Prince George Citizen An Independent Semi-Weekly Newspaper Devoted to the Interest of Centra) and Northern British Columbia WEATHER Variable cloudiness with a few showers. Occasional clear periods Friday. Little change in temperature. Lights winds. Low tonight and high tomorrow, 10 and 32. Vol. 39; No. 101 (Three Sections, 22 Pages) Prince George, B.C., THURSDAY, December 20, 1956 $4.00 per ysar 5c per copy Gasoline Thrown in Stove SMOKING RUINS are all that remain of two-room cabin in which t.wo tiny children burned to death in a tragic fire last night adjacent to O'Brien's Trailer Court. Lome, 11 months and Lyall, two and a half years, infant sons of Mr. and Mrs. .Leo Turcotte, perished while their parents were attending a Christmas staff party. Baby sitters Norman and Sharron Dahl escaped with their lives after the cabin exploded .\Uo. nuxnes; from, xiasoline believed thi'cwVi iliito i} c.Oofc strive. Chinese Grocer Beaten, Robbed Masked Bandit Flees From Gas Station With him, ho said, and the other walked behind the counter to the cash register. Sam .said lie grabbed the second man and was struck over the head with the revolver. He was not seriously injured. VANCOUVER (CP) � A masked bandit escaped with $3,000 in cash Wednesday night after holding up a service station at south-end 70th and Granville streets. lie was reported carrying a --------------------- small black gun. Jeanne ! essard, :s:i, alone in the service station at the time, said the lone bandit made off with the week's receipts. .Mrs. Lcssard said the man, described as about 40 to 45 years of ago, entered the service station business office and told her to .."Get down to work" and hand over the money. She said he scooped up the bills, in small denominations, and locked her in a hack room of the station. Shortly alter, an elderly Chinese grocer was struck over the head and robbed of about $60 when he resisted two armed holdup men in his store here. John Sam said two men, one armed with a revolver .entered his store. One held the gun on Three More Shopping Days For Legal Liquor After today, the Government Liquor Store on- Sixth Avenue will be open only three more days before Christmas, but it will vc-main open for two late nights. Tomorrow and Saturday' the store will remain open to 11 p.m., and will continue- to do so every weekend of the coming year. Christmas Eve the store closes its doors at 6 p.m. Trade Board Urged To Take Firm Stand On Civic Scene be taken to] part of the organization's of Trade as year. Walter Burns, elected by acclamation to the office of president of the board, told The Citizen today that the board should show less "reluctance" In taking part In city affairs. He said that the membership displayed no reluctance when approaching provincial and federal governments on matters pertaining to the area, but balked at injecting an expression of opinion into civic matters. Mr. Burns, who is a past president of the Prince George Junior Chamber of Commerce, a director of the B.C. Chamber of Commerce and president of the Prince George Canadian Club, will take over as Board of Trade head in January. OPINION REQUIRED He said that unless city council is given an expression of opinion, it had little in the way of public opinion to quide itself when making decisions. "As the Hoard of Trade, with a membership of over 200 businessmen, represents a large segment of the population, it certainly should play a larger part in the administration of this city," Mr. Burns declared. Superintendent of the Dominion (Sec TRADE BOARD, Page 2) policy in the new Hungarians Relive Their Nights Of Terror When tne enslaved people of Hungary revolted against their Russian masters last month, Joseph Szilva, a factory worker then living in Budapest, but now near Prince George, made his break for freedom. November On the night of November 17, Szilv;: gathered together his small family composed of his wife and three small children and started out en a desperate march to the Austrian border. The path they followed bristled with the throat of capture and even the possibility of death, but the determined couple liad gamb-lcd everything they possessed on their bid for freedom and there was no turning back. Twice they were stopped but each tiros they were allowed to proceed unmolested. Once when they were challenged by Russian patrol they replied that they were on their way to visit relatives. A second time to escape capture, they hid beneath a cover of branches that were thrown into the back of an old wagon. Hampered by the necessity of carrying two of their children, one aged three years, the other four, it took the small family three days to make the 100-milc journey to the Austrian border. They carried no possessions and salvaged only the clothes they stood in. Today Mr. and Mrs. S/.ilva are liviiiR with Mrs. S/.ilv.Vs rather, Joseph Danlyak, a farmer at Sliolley. They arc the first Hungarian refugees to domicile in the Prince George area.' In an interview with a Citizen reporter, with Mr. Danilyak acting as interpreter, the Szilvas reported that they took no part in the revolutionary fighting. .Mr. SzIIva, a Husky man with