Doris E. Bechtley 1158 Melville St. VANCOUVER,   B.C.  �
Dec6-57
INSIDE
CLASSIFIED   ..................   Page 12
COMICS .......................... Page 13
EDITORIAL ......................  Page 9
WOMEN'S, SOCIAL ........ Page    3
SPORTS .......................... Page    4
DIAL LO4-2441      ~~~~
WEATHER
Sunny  wi�h  cloudy  periods owd little change in temperature. Low tonight and high tomorrow. 30 and 50.
Vol. 2;  No. 78
PRINCE GEORGE. BRITISH COLUMBIA, THURSDAY, APRIL 24,  1958
PRICE   7   CENTS
BY CARRIER 35c PER WEEK
i
TEENAGERS and rock 'n roll fans packed the Civic Centre last night to listen to Gene Vincent and his Blue Caps perform an hour-long show. The hipsters drew screams, shouts, groans and wild applause from the
audience. Above, Vincent is in one of his familiar poses as he went through such numbers as "Lotta Lovin' ". Police kept a close watch on the show but reported no trouble. A dance followed Vincent's performances.
City, Gas Co. Lash Monopoly
By JACK BEST
Canadian Press Staff Writer
VICTORIA (CP) � A dispute between the city of Prince George and West-coast Transmission Co. over natural    gas    prices    was
brought before  the' Bovden
energy commission "Wednesday.
A brief presented by the city of 12,000, located in the geographic centre of British Columbia, claimed that Prince George was being asked to pay a "highly discriminatory" price of almost 'four times that charged for export.        ,                __^^
The brief was presented by the city and Prince George Gas Co;," a civic enterprise. It was read by Hume Wright, executive' vice-president of the company.
It dealt with unsuccessful efforts of the company to buy di-
rect from Westcoast Transmission rather than , from Inland Natural Gas Co., which distributes Eea,ce River gas throughout most of B.C. under contract to Westcoast. HUKT OTHKKS
In reply Westcoast suggested if It agreed to sell direct, to Brlnce George, other connumevs would have to ' pay' more for their gas.
The only "sizable" B.C. community not served with gas as of November, 1957, was Prince George, said the Westcoast brief, rear! by managing director I). P. McDonald. Prince George would consume a very significant   volume  of gas.
If Westcoast abrogated Its contract with Inland "to the extent of deleting therefrojn the volumes of gas deliverable to Prince George," the price of gas in each of the other communities served would be materially affected.
Gas Giants Denying Our Rights: Mayor
VICTORIA (CD � Mayor Carrie Jany Gray of Prince George says natural gas is a natural resource belonging to the people of Canada, but that "giant monopolies" seem to have lost sight of the fact.
In a statement to the Borden energy commission Wednesday she said it was "astonishing" that the city and the company which received the city's franchise should have had to fight so hard for natural gas � "something that should have been obtainable without question in the first place."
Mayor Gray made her statement before presentation of a joint brief by the city of Prince George and the Prince George Gas Company. The brief, read by Hume Wright, executive vice-president of The company, claimed tlu't Prince George  was be-
ing asked to pay a "highly discriminatory price" for Peace River  natural gas.
"Natural gas is a natural resource belonging to the people of Canada, which fact seems to have been completely lost sight of by the giant monopolies that operate the wells and pipelines strictly for their own financial benefit," said the mayor.
She said Prince George needs to have secondary industries, but asked how the city could gel them while having to pay a "ridiculously high price" for a resource at its very doorstep.
"Here,4s a case of a nothern community which, with opportunity knocking at its door, has been forced to engage in a long and bitter fight and to go without gas in order to seek elementary fair play."
Prince George contended that Inland is asking an average wholesale price of 83 cents per thousand cubic feet. The city refused to pay this "highly discriminatory price1' which, in terms of load factors involved, was "close to four times the export   price"   arid   50   per   cent
oro    than   -that    charucil    other
B.C, utilities.
Inland    Natural   Gas   held   a "monopoly" on the purciia.se of gas  from Westcoast in  interior B.C. (CONNECTING   L1NJ3
Prince George, situated only 235 miles from the Peace Itivcr gas field:;, asked the public utilities commission in 11)50 for authority to construct its own 4.5-mile connecting line to take delivery direct from the north-south   main   Westcoast  line.
The utilities commission gave Prince George the authority to build a distribution system within the city, but reserved to Inland the right to build the connecting line.
When Prince George and Inland failed to agree on prices this matter also was referred to the utilities commission, which approved the schedule proposed by Inland.
Prince George appealed to the court of appeal, and the matter .     (Sec "CITY,  GAS" Pago 2)
Official Count Expected Soon
Many Citizen readers have been enquiring when this newspaper will be running the official count of every poll in the March 31 federal election.
The summary has not yet been received from the returning officer for the Cariboo riding whose offices are at Fort St. John. As soon as they are forwarded to us, they will appear in The  Citizen.
Unfavourable weather conditions in some parts of the riding has delayed shipment of ballots and ballot boxes from some centers in  northern B.C.
