The Eighteenth Report OKANAGAN HISTORICAL SOCIETY T Founded September 4, 1923 Vt> H£&«<« <«- «<• <<<-^r# Date Due r N (Reg) Atkm-nn Museum 785 MAIN STREET PENTICTON, B.C V2A5E3 T/ry, £6/ The Eighteenth Report of the OKANAGAN HISTORICAL SOCIETY 1954 * /£3.f G Pounded September 4, 1925 Aerial view of Kelowna, 1954, looking toward Westbank and ferry landing. it JHfncroit HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARY (^iziLtLn^ FROM OUR HONORARY PRESIDENT O. L. JONES, M.P. 513 Bernard Avenue, Kelowna, B.C., August 28, 1954 To the Members of The Okanagan Historical Society: Your Association is to be congratulated for its splendid work in recording the history of the Okanagan, while it can be verified by living persons. Too often in the past, history has been written on the basis of legends, folklore and surmises which could be entirely incorrect. Our valley is rich in historical events that should be properly identified and recorded for future generations. The history of our Okanagan Indian Bands alone, makes interesting study and should be properly recorded before it is too late. All this work is only possible when the public are willing to support the efforts of your Association. I now appeal to them to render this encouragement in a tangible way, so that you may carry on the valuable work so efficiently begun. Yours sincerely, O. L. JONES, M.P. hszUnc}¬± FROM THE MAYOR OF KELOWNA J. J. LADD, Mayor I wish on behalf of the citizens of Kelowna to commend the Okanagan Historical Society for their efforts in preserving records covering the lives and activities of our pioneers and early settlers, through the columns of their annual Reports. Starting in a small way in 1925 by a few historically minded and faithful members, throughout the Okanagan, Similkameen and Spallumcheen Valleys, it has grown in interest and volume until today it is one of Canada's outstanding historical publications. We are happy to learn this year's Report is to feature the fiftieth Anniversary of Kelowna's Incorporation 1905, which is being celebrated by our citizens this coming year. Wishing you every success in the continuation of this good work. J. J. LADD, Mayor. Contents Foreward : 5 Salute by an Oldtimer by Marjorie Pentland 6 "The Pioneer" by Isabel E. Mackay 12 Pendozi or Pandosy: a note on spelling 15 The Lakes of the Okanagan Valley by James C. Agnew ... 17 Layer Cake Hill by C. C. Kelley and J. G. John 21 Food and Medicines of the Okanakanes by Louise Gabriel . . 24 An Indian Historian by M. A. Kenny 30 Ogopogo by Noel Robinson 33 Some Archaeological Notes on Kelowna Area by Warren G. Caldwell 35 The First Steamboat on Okanagan Lake by Leonard Norris . . 39 On Okanagan Lake in 1888 by Hester E. White .... 42 The Shuswap & Okanagan Railway by Geo. H. Morkill ... 47 First Penticton Settler 51 The First Commercial Orchard in Okanagan by F. W. Andrew . 53 Old Man Kelowna by F. T. Marriage 59 Arthur Day—Pioneer by Georgine Maisonville 61 First White Girl born in Okanagan by Mrs. A. Gatien ... 66 Kelowna: Commercial and Social by F. M. Buckland ... 69 Origins of Kelowna Street Names by J. B. Knowles ... 93 Kelowna's First School Teacher by Dorothea Allison ... 98 School Expansion in Kelowna by F. T. Marriage .... 102 Kelowna's First Mayor by Hazel McDougall ..... 104 History of Okanagan Telephone Co. by M. J. Conroy . . . 106 Early Telephone Subscribers by H. R. Denison 109 Kelowna Amusements in Early Days by G. C. Benmore . . . Ill Early Days at Okanagan Mission by Mrs. R. Lambly . . . 115 Kelowna Roman Catholic Church History by Frank Quinn . . 117 Bishop Sillitoe's Osoyoos Visit by H. H. Gowen .... 121 Kelowna United Church History by J. C. Goodfellow . . . *"124 First Baptist Church by Jeanetta Reekie 127 Enderby Oldtimer Honoured 129 Kaleden's First Settlers by Harry Corbitt 130 "Similkameen" by Gordon Stace Smith 132 "In the Kootenays" 133 Outline History of Similkameen by J. C. Goodfellow . . . 135 Recent Books mentioning Okanagan 156 "In Memoriam" , . 159 Parent Society and Branch Reports . 162 Membership List 166 Index by Terna Cawston 173 Foreword Discussing the Eighteenth Report of the Okanagan Historical Society, the directors suggested that the editorial committee include articles from the Third Annual Report of the Okanagan Historical and Natural History Society, published in 1929, and throughout this present Report referred to in footnotes simply as OHS.3(1929); also that the membership list be included, and that special reference be made to the Golden Jubilee of the founding of the City of Kelowna. Articles selected from the Third Report have special reference to Kelowna. They are scattered throughout the Report in subject sequence. On page 34 of the 1929 Report, under "Editorial Notes," James C. Agnew wrote: "A movement is under way to have the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada mark in a fitting manner the discovery of Okanagan Lake and the establishment of the trade route through the interior which did so much towards opening up the country and was such an important factor when the boundary question came to be settled in 1846." This objective of the Society was realized on August 24, 1949, when the Westbank cairn was unveiled. On that occasion the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada was represented by Dr. W. N. Sage, and Dr. Margaret A. Ormsby gave an address on "The Significance of the Hudson's Bay Brigade Trail," which was printed in OHS. 13, pp. 29-37. In the 1952 Report an index to the volume took the place of the membership list. The indexes, prepared by Mrs. R. L. Cawston, have greatly enhanced the value of this and succeeding Reports. But the directors felt that the membership list gave to the Reports a personal touch, which they wished to see revived. The 1954 list has been prepared with great care by the treasurer, W. R. Pepper of Vernon. It is desired that any errors which may have crept in be reported to the secretary so that they will not be repeated in subsequent Reports. The names of some who have purchased Reports may not have been reported so that there may be omissions. We are anxious to have a complete, up-to-date membership list, and seek your co-operation. In securing articles relative to Kelowna, President J. B. Knowles, and Mrs. Dorothea Allison, convener of the Kelowna editorial committee, have been especially helpful. Next year Kelowna will mark the fiftieth anniversary of its incorporation, and it is possible that the 1955 Report will have further reference to this special event. We are indebted to the late F. M. Buckland for much of the Kelowna history which appears in this Report. The passing years make us more aware of our debt to him. It would not be possible to name here all who have helped in the preparation of this Report, but the editor feels that special mention should be made of J. B. Knowles and Mrs. D. Allison of Kelowna, Mrs. R. L. Cawston (assistant editor), and Mrs. R. B. White of Penticton, and R. J. McDougall of Sorrento. "Help us to save the things that go; We are the gleaners after time." —J.G. Salute By An Oldtimer1 Marjorie Pentland Mrs. Allison tells me that reminiscences of old times will be welcomed by the Okanagan Historical Society. I only wish that the glow which gilds my memories of the Okanagan district as I first saw it when I was ten and a half—63 years ago—could throw light on any point of interest now. My mother, Lady Aberdeen, recorded her Canadian travels of 1890 and 1891 in letters sent home to her Onward and Ufward magazine. They were illustrated with her snapshots and sketches and published later as a small book: Through Canada with a Kodak. Barely two years after George Eastman had invented his cameras and roll films, my mother ordered a No. 4 Kodak to hold 100 exposures and a No. 1 to hold 50. A young man brought them from Regent Street to Dollis Hill and I well remember the sight of my mother and Mr. Gladstone poring over the mysterious black boxes, and being instructed how to pull the string and press the button. That was in the summer of 1890 when, after an illness due to overwork, my mother was ordered by her doctor to go away from home claims. The whole family of us went to stay at Hamilton, Ont., and from there my parents took a trip West. Next autumn l This "Salute by an Oldtimer" was sent to Mrs. Dorothea Allison, Kelowna, B.C., by Lady Pentland, who wrote, 25 November, 1953: "Lady Stokes has kindly come round to tell me of your letter; and it is indeed the greatest pleasure to hear news of "The Okanagan," and of your interest in collecting records of the early days. . . ." Mrs. Allison writes, 5 June, 1954: "... I never had direct contact with Lady Pentland, as she and her husband, who was Governor of Madras, were in England, or in the hills, when I visited my sister and brother-in-law (Judge Mackay) in Madras, when I was a girl. And when she, Lady Pentland, and her daughter visited the Okanagan in 1929 I was away in England. As to her writing of her experiences to me: my husband was the first fruit grower on the East side of Wood Lake in 1907. When he retired and we moved to Kelowna, a year or so ago, I wrote to my Aunt (Lady Stokes) telling her about the life here, and as she was lunching with her friend, Lady Pentland, she evidently retailed the information. Lady Pentland was immensely interested saying she had such happy memories of her early days here. It occurred to me how interesting it would be if she would write down her impressions—the impressions of the small daughter of one of the Governors General of Canada." Salute By An Oldtimer they had to go to the U.S.A., in order to pave the way for an Irish Home Industries exhibit at the Chicago World's Fair of 1893. I expected to be left at home in the schoolroom, the little boys being in the nursery and my elder brother at school. In August, as usual, we went to stay with my mother's parents, Lord and Lady Tweed- mouth, at their Highland home, Guisachan, Inverness-shire. One evening my mother asked me: "Which would you rather: stay here with Grannie or come with Father and me?" How surprising to be given the choice, how hard to choose. For Guisachan was my fairyland, with its mountains and waterfalls, its beautiful pictures and books which my grandfather used to show me in the house, its beautiful ponies which I mounted at the front door under his watchful eye. But after a moment I said, "I would like to go with you." Grandpapa thought it extraordinary that his daughter mint not only gallivant off to America, but drag around a small girl too. Probably he forgot that he himself had given her the lead to go West. He was then the oldest of the Hudson's Bay Company "Gentlemen Adventurers and Fur Traders," and one of those with the largest number of shares. He had settled one of his sons, Archie, on the huge Rock- ing-Chair Ranch in Texas; another, Coutts Marjoribanks, on the Horse-Shoe Ranch in North Dakota. But Coutts was not prospering there, and while my mother travelled through Canada in 1890, she kept looking out for a new opening to suit him. She wrote in her journal: "We were met at Vancouver by an old friend, Mr. George Grant Mackay. He engineered the roads and many other jobs at Guisachan for mv father. But two years ago he found that land at home was getting to be a bad business, and lost a good deal. So he came out here where money has doubled in his hands. He took us to see some farms which might do for Couttsy, out on the banks of the Fraser. They look very snug, only the land there has become very expensive, 50-60 dollars an acre. But he told us of another district 21 hours from Vancouver now being opened up by a branch railway to Vernon on Lake Okanagan. Thirty miles down the lake is a farm now belonging to the McDougalls, a half- breed family; 480 acres, a nice house, 70 head of cattle, horses and implements. Wheat, fruit and hops will grow. There is splendid sport on the hills, Lord Elphinstone has a fishing place near by, and Mr. Vernon, Commissioner of Works for the Province, has a ranch of 13,000 acres. There is a Presbyterian church, and an R.C. one, so it is quite different from the wilds of Dakota. The place can be bought for 10,000 dollars; Mr. Mackay is confident that in a few 7 The Okanagan Historical Society-—1954 years it would sell for double, or four times that. He has proved himself so wise that we feel safe; Lord Aberdeen has commissioned him to buy the place and we shall put Coutts there as manager." The ranch was christened after my mother's old home Guisachan. (The name is a Gaelic word meaning "Place of the Firs"; at the original Guisachan in Strathglass stood some of the finest old pines of the ancient Caledonian Forest). My uncle was installed as manager and met us at Sicamous when we arrived there on 13th of October 1891. Next morning we left for Vernon in the first passenger train (a special chartered by my father) to creep and bump along the new line still under construction. Piled and packed in the open trucks were not only goods but men glad of a ride to the first agricultural fair held at Vernon. At the show we met many leading people, like Mr. Dewdney, Mr. Lumby, Mr. Price Ellison M.P., and Mr. Girouard, the first settler of 30 years before. Real and proud settlers we too felt ourselves when among the splendid display of apples and squashes we found several 1st prizes won by Guisachan Ranch. The problem was how to get there. Captain Shorts and his ship the S.S. Penticton had no intention of starting until after the all-night dance at the Fair. Luckily Mr. Leo Lequime came to the rescue with a tiny, antiquated launch in which for four hours under a brilliant moon we puffed down Lake Okanagan. While my mother and uncle were deep in discussion over apples my father and I made the night ring with a selection of songs, such as "Weel may the boatie row, and better may she speed." Around midnight we climbed on to the small Mission jetty, walked up the road for about a mile, then through a gate into a tall dark forest. As we came out at the further side of the wood, we saw hills—at their foot meadow-land, and in the middle of the meadows a low white shape—our dream house. We knocked, the door opened a chink to show the rifle of Eustace Smith, assistant manager, and my uncle's dogs, growling till joyfully they answered their master's voice. Next morning the sun shone upon a fine gold Japanese paper with which my uncle had covered the livingroom walls, upon trees in their orange and scarlet fall colours, upon the sparkling lake. For me each day brought fresh adventure. On Pinto or Charlie, long-tailed Indian cayuses, I rode beside Uncle Coutts on his big blue roan horse Aleck; I accompanied my father when he went to hunt bear, to shoot prairie chicken, to wait for wild geese. My mother wrote, sketched, photographed, free from the cares of a big household. The Chinese cook, Foo, produced excellent meals un- Salute By An Oldtimer aided except for Willy, an Indian boy who came on his pony to clean shoes and sweep up Foo's rubbish. My father's valet and my mother's maid made themselves useful as usual. In a letter to her father my mother wrote: "Here I am on the verandah of Guisachan, B.C., with hills around more like the Guisachan than any we have seen in Canada. We are absolutely enchanted with the place; we have enjoyed a more real holiday here than ever before, and it must be remarkably healthy for I have never had the vestige of a headache and we are all furiously hungry. But I must not weary you with enthusiasm about our new home, to which we meditate retiring when the Revolution comes off at home. A. says he will enjoy possessing this much more than a big estate like Haddo. And he has every reason to believe that he has made a capital bargain. Our nearest neighbour, Mr. Munson, has 1/3 of an acre planted with 24 apple trees. Last year after his children, men and 14 lodgers had lived off apples till they were tired of them, he sold 250 dollars worth (£50) at 4 cents a lb., so you can calculate what our 200 acres of apple-trees will bring in when they bear, in four years. We are also going in for pears, plums, cherries, and small fruits which will bear in the second year. We are not going to risk travel for perishable small fruit, so A. has decided to put up a jam factory; please rack your head for advertisements wherewith to compete with Keiller and Crosse & Blackwell." On the front seat of the waggon I sat sandwiched between my mother and father when he drove the farm team, the foal frisking alongside, for us to visit neighbours or attend Sunday morning service at the schoolhouse. Outside it many waggons, buggies and saddle- horses stood hitched to snake fences under the bright trees, their owners standing around talking. Old Mrs. Postill, who had driven in from their ranch 16 miles away, told us that she had been the first white woman to settle in the district in 1874. On Sunday evening my parents always liked to assemble those around for informal worship and singing. So it was at Guisachan; among those present were Father Marzial and Father de Vriendt from the Brotherhood at Okanagan Mission. Father Pandozy who founded the Mission for the Indians, had died just a few months earlier. On another evening everyone was invited to a concert and "social."* The little Scots firs which we had brought from the Guisachan nursery were planted with hopeful ceremony. Later, as they did not flourish, they were replaced by a native kind. In that Indian summer The Okanagan Historical Society—1954 sunshine the whole valley seemed a land of promise; before my father left he had bought Mr. Vernon's large Coldstream Ranch too. At once he went ahead planting part of it in big fruit orchards and hop-yards, and selling off the be:>t ground in lots to small growers. Thus he was advised he could best help to set up the new fruit industry; I believe that he was called the "Father of the Dry Belt." The expense of laying out and irrigating, however, brought him losses instead of profits; in 1906 Coldstream was turned into a company and in 1920 sold outright to Lord Woolavington. In 1893 my father was appointed Governor General of Canada so for the following five years we enjoyed splendid holidays at Coldstream. Vernon women formed a Local Council of Women and supported the Victorian Order of Nurses; the 1st V.O.N, hospital in B.C. was started by Mrs. Keen at Kaslo. In 1915-16, during their tour through the U.S.A. to collect funds for the Irish Health Association, my parents revisited Vernon. They had the pleasure of seeing Ivercraig, the fine house built by Coutts Marjoribanks, by then happily married, on a site overlooking Long Lake, as Lake Kalamalka was called in my day. My parents had often planned a lodge for themselves near that beautiful spot; after they had taken Sir William Van Home to see the place, he sent them a design for their house drawn by himself. As a gift for them he commissioned a Canadian painter, J. Y. Hammond, to' make an oil landscape painting at Coldstream; it now hangs at my old home, Haddo House, Aberdeenshire. In 1929 my son and daughter and I visited the happy hunting ground of my childhood, and found that under the care of Mr. and Mrs. Paddy Cameron, still more charm was being added to Guisachan. Mrs. Cameron, a keen gardener, showed us her beautiful garden, where grew an iris descended from one of my mother's planting. A skilled musician also, Mrs. Cameron was making the house a centre of music; the well-known violinist Isolde Menges had lately come to play at a concert there. Of course to my parents it gave particular pleasure to hear that their successors at Guisachan had origins in Inverness-shire and Angus and had given the place a name for its garden and its music. I told them, too, how we had enjoyed the same Okanagan sunshine as ever; the same welcome from many friends, such as the Hon. Mrs. Coutts Marjoribanks, my uncle's widow, at Summerland; her daughter and son-in-law Ishbel and Allen Surtees at Okanagan Mission; Mr. and Mrs. Crawley Ricardo at Lavington; Mr. Francis Wollaston at Coldstream; Mr. 10 Salute By An Oldtimer and Mrs. Alers Hankey at Vernon; Mr. and Mrs. Frank Rayburn, with whom we stayed at their lovely Juniper Ranch, Oyama. On 14th August our kind friend the Lieutenant-Governor of B.C., His Honour, the Hon. R. Randolph Bruce, came to Kelowna to attend the Regatta and from the grandstand we all watched a lively programme of events. Mr. Bruce accompanied us back to the Eldorado Arms for the night. "Let's be venturesome," he said, and in spite of his bad sight, led the way out to the end of the pier, SO' that we might admire the lake in moonlight, just as I had seen it first long before. On May 19th, 1938, the 45th annual meeting of the National Council of Women of Canada was held at Vancouver, and was opened with a broadcast by my mother, aged 81, speaking from Aberdeen 5,000 miles away. She was delighted to receive a cable from the meeting saying that her voice had been heard perfectly. After her death in 1939 I began to compile a memoir {A Bonnie Fechter> published 1952).* When among her papers I came across this cable message I sent it to Major J. S. Matthews, V.D., City Archives, Vancouver, who with such vigilant devotion searches out, preserves, and passes on to public interest any item about people or events that is part of local history. He has taken infinite pains to give me information on points in connection with the memoir, and in other thoughtful ways keeps my daughter, Miss Sinclair, and me in touch with British Columbia. Mr. A. K. Loyd, Kelowna, Mrs. Edwin Smith, Grindrod, are among others who have supplied us with news. In our flower border here grow many plants brought to us by our friend Lady Stokes from her renowned garden at Ockham Mill, Ripley, close by. Now to her niece, Mrs. Allison, I send from Surrey this sprig of remembrance for the Okanagan Valley. Marjorie Pentland. * Clarke Irwin Co. Ltd., Toronto, $5.00. // The Pioneer"1 Isabel Ecclestone Mackay Shall I go on, Or rest from wandering here? — The moving sun invites And, in the clear Long light, the distant ways come near- Shall I go on? Here may be home, For home is surely where Love kindles on the hearth— However bare The cot where children gather, there May rise a home. The land cries "stay!" It shows a cabin door Set wide to rolling fields Whose hidden store Will yield all man need struggle for- If one should stay. Fear whispers "wait!" But hope bestirs her wings And lifts them toward the hills; A gay breeze brings Scents of far places and strange things- Ah! who would wait? Who knows what dreams Those rocky barriers shield? Gold! not the gold of sun l "The Pioneer" was received by Mrs. R. L. Cawston from J. H. Wilson, Armstrong, B.C., who writes, July 11, 1953: "I was fortunate in having access to a copy of The Armstrong Advertiser of July, 1927, which contained a full report of the unveiling of the Schubert Memorial, as well as the poem which I have pleasure in sending." 12 The Pioneer* Or gold of field, But gold, soft gold that men may wield To shining dreams! What shall I say To children's eager eyes That search the dimming trail And all that lies Beyond, so wondrous in surmise, What can I say? If I fail now Women more brave will take My place upon the trail And I shall wake To loss for sullen safety's sake, If I fail now! Come-—let us go! The horses pant and strain And settle to their task— Give me the rein! I shall not look behind again— Come—let us go! The start is made. Across the burnt out grass Strange shadows bend to watch Our wagons pass; The sky is like a cap of brass— The start is made! How slow they turn, Those lurching wagon wheels— Bright danger is more swift, And at our heels A stealthier foe, lean famine, steals How slow they turn! But see— a sign! Twin peaks, like clouds astray, High, high against the blue— Oh, what are they? 13 The Okanagan Historical Society—1954 Surely they mean God passed this way And set a sign? We enter in And oh, the land is fair, Virgin and wild and lovely Past compare; Our thirst we quench in wine-sweet air And enter in! Shall we find gold? Gold in the rippled sand, Gold in the creviced rock, Gold in the land? Ah, though it gleam not in our hand, We shall find gold. For this is home— No more the westering sun Shall lure us ever on To lands unwon— As birds that rest when flight is done We have come home! /^ "Of the necessary qualifications John (Oliver) possessed an unusual number. He was gifted with a fluency of speech and readiness of wit capable of meeting any attack. He was fearless and determined, but his strength was humanized by the emotional touch of pity and sympathy. He was pugnacious but kind. He was big enough to keep his head firmly among temptations for social display, and in the hours of his greatest triumphs he remained just plain. John. Above all, there burned within him an unquenchable flame of sincerity that nothing could dim. He was sure he was right and went ahead."—James Morton in Honest John Oliver} p. 161. 14 Pendozi or Pandosy: A Note On Spelling The late F. M. Buckland insisted that the name of the first Roman Catholic priest to stay in Okanagan Valley should be spelled PANDOSY, and not PENDOZI, as is so often used. To prove his point, Mr. Buckland was always ready to produce an original signature of Father Pandosy. Ferry boat and street named in his honour have the spelling Pendozi. How this form of the word originated we do not know, but are inclined to believe that there must have been some good reason for it. It has received official sanction, and has become accepted in many quarters. However, those who insist that the correct spelling is Pandosy can produce supporting evidence in the form of original signatures. We are not aware of any signature "Pendozi." No doubt it would be a complicated legal business to have the correct spelling established, but we are concerned to place on record authority for the t* Ul<^K(.ik«)t-lUua ■/UL Photostatic copy of signature used by Father Pandosy, O.M.I., taken from original in Monastery at Kitsilano. 15 The Okanagan Historical Society—1954 form used by the Okanagan Historical Society in its annual Reports. In sending photostat copy of signature, Mrs. Georgina Maisonville writes: "The photostat copy of Father Pandosy's signature was taken from a Baptismal Register, beginning in 1860, now kept at St. Augustine's Roman Catholic Rectory, 2015 West 8th Avenue, Vancouver, B.C. "Father Pandosy's name was Charles John Felix Pandosy, but quite frequently he signed himself Charles Marie Pandosy. When signing he used Mie. for Marie and Cls. for Charles, reversing them and signing Mie. Cls, Pandosy O.M.I." The Rev. George M. Grant was secretary to the Sanford Fleming's expedition through Canada in 1872. In his book, Ocean to Ocean, Dr. Grant tells this story: "They had just unpacked the horses for the noon meal, when a Shuswap Indian rode up, with a note for Fleming from one of the Canadian Pacific survey engineers, Walter Moberly, who had been ordered to meet him at Jasper House, but had been delayed. Valad spoke to the Indian in Cree, and Beaupre in French, but he was from the Pacific side, and only shook his head. Then Brown addressed him in the Chinook jargon, and he answered at once. Asked if his party had enough food, he replied, uOh! hy-iu, muck a muck I Hy-iu iktahs!" (Lots of grub! Lots of good things! )" The story is retold by Lawrence J. Burpee in On The Old Athabaska Trail (Toronto, 1926). 16 The Lakes of the Okanagan Valley1 James C. Agnew, C.E. The Report of the Department of Geology for 1877-8 contains some observations by Dr. G. M. Dawson relating to some of the physical features of the lakes in this valley which are of interest. We are offering no apology for quoting so copiously from Dr. Dawson's Report. In the first place he is a very high authority on such matters, and again, his descriptions and explanations are delightfully clear and lucid. "Osoyoos Lake is nine miles in length, and averages probably one mile in width. It is said to' be deep, but is remarkably divided near its centre by two spits or bars. The northern of these is at the Custom House, and so nearly divides the lake that a small bridge has been built across the gap (at the west side). The second spit is about a mile farther south, and has also a narrow channel cutting through it, in this instance near the east side. The spits are quite different in character from fans previously described, several of which may be seen in other parts of the valley, but always in evident relation to entering streams, which these are not. The material as far as can be seen, is chiefly fine gravel and sand, and the surfaces of the spits do not rise far above the water level. It can scarcely be supposed that these are moraines as the material would probably be coarser in that case. I am inclined to refer them to the conflicting action of waves originating at different ends of the lake, under the influence of currents of air drawing through valleys differently placed with regard to the direction of its axes." Elsewhere he explains a fan as the debris brought down by streams and deposited in the bottom of a valley, in the form of a delta cr fan. Continuing he says: "The upper end of Duchien Lake (Dog Lake) is about a mile and a half in width, and is separated from the lower end of Great Okanagan Lake by what appears from a l Reprinted from OHS.3(1929), pp. 22-24. 17 The Okanagan Historical Society—1954 height, to be a broad strip of land, occupying the valley-bottom for a distance of three and a half miles. It is found, however, on further examination, that the lakes are really divided by two large coalesced flat fans, probably of subaqueous origin, and formed by the important streams here entering from opposite sides—one on the Indian reserve (Sheep Creek on the west) and the other at Penticton (Penticton Creek). Duchien and the lower end of Okanagan Lake are fringed with terraces along the shore which on the upper end of the former are quite narrow and interrupted from time to time by rocky bluffs. The material of these terraces is, for the most part, a white silt, but near the North west end of Duchien Lake is replaced by a fine white sand, in beds generally an inch or two in thickness, and sometimes as thin as paper. These are often observed to be in bread undulating curves, indicative of current structure. The banks are hard enough to form vertical or nearly vertical faces, in which layers slightly hardened by ferruginous cement are sometimes seen." "The so called "clay bluffs" at Summerland are very noticeable from the Lake. They are about two hundred feet high and extend for about two miles along the Lake shore north of Trout Creek. South of Trout Creek they appear again and extend for a considerable distance, but are not so high. "Okanagan Lake has a total length of about sixty-nine miles with an average width of nearly two miles which is maintained with considerable regularity. It occupies one of the great troughlike valleys common in this country, and though much larger, in its width and mode of formation, closely resembles Kamloops Lake. "The Mission settlement occupies a large flat formed by the detritus brought down by the stream known as Mission Creek. This flat does not extend far into the lake as many fans and deltas do, but fills what at one time must have been an extensive bay. "Opposite the Mission at the 'Narrows' the bottom formed by the subaqueous extension of the Mission fan or delta, it is said, can be seen all the way across and is probably not in any place deeper than twenty or thirty feet. On the west shore at this place are two remarkable acute triangular points of sandy material. These are not in connection with any entering streams, but are pretty evidently the result of the convergence of waves originating in differently-trending reaches of the lake. They are of the same nature but not so well developed as the spits in Osoyoos Lake." 18 The Lakes of the Okanagan Valley It may be worth noting that at this place the Indians say that on approaching it a man in a canoe is seen, but on coming up to the place the man and canoe have disappeared. They offer no explanation, but insist that this is so. This may be a mirage, but on the other hand what the Indians say may be founded on an optical illusion created by the conflict between the opposing air and wave currents which are responsible for the creation of the two spits. It would be well for some of our members who are living in the vicinity to bear the matter in mind, it is not important, but it would be interesting to know if there is any connection.between the two. The Mission is connected with Kamloops by a good wagon road which however does not follow the shore of Okanagan Lake, but a parallel valley which lies a few miles east of it occupied by smaller lakes. The first or southern lake is called Duck Lake. The second generally known as Long Lake is thirteen and a half miles in total length, but is almost completely divided four miles from its southern end by a very narrow traverse strip known as 'The Railway'. This is supported in the centre by a little rock mass, but otherwise resembles the spits in Osoyoos Lake. The southern end of Long Lake is separately distinguished as 'Primwash Lake' on Trutch's map. "Long Lake has an average breadth of over three-quarters of a mile, and appears to be very deep, a shallow border of variable width fringing its shores, which drops suddenly at its outer edge to deep water. It was at first supposed that the flat submerged border, well marked in the lakes above mentioned, but also seen frequently elsewhere, implied a comparatively recent rise in the lake waters. It would appear however that it is really due to the distribution, by the movement of the waters of the lake itself, of debris from the shore. At a depth so great as to render the surface movement inappreciable the material forms a steep talus sloping down to the deeper portion of the lake bottom. Thus when the lake is wide and the force of the waves great, the shallow border is proportionately increased. This feature has important bearing on the formation of lakes generally, and explains several circumstances connected with those lying in the valleys of the interior." It is regrettable that the depth of the different lakes in the Okanagan Valley had not been ascertained and the character of the bottoms known at the time Dr. Dawson was making the Geological Survey as we might have had from him further comment of interest. It is surprising how little we know of our lakes. 19 The Okanagan Historical Society—1954 The writer in 1911 surveyed a cross-section of Okanagan Lakes in two places, for the telephone cable, one off the park at Kelowna, and one between Carr's Landing and Fintry. At Kelowna the distance surveyed was 4500 feet. The profile developed showed that for a distance of 1500 feet out from the west shore the greatest depth reached was 34 feet. From this point east to within 1300 feet from the east side, the bottom curves down to a depth of 165 feet, and at 200 feet from the Kelowna shore the depth was 43 feet. The soundings made here would indicate that the lake bottom had been raised by the breaking down of the land on the Indian Reserve on the west. This intrusion extends for 1500 feet into the lake. On the east side the intrusion of the material brought down by Mission Creek extends for 1300 feet over the lake bottom. The distance surveyed between Carr's Landing and Fintry was 10,100 feet, and the deepest spot found, 538 feet, was about half way across. The soundings would indicate too that the washings from Shorts' Creek extend along the lake bottom for a distance of 2000 feet. From there for about one mile the bottom was a whitish clay, then mud, sand and gravel on to Carr's Landing. These are the only cross sections O'f this lake ever surveyed as far as we are aware. It is remarkable that the stretch of clay above mentioned, appeared to be clear of mud or sediment of any kind, the sinker when it reached the bottom stopped suddenly as if it had encountered a hard surface. Okanagan Lake has no doubt great depths, and I should look for the deepest spots off Squally Point, between Bear Creek and Kelowna and off Whiteman's Creek. C. D. Simms reports that he failed to reach the bottom of Long Lake with a line 600 feet long at a point off Cousins' Bay. Even a few individual soundings of this sort made by our members from time to time would be valuable. Swan Lake, north of Vernon, presents some unusual features which we hope to deal with in another Report. The Department of Indian Affairs gives, for 1892, the number of Indians in the Okanagan Agency as 852. These were distributed in thirteen bands. The religious census of the Agency listed 46 Protestants, 736 Roman Catholics and 90 pagans. 20 Layer Cake Hill We are indebted to C. C. Kelley of Kelowna for the following paragraphs from the annual report of the Geological Survey of 1877-78, in which Dr. G. M. Dawson described the Mission settlement, the gold workings and a hill containing overlapped flows of basalt bordering Mission Creek. The paragraphs which follow Dr. Dawson's record are by J. G. John of Natal, B.C., a recent visitor to the area described.—Editor. C. C. Kelley Of the area in the vicinity of Kelowna Dr. Dawson wrote that "the Mission settlement occupies a large flat formed by detritus brought down by the stream known as Mission Creek. The flat area does not extend far into the lake, as many fans and stream deltas do, but fills what at one time must have been an extensive bay. The total area of arable land must be about six square miles, of which most is already taken up. With irrigation, crops of all sorts, including beans equal to those of Lillooet, can be grown. A considerable portion of the land is under cultivation, with fine looking crops. "The settlement dates from about eighteen years back and now consists of seventeen families in all, mostly half-breeds speaking Steep cliff of overlapped flows of basalt. Lower Mission Creek Canyon. The Kelowna locality in 1887. (C. C. Kelley) 21 The Okanagan Historical Society~1954 French. The farm buildings are in some cases substantial, there is a school with about twenty scholars and a church and mission buildings under two French priests. "Rich gold placers were at one time worked on Mission Creek, and although not now yielding largely, still employ a few men. The locality worked is situated about seven miles from the mouth of the stream, where it is found issuing from a narrow, rocky gorge, into a wider valley. Some years ago mining was carried on in the bed of the Creek, and very good pay got for a time in a reach about half a mile below the gorge above mentioned. Two or three ounces of gold were obtained per day to the hand in some instances. No remunerative ground was found above the gorge or canyon. "The mining now in progress is on the lowest bench or river flat, the pay-dirt in McDougall's claim being a cement or gravel consolidated by calcareous matter, which is probably local in origin. This rests upon a bedrock which the miners call a rotten slate, but which is really a dark-coloured bed of Tertiary formation, which here overlaps the older rocks. The gravel of the flat rests on the Tertiary beds, which a little farther from the canyon become yellowish, and paler in tint, but are all fine-grained clays or shales. The pay-dirt in McDougall's claim is about three feet thick, and has been stripped of eight feet of useless gravel. It was wheeled in barrows to the river, about twenty yards, and washed in two lengths of boxes, though all the gold is coarse, it is stopped for the most part on the first riffle. "The rocks seen in the canyon are gneissic, of the character of those so extensively developed east of the south end of Okanagan Lake. About a quarter of a mile from the lower end of the canyon they are regularly arranged, but lower down are cut by faults and traversed by quartz veins. At the lower end of the canyon the Tertiary deposits overlap these rocks, as above noted. "Gold has been found in the gravels resting on the surface of the old rocks, but in irregular pockets formed by the uneven hollows into which they are worn. It is not until these gravels are found spreading more widely, and in thicker masses over the Tertiary beds, that the richer gold deposits occur. Had the lower bed of the Tertiary been a water formed conglomerate, instead of having the character above described, it would probably form a rich gold- bearing horizon. Such water-worn materials marking the courses of streams of pre-Tertiary age must occur in many places throughout 22 Layer Cake Hill the gold bearing districts, and though now difficult to find, may probably, if discovered, yield rich returns. "The richest deposits of Mission Creek have doubtless been already worked, but it is not impossible that some of them would pay working again, or that some of the higher benches might yield profitable returns by the hydraulic method. "On Mission Creek, about three quarters of a mile below the mining camp, a cliff estimated at 350 feet in height, is built up of overlapped flows of basalt, each from twelve to fifteen feet in thickness and wonderfully regular. Twenty-four such layers were counted, and there are probably eight or ten more in the face of the hill. The material is much alike throughout, and many layers are finely columnar. The whole mass dips away from the stream at an angle of about fifteen degrees, and is seen to be underlain by thirty feet or more of yellowish sandstone of ordinary sedimentary origin." J. G. John About eight miles east of the fruit centre of Kelowna is a geological quirk of Nature, which is less well-known than it deserves to be. It borders the historic Mission Creek, where gold was found by prospectors during the latter half of last century. Among others, George E. Winkler and Arthur Dawson prospected in the area. In a letter to the late Harry D. Barnes of Hedley, Mr. Winkler of Victoria wrote that the only name he ever heard applied to this feature was "Layer Cake Hill." Layer Cake Hill is a striking formation of laminar, basalt horizons, and is in complete contrast with the surrounding countryside. Viewed from the top of the south bank of Mission Creek, at a point about three-quarters of a mile below the old mining camp, the hill presents an inspiring sight. From the 2000 feet base level, skirted by the creek, rises first a steep buttress of slide material. Rising to a height of about 350 feet above the valley floor, are nearly vertical cliffs of overlapping basalt. Each layer is fairly regular and is between 12 and 15 feet in thickness. The writer counted 32 such layers, but many more, no doubt, lie beneath the slide. Dr. Dawson notes that the material is much alike throughout, and many layers are finely columnar. Perhaps the best time of day to view this awesome remnant of a less tranquil time is the hour of sunset. The rich, red rays of fading sunlight bring out in sharp contrast the patterned ruggedness of this sleeping giant. It seems strange to me that Kelowna has not emphasized this phenomenon as a tourist attraction. 23 Food and Medicines of the Okanakanes Louise Gabriel (As compiled by Hester E. White) My people, the native Canadians of the Okanakane (Okanagan) Tribe, inhabited this lovely valley from north of the Okanagan Lake to south of the river of the same name, a distance of about two hundred miles. This valley was ours, to roam at will its length and breadth. It was our privilege to enjoy its beauty and to partake of its bounty. We lived a natural, carefree, wholesome life, very close to Mother Earth. We possessed the secret to her treasure- trove, that furnished our every physical, mental and spiritual need. All through our history the Okanakanes were known as the most generous and kind-hearted people. From Yakima north, when a famine came to them, the natives came to the Okanakanes for help. One of the biggest canoes to ever glide over the Okanagan Lake was given, six generations ago, to Chief Halka-wan-Cheen in trade for hunting and berry-picking. The dug-out canoe was about eighteen feet long and five feet wide and at each end was a huge carving of Na-ha-ha-itkh (Ogopogo), the water-god. The chief was very pleased with this gift, so he invited the Yakimas to stay all winter and on into the next summer for the hunting and berry-picking. Mrs. Louise Gabriel, Penticton. 