dark flashing eyes, said he would like to have had a hand in killing some of "the Ruskies," but he saw in the revolt a chance to get his wife and family out of the country. SPONTANEOUS The revolution, he said was a spontaneous uprising and had no special leaders. "All workers in Hungary hate the communists. "They are ready to die in ordcP to win freedom for our country," he said. The Communist influence is weakening in Other countries besides Hungary. Life in Hungary ever RCMP Issue Annual Safe Driving Plea RCMP issued their annual plea to city motorists today to drive with extreme care during the holiday season. Sgt. S. A. McKim warned that road blocks will be � maintained in an effor to cut down dangerous driving*. He asked people to "drive if they own their car and not the road. People are requested to use their heads when using their feet.' Anyone apprehended on Christ mas Eve for being drunk will have to spend Christmas in jail'. City police court will be held Boxing Day for those who intend to plead guilty. In recent years in Vancouver, drunks apprehended Christmas Eve have been released Christmas Day and told to come back after Christmas for trial because of the crowded jail conditions. However that practice has been discontinued on the coast and drunks there will also have to spend Christmas in jail. Dozen Contractors Working On PGE All contracts for extension of the Pacific Great Eastern Railway north of Prince George for a distance of 320 miles have been let, according to J. S. Broadbent, general manager of the railway. He said survey have been completed for a 50-mile section north of Little Prairie and tenders will be called in the spring. Twelve companies now hold contracts for the northern leg of the government owned railway. Distances involve 259 miles from Prince George to Dawson Creek and 70 miles from Little Prairie to Fort St. John. . . Pen, Paddle For Girl's Assaulter Good Cheer Hampers Readied Sunday For Dislribution Some 150 needy Prince George families will enjoy a happier Christmas Tuesday as the result of the work of the Prince George Goodwill Association. Representatives of city service clubs, the 1WA, Boy Scouts, lodges and other organizations headed by Cy Westaway will gather in the basement of the Health Centre Sunday morning to assemble the Christmas hampers of food and toys which will be given to the families. The boxes will be distributed the same evening in vehicles provided by 1. Nielsen and the Social Welfare office. In addition to money left over after the distribution of hampers last year, and an additional contribution by the city Rotary Club, donations for the hampers have come this year from the Local 1-424 of the 1WA, $100; St. Vincent's Society, $10; Ladies Auxiliary to the Legion, $10, and Mr. Baskin, $5, a turkey and a ham. Donations wore also received from a number of churches when a white gift service was held last Sunday. Baby Sitters Escape Through Rear Window Death in its. most terrifying form�fire�came to two small children in a tiny North Nechako cabin last night. Mr. and Mrs. Loo Turcotte, They were the infant sons of tenants at O'Brien's Trailer Court. Dead are Lome Turcotte, 11 months, and Lyall Turcotte, aged two and a half years. No Beat Policeman In Vicinity Of Slaying VANCOUVER (CP) � A coroner's court has been told there was no boat, uolloomutv on duty. In . tha area or-the grocor's shop where the owner, Low- Glim- Chew, 60-year-old Chinese, was beaten to death Nov. 30. Constable James W. Little, who was in a police patrol car, said it would be impossible in a beat car to try every door personally. He said on some nights there would be a beat man there. The jury brought in a verdict of homicide by a person or persons unknown. The children were burned to death when fire broke out in the two-room cabin at about 7:30 p.m. Mr. and Mrs. Turcotte were absent at the time. The tots were left in the charge Of their cousins, Norman and Sharron Dahl, aged 12 and 11 years respectively. C.ASOMXK ON FIRE The � fire is believed to have broken.out in a cook stove when one of the Dahl children threw gasoline on the fire. Mother of the infant children was taken to Prince George & District Hosiptal last night in a �state of collapse. She is staying today with her sister-in-law, Mrs. Victor Dahl, 117 Tofield. Mr. and Mrs. Turcotte came to Prince George in September and moved into the tiny cabin opposite O'Brien's Trailer Court on about December 2. Mr. Turcotte is employed by B.C. Equipment Co. Ltd. Married for five years, the Tui- kkoji keg nvA�u They came hero from Regrina? ** According to Mrs. Dahl, the two terrified Dahl children attempts to save the. infants but were unable to do so. The entire cabin was a wall of flame. MINOR BURNS The Dahl children escaped with minor burns. Both are In a state of shock ana are staying with neighbors. It was reported that one of them tried to pick the baby put of his crib but that ho became entangled in the bedclothes. The other child was still up and was walking around at the time. One of the tiny bodies was found just inside the door. The baby's body was found In a crib in the centre of the