CNR ENGINEER
STEPS DOWN AFTER 45 YEARS
A Canadian National Railways employee this morning ended 15 years of service with the railroad when he stepped down from the engineer's controls of a diesel locomotive jri the yards here.
To 65-year-old David Boyle, of 175 Watrous St., the trip which he left on yesterday afternoon marked the end of a career which he .started in northern B.C. in 1913.
He was met by his wife, who went to bed early last night so she could meet him as the westbound passenger train pulled in at 5:15 a.m. today.
"il'ri quite a long time bul it's the end," Mrs. Boyle said last night.
She was busy making plans for a trip to her husband's homeland, Ireland, and a visit to the continent. They will sail from-Montreal May 3 aboard the Cunard liner Sylvania, and return July 23.
The happy couple wil be going back to Ireland which Mr. Boyle last saw -IS years ago.
Ho luis been senior locomotive engineer on the CNR line' in this area for many years, working put of Pacific, Smithers and Prince  George.
"No one knows more about the line than Dave," his wife said.
"I   simply  can't  believe  that
he  is   through.  But  he's   tired
and I think the railroad knows
what it's doing when it retires
(Sec  "ENGINEER"  Pogc  2)
Wenner - Gren Engineers Sift Best Of 7 Peace Dam Sites
VANCOUVER (CP) � Sir Thomas Foy, chief consulting engineer for Wenner-Gren interests in British Columbia, reported Wednesday that seven possible dam sites have been located on the Peace River.
Four of the potential sites were at the western end of Peace River canyon near Finlay Forks and the others near Hudson Hope, 500 miles north of here.
The Wenner-Gren organization, headed by Swedish finan-
cier Axel Wenner-Gren, plans a multi-million dollar development for 10,000 square miles of B.C. hinterland in the Rocky Mountain Trench north of Prince George.
Surveys of potential power, mineral and industrial sites were started a year ago. If found feasible, the plans call for a 400-mile high-speed monorail railway, pulp mills, hydro-electric plants and possibly mining operations.
Sir Thomas arrived here from Hudson Hope after consulting with his survey engineers.
He said the engineers now are
eliminating"- the less suitable power sites, and hope to come to a definite conclusion by August.
"The Peace dam would be purely a power proposition," he gaid, "because the surrounding country is too rough for irrigation ajid agriculture."
Engineers have estimated that there is a power potential of 4,-000,000 horsepower in the river system north of Prince George. The cost of development has been estimated at between $400,-000,000 and $000,000,000.
Main source for the power out-
let would be the greater Vancouver area.
"The north country is still not developed enough to soak up the amount of electricity which could be produced," said Sir T.homas.
The giant project, he said, would be an alternative to the Fraser River, which is "all tied up with fish" of the Columbia River, "which has an international   problem," he  said.
The Rocky Mountain Trench is a huge geological fault, 10 to 20 miles wide, which runs from the United States northward through B.C. into the Yukon.
I
Record Year Ahead
City Doubled In Size Today
Prince George today is officially double the size it was yesterday.
The provincial government has approved a land annexation program which extends the city boundaries.ito include an additional 2600 acres.
A cabinet meeting in Victoria Tuesday afternoon decided on the program which had been passed by local ratepayers with
City Man
Beaten,
Robbed
A Prince George man yesterday was beaten and robbed by. thugs who took advantage of his ailing eyesight.
Frank,Deveney, about 50, was a tacked   near  his   home   in   the
Houtli-wcslcrn    oxtromoa    of    tfao
city early  Wednesday  morning.
He was robbed of between $65 and $70 cash by what police believe were two youths.
The assailants smashed his glasses before stealing the wallet which contained the money and personal papers.
Doveney is short-sighted, police said, and lie could not see what was happening to him after he lost his spectacles.
He was beaten and kicked. Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers investigating the robbery said no heavy instruments were  used.
The beating occurred about 1 a.m. near his home on the south-east end of  Upland  St.
No arrests have been made in connection with the incident and police today are pressing an investigation into the "violent robbery.
Canadian Dollar Fluctuation Is Top Question Mark
MONTREAL (CP) � The Bank of Montreal brands Canada's "oscillating dollar" as a major question mark in Canadian   business   operations.
In its April business review issued today, the bank describes the movements of the Canadian dollar since last August, when it reached a premium of more than six per cent in terms of United States funds, then tumbled late in 1957 to under one per cent in January. It is gradually recovering, now.
Such exchange rate fluctuations, the bank says, "constitutes an important element of uncertainty in Canadian business."
The business review adds that probably the largest single reason, for the fall-off in the dollar exchange value late in 1957 was the decline in Canadian borrowing in New York. -
BCE Applies For Rate Increase
VANCOUVER fCP) � The B.C. Electric Company Wednesday applied for a power rate increase ranging from 12 to 14 percent for domestic w-jJi^ales and up to 30 percent fir heavy industrial customers.
The BCE made the rate application to the Public Utilities Commission.
The increase would apply to the Greater Vancouver district; the Fraser Valley and the southern end of Vancouver Island..
an 80 per cent majority on April 9.
