PROVING  '. U.BR vH
An Independent Weekly Newspoper Devoted to the Interests of Centrol ond Nc
No. 7.
Prince George, B.C., Thursday, February 12, 1948
$2.50 a Year
Jaune Boy, Charles R. Rathbone, :s Life When Fire Destroys Home
-Year Old Son of C. T. Rorhbone, War Veteran, Mrs. Rathbone, Burned to Death February 4
jrtunate tragedy occur-family of Mr. and Mrs. Jr.   Rathbone   of   Tete fcbruary   4,   when their old son, Charles Rich-,jrned to death at their ch was totally destroyed fMr. Rathbone, father of |is a World War II vet-at present a patient in sy Hospital, Vancouver, Rathbone   was away home at the time of the
r's enquiry into the tra-following the fire re-jat   the   mother,   Mrs. p, had left the house in a 13-year old girl, and [to Tete Jaune post office  which she was ex-.oin her husband. The [had been visiting their ier, who lives about 200 m their home, and left their own house about _ arriving home the eld-vent to bed, the girl en-to   get   the   younger 23-months   old   boy,  to the girl also fell asleep. I up at approximately 10 i girl found the house en-lin flames, and promptly W taking i the younger \h her She endeavored to into the house, but as |ng   child   attempted   to r   she   was   forced   to him. By the time the ents arrived   the house
 of flames, iroring   to get   into the save the eight-year old 13-year old girl tried to try by the window near-e the boy slept, cutting badly in her effort*, and names drovriS6f her attempts to rescue boy were of no avail. It >rtly   after   when   Mrs. the children's mother, (on   the  scene,  but  any effort to rescue or to ex-J the fire was found to be lie.
LOSES ALL athbones lost everything sessed so far as their be-were concerned, except ey stood up in, the out-frperature at the time be-slow zero, which added to the family. . [cause of the fire was not stated, it is believed it Ath an overheated air-pter.
bd Mrs. Rathbone carried ranee    and    friends and immediately  came  to listance, giving them tern-Shelter Word was rushed wincial headquarters of Idian Red Cross at Van-|he commissioner, Colonel itt, sending supplies to cken   family    within  48
ime    efforts    are    being [alleviate the sufferings of ibone   family   and give aid is possible in their
images Home :k McDonald
George Fire Department another call during the
lich has been a busy one Chief Dave Fraser and when fire broke out at
ience of Jack McDonald Avenue yesterday morn-
te call w^as received at department answering in   its   usual   prompt
re was said to have be^n
y a wood box being too
the  stove,  and though
ble damage was done it
iued to the kitchen.   No
of the damage, however,
Initely arrived at.
Deaths Cause 80-Mile Trek to Fort Ware
Mother ond Three Children Report Deaths of Father, Son
A Central B.C. Airways mercy flight terminated here last Monday as two Indian children, a boy and a girl, whose father and elder brother lay dead in a Gatagna River cabin, were flown here by .pilot Ian Duncanson for frostbite treatment in the Prince George and District Hospital.
Mother of the two children, Mrs. MacDonald Egnall, had trecked 80 miles through wind and snow to bring the news of the double death to Ft. Ware and to bring her three surviving children to safety.
Arriving at Weissner Lake en route to Ft. Ware, one of the children's feet was too sore to continue and he was left at the settlement while the mother and two children trecked farther south.
Authorization was received here to dispatch a plane for the removal of the two frostbitten children and it took off from Prince George last Thursday afternoon after a series of telephone communications had ascertained the ice thickness on the lake was adequate for landing the aircraft.
The woman stated that her husband had succumbed to exposure and hunger while her son was a victim of pneumonia.
Et.C. police will possibly, fly into the .region sometime this month, although as yet no word j has been received from the coroner as to what procedure should be followed.
WALTER HOGG
Mies Roil Crash
lOSA�A   massive  snow-undered down on a tiny uage  railroad train  last imbllng   three    coaches mountain gorge, but those miracuously      escaped vo train crew members lured and all passengers f p.   The cars were hurled of feet.
Cheque Artists Net 51300 in Three Days
Cpl. N. O. DeWitt, city police chief, revealed Monday that warrants had been issued for the arrest of two men stated to have been responsible for the theft, and subsequent forgery, of 10 cheques amounting to $1,303.00 from the Proppe Lumber Co.
The cheques were all cashed by local merchants and it is believed that the cheque stamping machine at the mill offices was used to make the cheques valid.
Names of the suspects were not revealed by police but it is known that two men were responsible and that they have since left the city.
Discovery of the crime was not made until the monthly return of cancelled cheques had been made from the bank.
Cashing of the 10 cheques took place   between  January   16  and 19   and   the   smallest   of   them amounted to $130. C.I.D. ISSUES CIRCULAR
The criminal investigation department of the British Columbia police has issued a circular of considerable value to merchants in spotting "bogus" .and stolen cheques.
The circular, entitled "Methods of Bogus Cheque Operators," deals with the actual methods by which fraudulent cheques are cashed and describes the typical actions of the "operators." , A list is given outlining a pre-ventative system for merchants to follow, and should they choose to follow it, very few forged and otherwise "bad" cheques would be negotiated.