24 Food and NLedicines of the Okanakanes Long before Sa-ma (the white man) set foot on Tee-khwhat (Okanagan Lake) shore, there was plenty of game of all kinds. Papa-lat-cha (elk) was the most plentiful. Elk made their home on Sa-ya (Deep Creek) hill and were chased down into the lake by our trained dogs, long since extinct. They were much like the Alaskan huskies, yellow in colour, tails curled up. Because the elk were very fast in the water there would be five or six paddlers to a canoe and a hunter with bow and arrows. The elk lowest in the water would be the fattest, so it was the target. We had a variety of animals, fish and birds to use for food as the seasons came. We made broth from meat and fish, and dried leaves from different plants to be steeped for drinking. We ate berries both fresh and dried, mushrooms and nuts. There were many kinds of roots to eat, but most of them had to be cooked. Preparing for Winter, As It Was Done Long Ago Always the state of the weather has been most important to our people. We learned the language of Nature from necessity, for to us it often meant life or death. A long, cold winter must be foreseen and prepared for. Nature gives more generously of her foods when a long winter is to follow. These are the signs that warn us. Se-kah-ka (birds) flock in Lah-lah-ten (August), the chokecherry month instead of Skl-wis-ten (September), the salmon month. Cok- cho-ya (squirrels) store more kip-wha (nuts) than usual. The sa- aneou (muskrat) make houses on the banks of the se-tek-wha (river) instead of nests or lodges in the water. Late summer is a busy time for everyone as food is gathered and stored. Se-mah-meem (women) pick the kol-kol-eo-wam (berries) and dig the wi-tchm (roots) to store in the ula-keen, a pit lined with ke-lee-lo (bark) and kha-ma (pine-needles). The latter keep away mice. The first root to be dug is speet-lum (rock-rose), which has many uses. It is dug with a peecha, a long stick made from wa-wa-hilp (syringa). All roots are dug the same way. Most kinds of roots have to be cooked before drying. These are skwin-kwin-em, ina-chaka (wild potatoes), stlo-kum (wild carrots), ha-leo-whah and ukee-ukups (wild onions), sta-cheen (tiger- lily), speet-lum and sunflower. A cooking-pit is dug and lined with hot rocks, then a layer of skook-welp (rosebush branches) to prevent roots from burning. The 25 The Okanagan Historical Society—1954 (peeled if speet-lum), washed roots are put in the pit and another layer of skook-welp, then de-kwah-lep (timber grass) and finally lok-la (earth) are added. A hole is made in the top and see-colkh (water) is poured in to make s'hool (steam) from the hot rocks to cook these roots. Some roots were cooked overnight. When cooked the roots were put in the sun to dry out on to-ook-tan (tule) mats. Sku-lep (Indian bread) is cooked the same way. This is made of the long hair-like moss which hangs from fir trees on mook-way- ut (high) mountains. The moss was cleaned and covered with spe-a- kaluk (dried berries) to sweeten and flavour it. It was placed between tule mats before covering it. When done the sku-lep was cut in pieces and dried. The (se-yah) berries used for food are olallies (service or Saskatoon berry), sa-ho-isam (soap ollalies), me-chak-wah (black caps), la-la (raspberry), in-tet-melps (gooseberry), sta-helk (huckleberry) and many others. Berries were picked in pina (birch bark basket) and then dried on to-ook-tan mats. Now it is time for the women to get their sen-wel-chaten (racks) ready to dry the kak-welt'h (fish) and sle-a-kho (meat). Their fish are kinds of salmon, ho-mena, tan-ya and skil-u-is; also spokaleetz, (fresh water ling), kikanee, and koot-e-wan (eels). Skul-kult-meo (men) get ready for the pia-hem (hunting) by making their cho-kweek (bows) and cha-kalen (arrows) of who- wa-hialp (syringa). The tina (bowstring) is sinew taken from the kas-hum (back) of the animal. The bows are tipped with sta-hina (flint) and the other end has feathers. Then the men have their kweel-sten (sweat-house) to be clean so the sla-cheenem (deer) will not get their ska-yowh (scent) even if they are close to them. It is built beside water. The kweel-sten is made from a framework of bent sticks with their ends stuck firmly into the earth to make a round little house like an igloo. This is covered with bark and packed earth, except for a small opening. Inside, it has kwayl-chen (fir boughs) on the ground and a little skloo-eestan (pit) is dug and hot rocks are put into it. The men bathe in the cold water, then go into the kweel- sten and pull a chip-teen-tin (covering) over the door. They pour water on the hot rocks to make steam, then they rub with clean grass to remove the slo-weet (soil) from their bodies. Any callouses are rubbed off with a smooth stone. After the sweat-house they bathe in the cold water again. 26 Food and hPedicines of the Okanakanes Then they go to hunt the sla-cheenem (deer), the papa-latcha (elk), the st'chemell-cha (mountain sheep), ka-low-na (grizzly bear), and skem-heest (black and brown bears). Sunflower leaves are used to wipe out the insides of the deer. When the meat is brought in the people all eat some. Then the women prepare the rest of it for winter. Some portions are cut in strips and dried in the ha-ow (sun). Others are cut in bigger pieces and che-keel-cha (cooked) over a willow fire. When cooked and dried the meat can be ka-oom-chen (stored) with other foods and it will keep all winter long and not spoil. Next comes the h'wee-koom (tanning) of the s'e-pee (hides). First they ai-i-kam (scrape) the kap-ka-in-ten (hair) off the skins with a sk'rom-a-1'xt (bone) taken from the t'kem-aks-tin (leg) of a deer. The hair is washed off in clean water and the skins are stretched and laced on poles like a loom. When a hide is dry it is taken off and en'p'l-keecha (smoked) over a fire of dry yah-kway (rotted wood). Then it is soaked in warm water full of the st'm- ken (cooked brains) of the animal. Now it is laced back to the frame. Bear-skins were stretched and used for rugs. The women have a so-whey-whey-sten (smooth rock) tied on the end of a stick, which they work and scrape all over the skin to soften it. When dry it is taken off and smoked again. It is soft and pliable now and ready to make into si-see-pe-hen (moccasins) and clothing. A stone nik-emen (knife) is used to cut the skins. Thread was made of sinew. Needles were fine bones taken from a deer- leg. A special needle was made from the leg-bone of a swan. For fishing, the men used long poles of kak'st (jack-pine), which are peeled and scraped, then held over a pitch fire to blacken them. The fish would see light poles in the water and be frightened away. Fish-hooks shaped like an arrow point from shool-ken (flint) and bone ones shaped like a crochet hook are wrapped tightly at the fastening ends with buckskin. Boiling pitch is daubed on to tighten and harden so the hooks will not come off in the water. A short piece of spee-chen (Indian hemp) fastens the hooks—sometimes three—to the pile. The fish are cleaned and dried on racks. The chief fishing- place was at Okanagan Falls. Spokaleetz (ling) were caught in Osoyoos Lake in the first sunny days of February. When the weather grew cold, our people moved from their to-ook-ten-elook (tule tepees) to their kocha (winter underground lodges). These are round holes like'a cellar with poles put up for 27 The Okanagan Plistorical Society—1954 a roof, with an opening at the top. Mats made from willows and tules are laid on, then fir boughs, then earth. Entrance is made on a ladder-like pole leading down into the lodge. The branches are trimmed and shortened to a few inches for steps. After the lodge is finished and all the families are moved in, the men go to set their traps to catch the smaller animals. These are stone-ha (beaver), ha-whil (fox), spep-e-lena (rabbit), s'an-en- heo (muskrat), wap-ap-hun (lynx), mink, chal-chen (martin), raccoon and all the fur-bearing animals. The sen-ha-choos (trap) is made of a pole four feet long, heavy and weighted at one end. A small stick with the meala (bait) on it is balanced at the other end. When the animal grabs the bait, the pole hits it on the head. The larger animals were snared on their trails with nooses of spee-chen (Indian hemp). This spee-chen was very valuable for trading with other tribes. Okanakane Medicine Today we have to go to the drug stores for our m'reem-sten (medicine) and we pay as much as you do. Before the sa-ma came to our valley and disrupted our natural way of living, we had to provide ourselves with shelter, clothing, coverings, weapons, tools, dishes, foods and our medicines. We were a healthy race, our men were athletic and strong. For every illness there was a cure nearby and we knew how to make tonics, salves, antiseptics and hot drinks. We bathed often and our kweel-sten (sweat-house) was for health and spirit as well as cleanliness. Kula-meen (cottonwood ashes) was like soap for our buckskin clothing. For hair-washing we went to Spotted Lake near Richter Mountain or White Lake nearer home. Baskets of this clay or mud were carried home to use for washing. These are a few of our medicines: (1) Baby Care—We picked the soft, white filling from kwis- kwas-kin (bullrushes, not tules), and used it for absorbent cotton. It was packed around the babies for clothing and diapers. After babies were weaned from the breast they were given se-yah (berry) juices and the long sku-leep moss from the trees was melted into a syrup, something like Karo syrup. This was good for them. If a baby had enow-k'cheen (sore mouth), tk-tk-1-emp (wild strawberry leaves) were baked and crushed into a powder and dusted into the baby's mouth. This is soothing and healing. 28 Food and NLedicines of the Okanakanes (2) Stik-tik-ch'welp (red willow) is used for irritated skin, bruises, rashes, toothache, and for steaming sore throats. It is the best for infection and blood-poisoned cuts. (3) Spring tonics were brewed from the evergreens, ch'k-ialp (fir), mar-eelp (spruce), ch'kwelwh (balsam), poo-neelp (juniper) and sj-ar-sil-malwh (Oregon Grape). Roots of the Oregon Grape were cleaned and boiled with ka-ka-leext (sarsaparilla). This is the best blood tonic. (4) For bad colds we used the different kinds of papa-1'm'lkh (sage-brush) steeped. Dried fish-heads were boiled and the broth taken for colds. Too-wah-tee-wah (mint) leaves are brewed like tea and this takes fever from the body. (5) For a laxative we use so-ho-sameelp (soap olallie branches) boiled. This is a mild remedy. A strong laxative is ha-hala-hoops (rattlesnake weed) brewed like tea. (6) There are two kinds of ha-you (wild parsnips). The one that grows on the side-hills is the one we used for medicine. It makes a good poultice on open wounds and for soreness in broken bones. The swamp-parsnip is poisonous. (7) We have plants like onions. They are ha-leo-whah and ukee-ukups. The bulbs are mashed and put on poison ivy sores. (8) For internal hemorrhage and diarrhoea we steeped the inner bark of stik-stik-chu-welp (thornbush) and drank the tea. Nature has a cure for every illness and many of these medicines are still used today in the homes of our people. Kelowna Lakeshore, 1905. Taken from old C.P.R. Wharf, looking toward present Aquatic buildings. Original Lequime wharf and warehouse, centre. 29 An Indian Historian M. A. Kenny In the interior of British Columbia one occasionally comes upon a spot so near to Nature's heart, so unspoiled by modernism as to suggest the almost primeval. In such a place, near Keremeos, in the early thirties, I came unexpectedly upon Michelle, then an old man. His natural reserve was partly broken down when he learned that I could converse with him in Chinook, though he was perfectly capable of making himself understood in English. Then followed our discovery that in the long ago days he, too, had lived in the Nicola Valley. More than fifty years before, he had known a pioneer family there. As a young man, he had hauled logs for Thomas Woodward. From memories of them we progressed to discussing old tillicums of the Shulus Reserve on Ten-Mile Creek, near Merritt. It was a picturesque encampment—the Shulus—as I remember it, with its diversified styles of architecture, ranging from circular mat tepees and keekwillies to the mud-roofed log huts, these with stretched deerskins tacked on their outside walls. My father's good friend, Tou-de-la-kin, was the aristocrat of his tribe and lived in a house of lumber. The boards for this were sawn at a water-power mill further down the creek. The mill was built by the first settlers at Lower Nicola, the Woodwards (my family), who came there in 1871. Michelle and I spoke of our friends, many of whom were now gone. He told me that his mother (Mary) was now 113 years old and lived with him at his lodge. The Indians' method of keeping the family record is more reliable than most people suppose. It is kept by means of a notched stick. We sometimes refer to "a child of five summers," but the Indians count time by winters, or as they say, "Col' snass." In this language (Chinook) rain is "snass," snow is "col' snass." Probably, old Mary had more notches to her credit than any other native Canadian and still had a wonderful memory, full of the lore and legend of her people. Upon learning of my love for Indian stories Michelle exclaimed, 30 An Indian Historian "I got 'em, I got book. I let you see for three days." Then he made a quick motion as if clasping the book to his breast and said gravely, "I no give, I no sell. One Indian make it, he (she) give me. He say no let go, all time keep in house." When I reassured him that he was quite right in refusing to part with his book, he reiterated his offer of a three days' loan, and urged me to come that evening to his camp for it. The little book, of which one third was still intact, was bereft of its covers and yellowed with age. It had been both beheaded and curtailed to a serious extent, but the middle was practically all there. Leaving all regrets behind me, I absorbed the contents, grateful that each narrative was complete in itself and in no way dependent upon what came before or after. It was indeed a rare find. As I examined and copied, I found that they were the true expression of the Indian mind, the work of a full-blood native girl who had learned to read and write. It was unhampered by the phraseology of the paleface writer and, thus, no significances of the narratives were lost. Perhaps the most interesting account of all dealt with the arrival at Lytton, B.C., of the discoverer of the Fraser River. Lytton is at the junction of the Fraser and Thompson rivers. Kwolin'an means "birch bark canoe," a term the natives applied to Simon Fraser's party. I will quote verbatim from the little book. "Simon Fraser's Visit to Lytton, 1808. Related by Wa'xtkoa of Spences Bridge. "When Kwolin'an came to Lytton, Tcexe'x was chief of the Spences Bridge Band. He v/as a prominent chief and a great orator. He had one eye. He never practised as a Shaman, but was more powerful than most Shamans are. I am directly descended from him. He had a large family and was an elderly man when the whites came to Lytton. "It was midsummer. The berries were just ripe in the river valley and many of the tribe were assembled at Botani, digging roots and playing games. "Some Thompson River men who had been up at La Fontaine on horseback came back quickly with the news of the approach of these people. "Tcexe'x was at Botani with others from Spences Bridge. He hurried down to Lytton and was there when the whites arrived. The 31 The Okanagan Historical Society-—1954 chief of the whites we called "Sun." We did not then know his name. "Several chiefs made speeches to him, but Tcexe'x made the greatest speech. His speech so pleased Sun that he gave him a present of a large silver brooch (or some such similar ornament) which he had on his person. "On special occasions Tcexe'x used to wear this attached to his hair in front or on the front of his head. When I was a girl I saw it worn by his sons. One of his sons inherited it; on his death his brother inherited it; on his death his brother obtained it. It was probably buried with the th'rd brother"who had it, as it disappeared about the time of his death. "The last named died at Lytton as an elderly man, and his body was buried on the north side of the Thompson River at Drynoch, about seven miles below Spences Bridge." (NOTE—In writing the above narrative, the Indian writer has designated the various places by their present names. It will, however, be understood that these events took place when British Columbia's mountains and valleys were known only by their Indian names.—M.A.K.) "The stream of social life into which I was born has almost petered out. With it had disappeared to a great degree the atmosphere in which I was reared, with its sense of responsibility for the advantages enjoyed, of the paramount duty of serving others, of self-control and reticence, of dignified endurance of reverses, of respect for authority and law, of cheerful self-sacrifice, and of dogged perseverance to gain desired ends."—Alice Ravenhill in Memoirs of an Educational Pioneer (J. M. Dent and Sons (Canada) Limited, Toronto and Vancouver, 1951), p. 222. 32 Ogopogo Noel Robinson The mere mention of Ogopogo—at any rate in any B.C. community, except, perhaps, Kelowna—is responsible either for a raising of the eyebrows and a smile of incredulity, or of the comment, "Do you think that such a monster really lives in the Okanagan Lake?" This was very apparent among the thousands of spectators witnessing the procession through the streets of Vancouver inaugurating the Pacific National Exhibition of 1954 when they saw a' counterfeit presentation of "Ogo" upon an enormous scale staged on a very fine float by which Kelowna was represented on that occasion. Legendary or actual though the creature may be, it must be admitted that Kelowna, in particular, has achieved, through the medium of publicity accorded Ogo, almost as great notoriety as it has through the medium of its famed Regatta, for this leviathan now runs a close second to the real, or mythical Loch Ness monster of Scotland about which a book has been written. Of course there is one difference, rather a major one, between the environment in which the respective manifestations have been witnessed, for whereas the Okanagan is an inland lake (of large proportions, it is true) Loch Ness, though largely landlocked, is connected with the sea, a medium in which colossal living organisms exist. The writer of these notes has had the opportunity of reading a most artistically produced, and fairly lengthy pamphlet published by The Kelowna Courier in 1952, the pages of which are devoted to a detailed account of most of the evidence that has been up to the near present assembled in confirmation of the existence of such a creature. It is entitled OGO—-His Story. Yet here in this pamphlet we have the visual evidence of one Squadron Leader Bruce Millar who, driving along the Naramata Road with Mrs. Millar one Sunday evening, saw Ogopogo in the lake below them. They stopped their car and watched him for some time, stopping other passing cars. They described him as a "lithe, sinewy monster about 75 feet in length with a coiled back. Periodically his progress would be halted as he lay quietly in the water, 33 PENTICTON HIGH SCHOOL LIBRAE The Okanagan Historical Society—1954 head well raised and surveying the lake with calm dignity. Then his tail would rise, there would be a splash and he would weigh anchor." This is only one of many manifestations of Ogo recorded in this booklet as having taken place over a period of years. Indeed the Vancouver writer of these notes about Ogo has a friend, a young woman of very balanced mind, and by no means given to flights of imagination, a talented nurse trained in St. Paul's hospital at Vancouver. She has given a most realistic and detailed description of how she and three companions who were sitting on the shore of Okanagan Lake saw Ogo about a hundred yards off shore, and watched him for ten minutes as he moved along through the water disporting himself. In view of all this cloud of witnesses who testify to the corporeal presence of Ogo, and no doubt there is an equal cloud in relation to the Loch Ness monster, it is strange that none of them ever appear to have been accompanied by a camera which, fortunately, the author of Kon-Tiki and his companions were provided with when they encountered their oceanic monsters. Wasn't it Hamlet who remarked, "There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamed of in your philosophy"? "What makes the securing of this early day data without delay SO' urgent is that a great deal of this ancient history is locked up in the memories of a group of old timers, the ranks of which are being rapidly thinned by the grim reaper. Then another reason that presents itself is the fact that as these old peregrinating historians advance in years their memories play pranks on them. It has been found that with each time they relate some particular incident they enlarge upon it, until finally the true original story has been distorted beyond recognition."—Fred J. Smyth in Tales of the Kootenays (Cranbrook, 1937). 34 Some Archaeological Notes On Kelowna Area Warren W. Caldwell1 The Okanagan Valley is a new and a vigorous country. Kelowna will be fifty years old next year but before Kelowna and her sister cities were the ranches, the mines and the fur brigades. With them our written history begins, but before them lies a vast reach of time about which we know relatively little, a time during which the Okanagan Valley was the home and the graveyard of unnumbered peoples, aboriginals called historically, the Okanagan Indians. Concerning the fur brigades, the mines, and the founding fathers there are written documents aplenty. Concerning the aboriginal inhabitants the documents are few and of an entirely different order. The ancestral Okanagan can be known only from his tools, his manufactures, and of course, remnants of his own body preserved in the ground. The written documents, the letters, the diaries and business records lie within the province of the Historian. The artifacts of the Indian lie within the experience of the Archaeologist. Both Historian and Archaeologist are reconstructors of history but each relies upon different sorts of data. The written history of Kelowna is extensive, as this Annual Report can attest. The pre-white history of the area, however, is only now beginning to be written. Aboriginally, the whole of the northern Okanagan country lies within the area designated by ethnologists (and latterly by archaeologists) as the Plateau. The term Plateau is not used in a strict topographical sense but rather refers to a body of technological knowledge, social practice and belief which characterized the Indians of a large portion of the intermountain region. Kelowna, considered as an integral portion of the aboriginal i Mr. Caldwell, student in Archaeology and Anthropology, took his B.A. degree in 1947, and M.A. in 1949 at Stanford University; and is a candidate for Ph.D. at the University of Washington. He has conducted field researches in the Gulf of Georgia, California, British Columbia, and currently at the Dalles of the Columbia River, Washington. 35 The Okanagan Historical Society—1954 Northern Plateau culture area, does not seem to have been a populous region. The low lacustrine flat which gives shape to the physiography of Kelowna has not produced evidence of its pre-white inhabitants to the degree noted from many less naturally endowed areas. Contrarily, the peripheries, the low, rough, hilly spurs overlooking the deltic developments of the several streams of the Kelowna drainage have produced substantial evidence of human habitation. The early inhabitants seem to have gravitated toward high ground. Perhaps the lowland areas, which have latterly been lake bottom, were too uncertain for primitive man. He did not want to get his feet wet. Ethnographically, the house types reported for the Indians of the northern Plateau took several forms. Most characteristically, however, they appeared as a shallow, circular pit over which was erected a superstructure of light timbers supporting a covering of matting or turf. This is the familiar Kikwili pit noted frequently by early inhabitants. The historic descriptions are largely confirmed via remains situated near Vernon, Gellatly and numerous other places around the borders of the Okanagan Valley lakes. At Kelowna, however, a unique and hitherto unreported type of house is found. On a low ridge overlooking Sawmill Creek is a series of house pits following entirely the usual pattern as to shape and dimension but, interestingly, lined with large river cobbles which are carried above the surface as a low encircling wall. Similar structures have been noted from Gellatly, Richter.Pass (where they have been called Hudson's Bay Co. storage pits) and more recently from as far south as the Dalles of the Columbia River. Such stone remains are incidentally recognized in the scientific literature of Anthropology. They are, however, usually described as cache pits for the storage of aboriginal food supplies. Several of the Kelowna pits may have functioned in such a manner, but others are undeniably houses. Casual excavations have produced numerous basalt artifacts in the form of knives, scrapers, and points, and in one instance, a copper war club. The exact cultural relationship of the stone house is as yet obscure but the arti factual assemblage suggests relative recency. Information regarding aboriginal burial patterns in the central Lake Okanagan area is abundant but data specific to Kelowna is slight. The most characteristic form is perhaps the "Oyama" pattern (from Lake Kalamalka) which is based upon interment in a shallow 36 Some Archaeological Notes on Kelowna Area dug grave. Frequently included funerary "furniture" is extensive. Finely polished pestles, steatite pipes and in some instances, serpentine or jadeite adze blades have been recovered. Such burials seem characteristic of the northern and eastern portions of the Lake Okanagan area, with Kelowna forming perhaps the southeasternmost extremity. I would like to suggest the strong probability that several different things are involved in what is superficially a single burial pattern. All such burials are not related in form or period; they do not fit into the same continuum of development or into the same time sequence. The elaborate grave goods of a burial from Okanagan Centre differ radically from those found at Oyama, yet the form of burial, simple earth interment, appears to be the same. Unfortunately, not enough scientific digging has been done to disentangle the problem. Numerous parallels can be drawn between these simple interments of the Okanagan region and similar forms in other areas of the Plateau. Typologically related types occur south, at least to the Columbia where they appear to be late prehistoric. Although not recorded for the immediate Kelowna vicinity, other varieties of burial, some of great formal complexity, have been noted in the Lakes area.2 The cedar cist burials of Skaha Lake and Osoyoos and the cairn structures of Similkameen all have their counterparts south of the international border. They are noted at least as far east as the Snake River country and to the Columbia in the south. Concerning the physical remains, the conformation of the people who latterly inhabited the Kelowna region, very little is as yet known. Sequences of skeletal material are as yet too scanty to permit of the statistical treatment necessary to place them in their proper position relative to the northwest culture area. Burial procedure, the actual treatment of the body, has included extended burial in our western European sense, flexed burial in which the knees are drawn tightly to the chest, and south of Kelowna, cremation. Extended burial currently is of interest in terms of the considerable age attributable to such a mode of disposition in southeastern Washington and Central California. It seems then, that logically the question thus follows: how old is aboriginal man in the Kelowna area? In suggesting an answer I must emphasize a consideration patent in the foregoing presentation. 2 Atkinson, R. N., ''Burial Grounds of the Okanagan Indians," OHS lfi (1952), pp. 5-12. 37 The Okanagan Historical Society—A 954 Archaeologically Kelowna participates in the general prehistoric backgrounds of the Plateau culture area. Currently most evidences indicate relative recency, yet those evidences may be deceptive. Post European data is often easy to identify as a result of the early and widespread diffusion of the white-man's trade goods. Pre-European artifacts present a more difficult problem; often there is apparent no inherent quality enabling them to be ranked either in a temporal or typological sequence. Thus as it stands today, much of the Kelowna material seems to be recent, on the order of 200 years, but, there is much more which is older, perhaps much older, but which is currently hanging in time. It is only in the light of intensive scientific excavation that valid cultural-temporal sequences can be established and the mid-lake area be placed properly in terms of the broad pattern of Northwest prehistory. Kelowna Football Team, 1908 Top row, left—G. H. E. Hudson; John I. Daties; Dr. Frank Quinn. Centre—Norman Lloyd; Harry A. Davies; H. A. Whillis; Robert Butt. Bo torn—Ch-irles Quinn; -- WcLey; Douglas Llcyd; W'lliam S "holes; Donald Barker. 38 The First Steamboat On Okanagan Lake1 L. Norris In his dispatch to the Home Government of the 16th July, 1861, Governor Douglas said he proposed, with a view of opening up the country and facilitating transportation, to have a steamboat placed on Shuswap Lake, and, also, one on Okanagan Lake with a wagon road connecting the two lakes. The wagon road from Ashcroft to Savona's Ferry was completed and a steamboat placed on Shuswap Lake in 1 866. The wagon road from the head of Okanagan Lake to Spallumcheen prairie was built in 1873, but it was not until the 21st April, 1 886, just twenty years after a steamboat was placed on Shuswap Lake, that the shores of Okanagan Lake first echoed to the whistle of a steamer. This important undertaking was not the work of the Government nor was it subsidized or assisted in any way by the Government, but was due wholly to the initiative and enterprise of two men, Captain T. D. Shorts and Thomas Greenhow. The vessel was the "Mary Victoria Greenhow": length of keel 32 ft., beam 5 ft., and driven by a two H.P. coal-oil burning engine manufactured in Rochester, N.Y. She was built at the head of Okanagan Lake by Hamil and Pringle of Lansdowne. Quite a number of persons were at the launching of her, among others Hamil and Pringle, the builders, E. M. Furstineau, William Lawrence, B. F. Young and Robert Wood, and the trial trip was made to Fall Creek where the party was royally entertained by Captain Shorts. When she started on her first trip to Penticton she was carrying five tons of freight and five passengers and towing another boat. Prior to this date Captain Shorts had been, for some years, freight ng on the Lake with a rowboat, and he boasted, according to the newspaper accounts of the time, that he was so used to the oars he could row all day without feeling any fatigue. It was Dr. I. W. Po.vell. ( f Victoria who, having made a trip down the Lake l Rei;r n.ed _rom OHS.3(1929), pp. 24-26. 39 The Okanagan Historical Society~1954 with Shorts in the rowboat, advised the purchase of this particular engine which was then a new departure in marine engines, and extensively advertised in the magazines of that day. The advertisements usually contained a cut showing this coal-oil-burning engine propelling a light skiff over the placid waters of a lake with apparently, a gay pleasure party on board consisting of two handsome youths in straw hats and one girl with a red parasol. The engine was probably equal to such work, but when the same engine was placed in a large heavy boat, wide of beam and loaded down with freight, the consumption of coal-oil per mile was increased enormously. Shorts started out on the trip with a barrel of coal-oil, but before he reached Penticton the supply was exhausted, and he was then con- ' fronted with a problem with which he was by nature well fitted to cope for he had a ready wit and a most persuasive tongue. Besides, everyone liked Shorts. The result was that when the "Mary Victoria Greenhow" got back to the head of the Lake, the settlers had all gone back to candles. There wasn't a tin of coal-oil left on the Lake. Shorts hastened to impart the afflicting intelligence to his partner. "Tom Greenhow," he shouted as soon as he saw him, "Tom Greenhow, we are a busted institution, that's what's the matter, we are ruined; one more trip like that and we are a financial wreck," and it was well on into the night before he got through telling his partner, with that wealth of detail the Captain loved, of all that happened to him on that memorable trip. The late Thomas Greenhow was blessed with a keen sense of humour, and if he lost money on the venture he appeared to get lots of fun out of it. In after years he could never tell of Shorts' trip down the Lake when he ran short of coal-oil, without going into roars of laughter. The progress of the boat down the Lake was, nevertheless, hailed with enthusiasm by the settlers who realized what it would mean to them to have a steamer on the Lake making regular trips, and when she reached Penticton something of a demonstration was staged and a salute of 21 guns fired in honour of the event—shot guns, of course, they had no cannon. The "Mary Victoria Greenhow" was burned to the water's edge afterwards as she lay on the beach at Kelowna. The engine was salvaged and placed later on in the second steamboat built by Captain Shorts to ply on the waters of Okanagan Lake. The new boat, the 40 The First Steamboat on Okanagan Lake "Jubilee," was launched at Okanagan Landing on the 22nd Sept., 1887. The late Captain T. D. Shorts was in some ways a remarkable man, and very likeable—always genial and friendly. He was noted for his rugged honesty, and also, for a certain sturdy independence and self-reliance which never deserted him. Like only too many of the pioneers of the Okanagan Valley, towards the close of his life he had lost most of his money and was in straitened circumstances and for some years before his death he lived alone in a cabin at Hope. The people of Hope were friendly to him and helped him about as much as they were permitted, but when their well-meant offers of assistance savored as he thought, too much of charity, they were declined, and sometimes with a directness of speech that was rather disconcerting. Enterprising and optimistic all his life, he eagerly pursued the fortune which he believed awaited him just around the corner, and being of a sanguine disposition he was never unduly depressed by a bit of bad luck or misfortune. When things went wrong with him, as they occasionally did, he usually passed it off with: "Boys, if we only had as good foresight as we have hind sight, we would raise hell, wouldn't we?" and that was the last heard of it. Despite his slight eccentricities, of speech and otherwise, the late Thomas Dolman Shorts—to give him his full name—was a man of character and real worth, a true pioneer. He was born on the 14th June, 1837, and died at Hope on the 9th Feb., 1921, aged 83. The record of his death in Victoria gives the place of his birth as "Adolphuston, Canada." "The first herd of cattle recorded as having crossed the border at Osoyoos was one in charge of the famous United States General, Joel Palmer in 1858. The Palmer expedition was organized in Portland, Oregon, and consisted of a party of 36 men bound for the Fraser River via the inland route."—The Story of Osoyoos, by George J. Fraser (Penticton, 1953), p. 193. 41 On Okanagan Lake In 1888 FOUR DAYS IN CAPTAIN SHORTS' BOAT Hester E. White Of the many thousands who travel in the Okanagan Valley today, enjoying the safety and comfort of motor cars and buses on paved roads, the latest in Convair planes and stream-lined passenger trains, few can imagine the difficulties of travelling in the early pioneer days —hence my story. When my mother and her little family left our treasured home at Osoyoos on the first of October, 1888, it was a sad leaving, for my father (J. C. Haynes) had died suddenly at Allison's Ranch at Princeton on the 6th of July. There were six of us—Val (13), Hester (11), Will (9), Irene (8), Sherman (6) and Susan, one year old. My grandfather, Captain George Pittendrigh, had come in from New Westminster and had advised Mother to move to Victoria. Mrs. Tom Ellis, who had just made a trip in from the Coast to Penticton, wrote Mother suggesting that she wait until the unbearable heat and dust had subsided. So, weeks later, Grandfather, Fairfax Haynes (step-brother), Mother and her sister, Connie (later Mrs. Frank York), with Matilda Kruger, our nurse and dear friend, to help us, commenced the journey. William Jones, who was now temporarily in charge of the Customs Office at Osoyoos, accompanied us as far as Testalinda Creek, where we made camp that first night. The second night we camped at Prather's Lake and the following day reached Penticton. Here we had a memorable visit of twelve days at the Ellis home, but Grandfather and Fairfax boarded the S.S. Penticton and went on ahead to Vernon and we would join them there. Then began the trip which has been a vivid memory to me all these years. We left in the early morning of October 15. Mr. Ellis drove the team which trotted along at a fast pace through the meadow to the beach at the south end of Okanagan Lake. The air was crisp and cool, birds sang, cattle and horses grazed on either side of the road. Newly weaned calves in the calf-pasture bawled for a breakfast they would not get. 42 On Okanagan Lake in 1888 Soon we were at the lake and there nosed onto the sand was Captain Shorts' "boat", mentioned by Bishop Sillitoe in his records dated April, 1888, as a "rowboat into which Capt. -Shorts had put an engine. The crew was one boy, Leon, who was mate, pilot, cook, etc." Because we had enjoyed previous trips on the Fraser River boats between Hope and New Westminster it was a disappointment to think we must travel the seventy miles to the Head of the Lake in this miserable little craft. The Mary Victoria Greenhow collected many suitable nicknames in her day.1 Captain Shorts in overalls and jacket, a peaked cap over one eye, was smoking a very strong corncob pipe—held to one side of his mouth. All this and his tobacco-stained beard made him a typical "Pop-eye, the sailor-man". The roustabout was Clement Vachie, who was now loading luggage, camp equipment, etc. on to a scow drawn up beside the boat. Harry Tilliard and a 'ty-hee' (boss) Chinaman were passengers and, together with Captain Shorts and Vachie, occupied the stern of the boat. With the engine in the centre, little space was left to accommodate Mother, Connie, Matilda and six children in the bow, on each side of which was a narrow seat. Wood was piled near the very small engine. A canvas was spread over the top of the boat to shelter us. The kitchen-box containing a cooked ham, some cold chickens, which had their heads shot off the day before, part of a sack of potatoes and, no doubt, bread, butter, etc. was put on board. That was the day's rations, for we expected to be but one day on the boat. With a toot of the whistle, much noise and much smell as the M.V.G. was backing out into the blue sparkling waters of the lake, Tom Ellis shouted, "Will you make the head of the lake tonight, Captain?" and the answer was, "Sure thing!" He was much too optimistic for we had a head wind, and with a heavy load and a bulky scow in tow we had to tie up that evening at what is now Crescent Beach. Camp was made and we settled down for the night. I have often tried to> imagine how alone my mother must have felt—her children so young, her surroundings and company so strange. Matilda would be her comfort for she had been with us for 1 Captain Dolman Shorts launched the Mary Victoria Greenhow, the first steamboat on Okanagan Lake, on April 21, 1886. See OHS.13 (1949), p. 55; OHS.5(1931), pp. 5ff. The Okanagan Historical Society—1954 ten years, accompanying us many times over the Hope Trail. But my father2 was sadly missed, for in camp wherever we were he had been the last to turn in and the first one up in the morning. He gave orders for the day to the Indian helpers, fires would be lighted in front of our tents and the tent-flaps would be thrown back to let in warmth as they were aired . . . We were off early next morning and were thankful to arrive safely that night at the Lambly Ranch beach. Only by the Grace of God had we survived a heavy squall round Squally Point, when waves washed over the boat and the engine stopped. The Captain, not very sea-worthy at that moment, was pushed aside by Tilliard, who discovered that the boiler was nearly dry. It was leaking badly and it was told how oatmeal had been thrown in to plug the leak. At the height of this gale, when all was so tense, Mother said to us, "Why, this is Irene's birthday! And she is eight." Then she told us how our family had come down this very lake in a rowboat in December, eight years before. Tom Lambly and an Indian had rowed the boat, that it had taken them four days from O'Keefe's to Ellis' beach, camping ashore each night. "Irene was just six weeks old, Will was eighteen months and Hester three-and-a-half." She told us how she had bathed the baby near the front of the tent, with a big fire outside, and how they had to ride forty miles to OsoyOos after leaving Ellis's (Penticton). "We arrived there on the twenty- first of December and that night a blizzard came in from the north." We had great difficulty landing in the storm, but fires were soon lighted to warm us and dry out our clothes and bedding. Clement Vachie disappeared into the woods and everyone rejoiced when he came back with a year-old buck over his shoulder. For our kitchen- box now contained only potatoes—slim pickings for thirteen hungry passengers. After we had our supper, no doubt of venison liver and those potatoes, we were sitting around the camp-fire when out of the dark and into the fire-light walked Bob and Mrs. Lambly. They were living on the ranch at Trepanier Creek. Mother was delighted to see 2 J. C. Haynes was drowned in the Similkameen River. On July 11 John H. Bromley (father of Mrs. Eliza Frampton, Hedley) and a Swede named 'Anderson' brought the body of Mr. Haynes down the Similkameen River in a dug-out canoe. A wagon met them at the river-bend opposite Richter Pass and burial took place at Osoyoos. 44 On Okanagan Lake in 1888 our old friends. Bob wanted to know why we had come up on the Mary Victoria Greenhow when the Penticton, owned by Gillis and Riley, was making regular trips up and down the lake. Mother laughingly said, "We certainly know that, for it has swirled past us three or four times, blowing the whistle and the Mary Victoria Greenhow would answer with a 'toot-toot'; the wash from their boat would make ours rock and toss, much to our discomfort and the younger ones' fear." He, too, recalled that time in 1880, when the Haynes family had arrived at Enderby from Salmon Arm in an Indian canoe. They had come by stage from New Westminster via the Cariboo Road. The children were very tired and fretting, especially the baby, and he was afraid to beg them to stay for fear of the weather changing. So he had driven them in a wagon to the head of the lake and they had gone down the lake in a rowboat. Next morning the Penticton passed us again and we were surprised to see Theodore Kruger3 and his eldest daughter, Dora, waving from the deck. The Krugers were our only neighbours at Osoyoos. That night we beached at the Mission on the east side of the lake. We were greatly surprised and pleased to have Father Pandosy and one of his lay-brothers visit our camp to bring Mother fruit, vegetables and other gifts. Fr. Pandosy had often been a visitor to our home in Osoyoos. The fourth day was our last in the miserable little boat when we arrived at the head of the lake. Forbes George Vernon sent Jim Kerr to meet us with a hack, and we drove to the Vernon Hote] to stay overnight. (Mother bought me a coat, the only one available. It was two- tone, brown in colour, too large, wore forever and was detested.) Both Forbes and Charles Vernon, old friends of my father, called on us that night. Annie Cameron, daughter of Joe Christien, writes of "meeting Mrs. Haynes, Captain Pittendrigh and Fairfax Haynes in Vernon in 1888, when they were on their way to the Coast." Early on the morning of the twentieth, we were put on the four-horse stage, bound for Ducks, a fifty-odd mile drive. Horses would be changed every twelve miles or so. As the stage drove up 3T. Kruger, customs officer. See OHS.17(1953), p. 55. 