Only obstacle left in the program is to have the plans gazetted and change patent describing  municipal  lines.
Previous boundaries of the city encompassed approximately 2500 acres.
The city limits will be extended south and west as far as the cemetary on the Northern Trans-Provincial highway and will follow an irregular line north to the Nechako River, taking in all unoccupied land to the' foothills.
The cream of the land acquired in the expansion is a large tract of close to 300 acres ex tending south from the Nechako Itiver.
This is almost guaranteed to be a 'Site for industrial develop ment.
Expansion means the city will now be assured of good industrial sites and there is room for an extensive housing project at the western extremities.
Hotels, Gas, Hospital Apartments, Offices
The basis for the greatest construction year in Prince George's history today lies on the drawing boards of private and government engineers and architects.
If all projects scheduled for Prince George in 1058 reach fruition an astounding $8,947,000 construction boom is in store for the city.
While other Canadian cities are feeling mild to severe effects of the recession which hit the nation last year, Prince George, "the capital of Central British Columbia," is still forging ahead as business and government strives to meet demand with supply. In    the    whopping    spending
program planned by both local and outside interests there are such items as nearly $2,000,000 worth of new hotels and a $1,-839,000 hospital.
Those close to the building and construction industries agree that 195S will be nothing but a record year for this city.
Tin- huge development srhPPv,; will bring, to Prince George a natural gas distribution system, the biggest housing project since the end of World War II, and schools which are designed to meet the ever-expanding needs of the city.'
Excavation' work has already began   at   the   sceue   of   Prince
""fc^s.     -
NORTH-WEST TELEPHONE linemen started rush task of stringing closed-circuit television cable in the city yesterday. This shot, taken on Vancouver Street, shows line which will carry PGTV .signals to homes in southwest portion of Prince George. Completion date of the cable-stringing project has not been disclosed.
U.S. Missile Success At 5,000 Miles
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) � The United States Air Force hurled a two-stage missile some 5,000 miles out across the south-east Atlantic Wednesday night, but today there were doubts its top-secret nose � needed for study � would be recovered.
Because some of the telemetering equipment aboard the Thor-Variguard combination failed to function, the missile's course couid not be followed as accurately as had been planned.
However, the air force confirmed that the nose cone had attained continental range � possibly 5.500 miles, the longest flight any American missile has yet attained.
The mission was to launch the highly advanced and elaborately-equipped cone SO mijes up in space and then 5,500 miles southeastward to a previously selected impact area, near Ascension Island.
But some of the radio reporting equipment in the second stage failed.
Clocks AHEAD
Daylight Saving time goes into effect this weekend.
Whether you like it or not, clocks will go ahead one hour at midnight Saturday.
It will mean you will be seeing the sun an hour earlier and having an extra hour of sunshine in the evening.
George's $1,800,000 hospital. It wil be the largest hospital in the north and will have the most modern facilities.
A $200,000 nurses home will also be built to provide members of the hospital staff with tdequate residence  facilities.
Provision of suitable accommodation for the nursing staff of Prince George & District Hospital has always been one of the biggest problems with its operation.
An Edmonton construction firm which is connected with a local sawmill and planing mill company this week announced plans for a $750,000 home-building  project.
The firm plans on erecting 50 low-cost homes in the southwestern part of the city. Qt-flclalB of the compaiiysald work should begin on the marathon project in June.
An estimated $1,500,000 will be spent on a gas distribution system in the city of Prince George. A large part of this will be spent this year on a (See  "RECORD YEAR"  Page 2)
Aid. Powers Seeks Action On City Streets
A Prince George alderman is seeking action from the cily's engineering department over the condition of local streets.
Aid. John Powers told a special meeting of city council Tuesday night that he has received numerous complaints over the current state of many thoroughfares.
"With all tho telephone calls I've been getting there surely must be something wrong," Pow-cry said.
Powers requested the board of works committee to advise council at the next regular meeting what the engineering department intends to do about streets and when a program of street maintenance could be expected to start.
Aid. Ken Jack, chairman of the works committee said that a report would be brought before council on the situation next Monday.
Aid. Powers contended that now would be an ideal time to get started on a street maintenance and repair program.
Truckers Please Note
This clause was eliminated in error from yesterday's Department of Highways Notice for -Loads and Speed Regulations in the Fort George District Prince George Area.
No person shall operate any vehicle over the following highways, having a maximum gross weight in excess of G,000 lbs.
(a)  #1GE Northern Trans-Provincial Highway East �Prince George. to Hansard   and   all   Feeder Roads.
(b)  *16W Northern Trans-Provincial Highway West �Prince George to feednesti Lake and all Feeder Roads.
(c)  #225 Chief Lake Road � and all Feeder Roads.
(d)  All Feeder Roads to the Hart Highway.
(e)  All Feeder Roads to the Cariboo Highway.
(f)  All Foothill Roads West of Prince George. SPEED LIMITS ARE IMPOSED AS FOLLOWS: Trucks and busses except half ton models � 30 miles per hour. Vehicles with solid tires are prohibited from using these roads.during such periods as these regulations are in force: