jj The Art Tailoring Company. ll
lh^.^,^*W*^^*.W*W*W'^«W\l^*3^3vK3RW/*SK^^
V_k t__m.
fro. $25 to $45.
Prices
Contractors a Builders.
Hamilton and First
4jJPJJK^^3*R^K^^^/^^3?te*^*?
'.VKifK_t
£W«W!*BW5MBJ*B3W5!*l5<NMB2*BW3WBW»^ww>!
A. P. ANDERSON
CABINET WORK: 6
ud General Woed Work -
HAMILTON AVENUE
Fort George Hardware Co.
General Hardware and Sheet Metal Workers.
All kinds of tin and sheet Iron work done.
Gamp stoves:   Hot air Furnaces,  etc
LASELLE AVENUE SOUTH FORT OEORGE. THS TRAIL TO THE NORTH
Over 300 miles from Port George
the Canadian Pacific Railway
dumps down the intending settler
of the north country in the
parched little town of Ashcroft.
There amidst potatoes and heavy
But many go to Port George by
freight wagons with quaint high
canvas tops he will probably bargain with grimy chauffeurs, who
clamor for the privilege of bearing him north iu automobiles of
different merits. Then he will
breakfast, if he has come by the
evening train from Vaneouver, before starting over the 175 miles of
up-and-down hill, that separate
him from the steamer landing at
Soda Creek.
But all cannot travel in automobiles, for the charge is $28 to
Soda Creek and $35 to Quesnel,
should connection not be made at
the former place with the British
Columbia Express Company's boat
that runs from there. The others
walk or, if they are real home-
soek rs vith a little money, drive
their own teams north, pasturing
their beasts by the wayside as
much as possible to avoid buymg
the verv expensive feed. Many
such outfits are passed on the
road, the husband walking and the
wife driving with the family parrot swinging from the seat. Behind in the wagon is every kind
of impedimenta from the baby
downwards, and the old cow follows patiently behind.
But, however the journey is
made, it is full of interest. The
traveller unused to a dry belt
feels an emptiness of soul, as he
rises over, the sage brnsh hills that
encircle Ashcroft, looking like
vast dumps of worthless soil, and
is amazed to be told that they but
need the toueh of irrigation to be
covered with the verdure that at
present hugs the water courses
running far below. Then at the
turn in the road a jangling of
bells is heard, and there is one of
the freighting outfits, six or seven
teams of horses hitched to three
wagons roped together, so that one
man may look after a treble
charge. He either seats himself
postilion-like on one of the wheelers or makes use of a plow seat
stuck onto the side of the foremost
wagon.
The rest houses along the way
are' solid legacies of the old gold
rush days, when the miners of '58
went north to the famous Cariboo
diggihgs at Barkerville and Williams Creek. Prosperous farmers
inhabit them, for once over the divide and aWay from the dry and
arid pine-sprinkled hilltops the
traveller descends int* a fine stock
raising country of open park-like
spaces, and lightly wooded slopes.
It will be somewhere in this country that the first night will probably be spent, and the good 50-
cent meals and beds will refresh
the weary and reconcile the city
man to the loss of all that he has
left behind him.
But we cannot linger on the
trail, and the auto rounds a sharp
bend to open up the Praser flowing far below in a valley from
which the dark-timbered bench
lands rise 500 feet, on either side.
Below the landing the swirling
river plunges into the Devil's can
yon, which successfully prevents
any navigation further south
From 'this point up to Quesnel the
country is very sparsely settled,
but here and there a fine ranch
meets the eye, where crops of oats
and hay are raised. Then Quesnel
comes into sight, and the jealous
little town, that has lived for fifty
years on the trade of the Barker*
ville mines, is full of "knockers,"
that will speak no good word for
Port George and the north. Many
a foolish settler that has started
without counting the cost, has
been turned back at this point.
