Prince Ge&ge Citizen
An Independent Weekly Newspaper Devoted ro * Interest of Central and Northern British Columbia
No. 7
Prince George, B.C., Th f.ay, February 17, 1949
10c per Copy; $3.00 a Year
Premier's P.G.E. Speech
Mclnnis Attacks Gov'f For Contract Boost
VICTORIA, Feb. 17�-John Mclnnis (CCF, Fort GeorgeXcharged the Coalition governme seven contractors
the authority of the House He said contractors had asked consideration of higher construction costs incurred while erecting government buildings.
Mr. Justice Sidney Smith, ap-oointed by the government to investigate, okayed the boost, but the House never authorized it. OLD STORY
[n the same speech Mr. Mclnnis warned that his constituents were displeased with treatment by the Coalition government. He said the Coalition would have to implement an expansion program (PGE) early if it expected to get votes. He commended Premier Johnson for his announcement of the P.G.E. extension, but said that it was an old story which had been told election after election since 1924.
The Fort George member also berated the administration for Its road maintenance program which, he said, was inadequate. JASPER LINK
He asked for a road linking
Prince George with Jasper, so that
j tourists would have alternative
I routes for each leg of a holiday
I trip to National Park.
The government ? -supervised, | strike vote in the Industrial Con-| cilia tion Act was criticized by Mr. Mclnnes, who said that the government would not like to have their vote supervised by labor.
Prince Gcorge|Hears News With Elation
TRUTH ABOUT BATCHELLER
A wave of optimism, such as the city did not know even in its greatest boom years, has swept Prince George since Premier Byron Johnson made his momentous announcement of the coming extension of the Pacific Great Eastern Railway G
to Prince George on Friday last.
Recession forecasts have been
brushed aside. On all
hands it is agreed that the city is on the verge of a greater era of prosperity than it has ever known.
The Premier not only announced his plans for extending the P.G.E., but also announced a $5,000,000 hydro project which will transform the power situation in Prince George and the Cariboo.
In addition he gave the inside story to the negotiations with the American Interests represented by Consulting Engineer Willis T. Batcheller � interests which he has turned down.
Relevant parts of the Premier's speech to the Legislature on the above subjects aie given in full below:� OTTAWA TALKS
During the past 12 months the affairs of the Pacific Great Eastern Railway have engaged a great deal of my attention.
When in Ottawa last summer I conferred with FederalHfiilsters on the subject of extending the railway to Dawson Creek or even to Hasler Creek, where some 200,-000,0000 tons of high grade coal
"GREATEST THING THAT EVER HAPPENED TO PRINCE GEORGE"
Vancouver newspopers and prominent local citizens are unanimous in j dossing the Premier's speech as epoch-making for the Interior. The "Vancouver Doily Province" soid: "His program of expansion and development I coincides with the tide of circumstances sweeping this province toward an I ero of unprecedented prosperity. At lost there is to be action on the P.G.E., which has stood for 30 years with both ends in the wilderness.
The "Vancouver Sun" writes: "The roil link on to Prince George and the C.N.R. line will mean that lumber operators in the Interior will finally have occess to prairie markets. This shoud put the area in the 'big time' o lumber and mill centre and provide population and industry that the Interior needs so badly. The Government's plan may open the whole pro-
" int0 ar> efficient economic, unit. | LOCAL OPINION
Local lumber operators, while welcoming the great developments, adopt �>it end see" policy with regard to the proposed lumber assembly plant �Cjuomish. Martin Caine, Caine Lumber Company, thinks that with reasonable P.G.E. freight rates, the assembly plant could be'of great u/QnCl �"OW ^e 'nterior *� compete with shippers^from the coast areas. W. Dobson, President, Prince George Planing Mills, thinks the proposed will benefit Quesnel and the Cariboo more than Prince George. The com7V ** a tremendous boon, he thinks. If, as a result of the railway for tr? u WC hta-tionary installation at the Uni-
Teletypes Out
Teletypes at Prince George Weather Office are not working owing to heavy snows. High for today is 20F. Low tonight 3F. Highest temperature for the week, 29.1 yesterday. Lowest
was on Saturday with �31.2.
_$______________________
Owing to pressure on news space, the "Citizen" has been forced to hold over a number of local stories which will ap-pear in our next issue.
IN THIS ISSUE
Editorials, Roving Reporter 2
Reprint of Special Edition ........ 3
Letters to Editor ....................... 7
Classified .......!........................... 8
News from Quesnel ;.................. 9
Letter of the Week .10
McBride Page ... 12
An Old-Timer Recalls .13
Women's Pages .... 14, 15
Scout-Guide Week ................... 16
Sports .................................. 18, 19
Family Scene
SOLD OUT
The special edition of the Prince George Citizen" on Friday, giving the momentous news of the proposed construction of the P.G.E. from Quesnel to Prince George, was sold out within two hours of publication. Because many who desired a copy were unable to get it and because the Special Edition was not mailed to regular subscribers, we reproduce on page three of this issue, the front page of our Special. Oldtimers, who have waited so long for the P.G.E. to come, might like to keep it as a memento.
This charming study of Pramter arxi Mrs. Byron JoKnsow, with their sonr Byron Jr., was taken in the spacious garden of their home in" Esqui-malt. "Citizen" Photo.
Council To Engage Assessor For City
First steps in what may lie a move to re-assess the City were taken by the City Council on Monday when the Finance Committee recommended that the Council engage an official to.com->lete a re-assessment of land and mprovements within the city.
"We have talked about this for a number of years," said Mayor Jack Nicholson, "and the finance committee thinks it time that this survey be made by an independent body.'
Harold a&8ifian moved that an assessor be engaged. �
J MclNNIS, M.L.A.
not j�- Mclnnis comments: "We all recognize that this extension will GeorQpVe h t- ^'^' P"*0'6"1' however, with thef line extended to Prince both fr �h 9hw�y connection with Vancouver, a substantial increase in ktter m �nd P0556"0^ business can be secured and the line will be in oosition to compete for what business is available. It will also be a further extension to the North.
Hoving ��cuf�l tfib promise, let us insist that this one be kept allowed to be just a repetition of promises made and later
�nd
th�t this 'wM?r�LtO tlie hydfX> electric development near Quesnel, it is likely *e Central I i � ��ly' mo'or Prolect of this kir>d to be undertaken in or more imoort'�f ^ ***e Power Commission in the near future. Of equal is the matte T^ *� Prince George and district to that of railway
***e Power Commission in the near future. Of equal matte T^ * Prince George and district to that of railway extension on the Q '?'9hwaV' connection with McBride and Jasper. This has 9^ f�r |
fflent availobl ^h |O"9 time; and now with QmP|e labor and equip-
00 construction �Ught ^ be no further delay in making an early start
T THING
1 #>lt
r"1 lt w?l|^ k. th'nfl thot ever hened to this city," said Karl Ander-, rry perry anH^u �Ur P�PulQti�n �" two years. Great credit is due to Wehovenow ?� rhe,oW-w"*ra who stood by during all the trying years.
* R W tO9ethef �nd build u* this citY"
' *� R W AW tO9ethef �nd build u* this citY" 'hree times be*fo�lWt ** Prernier's Proposals carry all the ear-
e
thf �f the PGE- *> Prince George itself won't meon in1 ln*?rior' lf carr|e<* on to the Peoce River block, it will "k.i? devel�Pme"t of this province's natural resources." NEW OPPORTUNITIES", page 8)
LOAN BID
Announcement of $1^,000,000 worth of construction and improvements for tin' P.G.E., brought James Sinclair, parliamentary assistant to Finance Minister Abbott to Victoria this week.
Federal authorities are giving serious consideration to the premier's bid for federal aid in connection with the program, he said, and the request was most favorably received.
B.C. is requesting an $8,000,-000 interest-free loan to com-plete construction of the P.G.E. from Quesnel to Prince GeorRt*.
versity of British Columbia and in the new gas turbine research installations of the Locomotive Development Committee of Bituminous Coal Research Incorporated in Columbus, Ohio.
From these tests we hope to secure more authentic Information regarding the quality of the coal and the uses to which it can be put . In the meantime the survey of our coal resources is continuing with a view to determining the extent of coal measures available for development. AMERICAN PROPOSALS
Before proceeding further with the proposals for the development (See PREMIER. Page 5)
Premier Talks On Quesnel Hydro
On the proposed Quesnel Hydro Project (see page three) and power generally, Premier Byron Johnson said:�
Because the development of this Province is so closely connected with the availability of power, the Government proposes o assist the B.C. Power Commission with the very splendid work it has done. It is first proposed to increase its borrowing powers from $30,000,000 to $45,000,000 and secondly to help in the establishment of a hydro-electric plant near Quesnel in order to service that vast area lying between Prince George and Williams Lake.
There are on the Quesnel River, in an area that
City Council Debates Newest Hydro Move
Letter From B.C. Power Commission Evokes Lively Discussions. Nicol Loses Motion for Quick Action
Electric power for Prince George was the subject of a lively debate by the City Council on Monday, when City Clerk W. G. Fraser read a letter from the B.C. Power Commission. The letter was in reply to a request to them, sent on Alderman G. Nicol's motion, after the previous Council meeting.
The Commission wrote: "We must advise you that under the Electric Power Act, this ommission could hardly make a proposal to supply power to �rince George, without first receiving a definite enquiry as to
.... possesses j the .amount of Power you require
9,000,000,000 feet of timber, two I and the amount you consider ac-power sites, one is known as Big i ceptable.
Canyon and the other is Little j "The Power Commission has Canyon. The former will develop j made an extensive survey of sites 50,000 h.p. assuring a 60 per cent; which would supply not only load factor of 30,000 h.p. Little i Prince George but a largeypart of Canyon will develop 100,000 h.p. j the Interior.
with a 60 per cent load factor of j (50.000 h.p.
The Government therefore proposes to enable the B.C. Power Commission to proceed with the initial stage of the Little Canyon development which would ^ost approximately $5,000,000, by mak-
MIt was understood, by us that the City proposed to instal its own power project in the Willow River, the committee therefore awaited the outcome of this.
"The Commission would like to know the maximum amount of
ing special arrangements with the: H.P. capacity you would be will-B.C. Power Commission that will ing to contract for. With that
be outlined in a Bill to be presented to the House.
Transmission lines to Prince George, Williams Lake, Quesnel
make sure we are taking the right step. I think it would be all right if the Power Commission put their plant in at Quesnel and saw fit to put an extension of about 80 miles into Prince George. PRICE
"But 1 am not in favor, if it can possibly be avoided, of turning over our utility to them. It is just as important for a municipality as for the province to own public utilities. Public utilities have been a wonderful asset to this City. But the time has come to ask whether the price we are charging for our electricity is not out of proportion to what people can get it from other sources. '�
Summing up, His Worship said that if the City could buy power from the B.C. Power Commission wholesale, the City retailing it to the consumer, that would be good business. But if the Commission wanted to take over the City utilities and sell retail, then,
information it would be a ques-
j tion to consider source of supply.'* ALTERNATIVES
j Mayor Nicholson then spoke.
and other communities through-, He said the Quesnel hydro pro- he thought, they could fall back out the district will be construct- j ject, announced by the Premier, on tne Willow River project ed by the British Columbia Pow-1 put an entirely new light on hy-er Commission. This will enable j dro. To his way of thinking, the release of existing diesel ] there were two alternatives, plants now serving these com-; namely (a) for the Commission to
munities so that they can be used supply the City at wholesale pri-in other areas such as Hazel ton. |ces, the City retailing to the con-
Win,dermere, Terrace, Smlthers and various Island fishing lages.
The whole development doubtedly will encourage
un-not
only the establishment of a pulp mill but also other industries throughout the territory thereby giving greater economic stability to the area and increasing freight for the Pacific Great Eastern Railway.
surner or (b) asking the Commission to take over the whole system and retail to the consumer.
"I want cheap electricity to encourage small industries and if getting it through the B.C. Power Commission is the only way. I am agreeable for them to do it." he said.
"But before we make a stand," the mayor went on, "we want to go Into it very thoroughly and
project.
"The Commission will not be able to complete their project in less time than we could complete the Willow River project," he con-
tinued. ~ "We have lots of time." NICOL DISAGREES
Alderman G. Nicol, while agreeing with Mayor Nicholson, that to buy power from the Cormnission wholesale was essential, disagreed with the Mayor's statement that there was plenty of time.
"T think a delegation from the Council should go to Victoria right now, meet the Power Commission and investigate (See CITY COUNCIL. Page 3)