45 The Okanagan Historical Society—1954 to the different stopping-places, fresh teams would be standing ready to replace the tired ones. The stage-driver did not leave his seat. Of course Val and Will were interested in the horses and soon discovered that one horse had a broken wind, and now had a tube in his throat, which caused a strange whistle when the horse became winded. Another horse had been 'creased'—in other words— shot (nicked) just below the mane. It had been running with a band of wild horses and, to capture it, was creased, which would topple it over long enough to allow a rope to be put around its neck. We had two little passengers which, so far, have not been mentioned—two squirrels which had been caged at the Ellis ranch. They had a store of wheat, oats, corn and pine-nuts in the corner of the cage. As we drove along one squirrel escaped. Rather than separate the pair, the driver stopped the stage and Val put the open cage high up in a tree and left it. Weary and tired we arrived at Ducks where Mr. Hewitt Bostock4 and Mr. Hopkins very hospitably offered us the use of their cabin, for there was no train until 2 a.m. After supper we children were put to bed in the 'bachelor bunks' to sleep until 1 a.m. We were then going by lantern light to the C.P.R. station. It was a very small structure and after we all crowded into it were told that a tea-train had been wrecked up the line. Our train would be late so the station-master put more coal in the little potbellied stove. We settled down as best we could and he related stories of train accidents which did not appeal to his listeners. At 5 a.m. there was a shrill whistle and out of the dark the huge engine roared into the station. We walked through Colonist and other cars to the rear Pullman, past sprawling, sleeping passengers. There were no vestibules in cars in those days; one had to be helped over the couplings. Arriving at Vancouver that evening, we went aboard Captain John Irving's Islander. We stayed at the Driard in Victoria until we moved into Joe McKay's house on Belcher Street. 4 Mr. Hewitt Bostock was a graduate from Trinity College, Cambridge, and was called to the bar at Lincoln's Inn. He came to B.C. in 1888 and bought a ranch at Monte Creek from Jacob Duck (who later leased the'new Adelphi Hotel at Grande Prairie, now Westwold). Mr. Bostock was, first, with the Victoria Colonist, then launched the Vancouver Province in 1894. He was elected Liberal member for Yale-Cariboo in 1896 and later, under the King government, became Speaker of the Senate. Three of his daughters still reside at Monte Creek Ranch.—From B.C.H. Quarterly, April, 1946. 46 The Shuswap & Okanagan Railway Company1 George H. Morkill The Canadian Pacific Railway was completed in 1885, and on the 2nd June, 1886, 'the Shuswap and Okanagan Railway Company was incorporated by an Act of the Dominion Government. The shareholders of the Company were: J. A. Mara, James Reid of Quesnel, Frank S. Barnard, R. P. Rithet, Thomas Earle, J. H. Turner, D. M. Eberts, F. G. Vernon, Moses Lumby and Dr. E. B. Hannington. On the 7th April, 1887, the Shuswap and Okanagan Railway Subsidy Act was passed by the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia whereby the Company was granted a subsidy of $4000 per mile—not to exceed in all $200,000—on condition that the Company would build a railway from Sicamous to some point on Okanagan Lake of the gauge and standard of the C.P.R., the road to be completed and in running order within three years of the coming into force of the Act. This Act was brought into force by a proclamation dated the 15th Nov. 1887 and published in the B.C. Gazette. The following year, on the 28th April, 1888, this Subsidy Act was amended and the time for the completion of the road extended from three to five years. After the passage of these three Acts one would naturally think that no one would attempt to revive the old scheme of building a canal from Enderby to the Lake which had been adversely reported on by the Dominion Government Engineer, Mr. Hamlin. But such was not the case. The late Captain T. D. Shorts, the pioneer navigator on Okanagan Lake, undeterred by this thunder-roll of Acts of Parliament, had a notice, dated 16th Jan. 1889, inserted in the B.C. Gazette in which the public was given notice that an application would be made at the ensuing session of the Legislature, for an Act incorporating a Company to build the canal. Captain Shorts asked for no subsidy or assistance of any kind from the Government; all he asked for was the right to build the canal, and run boats on it 1 Reprinted from OHS 3 (1929), pp. 10-12. 47 The Okanagan Historical Society—1954 with the exclusive right of levying and collecting tolls thereon for a period of ten years. Nothing further however was heard of the application. On the 2nd of May of the same year, 1889, the Dominion Government passed an Act granting a subsidy to each of 35 railways in Canada; most of them got $3200 per mile and the amounts range from $30,000 to $375,000. The S.&O. Railway is included in the list and is down for $3200 per mile—not to exceed in all $163,000, the mileage being computed at 51 miles. On the 26th of May in the following year, 1890, the Provincial Government passed an Act which cancelled its two former Acts and brought into force a tri- party agreement. Under this three-party agreement the S.&O. Railway was to secure title to the right-of-way and all necessary lands and to build a railway of the standard and gauge (4 ft., 8^ in.) of the C.P.R., from Sicamous to the Lake, a computed distance of 51.3 miles; to lease the road on completion to the C.P.Ry. for a term of 25 years, to assign to the Provincial Government the subsidy of $3200 per mile from the Dominion Government, and to hand over to the B.C. Government the 40 per cent, of the gross earnings of the road which it was to receive from the C.P.Ry. as rental. The C.P.Ry. was to equip the road with rolling stock and operate and maintain it for 25 years and pay to the S.&O. Ry. 40 per cent of the gross earnings. The Government of B.C. on its part guaranteed the payment of 4 per cent, interest on the bonds of the road for 25 years, the amount not to exceed $1,250,000 or the actual cost of construction whichever should be the less amount. It was further stipulated that if the 40 per cent, of the gross earnings of the road was not sufficient to meet the interest on the bonds the deficit was to be and remain a debt due from the S.&O. Railway Company to the Government until the latter was fully recouped for everything it paid out under the guarantee. The Act and the agreement under it were not to' come into force until (1) both were ratified by an Act of the Dominion Government or (2) the S.&O. Ry. Co. put up with the Provincial Government sufficient security to indemnify it for any loss sustained under the guarantee. Presumably the security was put up, for the ratifying Act was not passed until the 10th July, 1891. In the meantime the work of construction was commenced sometime in August, 1890, and by the 48 The Shuswap & Okanagan Railway 12th May, 1892, the rails were laid through to Okanagan Landing. Captain Shorts' plan for utilizing the waterways was simple and inexpensive. He intended to dig a ditch about a mile and a half long so as to connect Davis Creek with O'Keefe Creek. This would give a continuous water way from Okanagan Lake to Enderby, and in the bed of this water way he intended to lay a chain from end to end, and for motive power to use a scow with a steam-driven drum in front so arranged that the drum would pick up and drop the chain as it passed along. It. is very questionable whether this was practicable, but Shorts often discussed its feasibility with his friends in the winter of 1889. The present railway station at Enderby was built for and run as a hotel by the Lambly Bros. The Railway Co. bought it and used it for their headquarters during the construction of the road and it was in this building that Mr. and Mrs. George Riley, Mr. and Mrs. T. W. Paterson and Mr. and Mrs. W. R. Smith lived for about two and a half years. Patrick Larkin, of St. Catharines, Ont., and T. W. Paterson had the contract for the construction of the road. Larkin was seldom on the ground. Paterson was the principal man; he was a very capable man and knew how everything should be done and how to do it. It was he who had the route changed and the bridge built over the mouth of the lagoon at Mara Lake, thereby saving a lot of very expensive rock work. The chief engineer was C. E. Perry and under him were Mr. McKay and C. DeB. Green. The writer was chief accountant and the two walking bosses were George Murdock and W. R. Smith. George Riley did most of the bargaining with the settlers for the right-of-way and usually acted as paymaster. His brother Thomas Riley, for about a year, was stationed at Sicamous and acted as forwarding agent. During the construction of the road this valley was a busy place. The villages along the line were being built up, and building material of all kinds was in demand. There was lots of freight to be hauled in from Sicamous in winter and from Enderby in summer, consequently horses, hay and oats were in demand, and everyone had work and everyone had money. For some years after the C.P.R. took over the road there was not much freight to haul or passengers to carry, and the road bed was neglected and fell into disrepair. Three times a week on Mon- 49 The Okanagan Historical Society—A 954 day, Wednesday and Friday, a freight train with a passenger coach attached, left Sicamous and made its way to Okanagan Landing, and the next day after the arrival of the boat from Penticton it retraced its course, carefully picking its way over the dilapidated roadway to Sicamous. With a service so poor and shabby there were many complaints, and of course comparisons were bound to be made and people sometimes wondered if they would not have been as well off on one of Shorts' mud scows with a trace chain down the middle of the creek, but with increased business the service improved. Although the C.P.R. did not take over the road until 1893, their first lease for 25 years is dated from 1890. They secured a second lease of the road on the 1st July, 1925, for nine hundred and ninety- nine years. Under its present lease it guarantees interest at 4 per cent, on all bonds outstanding against the road and undertook to pay to the Government of B.C. the loss the Government sustained in guaranteeing the interest on the first bond issue of $1,250,000. The deficit amounted to approximately $388,000. The present bonded indebtedness against the road, according to Poor's Railroad Manual, 1928, is $33,000 per mile, or, roughly $1,683,000. There are a lot of things still to be cleared up in connection with the history of this road, and we intend to pursue the subject further in our next Report. The right-of-way of the road is registered in Kamloops in the name of the Shuswap and Okanagan Railway Company. In Indians of Canada (Ottawa, 1932) Diamond Jenness states that the Interior Salish Indians, the largest nation in the interior of British Columbia, "differed in customs, dialects, and even physical appearance from the Salish-speaking Indians of the coast. They were divided into five tribes that were often hostile to one another." These tribes were the Lillooet, the Thompsons, the Okanagans, the Lake Indians of the Arrow lakes and upper Columbia River, and the Shuswaps (p. 351). 50 First Penticton Settler1 Eighty-nine years ago Penticton's first white settler, Tom Ellis, first laid eyes on this land between the lakes. It was at dusk when he arrived and his diary records that he had sufficient light to look around the place that was to become his home for his last forty years. He wasn't impressed with the flats and the arid benches but he stayed. Recollections of the early days of Penticton and district were recalled for Kiwanians at their noon luncheon last week by "one who was there," Miss Kathleen Ellis, second white girl to be born in Penticton. She told of her father who came here May 25, 1865, with a partner from Ireland. The partner soon departed for his homeland but Tom Ellis put down his roots and a "fierce affection" grew up in him for the place that was to become the City of Penticton. Kathleen Ellis was born here in 1887. She recalled the hardships of those early years which, as she spoke, seemed to be born out of the great distances to be travelled. Supplies were ordered once a year and brought in with great difficulty, she said. The nearest doctor was many days ride away and conditions of travel were often hazardous, Miss Ellis continued. Severe accidents often occurred and the decision to summon the doctor was a matter of no little concern. Of necessity Miss Ellis' mother became doctor and nurse in the little ranch home. "Next to the family Bible, the big medical book was of prime importance," she said. Tom Ellis' diary often spoke of the unbroken solitude facing the pioneers and he referred to its depressing effect on their lives. "The early days were often very uneventful," said Miss Ellis, "and for that reason travellers were most welcome." They stayed at the Ellis ranch—there never was any question of that—and the news of the outside world was eagerly awaited. Once the ranch was established here the Ellis family ate exceedingly well and the speaker remarked that the pigs and chickens were l Reprinted from The Penticton Herald, Wednesday, June 2, 1954. 51 PENTICTONJIGHSCHOOL LIBRARY The Okanagan Historical Society—-1954 fed fruit and vegetables that would be of acceptable quality on any table by today's standards. Although now in poor repair, the first house to be built in Penticton still stands. It was constructed by J. R. Brown, on Ellis Street, the speaker disclosed. KELOWNA MAYORS SINCE INCORPORATION 1905 Raymer, H. W 1905-06 Sutherland, D. W., 1907, 8, 10, 11, 17-29 DeHart, F. R. E 1909 Jones, J. W 1912-16 Rattenbury, D. W 1930-31 Gordon, D. K 1932-33 Trench, W. R 1934-35 Jones, O. L 1936-39 McKay, G. A 1940-44 Pettigrew, J. D 1945-46 Hughes-Games, W. B 1947-51 Ladd, J. J 1952— "Who knows, for instance, that long before Victoria and New Westminster had been called into existence, the province had been settled in a way, and had possessed a regular capital—at Stuart Lake —whence a representative of our own race ruled over reds and whites? Not one in a thousand Canadians or even British Columbians."—The Rev. Father A. G. Morice, O.M.I. "So long as mountains stand, so long as rivers run down to the sea, so long as grass grows green, so long as the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, I will be with you . . . my people." Chief Seattle by Eva Greenslit Anderson (The Caxton Printers, Ltd., Caldwell, Idaho, 1950), p. 334. 52 The First Commercial Orchard In Okanagan Valley F. W. Andrew When the name "Okanagan" is mentioned in any part of Canada, (and in many parts of the U.S.A.), the idea of fruit immediately comes to mind. A visitor to the Okanagan Valley notices the great number of freight trains from Sicamous to Kelowna, even to Mr. and Mrs. James Gartrell, first white settlers at what is now known as Trout Creek Point. Osoyoos, all loaded with fruit, soft fruit in the summer and apples during the fall, winter, and tapering off in the spring. In all the cities and towns of this Valley, the visitor will find canneries, fruit processing plants and box factories that supply the containers in which to ship these products. The visitor will be told that the Okanagan Valley was originally a cattle raising country, so what wrought the great change in the industries of this fair valley? The visitor will pause in his lunch which probably includes a Bulman tomato juice cocktail and canned peaches or apple pie. The story of James Gartrell provides a large part of the answer. James Gartrell was born on February 22, 1847, and was raised at Stratford, Ontario. He married Mary Pike and the couple had 53 The Okanagan Historical Society—1954 five children. The eldest was Mary Jane who later married Arthui Day of Trout Creek and later of Kelowna. A son of theirs is Dr. L. A. Day who now HHHHHHHJI practises dentistry at West Summerland. The second daughter, Edith Ellen, married David Lloyd - Jones after whom Jones Flat was named. They too moved to Kelowna where Workshop erected by Mr. James Gartrell 1889. Lloyd-Jones took over the sawmill operated by Lequime Brothers and formed the Kelowna Sawmill Company. The third child was William Jerves, who later died of typhoid fever after he had jointly taken up a pre-emption with his father. The fourth was George Norman, who until recently lived in Summer- land before moving to Vancouver. The youngest, Frederick R., went into the dairy business at Trout Creek. After selling out he retired and is now living on the old homestead. James first heard of the Okanagan Valley through a brother-in- law. He was looking for a location where he could improve his condition, and as cattle raising was the chief industry of the Valley, the reports of the new country appealed to him. With his entire family, he came by rail to Sprague, Washington, which is not far from Spokane, and thence by covered wagon to Penticton. They crossed the Columbia River by means of canoes under the wheels of the wagon, and compared with the roads of today, it must have been a rough and difficult trip. This was in 1885 before Washington was admitted to statehood. At Penticton, he got a job with Tom Ellis who ran large herds of cattle and some horses. Tom Ellis came to the southern part of the Okanagan Valley in 1865. He bought large tracts of Provincial land between the Penticton Indian Reserve on the west and what is now Naramata on the east, extending to the international boundary. He owned the entire area with the exception of a few pre-emptions at Okanagan Falls, Mclntyres and Sooyos (Osoyoos) where Judge Haynes had his home. He was unable to buy any part of the land between Trout Creek and Trepanier Creek near Peachland, as that had been reserved as a common pasturage for whites and Indians. 54 The First Commercial Orchard in Okanagan Valley Jim Gartrell, as he was generally called, in riding around the country had noted the fine land, then closely timbered, at the delta of Trout Creek and was anxious to take up a pre-emption there. Through an error at the recording office in Vernon, a number of pre-emptions in the present area of Summerland had already been recorded. Jim Gartrell and his neighbour, Dune. Woods, both recorded pre-emptions on Trout Creek point in 1887. On January 10, 1889, the B.C. Gazette published the following:— "Notice is hereby given that three months from the date hereof, the tract of land situated on , the west side of Okanagan Lake, Yale District, between Trepanier River and Trout River, which was formerly set apart as a pasturage in common for Indians and white settlers will be thrown open for pre-emption but not for sale." While some of the pre-emptions already recorded were abandoned, most of them were cancelled and re-recorded. Dune Woods recorded his pre-emption in 1889, while Jim Gartrell with his eldest son recorded the pre-emption P.R. 538 in 1890, and on account of this delay he nearly lost his pre-emption rights. He and his boys had already constructed a log cabin large enough to house the whole family of seven, a hewn log barn which is still standing and a shop which was removed just a few years ago. In spite of his apparently gruff voice, all. visitors were welcome to a meal and a bed in that era of traditional hospitality. He proceeded to clear some of his land, and besides a vegetable garden and a patch of grain, he planted some apple trees brought from Ontario and Washington. On a subsequent trip to Ontario, he brought more fruit trees, and another fact should be noted:— he brought the first angle worms to the district for which many fishermen are grateful. A trapper sent him some peach stones from Washington and he got others from Okanagan Falls. When these seedlings produced fruit, it was readily sold in Vernon and some of the mining camps. The deer were fond of the shoots of the fruit trees and made frequent raids on his orchard, so his boys shot deer to their hearts' content. George told me he kept count until he had killed 300. As the meat from these animals could not be consumed, it was cooked and fed to the hogs. George and Fred continued to be good hunters, and until recently shot game in various parts of British Columbia. 55 The Okanagan Historical Society—1954 There was a flock of large beautiful trumpeter swans on Okanagan Lake and sometimes on Skaha Lake. Before they were protected, Jim shot an excellent specimen and had it mounted. Then about 1920, it was noted that the birds were slowing up as though they were paralyzed. One that died was sent to Victoria for examination. Many lead pellets were found in the crop. These had been dropped in the shore water by hunters or those shooting at clay pigeons and were swallowed by the swans when hunting for food. They all died of lead poisoning and became extinct on these lakes. There are about 1000 trumpeter swans in all Canada (Maclean's Magazine, Dec. 1, 1952) and although carefully protected, they seem to be on their way out like the passenger pigeon and the bison. Jim Gartrell and Dune Woods could see that fruit trees and crops could not flourish in a climate that had only about 10^2 inches of precipitation annually, so> they proceeded to build a rough dam of logs and boulders on that part of Trout Creek where it emerges from a canyon. By periodical flooding, that land was assured of better crops. Ellis used a similar method of crude irrigation in a small way but Gartrell was the first to irrigate a fruit orchard in this Valley. The Coldstream orchards were not set out until 1892. Other pre-emptions had been taken up in the neighbourhood but the holders were not so successful in obtaining irrigation water as Gartrell and Woods held the first water records on Trout Creek. More of the surrounding land was pre-empted. George N. Barclay whose father was a member of the English banking firm of the same name bought out the holdings of the Lloyd-Jones family and induced a number of young Englishmen to emigrate to these parts and learn ranching—for a fee. His home was established on Prairie Creek near West Summerland and is still standing. A trail up the "sand hill" and along the foot of Giant's Head mountain connected the ranches of Gartrell and Barclay. At a point midway between the two places, Barclay gave a small parcel of land for a church. In 1898, St. Peter's Church was erected. The late Archdeacon Thomas Greene of Kelowna held services there once a month. The church was burned about ten years later and the land is now known as the Anglican Cemetery. Jim told me that he and others walked around the land three times when the Bishop consecrated and dedicated it. George and Fred Gartrell went to school in Vernon and Kelowna. Once George got homesick and wanted to see his mother. 56- The First Commercial Orchard in Okanagan Valley He secured a horse and rode home all alone. After three small schools had been opened in the present Municipality of Summer- land, another temporary school was opened on J. R. Brown's property adjoining that of Gartrell and this was followed by a new frame building near by. This was closed in 1911 after all the other schools were consolidated. This was a success and the system is now in general use in this Province. A post office named "Gartrell" was opened in 1910 at Trout Creek Point with S. F. Sharpe as Postmaster. This, with another Post Office "Balcomo" in the Prairie Valley, was closed in 1914 when rural mail delivery was inaugurated. The Gartrells never had any trouble with the Indians. Reservation of the latter extended from Trout Creek to Penticton and beyond Shingle Creek to the west. They had plenty of game and do not think much of the game regulations of today. The whole Gartrell family spoke Chinook, the lingua franca that is fast dying out. I first met Jim Gartrell in Kelowna during the races in 1908, where I was doing locum tenens work for Dr. W. J. Knox who was taking a post-graduate course in surgery. Jim was wearing carpet slippers at the time. He asked for a loan of two dollars, saying that Dr. Knox often helped him out. I let him have the two dollars with some hesitation but the next time I saw him, he repaid the loan. I afterwards learned that he was meticulous about money matters. His orchard was producing larger crops. In the late '90's and early 1900's, Fred often took a wagon load of fruit and vegetables and slowly hauled them to Camp McKinney, Fairview and Greenwood where the customers were glad to' get them and paid good prices. These sales averaged about $25.00 once a week and if you care to> look up old newspaper files you will find that that amount of money bought far more goods in the "Gay Nineties" than it does today. Other ranches had a few trees to supply their own requirements but it seems to me that the Gartrell ranch was the first in the Okanagan Valley to grow fruit commercially. When more orchards in the Summerland district were planted and began to bear modest crops there was no local packinghouse to look after their wants, so the firm of Stirling and Pitcairn Ltd., of Kelowna, sent in men to make an offer for the crop on the trees. When a deal had been made, they picked the crop, packed and shipped it and the growers, including Gartrell, had none of the headaches 57 The Okanagan Historical Society—1954 that growers since have experienced. The practice was discontinued in 1909. When J. M. Robinson and associates bought out the Barclay holdings and other pre-emptions to form the Summerland Development Co. Ltd., of which Sir Thomas Shaughnessy was president, Jim did not sell. Just before, a "Windy" Young who had found a seam of coal on Paradise Flat tried to start a town on the Gartrell property but the scheme fell through. When the transition was made from cattle raising to fruit raising, Jim Gartrell and his wife were the first to welcome the orchardists. They had seen the whole fruit growing district of Summerland develop from a drab range land to a land of orchards and happy homes. The orchards now give employment, directly and indirectly, to over three thousand people and produce an annual average income of 2 million dollars (Bank of Montreal estimate). It must have been with much satisfaction that he viewed these facts in retrospect. He died on July 26, 1930. "In checking the names "Mclntyre Bluff" and "Gallagher Lake," that you mentioned, I note a prominent mountain overlooking Vaseaux Lake, as yet unnamed in our records. Referring to the enclosed map, I have marked this feature "Mount Keogan," with the suggestion that this would be a fitting memorial to Mike Keogan, being in closer association with Mclntyre Bluff and Gallagher Lake, thus allowing the mountain west of Okanagan Falls to bear the name "Mount Hawthorne." (Letter, August 21, 1953, to Mrs. R. B. White, Penticton, B.C., from W. H. Hutchinson, Chief—Geographic Division, and B.C. Representative—Canadian Board on Geographical Names.) We note that the 1953 provincial Gazetteer gives spelling of Vaseaux as Vaseux. How long will it take old- timers to get used to this—if they ever do? 58 Old Man Kelowna F. T. Marriage August Gillard came to the Okanagan from California in 1862, travelling from Hope with Father Pandosy. Born in the Department de Doubs, France, he became a man of powerful physique and a reddish complexion. Attracted by news of the gold strike, he sailed from Marseilles to California in 1850, at the age of 25. A blacksmith by trade, he worked for the gold miners at sharpening picks and shovels, prospecting on the side, apparently without much success. Ten years later, tidings of the Fraser River gold excitement reached Gillard, and he sailed northward on a Spanish ship. After a brush with the Coast Indians near the mouth of the river, he located at Boston Bar, where he had some success with a mining claim. But an unfortunate occurrence compelled him to move on. One day an Indian attempted to shoot his (Gillard's) partner, whereupon he killed the man with a blow of his fist. Gillard deemed it expedient to disappear from Boston Bar and joined Father Pandosy's party at Hope, bound for the new Mission in the Okanagan. On arrival here he worked at ranching and clearing land, finally staking out 320 acres extending from what is now Richter Street *J¬a&.. Han AUGUST GILLARD 59 The Okanagan Historical Society—195 4 in Kelowna to Lake Okanagan. He built himself a "keekwillie house," partly underground, near the present foot bridge at the south end of Ellis Street. The name of August Gillard is closely connected with the story of the origin of the name "Kelowna." The late Frank Buckland in his book Ogopogo's Vigil says on this point: "It is told that some Indians passing this cabin one winter day when the ground was covered with snow, saw smoke coming from the rudely built chimney and stopped to investgate what sort of person lived there. Gillard, upon hearing the chatter outside his dwelling, came crawling up from his dugout in much the same manner as a bear might do. This thought must have struck the Indians, for upon seeing his reddish whiskers and rough manner, they called to one another "Kim-ach-touch," meaning in their language "Brown Bear." Laughing at their joke, the Indians continued to call Gillard or his dwelling place "Kim-ach-touch." The settlers in the Valley on hearing that the Indians had given Gillard the name of "Brown Bear," followed their example and referred to the old Grizzly Killer in those terms and the name stuck. But when the population increased through the arrival of more settlers it was felt that the name was too awkward for permanent use, and in 1892 the name "Kelowna," meaning "grizzly bear," was decided upon." Gillard died in 1898, aged 73. About 1930 the last vestiges of his former dwelling were demolished when Ellis Street was graded at its southern end. In his chapter on "The Shuswap Conspiracy, 1846" Hubert Howe Bancroft writes: "Seven tribes traded at this post (Fort Victoria on Vancouver Island) when it was first built, namely the gentle Atnah, the lively Kootenai, the chivalrous Okanagan, the surly Similkameen, the fierce, vindictive Teet, the treacherous Nicou- tamuch, besides the always hospitable and friendly Kamloop." (History of British Columbia, published in San Francisco, 1887, chapter 8, page 134). 60 Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Day, wedding photo taken at Kamloops. Arthur Day... Pioneer Georgina Maisonville The Basin of the Great Salt Lake in Utah provided the setting for the opening years of this story. The real history of that vast agricultural and mineral state began with the coming of the members of the Church of Latter Day Saints usually called the Mormons. Led by Brigham Young, they had come in July, 1847, after almost inconceivable difficulties, to settle along the shores of a small river, now called City Creek, which afforded the only relief from the desert. Within a few days after their arrival they ploughed large tracts of land and diverted water from the creek to make gardens. Like the Okanagan, the soil there is fertile and needs only water to produce good crops. Previous inhabitants of this country had been, of course, the Indians. They gave trouble to the white settlers from time to time •—the last major Indian war was the Black Hawk war, which lasted from 1862 to 1868. As protection from unfriendly natives, the white men travelled through this country in fairly large parties. Mr. Day's father had been a captain in the Mexican wars and acted as guide to fifty men who wished to go- from Missouri to California. Mr. Day, Sr., was a Mormon, and this land appealed to him so that 61 PEMTICTOM HIGH SCHOOL LIBJMft The Okanagan Historical Society—1954 he took up a homestead and planted an orchard at Pleasant Valley, about 140 miles south of Salt Lake City. Into' this locale and among these industrious people, inspired by their religion, Arthur Day was born in 1862. He was born to his father's second wife, and of these two families, he is now the sole survivor. These were the days of the Pony Express, which, from 1860 until the coming of the railroad in 1869, gave a semi-weekly serv- * ice from Washington, D.C., to California, linking Salt Lake City with both the east and west. With the riders of the Pony Express still in mind it is not surprising that when he was seventeen, Arthur Day struck out to find still greener valleys. Going on horseback, shooting game and otherwise living off the country, stopping to' work for a while to earn money so that he could continue his journey, this ride from Salt Lake City by horseback to Seattle seems to' us some seventy-five years later, to have been fantastically adventurous. After working in Montana for six weeks, the travelling companion he fell in with there very nearly got them into serious difficulty. Several Indians came along and wanted a card game. Mr. Day's friend, however, was too clever for the natives, and when the Indians had lost heavily, they had to have revenge. They stampeded a herd of wild horses to where the tame ponies were tied with ropes to the sage brush. Trying to avoid the stampede, Mr. Day's friend fell into a patch of prickly pears, uncomfortable, but not a matter of life or death. After trailing the mark of the rope in the sand for some three or four days, they finally caught their horses and made a hurried departure from that part of the state. About twenty miles from Seattle, near Renton, is the coal mining town of Newcastle, and there Arthur Day worked in the mines until the next spring. He had left Salt Lake City in May and a year later he bought a rowboat to take him from Seattle to' New Westminster. He tried salmon fishing for a time, and then went up the Fraser River to work* for a year with the C.P.R. In 1884 he came to what is now Penticton, and for seven years was ranch foreman for Tom Ellis. One year later, in 1885, a family came to the Ellis ranch from Mt. Pleasant, Ontario. A strange coincidence that Mr. Day had come from a place of the same name in Utah. James Gartrell brought his wife and children by train to a town called Sprague, near Spokane. There he obtained horses and wagons for the journey 62 Arthur Day—Pioneer up the Columbia River. When they reached the river the wagons were leaded onto canoes, the Indians taking charge of them, placing one canoe under each wheel of the wagon. The current of the river carried them over a mile down stream before a landing could be made. This experience was not the least exciting for the family on their journey, nor was it the least dangerous. The Indians stole some of the horses and wagons and Mrs. Gartrell came to the Ellis ranch riding horseback, holding her youngest son Fred in front of her on the saddle. She cooked for the men on the ranch for a time while her husband helped with the cattle on the Ellis ranch. Later, in 1889, he pre-empted 320 acres of land at Trout Creek Point, where he remained until his death in July, 1930. His wife had passerd away in April of that same year and his daughter, Mrs. David Lloyd Jones of Kelowna, a fortnight before. During the years that Mr. Day remained in Penticton he helped to build the first wharf there for Mr. Ellis, a little east of the present C.P.R. wharf and built on piers. At about the same time David Lloyd Jones built the first wharf in Summerland, about where the fish hatchery is now. This was a time when the gold fields not having proved too lucrative, the miners were looking around for land on which to settle more permanently. They resented the large holdings of the cattle men and fist fights and gun battles were increasingly common. Mr. Day was sent at one time to warn off, at the point of a gun, a persistent squatter, Jim Grant, who had taken up 360 acres where the Keremeos trail divides and was part of the Ellis holding. These would-be settlers took up their case with the government, with the result that Judge Reilly was sent to Vernon to decide whether the land should be commons, Indian reserve or thrown open for pre-emption. The last course was decided upon. The Indian reserve was to be from Trout Creek to about what is now Kaleden, and up to Sheep Creek. There was also a small reserve at West Summerland at the entrance to Garnet Valley. The land office records in Victoria show that James Gartrell pre-empted 320 acres on the 13th April, 1889—surveyed in May 1891. Mr. Day had at first ten acres, and later 29 acres adjoining the Gartrell place. Both moved up to Trout Creek in 1891. The house which Mr. Day built there was the first frame building to be erected in Summerland and is still standing. George Barclay, the Lloyd Jones' and Gartrells all had log houses. Mr. Day had Captain Shorts bring the lumber down from Kelowna and leave it 63 The Okanagan Historical Society—1954 on the north side of the point. The house was built by Will and David Lloyd Jones. Mr. Day also had a pre-emption at Shingle Creek, near Frank Buckland's property, which he sold later to Mr. Turner. Mr. Gartrell sent his sons, George and Fred, up to the school at Benvoulin. The two daughters went to school in Vernon. Arthur Day married the eldest daughter, and David Lloyd Jones married her sister. Miss Gartrell worked for a time at the home of Ned Woods at the Coldstream Ranch. When Mr. Day came north to be married he came in a rowboat from Penticton to Kelowna. He had made this trip once before, covering the distance in eight hours, when he had to deliver a message that had to do with the boat and Lord Aberdeen. Wishing to be married by the Rev. Henry Irwin (Father Pat) Mr. Day and his bride to be, drove to Kamloops. Father Pat was away, and for two weeks until his return, Miss Gartrell visited at the home of Canon Cooper while Mr. Day stayed at an hotel. The picture of Mr. Day's house was taken by Mr. Preston in 1 892. Photography had come to the valley in the early 90's. The author of the book The Valley of Youth—Mr. Holliday, also travelled through the valley taking pictures. Many of his photographs are still extant in spite of a fire which destroyed most of his early plates. The famous western character, Kootenai Brown, tells us that in 1866 he had his first sight of Fort Garry and while there, he sat for a tintype photo and was told that it was the first ever taken at the fort. The man with the camera was a Swedish fellow, named Olsen, from St. Paul, who had walked from one army post to another in Dakota and finally arrived at Fort Garry. This first portrait was only twenty-five years or SO' previous to the time of Mr. Preston and Mr. Holliday. How grateful we are to these men with their cameras who visualized for us the places and peoples of those early times. There were eight children born to the Days. Mrs. Day passed away in 1904, shortly after the birth of her youngest son. One son, Norman, was accidentally shot. Of the four remaining sons, George and Fred are in Kelowna, Lloyd is in Summerland, and Will is a banker in California—the daughters have all passed away. Mr. Day married Mrs. Toucher of Kelowna in 1907, and after her death in 1928, he was married in 1932 to Miss Margaret Turnbull, who had been associated with the Kelowna Creamery. Mr. Day had moved 64 Arthur Day—Pioneer up to Kelowna in 1900, and for many years was associated with David and Will Lloyd Jones in the sawmill and logging business. An orchard which he planted was turned over to his son, Fred, after his return from overseas, and is now being managed by Mr. Day's grandson, Ernest. From the purple deserts of Utah to the grayish green of the Okanagan hillsides, the trail was long and difficult. Now, however, on the shore of the lake, at the outskirts of Kelowna, in a comfortable modern home, Mr. and Mrs. Day live in quiet contentment. The days of venturing into unknown regions, facing dangers that could not be foreseen, and conditions difficult to surmount, are over. There is nothing more adventurous now than watching over his newly planted fruit trees, In his ninety-second year, tall and surprisingly straight and vigorous for his years, the still handsome face reflects his fine and purposeful character. Many are the stories told in the Valley of his kindness and generosity. Arthur Day belonged to the generation to whom the task had been assigned of laying the foundations of our country. Their industry, courage, vision and self-sacrifice had earned the respect and esteem of all who will follow after. To Arthur Day—Pioneer—we pay this humble tribute. We regret to have to record that Mr. Day died after a short illness on Thursday, September 2, 1954.—Ed. "In the story of every land there is a twilight period, before the dawn, in which fact and fiction are intertwined, where fiction may masquerade as fact and fact appear as fiction. This borderland is an interesting realm; and perhaps largely so because it is difficult to decide what part, if any, lies within the domain of history." Opening paragraph of Judge F. W. Howay's British Columbia, The Making of a Province (Toronto, 1928). 65 First White Girl Born In Okanagan (The story of Mrs. Annie Cameron as told to her daughter, Mrs. A. J. Gatien of Kamloops, with whom she now lives). The first white girl born in the Okanagan was Annie Christian, born April 25, 1870, at The Mission/three miles south of Kelowna, to Joseph Christian and Annie Curran. As her mother died eleven hours after giving birth to the baby, she was nursed for six weeks by an Indian woman and her father had to go down Penticton way and purchase a cow to provide milk for the baby. She was taken care of by Mrs. Frank Young, the former Annie Mackin, and Mrs. Louis Christian, the former Celina Quesnel. •^[rriong her reminiscences are these: All travelling was done on horseback in the early days. Supplies were brought in by mule train as far as Penticton, then by raft from Penticton to Kelowna and Vernon. The only occasion she remembers of the Indians being hostile was hearing of an Indian putting a rope about Father Pandosy's neck to hang him and his being rescued in time by friendly Indians. (Mother was about six or seven years old when this happened.) She recalls than in 1875 she travelled to Cherry Creek silver mines with her uncle and aunt, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Christian. She sat on a pillow in front of her uncle's saddle and her aunt rode another horse. /The uncle was killed at Cherry Creek by a cave-in and was buried near there. Indians took word of the tragedy to J. Christian who came to get her and her aunt. For the trip home to The Mission she had to be strapped to her saddle and they saw a grizzly bear. Her father did not allow her to start school until she was eleven years of age as the teacher was always a man. The Indians did not attend school in those days but the half-breeds did and when she first started school the only other white child of the eleven pupils was a boy named Leon Lequime. For two years she went to this school which was two and one-half miles north of Okanagan Mission on the Vernon road.. The first lady teacher at the school was Miss Coughlin. When her father first came west he came by sailing vessel, 66 First White Girl Born in Okanagan crossed the isthmus of Panama and up the west coast to Victoria. There was no Panama Canal then of course and the passengers were carried across the isthmus by negro coolies. Two of these passengers / were Sisters of St. Ann on whom he always called whenever he visited Victoria and when they were told of his baby daughter they said, "When she is big enough bring her here for us to look after." So it was that in June 1883, when she was thirteen years of age, she went to Victoria to attend St. Ann's Academy. Her father took her as far as Yale by horse and buggy and mother recollects that the buggy was pulled by three horses, one of them being a leader. The road was just a trail to Vernon but was a wagon road from there to Yale. They carried their own food and a tent to sleep in for the trip from The Mission to Yale required twelve days and the only stopping place on the way was Boston Bar. From Yale she went by river boat to- New Westminster where she stayed overnight and from there she proceeded to Victoria on the steamer Yosemite. She remained in Victoria for two years before coming home for a holiday. When she came home for her first holiday in 1885 she travelled as far as Yale by boat and from Yale to' Savona on the new railway. As the railroad was not; completed at that time, not till that fall, she came from Savona to Kamloops by steamboat. This part of the trip was made at night and she had to go to bed and the negro porter had a hard time to awaken her. The remainder of her journey from Kamloops to The Mission was made by stage coach and the driver was Alex MacDonnell whom you know as the-f-ermer owner of the BX Ranch at Vernon. Her return trip to school in the fall was made by railway. While in Victoria she took piano and vocal lessons and was planning on entering St. Joseph's Hospital to train for a nurse but came home in the fall of 1886 to go east to visit her parents' relatives in Quebec. Sisters she liked were Sister Mary Loretta, Sister Mary Angell and Sister Mary Providence (Superior). Her chum at school was Miss Katie Burns whose father kept the American Hotel in Victoria. On her return from school in 1886 she travelled by train aftd^rernembers the fare from New Westminster to Kamloops was twenty-one dollars with meals extra. \She has reason to remember that-the-mea-ls-were extra because the sisters had bought her ticket and had not given her any extra money but there was- a priest on the train_w_hom she-knew, a Father Fey, and he paid for her meals. -—V\JL jflW^LtJ The Okanagan Historical Society—1954 Thtr trip to Quebec was begun by a drive to Sicamous and an overnight stop there. She travelled on the new railway and was seven days on the train. They had sleepers and the accommodation was very good as-Mr.-YoungJ__3__Lgiyen the porter a tip amounting to a dollar a day. She remembers it was very windy on the prairie and that at almost every station at which they stopped there were Indians in brightly colored striped blankets and she remembers one in a feathered head dress. The Indians were selling polished buffalo horns, to' be used as hat racks, for one dollar. In Quebec, she stayed with aunts and uncles in St. Anacet, Huntington County. Although she had studied French at school she had not learned to' speak it, but as she had to speak French or nothing in Quebec, by the time she came home she could speak it very well. She was married to John Duncan Cameron on October 8, 1888, by Father Carion O.M.I. At first they lived in Vernon but in 1890 went back to The Mission to her father. Then until 1895 they lived at Lansdowne between Armstrong and Enderby. From Lansdowne they moved to Salmon Arm where they built the first hotel and operated it until 1901. At that time they moved out to farm in the valley on nine acres of cleared land and seventy acres of timber. There had been a saw mill on the place but, it had been torn down. They rented the farm in 1919 and moved to Brighouse, Lulu Island, where they lived until 1923, then returned to the farm until 1938. At that time they retired to live in Salmon Arm city. Her husband died in 1946 but she continued to live in Salmon Arm until 1949 at which time she moved to live with her daughter Mrs. A. J. Gatien, 449 St. Paul Street, Kamloops. Mr. and Mrs. Cameron had eleven children, eight of whom are living: Lillian, Mrs. E. Timpany, Salmon Arm; Charlotte, Mrs. A. J. Reader, Salmon Arm; James J., San Francisco, Calif.; John Lester, Sicamous; Florence, Mrs. A. J. Gatien, Kamloops; Marion, Mrs. J. W. Brault, San Francisco, Calif.; Russell, Salmon Arm; Bernadette, Mrs. G. Kennedy, Kamloops. Joseph Christian, the late Mrs. Cameron's father, brought the first coal-oil lamp into the Okanagan. 68 Kelowna: Commercial and Social F. M. Buckland In the early 1890's times were hard, with a very limited market available for farm produce such as women and children were responsible for. Some small farms were planted out to vegetables, berries and small fruit. Larger places had milch cows, flocks of turkeys, ducks and chickens. They had butter, eggs and poultry to sell or trade for groceries, etc., to the local storekeeper, who, in turn, had to find a market on the outside. The family who could supply the hotel, or better still, the S.S. Aberdeen larder, were indeed fortunate, even when they had to wait sixty days for payment, while their bill went through the C.P.R. books in the usual way. It was cash eventually, perhaps 8 or 10c a dozen for eggs; and 15c per lb. for butter, and corresponding values for fresh milk and vegetables. Conditions were bad, practically no money in the Mission Valley and no market for the produce of the newly planted small farms, while over in the mining country around Slocan Lake things were booming. The Kootenay Country which imported its entire food supply could easily absorb all our surplus produce. So what could Bernard Avenue, Kelowna, 1906., looking east from Palace Hotel. The Okanagan Historical Society—1954 farmers and ranchers do to get their crops to that market, was the question of the time. A meeting was called at Benvoulin Schoolhouse by Alf. Postill to discuss this problem. That day, in the fall of 1893, the first Cooperative Association to be formed in the Okanagan Valley was brought into being. A collection was taken up amounting to $160.00 to defray expenses for four delegates to visit Sandon and arrange for a market, if possible. The delegates were Howard Dell, Mark Howard, John Casorso, and R. S. Hall. Armed with $40.00 each, and authority to do business, these Mission Valley farmers travelled into the Slocan Country by way of Revelstoke and the Arrow Lakes, Arriving in Sandon, they rented a small 10' x 12' log cabin at $10 per month and stowed away their baggage while they had a look around and decided where to locate a warehouse, if that were possible. The C.P.R. was building into Sandon at the time, and Superintendent Marpole's special train was on the track. Mr. Hall introduced himself to Mr. Marpole and explained that he and his company represented a group of farmers in the Okanagan Valley who were anxious to get into this market. They wanted a warehouse on C.P.R. tracks, as that was the only way of shipping from Kelowna. At a second interview the delegates were asked if they had selected a suitable place for their warehouse requirements. They pointed out a location which would suit their purpose, but were told it had been chosen for station buildings. Had they a second choice? They had. It was across a ravine. This was granted and the site proved very satisfactory. With the railroad siding on one hand, and the road to the mines on the other, these Okanagan Mission farmers dug a cellar 20' x 60' and traded vegetables and horse feed for lumber. Here they erected a feed house over the cellar and started business. Bob Hall was left in charge, while Mr. E. R. Bailey acted as Secretary, and attended to the shipping of fruit, vegetables, oats and hay at the Kelowna end. At Kelowna a warehouse was built on the lakeshore beside the C.P.R. wharf, Block 51. This packing house with vegetable cellar underneath and a smokehouse alongside was later operated by the Kelowna Shippers Union until 1900, when Stirling and Pitcairn took over the assets of that company and used the upper part of the building for their Fruit Packing Plant. - 70 Kelowna: Commercial and Social The Lequime Store, 1900. The first exhibition of farm products of the Okanagan Mission Valley district was displayed in this building in the fall of 1896. Hogs grown in large numbers by the dry farmers in the vicinity of Kelowna were marketed on the hoof and slaughtered at the "Pig- aloo" on the lake front, where the present power house now stands. The pork when dressed was processed into hams and bacon, dry- salted in large vats and eventually smoked with birch wood and hung to cure in the basement of the packing house. This local product was marketed successfully at the mines and lumber camps throughout the country. Captain Nicols, whose home was at the east end of Eli Avenue, was in charge of this meat packing plant, which operated for several years, eliminating to a great extent the long overland drives necessarily made by the swine herds in the past decade, and giving employment to several people. About this stage in our development, 1894, John Collins arrived from England with capital to invest in a new country. Louis Holman, an American from Wisconsin, with a knowledge of tobacco culture, had come into the Valley earlier. Getting together, these men started a plantation at the Mission across the road from Lequime's blacksmith shop and beside the mill. A successful crop was harvested and the following year, C. S. Smith, who had arrived in 71 The Okanagan Historical Society—1954 the Okanagan from the West Indies, made further contribution to the tobacco plantation experiment, when he interested himself by investing his money in the industry. That year more ground was planted with the result that sufficient tobacco leaf was grown and cured to warrant a small cigar factory, which operated for several years. Here and there around the Mission tobacco barns were built to house the green leaf harvested in early September. There the leafed stalks were left to hang and dry until a mild spell in January allowed it to be handled and stripped. This gave winter work to those in need of employment, and for some years the tobacco industry looked as though it would become the main business of the Mission Valley. With the Kelowna Shippers Union organized, a building was erected by 1896 at the corner of Abbott and Bernard, Block 12, designed with offices on the ground floor, and a cigar factory in the upper storey. There cigar makers were put to work as soon as the crop of tobacco leaf had been cured, stripped and made into hands. It took three grades and varieties of tobacco leaf to build a good cigar—a core, a filler, and the wrapper—all of which were produced and processed in the fields and barns around Kelowna. Mission planters claimed there were elements in this soil essential for the production of good cigar tobacco, and the manufacturers produced a smoke which, when properly cured, rolled and seasoned, was a delight to the connoisseur. Burley, Havana, and Sumatra leaf grew well and worked up nicely. Extracted from an advertisement issued in the 1890's are the following observations: "The K.S.U. is to a certain extent the offspring of an older association working on co-operative plans founded in 1895, for the purpose of handling all kinds of farm and garden produce under the guidance of Messrs. Stirling and Crozier. After a time it was found desirable, in order to gain more favourable shipping terms, and to meet the rising demands in the Kootenay for farm produce, to reorganize and work on a different system; the result—incorporation of K.S.U., 1896, with a capital in 1898 of $8,000.00. The directors and shareholders are all men deeply interested in the prosperity of the district, since they are either property holders, farmers or merchants. The Managing Director, Mr. C. S. Smith, and the Secretary, Mr. C. A. S. Atwood, are thorough and up-to-date business men, whose whole time and attention are given to the business of the Company." 72 Kelowna: Commercial and Social The following statement was kindly supplied by Mr. C. S. Smith at that time. "The largely increased volume of trade during the six months ending March, 1898, when $20,000.00 was actually paid out in the purchase of produce, in wages, and for the erection of warehouses, etc., proves that the object for which the company was formed has been carried out, and the circulation of this money is found to advantageously affect the district; and the establishment of such industries as pork-packing and cigar-making must add to the prosperity of the Valley. The latter business has just been taken in hand by the Company under the superintendence of a highly skilled manager. Tobacco growing was first undertaken by Mr. Collins in 1894. In this year he entered into an arrangement with Mr. Holman, who thoroughly understands the cultivation of the plant. The quality of the leaf was so good that Mr. Holman advised Mr. Collins to plant more extensively the following year. The result was better than anticipated, so he continued expending more capital, and though no market presented itself, they did not lose hope of ultimate success, which is now, we trust, about to be realized. Samples of the leaf and cigars were submitted to experts, who, one and all, have given highly favourable reports. Messrs. Collins and Holman deserve the thanks of the community for introducing an industry which is found to add considerably to the monetary welfare of the Valley." The substantial office building of the Kelowna Shippers Union, with cigar factory above, stands to the present day in Block 12, Plan 462, as the Edinburgh Apartments. Lequime's original sawmill had a capacity of 28,000 board feet per day's cut, and employed a number of men. It burned down with considerable lumber loss in 1899. Both rough and finished lumber was cut, and found a ready market in the mining camps of Camp McKinney and Fairview. The mill was rebuilt a few yards further north of the first location, where it operated for six years, until it was again burned to the ground in 1906. Again it was moved, farther north along the beach, where the new Civic Centre and gardens will be laid out. A booklet, ornamented with a crest showing a Grizzly Bear's head in a circle, was issued and circulated by the Agricultural and Trades Association of the Okanagan Mission Valley, 1898, and announces: "This Association was formed in 1894 to encourage and foster the agricultural and trading interests of the Okanagan Mission 73 The Okanagan Historical Society—A 954 Valley. In the above year Messrs. Bailey, George Rose, Atwood, Raymer and Crozier, recognizing the valuable aid such a society would be in bringing the farming and trading interests into closer relationship, summoned meetings which were held at regular intervals. At these reunions papers bearing upon subjects of vital importance to the community were read, and discussions carried on. Thus, by degrees, the Association grew and prospered. In the following year of 1895 Mr. Stirling suggested the formation of the first Shippers Union for marketing farm and garden produce. This, in its turn, was superseded by the present prosperous Kelowna Shippers Union, of which mention has just been made. It will thus be seen that to the A. & T.A. is due in a marked degree the origin and development of our present satisfactory condition. Messrs. Raymer, President; Stirling, Vice-President; and Watson, Secretary, are thoroughly practical men, under whose guidance the Society is bound to go ahead. Their last venture is to purchase land—Lots 44 and 45, Map 462, north of Gaston Avenue—for the erection of exhibition buildings, etc., which will be ready for the Fall Show. This Annual Exhibition of the resources of the district is under the direct control of the A. & T.A., which, from the first, has been responsible for the highly creditable show." A regulation half mile race track was laid out in the exhibition ground with a ball ground in the infield for lacrosse, football and baseball. It was also used for polo practice. Another source of entertainment was under the direction of Mr. E. R. Bailey, who had charge of the "Kelowna Lending Library," which had on its shelves a good supply of works of history, biography and fiction. Rev. Father Carion was in charge of the Mission Ranch in 1896, when that property was sold or traded for mineral shares or a mine to Father Eumelin, who goes down in history as the last of the farmer priests to operate Rural Lot 133, and adjoining lands. Some 2,000 acres had been acquired through the forty years of Oblate Management. This property supported five hundred cattle and about thirty head of horses, which were raised for use on the ranch. Some five hundred tons of hay was grown and fed on the farm. Wheat, oats, barley and vegetables cultivated for the use of the Mission had a surplus which supplied other local needs. Usually two lay brothers were attached to the place as superintendent and foreman. They were responsible for the care of the stock, and 74 Kelowna: Commercial and Social hired and fired the help needed for the different seasons. Eight or ten extra men were usually required for haying and grain harvest. When Father Eumelin came to Okanagan Mission he brought with him his mother and sister, and installed a foreman, or overseer, for the estate. Fr. Eumelin bought the Saucier and Nicholson property of 80 acres, a block now owned by the Casorso family, and added this to the farm. Here he had a tobacco barn built by Contractor Raymer, and Mr. John Casorso was put in charge of this larger venture in tobacco culture. Tobacco was grown there for several years under the direction of Louis Holman, who had the responsibility of the grading and curing. The cigar leaf when cured and ready for the factory was sold in Kelowna and Vernon, where it was molded into a cigar of good grade and quality. The Mission Ranch at that time had a full complement of farm equipment necessary for a place that size, and had produced good crops for forty years, watered from the immediate vicinity of Mission Creek. Good buildings and fences had been erected over this period of time, so, what with hogs, poultry and garden truck, an independent living was possible to those who operated in this way. But Fr. Eumelin was not a farmer, and as the parish gradually filled with new people coming to the country, it became necessary to spend more time with his congregation. Therefore, in 1902, the Mission Ranch was sold to Gruell and Fascioux for $35,000, with the exception of the Saucier and Nicholson block, which was bought by John Casorso for $5,000 in 1903. The new owner carried on the O.M. brand until he in turn sold out to the South Kelowna Land Company some years later. Kelowna's population was gradually increasing, and not altogether by migration from other parts of the world, either, it seems. In 1894 the first white child born on the Townsite was a son to Mr. and Mrs. H. W. Raymer. He was called Bernard. This event was followed within a month by the arrival of a daughter at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Haug. They called their child, Edith, and she was the first white girl born in Kelowna. On the south side of Bernard Avenue, from Abbott street to Pendozi Street, hitching posts ornamented the edge of a six-foot plank walk, while the north side presented a public scales, where loads of hay, vegetables, cattle, hogs and sheep were weighed at 25c a ticket. Further along, on both sides of the street, the substantial homes had lawns and flower gardens, with vegetable plots 75 The Okanagan Historical Society—1954 in the rear. Houses were painted and outbuildings whitewashed. A picket fence bordering the sidewalk was broken by a garden gate, as well as a carriage gate and driveway which led to the rear. There a stable with loft housed the family driving horse and buggy, while a roothouse, woodshed and icehouse occupied space near the kitchen door. A well with pump, or a drive point and pump, provided water at no great depth. Gravelled paths would lead from a front door through well clipped lawns and brilliant flower beds as Kelowna residents were already taking a pride in their town. Across the four- plank sidewalk some of the homes boasted of a hitching rail and a mounting block—appointments necessary in a country where so many equestrians took their pleasure in the saddle, or driving a buggy. The last of these convenient "horse blocks" to be used stood in front of the Doctor's, the Rectory, and one or two other residences. The "mounting block" was made, in some instances, by cutting steps, about three in number, in a great log of wood, which was set on end to stand about 30 inches high. This, when climbed, would allow a lady attired in a long riding habit to place her foot in the stirrup and her knee over the horn of a side saddle without any effort, when her horse was led alongside. The mounting block eliminated the usual assistance rendered by a gentleman friend or groom, who otherwise would give the fair rider a "leg up." Elderly gentlemen also often found it a convenience, especially if they used the English type of saddle tree. Milch cows, and work horses, were often turned loose to graze and nibble at grass along the street sides and vacant lots. This helped to keep an overgrowth of grass and weeds under control at a minimum of expense, even though some of the more fastidious townsfolk objected to animal droppings scattered along the plank walks. Pack horses were in great demand during the Klondike Gold Rush, 1898-9. This was an opportunity for some of our ranch hands and cowboys to make a few dollars and clear the ranges of useless cayuse bands which occupied grass country that beef could use. Some of the wild horses that roamed in the rough country back of Squally Point were rounded up, branded, driven out of the Valley and sold for pack animals. Perhaps these small horses could carry 150 pounds at a load, and if they survived one or two trips before their bones were left to bleach on the "Trail of '98," they would pay for the investment, which would be about $5.00 per 76 Kelowna: Commercial and Social head, and their transportation to the scene of operations. Many of these poor creatures were so exhausted by the time they were run down and roped, that when the roundup was over, they were despatched on the spot. Others with more stamina, and perhaps caught with less exertion, were shipped out, but they must have been a sorry lot of cayuses when they reached their destination. The reception and welcome home of two Boer war veterans took place February 1901, when Sergeant William Brent, a native son, and Cecil Nicholson, who had served with the Strathcona Horse, returned to Kelowna from Africa. Our town people had erected an arch for the occasion, which they decorated and trimmed with cedar boughs, flags and bunting. The Arch was set up on Bernard Avenue in front of Lequime's Store. When the Aberdeen arrived at the dock all the available inhabitants of the town and district were there to' meet it. First, the Reception Committee, represented by D. W. Sutherland, presented each returned man with a Key to the City. The Key, an iron bar two feet long with a turned handle at one end, and a three by four inch tongue at the other, had been made by McQueen, the blacksmith, for the occasion. Then Billy and Cecil were hoisted into a buggy and wheeled under the Arch of Triumph, with Archie McDonald of the Lakeview, and John Brown, a rancher, both big heavy men, in the shafts. Cheering crowds made up of business, professional and ranch people, pushed the vehicle and followed along the street. It was a great reception and the memory remains with our old-timers to the present day. No doubt the Lakeview Bar did a roaring business that afternoon and evening. Cecil Nicholson was the son of a trained concert singer by profession, who had married her pianist, a Mr. Spicer. They lived near the Exhibition Grounds at that time. Ed Hayward, Bert Hall and Harold Stillingfleet also served with the Strathcona Horse, but were not on hand for this great event. Although vegetables, hay, grain and some fruit had been shipped to mining towns and other outside points, it was not until 1901 that the first straight car of apples was packed, loaded and shipped from the Okanagan Valley. That year Stirling and Pitcairn, who had taken over the defunct K.S.U. fruit warehouse on Bernard Avenue, assembled some seven hundred boxes of apples at Okanagan Landing. These were loaded and braced in a box car which was billed to a prairie point. This was the first attempt at big business. Mr. Stirling, 77 The Okanagan Historical Society—1954 who had come to Kelowna in 1893 and planted the Bankhead Orchard, went east in the early part of November, 1901, to make sale contacts as far east as Winnipeg. Apple boxes were of slightly different dimensions from the standard box used today, and contained what was known as the "square pack," which allowed different sized apples in the setup. This first carload had been gathered from different parts of the Okanagan, reaching from Trout Creek Flats to the Mission Valley plantings on several old ranches, as far north as Duck Lake. Much of the packing was done in the orchard, and the few boxes delivered to Kelowna each day were loaded on the Aberdeen and transferred to the Landing. It is told by one of the railway men who witnessed the loading trip after trip, as the steamer delivered a few boxes at a time, that it took two weeks to assemble this first car of apples. That was the beginning of an industry in the Okanagan Valley and the Province of British Columbia, which fifty years later yielded approximately 9,000,000 boxes of fruit from an estimated 25,000 acres; aggregating in cash some Thirty Million Dollars. Mr. Hoffman was Stirling and Pitcairn's packing foreman in 1900-1, and Chas. Clement, who is still with us, acted as packing foreman 1902-3, when he superintended the packing and wrapping of the first Export Car. In 1903 this fruit firm packed two cars of apples, one of which was wrapped in paper. It was an experimental shipment and was watched with interest by those responsible. The condition of the fruit on arrival at Glasgow after a long rail haul and ocean voyage determined which was the better method of packing—wrapped or unwrapped. Lawson and Rowcliffe had their grocery store on the corner of Bernard Avenue and Water Street, with an assembly place for local soft fruit and vegetables in the Mair's Building, where Ernest Clement held a position as fruit packer in the final days of the K.S.U. Clement worked at a single bench with a home made lidding press, and no such equipment as a box hatchet or a nail stripper. Sorting, lidding and marking were all done by one person, who, when the packs were complete, trundled them across the street to the Steamboat Landing in a hand barrow, to ship as freight or express in small lots, as the market absorbed them. By 1904 Wilson Henry, a California fruit man, had charge of the packing end of the fruit industry with Stirling and Pitcairn. It was he who introduced the American type of apple box now in use; 78 Kelowna: Commercial and Social also the first box hatchet and the first nail stripper to be used here, and it was considered that an honour had been conferred when one of the men under his supervision was allowed to use these tools. Horses hitched to farm wagons, equipped with two and three ton springs, hauled fruit to the packing house and cultivated the orchards with plow and drag harrow. At that time in our history a handworked spray pump here and there was all the equipment a rancher had to fight the ever increasing encroachment of fruit pests and bugs. These were no doubt introduced by the series of large plantings continually extending where irrigation was available in the country. It was not all work for the early citizens of Kelowna. They enjoyed sports as well. Skating on Whittop's pond, Bankhead and the Creek mouth, was a winter pastime enjoyed then by the young folks much more than it is today. Perhaps the winters were colder and the seasons longer. Dancing parties and the production of concerts and theatricals, such as "Charlie's Aunt", filled the winter evenings for those with talent for the stage. Lacrosse was the summer game, and rivalry was keen between Kelowna, Vernon and Armstrong, with interchange of games throughout the season. Cricket was also popular with Old Country men, and polo was successfully played by those who could afford the time and ponies. A brass band under the direction of J. J. Stubbs played on public holidays and at the Agricultural Exhibition, where an increasing variety of crops was displayed, and where a sports program of athletic events, or horse-racing took place, weather permitting. A field of twelve or more running ponies would break from the starter's wire, and make the half mile course in 52 or 53, coming down the home stretch almost in a bunch. This caused as much excitement for the spectators, who knew all the horses and their riders, who were neighbours and friends, as though they had been watching a Woodbine or the Derby. Of course fishing, swimming and deer stalking all had their adherents as they have today. The roarin' game "fra the Land o' Cakes" was played on a frozen slough beside the creek, on the west side of Abbott Street. Scotsmen and Eastern Canadians used in some cases "stones" made from blocks of wood weighted with iron; and there are reputed to be several sets submerged in the mud under the driveway, because of a sudden thaw and overflow that let them through the ice, where they had been carelessly left by the players. 79 The Okanagan Flistorical Society—-1954 Another sport in which they engaged in the early fall was a "Turkey Shoot". There contestants matched their marksmanship with a rifle or shotgun. The winner received a live turkey for his skill or luck. With a shotgun at sixty yards the person who placed the most shot pellets through a three-inch circular piece of paper fastened to a plank was the winner, while the rifle man who could come closest to the centre of a two-inch bullseye on the rifle target took the prize. On one occasion Mr. E. Weddell, manager of Lequime Bros, and Company, was taking part in a shooting match. He was a good shot and placed his 30-30 bullet in the bullseye a little to one side. While the spectators were congratulating Mr. Weddell and admiring his shot, Joe Brent, who was runner-up in the contest, picked up a carpet tack and stuck it in the centre of the bullseye, boasting he could drive it through with a bullet at the same distance. This he did with one shot, winning the match and the turkey. Unfortunately for some of our early citizens too much time was wasted at cards, -such as poker, blackjack, and other games of chance. Those who became gamblers, in several cases, lost all they had. A poker game was in progress almost any time a fellow wished to sit in at the old Lakeview, with a tinhorn called Tommy, who was always ready to play—morning, afternoon or evening. It was during one morning session that the local minister walked in on the gang and said, "Boys, I want your attention for a moment." The game stopped as the players listened respectfully to the preacher, as he told them of an accident that had occurred farther up the Valley. A stump rancher, not in very good financial circumstances, had broken a leg. He had a wife and children, and as the family depended on his wages earned in the hay fields, they were going to be in poor shape to' go into the winter, and would need some assistance. "So," continued the parson, "I am out to collect some money for their benefit and thought this would be a good place to start the contributions." The poker players had leaned back in their chairs, as they listened with sympathy. There was $16, in the pot. A hand had just been dealt and the cards were laying face down on the table. The tinhorn gambler, Tommy, arose immediately to the occasion and, picking up the $16, said 'Here, Your Reverence, take the whole pot—that should start you off all right." The minister accepted the gamblers' money, and, thanking the boys, took his leave as the 80 Kelowna: Commercial and Social players picked up their cards to commence another game. Then the fun began: "Of all the dirty, lowdown tricks ever played on me," shouted an elderly, gray-bearded player. "You are a hell of a philanthropist, giving away my money the way you done!" and he displayed a hand which would have lifted the jackpot had the play proceeded. "I won't say whether or nor I had a peek at my cards," confessed the tinhorn, when he told the story years after, "but the old boy never forgave me, and wouldn't speak to me for a year, because he had been denied the opportunity of presenting the parson with the donation." Heavy snow and a quick run-off caused considerable discomfort in 1903, when spring flood water rushed down our creeks to the Lake. At that time there was no control of creekhead waters as there is today; no dams to hold back and conserve irrigation water for the late summer when creeks went dry. So May and June saw great floods roaring down Mission Creek to break the bank above Benvoulin school house, and by way of Mill Creek come rushing down to inundate a great part of what is now the City of Kelowna. To make matters worse, the mouth of the Okanagan River at Penticton was choked with uprooted trees and other debris until the Lake was raised many feet above the usual high level. So, with high lake level and overloaded creeks, Kelowna was under water in many places. In the north water floated the three-plank sidewalk on the east side of Ellis Street. Lake water reached into the business section as far as Blocks 17 and 18, and most of the parkland was submerged. South of the Creek on Pendozi Street water stood ankle deep for half a mile or more. On Abbott Street and the lower end of Bernard Avenue raised sidewalks reached from the flooded C.P.R. dock to the Lakeview Hotel where the Lake lay two feet deep. East to Water Street it was possible to navigate a rowboat or canoe along the store fronts, or tie up in at the Post Office in Block 12. Those who stepped off the raised planking would go to the knee in water, as was the case on several occasions. Creek water flowed through the Knox farm lands and spread over many acres of land west of Richter Street, as it made its way to the Lake. There was a repetition of this condition in 1904, but not quite as bad. Public pressure brought to bear in Victoria had the mouth of the Okanagan River cleared, allowing a freer run-off. Many bridges had been washed away, and ranchers came to town over a trail along the cemetery benches. 81 The Okanagan Historical Society—1954 Cattle ranching was still the big industry in our Valley at the turn of the Century. Herds running from a few hundred to two and three thousands ranged the hills in summer and fed in the fenced-in meadows during the winter. The first of the larger cattle men to break his holdings was A. B. Knox. Knox had sold an acre of land in 1897 to D. Lloyd-Jones, on the north corner of the Bernard Avenue extension through the Knox property. The opposite corner was donated to the Presbyterian Church, which was, like the Benvoulin Church, a Mission fostered by the Guelph organization. Knox was a good rancher with seventeen hundred cattle, and a hundred or more horses, when he sold out his land holding near Kelowna to a syndicate consisting of Joseph Glenn, F. R. E. DeHart, James Harvey of Indian Head, Saskatchewan, and D. W. Sutherland of Kelowna, for $75,000. The property was surveyed into lots ranging in size from one hundred feet frontage, with 120 foot depth on Bernard Avenue, to one, two and five-acre lots further back, with Ethel Street running through the middle of the subdivision, north and south. Kelowna had by this time 640 acres of land surveyed into lots, and they were picked up at reasonable prices by newcomers from the Prairie Provinces, some of whom thought it a nice place to retire—two acres with a cow and garden. Mr. Knox then sold his horses and herd of cattle to big ranchers in the Nicola, and was at that time considered quite a rich man. Many new homes were built the following year to accommodate the ever-increasing population of the town. With ten or a dozen dwellings under construction at one time, there was every appearance of a miniature boom. Three-plank sidewalks served the residential district and those who wished to attend church, or go visiting after dark, carried a stable lantern to light the way and keep one from stepping into mud puddles in the dark. For fellowship and economic reasons, the various Protestant followings in the Valley were more or less united in their church work and services; but as population increased they broke apart to form their own selected groups. Mount View Methodist Church was dedicated by the Rev. J. H. Wright of Vernon, 1903. The building was bought from Charles Mair and moved from his farm property at Benvoulin to the farm of John Dilworth a mile further north on the Mission Road. They placed the little frame church just north of Dry Creek, where it remained for several years. It was again moved to Rutland north of the present school when that 82 Kelowna: Commercial and Social centre was established in 1906. The building burned down some years later. Rev. J. P. Hicks officiated as the first minister, 1903. The Methodists of Kelowna bestirred themselves and built their first church on the southwest corner of Block 14, Pendozi and Lawrence. Rev. Geo. E. Smith who was in the district as a probationer in the early days, was the first ordained Methodist Minister stationed at Kelowna. The new frame church built in 1903 had seating capacity for 140, and a comfortable Parsonage was added in 1905. Bernard Lequime, who was head of the family by this time, sold their 6,743 acres to T. W. Stirling and W. R. Pooley for $65,000 on the 14th of March, 1904. Mr. Graves of the Douglas Lake Cattle Company bought their large herd of cattle, excepting fifty cows with calf which were sold locally. The horses were sold to Mr. John Buckland, of Thornhill, Manitoba, who took East with him a little pack mule, last of the train which had freighed over Hope Mountain for so many years. This mule had been sold off the ranch several times, but such was his fondness for the Okanagan, that no matter where he was taken—Fraser Valley, Cariboo, or on his last trip, East Kootenay—he "hightailed" it for home at the first opportunity, leaving his new owner miles behind. When last heard of, he was breaking prairie sod in a four-mule team near Coronation, Alberta. At that time Lequime's stock brand, the figure "4" burned on the left shoulder of a horse and right hip of a cow, so long familiar to stock men in the Valley, now disappeared from the range. That year the townsite was again enlarged. A half-section of the Lequime property south of Mill Creek and Richter Street, extending to the east and the Lake, was surveyed into various sized lots, mostly acreage, and Pendozi Street was extended as it is today. A bridge was thrown over the Creek and the great Cottonwood trees which covered the right of way were felled to build a corduroy road for the first 400 feet, which at that time was covered with water. The corduroy was then decked with 3" plank, 16 feet wide, which allowed for the passing of horses and vehicles without danger of bogging down, or of broken bones until higher ground was reached. Rye grass lands and cultivated hay meadows to the south, and east as far as Mission Creek, were divided into ten and twenty acre lots, which were readily bought up. A bridge was built over Mission Creek, serving the bench land of the Kelowna Land and Orchard Company. When irrigation was supplied to the benches, they were 83 The Okanagan Historical Society—1954 soon planted out to orchards to keep company with one planted by S. T. Long on the bank of Mission Creek a year or two earlier. The first dwelling house across the Creek built on the corner of Park and Pendozi by J. J. Stubbs was followed by S. T. Elliott's cottage. J. F. Burne, Attorney and Solicitor, erected a home on high ground in the bush on Burne Avenue. Further school accommodation was needed and a second room was opened in the Court House in Bernard Avenue which served until a large frame four-roomed school was built on the corner of Richter and Glenn Avenue. Okanagan Mission Post Office at Lequime's Store still served the settlers at the old site, but was shortly moved to its present position on the lakeshore several miles south of Mission Creek. A return wire strung from Bankhead Ranch house to Stirling and Pitcairn's Packing House, with a battery telephone at each end, was followed by a similar connection between Dr. Boyce's home and P. B. Willitt's Drug Store. Then in Block 12. D. W. Crowley Company Limited placed a line between their butcher shop, stables and the Crowley and Buckland residences. The following year H. H, Millie offered to assemble these several lines at a homemade switchboard placed in his watch repair shop in Block 14, and when this was done Miss Mamie McCurdy officiated as our first telephone operator at that new central. Two or three more private lines were set up in the course of time. Then finally Mr. Millie turned over his switchboard and goodwill, together with his patrons' lines and phones, to the Okanagan Telephone Company when it was formed. H. B. D. Lysons had a boat building shop on the beach north of the Sawmill, where he turned out small rowing and sailing craft. It was he who operated the first power driven ferry plying between Kelowna wharf and Siwash Point, 1904, with a 27-foot gasboat towing a small barge. By 1905 Mr. Lysons had a charter from the Provincial Government to operate on a schedule. The "Skookum," a 30-foot gas engined boat was launched, and handled an 18 x 40 foot scow alongside for horses, wagons or cattle. Two runs per day were made—9 a.m. and 4 p.m., weather permitting. For this service the traveller paid 25c per person and $1.00 per head for livestock or a vehicle. On the west side Siwash Point was abandoned as a landing place for the present site. In August, 1904, a bad fire threat- 84 Kelowna: Commercial and Social ened to destroy the C.P.R. warehouses and Stirling and Pitcairn's packinghouse. A load of baled hay on the dock became ignited by some careless smoker, no doubt. It was a day when Kelowna citizens One of the three Kelowna-Westbank Perries. and their neighbours were enjoying a programme of planned water sports—one of our very early regattas. Events such as swimming, diving, single and double rowing races in home made flatbottomed boats held the attention of man, women and children during the afternoon. The most exciting moment occurred while the S.S. Aberdeen lay at the wharf about 4 p.m. At that time one of our local characters, a remittance man, walked out on the extreme stern of the big boat and after drawing the attention of the crowd, dived from the top of the great paddle wheel cover with all his clothes and boots on. In the early evening of the same day a boxing match between Billy Newman and Marshall was arranged to take place in the men's bathing house. The building was originally Lequime's storehouse and stood on the beach some hundred yards west of the present promenade entrance to the Park, alongside where the hulk of the old S.S. Penticton lay beached at the time. As 85 The Okanagan Historical Society—1954 dusk fell, the sporting fraternity gathered at the old shack which was lighted by a couple of stable lanterns held aloft by interested onlookers, and the half-fuddled contestants opened the fray without any preliminaries or introductions, and commenced to belt one another with all they had. This was soon stopped by friends and supporters. Then a timekeeper, a referee and two seconds were appointed, and the first round opened in earnest, when the cry of "fire, fire, fire!" broke over the assembly who rushed out into the late dusk to see flames breaking through the night. Everybody gathered helplessly around the fire until Lequime's store was opened and a quantity of galvanized buckets and tin pails handed out to willing fire fighters, who formed a bucket brigade. One man in the Lake filled paid after pail of water to be passed up the line from hand to hand by the chain of volunteer firemen, and the water was splashed on the flames. After a fierce struggle the fire was quenched with only slight damage to the roof of one of the freight sheds. A fire menace such as this gave great concern to those who had their life savings invested in the town. No protection but buckets and manpower! It wouldn't do. So Kelowna business men bargained for the Old San Francisco fire engine "Brodric," which had seen service in California as early as 1 850, and had come north from one frontier town to another until it landed in Vernon, and was again out of use because of a water system recently installed. A subscription was taken up among those in Kelowna who were most interested, and the old hand-pumped fire engine with 400 feet of 3J/2 inch hose and a long leather suction intake was purchased from the City of Vernon for $400. There was great excitement the afternoon the "Brodric" arrived on the forward main deck of the Aberdeen, and when the deck hands had delivered it on the wharf it was seized by a crowd of bystanders, Sam Elliott in the lead. With its old bell clanging wildly for right of way, our first Fire Engine made its initial run up Bernard Avenue, much to the disgust of the Station Agent who followed the procession on the run, waving a Waybill in his hand and calling out to those in front to "Bring it back, the freight hasn't been paid." In view of the fact that the townspeople had saved the C.P.R. property from destruction a few weeks before, it is a question if the freight ever was paid. The Kelowna Club was organized in 1904 and a Charter obtained August 4th of that year, with C. S. Smith as the first President. The Charter read as follows: "In the matter of The Ben- 86 Kelowna: Commercial and Social evolent Societies Act, and amended acts, we, the undersigned, declare that we are desirous of being incorporated under the name and for the objects hereinafter set forth, under the provisions of the Benevolent Societies Act and Amending Acts which name and objects are as follows: 1. The intended corporation name of the Society is "The Kelowna Club." 2. The objects of the society are social intercourse, mutual helpfulness, mental and moral improvement, rational recreation and the promotion of good fellowship among members. 3. The names of those who are to be the first trustees or managing officers are J. L. Pridham, C. S. Smith, H. E. Wallis, H. W. Raymer, H. S. Rose, D. W. Sutherland, H. S. Stillingfleet, G. W. Mappen, A. H. Crichton, who may from among themselves appoint a President, a Vice-President, and Secretary-Treasurer, and they shall hold office until a General Meeting of the Society, which shall be called in one year from the date hereof, to elect new trustees or managing officers, and the retiring Trustees or Managing Officers shall be eligible for re-election. The successors of the said Trustees or Managing Officers shall be elected at the times and in the manner provided by the bylaws of the Society. The Society shall have a common seal of such design as may be chosen by the Trustees or Managing Officers. In testimony whereof we have made and signed these presents this twelfth day of August A.D. 1904. Signed in the presence of Walter R. Pooley, Notary Public, Pro. B.C. Filed in duplicate the 30th day of August, 1904. S. Y. Wooten Registrar General." The Club began with a room on the ground floor of the K.S.U. building, which was furnished as a reading room with a desk and table for writing and a few easy chairs for relaxation. Here the Club remained until a later location on Leon Avenue between Pendozi and Ellis was selected and a substantial building erected, with lawn tennis courts and a bowling green as time progressed. "Benvoulin Schoolhouse" was first mentioned as such in the Okanagan School District Minutes, June 27, 1896. Benvoulin was again mentioned in two or three succeeding Minutes, but always as 87 The Okanagan Historical Society—1954 "The Schoolhouse," while the "Okanagan School District" continued to be referred as such, to the last page and Meeting, 1906, when the trustees met in Kelowna, December 19, in special session. The Annual Meeting called for June 25, 1904, had the three trustees, J. Dilworth, W. R. Barlee, and E. L. Conkling in attendance, but no election of trustees was held, as no voters appeared at the Meeting. At a special Meeting held January 21st, 1905, the election took place by unanimous vote. Another Motion by George E. Boyer, seconded by J. Dilworth, stated that, in the opinion of the Meeting, the present school building is totally unfit as a schoolhouse, and that the health of the children attending is endangered thereby- The Motion was carried. Moved by W. R. Barlee and seconded by A. Hardy that in the opinion of the Meeting a new schoolhouse is absolutely necessary and we hereby pray the Government to build one. Carried. It was also resolved that the School Board request the teacher to keep the school hours more punctual. Voters present at the Meeting: J. Dilworth, W. R. Barlee, E. L. Conkling, Geo. E. Boyer, John Con- lin, A. Patterson, A. Reid, T. G. Spear, I. Mawhiney Jr., A. Hardy, W. A. Scott, J. E. Lyttle, and W. A. Peterman. So the little log building passes, after doing service as a school for thirty years and a dwelling house ten years before that. It was demolished to make way for the present structure and is now almost forgotten. When the Coronation of King George VI was celebrated in Kelowna in 1937 one of the floats in the pageantry parade represented the first school in the Okanagan, and it was roofed with some of the original shakes taken from this first school building. When the old log school house was razed a number of the best shakes were piled up in the yard for light stove wood. Thirty years later some few remaining were used in pageantry. What became of the children who attended school here five decades ago? Several are still with us at this writing. One was hung for murder in the State of Washington; two or three are successful business men and ranchers; while one became a distinguished educator known and acclaimed across Canada. Who were the men who officiated as Trustees from time to time? We have had Catholic and Protestant, French, Scottish, Italian, English, German, and Irish mingling and deliberating to advance education in this young.country. English Public School boys Kelowna: Commercial and Social and men from old country universities exchanged ideas with men who attended a little Red School House in Huron or Bruce, while the habitant from Quebec, representing the Oldest Canada, left us examples of Goose Quill Copperplate, beautifully lined and shaded. They managed the school finances at a time when a dollar was worth one hundred cents, and one could buy things with a cent in those days. These people all played a part in developing educational consciousness in the rising generations who would take their rightful places in the next few decades. The little calf bound account book, with its first page entry by Angus McKenzie, October 26, 1875, closes with the statement on its last page: "Audited and found correct." George R. Binger, July 6, 1909. R. H. Spedding, an enterprising prairie newspaper man, was among the many at that time who were looking to the mountains for an easier climate in which to live. Mr. Spedding had edited country newspapers in two or three small towns in Manitoba and on visiting Kelowna saw an opportunity to ply his trade as printer and publisher in this fast growing town. So the "Kelowna Clarion" made its first issue to the public August 14, 1904. It was a 14 x 20 inch five column page, printed on a gasoline driven commercial press. The inside sheets of the Kelowna Clarion contained principally advertising matter, and week-old news, printed in Winnipeg. When this partly printed weekly arrived in Kelowna it was folded and folded again to allow the other four pages to contact the press block with town news and advertising, one at a time. The following year G. C. Rose took over the paper and changed the name to Kelowna Courier. A branch of the Bank of Montreal was opened in the Leckie Building, Block 13, November 1st, 1904, with H. G. Fisher in charge. For some time before this convenience was established banking was done in Vernon, with no telegraph or telephone connections between the towns. It was not to be wondered at that people carried their money around with them, and on making a purchase, pulled out a roll of bills, sometimes tied with binder twine, to liquidate their debt, or more often say, "Charge it," with the result that such firms as Lequime's presented their store bills once a year, when the crop was harvested and sold, or when the cattle buyers came to the Valley. J. S. Reekie, lately from Manitoba, with D. W. Sutherland acquired the Rabbit property and resold it almost immediately to Dr. 89 The Okanagan Historical Society—1954 W. H. Gaddes, J. W. Jones and others forming a company, which had bought up Mr. Rutland's grain farm on the flats east of Mill Creek, as well as a piece of the Simpson Ranch, and a block owned by Price Ellison. Consolidating these properties, which were later subdivided, they called the district "Rutland" for the Australian who had come to the Okanagan some years previous and worked a 400 acre ranch he had bought. As these lands had been dry farmed the new owners immediately prepared to instal an irrigation system by improving ditches already attempted at Eight Mile and Mission Creeks. This was one of the earlier efforts to water central valley lands, which was finally accomplished by the Black Mountain Irrigation Company. Starvation Flats of the early cattle days was known by 1905 as Dry Valley, and some ten ranchers made their homes in that district and were dry farming. Hundreds of acres were under the plow and sown to fall wheat and other grains. At the southern end we find Robert Munson with 320 acres partly cultivated. The wagon road from Kelowna ran through this place and, skirting the western side of the Valley, passed by Thomas Murray's 160 acres and John Morrison's 320. Beyond that Alex Gordon operated 640 with the Lawrence Brothers' 160, and the Eckelsons' 480 at the north end. To the east Robert McKay had 160, which took in McKay Lake, and along the eastern ridge James Murray cultivated 400 acres of his 480. Robert Goldie had an 80-acre strip between that and John Dilworth's 750 acres at the southern end of the east side. This great expanse of arable land needed water, and there were men in the country with vision and ability to see what irrigation would accomplish in the way of making homes for Eastern families who wished to move to a milder climate and establish themselves where they might expect to live a more comfortable life. So again we find Dr. W. H. Gaddes, J. W. Jones, and others interesting themselves in a possible irrigation system for Dry Valley. At first they had prospected Eight Mile Creek, hoping to conserve enough spring flood water in some place at the head waters of that Creek to siphon over the hill in summer. With the aid and advice of Dave McDougall this back country was investigated without success. Dave McDougall, a native son who had lived at the Mission most of his life, and had trapped and hunted in the hills for years, advised and insisted that the head waters of Mill Creek was the logical place for an irrigation dam, where water could be stored and 90 Kelowna: Commercial and Social siphoned across the Valley to land where it was needed. In the meantime the proposition was discussed with the Dry Valley farmers, and a ninety day option to purchase was secured on all the land. Then Dr. Gaddes and McDougall with two swampers spent two days tramping over the country now covered by Beaver Lake. On the way out, as they came down the hill, they met one of the settlers on a horse, all steamed up, going in to stake the country and take any advantage he might get by prior right. The staking was done, but the Department of Lands at Victoria refused his claim, and eventually a dam was built, and a 32 inch steel siphon laid on top of the ground across the Valley, which delivered the stored water on Dry Valley lands by 1908. The property was divided into 20-acre lots which were sold to Eastern people who built houses and planted orchards. As the name "Dry Valley" would hardly inspire confidence in a country sold in 20-acre lots for orchard, the Central Okanagan Lands and Orchard Company offered a cash prize of $100.00 for a more suitable name for the newly irrigated valley. The John Morrison farm had been named and known as Glenmore at an earlier date, so Mrs. Morrison submitted the name "Glenmore." Among the several other persons who offered names for the little valley was Mrs. A. R. Walker, an elderly lady who resided on Ethel Street with her husband. Mrs. Walker also suggested the name "Glenmore," which was accepted, so the prize was divided, each lady getting $50.00. There were times when great developments were considered and accomplished in a much quicker manner than these we have just recounted, if you can believe the story told by an oldtimer who had inherited the Irish wit. Three or four dry farmers in the Main Valley once met at the. home of one of the number to discuss the possibilities of bringing water down to their farms from Eight-Mile Creek. During the evening several bottles of Irish whiskey were consumed, and the story is that after an all night session, they had the whole scheme planned, and, if they had had one more bottle, the water would have been down on their farms by morning. The Charter of Incorporation of the City of Kelowna is dated May 4, 1905. This was the result of a petition for incorporation presented to the Lieutenant-Governor in Council by some 229 qualified voters. Business and professional men of Kelowna wisely considered the advantages the community would gain if self-controlled. 91 The Okanagan Historical Society—1954 The Charter provides that the Council should consist of a Mayor and five aldermen, nominations for these offices to be held at the School- house on May 15, 1905, at 12 o'clock noon and the polling if any on May 22nd, 1905, E. W. Wilkinson being appointed as Returning Officer. According to the Minute Book, the first meeting of the Council was held in the Schoolhouse on May 20, 1905, the members of the Council present being Mayor H. W. Raymer and Aldermen D. Lloyd-Jones, E. R. Bailey, C. S. Smith and D. W. Sutherland. Minutes of the Council Meeting of the City of Kelowna The new Council of the City of Kelowna met in the School- house on the 20th day of May, 1905. The members present were Mayor H. W. Raymer, Aldermen D. Lloyd-Jones, E. R. Bailey, C. S. Smith, D. W. Sutherland. After taking the declarations of office and qualifications, they took their seats at the Council board with the Mayor in the Chair. The following committees were appointed—Finance, Sutherland, Lloyd-Jones and Elliott; Health, Smith, Sutherland and Bailey; Works, Lloyd-Jones, Elliott and Bailey. Moved by Aldermen Sutherland and Smith that the Municipal Council of the City of Kelowna enact as follows: That the said Council shall appoint a Clerk, Treasurer and Collector. That the said offices be held by one person at an annual salary of $300.00. That the said officer furnish bond to the City for the sum of $1,000.00. The said Bylaw was read a first and second time. It was moved by E. R. Bailey and seconded by Lloyd-Jones that the Mayor be authorized to advertise in the Clarion for a City Clerk, Treasurer, and Collector. Carried. Moved by E. R. Bailey, seconded by C. S. Smith that D. W. Sutherland be authorized to get quotations on a'Seal and set of Books for the City. Carried. Moved by Sutherland, seconded by Smith that the Works Committee be authorized to make all necessary repairs to the sidewalks. Carried. Moved by Sutherland, seconded by Smith, That the Mayor send the Government a list of the names of the Aldermen, with a request that licensed commissioners be appointed. (signed) H. W. Raymer, Mayor. 92 Origins of Kelowna Street Names J. B. Knowles (In the list of street names the following symbols are used: A for avenue, B for boulevard, C for crescent, D for drive, P for place, R for road, and S for street). ABBOTT S: named for H. B. Abbott, C.E., superintendent of C.P.R., 1887-96. BAILLIE A: after Geo. H. Baillie, vice-president of C.P.R. Pacific division. BATH S: after Alfred Bath, C.N.R. engineer, barge service. BAY A: after Bay, daughter of F. R. E. DeHart. BEACH A: located between Abbott Street and Okanagan Lake. BERNARD A: after eldest son of Eli Lequime, Okanagan Mission. BERTRAM S: after J. D. Bertram, owner of adjacent property. BIRCH A: after John Birch, dairyman. BORDEN A: after Hon. R. L. Borden, Premier of Canada, 1911- 20. BOWES S: after James Bowes, proprietor of Lakeview Hotel. BOYCE C: after Dr. B. F. Boyce, Kelowna's first medical doctor, 1894. BROADWAY A: named by Grand Trunk Land Co., Winnipeg. BURNE A: after J. F. Burne, first solicitor to open office in Kelowna. BUCKLAND A: after F. M. Buckland, fruit grower, shipper, historian. CADDER A: after residence of T. W. Stirling, Pendozi Street. CAMBRIDGE A: named by Grand Trunk Land Co., Winnipeg. CARRUTHERS S: after E. M. Carruthers, joint owner of subdivision. CAWSTON A: named for Richard Lowe Cawston. 93 The Okanagan Historical Society—1954 CEDAR A: cedar trees on avenue. CENTRAL A: named by Grand Trunk Land Co., Winnipeg. CHAPMAN A: after David Chapman, former School Board Chairman. CHERRY S: named by Grand Trunk Land Co., Winnipeg. CHRISTLETON A: named by Captain Temple. CLEMENT A: named for William C. Clement and family, owners of adjacent property. COPELAND P: after R. A. Copeland, former owner of property. CORONATION A: in honour of H.M. King George V, crowned in 1911. CROWLEY A: after D. Crowley, early cattle dealer and butcher. DeHART A: after F. R. E. DeHart, Mayor of Kelowna, 1909. DORYAN A: after G. L. Dore and Howard Ryan, owners of adjacent property. DILLON S: after George Dillon, owner of adjacent property. DOYLE A: after James L. Doyle, Kelowna's first assessor and collector of customs. ELLIOTT A: named for Samuel T. Elliott, car and implement dealer. ELLIS S: after Thomas Ellis, J.P., cattleman, Penticton. ETHEL S: after Ethel, daughter of Joseph Glenn. FRANCIS A: after Arthur Francis, rancher. FULLER A: after William S. Fuller, owner of adjacent property. GAGNON P: after S. M. Qagnon, owner of adjacent property. GASTON A: second son of Eli Lequime. GLENMORE R: dividing road between Glenmore and Kelowna. GLENN A: after Joseph Glenn, owner of adjacent property. GLENWOOD A: named by T. W. Stirling. GRAHAM S: after James Graham, retired. GRENFELL A: named by R. A. Copeland after his home town in Saskatchewan. GROVES A: after Kelowna civil engineer. GUY S: after son of F. R. E. DeHart. HARVEY A: after James Harvey, senior. HAYNES A: after district pioneer, John Haynes. 94 Origins of Kelowna Street Names Three comparative photos of Bernard Avenue, Kelowna. 1894. 1905. 1954. 95 The Okanagan Historical Society—1954 KINGSWAY: named by Grand Trunk Land Co., Winnipeg. KNOX C: after Dr. W. J. Knox. LAKE A: named by E. R. Bailey in 1906. LAURIER A: for Sir Wilfred Laurier, Prime Minister of Canada, 1896-1911. LAWRENCE A: after Cyprian Lawrence, who came to district with Father Pandosy. LAWSON A: after Thomas W. Lawson, early merchant. LEON A: after youngest son of Eli Lequime. LONG S: after Samuel Long, C.E., provincial land surveyor. McKAY A: after G. A. McKay, druggist; mayor of Kelowna 1940-44. McDOUGALL S: after W. H. H. McDougall, grower and fruit exporter. McTAVISH A: after N. D. McTavish, owner of adjacent property. MANHATTAN D: after Manhattan, New York, by F. R. E. DeHart. MAPLE S: maple trees. MARSHALL S: after William J. Marshall, owner of adjacent property. MARTIN A: after Cornelius Martin, owner of adjacent property. QUEENSWAY: named for Queen Elizabeth II. MORRISON A: after Robert Morrison, senior, Kelowna's first city clerk. NEWSOM A: after J. R. Newsom, owner of adjacent property. NORTH S: believed named by Dr. B. F. Boyce. OKANAGAN B: named by Grand Trunk Land Co., Winnipeg. OSPREY A: named by Grand Trunk Land Co., Winnipeg. OXFORD S: named by Grand Trunk Land Co., Winnipeg. PARK A: so named because park-like. Kelowna Land & Orchard Co., Map 348. PATTERSON A: after George Patterson, who purchased first lot in sub-division. PENDOZI S: after Father Pandosy, O.M.I. RICHTER S: after Frank Richter, H.B.C. packer, and cattleman, Keremeos. 96 Origins of Kelowna Street Names RIVERSIDE A: parallels Mill Creek: Kelowna Land & Orchard Co. ROANOKE A: named by Grand Trunk Land Co., Winnipeg. ROSEMEAD A: named by G. C. Rose, owner of sub-division. ROWCLIFFE A: named after Geo. Rowcliffe, fruit shipper and founder of Rowcliffe Canning Co. ROYAL A: shown on plan 535, August 17, 1908. SELKIRK S: named by Grand Trunk Land Co., Winnipeg. SMITH A: after Colin Smith, associated with Kelowna Shippers Union, and early tobacco growing. ST. PAUL S: after Rembler Paul, retired, owner of adjacent property. SPEER S: after William Speer, real estate and insurance, 1905-08. STOCKWELL A: after J. C. Stockwell, auctioneer, owner of adjacent property. STRATHCONA A: after Lord Strathcona. SUTHERLAND A: after D. W. Sutherland, mayor of Kelowna, 1907-08-10-11, 1917-29. VALENTINE A: named by Grand Trunk Land Co., Winnipeg. VAUGHN A: after R. C. Vaughn, president C.N. railways. VERNON R: dividing line between Kelowna and Glenmore. VICKERS A: named by Grand Trunk Land Co., Winnipeg. VIMY A: after Vimy Ridge, France. WARDLAW A: after Thomas Wardlaw, senior, and sons, Thomas and James. WEDDELL P: after Edwin Weddell, manager of Lequime Bros. stores, WATER S: parallels water (Okanagan Lake). WATSON A: after Harvey Watson, first school teacher in district south of Mission Creek. WILLOW A: for willow trees in district. WILSON A: after Duncan Wilson, owner of adjacent property. WOLSELEY A: named by J. N. Thomson, after his home town in Saskatchewan. 97 Kelowna's First School Teacher Dorothea Allison At a time when we are fast losing touch with our early settlers, it is of historical importance to contact those who remember them and were influenced by their character and example. The first school must surely be one of the most important "Firsts" in the birth of a city, and this honour belongs to Daniel Wilbur Sutherland who was born June 24, 1865, in Earl- town, a village near Truro, N.S. His parents were of Highland Scottish descent. Young Daniel attended the small Earltown school until the age of sixteen when he went out teaching to earn enough to further his education at Pictou Academy. From Pictou he travelled west to Port Moody, B.C., the then C.P.R. terminus, as the line to Vancouver was not yet completed. He taught in various schools, both in New Westminster and around the Fraser Valley, pre-empting land at the same time in the Matsqui area and running a store to supplement his salary. To add to the load of duties, which to this generation appears already heavy, he became a Notary Public and Justice of the Peace. Romance also came into his life at this period in the person of Mabel May Coghlan, one of his first pupils, a brown haired, blue eyed girl and fast growing up. Miss Coghlan was born in Ontario, coming as a little girl to Portland in 1883 by U.S.A. Railroad, from there to New Westminster by boat and on by river boat to Fort D. W. Sutherland, Kelowna's first school teacher. 98 Kelowna's First School Teacher Langley. Daniel W. Sutherland and Mabel May Coghlan were married in 1891. After teaching for six years in the Fraser Valley, Mr. Sutherland came to the Okanagan in February 1892, arriving by train in Vernon, and travelling by saddle horse to Kelowna in deep snow. Mrs. Sutherland followed in August, with a sister who taught school in Vernon and later became Mrs. Knight. The townsite of Kelowna had as yet no school. Lequime's store stood on the site of the present Government office at the foot of Bernard Avenue; over this store was a large room, approximately 30 feet long by 24 feet wide, with an outside stair leading to it—warmed by a wood stove and used for meetings and dances. In this room Kelowna's first school was opened with 29 pupils, and Daniel Wilbur Sutherland installed as first teacher. Names of the children attending were . . . Bailey 3, Blackburn 3, Dolman 3, Bjarnson 3, Laxton 2, Mair 2, McQueen 3, Nichol 1, Favell 4, Helgison 1, Raymer 4. Mr. Sutherland's own children later attended and so it came about he had the unique experience of teaching both his wife and his children. Though copy books and slates were both in use, slates were more generally used. Water was carried by a bucket from the lake for drinking and other purposes. The children liked and respected their teacher, a tall square- shouldered man, and looked up to him as children will when they discover a teacher who knows how to handle them, for Mr. Sutherland, though an easy-tempered man, was also a strict disciplinarian. After school was held in Lequime's for some months, a school building was completed on the site of the present Civic Centre, near Lequime Bros. Co. original store, Kelowna. Mr. E. C. Weddell, manager, central figure. First Public- School was opened in hall above, 1.892, with D. W. Sutherland teacher. 99 The Okanagan Historical Society—-1954 the corner of Ellis and Queensway, (Block 19, Map 462). It was in this building that a small boy of six years called Bud (E. C. Weddell, Q.C, Kelowna) remembers the high windows preventing him from looking out, and the rubber strap hanging on the door—not often used, for Mr. Sutherland, though strict, was also just and kindly. Bud remembers very vividly the softer side of his teacher's character, for he was one day presented with a watch. Kelowna had no telegraphic communication with the outside world, and the latest news would travel down the lake by means of the officers in the stern-wheeler, Aberdeen. News had been coming down this way of Queen Victoria's illness. As the boat pulled in on January 22, 1901, Mr. Sutherland put his head out of the high window and noticed the ship's flag at half-mast. The pupils remember him turning with a pale face and announcing to a hushed school, "The Queen is dead." It may be interesting to digress upon that same solemn hush that descended at intervals all around the Globe wherever flew the Union Jack, as though the peoples of the Empire and Dominions were aware not only of the passing of a great Queen, but of the end of a great and peaceful era. The writer's husband experienced the same solemn hush when he was carrying mail down the Yukon. A Sergeant pushed open the door, made the same announcement, used the same words. The solemnity of the moment, however, ended for Kelowna's first school children when Mr. Sutherland dismissed the school for the remainder of the day. As the number of pupils rapidly increased, the Government building, along with the jail, was moved in from outside of Kelowna and placed on the south side of Bernard Avenue between what are now Ellis and Pendozi streets. Miss Williams was engaged as second teacher for the junior grades. Later she became Mrs, Frank Fraser. After school hours Mr. Sutherland held court in the school room as Justice of the Peace. To augment his salary, he occupied himself with land conveyance and also became Kelowna's first jeweller. He was a strict Presbyterian and organized the first Sunday School. To add to his activities, he became partner in a furniture store, still carried on by his son George, under the name of Kelowna Furniture Co. Ltd. He also became the first Insurance Agent. Although so deeply interested in school, church and civic affairs, Mr. Sutherland's hobby was agriculture. He dealt extensively in real estate in association with other business men, the A. B. Knox, Kelowna, property and acreage of the Rutland Estate. WO Kelowna's First School Teoxher The Sutherlands' first living quarters were erected immediately north of the present Telephone office on St. Paul Street, and still stands. The rye grass growing all around was so tall that Mrs. Sutherland could just see her husband's head moving through as he came from school. The two Ben Davis apple trees planted in front of the house in 1892 are able and bearing today. Although this article deals mainly with Mr. Sutherland as Kelowna's first teacher, it may also be related that this versatile character, besides being first Justice of the Peace, first Notary Public, first Insurance Agent, and first jeweller, was in addition to all this Mayor for 17 years and Alderman for several more, and a past Grand Master of the Masonic Order in British Columbia. He died in 1931, aged 66. Mrs. Sutherland still lives in Kelowna, and is in her 85th year. One son was lost in the First World War. One son, George, two daughters and six grandchildren survive him. Mrs. Robert Munson (nee Eliza Jane Manery), d. 1909, was the first white woman to live in the Kelowna district. She provided butter, cream and eggs for the Aberdeen and the Okanagan. She named Bethel Church at Benvoulin. See R. 17, p. 133. A son, Robert, died at Kelowna in 1952. A daughter, Mrs. F. A. (Elizabeth) McKinnon, now of Penticton, was the first white girl to be born at Benvoulin. "I once greeted their Chief in Chinook—the trading jargon used since early days by the old Hudson's Bay Company in its dealings with all western Indians. I knew but few words or phrases of this "language," and the Chief made me feel very small as he replied in a very grand manner: 'Good morning, sir'."—H. J. Parham in A Nature Lover in British Columbia, p. 43. 101 School Expansion in Kelowna F. T. Marriage The period 1925-1950 saw a great increase in population, and expansion of school facilities in Kelowna. In 1925 there were only three school buildings within the city limits: by 1950 there were eight. The old High School, built in 1910, a six-roomed brick structure at the corner of Glenn Avenue and Richter Street, was staffed in 1925 by only three academic and one agriculture teachers, while across the street the frame building now known as "The Armoury" housed three elementary classes and a "home economics" centre. This building dates from 1904. Two blocks south on Richter Street the "Old Public School," now the Central Elementary School, had been erected in 1913, and provided ten classrooms and an auditorium. Manual Training, as the Practical Arts was then styled, was taught by W. C. Mitchell in a hall on Glenn Avenue. This had been built by Mr. Mitchell and his pupils about 1924, and is now the Women's Institute Hall. By 1927 the Public School at Richter and DeHart was crowded beyond its capacity, three classes being accommodated in basements. The following year saw the opening of the DeHart Avenue Primary School on the school grounds, and the four classrooms thus provided relieved the congestion for a short time. In 1929 the central portion of the Junior High School was built. Besides affording more classroom space, the structure took care of the Home Economics and Industrial Arts departments. The frame structures on Glenn Avenue were abandoned as far as education was concerned. At first the Junior High School was merely an extension of the Public School, accommodating grades seven and eight, but the following year saw the establishment of the standard Junior High School organization (grades 7, 8 and 9), although the principal remained in charge of the lower grades as well. This arrangement continued until 1936, when separate principals were appointed. It was not long before additions to the Junior High building became imperative. The school took its present form in 1939, on 102 School Expansion in Kelowna completion of an addition to the north end, the south end having been added previously to afford two more classrooms and a library- study hall. The north addition, comprising a commercial department, laboratory, lunch room, office and several classrooms, was now taken over by the Senior High School grades, and the old High School building utilized by elementary classes under the title of The Junior Elementary School. When other elementary schools were built this name was changed to Glenn Avenue School. After 1945 the schoolpopulation increased rapidly. All buildings became congested. Grades 7 to 13 were still accommodated in the Junior High School under very difficult conditions, while elementary grades spilled over into the Women's Institute Hall, Bethel Baptist Church Hall, the Anglican Parish Hall and the school auditorium. Occasionally double shift classes were operated, two classes occupying the same room at different times of the day. By 1949 the elementary pupils had almost doubled in number since their school was organized in 1936, and now numbered nearly 1200. Due to the implementation of the Cameron Report on Education in British Columbia, in 1946 the school board was merged in the newly created District 23, which included the territory between Peachland and Oyama. Mention should be made of the long periods of public service in the former city school board by Mrs. A. T. Treadgold, who served for 21 years, and Dave Chapman, chairman of the board for 19 of his 21 consecutive years' activity in educational work. The late N. D. MacTavish was city school board secretary from 1912 to 1938. During the period 1948 to 1950, four new buildings were added to the educational facilities already existing in the city. Graham Street Primary School at the corner of Coronation Avenue, and Raymer Avenue Primary School on South Richter Street, now took care of the rapidly growing population in the north and south parts of the city, while the Senior High School students were housed in their new building fronting on Harvey Avenue. Present facilities were completed with the opening of the four-roomed elementary school on Graham Street at Martin Avenue in September, 1950. At the beginning of the period under review the city employed 20 teachers. By 1950 the staff numbered 75. Present indications are that in the near future more accommodation may be necessary— probably an addition to the north wing of the Junior High School, and provision for primary grades in the Manhattan-Knox Mountain district, and in the south Pendozi area. 103 Kelowna's First Mayor Hazel McDougall The first mayor of Kelowna was Henry William (Harry) Raymer. He was born 1853 in Walsingham, Norfolk County, Ontario, but his boyhood, public and high school days were passed in Woodstock, Ontario. When still a very young man he went to work in Chicago and was there in 1871 when that city was destroyed by fire. He stayed only a short time and turned north to' Canada again. He drove with a team of oxen to Shoal Lake, Manitoba, where he engaged in farming and contracting. Later he came to Lethbridge, Alberta, and then moved farther west, arriving at Vernon on a work train during thq construction of the Shuswap & Okanagan Railway branch line to Okanagan Landing. Subsequently he moved, with his family, in 1892 to what is now Kelowna. They arrived by boat, and his daughter Pearl (Mrs. C. Dain) writes: "The boat was so small that my mother did not want to get on it. Our goods were brought down on a raft." As a contractor and builder Mr. Raymer was responsible for the erection of many buildings in Kelowna and surrounding districts, some of which still stand, among them the Presbyterian Church, now known as the First United Church; the brick High School, corner of Glenn Avenue and Richter Street, and the Bank of Montreal residence on Pendozi Street. The woodwork of the present Anglican Church was constructed under his supervision, and in the surround- H. W. Raymer, Kelowna's First Mayor, 1905-06. 104 Kelowna's First Mayor ing districts, the T. W. Stirling house at Bankhead, Presbyterian Church at Benvoulin, and the Dunwater home at Fintry. On the corner of Bernard Avenue and Water Street Mr. Raymer built and owned a large block known as the "Raymer Block occupied below by Thomas Lawson, Rowcliffe Bros, and others. Above was loc_fted the Opera House and Dance Hall, for many years the centre of Kelowna's social activities. This was twice destroyed by fire and twice rebuilt. Though engaged in the building trade, Mr. Raymer realized that the economy of the district was based on agriculture and he made every effort to further the interests of the farming people. He was an enthusiastic supporter of the Agricultural Association and was its president on several occasions. He was also president of the Farmers' Institute. When Kelowna was incorporated in 1905 as a city, he was elected mayor, and served on the Council for several terms, where it was recognized that the welfare of the city and district was his primary concern. He was a Justice of the Peace, served on the Police Commission and License Board. It-would" take a long list to mention all the--movements and enterprises with which Jre-"was identified. Mr. Raymer was not only interested in the serious side of community affairs but took an active interest in the cultural and recreational development. He was one of those who encouraged and contributed to the Kelowna Aquatic project and the reserving of a site for this purpose in the City Park. We read in a program dated Saturday, March 2, 1895, "Kelowna Minstrels—Interlocutor— Harry Raymer." It was he who built, owned and managed Kelowna's first opera house, thus providing the means of bringing entertainment to the community. The late Rev. Alexander Dunn paid him the following tribute —"As a pioneer he has been a familiar land-mark of the city for a quarter of a century and has always in high and good spirit shared its varying fortunes. As a man he was marked by many of the characteristics that we associate with a gentleman of the old school. He was quiet and unassuming, upright and straightforward in his dealings, and so far as I know, strove to wear the white flower of a good life. We could wish there were many more like him." 105 History of Okanagan Telephone Company M. J. Conroy1 The Okanagan Telephone Company was incorporated by an Act of Parliament (Chapter 55) dated April 25, 1907, on the petition of Edgar Bloomfield, Richard Coupland Spinks and George Cornelius Van Home, for the purpose of constructing, equipping, maintaining and operating a telephone system throughout the County of Yale in the Province of British Columbia. The files of the Company give very little information regarding the operation before 1907, but it is known that telephone exchanges at Vernon, Armstrong and Enderby were being operated for some time prior to that year. In 1910 the Company extended its system to Salmon Arm, where a local exchange was installed and toll line connecting Salmon Arm with Enderby, Armstrong and Vernon was constructed. In 1911 new central office equipment was installed in permanent exchange buildings in Vernon, Armstrong and Enderby. In the same year the urban distribution systems at these exchanges were reconstructed and modernized. Early in 1912 the Company purchased the Lake Shore Telephone Company Limited with exchanges at Peachland, Summerland and Penticton. In February of the same year the telephone system at Kelowna was purchased from H. Millie, and a long distance line was constructed between Vernon and Penticton. With this new line installed the Company could now make connections between any stations in the system between Salmon Arm and Penticton. Before the end of 1913 modern toll line construction had been completed in all the Company's exchanges with the exception of Summerland. West Summerland was rapidly developing into a thriving community, brought about by the construction of the Kettle Valley Railroad in that district. The Company was at a loss to know which townsite, Lower Summerland or West Summerland, would l Superintendent of the Okanagan Telephone Company. 106 History of Okanagan Telephone Co. develop sufficiently to warrant the ultimate location of the telephone central office and for this reason reconstruction at Summerland was delayed for an indefinite period, much to the displeasure of the municipal officers who requested that the exchange be established in the older district. This disagreement resulted in the Municipality installing its own telephone system and the district was lost to the Company's operation in 1914. In 1914 the exchange at Naramata was replaced with local exchange service from Penticton. Likewise in 1919 Lumby's exchange was replaced with local service from Vernon. In 1921 the rates and tariffs of the Company were revised and Schedule 13 was approved by the Provincial Government, under Order-in-Council No. 12194 on September 29. The rates and tariffs of the Company under this schedule were in force almost thirty years when revised in 1950. The present rates were established in 1952. Service connections in all exchanges were steadily increasing and the full capacity of the Vernon switchboard was in consequence insufficient to meet the demand. In 1921 the Vernon exchange building was considerably enlarged and a new switchboard installed changing the area from a magneto to common battery operation. New common battery switchboards were also installed at Kelowna and in 1927 a similar change was effected in Penticton. In 1929 the parent company purchased Summerland Telephone Company Limited and in the same year the Solar Telephones Limited of Revelstoke. By these purchases the exchanges at Summer- land and Revelstoke came under the control of the Company but the two subsidiaries retained their Corporate existences until Summerland went into voluntary liquidation on June 30, 1950, and Solar Telephones followed suit on June 12, 1951. On these dates Okanagan Telephone Company took over all assets of the subsidiary companies and assumed all their liabilities. In 1940 a new central office building was constructed in Salmon Arm, with modern common battery equipment installed. Also, in October, 1941, the Revelstoke system was changed from magneto to common battery operation and complete new central office equipment installed. With these changes the conversion of the Company's entire system to common battery was completed. After consideration it was decided that the cost of dial equipment was not yet justified on any portion of the system where changes were under consideration and the whole system was therefore manually operated. 107 The Okanagan Historical Society—1954 In 1947 the late Sterling Ross, one of the most competent telephone engineers in Canada, was assigned to survey our system. He brought down a most comprehensive report wherein he recommended installation of automatic equipment throughout the system. His recommendations were adopted by the Company and a conversion to dial program was completed as follows: Westbank, December 15, 1948 Winfield ...... October 4, 1951 Peachland July 12, 1949 Sicamous ...._. March 13, 1952 Armstrong July 25, 1949 Kelowna April 12, 1952 Lumby November 17, 1949 Penticton, September 13, 1952 Summerland ____ March 7, 1950 Kaleden __ December 18, 1952 Oyama October 2, 1951 Vernon March 7, 1953 At the moment 11 of 15 exchanges are dial operated. Over 85% of the more than 17,000 Company's subscribers are served by dial. "It is only within recent years that David Thompson has come into his own and received the appreciation he deserved. In 1922 a memorial fort was opened at Windermere Lake on the site which he had first selected for his Kootenay House."—Winifred M. Stevens in Builders of the West (Toronto, 1929), p. 203. "The Lake," an opera based on the legend of Naaitka (Ogopogo) in the pioneer days of Mrs. Susan L. Allison, was broadcast over CBC last March. Libretto was written by the poet Dorothy Livesay and elaborated into a four part chamber opera by the Vancouver composer Barbara Pentland. 108 Early Telephone Subscribers of the Okanagan H. R. Denison The Okanagan Telephone Company have been most helpful in providing information regarding the early telephone systems in the Valley, and it was from their 1911 list of Vernon subscribers that I drafted my list of the first fifty installations. Later, I located a 1909 Valley list which enabled me to make a few corrections. However, I am doubtful about numbers 9, 18 and 21, which possibly were originally held by W. F. Cameron (R), W. C. Martin (R), H. W. Knight (O) or Captain Vidler (R). 1. W. R. Megaw (O) 2. M. J. O'Brian (R) 3. F. Billings (R) 4. G. A. Hankey (R) 5. G. A. Henderson (R) 6. Judge Spinks (R) 7. C. F. Costerton (R) 8. W. R. Megaw (R) 9. J. Vallance (R) 10. C.P.R. Station 11. Ed. Simmons (Constable) 12. Coldstream Hotel 13. Dr. Gerald Williams 14. Power House 15. MacKenzie & Martin 16. Jam Factory 17. Dr. C. W. Corrigan 18. Neil & Cryderman 19. City Hall 20. C.P.R. Telegraph 21. Palace Livery 22. Dr. O. Morris 23. F. Billings (O); (possibly 26. Price Ellison (Ranch) 27. Price Ellison (R) 28. C.P.R. Freight 29. R. E. Berry, Drugs (O) 30. C. B. L. Lefroy (O) 31. S. C. Smith (R) 32. 33. 34. Vernon News 35. Vernon Hardware 36. Cooper & Christian (possibly W. T. Shatford) 37. F. S. Reynolds 38. Bank of Montreal 39. C. F. Costerton (O) 40. Joe Harwood (O) 41. Jubilee Hospital 42. Victoria Hotel 43. Prov. Govt. Office 44. Hudson's Bay Co. 45. Dr. O. Morris (R) 46. W. F. Cameron Store 47. Vernon Hotel 109 The Okanagan Historical Society—1954 Cochrane & Billings) 48. Captain A. C. Carew 24. Kalamalka Hotel 49. M. J. O'Brian (O) 25. G. A. Hankey (O) 50. H. W. Knight (R) The 1909 Directory gives S. A. Muir as agent for the Okanagan Telephone Company Limited, and H. H. Millie as the proprietor of the KELOWNA local exchange, with the following first 25 subscribers: 1. D. Leckie (R) 14. Lawson & Co. 2. Dr. Gaddes (O) 15. Dr. Boyce (O&R) 3. Bank of Montreal 16. Lakeview Hotel 4. Dr. W. J. Knox (O) 17. S. T. Elliott (R) 5. Kelowna Land & O. Co. 18. A. D. Burnette (R) 6. Stirling & Pitcairn 19. Willits & Co, 7. Kelowna Club 20. Collett Bros. (O) 8. Bankhead Ranch 21. Kelowna Saw Mill 9. P. DuMoulin 22. Lequime Bros. (O) 10. C.P.R. Station 23. 11. F. M. Buckland 24. R. Davy (R) 12. Crowley & Co. 25. C. Blackwood (R) 13. Peachland, Summerland and Penticton also had local systems, and 1909 Directory shows the Valley exchanges to have the following number of subscribers: Vernon 175, Kelowna 115, Summer- land 77, Penticton 40 and Peachland 14. In 1909 Armstrong had a small local system with J. M. Wright as agent. Enderby and Lumby were connected to the Vernon exchange for long distance calls. J. Mowat was the Enderby agent, and E. L. Morand the agent at Lumby. "No intelligent person will be content to live anywhere without acquiring some knowledge of the history of his habitat: of the town and country in which his lot is cast."