Copies of the circular, are available at the city police detachment office and it is? thought that no merchant should be without one.
WALTER HOGG TO SEEK ELECTION IN CARIBOO RIDING
Walter   Hogg,   Coalition   stan-| dard  bearer  in   the  Cariboo  by-j election February 23,  has, apart j from his period of overseas ser-j vice in World War I, spent most of the past 40 years in the Cari-, boo, and is, therefore, a man with i extensive knowledge of the district   which   he   seeks   to   represent in the provincial legislature. Arriving in the Cariboo in 1907, Mr. Hogg commenced life there as a blacksmith, and later became prominent as a rancher, retiring fram4kose activities, a few years ago.   Since his retiral he had purchased a small acreage in North Kamloops, where he found it impossible to break the old Cariboo ties and friendships    If elected, he  says,  he  hopes  he  can  once again qpake his home in the Cariboo and devote his entire time to his duties representing the people of the constituency.
Since 1919, when he returned from overseas war service. Mr. Hogg has sacrificed a great deal of his time in the interest of the Cariboo. He was for some time a member of the Cariboo Liberal Association, and has many friends among the members of the provincial legislature, and also at Ottawa. His wife and daughter, Jean, both reside with him in North Kamloops, but are said to be looking forward to returning to their old home district where they have many old friends.
Winner of the nomination as a Liberal-Coalitionist at the recent convention in Williams Lake, Mr. Hogg had the support of the Wells, Quesnel, Horsefly and Williams Lake Liberal Associations, and the bulk of the Liberal delegates from South Cariboo. He was nominated by G. W. Renner, president of the Williams Lake and District Liberal Association, and seconded by L. W. Griffiths, secretary of the Wells Liberal Association.
P.G. Juniors Drop Two Games at Smithers
The Prince George juniors received a surprise set-bark at the hands of Smithers junior hockey squad at the wrek-end when they dropped a two gnme scries at Smithers by scores of 9-8 and 11-3.
Anglican Young People Arrange Many Functions
St. Michael's Branch of the Anglican Young People's Association is looking forward to an interesting program during the remainder of the season. Entertainment for the gatherings, every second Sunday, include a hymnology, with enlightenments by Rev. Cyril S. White; a special leap year spinsters' night; spring clean-up and weiner roast and many  more  enjoyable  activities.
Any young people interested in joining the association are welcome. The next mee'ing of the A.Y.P.A. will take place at 8.45 Sunday evening next, in the parish hall. The group meets immediately after the evening church service.
Danish Plane Crashes
FRANKFURT�A Danish Air Lines plane with 17 passengers and four crew members crashed today in Germany. The plane v.*as en route from Copenhagen to Frankfurt. There are no immediate reports of survivors.
FAST THINKING BY BARTENDER FOIL! THIEVES
Sharp hearing and fast thinking on the part of Bert Towne, Corning Hotel bartender, saved the proprietors almost $90 In cash as he struggled with one of two men who fled through the darkened beer parlor early last Saturday nigUt with the contents of the cash register tightly wrapped in a brown paper bag.
Towne was in a room above the parlor at about half-past-six, when all licensed premises are closed for an hour, and heard a thump in the room below, followed by the ringing of the cash register drawer. He came down the back stairs in time to feel a man brush by him and out into the lane. Towne then rushed into the main room to confront another man attempting to escape by the same exit.
"I grabbed at the man," Towne said, "and got hold of his left arm. He was struggling and as he pulled loose I felt a bag and grabbed it, then the man ran out." The bag was found to contain $89.75 which was missing from the till.
"It was very dark," Towne added. "I couldn't see either of the men but can judge the .size of the one I fought with. He was pretty big."
Upon examining himself afterwards, Towne found that a long knife slash had been made in his coat, but he had miraculously remained unharmed. Entry had been made by forcing the rear door.
Police are investigating the case but as yet no suspects have been detained.
Instruments Freeze As Legion Band Is Forced to Quit Snow
It was a case, as one member put it, of a cornet turning into a trombone, when the Canadian Legion Band, performing at the winter carnival in the arena Tuesday night, Was forced off the ice, with instruments frozen and hands and feet numbed. Playing with much spirit and ability, however, in the early numbers during the carnival, they wore forced to quit owing to weather conditions which were entirely 'beyond their control."
Many in the vast audience may have wondered why Andy Man-zinoja, with his excellent body of musicians, suddenly gave up and walked off the ice half-way through, the entertainment. It was simply this�they had been located in a corner of the arena, where no suitable platform provision had been made for instrumentalists in sub-zero weather, and being "on ice" they quietly and unobtrusively slipped away..
The numbers which the band did play, however, including waltzes for the high school girls' excellent performance, were woll played, and one marvelled how men, wrapped to the ears and trying to play with mitts on, with fingers numbed, could play as long as they did. But the spirit of the Legion was with them, and one could not blame them for bringing their performance to an end as abruptly as they did. For brass and reed musical instruments are delicate things, much more delicate than those who play them, and, therefore, must be protected from the freezing temperature of the far north.
Marvellous Skating At Kin Winter Carnival
Ed Cotolono "Steals Show" in Face of Superb Performance By Professionals From Edmonton; Capacity Crowd Attends
$500,000 Damage In Big Toronto Blaze
(Canadian Press) TORONTO�A   four-alarm
fire
Wednesday night destroyed a British American Oil Company warehouse, damaged another, and burned thousands of gallons of ubricating and fuel oils. Two-hundred firemen fought the blaze n the city's oil refining district. So one was injured, but damage is estimated at $500,000. Fire started in a short circuit in a motor truck loading oil. Fire death toll in Canada and Newfoundland during the last two days has risen to 44, and damage is estimated at more than $3,-000,000.
Would Compromise LONDON�C. H.  Millard,   United   Steel   Workers  of  America director,   said   Wednesday   night that   Canadian   unions  will  curb
It is often said that a prophet is without honor in his own country, but it certainly was not the case at the Kinsmen's winter carnival, which was opened with omens of success at the Arena Tuesday night. For it was a matter of "local boy makes good" and right in his home town at that. Ed Catalano, physical training instructor at the Prince George High School, in spite of the superb skill of the visiting professional skaters, literally "stole the show."
It was to Ed Catalano that the big hand went following his solo skating number, and few, if any of the vast audience realized that there was a man In this city whose skill on the ice was equal to that of any outstanding professional skater.
The entertainment provided, however, by Lillian and Murdo Munro, and by Peggy Newland, was such that the audience was thrilled by the numbers presented, especially in the dual number by brother and sister. Peggy New-land, likewise, gave of her very best,  her   solo  skating  number*
wage Mf .^VSMi ation   to  this  problem  is  within '�    A meeting with the B.C. Police the    boundaries    of    our    own  Commissioner  in   regard   to  the country."                            %,         , present police situation in Prince
Thousands Mourn Ghandi George at an early date was fore-DELHI�A special train Wed- cast at the regular meeting of the nesday carried the ashes of Mo- city council Monday night, when handas K. Gandhi to Allahabad., Mayor Jack Nicholson indicated Thousands of followers cheered, that Commissioner J. Shlrrass saluted and threw flowers and I would be in the city in about a money into the funeral train.        j week's time, and made plans to
charged Wednesday night that Britain and France encouraged Hitler to make war on Russia, and that the two western powers tried to isolate Russia from the rest of Europe. The charge wns made in a number of documents which the Russians said were captured from Germany.
Revolution Stopped SAN JOSE�Troops and �'police today nipped a plot to overthrow-Costa Rica's government and  in-stal former president Rafael Cald-eron    Guardgia.      Gangs    raced through the. streets and a policeman was killed and soldiers were called to restore order. Armed Jews Obtain Loot JERUSALEM- �   Six     armed Jews   held   up   a   diamond   merchant in Tel Aviv today and stale diamonds valued at $100,000.
council agreed to be on hand at | such time as the meeting can be 1 arranged.
i The Commissioner's visit here echoes the desires of the council that he come to Prince George to discuss the situation regarding police protection in the city and is the result of a letter written to him requesting that a force of more adequate strength man the city. This was done following the appearance before the council last month of Cpl. Norman DeWitt, In charge of the local detachment of the B.C. Police, who asked that more men be added to the detachment.
It is expected, therefore, that the whole matter will be fully discussed, and the urgent requirements in more police protection will be forcibly drawn to the Commissioner's attention.
Application For Special Ad on Hydro Bylaw May be Heard at Coming Session
P.  E. Wilson, K.C., City Solicitor, Visits Victoria To  Prepare Case For  Presentation  to  Legislature
The visit this week of P. E. Wilson. K.C. city solicitor, to Victoria, where he is conferring with Attorney-General Gordon Wismer. K.O.. and other provincial government officials, heralds an early application by the oity of Prince George for a special act of the legislature to allow a bylaw to be submitted to raise the sum of �1,300,000 for establishment of the proposed hydroelectric plant at Willow River.
Mr- Wilson, who left the city over the week-end for the coast, was stated by Mayor Jack Nicholson to be at the capital to have the necessary application prepar-ed'legally along with the law officers of the crown, the mayor adding he was hopeful that the petition would be heard by the legislature at its coming session next month. Should the application be granted, and the special act passed, the necessary bylaw will  thereafter   be submitted  to
the ratepayers for approval or otherwise, and, according to Mayor Nicholson, will then be proceeded with and carried through with the utmost dispatch.
Authority was voted the city council by a majority of voles at the municipal elections In Doc-ember last to go ahead with the venture, and this is now being proceeded with in accordance with the decision of the voters. Owing to the large amount involved, however, a special itCt of the legislature is necessary and for this reason Mr. Wilson is now busy piepa"ing the case for the city.
It is not known how long Mi\ Wilson Will be in conference at Victoria, but it rs- undei =stood he will remain there until all legal angles have been ironed out and the preparation of the city's application put in shape for presentation to the legislative assembly at an earlv date.