dwelling. There was only one door to the home. The Dahl children escaped through a rear window when flames barred the only door to the dwelling. Mr. and Mrs. Turcotte, accompanied by Mr. and Mrs. Dahl were attending a Christmas party for the staff of B.C. Equipment when the fire broke out. Mrs. Dahl is a sister of Mr. Tur-cotte. Removals Irk Motorists City Hall was besieged by Neighbors said the cabin ex- angry motorists up until 5:30 ploded into flames. Mr. O'Brien, proprietor of the trailer court also attempted to save the children but the intensity of the fire turned him back. Winter Work Campaign Slated To Start Here In January The federal government's current nation-wide campaign calling on citizens to help combat winter unemployment is receiving encouraging response throughout B.C., according to W. McKinistry, regional director, Unemployment Insurance Commission, Vancouver. Russian occupation has NEW WESTMINSTER ICF) � incc the ! Jack Earl Bogart, 21, was sen-bcrn a ! tenccd Wednesday to three years life filled with terror, privation and want, Szilva said. Reports of people being routed out of their homes at night and sent to concentration camps, never to be seen by their families again, are all true, the Szilvas claim. Hungarians had to pretend to accept the Communist way of life (See HUNGARIANS, Page 5) in penitentiary and five strokes of the paddle for indecent assault on a 17-year-old girl. "There have been too many crimes of this type," said Mr. Justice Manson in passing sentence. "Women are not something to prey upon." Harry Chow, 19, companion of Bogart., was convicted of common assault and sentence deferred. He cited i\s an example the UlC-sponsored local employment committee in Kitimat which will consult with representatives of the Kitimat Builders' Exchange to determine if it is feasible to operate on an 18-month plan for home and general construction. Chairman, Bud Walker, assistant manager for Sagucnay-KiU-mat Co., explained that this method would keep a high rate of employment in.Kitimat during the winter months, when men would be employed on interior finishing work. Local labour and building trades representatives suggested that housing contractors plan for two building programmes in the 18-month period. This would leave only interior work for the usually slack winter period, they pointed out. Similar efforts to encourage all year-round construction work is being made by other community employment committees throughout the province. EVERYONE BENEFITS The government campaign also urges citizens to have their remodelling and repair work around the home or place of business done during the winter while skilled tradesmen and mat-erails are more available. "If everyone works, everyone boncfitc. Conversely, an unemployed person is a potential customer lost to business and industry,". Mr. McKinstry stated. In Prince George, UIC manager Irving Moss reports that a local Employment Advisory Committee has already been formed composed of representatives from management, labor, social welfare, veterans and women's groups. Object of the committee is to get a similar "do it now" program underway here. It is expected that a campaign following those lines will com- mence sometime in Januray. Only reason that a winter work campaign has not been initiated earlier this year is clue to the fact that the Prince George area is currently suffering from a shortage of skilled workmen. With the city enjoying one of the largest construction bonanzas in history there are few, if any, unemployed tradesmen such as carpenters, plumbers, electricians and brick layers. Real need for such a program usually occurs in January, February and March but with most construction projects continuing through the winter, few lay-offs are expected. p.m. last night. The reason? They were looking for their automobiles that had been removed from city streets to make way for snow clearing operations. A half dozen or more vehicles were towed away but instead of being impounded, the autos were merely towed to a nearby location where snow clearing had already been completed. The result was utter confusion when the irritated owners arrived at City Hall expecting to find their cars in the pound behind City Hall. They were told their autos could be found close to where they had originally parked them. Many complained bitterly and argued that no warning had been posted indicating the streets were to be plowed. City Engineer George Harford said that signs are posted but that in many cases motorists disregard them. With snow clearing the major winter occupation of city work crews, new methods of clearing the curbs of autos arc being studied Mr. Harford said. "It is a big problem," said Harford. "We need all the co-operation we can get from .motorists." Vehicles removed yesterday were not impounded and motorists were thus saved a $7 fine. E. J. FOX pauses a moment to scratch his head and figure out what to do in crowded parcel division. Mr. Fox is extra sorter hired for the Christmas rush. Shelves in parcel division were sagging from weight of some 1200 parcels yesterday. Normally the post office handles about 200 a day.