—T. A. Rickard in Foreword to Historic Backgrounds of British Columbia (Vancouver, 1948). no Kelowna Amusements in Early Days G. C. Benmore Since the turn of the century, and quite a space before, Kelowna, along with other settlements in the Okanagan Valley, took a keen interest and enjoyment in music, both vocal and instrumental, and there did not seem to be any dearth of talent both instrumental and vocal. As far back as 1895 we find a record of the giving of a minstrel show in the Raymer Hall (which was the theatre and concert hall of those days) with the following cast: SATURDAY 2nd MARCH 1895 KELOWNA MINSTRELS COMPANY—H. Raymer, Interlocutor END MEN—P. A. Gallagher, H. C. Stillingfleet, J. Ralston, H. E. Barneby CIRCLE—J. T. Davies, R. Gibbs, G. Murray, D. Bannerman, F. Ellis, D. W. Crowley, W. Barlee, E. M. Carruthers, R. Scadding. H. Raymer was evidently the first interlocutor, afterwards becoming the first Mayor of Kelowna. The Overture was played by the Kelowna Band after which the following items:— PART I CHORUS COMPANY Song and Chorus Sunny South End Song Departed Song and Chorus The Moon Behind the Hill End Song I Kissed Her Under the Parlor Stairs Song and Chorus Linger Longer Lou End Song Johnny Get Your Gun Song and Chorus Virginia Rosebud End Song Dem Golden Slippers 111 The Okanagan Historical Society—1954 PART II Overture Kelowna Band Banjo Duet Crowley and Gallagher Character Song H. C. Stillingfleet "See Me Dance the Polka" A Scene from Life No performers' names given Song J. T. Davies Banjo Solo Dan Gallagher Song D. W. Crowley The whole concluding with the Roaring Farce ' "Love in a Collar Box" God Save the Queen. As at the time of this array of talent there was no press in the district, we are unable to quote any authoritative comments, yet we can imagine the pleasure it gave to the sparse population of those times. In the year 1900 we find an entertainment given under the auspices of the "Kelowna Band Association" during the South African War to raise funds on behalf of the "Absent-minded Beggar." The first half of this programme was a concert—vocal and instrumental, and the second portion was by the Kelowna Negro Minstrel Company. An interesting item was a song by Rev. Thomas Greene, "Boys of the Old Brigade," while W. D. Walker sang "The Road to Mandalay," and H. C. Stillingfleet gave "The Soldiers of the Queen." From this time on for many years there was an active and capable thirty-five piece orchestra which in conjunction with the vocal talent of the town gave a series of concerts each season, as many as three per year. About 1905 a company known as the I. D. K. Pierrots came into existence and gave some first class entertainments along the usual vocal and farcical lines recognized as Pierrot Shows. At first there was some wonder as to the meaning of I. D. K. Members of the cast on being questioned would reply "I don't know," the interrogator would say "What do you mean, you are a member, are you not, what does it mean?" The reply was an emphatic "I don't know." , In the Spring < >f 1907 a sacred cantata "Queen Esther" was ren- 112 - Kelowna Amusements in Early Days dered by the combined choral and orchestral groups. It was successful and touched off the spark which led to the production in 1908 of Gilbert and Sullivan's "H.M.S. Pinafore," an ambitious undertaking, considering all things. However, it received great commendation both at home and in Penticton and Vernon to which neighbouring towns it was taken. The Penticton Herald of May 2, 1908, notes editorially: "Comments upon the play, the scenery or the music are unnecessary. The expressions heard on everv hand at the conclusion of the performance comprise sufficient comment: 'Fine', 'Good', 'Very Good', 'The acting shows finish', 'The best I have seen in Canada', 'That Company might travel all over Canada and the United States', were a few of the notes of appreciation." The Kelozvna Courier of April 23, 1908, noted the performance as follows: "It is difficult to find language adequate to express the appreciation of the splendid performance of Gilbert and Sullivan's sprightly opera given by Kelowna amateurs on Tuesday night. It was far and away the best amateur production staged in Kelowna, and of the professional companies that have performed here the Roscians only are comparable for dramatic excellence, while they may be regarded as being equalled in singing and surpassed altogether in costumes and scenic effects. The combined efforts of the choral and. orchestral societies produced a harmonious whole and the orchestra was at all times in happy unison with the libretto." The performance was given in aid of the hospital. In 1909 "The Pirates of Penzance" was successfully produced and met with the same acclaim in Kelowna and neighbouring towns. Production of the "Mikado" in 1910 added greatly to the fame of the Musical and Dramatic Society and brought to light the wonderful asset the society had in their scenic artist Edgar McKie. Of this the Courier reports:—"The rising of the curtain revealed a beautiful stage setting, the side scenes and flies representing cherry blossoms held highly in esteem in Japan, while the back was a most realistic representation of a Japanese archway, the trellised walls on either side crowned with a red tile roof. The contrast of light and shade on the archway and doors was so cleverly brought out that it was difficult to believe that they were the result of brushwork and the carvings stood out as though in relief." A humorous incident in connection with this scenery occurred when the opera was produced in Vernon. The manager of a tour- 113 The Okanagan Historical Society—1954 ing company who were playing Vernon the following night dropped in to see the amateurs. He appeared amazed with the scenery and was very insistent to know where we got it from. On being told it was the work of a local fruit grower he became annoyed. "Don't give me that stuff," he barked, "that's no farmer's work—that man could make a fortune in New York." He was mollified when it was explained to him the painter was actually growing fruit at East Kelowna having had to come out here for the sake of his health. In addition to entertainments of various kinds by different groups and clubs the Musical and Dramatic for quite a few years put on an opera, amongst them Gilbert and Sullivan's "Iolanthe," "The Gondoliers" (1922), "Yeomen of the Guard," "Patience," "Les Cloches de Corneville," and "San Toy." W. S. Penley's screaming farce "Charley's Aunt" was taken on a tour of valley towns, Penticton, Summerland, Vernon, Armstrong and Enderby, and played twice in Kelowna. These activities cover the period 1895 to 1923. The writer being absent from Kelowna for five years from that date must leave the more up to date items to others. 114 Early Days at Okanagan Mission Mrs. Robert Lambly The Postill family came from Yorkshire, England, to Ontario, and from there to British Columbia in 1872. The family then consisted of my father, Edward Postill, my mother and three sons, Alfred, William and Edward. The same year, 1872, my brother Alfred and T. McK. Lambly, who had come out with us, went to the Okanagan Valley. They bought what was afterwards known as the Postill Ranch from Simpson. There was at the time some sort of a partnership agreement between them, but in the Autumn they returned to New Westminster, and Mr. Lambly opened a book store on Columbia Street, which he kept until 1877 when he sold out to W. H. Keary, who is now City Clerk in New Westminster. In 1873 we moved to the ranch at the south end of Postill Lake, this was some time in the Spring or early Summer of that year. I remember we were all packed up and ready to start and were living for a few days at a boarding house kept by Mrs. Keary, when A. L. Fortune arrived. He was then on his way east to bring Mrs. Fortune out. When we arrived at Kamloops my father became ill. B. F. Young of Armstrong was then driving the stage between Kamloops and Okanagan Mission. A stretcher was improvised on the stage for my father and we continued the journey, but when we arrived at Priest's Valley my father became worse and he died there. We brought the body to the ranch which he owned but was destined never to see and buried it there—a sad home-coming for us, his children, and for our mother. A short distance across the meadow from the railway station on a small mound there is a small plot of enclosed land and in it my father and two brothers, Alfred and Edward, are buried. On the monument of dressed Aberdeen granite which stands at the head of my father's grave the following inscription may be read: 115 Early Days at Okanagan Mission Sacred to the Memory of Edward Postill Died April 1873 Aged 52 years. My brother Edward died 5th December, 1889, aged 32 years, and my brother Alfred died on the 26th September, 1897, aged 45 years. As a girl I remember visiting the Allisons when they lived across the Lake at Westbank and remember hearing Mrs. Allison tell of the unidentified creature in the lake which the Indians call Naitaka. She wrote a poem about it 53 years ago. My brother Alfred saw it once. The Customs House at Osoyoos was burned down in 1878, and Mr. Haynes, the Collector, the same year built his own house on the east side of Osoyoos Lake. The lumber for his house was cut at our saw mill on the Postill Ranch. My brother was engaged in building the lumber into a raft to be rowed down the lake when the Naitaka rose out of the water a short distance away. I remember also visiting our school while it was kept by our first teacher, Angus McKenzie. The first trustees were: William Smithson, Frederick Brent and Joseph Christien. W. Smithson became insane in 1881 and his name was dropped from the list of trustees and Alphonse Lefevre took his place, and curiously enough the Secretary-Treasurer of the School Board, Joseph Christien, himself, went to school during the winter of 1876, no doubt to make up for time wasted in his youth. l Reprinted from OHS 3 (1929), pp. 21-22. 116 Kelowna Roman Catholic Church History Frank Quinn Following the death of Father Pandosy in February 1891, the work of the Mission was continued under Father Marchal, Superior, and Father Pierre Richard who,, the previous year, had returned to the Mission from St. Eugene in the Kootenay district. In 1896 Bishop Dantonville at New Westminster decided to sell all the Mission property, retaining only the church-site and some land around the Mission buildings. The purchaser of this land, about 2,000 acres, known as the "Priest's Ranch," was Rev. Father Eumelin, and at the change of ownership the priests and lay brothers, Brother Joe and Brother Felix, who had managed the ranch, departed from the Mission. Father Eumelin later brought his parents and his brother and sister to live at the big ranch house, and engaged a foreman to manage his ranch. Here he lived and officiated as the Mission priest until 1902 when he sold the land to Messrs. Gruell and Fascioux, and left the district. For the next few years the Mission church was visited only periodically by priests from Vernon, Fathers Palmer, Roy and Garon. The population of this district was increasing, and once again a resident priest was sent to the Mission. This was Rev. Francis Verbeke, a native of Belgium, who arrived there November 8, 1908. Father Verbeke soon realized that Kelowna, recently incorporated as a City, had supplanted the Mission as a business centre, and counselled the purchase of a church-site near the new city. The present location on Sutherland Avenue was procured. With much faith and courage, but little financial backing, the small congregation cleared the site of heavy timber and an attractive frame church, sixty feet by thirty-six, was erected and opened about 1911. In lieu of a rectory the zealous priest had a two room cabin built, which served as his residence until 1927. The entire church property of the original foundation of Father Pandosy was disposed of and thus ended the Mission of the Okanagan—although the name was borrowed and given to a more recent settlement by the lakeshore. 117 The Okanagan Historical Society-—A954 For the following nineteen years Father Verbeke had charge of the Kelowna Parish and, with horse and buggy transportation, attended the outlying district. By 1927 Rutland had sufficient Catholic population to warrant the building of a church there. This was served from Kelowna until 1930, when Rev. P. Jansen was appointed Parish Priest of Rutland. Father Jansen now is in charge of Winfield. By 1930 advancing years and the many labours of a rapidly growing congregation compelled Father Verbeke to tender his resignation; but not before he had, by great personal sacrifice, been able to have a suitable and well ordered Rectory built in 1927. His life was one of sacrifice and devotion to priestly duty. In July 1930, Rev. A. L. Mclntyre was appointed to take charge of the Parish, which he guided with great zeal and success until August 1931. Father Mclntyre's priestly life had been spent as a travelling missionary, and he found the organized and established life of Kelowna Parish too restricting, and asked the Archbishop to grant him a return again to the mission field. By 1931 the Okanagan was rapidly growing in importance, so that Archbishop Duke saw fit to name Kelowna as the seat of a new Deanery and appointed Very Rev. W. B. McKenzie—then Pastor of Holy Rosary Cathedral—as Rural Dean of the Okanagan Valley and Pastor of Kelowna. Father McKenzie assumed his duties at Kelowna in October 1931. His congregation numbered one hundred and twenty-three families. In 1933 an addition of thirty feet was added to the Church and a large Sacristy; also central heating and a new lighting system installed. In 1936 an Ecclesiastical division was made and Kelowna Parish has greatly expanded under the new Diocese of Nelson. In 1938 a large Parish Hall was built, a stucco building ninety feet by forty with full cement basement. It was no longer possible for one priest to take care of the spiritual needs of Kelowna Parish, so the Bishop of Nelson appointed an assistant priest, Rev. W. J. Harrison, to Kelowna. Negotiations had been proceeding for several years to have teaching sisters come to the parish, and in the autumn of 1938, the Sisters of Charity of Halifax opened a kindergarten. This order of Nuns stemmed from a New York community founded in 1849 by Mother Elizabeth Ann Seton and established later in Halifax. 118 Kelowna Roman Catholic Church History Sister Gertrude Marie (Superior), Sister Evelyn Marie and Sister Mary Buede were a little awed by the wild and mountainous country where they alighted at McCulloch in the early morning hours, but they will always gratefully remember the warm and hospitable reception they were given by the Parish. Father McKenzie moved out and gave them the Rectory for their first home. Their initial activities consisted of catechetical instruction, social services, music and dramatics. In 1940 they moved to a bungalow formerly owned by George McKenzie and here they opened a kindergarten for nine children and took four pupils for music. Choir practice was also held. The whole place was warmed by only one wood stove—improvements and increased accommodation were badly needed so enlargements were begun. The Sisters themselves would sometimes help the workmen to hasten the job. By 1940 pupils from grade one to four inclusive were accepted and the school from that time developed rapidly. In 1946 St. Joseph's Parish Hall had to be used for grades four, five and six, while a small house close to the Convenj: now accommodated grades one, two and three, the kindergarten remaining in the Convent as at first. In 1949 there were 123 pupils up to grade eight in St. Joseph's hall and it was becoming very inconvenient as the hall was often required for meetings and social functions, and so in 1950 a new school was built at the back of the church and Home Economics was added to the curriculum. In September 1953 there were 182 pupils attending in grades one" to eight, and thirty kindergarten children, with Mother Elizabeth Ann as Superior and music teacher. At the time of writing (August 1954) over 200 children have registered and the building is bursting at the seams. In 1949 a signal honour was bestowed upon the Parish, and upon its Pastor, in that His Holiness, Pope Pius XII had named Father McKenzie as a Domestic Prelate with the title of "Monsignor." The solemn ceremony of investiture in the purple robes of a Monsignor was carried out by His Excellency Most Rev. Bishop Johnson D.D., assisted by Rt. Rev. A. K. Mclntyre V.G. P.A. of Rossland, B.C., in the presence of a very large gathering of the clergy and the faithful. Monsignor McKenzie has been very ably assisted in parish work through the years of growth, by the Rev. Fathers Harrison, Martin, 119 The Okanagan Historical Society—1954 Schreiber, Driscoll, Trainor, Maglio, and Cunningham. Not to be forgotten is the willing cheerful help of the different parish organizations: The Knights of Columbus, The Catholic Women's League, and the Catholic Youth Organization. He has witnessed a most gratifying development of Catholic parish life. The growth of his congregation from one hundred and twenty-three families (about three hundred and fifty souls) upon his arrival in 1931, to seventeen hundred souls in 1954, a five-fold increase, has resulted in Immaculate Conception Parish, Kelowna, becoming the largest parish in the Diocese of Nelson. The immediate work of the future must necessarily be the erection of a large permanent structure to replace the enlarged church originally built in the first years of the century. It has been suggested that such a monument would serve to mark fittingly the centenary of the first Mass offered here by that beloved missionary, Father Pandosy; and to mark also the fiftieth anniversary of the coming of Father Verbeke. I gratefully acknowledge the information given me by Monsignor McKenzie and Anthony Casorso. St. George's Anglican Church, Enderby, B.C., in September 1953 dedicated a memorial lych gate at an impressive ceremony conducted by Bishop A. H. Sovereign, the clergy of St. George's, and the I.O.D.E. The gate is dedicated to the memory of King George VI. 120 Bishop Sillitoe's Osoyoos Visit In her article on "General Sherman at Osoyoos," Mrs. R. B. White tells of a visit to Osoyoos made by Bishop Sillitoe in 1883 (OHS. 15, pp. Hff.). The following account of an earlier visit is taken from H. H. Gowen's Life of Bishop Sillitoe.i The chapter title is "A Trip Into the Osoyoos Country, September- October, 1880. (pp. 20ff.) "The Bishop left New Westminster on September 8th by steamer, accompanied by Mrs, Sillitoe, George the Indian, and "Punch" of the genus Equus. "At Hope a landing was made, and an agreement with the Indians for Antoine and five horses at $4.50 a day, and Susap and one horse at $1.50 a day. In spite of rain the stay at Hope was busily occupied in buying stores, paying visits, administering baptism, and recovering strayed horses. "On Friday the cavalcade started at 7:45 a.m., the Bishop, Mrs. Sillitoe, George, Antoine, and Susap riding, and accompanying them three packhorses carrying luggage. Twenty-four miles were accomplished during the day—a good distance considering the rain and soft roads. Then came camping out. The night was cold and frosty, and the beds hard to those inexperienced in their use. They are made of twigs of fir or cedar, in the spreading of which the Indians are adepts. If skilfully laid, they form a very easy, springy bed, but woe betide the unfortunate traveller who tries to sleep on a brush bed not scientifically spread. "Next day, Saturday, Mrs. Sillitoe describes the journey thus— 'Our way was a narrow trail round the mountain side, and there were some frightful places to cross. 'Punch' jumped beautifully with me over a tree lying across the road fully three feet in diameter. It was amusing to see the pack-horses get over. They managed by jumping to get their forelegs over, and were then quite at fault; finally, with their hind legs they scrambled over like cats.' 1 The full title of this book is Church Work in British Columbia, Being a Memoir of the Episcopate of Acton Windeyer Sillitoe, D.D., D.C.L., First Bishop of New Westminster, by the Rev. Herbert H. Gowen, F.R.G.S., Author of "The Paradise of the Pacific," etc., etc. (Longmans, Green, and Co., London, 1899). 121 The Okanagan Historical Society—1954 "Groves of young fir trees, through which rippled beautiful trout streams, tracts of burnt timber, forests full of grouse, and, moreover, infested with myriads of caterpillars—then the open country at 2 p.m. After this came the descent through a bleached forest full of grasshoppers, and at last the halt was made at Powder Camp, where the night's camp was made. "On Sunday, after a hunt for the horses and a bath in the creek, service was held in camp, and the day's rest was a welcome preparation for the toil yet to come. "Next day for several hours a very rough country was experienced, but the labour received its recompense when the party entered upon a beautiful open and undulating country like an English park, with this difference, that white pines took the place of the ancestral oaks. In the middle a great herd of cattle was encountered. "Similkameen came in sight during the afternoon from a high bluff overlooking the river, and, after one hour's descent, the river was reached, only to find the bridge broken. Camp was made on the level plateau at 5 p.m. "On Tuesday twenty-six miles were traversed by Five Mile Creek, through the canyon, past Indian ranches, over the forks of the stream to a camping-place 2200 feet above the sea. Wednesday's experience was a similar one, ending in a breezy night, during which the would-be sleepers could only watch the straining cords of the tent and wait for the day. On Thursday two divides were crossed, and the first sight was obtained of Osoyoos Lake (790 feet above the sea). Here a welcome rest awaited the travellers, and a hearty reception. On the following Sunday everybody in Osoyoos attended the services. "The Bishop observes that the soil here was apparently barren, but with sufficient irrigation it seemed capable of producing anything. Potatoes were seen weighing three and four pounds each, and garden turnips twenty-seven inches round, while melons and tomatoes ripened freely in the open air. "On Wednesday, September 22nd, Osoyoos was left behind for Penticton, along a good trail across the mountains, with copses in the hollows of the hills, and small lakes full of wild fowl. Rain fell all day, and after twenty-two miles' travelling, even a bad camp, wet, hard, and without brush as it was, proved very welcome. "The Bishop reached Penticton on Thursday, September 23rd, a promising settlement on low land separating Okanagan Lake from 122 Bishop Sillitoe's Osoyoos Visit Dog Lake. The approach was through a marsh, where the horses sank to their knees in mud. Once arrived, however, troubles were for a while at an end, and the Indian train was dismissed and sent back to Hope. . . ." Abbott Street foot bridge, 1907, showing Mill Creek before diversion, Kelowna. 123 Kelowna United Church History Rev. William Stott included Kelowna in his history of "The Presbyterian Church in North and Central Okanagan," which appeared in the first, and was reprinted in the seventeenth Report of the Okanagan Historical Society. Kelowna United Church history includes (I) Presbyterian and (II) Methodist work prior to 1916; (III) Union Church 1916- 1925; and (IV) United Church 1925-. I.—Presbyterian: Originally, Kelowna was a "point" in a large area served by Rev. Paul Langill from Vernon, 1890-1894. Rev. G. A. Wilson followed Rev. Mr. Langill at Vernon, 1894- 1899, and for a time had oversight of the whole territory. Kelowna and Benvoulin united to form a student field, 1894-1897; then an ordained field till 1912, in which year Benvoulin was separated. J. L. Millar was the first to give student supply, serving during the summer of 1894, by which time the population of Kelowna numbered 250. Services were held every Sunday in Kelowna school, and at Benvoulin on alternate Sundays, the Methodist Church also giving service. Succeeding students were: G. S. Reid 1894, Mr. McKay 1895, J. H. Wallace and Alex Dunn 1896, A. C. Strachan and G. Mason 1897, then Revs. R. Boyle 1898-1899, C. Foote 1903, and A. W. K. Herdman 1905-1912, in which year Benvoulin was separated. Knox Church, Kelowna, then became an independent charge with Rev. A. Dunn in charge till 1916. II.—Methodist: Methodist work, too, was originally supervised from points at north end of lake: Revs. J. P. Hicks, T. Neville. Beginnings were at Benvoulin. Early ministers were Revs. J. P. Hicks 1893, D. W. Scott and G. E. Smith 1895, W. E. Moody 1897, and G. E. Smith for a second term. "Rev. George E. Smith arrived on this field as a probationer in the early days and was the first ordained minister stationed at Kelowna. To his ability and judgement the prosperity of the church was due. A new frame church, seating 140, was built in 1903, and a splendid parsonage was added in 1905. The church was enlarged in 1908 during the pastorate of Rev. J. H. Wright."1 l Letter from Rev. Dr. J. H. White. 124 Kelowna United Church History This last event was noted in The Kelowna Courier, 16 Jan. 1908: "The reopening for services of the Methodist Church, to which an addition has been made at a cost of $1700, was celebrated by a supper in Mr. C. Josselyn's store, and a public meeting in the church on January 13th. Mr. Price Ellison, M.L.A., of Vernon, occupied the chair at the public meeting. . . . To rise from a weak mission into a self-supporting church, to give nearly $600 for mission work in other parts, and to pay for a $1700 extension, all in eight months, was no small achievement, he declared." III.—Union: In 1916 Kelowna became one of the first Union charges in this province. The vote for the larger union of three churches in Canada (Presbyterian, Methodist and Congregationalist) had been favourable in 1912, and at the close of Rev. A. Dunn's ministry at Knox Church, when Benvoulin was separated, the Methodist and Presbyterian congregations in Kelowna united their forces under the leadership of Rev. E. Braden, Methodist, who remained in charge till 1923. (From then till his death in 23 Jan. 1950, Dr. Braden served Ryerson Church, Vancouver). Rev. A. McLurg (Presbyterian) was called to Kelowna in 1923. Thus the Union Church had first a Methodist, then a Presbyterian minister. The next was to be a former Congregationalist. IV.—United: When Mr. McLurg resigned in 1926, a call was accepted by Rev. A. McMinn of Victoria, during whose ministry the spacious church school hall was built, and opened 13 May, 1929. Succeeding ministers have been: Revs. W. W. McPherson 1933-1943, M. W. Lees 1943-1949, E. E. Baskier 1949-1951, and R. S. Leitch 1951-. The old Methodist church at 1561 Pendozi was taken down in 1947. It had been condemned some years earlier (See: Penticton Herald, 2 8 August, 1947). Japanese: Dr. S. S. Osterhout commenced the Kelowna Japanese mission under Methodist auspices in 1920, when K. Shimizu was appointed student supply. It is situated at the corner of Harvey Avenue and Water Street, and has church hall and Sunday School room, with manse upstairs. Sunday School was begun by Rev. T. Harano. He was followed by I. Ikemori and Revs. I. Taira and K. Sato. Rev. Y. Yoshioka was appointed to the field in May, 1929. In 1952 Mr. Yoshioka estimated the Japanese population in Okanagan 125 The Okanagan Historical Society—1954 j as: Vernon 500, Okanagan Centre 100, Kelowna 600, Westbank 150, West Summerland 100, and Penticton 30. During the Second World War, after the Japanese came into it, many of the B.C. coast Japanese were settled at Tashme, near Hope, and Mr. Yoshioka included these in his periodic rounds of visitation. Rev. J. Kabayama was appointed to succeed Mr. Yoshioka in 1953. 126 First Baptist Church Jeanetta Reekie Prior to 1905 several Baptist families had settled in and around Kelowna. Some services had been held but there had been no definite attempt at organization of a Baptist Church. However, on November 13th, 1905, a meeting was held to discuss forming a church. This was decided upon and a call to act as pastor was extended to Rev. H. P. Thorpe of Elgin, Manitoba. Arrangements were made to hold church and Sunday school services in Raymers Hall. Rev. Mr. Thorpe arrived in Kelowna January 8, 1906, and his first service was held January 21. On April 8, a church was duly organized and called First Baptist Church. The first deacons were: H. P. MacEwan, John E. Reekie and George Patterson. J. B. Knowles was appointed clerk, James S. Reekie treasurer and C. G. Clement Sunday School Superintendent. Plans were made for procuring a building lot, and on October 10, the building committee reported that Dr. B. F. Boyce had offered to donate a lot on the east side of Ellis Street. This offer was gratefully accepted and a short time later the adjoining lot was purchased. The corner stone of the church was laid by Rev. P. H. MacEwan on July 23, 1907. The building was of concrete blocks made by C. G. Clement, who also did the plastering. The masonry work was done by George Patterson. Both these men were charter members. The pulpit and chairs were given by Mrs. Alfred Postill in memory of her husband who had died in 1897 and was buried on their ranch, a short distance from the present Postill railway station. The bible for the pulpit was given by Rev. and Mrs. Thorpe. Beautiful linen cloths for the communion table were made and given by Mrs. Allan Wilson. All these appointments are still in use. The church building was dedicated in 1908, (Jan. 26). It was estimated that the building and the furnishings cost $2800. The building was often crowded and plans were made for enlarging, but 127 The Okanagan Flistorical Society—1954 it was not until 1926 that work was begun on the brick annex. During the years 1926-27 the church went through a troublous time which ended by some members withdrawing from the fellowship. Serving the church since its founding have been the following ministers: Revs. H. P. Thorpe, D. J. Welsh, A. Bennett, R. G. Edwards, J. S. Pirie, A. D. J. Milton, D. J. Rowland, H. P. Humphreys, D. McNabb, A. Cursons, R. Lamb, J. J. Smithson and B. A. Wingblade. A number of men carried on the work for short periods between pastorates. As student pastors were Revs. C. H. Bentall, Frank Patch and Allan Harbor. 128 Enderby Oldtimer Honoured Fred Barnes, age 96, was made a Freeman of the City of Enderby this spring before leaving for the Maritimes where he will live with his nephew and niece, Mr. and Mrs. C. Carter. He was born in Baie Verte, New Brunswick, came to Winnipeg in 1879, and to Okanagan in 1899. A contractor, Mr. Barnes built the first mill in Enderby, installed the machinery, and later managed it for Smith & McLeod. Enderby was incorporated as a city on March 1, 1905, with George Bell its first mayor. Although Mr. Barnes was an opponent of incorporation, he was elected an alderman in 1906, made a police commissioner in 1918, and was mayor for 1919-1921. He was appointed Justice of the Peace by Sir Richard McBride, and held that title for fifty years. Playground on property Mr. Barnes donated to the city years ago for this purpose was named Barnes Playground by Enderby Lions last year. At the age of 88 Mr. Barnes built a home for himself and his sister, the late Mrs. C. Waugh, who had kept house for him since his wife died in 1936. Mrs, Waugh passed away last December. Mr. Barnes paid tribute to his early colleague, Graham Rosoman, first city clerk of Enderby, an office which he held for forty years. Mr. Rosoman, who attended the ceremony honouring Mr. Barnes, is now 93 years of age. He was Enderby's first Freeman. 129 Kaleden's First Settlers Harry Corbitt The first two years of Kaleden's development have been recorded only briefly in our Reports. (See OHS.13 and 15). In a letter documenting Kaleden's 'Ģfirsts' Mr. Harry Corbitt writes: "The first house in Kaleden was built and owned by O. E. Tom- lin, who brought his family to live there in the summer of 1909. He also had a livery barn with a good business in teaming. The second house to be built was an attractive bungalow occupied by Frank Harrison and family. Mr. Harrison was a great fisherman and could be seen out on the lake in his boat from early spring to late fall. "R. S. Conklin, of Penticton, and his son-in-law, E. J. Chambers, purchased and planted fruit lots in 1909. Both these fruit growers took very keen interest in Penticton civic affairs. Mr. Conklin was Reeve for three years and Mr. Chambers was Reeve for four years. He was also president and general manager of the Associated Growers for many years. "During the early summer of 1909, Arthur Seaman Hatfield and family moved down from Summerland. They lived in a small shack until their house was built in 1910. Mr. Hatfield bought a half interest in James Ritchie's general store, took charge and acted as timekeeper as long as construction lasted. Early in 1910 the store was sold to D. D. Lapsley. Mr. Hatfield's parents, Captain and Mrs. Charles Hatfield, moved from Summerland to Kaleden in late summer of 1909. The Captain, in charge of the motor-boat Kaleden, hauled supplies from the head of Skaha Lake, including all the pipe used for the irrigation system. "That winter Jim Harrison and I took a horticultural course at Washington State College. On our return we went into partnership with Seaman Hatfield, who by then had the first post-office and a real-estate business. Harrison and I took a contract to plant and care for 27000 fruit trees. About a year later the partnership was broken up. Harrison eventually went into sheep-raising. Hatfield drove the mail-stage and in 1915 moved to Penticton. There he started a trucking business which was the beginning of the present 130 Kaleden's First Settlers Interior Contracting Company. I continued to look after the orchards. "During the winter of 1909-10, we had to go down three times a week to Okanagan Falls for our mail. As the lake was frozen over most of the trips were made on skates. There were always plenty of volunteers, the post-office being located in the hotel. "In 1910 more homes were built. The new residents were J. C. Findlay, T. C. Preston, Robert Melville, Herb Baker, N. K. Simpson and W. P. Simpson. The latter was for many years road-foreman for the Kaleden District. "The first school was opened in January, 1910, with Miss Olga Watson as teacher. The trustees were A. S. Hatfield as secretary, T. C. Preston and myself. "A comparison of transportation facilities in 1910 with those of 1953 is interesting. 1910: Several miles of pipe used for the Kaleden irrigation came from Vancouver. First, these pipes were hauled from the foundry to the railroad cars that brought them to Okanagan Landing. They were transferred to the steamer Aberdeen, freighted down the lake and unloaded on the C.P.R. wharf at Penticton. By team-drawn lumber wagons with racks they were hauled to the north end of Skaha Lake and dumped on the beach. From there a motor-boat towed them on a scow to Kaleden beach where they were reloaded for the last time on wagons and hauled to their destination. 1953: An order phoned to Vancouver at noon has the pipes arriving by truck the following morning, or a large order will reach you by train in forty-eight hours." 131 Similkameen" Gordon Stace Smith To-night the wind runs high, and like a clown Among the drifting clouds the moon laughs down. Wild are the etchings the horizons show Of rugged firs and ragged hills of snow; Unchanged, or almost, since the Redman's days— If ever Redman trod these pathless ways. Deep from my aerie yawns a dark ravine Where seaward tumbles the wild Similkameen. And, winter-covered, towers a mountain giant— White in the moonlight, awe-full and defiant. What do the birds know of this lonely sky In the sweet Summer, in the mid-July? Do humming-birds here build their downy nest? What insects for the Entomologist Play in the light or in the cool leaves hide? What herbs and grasses grow on the hillside, And does a world of wild flowers blush unseen? — O, to see again in Summer's dress this calling Similkameen! 132 In The Kootenays" The poem "Similkameen" is taken from In the Kootenays, and Other Verses, by Gordon Stace Smith. It was first published by the Mitre Press, London, England, in 1930. Our Canadian West is not without her poets. Nor do they lack inspiration. The Spirit of the Mountains has found interpreters in verse and prose. Life, Land and Literature are indebted to each other. The son of John Stace Smith and Jean Horsburg Grant, Gordon was born in Beausejour, Manitoba, in October, 1886, and received his elementary education in British Columbia schools. In April, 1914, he was married to Miss Elizabeth Martin. He has been a frequent contributor to the press, verses, lyrics and nature poems appearing under his name. Mr. Smith's home is in Creston, B.C., but following the mining profession, as he did for many years, he has covered the greater part of Canada, crossed the line at many points, and visited Australia. Life has been one long wanderfahre. His father had the same roving instinct, was one of the pioneer settlers of Salmon Arm, and later moved to Kootenay. But wherever Gordon wandered his thoughts were ever centred in and around his Creston home, and the Kootenay district. Besides a keen interest in most things, Mr. Smith has had two hobbies—if poetry can be included as a hobby. One would hardly suspect that the big-framed, broad-faced man who followed the mining game was an entomologist, and a poet of a high order. It was my privilege to accompany him on several journeys over the Cascades in search of insect life. I was not interested in Coleoftera as much as in the man. Out on the hills one learns to know a companion intimately. Life is a joyous thing. The real man journeys with a swing along life's highway. It is full of interest. There is always the Perhaps the mind of the man is revealed best of all in the printed page. His verse revolves around three themes: the joy, mystery and couraee of life. 133 Similkameen" wonder of what awaits around the bend. Fellow-travellers bring a message from the past. They speak of the future. And the sun by day, and the clouds ever-changing. Stars shine in the night sky. All these are compensation enough for the thorns, and rough places along the way. There is always the wind on the heath. Gordon never ceased to marvel at the mystery of life—the wonder of it all. The scepticisms of youth give place to wonder and awe. These come very near to worship. The realities of life contrast strangely with our dreams, and make the poet ask "God of the Greatness, have we angered Thee?" Life demands courage—heart. Optimism does not refuse to face the cold, hard facts of life. Nor does it stop at the Unknown —here or hereafter. In "Dice and Death" life faces the uncertain, the unknown, with quiet calm. Almost there is an echo of stoicism: "Life I have loved you, and I love you yet. . . ." There is something of the joy, mystery and courage of life in the poem "Similkameen."—J.G. 134 Outline History of Similkameen J. C. Goodfellow The main strands of Similkameen history since 1846 have been concerned with the fur trade, the search for gold, stock raising and farming, mining, transportation and the growth of community life. Each of these local strands has been linked with a parallel strand in provincial or dominion history: the fur trade with the Hudson's Bay Company; the search for gold with the Royal Engineers; stock raising and farming with "the winning of the West"; mining with the "making of a province"; transportation with highways, railways and airways, and community life with the growth of national consciousness. Before tracing these six strands, we must learn something about the land, and about the native peoples who first called it "Similka- meugh." The original name has been forced into the same phonetic groove as Tulameen by the white people of the valley in much the same way as Kitsilaho, in Vancouver, has been made to rhyme with Capilano. Father Le Jeune, in a letter dated Kamloops, September 9, 1927, gives "Tsemel-ka-meh" as a word descriptive of the people, or the land in which they lived. Teit gives the meaning as "Eagle People," said to be so named because eagles were plentiful in the valley, and their tail feathers were an item of export. Tulameen means "red earth" but there is no sufficient authority for any of the numerous meanings that have been assigned to the word Similkameen. I.—A GOODLY LAND Similkameen covers a variable area according as it refers to provincial, or dominion electoral or mining divisions. "It includes the country from the Okanagan Valley to the Hope Mountains, and from the International Boundary northward for a distance of about 45 miles." In making his survey of Tulameen, Camsell selected Princeton as his headquarters, being the most central point. He describes it as lying "in the angle formed by the junction of the Tulameen River with the south fork of the Similkameen River, and is thirty-one and a half miles in a direction north of the International Boundary." 135 Outline History of Similkameen It is a land of creeks and rivers, bench lands and table lands, rolling hills, valleys and mountains. The elevation of Princeton is about 2111 feet. The whole district is rich in mineral deposits, and these have been responsible for the trend of human activity since the red man held undisputed sway. The country is well wooded. The traveller on the trail during the summer months is constantly delighted with the profusion of wild flowers. Lupin and paintbrush, sunflower and fireweed give vivid touches of colour, and from the last week in June till the middle of July the rhododendrons are at their best on either side of the highway just beyond where it overlooks the Skagit and Sumallo valleys. Ernest Waterman noted the increase in bird life since gardening became popular. There is abundance of wild-animal life in the hills and the whole area between the Hope-Princeton Highway and the old Dewdney Trail has been set aside as a game reserve. Streams and lakes are well-stocked with fish. Rattlesnakes are seldom found west of Keremeos. Gordon Stace Smith, now resident in Creston, B.C., has catalogued the insect life of the valley. Mrs. Hugh Hunter kept complete weather records from 1901 till her death in June, 1942. The valley is in a dry belt. The climate is invigorating. A "goodly land" is Similkameen. Its history since white men came to the valley may be taken as beginning with the year 1846. In that year (June 15) the Oregon Treaty was signed, setting the 49th parallel as the International Boundary. In that year also Alexander Caulfield Anderson, in the service of the Hudson's Bay Company, made a survey from Kamloops to Fort Langley, going by way of Harrison Lake, and returning by way of Hope and Nicola Lake. This date, 1846, may be taken also as marking the beginning of the end of the red man's dominion in Similkameen. IL—BEFORE THE WHITE MAN CAME The natives of the valley were a border people: that is to say, they were a buffer tribe between the Thompsons and the Okanagans. The main divisions of the Indians in our province are Tsimshian, Haida, Dene, Nootkan, Kwakiutl, Kootenay and Salish. This last group is divided into Coast and Interior. The Interior Salish have four distinct dialects: Shuswap, Lillooet, Thompson and Okanagan. According to Hill-Tout, the Okanagans had ten encampments. The Similkameens were drawn partly from these, and partly from the 136 The Okanagan Historical Society—1954 Thompsons, with various unrecorded intrusions from elsewhere. The homes of the Similkameens were of two types. The summer shelter was the tipi. In winter, all resorted to the semi-underground keekwillies. Remains of these are common in the valley. The Similkameens were not behind other Indians in their ability to fashion implements of peace and war out of stone and other materials. Those made of bone, wood, leather and vegetable fibres were perishable, but stone hammers and arrowheads are found frequently. In the making of homes, the manufacture of implements and the building of canoes, the Indians revealed considerable ingenuity. The Indian bow was one of the masterpieces of early craftsmanship. Indian rock paintings are common. Some are crude, some are elaborate, all are interesting. Students call them pictographs because they are painted on rocks, whereas petroglyphs are carved in rock. There are few petroglyphs in the southern interior of our province, but pictographs are common, especially in Similkameen. They are found chiefly along the old road between Princeton and Keremeos, which followed closely the original river trail. Boulders, bluffs, rock faces and canyons were all made to serve the painters of early days who left a message intended for the many who would follow. It is not possible to assign dates to these pictures. The oldest Indians believe they were made by their parents when they were young. Ashnola Mary (Narcisse), who died May 24, 1944, aged 110 years, said they had been there as long as she remembered. The red ochre used for paint has a time-defying quality which helps to make dating difficult. There are large deposits of this red ochre in the Tulameen and Similkameen valleys, and before the white man invaded these parts Indians came long distances to trade for red paint. Allison Flat was formerly known as Yak-Tulameen, or "the place where the red earth was sold." It was the first market place in the valley. Some of the paintings have to do with tribal rites and initiation ceremonies; some are guides for hunters, traders and travellers; others are historical records. Religious belief in a multitude of spirits, good and evil, explains many of their customs. The medicine man was a real power, for good or evil, or both. Witchcraft was practised until comparatively recent times. Superstitions centred around the rainstone, the witch- stone, the ghost stone, the fire stone, the leapstone, the lovestone, and around monsters inhabiting land and lake. The rainstone, when 137 Outline History of Similkameen prayed to, caused rain to fall. The firestone caused smoke by day and fire by night, and the ghoststone was a centre of votive offerings. The lovestone, and strange monsters, were objects of local legend. The fragments of local history that have come down to us are insufficient to suggest the pattern of the whole. War and peace seem to have alternated with monotonous regularity. In 1912 the late Mrs. S. L. Allison wrote of the coming of a band of Chilcotins "about 150 years ago." These intruders could neither defeat the natives, nor be overcome by them. Diamond Jenness (Indians of Canada, p. 351) records that at the end of the 18th century there was "a small Athapaskan-speaking tribe wedged in among these five Salishan tribes, which occupied the valley of the Nicola River and part of the valley of Similkameen. Early in the 19th century the Thompson River Indians absorbed it so completely that only a few legends, and a small vocabulary of names, bear witness to its former existence." Mrs. J. Armstrong, of Keremeos, tells of Charlie Yakumtikum, who died in 1930 at a ripe old age. At the time of his birth, an Indian war was in progress. The North Okanagans were on the warpath. They slaughtered many Indians at the south end of Okanagan Lake. These lived where Penticton is now, but the battle took place a little to the north and west of the townsite. The North Okanagans then determined to go west and attack the Similkameens. These, all unsuspecting and unprepared, were surprised at Susap Creek. Great slaughter followed. Few escaped. One fled to the south end of Palmer Lake, gave warning that the North Okanagans were on the warpath, and that they were fast approaching. The Loomis went out in strength to meet the invaders. One party of the Loomis scaled the heights around Palmer Lake, and for a time remained concealed. The North Okanagans advanced to meet the oncoming Loomis. Then the Loomis came down from the heights and attacked in the rear. Again, there was great slaughter. The invaders were wiped out, and their bodies thrown into the lake. "Then we get even," was Yakumtikum's comment on the whole affair. Charlie knew of all this only by hearsay. His mother was one of the few who escaped the massacre at Susap Creek, and had fled to give the Loomis warning. She returned to Similkameen by way of Fairview and Princeton. Here, three weeks later, Charlie Yakumtikum was born. With the coming of the white man, tribal warfare died out. 138 Outline History of Similkameen III.