Lured by advertisements, rosily
worded and all too full of rash
promises, they leave their jobs to
exhaust their few savings on the
trail. Work is not so easy to find
as they expected, and along the
route they hear all kinds of bad
reports. If they get past Quesnel
and decide to walk the rest of the
way. they will unfortunately travel over some of the worst country
surrounding Fort George, It is
easy to get discouraged among the
jackpine flats and marshy bottoms
that take the place of the adver
tised prairie meadows and peavine f
clearings.
The genuine settler, however,
keeps on in face of all discouragements. He does not mind, when he
meets disconsolate Dakotans returning from a vain search for
land, or a cowboy from over the
line, who, after a brave start for
the Salmon river in woolly chaps
and rosy neckerchief, is met the
next day returning crestfallen.
"Seen enough of this goldarned
northern country; it's home for
mine," he growls, and back he
goes without ever giving the country a chance.
Well, it is not for such as these
— the north country. It is for men
of stout hearts with a little money
in their purses, who know that
opening up a new land is not all
skittles and beer; men, who have
the power of working in the present, while they concentrate their
attention on that future, which
will bring them, if not vast wealth,
at least a worthy reward for their
pluck and endeavor in the shape
of independence and comfort. And
the men of this stamp are going to
Fort George, not in very great
numbers, it is true, for it is now
but the trickle that precedes thei
flood water, which will come with
the railway and swamp, the open
spaces with people, and clear the
land of its trees to make it smile
with crops of golden grain.
The traveller may instead take
the steamer from Soda Creek at
the cost of $17.50. If the water in
the Praser be high they will experience an exciting trip, for two
canyons must be passed before the
big sternwheeler wins to port. It
may be thnt thc captain will be
forced to line his boat up the Port
George canyon, but generally the
trip is made without incident beyond the scenery, and South Fort
George is reached with ease and
comfort.
That is a welcome view, whether it is first seen in comfort from
the water or by the weary tramper
from the land. The Swampy trail
from Blackwater tires all, who
travel with pack on back, and
great is the joy, when dropping
from bench to bench of the Praser
vallev he at last rounds the last
bend'of his 100-mile "hike," and
finds himself within a few yards
of the hotel. And they make him
feel at home at South Fort George
whether he comes on foot, by boat
or aeroplane, and he feels that he
has done well to persist and win
through to his goal.
Fort George
Drug Co.
Prescrip-
tiwsa
Specially
UCUf DAAITC by the best
nLn DVlInO authors. A
large shipment just received
Toilet articals, Patent Mudlcires,
Mamuines.Booka, Stationery. .
Toile* *-*'-'— Tt«.Mi>*i>s
Toilet Articles,
Intend Building?
NOW is the time to build,
whilst seasoned lumber is
obtainable. Labor conditions
are now in your favor. We
contract to design and construct your building, guaranteeing satisfaction: Call
or write us.
Bronger & Flynn
Builders and Contractors
SOUTH FORT GEORGE
THE
CLUB POOL ROOM
THIRD AND  HAMILTON STS.
DAVIS & FORREST, Props.
Smokers' supplies
a specialty
Four pool tables
Splendid environments
gore & McGregor,
B. C UND SURVEYORS
Victoria and
Fort George, B. C.
The business of the Pioneer blacksmith shop has been purchased by Mr.
Moran, who recently arrived from
Clinton.
McGaghran & Thorne are daily turning out large quantities of delicious ice
cream-the product that made the firm
name famous.
Mr. Al. Johnson, of Hotel Northern,
has recently completed a commodious
end well-equipped cold storage building
at the rear of his hostelry. The architecture is of pleasing design and is the
work of Bronger & Flynn, the local
contractors.
P. G. B. BODEKER
Land Timber Cruiser
Pre-emptions Located.
SOUTH FORT GEORGE, B. C.
EariBATM SUIMITTCD.
■.B.C.
Victoria, B.C,
F. C. given. Iter.
F. P. Burden, Mm*. 	
Nelaon. B.C., A. H. Green, Iter.
Green Bros., Borden & Co.
ME«bm.l>MHMtl.C.lj»JSm*m
Stirrers of Lands, Mines, Townsitee, Timber
Limits, Etc.
Satisfaction guar-
Watch
Repairing  «*
CJLDAVIE
Sew! article! by mail to Fort Georte, B.C.
Occidental
otel
QUESNEL
B.C.
[
Moat modern up-to-date hotel in the interior of British
Columbia.
New four-storey building.  Accommodation for 120 guests
All outside rooms—large, well-lighted and ventilated.
Steam heated.
RATES $2.00 PEfl DAY UP
Weekly and monthly rates on>pplication
Wire for rooms
Wire for rooms
E. L. KEPNER, Proprietor
THE HERALD is the recognized newspaper of the New
Cariboo. The entire district
is thoroughly.covered aiid its
influence extends far beyond
the confines of the province.
Its advertisers reap rich returns as a result of their investment in HERALD publicity, why not get on the bandwagon yourself? *
Advertising Rates on Application
The Fort George Herald
Sooth Fort George   :    British Columbia
I I '
MEANS NEW ERA TO
VAST FERTILE NORTH
(Vancouver Province.)
"We are all good Conservatives in
Northern British Columbia, and the
decision to build a railway from Vancouver to Fort George, with Peace
River district as the objective point,
means a new era in the opening up and
development of a vast region rich in almost every variety of natural resources," said Mr. A. C. Murray, chiof
factor of the Hudson's Bay company at
Fort St. James, which is about 100
miles northwest of Fort George, and 40
miles from the nearest point on the
main line of the Grand Trunk Pacific
railway.
"All that northern country will soon
be accessible, thariks to the generous
railway policy of the provincial government. There is a splendid agricultural
countey on Stewart river, a tributary
to the Nechaco, and in the vicinity of
the lake," added Mr. Murray, nearly a
score* of settlers hace already taken up
pre-emptions and will have a good local
market for their products. I have no
hesitation in saying than we can grow
better potatoes '.here than in any other
section of the province, Ashcroft not
excepted, Hay, barley and oats yield
prolific crops. At Fort St. James the
Hudson's Bay company has a garden
that would be the envy of the people in
Southern British Columbia, Every
variety of vegetables grow to perfection there, and we also raise the best
quality of raspberries and currants.
Summer frosts are rare, and the soil is
well adapted for mixed farming. The
past winter has been unusually mild.
PROUD OF ITS POSITION.
"We naturally believe that Fort St.
Jamts is destined to be an important
point when the extension of the railway to the Peace river district is undertaken. It is less than 100 miles
from the summit of Pine River Pass,
which Grand Trunk Pacific engineers
tell me is as low as the Yellowhead
Pass. Fort St. James will also be on
the route of any line lhat is built into
British Columbia via Peace River Pass
farther north. Our location is on the
threshold of the great mining district,
where hydraulic and lode mining operations will be carried on under favorable conditions as soon as transportation facilities are provided, allowing of
the shipping in of machinery. Stewart
Lake teems with trout and whitefish.
It is 40 miles lony, from one to ten
wide, but is surpassed in size by Tatla
Lake 100 miles faether north. Tatla
haa a length of 60 miles.
"The fur catch in my district this
season will be a record breaker," continued Mr. Murray. "There seems to
be a direct relation between the supply
and the abundance of rabbits. When
rabl its are numerous they supply food
for the big game. They are attacked
by a disease at periods of eight or nine
years and become almost extinct. The
hunting is done by the Carrier branch
of the Demi tribe, which ranges all
over the north, including Peace River
district. In the early days they fought
among themselves, but are now quite
ciAilized. At my post they number
about 400 and at present are just holding their own."
Mr. Murray has spent almost a lifetime in the service of the Hudson's Bay
company, having joined the service 36
years ago. His first post was at Fraser
Lake. It was in the spring of 1876
that he started west from Fort Garry
now the city of Winnipeg. Several
months elapsed before he reached his
destination. During the intervening
period he has been in charga of nearly
•II the northern posts, including Port
Simpson. His jurisdiction as chief factor now covers three other forts besides Fort St. James. He referred with
pride to his personal acquaintanceship
with Lord Strathcona, who, as plain
Donald Smith was commissioner of the
company, with headquarters at Fort
Garry, in 1876.
FIRST IN THE PROVINCE.
The visitor mentioned that Fort St.
Jamea was the first trading place established by the company in British
Columbia. It was located at Stewart
Lake in 1805 by a factor named McLeod, his successor being Stewart,
•iter whom Stewart Lake was named.
Three times in the past century has the
fort been rebuilt.
Mr. Murray has all the traditional
loyalty of employees to the Hudson's
Bay company. He was born at Pembina, Man., where his father, a retired
factor lived. To his parent is due the
credit of having established Fort Yukon, now a part of Alaska, away back
in 1840. The journey there was a long
and perilous one, via the Mackenzie
River district. Arriving in the Yukon
basin he found the Russians had atao
eatablished trading places.   Mrs. Mur
ray accompanied her husband, and two
i daughters were born during their stay
! in that, northern wild.  Four years were
: occupied in getting in trading supplies
from Fort Garry and three years more
elapsed before the first catch  of furs
reached the headquarters in Manitoba.
Mr. Murray  recalled   that  Fort St. :
.lamer was established years before the
company located at Victoria. It was,
he said, the first capital of British
Columbia, and haadquarters for all the
company's operations in the north.
Successive generations of men have
come and gone, but trading with the
Indians is still in progress.
Manufacturers of High-Grade Confectionery
IChj CREAM and-all kinds of SOFT DRINKS
Catering Tobaccos and Cigars
FOURTH STREET
SOUTH FORT GEORGE
L
Fort George Trading & Lumber Co., Limited
Freight consigned to steamer
"Chilratin" ut Soda Creek will
Operators of Steamers on the Fraser, Nechaco and
Stuart Rivers  Manufacturers of Lumber   SSffSHSflffir*110 the
All Kinds of Rough and Dressed Lumber for Sale
" Bone Dry Lumber in the Yards "
Phone: One-One    Mouldings
South Fort George
chas. e. Mcelroy
General Manager.
jr 4_f. 4_y rf*A*» 4M> __ __ **A> __ _£• **A** **A*** **J**f **A***
1. B.C.  MARKET
tA2,'Jt>'^"Aj''4?_ffg'___f_t_trA-'*-
ii
WHOLESALE AND RETAIL DEALERS IN
Fresh and Cured Meats
|
A
\ i
A Poultry,  Vegetables,  Butter,  Eggs, Etc. >,
A ______________________ ______________ = ►:
a itadt r.h-fwf.h' amu SOUTH FORT GEORGE B
•K-*^v-**WvP>*Sv*JRpCd
FORT GEORGE
AND
o Roberts, Jones & Willson o
EDWARD ROBERTS Notary Public.     E.E.JONES.     A. J. SELWYN-WIIXSON. Ar-far.
REAL ESTATE, INSURANCE AGENTS, AUCTIONEERS,
VALUATORS and ACCOUNTANTS.
FOR SALE: Farm Lauds. Garden Tracts. Timber Limits. Mineral Claims. Valuable town lots.
LIST YOUR PROPERTIES WITH US. Jte-t^SiW
TELEGRAPHIC ADDRESS  "E R I N" FORT GEORGE, B. C.
Offices: Hamilton Avenue, South Fort George: Central Avenue, Fort George, B. C.
BRITISH COLUMBIA EXPRESS
= COMPANY ===========
Send for ■ folder
OPERATING
Send for • folder
Autos     Steamboats
Stages
From Ashcroft to Fort George, and all points in
the northern interior of British Columbia, carrying
the Royal Mail, passengers and fast freight.
The Palatial Steamer B.X. Awaits the Arrival of the Company's Stages
'^SfiflS&SZuZSSt    Head Office: Ashcroft, B.C.
KODAKS
SUPPLIES OF ALL KINDS
We have
secured the
exclusive
agency for
the
Canadian
Kodak
Company,
and have a
complete
stock of
everything
for the
photog:
rapher.
PONT   BUY  ON   PAPER
We don't ask you to purchase South Fort George lots by
making a pencil mark on a townsite plan--You would
be safe in so doing, but if skeptical
COME TO
SOUTH FORT GEORGE
Investigate Our Proposition
and you will find a good live town-Two banks, saw mill,
pool hall, newspaper, two general stores, splendid
hotel, bakery, stationery store, mail-boat
landing, scores of buildings,
and crowds of satisfied  buyers
WRITE FOR INFORMATION TO
NORTHERN DEVELOPMENT CO.
172 Hastings Street, Vancouver, B C , or the resident agent,
g. e. Mclaughlin
Fourth Avenue, South For£George
| 1836 |      Assets Exceed Fifty Million Dollart      | 1912 |
ne Bank of British North America
Your money Ib safer in tbe Bank than in your house or in your
pocket. It is not tied up. You can get it out at any time without delay. NOTES discounted. Local and Foreign Drafts bought
and sold. COLLECTIONS made promptly.   Money Orders Issued.
FORT GEORGE BRANCH:
J. MUNRO, ACTING MANAGER
The Average Deposit of the
Canadian People is $122.00
per Person
Saving money can be made a habit. A portion of your weekly or
monthly wage deposited regularly in a savings account will soon bring
you up to the average, and you will be surprised how rapidly $2 deposited
weekly will amount to enough to make a substantial payment on your
home.
CAPITAL AND SI1RPLI1S. S6.800.IIO*       TMAUSSEI8, S52.IIM,
THE TRADERS BAN
H. C. SEAMAN, Muuin      ...
assets, ssz,eoa,oo» /
BANK
■oath Fort Q—rge J
THE BANK OF VANCOUVER
■•ad OfllMi
▼ANCOUVER. B. C.
CAPITAL AUTHORIZED
DIRECTORS:
$*._—.—
R. P. McLENNAN Esq., President,
McLennan, McFeely & Co. Wholesale Hardware,  Vancouver, B.  C.
L. W. SHATKOBJ) Esq., M. L. A.
Vice-Pres. Merchant, Hcdley, B. C.
HIS HONOR T. W. PATERSON, Lieutenant -Governor British Columbia.
M.  B.   CAKLIN.
Cnpltnllst. Victoria. B.C.
A.  ISTEI, Esq.
C. S. DOUGLAS Esq.
Robert Kennedy, New Westminster.
J. A. MITCHELL, Esq.. Capitalist.
Victoria. B. C.
E. H. HEAPS, Esq., E. H. Heaps t
Co.. Lumber and Timber; President
Coldmbin Trust Co.. Ltd., Vancouver. B. C.
J.  A.  HARVEY. Esq.. K.C..  formerly
ot Cranbrook.  B.C.. Vaneouver,  B.C.
A. L. DEWAR. General Manager.
GENERAL BANKING BUSINESS TRANSACTED
Fort George Branch; F. N. DEWAR, Manager.
Just Drop In and Let Us Show Yon.
Remember we pay special attention to
mail orders.
A JOHN A. FRASER
fe;«a
Front Street, QUESNEL, B. C.
FARM LANDS IN CENTRAL
BRITISH COLUMBIA.
Fort George
District.
Nechaco Valley
Bulkley Valley
Skeena Valley
In every case our
lands were carefully inspected by
expert cruisers before we purchased
THE GRAND TRUNK PACIFIC RAILWAY will make all these districts
accessible to all the world. Every rail laid adbs
to the value of the land
North Coast Land Co. Ltd.
General Offices: 619 to 634 Metropolitan Bldg., Vancouver, B.C
London Office t   6 Old Jewry.
PAID-UP CAPITAL, ...
•1,500,006.
ADVERTISE IN THE HERALD
t&tttJtkli&h-mltm.*--,- ■• •■ •   _-__*
MB