—WHEN FUR WAS KING One day Dr. Gordon Wride of Hedley, and the writer, paid a visit to Ashnola Mary, sister of the late Ashnola John, who' was one of the colourful figures of local history. Mary was believed to be well over a hundred years old, but we could discover no clue to her exact age. Speaking through an interpreter, we asked if she could remember the coming of the first white man. She had no recollection of this, but we felt sure we were talking with one who had lived in these parts before "modern" history began. So far as we know, the first white men to visit the valley were connected with the fur trade. Their reason for coming is plain; it is more difficult to trace their explorations. The establishing of a trading post marks the beginning of Keremeos history. The Oregon Treaty award had been anticipated by Hudson's Bay Company officials when they moved their headquarters from the Columbia River to Vancouver Island in 1843. The award was announced in 1846. Thereafter it became imperative that new routes be discovered within British territory from the northern mainland to the coast. The Columbia River route had to be abandoned. This is a convenient place to insert a note anent boundary and geological surveys. Ashnola Mary remembered well the men who came to survey the land following the Oregon Treaty of 1846. Lieutenant Wilson, secretary to the British Boundary Commission, notes in his diary under date August 14, 1860, fording the Similkameen above Keremeos, and passing "the wooden cross erected over the graves of our three men who were drowned when Haig crossed over." H. Bauerman, geologist to' the North American Boundary Commission, did geological work in the southern portion of Similkameen 1859-61, when the boundary line was being defined. His report was not printed till 1884. Bauerman explored along the Hope and Pasay- ten trails. This latter trail, between the Roche and the Ashnola rivers, long abandoned, has recently been made passable. Reference is made to Chinamen on the Similkameen carrying on placer mining at that time. Dr. G. M. Dawson covered much of the same ground in 1877, and again in 1878. This was the last work done by the Geological Survey Department till Charles Camsell made his survey in 1906. In 1901 W. F. Robertson, Provincial Mineralogist, examined and reported on Princeton and Copper Mountain districts. In 1901 the International Boundary Survey Commission commenced a topograph- 139 The Okanagan Historical Society—1954 ical map of the boundary belt. Dr. R. A. Daly was Canadian geologist to this. Commission. Subsequent work is recorded by Camsell in his reports on Hedley and Tulameen, issued in 1910 and 1913 respectively. Before the Boundary Survey Commission commenced its work in 1859 the Hudson's Bay Company discovered routes to the coast within British territory. Even before this, Alexander Ross of the Pacific (Astor) Fur Company had visited Similkameen. Early in January, 1813, Ross left Kamloops for Fort Okanogan and made the journey by way of Similkameen. After incredible hardships in the dead of winter, Ross and his party descended from the high lands on the north side of the Similkameen River, and came to the valley at a point not far west of Keremeos. After remaining a day at an Indian camp, getting information about the country, and procuring furs, Ross continued his journey, "following the Sa-milk-a- meigh River, got to Oakinaken at the forks; thence we travelled almost day and night till the 24th of January, when we reached home again." From Archibald McDonald's 1827 map of the Thompson River one would gather that Similkameen was not unknown to' the early traders. But A. C. Anderson, chief geographer for the Hudson's Bay Company, is the first white man to explore Similkameen, who has left records sufficiently clear to be followed today. With his headquarters at Kamloops, he spent several years seeking the most feasible route to the coast. His explorations covered the headwaters of the Similkameen, Coldwater and Coquihalla rivers, and he opened up several trails through the mountains. The one still known as the Brigade Trail was one of two trails between Hope and Nicola. One followed the Coquihalla and Coldwater rivers. The Brigade Trail crossed Manson, Lodestone and Jackson mountains, and zigzagged down to Otter Valley. It was on this trail that Chief Trader Paul Fraser met his death by a falling tree, as we learn in a letter from Chief Trader Donald Manson to Chief Factor James Douglas, dated "Campment de Chev(reuil), 29th July, 1855." The site of the grave on Manson Mountain was discovered by Walter Jameson (Junior) and Harry Squakim in the fall of 1935. These trails are in the western portion of Similkameen. Another trail, explored by Anderson, led eastward to the Okanagan. This crosses the mountains through the Nicolum and Skagit valleys, follows the Whipsaw to Similkameen, and continues east past Kere- 140 Outline History of Similkameen meos. Originally, it may have been an Indian trail, and how far Anderson followed it we do not know. In the spring of 1860 the Hudson's Bay Company pre-empted land at Keremeos, and Francois Deschiquette was placed in charge. He was succeeded by Roderick McLean in 1863. McLean had been an axeman with the Boundary Survey Commission, and by 1863-64 had completed the post erected at Keremeos. Indians assisted in horse raising, and McLean made many journeys with packhorses among the Indians who traded furs for goods supplied by the Company. When Jason O. Allard was ordered to report at Fort Sheppard in the summer of 1866 he went from Fort Yale to Fort Hope there to join the pack train for the interior. At Hope Allard met McLean who was preparing the outfit of fifty mules for the long journey to Fort Sheppard. On this occasion McLean, though stationed at Keremeos, was to go right through. Frank Richter was at the Similkameen post, where the Company bred horses. Furs collected by McLean were baled, and shipped by packtrain to Fort Hope, and thence by river boat to New Westminster, then to Victoria, and thence to London, England. In 1866 a Mr. Tait came from the coast to succeed McLean. He was the last factor stationed at Keremeos. He is reported to have made the trip from Hope in one day. Before many years, the post was closed. The Company building stood till 1914. The house belonging to the W. H. Armstrong estate stood almost on the exact site of this vanished landmark. IV.—THE SEARCH FOR GOLD The search for gold begins a new chapter in Similkameen history, and brings into the picture Governor James Douglas, Richard Clement Moody and some of his Royal Engineers. Many of the Hudson's Bay Company employees found the search for gold more profitable than the fur trade. Gold had been discovered in the interior of the province in the early fifties. In 1858 miners began to arrive from the south, where the excitement of 1849 in California had died down. On their way to the Fraser diggings, or later to Cariboo, the majority came to Victoria, then crossed over to the mainland. Others came by the Columbia River route, following the Okanagan Lake, thence overland to the diggings. Many who followed this latter route diverged up the Similkameen, where gold had been discovered. In 1858 John Fall Allison came to Victoria, and for a time 141 The Okanagan Historical Society—A 954 worked on the Fraser. The results proved disappointing. Returning to Victoria, he was asked by Governor Douglas to cross the Hope Mountains and investigate reports of rich placer ground by Hudson's Bay Company employees at Tulameen, then known as the north fork of the Similkameen. Unknown to him at the time, Allison and his Indian guide followed the south fork, and found rich prospects at a number of points, About a mile east of the forks he met J. McDougall and family camped on a high bench, which they were working profitably. The following year, 1859, Allison returned, path-finding and prospecting. That fall there was quite a rush to Similkameen. Many came from California, and a number of Chinamen were among the newcomers. Rumours of Spaniards, or Mexicans, who prospected the mountains even before this first rush, cannot be traced but should be recorded. Gold had been discovered at Rock Creek in October, 1859, by Adam Beam, while travelling from Colville to Similkameen. Within a year more than 500 miners were camped on the creek. Douglas was anxious that a trail should be pushed through from Hope to the Rock Creek diggings by way of Similkameen. The part played by the Royal Engineers was confined to the years 1859-61, and consisted chiefly of exploration, road making and surveying. The main body of Engineers arrived at Esquimalt in April, 1859. That summer Lieutenant A. R. Lempriere explored from Hope up the Coquihalla; and in the fall (September-October) Lieutenant H. Spencer Palmer made a notable journey from Hope, following the whole length of the Tulameen, and continuing east to Colville. In his report, dated November 29, 1859, he states that the junction of the north and south Similkameen "is named Vermilion Forks, from the existence in its neighbourhood of a red clay ochre, from which the Indians manufacture paint." Others combined trail making and mapping with exploration. In 1860 Sgt. McColl located a trail as far east as the Punch Bowl. This followed (in part) the Anderson trail (The Allison or Yates trail was to the south). Later in the year Edgar Dewdney and Walter Moberly constructed a trail through to Rock Creek, keeping south of the Punch Bowl. In 1861 it was determined to build a wagon road from Hope to Rock Creek. In charge of this undertaking was Captain J. M. Grant whom Judge Howay described as "the greatest roadbuilder of them all." This road was completed as far as 25 miles east of Hope. A dispute arose over tolls proposed 142 Outline History of Similkameen by Governor Douglas. Money was scarce. More promising discoveries lured miners elsewhere, with the result that roadbuilding was stopped, and the existing trail widened. Three separate parties worked on the trail, under Sgt. L. F. Bonson, Cpl. William Hall and Sgt. J. Murphy. The survey of the original site of Princeton was carried out in October, 1860, by Sgt. McColl, R.E., under instructions from Douglas, who visited the valley that fall. The name of Princeton was chosen in honour of the Prince of Wales (afterwards Edward VII, known to History as "the Peacemaker"), who had visited Eastern Canada earlier in the year. The townsite surveyed was over a mile east of the present village, and was on the north side of the river, below Graveyard Creek. Until 1923 survey monuments were still standing. Col. Moody, Captain Luard, Sgt. McColl, Sgt. Lindsay and others worked on the survey. It must be clearly understood that no town was ever built on the site originally surveyed. The origin and growth of the present Princeton will be discussed in the section on community growth. The engineers named above pre-empted land in the vicinity, and are remembered in such place names as Moody's Prairie, and Luard's Lake. William Robinson of Defiance Camp, 22 miles east of Hope (across the river from the present highway, but on the old trail), prizes an R.E. pick; and the late A. E. Raab treasured a little sundial made by one of the Royal Engineers. Other R.E. picks have been discovered between Hope and Defiance Camp. But the best memorial of all to the skill and enduring work of the Royal Engineers is the stretch of road they constructed from Hope east in 1861. The earliest community formed by gold-seekers was at Blackfoot on the south fork of the Similkameen (now regarded as the main stream), about six miles southwest of the Princeton of today, and two miles above Allenby. In 1861 the flat and its immediate neighbourhood contained forty houses, including miners' cabins. For many years this remained one of the ghost towns of the interior. Then it became not even a memory. In September, 1935, the site was relocated, and identified with Kruger's Bar. According to the late James Jameson, iron spikes in a river boulder indicated until recently where a bridge had crossed to the store and hotel on the south side of the river. Theodore Kruger, who gave his name to the place, was born in Hanover in 1829, and came to British Col- 143 The Okanagan Historical Society—A 954 umbia in 1856. Like Mr. Allison, who arrived in 1858, he tried mining on the Fraser before coming to Similkameen. In 1866 he moved to Osoyoos as store manager for the Hudson's Bay Company. A larger community sprang up at Granite Creek in 1885. This was at the mouth of the creek, where it enters the right bank of the Tulameen, 12 miles west of Princeton. W. H. Holmes, recalling his arrival there in 1885, tells that it was "full of life, and every hundred feet on the river was a wooden wheel, all turning to a different tune." The rush was started by the discovery of a gold nugget by cowboy John Chance. Within a few months, a tent- town covered the flat near the mouth of the creek. By the end of October 62 companies had creek claims, averaging 300 feet each. From July 5 to October 31 gold to the value of $90,000 was reported. In December Henry Nicholson (mining recorder) estimated the population as 600 whites and 300 Chinese. Tents were soon replaced by log buildings. In January, 1886, G. C. Tunstall (gold commissioner) reported forty homes, six saloons and hotels, and seven stores. The peak production was in 1886 when gold and platinum to the value of $193,000 was taken, chiefly from Granite Creek. By 1900 Granite Creek was another ghost town. Hugh Hunter, who had been appointed mining recorder in August, 1889, was in March 1900 moved to Princeton as Government Agent. Gold reported represented only a part of what was actually taken. Chinese were regarded as the worst offenders in not reporting full amounts taken. The search for gold has continued with varying success since 1886, and during the last decade there has been increased activity. The search for gold has been an important factor in the development of the valley. V.—STOCK RAISING, FARMING AND FRUIT Those who settled on the land were among those who helped to add the west to the rest of the dominion. The late Mrs. S. L. Allison said that the early settlers were always loyal to the British connection. Though gold lured many prospectors and adventurers, many of whom left for other parts, ranching and farming attracted comparatively few, but most of them remained. John Fall Allison, pioneer settler, was born in England in 1825. His father was house surgeon in Leeds Infirmary. The family moved to Illinois, U.S.A., in 1837. As a young man John went overland to California in 1849, and in 1858 came to Victoria. 144 Outline History of Similkameen On the advice of Governor Douglas, Mr. Allison explored the Similkameen Valley, prospecting for gold, and mapping trails. He was appointed Justice of the Peace in 1876, assistant gold commissioner in 1885, and became one of the best-known cattlemen in the whole valley. He died in October, 1897, and was buried at the base of Castle Rock. Mrs. Allison was born on August 18, 1845, in Colombo, Ceylon, where her father, Stratton Moir, was a tea planter. Susan Louisa, his youngest daughter, was sent to England for her education. Mr. Moir died, and later his widow married a Mr. Glennay. In 1860 the family came to British Columbia, arriving in Hope on Susan's birthday. Four years later, her sister was married to Edgar Dewdney, and for a time Susan was the only white girl in Hope. Here she met Mr. Allison to whom she was married in September, 1868. Soon after they crossed the Hope Trail, and made their home just below the forks of the Tulameen and Similkameen rivers, a little east of Princeton. With the exception of some years in the Okanagan Valley, Mrs, Allison remained in Similkameen till 1928, when she went to Vancouver to reside. She died on February 1, 1937, and was buried in the Allison cemetery at the base of Castle Rock, two miles east of Princeton. Her reminiscences appeared in Vancouver and Princeton newspapers. She had a keen insight into the native mind, and embodied local history and legend in fifty,pages of verse, published under the title of In-cow-mas-ket by the Scroll Publishing Company, Chicago, 1900. Stratton Moir was her pen name. As stock raising declined towards the end of last century, farming and fruit growing grew in importance till today they are the main stay of the lower valley, of which Keremeos and Cawston are centres. Keremeos is said to mean "wind channel in the mountains." The name is descriptive. The town of today lies not far from the river, and the sage brush slopes beyond the orchard lands are often swept by the winds that course through the valley. The rolling, bunchgrass hills made an ideal range. The Hudson's Bay Company servants were quick to see its possibilities. There was always a ready local market for packhorses, and a market for cattle at the coast. Lieutenant Wilson writes in his diary, August 14, 1860: "We travelled up the much talked of valley of the Similkameen . . . the finest part of the valley was occupied this spring by the Hudson's Bay Company and we found a Canadian 145 The Okanagan Historical Society—1954 half-breed in charge; he had some cows and a large number of oxen so that we had a good drink of milk, a thing not to be despised in this part of the world." Frank Richter, after whom Richter's Pass is named, was one of the earliest cattlemen in the valley. He came to Lower Similkameen in 1860, and settled on what was afterwards known as the Cawston property. He sold out to Richard Lowe Cawston, from whom the town of Cawston derives its name (OHS. 13, p. 109), and Mrs. William H. (Ella) Lowe in 1884. Other well-known cattlemen in early days were Frank Suprement (better known as Surprise), Manuel Barcelo, Jack Knowles, Louis Marsel, J. Coulthard, W. J. Manery and Dan McCurdy. Cattle were wintered on the hills, and late in summer were driven in thousands along the trail to Hope, then shipped to New Westminster. During mining boom days in the Kootenay country, cattle were driven there. No cattle are driven over the Hope Trail now. Instead, thousands of sheep are taken to graze around the summits overlooking the headwaters of Whipsaw Creek. Stock raising still has its place in the valley, but it has long been exceeded in importance by farming and fruit growing. The continuation of the above quotation from Lieutenant Wilson's diary records the beginning of farming in the Keremeos district. "The Canadian had just gathered in his harvest; the wheat, the first grown in the valley, looked very well, as also did the potatoes and other vegetables." Barcelo was a Mexican who arrived in the early sixties, and took up the first homestead near what is now Cawston. He brought from across the line many horses for packing. Mrs. Allison gives him credit for establishing the first flour mill in the valley—"a primitive affair, like a gigantic coffee mill." When Barrington Price and Henry Nicholson arrived in 1876 they saw the need for a flour mill, and erected one on Keremeos Creek. The building is still a landmark, though the mill has long ceased to operate. The land on which it stood cornered on Hudson's Bay property. Both were acquired by J. O. Coulthard, who arrived in 1886. By the time Mr. Coulthard sold out in 1903 he had nearly 2000 acres. This included the site of Keremeos. The. original site was at Keremeos Centre, near the Tweddle ranch. During railway construction days the present site was laid out, near the river, and easily served by the Great Northern railway. Land settlement was promoted, and an irrigation system installed. The first fruit 146 Outline History of Similkameen cannery was started in 1907. Cawston is four miles southeast of Keremeos, and Olalla four miles north. This last-named place was named by W. C. McDougall, and is a centre of ranching and prospecting. The Keremeos Columns park, 720 acres, was set aside as a park in August, 1931. VI.—MINING In a more direct way than fur trading, gold seeking or stock raising, mining has contributed to the "making of a province." Half a dozen communities in the valley owe their existence to mining: Hedley and Nickel Plate to gold mining; Allenby and Copper Mountain to copper mining; Blakeburn and Coalmont to coal mining. Princeton has been associated with all of these—gold, copper, coal. Hedley is the largest settlement in Similkameen dependent on gold mining (See: "The Nickel Plate Mine," by Harry D. Barnes, OHS. 15 (1951), pp. 96-109). Placer mining, which began at the mouth of Twentymile Creek in the early sixties, was soon exhausted. The period of lode mining began in 1896. George Allison and Jim Riordan had staked three claims for Edgar Dewdney in 1894, and one had been recorded by J. Coulthard. These four, however, were allowed to lapse. Peter Scott located the Rollo in 1897, and three claims the following year. That same August (1897) Albert Jacobson and C. Johnson (two Swedes who had been grubstaked by W. Y. Williams of Phoenix) located two claims; and four were staked by F. I. Wollaston and C. H. Arundel. Samples from these last claims came to the notice of M. K. Rodgers, who represented the mining interests of Marcus Daly of Butte, Montana. At the time, Rodgers was on his way to the Cassiar district. He cancelled his sailing from Victoria, and next morning started out for Similkameen. The first samples to be assayed carried values so high that Rodgers suspected salting. With this in mind, he returned by himself and resampled the properties. The results were equally promising. With the bonding of the group, permanent work was started in January, 1899. In October, 1902, a tramway was constructed, flume work undertaken, and the erection of a stamp mill and cyanide plant commenced. Milling of ore began in May, 1904. By the time that the Nickel Plate holdings of the Daly estate were sold on August 12, 147 The Okanagan Historical Society—1954 1909, to the Exploration Syndicate of New York, over two and one- half millions in gold had been taken. During the First World War, and again during the Depression, operations were suspended. Since then a number of other companies have entered the field, chief among them being the Kelowna Exploration and Hedley Mascot. Although Hedley townsite was not laid out till 1899, when the Hackney Hotel was built, settlement had begun in 1898 with the building of a road house. The population in 1930 was 500, and since then it has fluctuated. The town was named for R. R. Hedley, a surveyor, and friend of Peter Scott who located the Rollo claim in 1897. Copper mining has employed as many men in the valley as gold mining. Copper has been found at many points—Copper Mountain, Kennedy Mountain, Hope Trail, etc.—but only at Copper Mountain has large scale production taken place. Allison had noted copper on the Hope Road in 1859, and later located claims in the vicinity. Kennedy Mountain was named for a prospector who passed away in 1933. Hugh Kennedy belonged to the Robert Dick and Thomas Edward type made famous by Samuel Smiles. His shack was little more than a place to keep fossils and curios of every kind. Kennedy and Hugh McDiarmid located in 1897; E. E. Burr and L. H. Jones in 1898; and George Allison staked the Red Buck in 1899. Copper Mountain is ten miles south of Princeton, and is reached by a 12-mile-long road. There is also a branch line of the Kettle Valley Railway running south along the Similkameen to the primary crushing plant. The railway passes through the mill site at Allenby, 5.5 miles south of Princeton, and continues 7.7 miles to the base of Copper Mountain. The discovery of Copper Mountain ore goes back to 1888, according to the story told by James Jameson, Senior. One day he and his father were out hunting. Presently a deer presented a target, and both father and son fired. As they approached the place where their prize lay, the deer jumped to its feet, bounded into the woods, and was not seen again. While the son was lamenting this misfortune the father interested himself in some outcroppings of copper which revealed themselves just where the deer had fallen. Jamson made known his discovery to R. A. Brown, who came in periodically to buy furs. He staked the Sunset in 1895. Between that date and 1900 a great many claims were staked during a mild prospecting boom. Emil Voight's camp was located 1898-99. 148 Outline History of Similkameen Thereafter little work was done till 1905, when the B.C. Copper took options on a number of claims, including the Sunset, and diamond drill work was done. The results were not encouraging, the low-grade ore being too highly siliceous to be smelted direct, and unresponsive to water concentration. The B.C. Copper Company returned to the Mountain in 1911, and in 1913 started to develop the Sunset and Princess camps. Ore treatment difficulties had been solved by the discovery of a new process. The railway branch line from Princeton was surveyed by Pardoe Wilson in 1914, and railway construction commenced two years later. A power contract was arranged with the West Kootenay Power Company in 1916. The expense entailed necessitated the formation of a new company, the Canada Copper Company. Progress was retarded through labour troubles, and the shipping of ore to the mill did not begin till October 18, 1920. Then the war price of copper dropped to 13 cents, and the mill was closed on December 9, 1920. The Allenby Copper Company was incorporated in 1923, and work was continued till the end of the year. In 1925 it was taken over by The Granby Consolidated Mining & Smelting Co., Ltd., and with the rise in copper prices Copper Mountain was a thriving community till the fall of 1930. Once again the falling price of copper made necessary suspension of operations. They were not resumed till the winter of 1936, when A. S. Baillie became superintendent, and afterwards president of the company. To his vision, courage and ability was due the reopening of the mine, and its successful development. The site for the power plant at Princeton was acquired in December, 1936. Excavation commenced on January 2, 1937, was serving power by April, 1937, and fully completed by July, 1938. On March 1, 1951, L. T. Postle succeeded Mr. Baillie as general manager, and since then the increase of machinery for strip-mining has made possible greater production with fewer men. The price of copper remains high. Since 1925 the prosperity of the valley has reflected the rise and fall of copper prices. Coal is sometimes referred to as "black diamonds," and platinum as "white gold." In 1858 J. F. Allison had discovered coal on the right bank of the Similkameen just above the forks. This outcropping attracted early settlers who mined their own coal, and hauled it over the ice on sleighs to their homes. Princeton and Coalmont became the two centres of coal mining in Similkameen. Princeton coal area covers 24 square miles. The seam near the 149 The Okanagan Historical Society—1954 forks proved to be 24 feet thick, and was the first to be developed in the area. In October, 1897, the Vermilion Forks Mining & Development Company located four square miles, which included the site of Princeton, which site was then a ranch owned by S. D. Sands, later son-in-law of J. F. Allison. The following spring this company began developing the coal seam. In the absence of rail facilities large scale development was not possible, but from 1898- 1910 local demand and that of Hedley were supplied. With the coming of the Great Northern railway in 1910 the company resolved itself into the Princeton Coal and Lands Company, which continued operations till' 1923. By this time the daily output was 200 tons, and 120 men were employed. The mine was taken over by the Princeton, B.C. Collieries Ltd., in 1923, but had to be abandoned a year afterwards, internal fires making operational costs too high. Since then it has belonged to the Princeton Properties Ltd. Many companies have operated in various parts of the valley since then. The Tulameen Valley Coal Company began in 1924, and continued for ten years. C. Hunter and B. Bowen located this seam. They trucked coal into Princeton, and thus secured money for further development work. By the end of 1924 they had sold 1075 tons. After 1927 the output was 200 tons daily. The Lynden Coal Mines Ltd. (at Nine Mile) began in 1927, Pleasant Valley (W. R. Wilson) in 1928, and Black Diamond in 1935. Present operating mines are Tulameen Collieries and Taylor Burson Coal Company. Mining on a small scale has been resumed this year at Blakeburn. Twelve miles northwest of Princeton is Coalmont, which had a population of 250 in 1930. Today it is considerably less. It was the railway "port" for Blakeburn. Coal had been discovered in Collins' Gulch by W. A. Davis in 1894, and by Bonthrong in 1909. Prospecting was continued by the Columbia Coal and Coke Company, 1910-12; and by the McAvoy Trust Company 1913-15. The Coalmont Collieries took charge in 1917. Transportation of coal from Blakeburn to Coalmont was by team, then truck, till aerial tramway was installed in the fall of 1920. The Great Northern railway arrived at Coalmont in 1911. Coalmont was so named because of the belief that there was a mountain of coal which could be stripped, and operated by steam shovels. Blakeburn 150 Outline History of Similkameen was named for W. J. Blake Wilson and P. Burns, two company directors. The worst mining disaster in Similkameen, and one of the worst in the province, happened at Blakeburn, on Wednesday, August 13, 1930, when 45 miners lost their lives following an explosion at No. 4 mine. This was the beginning of the end of coal mining at Blakeburn. VII.—TRANSPORTATION The development of any country is largely a matter of transportation. This has always been, and continues to be, one of Sim- ilkameen's problems. A progressive survey is indicated by the five headings—waterways, pathways, highways, railways and airways. The Similkameen is of little value for transport. Even the Indians did not trust themselves to frail canoes: they preferred the sturdy dugouts. When Douglas arrived at Keremeos on September 21, 1860, he "decided that supplies . . . could be taken down the Similkameen River by boat. By this route supplies of English goods might be brought into the country." The wish must have been father to the thought. The truth is that neither in 1860, nor at any time since, has the river been suitable for this purpose. It is difficult to understand Douglas's "decisions." The earliest pathways were deer trails and Indian trails. Wherever they could, the fur traders and gold seekers made use of these. In addition, they blazed many new trails. Many of these have already been noted. "Highways" is the title of an unfinished chapter in local history. The earliest road from east to west was made by Richter for the purpose of bringing in lumber. In stage coach days, until 1900, the road to Princeton from Nicola branched off at Aspen Grove (then known as Dodd's), and followed round by Otter Flat to Granite Creek. The Royal Engineers in 1861 constructed 25 miles of road from Hope in the direction of Princeton. This is now included in the Hope-Princeton highway. If we take Princeton as a centre the present Similkameen roads are like the fingers on an outstretched hand: west to Hope and Fraser Valley; northwest to Coalmont, Tulameen and Brookmere; north to Merritt and Kamloops; northeast to Osprey Lake and Peachland; and east to Hedley, Keremeos and Penticton (OHS. 13, p. 51). The road to Peachland by way of Osprey Lake is marked on McDonald's map (1827) as "Indian Road." This road was re- 151 fENT/CTON HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARy The Okanagan Historical Society—1954 opened by J. F. Allison in 1874. On May 28, 1931, F. M. Buck- land and party drove the first car over this road (OHS. 13, pp. 45- 50). It is still in a primitive condition most of the way. The road to Nickel Plate, winding up hill from near Chuchuawa (a few miles east of Hedley) was opened on May 24, 1937. Before then the only road was from a point on Green Mountain Road to the mine. The Hope-Princeton highway was officially opened on November 2, 1949. Mrs. P. Bird (formerly Miss Jessie Ewart) has contributed an interesting chapter on local history during stage coach days, when in 1907 W. E. Welby advertised "A beautiful drive over the best of roads. Fast stock, and the best of drivers." Stopping places and road houses between Jim Wallace's hotel and the Jackson House in Princeton, and the old Penticton Hotel, were Goldsbury's, the Hackney House at Hedley, Bradshaw's, the Kirby Hotel at Keremeos, and Clark's at Green Mountain (OHS.7, pp. 21-24). In recent years the iron horse has displaced old dobbin, and the Greyhound has taken the place of the stage coach. A number of surveys had been made long before railway construction was begun by the Great Northern and Canadian Pacific railways. There was considerable rivalry between these two companies, The local section of the Great Northern was dubbed the "Jimhillkameen." It was, of course, part of the route which James Hill had planned from Spokane, Washington, to Vancouver, B.C. This would have given his transcontinental line three western forks: one down the Columbia to Portland, one almost due west to Seattle, and the third northwest to Vancouver, B.C. In building branch lines north into Canadian territory he may have anticipated the Canadian Pacific Railway Company building south, and tapping trade in Washington. The section under review was built by the Victoria, Vancouver & Eastern Railway and Navigation Company, a subsidiary of the Great Northern. From Keremeos to Princeton (41 miles) was completed in 1909, and commenced operating on December 23rd of that year. During 1910 the line was extended to Coalmont and Tulameen. Grading from Princeton to Tulameen was under way in 1911, and in the fall track was laid between Princeton and Coalmont. This section, however, was not placed in operation till May 1, 1912. After various arrangements had been made with the Great Northern, the Canadian Pacific Railway commenced construction 152 Outline History of Similkameen of the Kettle Valley railway in 1914. Track laying was completed by April 21, 1915, and on Friday, April 23, Mrs. Griffiths, wife of Rev. G. D. Griffiths, had the honour of driving in the last spike. Regular service was begun on May 31, 1915. The Penticton Herald issued a special, twenty page edition marking the event. With the resumption of operations at Copper Mountain late in 1936, and the opening of the Hope-Princeton on November 2, 1949, Greyhound stages began operating, and linking valley towns with points east and west. Regular airway service is not yet an accomplished fact, but Princeton has an emergency field, and sufficient progress has been made to remind one of Teit's description of Similkameen as the "valley of eagle people." First planes appeared here in 1929. The airport was begun in December, 1932, and completed in May, 1933. Beacon towers were erected in 1937. Weather reports are broadcast daily, and T.C.A. planes cross the valley on flights east and west. Diesel units have replaced the steam engine on the Kettle Valley railway. Motels, camping grounds and picnic grounds along modern highways have helped to multiply tourist traffic. The railway train, the aeroplane and the automobile are all at the service of the travelling public. VIIL—COMMUNITIES Notice has already been taken of most of the communities in the valley. In this last section we confine ourselves to "phantom" cities (cities which never were, as compared with ghost towns, which have been but are not), and to the origin and growth of Princeton. The phantom cities are Allison, Ashnola, Similkameen and East Princeton. The Ashnola townsite was surveyed in 1905 by D. R. Young, who organized the Similkameen Valley Coal Company. In 1900 Similkameen City was widely advertised as "the mining and commercial centre of the whole Similkameen." It was promoted by Frank Bailey. His dream was not realized. Instead, there grew up the town of Hedley. Allison townsite was sponsored by Edgar Dewdney, but the town at the forks (Princeton) continued to grow in spite of this rival. People used to smile when they learned that the little church at East Princeton (which was sold and taken down during World War II) was on the corner of "Seventh Avenue and Portland Street." The church (Methodist) was built in 1912 and designed as the religious centre of a town which was to grow around a 153 The Okanagan Historical Society—1954 cement factory. A huge plant was actually built. It brought nothing but grief to speculators. The town of Princeton began in 1897, when the site was secured from S. D. Sands by the Vermilion Forks Mining and Development Company. Sands had already had a few lots surveyed by R. H. Lee near the Tulameen bridge, and this was the nucleus from which the present town has grown. With the surveying of a larger area between the forks there was in 1897 a mild real estate flurry. The first hotels were built in 1898 by Jim Wallace and John Henry Jackson. By 1900 there were, in addition, two livery stables, two butcher shops, two blacksmith shops, two laundries, three sawmills, a restaurant, assay and Government offices, real estate and survey offices. Besides visiting ministers, there was a doctor, a lawyer, a newspaper, and a growing number of homes. In 1930 the population was 1000. The 1951 census figure was 2200. Population today is estimated to be over 2500. On Saturday, April 28, 1951, by a large majority, Princeton voted for incorporation. First commissioners for the village were: Isaac Plecash, Winston Pilling, George Gurr, Albert Bloom and Jim Berryman. That fall Similkameen was visited by His Honour, Clarence Wallace, Lieutenant-Governor of the province. With the coming of trade winds, Princeton has taken its place as the centre of Similkameen, and one of the busiest towns of the interior of British Columbia. Modern Junior and High schools have been built. Three churches serve the religious needs of the population. The latest store to be built is the Overwaitea. A new building for the Princeton branch of The Canadian Bank of Commerce is being erected on Bridge Street. Land has been purchased for new Post Office. The Capitol Theatre is being widened and remodelled to accommodate the latest type of moving pictures. The Princeton Hotel has been enlarged, and there are half a dozen automobile garages and repair shops. Village roads have been hard-surfaced, and many of them now have concrete sidewalks. The Princeton of today is a modern, thriving community. The actual date of incorporation was September 11, 1951. Mr. Plecash was elected first chairman of the village commission, an office which he still holds. At the first meeting of the interim board, on September 24, 1951, Mrs. Elizabeth Smith was appointed village clerk, treasurer and assessor. The interim commissioners were confirmed in office by the December, 1951, election. 154 Outline History of Similkameen With the coming of the railways and Diesel-drawn trains, the automobile and the Greyhound, aeroplanes, telephones and radios, there is no longer the feeling of isolation which many felt here before the Great Wars. The prospector in his cabin on the hills has his radio, and is in touch with the outside world. Similkameen has become a part of Canada in more than a geographical or political sense, and a long history focusses itself in Princeton. The people of the valley look forward to greater things to be. At the same time, they do not forget those who have contributed to what we enjoy today—the Native peoples, fur traders, Royal Engineers, prospectors, miners, farmers, ranchers, merchants, lawyers, doctors, school teachers and missionaries. 155 Recent Books Mentioning Okanagan Soil Survey of the Okanagan and Similkameen Valleys British Columbia by C. C. Kelley and R. H. Spilsbury. Report No. 3 of British Columbia Survey, issued by the British Columbia Department of Agriculture in co-operation with Experimental Farms Service, Dominion Department of Agriculture (Ottawa, 1949). The introduction to this well-documented, scholarly survey tells that "Taken as a whole, the Okanagan district is noteworthy for the diversity of its natural resources. The northern section produces grain, dairy products, pork, poultry, and vegetables, together with some fruit. In the south, a great variety of fruits and vegetables are grown in addition to dairy products for local use, and the variation of climate promotes a north and south movement of food supplies for local consumption at different seasons of the year. "In the surrounding mountain region are grazing areas for cattle and sheep, with the valley as the base for winter feeding. This resource partly supplies the Okanagan district with beef and mutton. The mountain district is also the catchment basin from which the irrigation and domestic water is obtained. At elevations up to 6,000 feet, the water from melting snow is stored in dammed lakes and meadows for use during the growing season. . . . "Most of the mountain area is covered with timber, now being exploited for wood products and fuel. With conservation, this resource is extensive enough to ensure a continuous supply. . . . "The soil map is published in 4 sheets covering the Okanagan Valley, together with a few side valleys and the southern part of the Similkameen Valley. The maps show the location and extent of the different soil types and their average surface textures. The soils located on the maps are differentiated by symbols and colours which are explained in the legend." History and development of the area begins with the "fur traders who made their way into the region from the south in 1811." (p. 16). The book is well-illustrated, amply supplied with charts and diagrams, and has a list of references on page 88. 156 The Okanagan Historical Society—1954 The Story of Osoyoos, September 1811 to December 1952 by Geo. J. Fraser (The Penticton Herald, 1953). In his Foreword Mr. Fraser tells us that "This story of the early days in Osoyoos, together with a history of more recent events is dedicated to the citizens of Osoyoos, its primary object being to provide a dependable record of past events and to present a fair picture of life as enjoyed or endured by that small group of unforgettable pioneers who for many years shared, with Indians only, life in this favored sun-kissed valley." Mr. Fraser first saw Osoyoos in 1910, and has lived through, and taken part in, much of the story he records. In compiling this record he acknowledges generous assistance from the Provincial Archives, the Okanagan Historical Society Reports, and a number of oldtimers: Mrs. R. B. White, Val C. and W. B. Haynes, Theodore "Babe" Kruger and Mrs. E. Lacey, senior. The book is divided into five parts: Fur Trading era 1811-1861; Ranching era 1861-1920; era of evolution of ranching to horticulture; Osoyoos village 1920 to 1952; and incidents pertinent to Osoyoos and district. Within these divisions Mr. Fraser chronicles an amazing amount of history. Mr. Fraser has an interesting chapter on Rev. Henry Irwin, better known as "Father Pat," and thinks it surprising "that the great story of his life and work has not been recorded by some admiring parishioner." As a matter of fact this was done by Mrs. Jerome Mercier in Father Pat, A Hero of the Far West, published in England in 1911. In recording the story of Osoyoos and district Mr. Fraser has rendered a real service to all who are interested in the history of our province. Gazetteer of Canada: BRITISH COLUMBIA, published by authority of the Canadian Board on Geographical Names; manuscript prepared by the Department of Lands and Forests, British Columbia. Pp. 641, price $1.00 (Ottawa, 1953). The Geographical Gazetteer of British Columbia, 1930, published by the Department of Lands, Victoria, B.C., has been the authority on provincial place names for over twenty years. It had 291 pages. The new Gazetteer has 641 pages, but the increased size of type accounts for the difference in number of pages. It is one of a series being issued by the Dominion Government. 157 The Okanagan Historical Society—1954 W. E. Ireland, Provincial Librarian, contributes an introduction on provincial history and development, in which he writes: Indian place-names are one of the precious heritages of our province. Not only are they usually pleasantly musical (although admittedly there are some that cannot be so described), but invariably they describe with peculiar aptness the geographic feature to which they are applied. For example Osoyoos, or "Soyoos" as it was originally called, is derived from an Indian term meaning "where the two lakes come together," surely a perfect description of the narrows formed by the headlands which almost cut the lake in two. Hundreds of similarly appropriate names are to be found on the maps of our province, (p. ix). The area of Okanagan Lake is given as 136, and Shuswap Lake 123 square miles. Populations (Ninth Census of Canada 1951) of Okanagan cities are: Armstrong 1126, Enderby 877, Kelowna 8517, Penticton 10,548, Salmon Arm 1201, Vernon 7822; villages: Oliver 1000, Osoyoos 899. Population of Princeton, not incorporated at time of 1951 census, is estimated at 2200. Populations of Districts are: Salmon Arm 2389, Spallumcheen 1936, Summer- land 3569. 158 In Memoriam // After every engagement in warfare the roll is called. The names of those who do not answer are "writ in remembrance." Those who survive determine to keep faith with those for whom the trumpets sounded, and silently dedicate themselves to the unfinished tasks for which men live, and die. So it is in the Christian warfare. A number of our pioneers have heard the Master's "Well done," and entered into their rest and reward. We hold their names in grateful remembrance, and give God thanks for their testimony among us. JAMES WILLIAM JONES: Mr. Jones died in Victoria on May 2, 1954. He is remembered as the originator of payroll deductions of income tax. In the provincial parliament he was minister of finance and industry from 1930 to 1933. Mr. Jones was born in Ontario in 1869, received his early education at Uxbridge and Port Perry, and came to British Columbia, and settled in Kelowna, and in 1912 to 1917 was elected mayor. He is survived by his wife and three daughters. J. W. B. (JIM) BROWNE: The founder of the first commercial radio station in Okanagan Valley, Mr. Browne died last May in his seventieth year. He founded CKOV in 1931. He was born at Stoke-on-Trent, England. At an early age he served in the Boer war and was invalided home. Later, he served in Hong Kong. In 1925-27, during a severe illness, he became interested in radio and served as program organizer for the amateur station IOAY, operated by Kelowna City Clerk George Dunn. In 1931 Mr. Dunn relinquished his amateur licence, making it possible for CKOV to come into being. NAPOLEON BESSETTE, 83, who used to boast that he was the first man to swing an axe in Lumby, died last August, after 5 5 years residence in Lumby. Born in Ruxton Pond, N.B., Mr. Bessette came west in 1899. He travelled as far as Sicamous by train, then continued by horse and cart to White Valley, now known as Lumby. In 1900 he married Josephine LeBlanc, who came from St. Anicet, Quebec. 159 The Okanagan Historical Society—1954 With his sons, Cleophas and Arthur, Mr. Bessette operated sawmills for many years, and moved to Kamloops in 1942. He is survived by his wife, two sons and five daughters. DAVID JOHN INNIS, of Keremeos, died in January of this year. He was born in Cobden, Ontario, in 1876; came to Crowsnest, B.C., in 1898, and moved to the "old town" of Keremeos in 1900. With the coming of the Great Northern railway, Mr. Innis, in 1906, moved his livery and freight business to the present town. That same year (1906) Mr. Innis married Miss Winifred May Clarke, whose parents, Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Clarke, ranched on the Green Mountain road. With the coming of the automobile, Mr. Innis operated a garage, and represented the Shell Oil Company. He was active in community service, and with his passing Keremeos lost one of its most-respected citizens. MRS. S. ELLISON: Mrs. Ellison would have been 97 in August, 1954: she died in July. She was one of the earliest settlers in Okanagan, and the woman who gave Vernon its name. Mrs. Ellison was the widow of the Hon. Price Ellison, one of B.C.'s early cabinet members, who died in 1932. Born in Peoria, Illinois, August 28, 1857, she came to Okanagan in 1884, and was first school teacher in Vernon district. In December of that year she was married to Price Ellison. She is survived by four sons and three daughters. R. L. (DICK) CAWSTON: Richard Lowe Cawston was one of four sons born to pioneer parents in Lower Similkameen. The eldest, John Pearson, who died in 1936, was the first white child born in Keremeos. The third, George Beauchamp, lost his life in World War One. The fourth, Alfred Hamilton ("Gint"), lives at Cawston. The sons did not know that they were pioneering: they simply grew up in a land they loved, and learned all the lore of the valley in which they lived. In the family home they were brought up in the best traditions of the Old Land, whence their grandparents had come. Their parents came here from Ontario. Dick grew up on the ranch, and except for a few school years in Ontario, spent his life in Similkameen and Okanagan valleys. Both Mr. and Mrs. R. L. Cawston took a lively interest in the work of the Okanagan Historical Society, and were among its most valued 160 In Memoriam members. Mrs. Cawston continues her active interest in the work Besides his widow, and one brother, Mr. Cawston is survived by a son, Richard, at Hope; and a daughter, Marjorie May, in Australia. Mr. Cawston died in Penticton in March. JOHN E. JAMIESON: Mr. Jamieson, who passed away on July 14, in his 75th year, was vice-president of the Armstrong branch of the Okanagan Historical Society. He was one of the best-known weekly newspaper men in the province. A native of Scotland, he was born at New Deer, Aberdeenshire, in 1879. He was only four years old when his parents came to Canada, living first at Iroquois, Ontario, and afterwards at Brandon, Manitoba. Following the printing trade, Mr. Jamieson published several papers in prairie towns before coming to Armstrong in 1927 as editor of the Armstrong Advertiser. A man of many interests, he was active in community, lodge and church circles. He is survived by his wife, and three sons. JOHN URE: Following a heart attack, Mr. Ure died in Penticton hospital on July 12, 1954. Born in Scotland, he came to* Canada 34 years ago. He was a well-known orchardist and cattleman, and lived at Kaleden for thirty years. ALFRED E. ALLISON: Although the townsite of Princeton had been surveyed by the Royal Engineers in September, 1860, there was really no Princeton when Alfred Edward Allison was born in Similkameen on May 28, 1883. With others of the family he grew up on the farm, and learned to know the ways of the land, and the secrets of Nature. As a young man he was employed by the B.C. Forestry Service. He served overseas in the First World War, and was severely wounded. He was the last surviving son of the pioneer family of Similkameen. 161 Parent Society and Branch Reports The 1954 annual meeting of the Okanagan Historical Society was held in Kelowna on June 2, with President J. B. Knowles in the chair. The most urgent item of business was the resignation of Dr. M. A. Ormsby as editor of the Society's Reports. This had been received with deep regret at a Directors' meeting on April 21. Dr. Ormsby had been Editor-in-chief since the Society was reorganized following the death of Leonard Norris on April 18, 1945. Mr. Norris founded the Society on September 4, 1925. "He loved this Okanagan, and was its fond Historian." The first Report edited by Dr. Ormsby was OHS. 12 (1948). It had 224 pages and was printed by the Penticton Herald. Perhaps the outstanding article in this Report was "Okanagan Place Names, their Origin and Meaning," by the late A. G. Harvey. In 1947 Mr. Harvey published Douglas of the Fir, A Biography of David Douglas, Botanist, a book which is regarded as the definitive Life of the great explorer. Our province suffered a great loss when Mr. Harvey died on January 12, 1950. The next five Reports were also edited by Dr. Ormsby, then pressure of other duties compelled her to offer her resignation. The wording of her letter made it clear that she had not arrived at this decision lightly, and the Directors felt that they had no alternative but to accept with deep regret. During the years she held this office branch societies of the parent body came into being, membership increased, the high standard of the 1948 Report was maintained, and circulation rose to around 600 copies. Mrs. R. L. Cawston of Penticton acted, and continues to act, as assistant editor. She has been responsible for many articles, and for the Report index, which has added so much to the value of each volume. Although it was a labour of love, Dr. Ormsby's work was not taken for granted, and at their April meeting the Directors determined to show their appreciation in some way. It was decided to present specially bound copies of the six Reports Dr. Ormsby had edited, also to recommend to the general membership that she be made a Life Member of the Society. It had been hoped to present these bound volumes at the annual meeting, but Dr. Ormsby was attending in Winnipeg a meeting of 162 Parent Society and BrancJi Reports the Canadian Historical Association, of which she is a director. But at the banquet which followed the annual meeting the presentation was made to her mother on behalf of her daughter. The suggestion that Dr. Ormsby be made a Life Member found ready acceptance. This was moved and seconded by Don Whitham of Kelowna and G. Bagnall of Vernon, and unanimously carried by a standing vote. In his presidential report Mr. Knowles made reference to increasing interest in historical matters, and paid a fitting tribute to all who had worked with him during the year in the interests of the Society. Special reference was made to The Story of Osoyoos, published by George J. Fraser. W. R. Pepper, Vernon, distributed copies of the treasurer's report, which showed cash in bank, and number of Reports on hand. The thanks of the Society was tendered to Mr. Pepper for his lucid report; also to H. R. Denison, Vernon, for his work as treasurer in former years. Speaking for "Publications" Mrs, Georgina Maisonville said: "The 18th Report is now in preparation and it is hoped that it will be published early this fall. It will consist of articles from the Third Report, and material largely about Kelowna. This next year will mark not only the thirtieth year of the founding of this Society, but also the fiftieth year of the incorporation of Kelowna. . . ." Branches Mr. Wilson was not present to speak for Armstrong, but it was reported that the branch there is well-established, and making sure, if not rapid, progress. R. C. Gore, president of Kelowna branch, had good progress to report. A successful annual dinner had been held by the group, they had a "live" editorial committee, and efforts were being continued to have preserved the old Mission sites. Speaking for Penticton, J. Harris said the branch was greatly honoured when the parent Society held its annual meeting on board the S.S. Sicamous there in 1953. During Penticton Peach Festival efforts were made to provide a meeting place for Oldtimers. A history of Penticton and district had been supplied at the request of City Council; and R. N. Atkinson had prepared a similar sketch for the Ladies' Auxiliary to the Canadian Legion to appear in booklet to be presented those attending convention. A general meeting had been addressed by D. A. McGregor, past president of the B.C.H.A., his subject being "Peter Skene Ogden, Hunter, Trapper and Explorer." 163 The Okanagan Historical Society-—195 4 The resignation of Miss Kathleen Ellis as secretary of the branch had been accepted with regret. On December 1, 1953, the Oliver-Osoyoos branch held its annual meeting in Lakeview Cafe, Osoyoos. F. L. Goodman presided. There were 28 present. Officers were elected for ensuing year. Local membership was set at fifty cents. Addresses had been given by Mrs. R. B. White, A. S. Hatfield and Babe Kruger; and during the year papers were read by N. V. Simpson on "The first white men in the Okanagan Valley," and by Mrs. Lacey on "The Hudson's Bay Trail." G. Bagnall spoke en behalf of the Vernon branch. He thought it was still difficult to get the branch to function as he would like. Business An important resolution was submitted by J. G. Harris and Mrs. White, Penticton: "Whereas historic sites are fast becoming lost to our knowledge, be it resolved: that each branch of the O.H.S. be responsible for the marking of at least one historic site each year, in the vicinity of the said branch." This drew much favourable comment, and was adopted unanimously. Following the lead given in a letter from Dr. M. A. Ormsby, it was agreed that we affiliate with the B.C. and Canadian historical associations. Mrs. Bennett referred to plan to mark site of the Tom Ellis home in Penticton. Mr. Bagnall of Vernon noted that streets there had been numbered; but he felt that in some cases a plaque should indicate former name, so that names of pioneers would be remembered. H. C. S. Collett intimated that site of original Mission buildings near Kelowna had changed hands: he was hopeful that something could be done to preserve the original buildings. Mrs, Walker said that Kelowna Roman Catholic church included the nucleus of the original Mission church building. Mrs. R. B. White made fitting reference to the death of Mrs. Alfred Postill, who was 89 years old. Election of Officers Officers for 1954-55 were then elected, and list is found on inside, front cover-page. The secretary agreed to act as editor for the 1954 Report, No. 18. 164 Parent Society and Branch Reports Annual Banquet There was a large attendance at the banquet in the Royal Anne Hotel, following the annual meeting. Mr. Knowles was in the chair. Guest speakers were Mrs. Louise Gabriel, and Mrs. Maggie Victor, of Penticton, both introduced by Mrs. R. B. White. Mrs. Gabriel read an excellent paper on Indian medicines, etc., and Don Whitham made a tape recording of the address. In The Kelowna Courier, Thursday, June 10, 1954, is an excellent photograph of "Mrs. G. L. Ormsby, of Vernon, accepting a presentation on behalf of her daughter, Dr. Margaret A. Ormsby, from J. B. Knowles, president of the Okanagan Historical Society, at the annual meeting. "Dr. Ormsby, whose editorship has made it possible for the Society to issue annual reports, is a professor in history at UBC, president of the Vancouver branch of the B.C. Historical Association, and past-president and member of the council of the B.C. Historical Society. She is also a director of the Canadian Historical Association, and last week attended the convention in Winnipeg, therefore being unable to receive personally her gift from the Okanagan Historical Society of cloth-bound copies of the last six reports, all of which she edited. "Owing to her wider sphere of activities, particularly in the historical field, Dr. Ormsby has resigned her editorship of the Okanagan Historical Society's reports. Accepting with deep regret, the Society is sure, however, of her continued interest and help in this work." Editorial Note—In Mrs. White's story "On Okanagan Lake in 1888" are some statements relative to dates and boat names which seem to be at variance with what others have written on the subject in previous Reports. This was brought to the editor's attention too late to effect any changes if such were necessary, but the story is so vivid a record that its value is not lost by any changes that might have been made. These will be referred to in a subsequent Report.— Editor. 165 MEMBERSHIP LIST OKANAGAN HISTORICAL SOCIETY 1954 PATRONS (Donations of $10.00 or more.) W. E. Adams; Mrs. Mary E. Allen C.B.E.; N. H. Caesar; Mrs. Annie Cameron; Miss Annie Fenton; B. T. Haverfield; W. J. Smith; G. R. Stuart; Col. D. C. Simson. (Donations of other amounts.) Capt. A. W. McCullough; Copper Mountain Miner's Union. MEMBERS (As at August 1st, 1954.) * Adams, W. E., 1998 Abbott St., Kelowna, B.C. Albret, Miss, Osoyoos, B.C. * Allen, Mrs. Mary E., C.B.E., 2303 Lawson Ave., West Vancouver, B.C. Allen, Mrs. M. V., Box 1104, Quesnel, B.C. Anderson, Dr. W. F., 2302 Abbott St., Kelowna, B.C. Angus, Mrs. H., 229 Bernard Ave., Kelowna, B.C. * Andrew, Dr. F. W., Summerland, B.C. Ansell, C, 2400 39th Ave., Vernon, B.C. Armstrong, Mrs. G., Cawston, B.C. Armstrong, Harry B., 10305 108th St., Edmonton, Alta. Bagnall, G. P., 3332 Barnard Ave., Vernon, B.C. Barr, Dr. H. P., 383 Ellis St., Penticton, B.C. Benmore, G. C, 2059 Pendozi St., Kelowna, B.C. Bennett, Mrs. C. G., The Bench, Penticton, B.C. Bentley, E., Summerland, B.C. Berner, Mrs. A., 2500 26th St., Vernon, B.C. * Bingley, A., Coldstream, B.C. Bishop, J. A., R.R. 2, Coldstream, B.C. Bloomfield, C. E., R.R. 2, Kelowna, B.C. Blumenauer, A. H., Armstrong, B.C. * Boss, M. T., 455 East 17th Ave., Vancouver, B.C. Bristow, C. A., 3614 Barnard Ave., Vernon, B.C. Brock, Mrs. Britten, 3 Frere Rd., Parktown W., Johannesberg, S. Africa. Broomfield, A. D., Princeton, B.C. Brown, Florence, Box 301, Kelowna, B.C. * Brown, Judge W. C, Okanogan, Washington. Brown, Mrs. Chris., 690 Lakeshore Drive, Penticton, B.C. * Browne, Adolphe, 2803 Schubert Ave., Vernon, B.C. Bryant, Mrs. D.. Box 239, Ladysmith, B.C. Buckland, C. D., R.R. 2, Kelowna, B.C. Buckland, D. S., Okanagan Mission, B.C. * Busch, Mrs. Kaleden, 3009 31st Ave., Vernon, B.C. * Cameron, Mrs. Annie, 449 Paul St., Kamloops, B.C. Cameron, G. D., Box 86, Kelowna. B,C. Cameron, J. D., 343 Brunswick St., Penticton, B.C. Campbell-Brown, Dr., Okanagan Landing, B.C. Campbell, Burt R., Box 175, Kamloops, B.C. Campbell, Miss Ida, 3306 25th St., Vernon, B.C. * Campbell, D. H., R.R. 2, Kamloops, B.C. Carney, Thomas, R.R. 1, Kelowna, B.C. Carpenter, G. R., 2111 33rd St., Vernon, B.C. 166 Membership List Carruthers, E. M., 364 Bernard Ave., Kelowna, B.C. * Casorso, Anthony, R.R. 2, Kelowna, B.C. Casorso, Joseph, R.R. 3, Kelowna, B.C. * Caesar, N. H., Okanagan Centre, B.C. Cawston, Mrs. A. H., Cawston, B.C. Cawston, Mrs. R. L., Westbridge, B.C. * Chambers, E. J., Box 188, The Bench, Penticton, B.C. Chapman, E. P., R.R. 3, Kelowna, B.C. Chichester, B., Rutland, B.C. Christenson, Mrs. 0., R.R. 3, Armstrong, B.C. Cleland, E. H., The Bench, Penticton, B.C. Clement, C. G., 2276 Speer St., Kelowna, B.C. Cochrane, Harold, 836 Main St., Penticton, B.C. Cohen, Penticton, B.C. Coldhurst, Capt. Bowen, Penticton, B.C. Collett, H. C. S., Okanagan Mission, B.C. * Colley, James R., Kamloops, B.C. Colquhoun, Judge M. M., 235 Lakeshore Rd., Penticton, B.C. Comber, Harry, Armstrong, B.C. * Coots, Mrs. J., Coalmont, B.C. Cools, Mrs. Joseph, Okanagan Centre, B.C. Cooper, Fred, 3104 26th St., Vernon, B.C. Cooper, W., 897 Winnipeg St., Penticton, B.C. Cousins, E. B., 3006 31st St., Vernon, B.C. Corbitt, H. W., Kaleden, B.C. Corlett, Mrs. R., City Museum, Vancouver, B.C. Corrie, James, Princeton, B.C. Costley, A. M., Middle Bench, Penticton, B.C. Coursier, Dr. H. L., 2403 23rd Ave., Vernon, B.C. Crossley, F. I., Okanagan Mission, B.C. Crozier, R., Armstrong, B.C. Crawford, Mrs. E. W.. Vancouver, B.C. Currie, G. W., R.R. 1, Kelowna, B.C. Davidson, R. A., 2604 26th St., Vernon, B.C. Davidson, A. H., Westbank, B.C. Deering, A. H., Armstrong, B.C. Dendy, Darcy, R.R. 2, Kelowna, B.C. Denison, H. R., Box 747, Vernon, B.C. Denison, N. L., Lumby, B.C. DePfyffer, Robert, 1961 Abbott St., Kelowna, B.C. Deschamps, A., 3004 30th Ave., Vernon, B.C. Dewdney, W. R., 237 Scott Rd., Penticton, B.C. Dixon, Mrs. Earl, Armstrong, B.C. * Dickson, Mrs. G. H., Dunnville, Ont. * Ditmars, W. C, 2535 S.W. Marine Dr., Vancouver, B.C. Dobson, W. K., R.R. 2, Vernon, B.C. Doughty, Col. E., Penticton, B.C. Drosses, Nick, Penticton, B.C. Duncan, R. H., The Bench, Penticton, B.C. Duncan, Robert, R.R., Armstrong, B.C. Estabrooks, Capt. O. L., 352 Main St., Penticton, B.C. Elliott, C. G., 11409 96th St., Edmonton, Alta. Ellis, Miss K., 862 Cambie Ave., Penticton, B.C. Emanuele, Dr. H., 639 Martin St., Penticton, B.C. Embray, William, Box 64, Kelowna, B.C. Farlton, F., Penticton, B.C. Faulkner, R., 495 Tennis Ave., Penticton, B.C. Felker, C. P., 2300 45th Ave., Vernon, B.C. Fenton, Miss Annie, R.R. 1, Enderby, B.C. Ferguson, E. W., 621 Elliott Ave., Kelowna, B.C. 167 The Okanagan Historical Society—1954 Fillmore, D. C, 1470 Water St., Kelowna, B.C. Finch, Gordon, 1880 Riverside Drive, Kelowna, B.C. Fisher, Miss S., Armstrong, B.C. Fisher, H. C, Shuswap Falls, B.C. Fitzgerald, G. D., R.R. 3, Kelowna, B.C. Fitzmaurice, R., 3104 Barnard Ave., Vernon, B.C. Fraser, Major Hugh, Okanagan Falls, B.C. French, William Dr., 242 Victoria St., Kamloops, B.C. Garner, Mrs. R., 2801 Blackwood St., Victoria, B.C. Goldie, James, Okanagan Centre, B.C. Goodfellow, Rev. J. C, Princeton, B.C. Gordon, R. K., Naramata Rd., Penticton, B.C. Gordon, C. B., 545 Transit Rd., Victoria, B.C. Gore, R. G., 1536 Ellis Street, Kelowna, B.C. Gray, L. S., 3606 27th Ave., Vernon, B.C. Greenside, E. L., 1758 Ellis S,t, Kelowna, B.C. Greenwood, T., 1815 Maple St., Kelowna, B.C. Gregory, Mrs. D., R.R., Armstrong, B.C. Guernsey, C, West Summerland, B.C. Hack, Mr., Oliver, B.C. Guichon, L. P., Quilchena, B.C. Haines, C. E... R.R. 2, Vernon, B.C. Hales, F. C, 1069 Harvey Ave., Kelowna, B.C. Hall, Mrs. R. O., Oliver, B.C. Hamilton-Watts, Mrs. C, 2600-25th Ave., Vernon, B.C. Harris, F. R., Box 700, Vernon, B.C. Harris, Gordon, Massett, B.C. Harwood, F. V., 3102 41st Ave., Vernon, B.C. Hassen, Mat, Armstrong, B.C. Hatfield, A. S., 864 Fairview Rd., Penticton, B.C. Haverfield, B. T.. Okanagan Mission, B.C. Hayes, N. A., R.R. 3, Armstrong, B.C. Hayhurst, Mrs. W. T., Armstrong, B.C. Heal, Ronald, Armstrong, B.C. Hereron, Miss Frances, 280 Bernard Ave., Kelowna, B.C. Heighway, J. G., Lumby, B.C. Hewlett, E. E., R.R. 3, Kelowna. B.C. Herbert, G. D., 1684 Ethel St., Kelowna, B.C. Hermuses, Jeff, National Cafe, Vernon, B.C. Hewer, E. E., Chase, B.C. Hoare, E. W., 605 Elliott Ave., Kelowna, B.C. Hooper, J. L., 211 Norton St., Penticton, B.C. Howrie, D., 2507 37th Ave., Vernon, B.C. Hopkins, Mrs. J. L., Box 271, Armstrong, B.C. Hudson, J. D., Box 423, Coulee Dam, Wash., U.S.A. Hutton, L. A., 144 Kennilworth St., Ottawa, Ont. Hutton, L. A. B., Room 103, 140 Wellington St., Ottawa 4, Ont. Innis, W., Keremeos, B.C. Jamieson, J. E., Armstrong, B.C. Jefferson, Mrs. L., Big Lake Ranch P.O., B.C. Jenkins, J. L., Princeton, B.C. Johnson, H. N., 469 Woodruff Ave., Penticton, B.C. Jones, W. Lloyd, 1449 Ethel St., Kelowna, B.C. Keating, H. K., Peachland, B.C. Kerr, R. B., Okanagan Mission, B.C. Kerry, L. L., 324 Bernard Ave., Kelowna, B.C. Kidson, Mrs. J. R., 3900 P.V., Vernon, B.C. Kinloch, Mrs. D., Coldstream, B.C. Knight, Graham, 450 Ellis St., Penticton, B.C. 168 Membership List Kneller, Jabez, BX, Vernon, B.C. * Knowles, J. B., 874 Manhattan Drive, Kelowna, B.C. * Laurel Co-operative Union, 1304 Ellis St., Kelowna, B.C. Laidlaw, J. B., 729 Martin St., Penticton, B.C. Lamont, Mrs. Gwen, Okanagan Mission, B.C. Lane, W. T., 751 Granville St., Vancouver, B.C. Latimer, G. B., 613 Martin St., Penticton, B.C. Lee, T. W., Box 940, Vernon, B.C. Lefroy, C. B. L., 3306 25th St., Vernon, B.C. Lewis, George, 230 East Keith Road, North Vancouver, B.C. * Leslie, W. T., Wade and Tennis, Penticton, B.C. Lincoln, Mrs. M. A, 3500 32nd St., Vernon, B.C. * Logan, H., 6750 MacDonald St., Vancouver, B.C. Lowle, F. W., Skaha Rd., Penticton, B.C. Lamb, Dr. W. Kaye, Crescent Heights, Ottawa, Ont. MacCorquodale, Mrs. D. F., Beverly Avenue, Montreal, P.Q. Madison, W. W., Trail, B.C. Maisonville, Mrs. Georgina, Suite 1, Belvedere Apts., Kelowna, B.C. Manery, S. R., Cawston, B.C. Marriage, F. T., 424 Park Ave., Kelowna, B.C. Marshall, Arthur, Armstrong, B.C. Marshall, Miss E., 116 Avalon Apts., Bernard Ave., Kelowna, B.C. Massey, G. E., Dept. Public Works, Salmon Arm, B.C. Marks, G., Pendozi Manor, Pendozi St., Kelowna, B.C. Matchett, W. J., 942 Wilson Ave., Kelowna, B.C. * Melville, J. K., 555 Burrard St., Vancouver 1, B.C. Mewburn, T. C, 1989 Abbott St., Kelowna, B.C. Middleton, Mrs. M., Jade Bay, Oyama, B.C. * Midgely, T., The Bench, Penticton, B.C. Miles, F. A., 3301 35th Ave., Vernon, B.C. * Moll, Mrs. H. M., Box 356, Chapman Camp, B.C. Moore, Mrs. Terry, Armstrong, B.C. * Morley, H. B., Masonic Temple, Martin St., Penticton, B.C. Morrison, C. F., 528 Kingsway, Winnipeg, Man. Moyer, Dr. E. L., 3009 31st Ave., Vernon, B.C. Moss, A., 2500 Abbott St., Kelowna, B.C. Moss, Mrs. S., 790 DeHart Ave., Kelowna, B.C. Murchison, E. A., 1781 Abbott St., Kelowna, B.C. Murray, Mrs. P., Armstrong, B.C. Munroe, K. K., 727 Elliott, Kelowna, B.C. McClelland, J. B., 421 Haynes Ave., Kelowna, B.C. * McCullough, Capt. Avard INT., 1939 Abbott St., Kelowna, B.C. McCullough, Mrs. J., 1500 39th Ave., Vernon, B.C. McDonald Frank, Vancouver Ave., Penticton, B.C. McDonell, P., 3914 W. 30th, Vancouver, B.C. McDonell, Mrs. Geo., Box 223, Kelowna, B.C. McDougall, R. J., Sorrento, B.C. McDougald, Miss C, Peachland, B.C. * McDougall, Hazel, 1094 Lawson Ave., Kelowna, B.C. * McGill, Wilson A., 387 Bernard Ave., Kelowna, B.C. McGregor, D. A., Vancouver Province, Vancouver 3, B.C. * McGuire, M. V., Orchardleigh Lodge, Coldstream, B.C. * McKelvie, B. A., Rural Box 142, Cobble Hill, B.C. * McKenzie, Right Rev. Father, 839 Sutherland Ave., Kelowna, B.C. McLarty, Dr. H. R., Summerland, B.C. McMurtry, Dr. T. S. G., 3007 Tronson Ave., Vernon, B.C. McMynn, D. J., Trail, B.C. McPhail, J. A., 642 Grenfell Ave., Kelowna, B.C. MacPherson, J. M., C.P.R. Freight, Winnipeg, Man. 169 The Okanagan Historical Society—1954 McMahon, G. E., Enderby, B.C. Neilson, A. S., 4000 Mara St., Vernon, B.C. Nelson, Miss E. P., Keremeos, B.C. * Netherton, Dr. W. J., 757 Winnipeg St., Penticton, B.C. * Norman, E. A., Armstrong, B.C. Norris, T. A., Lumby, B.C. Nuttall, Mrs. W., Naramata, B.C. Noyes, Mrs. A. J., Naramata, B.C. Oliver, W. J., 3112 21st Ave., Vernon, B.C. Ormsby, George, R.R. 2, Coldstream, B.C. Ormsby, Dr. Margaret, Dept. of History, U.B.C, Vancouver 8, B.C. Oakley, Mrs. K. Palmer, Mr. G. B. Parmley, Dr. J. R., 45 Wade St., Penticton, B.C. Patten, Mrs. C. J., Armstrong, B.C. Patterson, A. L., 512 Buckland Ave., Kelowna, B.C. Philpott, Gordon, 1307 St. Paul St., Kelowna, B.C. Powley, W. R., R.R. 1, Kelowna, B.C. Quesnel, Earl, Jr. High School, Vernon, B.C. * Quinn, Dr. F., 1975 McDougall St., Kelowna, B.C. Raikes, R. F., 298 Cambie St., Penticton, B.C. Reid, Miss EL, 614 Martin St., Penticton, B.C. Reid, C. E., Okanagan Mission, B.C. Reid, Mrs. Gladys, 1807 Marshall St., Kelowna, B. C. Reid, H. S., 2401 25th Ave., Vernon, B.C. Renwick, H. A., 1485 W. 13th St., Vancouver, B.C. Renwick, Miss M., 987 Glenn Ave., Kelowna, B.C. ' Riddell, W. W., 386 Haynes St., Penticton, B.C. Roadhouse, W. T. L., 504 Buckland St., Kelowna, B.C. Roost, F. H., 2405 West 51st St., Vancouver, B.C. Rorke, H. O., 624 Young St., Penticton, B.C. Ross, Mrs. Helen, 2010 32nd Ave., Vernon, B.C. Rotherham, E. J., Princeton, B.C. Runnals, Rev. F. E., D.D., 483 Stevenson Highway, R.R. 1, Stevenson, B.C. Sage, W. N., Dept. of History, U.B.C, Vancouver 8, B.C. Seath, R. W., 1934 McDougall Ave., Kelowna, B.C. Seymour, S. P., 3100 Tronson Ave., Vernon, B.C. Shannon, Mrs. R., Oliver, B.C. Shaw, N., Penticton, B.C Shields, W. J., Vernon St., Lumby, B.C. Shklov, Dr. N., 3003 31st St., Vernon, B.C. Sidney, Gordon, Armstrong, B.C. Sigalet, W. A., 3007 32nd St., Vernon, B.C. Simms, J. D., 3303 26th St., Vernon, B.C. Simpkins, C. E., Armstrong, B.C Simpson, Mrs. S. M., 2020 Abbott St., Kelowna, B.C * Simson, D. C, 835 Bernard Ave., Kelowna, B.C. Simpson, H. B., 176 Vimey Ave., Kelowna, B.C. Smith, W. J., Armstrong, B.C. Smith, George, Armstrong, B.C. Smith, J. A., 246 Lawrence Ave., Kelowna, B.C. Solly, I. H., Summerland, B.C. South, Mrs. I., 600 Haywood St., Penticton, B.C. * South, Mrs. G., Van Home St., Penticton, B.C Sterling, S. P., 2505 24th St., Vernon, B.C. Stickland, Mrs. E., Box 1877, Enderby, B.C. Stiel, W. M., 2136 Abbott St., Kelowna, B.C. Stirling, Capt. M. G., 1747 Shirley Ave., Norfolk, Virginia, U.S.A. 170 Membership List Stirling, R., 419 Royal Ave., Kelowna, B.C. * Stuart, G. R., Fintry, B.C * Sunderland, E. J., R.R. 2, Vernon, B.C. Swift, A. A., 281 Haynes Ave., Penticton, B.C. Taite, Mrs. H. B., Kalavista Subdivision, Vernon, B.C. Tassie, G. C, R.R. 2, Coldstream, B.C. Tandale, T., 373 Lake Ave., Kelowna, B.C. Taylor, Dave, Princeton, B.C. * Tessman, Mrs. F. B., Keremeos, B.C. Thomas, Mrs. T., Armstrong, B.C. Thomas, Ed., Okanagan Falls, B.C. Thomas, J. M., Okanagan Falls, B.C. Thomas, Miss, Okanagan Falls, B.C. Thomas, G. R., St. Paul St., Kamloops, B.C. Thompson, Mrs. W. S., Kelowna, B.C. Tilling Rose, Miss, 369 Bernard Ave., Kelowna, B.C. Tingley, W. D., Box 106, R.R. 3, Kelowna, B.C. Thornton, Howard, 1500 32nd Ave., Vernon, B.C. Topham-Brown, Miss J., 2003 37th Ave., Vernon, B.C. Torrent, Henry, Lumby, B.C. Tripp, L. E., 2905 26th St., Vernon, B.C. Truswell, Mrs. H. A., Box 232, Kelowna, B.C. Turnbull, A. R., Rossland, B.C. Turner, R. G., Rossland, B.C. * Walker, Mrs. D. M., Okanagan Mission, B.C. * Walburn, H. G., Box 123, RR. 3, Kelowna, B.C. Wallace, Mrs. B., RR. 4, Kelowna, B.C. * Warner, Miss Alice, 4201 P.V. Rd., Vernon, B.C. Warren, Mrs. A. M., 854 Main St., Penticton, B.C. Waters, Mrs. J. C Dun, Okanagan Mission, B.C. Watt, Geo M., Box 39, Okanagan Mission, B.C. Webster, Charles, Armstrong, B.C. * Weatherill, H. O., 2000 37th Ave., Vernon, B.C Weatherill, H. P., Royal Bank Building, Vancouver, B.C. Weddell, Mrs. Reg., 578 Cadder Ave., Kelowna, B.C. Weddell, A. D., 274 Lake Ave., Kelowna, B.C. Weeks, Capt. J. B., 614 Martin St., Penticton, B.C * Weeks, E., Box 393, Kelowna, B.C. Weeks, G. A., Revelstoke, B.C. Weeks, L., Vancouver, B.C. Weeks, R. S., 880 Manhattan Drive, Kelowna, B.C. Weeks, T. V., 235 N.W. 16th Ave., Calgary, Alberta. Weir, James, 1538 Matthews Ave., Vancouver 9, B.C. * Whitaker, Mrs. G. L., Jones Flat, Summerland, B.C. Whitaker, Mrs. A. A., 177 Abbott St., Penticton, B.C. White, H. E. Mrs., Penticton, B.C. White, R. V., Skaha Lake Road, Penticton, B.C. White, Dr. W. H., 383 Ellis Street, Penticton, B.C. * White, Ronald, 107 Battle St., Kamloops, B.C. * White, Cull A., Quincy, Wash., U.S.A. Whitehead, W. J., 340 Harvey Ave., Kelowna, B.C. Whitham, J. D., 1725 Pendozi St., Kelowna, B.C. Whillis, R., 1749 Abbott St., Kelowna, B.C. Wilde, A. C, 3307 26th St., Vernon, B.C. Willits, Mrs. P. B., 1716 Pendozi St., Kelowna, B.C. Willis, Mrs. H., 3857 Cartier St., Vancouver, B.C. Wilson, Jack, Tappan, B.C. Wilson, Major V., Paradise Ranch, Naramata, B.C. Wilson, J. H., Armstrong, B. C Woodd, A. B., 1997 Pendozi St., Kelowna, B.C. 171 The Okanagan Historical Society—1954 Wood, E. 0., 268 Bernard Ave., Kelowna, B.C. Young, Mrs. B. F., Armstrong, B.C. PUBLIC LIBRARIES Fraser Valley Union Library, Abbotsford, B.C. Library of Parliament, Ottawa, Ont. Provincial Public Library, Parliament Buildings, Victoria, B.C Seattle Public Library, Seattle 4, Washington, U.SA. Spokane Public Library, Spokane 4, Wash., U.S.A. Tacoma Public Library, Tacoma, Wash., U.S.A. The Book Nook, 348 Martin St., Penticton, B.C. Vernon Book Shop & Library, 2903 30th Ave., Vernon, B.C. Toronto Public Library, College & George Sts., Toronto, Ont. Victoria Public Library, Victoria, B.C. Vancouver Public Library, Hastings & Main, Vancouver, B.C. UNIVERSITIES Department of History, U.B.C, Vancouver 8, B.C. Hargreaves Library, Eastern Wash. Coll. of Education, Cheney, Wash. Indiana University Library, Bloomington, Indiana, U.S.A. University of B.C. Library, Vancouver 8, B.C. University of Toronto Library, Toronto, Ont. Univ. of Washington Library, Seattle 8, Wash., U.S.A. Redpath Library, McGill University, Montreal, P.Q. SCHOOLS Vernon Junior High School, McDonald Park, Vernon, B.C. Armstrong Elementary School, Armstrong, B.C. Enderby Schools, Enderby, B.C. Penticton School Board, Penticton, B.C Summerland Elementary School, Summerland, B.C Keremeos School Board, Keremeos, B.C. HISTORICAL SOCIETIES City Museum, Vancouver 4, B.C. American Historical Society, Worcester, Mass., U.S.A. Department of Public Archives, Ottawa, Canada. Historical Society of Montana, Helena, Montana. Kamloops Museum Association, Box 175, Kamloops, B.C. Provincial Archives, Parliament Buildings, Victoria, B.C State of Wisconsin Historical Society, 818 State St., Madison, Wis. Vancouver City Archives, City Hall, Vancouver, B.C. OTHERS Lumby and District Women's Institute, Lumby, B.C. C.B.C Library, Box 6000, Montreal, P.Q. Parent Teachers' Assoc, Keremeos, B.C. Vernon City Club, Vernon, B.C. Vernon News, Vernon, B.C. CKOK, Penticton, B.C. Copper Mountain Miner's Union, Copper Mountain, B.C. 172 INDEX Aberdeen, Lord (Lady), 6, 11, 44. Agnew, Jas. C, 17. Allison(s), 42, 108, 116, 138, 141, 144, 145, 148, 149, 152, 161. Allison, Dorothea, 6, 98. Allenby, 143, 147, 148. Andrew, F. W., 53. Archives, 11. Armstrong (town), 106, 110, 115. Ashcroft, 39. Ashnola, 139, 153. Associations (Land, Agric, etc.), 57, 58, 70-78, 83, 91, 97, 105, 130, 154. Aviation, 153. Banks, 89, 104, 154. Barnes, Fred, 129. Benmore, G. C, 111. Benvoulin, 64, 70, 82, 87, 101. Bessette, N., 159. Blakeburn, 147, 150, 151. Books, Titles of: A Bonnie Fechter (Aberdeen), 11; A Nature Lover in British Columbia (Parham), 101; British Columbia, the Making of a Province (Howay). 65; Builders of the West (Stevens), 108; Chief Seattle (Anderson), 52; Church Work in British Columbia (Sillitoe) , 121; Douglas of the Fir (Harvey), 162; Father Pat, A Hero of the Far West (Mercier), 157; Gazetteer of Canada, 157; Geographical Gazetteer of British Columbia, 157; Historic Backgrounds of British Columbia (Rickard), 110; History of British Columbia (Bancroft), 60; Honest John Oliver (Morton), 14; In-cow-mas-ket (Moir-Allison), 145; In the Kootenays and Other Verses (Smith), 133: Indians of Canada (Jenness), 50, 138; Memoirs of an Educational Pioneer (Ravenhill), 32; Ogo—His Story (Kelowna Courier), 33; Ogopogo's Vigil (Buckland), 60; Ocean to Ocean (Grant), 16; On the Old Athabaska Trail (Burpee), 16; Tales of the Kootenays (Smyth), 34; The Story of Osoyoos (Fraser), 41, 157; The Valley of Youth (Holliday), 64; Through Canada With a Kodak (Aberdeen), 6; Soil Survey of the Ok. and Sim. Valleys, B.C. (Kelly & Spillsbury), 156. Bostock, Hewitt, 46. Boston Bar, 59, 67. Braden, Rev. E., 125. Brent(s), 77, 80, 116. Bromley, John H., 44. Brown, J. R., 52, 57. Browne ("Jim"), 159. Bruce, Hon. H., 11. Buckland, F. M., 15, 64, 69, 93, 152. BX Dist., 67. Caldwell, Warren W., 35. Cameras, 6, 64. Cameron, Annie, 45, 66. Can. Nat. Rly., 93, 97. Can. Pac. Rly., 46, 47, 49, 50, 62, 63, 70, 93, 98, 152. Canal, 47. Canoe, 19, 24, 44, 45, 54, 63, 151. Carload, 77. Cattle, 7, 41, 53, 54, 74, 76, 82-84, 94, 122, 146, 156. Cawston (s), 93, 146, 160, 162. Cawston (town), 145-147. Cemetery, 56, 81. Census, 20, 154, 158. Cherry Creek, 66. Chinese, 8, 43, 139, 142, 144. Chinook Gang.), 16, 30. Christien(s), 45, 66, 116. Churches (Prot.), 7, 56, 82, 83, 101, 104, 124-128, 153. Churches (R.C.), 7, 15, 22, 117-120, 164. CKOV, 159. Clubs, 86, 87. Coal, 58, 62, 149-151. Coalmont, 147, 149-150, 152. Coldstream Dist., 10, 56. Columbia River, 35, 36, 50, 54, 63, 139, 141. Copper, 147-149. Copper Mt., 139, 147-149, 153. Corbett, Harry, 130. Coulthard, J. O., 146, 147. Customs (House & Officers), 17, 42, 45. Day, Arthur, 54, 61-65. Dawson, Dr. G. M., 17, 21, 139. Denison, H. R., 109, 163. Dewdney, Sir Edgar, 142, 145, 147, 153. Doctors (medical), 39, 47, 54, 57, 90, 93, 96, 109, 110, 127. Douglas, Gov., 39, 140, 151. Duck Jacob, 46. Duck Lake, 19, 78. Ducks (town), 45, 46. Election, 46. Ellis, Kathleen, 51. Ellis, Thos., 42, 54, 62, 94, 164. Ellison, Price (or Mrs.), 48, 109, 125, 160. 173 The Okanagan Historical Society—1954 Enderby, 45, 47, 49, 106, 110. 129. Fairs, 8, 71. Farming, 7, 21, 69, 71, 74, 90, 122, 144, 156. Fauna, 25-29, 55, 66. Fires, 40, 73, 83, 84, 86, 105 116. Fire-engine, 86. Firsts: Aeroplane, 153; Angle-worms, 55; Auto-'trip, 152; Box-making, 79; Camera, 6; Cannery, 147; Carload, 77 Cattle, 41; Church, 83, 117, 127; Commercial orchard, 53; Commissioners (Princeton), 154; Co-op. Ass'n., 70; Doctor, 93; Fairs, 8, 71; Ferry, 84; Fire-engine, 86; Frame bldg., 63; Freeman, 129; Fruit-grower, 6; Gristmill, 146; Hotel, 68, 154; House, 52, 84, 130; Ins. Agent, 100; Irrigation, 56; Jeweller, 100; Lamp, 68; Mayor, 104; Mill, 129; Minister, 83, 124; Newspaper, 89; O.H.S. Report, 162; Opera House, 105; Priest, 15; Radio Station, 159; Sawmill, 30, 73; School, 70, 99, 131; Settlers, 8, 30, 51, 130; Steamboat, 39, 43; Sunday School, 100; Teacher, 66, 97, 98, 116, 131, 160; Telephone cable, 20; Tintype, 64; Tobacco, 72; Train, 8; Trustees, 116; V.O.N. Hospital, 10; Water records, 56; Wharf, 29, 63; White child, 75; White girl, 66, 75, 101; White man, 139, 140, 164; White woman, 9, 101. Fish, 26, 27, 62, 136. Floods, 81. Flora, 25-29. Flourmills (grist), 146. Fortune, A. L., 115. Fraser, Geo., 41, 157. Fraser, Sir Simon, 31. Freighting, 39, 49, 160. Fruit-growing, 6, 9, 10, 53-58, 65, 77, 78, 101, 130, 144-147. Fur trade, 135, 139-144, 157. Gabriel, Louise, 24, 165. Game (wild), 8, 25, 55, 56, 122. Gartrell, Jas. (or Mrs.), 53-58, 62-64. Gatien, Mrs. A. J., 66, 68. Gellatly, 36. Geological strata, 17-26. Gillard, August, 59-60. Girouard, Luc, 8. Glenmore, 91. Goodfellow, Rev. J. C, 135. Gold, 22, 23, 59, 76, 141-144, 147. Govt. Agents, 7, 144. Grain, 7, 74, 83, 90, 146, 156. Grande Prairie, 46. Granite Creek, 144, 151. Great North. Rly., 146, 150, 152, 160. Green, C. de B., 49. Greene, Rev. Thos., 56, 112. Greenhow, T., 39, 40. Grindrod, 11. Guisachan Ranch, 8. Harvey, A. G., 162. Hatfield, A. S., 130, 131. Haynes, John C, 42, 44, 94, 116. Hedley, 44, 140, 147, 150, 153. Hope, 41, 43, 59, 121 126, 136, 140, 143, 145, 146. Hope-Princeton, Hwy., 136, 151, 153. Hope Trail, 44, 83, 136, 145. Horses, 7, 49, 54, 62, 76, 82-84, 121, 141. Hospitals, 10, 67. Hotels, 45, 46, 49, 67, 68, 80, 148, 152, 154, 165. Hudson's Bay Co., 5, 7, 36, 96, 139, 141, 144, 145, 164. Incorporation, 3, 91, 105, 106, 149, 154, 163. Indians, 16, 20, 24-32, 35-38, 44, 50, 54, 57, 60, 61, 63, 66, 68, 121, 136- 138, 151, 158, 165. Indian pictographs, 137. Indian Reserve, 18, 20, 30, 54, 55, 57, 63. Indian War, 138. Innis, D. J., 160. International Boundary, 54, 135. Irrigation, 56, 79, 90, 130, 131, 156. Irwin, Rev. H. J. (Fr. Pat), 64, 157. Jamieson, J. E., 161. Japanese, 125, 126. John, J. G., 21, 23. Jones, O. L., 2. Jones, W. J., 159. Jubilee, 5. Justice of Peace, 98, 100, 105, 129, 145. Kazlo, 10. Kelowna, 1-5, 11, 20-23, 33-40, 52, 57, 60, 64, 66, 69-108, 110-114, 117-120, 123-126, 159, 162. Kenny, M. A., 30. Kettle Valley Rly., 106, 148, 149, 153. Knowles, J. B., 5, 93, 127, 162. Kokanee (fish), 26. Kootenay Dist., 34, 69, 133. Kootnai Brown, 64. Kruger, T., 45, 143. Ladd, J. J., 3, 52. Lacey, Mrs. E., 164. Lambly(s), 44, 49, 115. Lambly, Mrs. R., 115. Lansdowne, 39, 68. Larkin, 49. Layer-Cake Hill, 21-23. LeJeune, Fr., 135. Lequime (s), 8, 66, 80, 83, 89, 93, 94, 96. 174 Index Lillooet, 21. Lloyd-Jones, 54, 56, 63, 92. Long Lake, 10, 19, 20. Lumby, 107, 110, 159. Lytton, 31. MacKay, Geo. G., 7, 49. MacKay, Isabel E., 12. Mail service, 57, 131. Maisonville, Georgina, 16, 61, 163. Map, 19, 96, 140, 151, 156. Marjoribanks, Coutts, 7, 10. Marriage, F. T., 59, 102. Mayors, 3, 52, 92, 97, 101, 104, 159. McDougall(s), 7, 22, 90, 142. McDougall, Hazel, 104. Memorial (sites), 5, 12, 58, 120, 164. Merritt, 30. Mill Creek, 81, 83, 90. Mining camps, 23, 57, 66, 73, 147-155. Mining claims, 22, 139, 147, 148. Missionaries, 9, 16, 22, 52, 67, 68, 74 117-120. Mission Creek, 18, 20-23, 75, 83, 81 91. Moberly, W., 16, 142. Morkill, G, 47. Mormons, 61. Mountains (Peaks), 28, 56, 58, 140, 148. Mules, 66, 83, 141. Munson, Robt. (or Mrs.), 9, 90, 101. Naramata, 33, 54, 107. Newspapers: Armstrong Advertiser, 12, 161; B.C. Gazette, 47, 55; Kelowna Clarion, 89; Kelowna Courier, 33, 89, 113, 125, 165; MacLean's Magazine, 56; Penticton Herald, 51, 113, 125, 153, 157, 162; Vancouver Province, 46; Victoria Colonist, 46. New Westminster, 43, 62, 67, 98, 121, 141, 146. Nicholson, H., 144, 146. Nickel Plate, 147, 148, 152. Norris, L., 39, 162. Ogopogo (Na-ha-ha-itkh), 24, 33, 108, 116. Okanagan Falls, 27, 54, 58, 131. Ok. Hist. Soc, 5, 161-165. Okanagan Lake, 5, 7, 17, 20, 24, 33, 39, 49, 56, 122, 138, 158. Okanagan Landing, 41, 49, 50, 77, 131. Okanagan Mission, 8, 9, 18, 19, 59, 66, 71, 75, 115, 117, 164. Okanagan River, 81. Ok. Telephone Co., 84, 106-110. Okanagan Valley, 17, 35, 53, 54, 59, 77, 78, 108, 118, 156. O'Keefe (s), 44. Olalla, 147. Ormsby, Dr. M. A., 5, 162, 165. Osoyoos (Sooyoos), 37, 41, 42, 44, 45, 54, 118, 121, 144, 157, 158. Osoyoos Lake. 17, 27, 122. Oyama, 37, 108. Palmer Expedition, 41, 142. Panama Canal, 67. Pandosy, Fr., 9, 15, 45, 59, 66, 96, 117. Peachland, 54, 106, 110. Penticton, 39, 42, 50, 51, 54, 62-64, 66, 81, 106, 110, 122, 130, 138, 161. Pentland, Lady M., 6. Pioneers (listed), 8, 10. 11, 23, 38, 39, 47, 49, 58, 68, 70-99, 109-115, 127, 130, 146, 148, 151, 152, 154, 157, 159- 161. Place-names, 58, 60, 90, 91, 143, 144, 146, 148, 150, 157, 158, 162. Plateau, The, 35-38. Pony Express, 62. Postill (s), 9, 62, 70, 115, 127, 164. Post-office, 57, 84, 131, 154. Pre-emptions, 54, 55, 58, 63, 64. Price, Barrington, 146. Prices, 9, 48, 50, 57, 67, 69, 75, 76, 84. Princeton, 42, 135-137, 143, 149, 150, 152, 154, 161. Quesnel, Celina, 66. Quinn, Frank, 38, 117. Raymer, H. W., 52, 74, 75, 92, 104, 105, 111. Records, 56. Recreation (sports), 8, 10, 11, 38, 57, 69-92, 105, 111-114, 119. Reekie, Jeanetta, 127. Regatta, 11, 85. Richter, F. X., 96, 141, 151. Richter Pass, 36, 44. Robinson, J. M., 58. Robinson, Noel, 33. Rock Creek, 142. Rosoman, Graham, 129. Ross, Alex., 140. Rowboat, 39, 45, 62, 64. Royal Engineers, 141-143, 151-161. Rutland, 82, 90, 118. Salmon Arm, 45, 68, 106. Savona, 39, 67. Sawmills, 30, 54, 65, 68, 73, 84, 154. Schools (or teachers), 9, 22, 57, 64, 66, 67, 70, 82, 84, 87, 88, 97, 99, 100, 102-104, 116, 118, 119, 131, 154, 160. Schubert (s), 12. Sheep, 130, 146, 156. Shingle Creek, 57, 64. Shorts, Capt. T. D., 8, 39-44, 47, 49, 63. Shuswap Dist., 39, 158. Shuswap & Okanagan Rly., 47-50, 104. Skaha (Dog) Lake, 17, 37, 56, 123, 131. 175 The Okanagan Historical Society—1954 "Skookum," the, 84. Sicamous (town), 48, 50, 68, 108. Sillitoe (Bishop), 43, 121-123. Silver, 66. Similkameen River, 44, 139, 140, 143, 151. Similkameen Valley, 37, 122, 135-156. Simms, C. D., 20. Smith, Mrs. E. ("Andy"), 154. Smith, Gordon Stace, 132-134, 136. Spallumcheen, 39. Sports (see Recreation) S.S. Aberdeen, 69, 77, 78, 85, 86, 100, 101, 131. S.S. Islander, 46. S.S. Jubilee, 41. S.S. Mary V. Greenhow, 39, 43. S.S. Okanagan, 101. S.S. Penticton, 8, 42, 45, 85. S.S. Sicamous, 48, 50, 163. S.S. Yosemite, 67. Stage-driving, 45, 67, 115, 151, 152. Street names, 81, 93-97. Stuart Lake, 52. Summerland, 10, 18, 55, 57, 63, 106, 110, 130. Sutherland, D. W., 52, 82, 89, 92, 97, 98, 101. Swans, 56. Swan Lake, 20. Thompson, David, 108. Tobacco, 71-75. Trading-posts, 60, 139, 141. Trails, 5, 63, 67, 122, 137, 139, 140, 142, 143, 151, 164. Trepanier 44, 54. Trout Creek, 18, 54, 63, 78. Tulameen, 135, 140, 144, 152. Ure, John, 161. Vachie (Vachet), C, 43, 44. Vancouver, 11, 98, 108, 131. Van Home, Sir Wm., 10. Vermilion Forks, 142. Vernon (Bros.), 10, 45. Vernon (City), 7, 20, 36, 64, 66, 86, 89, 99, 104, 106, 109, 110, 160. Victoria, 46, 67. V.O. Nurses, 10. Wagons, 9, 39, 54, 57, 62, 79, 84, 131. Westbank, 1, 5, 108 116. White Hester E. 24, 42. White Lake, 28. White Valley, 159. Woods, Duncan, 55. Yale, 67. Young, B. F., 115. •r / 176 ^ s cfi C/' 3f HE VERNON NEWS LTD. L _ -