SIMON FRASER BRIGADE ESCAPE DISASTER
INSIDE
CLASSIFIED .................... Page 12
COMICS ........................ Page 13
EDITORIAL .................... Page 2
WOMEN'S, SOCIAL ........ Page 9
SPORTS ........................ Page 6
DIAL LOgan 4-2441
WEATHER
Cloudy with sunny periods. Scattered thunder storms. Low tonight, high Saturday 45 and 70.
Vol. 2; No. 104
PRINCE GEORGE, BRITISH COLUMBIA, MONDAY, JUNE 2, 1958
PRICE 7 CENTS
BY CARRIER SRc PER WEEK
1 Thought They Were Done For' Says City Canoe Bri
COMMONWEALTH WAR DEAD were commemorated by the consecration of a new high altar in St. Paul's Cathedral, London. Queen Elizabeth and Prince .Philip attended a special thanksgiving service, accompanied by British and Commonwealth dignitaries. More than 335,000 men and women of the commonwealth died in the two world wars.
Kids To Receive Dental Protection
Prince George children who will enter school for the first time in September are now being registered for a preventativc dental program.
The program-is-sponsrire'frny the school hoard in co-operation with the Cariboo Health Unit and local dentists.
Tlir campaign is preyentative and no
essentially fee will be
charged for ser.ylce, Registration forms are currently being distributed through the schools.*
All grade one pupils next September and a limited number of prc-school children three years old and over arc eligible.
Early registration is important, school board points mil, because complete dental treat-menl cannot be guaranteed to those registering late.
Children will receive appoint-
Shortage
Indications are Prince George will not be faced with a teacher shortage when school opens in September.
But the situation could change overnight, w a r n s municipal .school inspector Ken Alexander.
He is currently considering applications from 45 teachers who wish to come to this area.
"However they all want work in the city and none seem to eager about country jobs,1' be said.
Five appointments have already been made at the senior high school by principal Allan Stables. There is a shortage of specialists at the new Connaught junior high school which will open in September;
ments in the order in which they register and parents will be advised by the .school board office of the dates they should lake their youngsters to a dentist.
Clinic hours will be from !) a.m. to noon on weekdays and a limited time on Saturday mornings will be available only to out-of-town students.
Surveys taken among the school population of Prince George in previous years have revealed that dental decay plagues most youngsters ul a very early age,
This will lie tlic first clinic of its kind in, Prince George. School board decided to sponsor the program In January when funds were appropriated for it in the hoard's 1058 budget.
By ALEX BOWIE
(In an interview with Bryan McCarthy)
The canoe trip from Prince George to Quesnel was a terrifying experience and several times our three canoes were only saved by furious bailing and lots of luck.
Fort George Canyon 1G miles downriver, nearly proved to be the end of the trip for all of us.
(This is the eye-witness account of Ihfi pxcillnK trip to Quesnel by the Simon Fraser Briyude written by city meronant Alex Bowie who was aboard one uf the canoes.)
I was in the lead canoe when we went through the canyon. There was a powerful downstream current and a swell of about five feet.
The real danger, however,' came from eddies in the canyon. Some of the smaller ones, about two feet wide, spinning viciously.
To steer round we tried one of them when suddenly it expanded into a huge whirlpool which turned us broadside on to the main current in half a second if gripped our boats.
We were lucky � or skilfully steered by Sam Miller � and managed to gel out of that situation.
The second canoe following about GO yards behind us was not so lucky.
One of the eddies opened right under the boat. In a second the canoe was slewed out broadside on into the main current. Water deluged over the sides, and we thought they were done for.
I shall never forget the sight of pressman Courtenay Towers who was costumed as John Stuart, desperately bailing with his black hat.
Seconds later the third canoe came hurtling down the canyon and just grazed the distressed craft.
Finally both canoes made their way through safely and joined us on the other side of the canyon.
Next main hazard was at Cot-tonwood Canyon about three-quarters of the way to Quesnel.
Dick Corless took full precautions. We unloaded all supplies from the canoes and went through with "light canoes."
There was a terrific swell � waves about 10 feet high � but we shot through safely.
We camped Thursday night, before Cottonwood canyon, at
an island near the Blackwater River fork.
We arrived in Quesnel, Friday, well before the 9 p.m. scheduled deadline.
We met up with Gordon Hil-ker and his travelling entertain-ers who put on the Simon Fraser Spectacle for the benefit of an audience of 2,000 in Quesnel.
Harry Loder, Ken Quinn and myself then returned to Prince George. Of the "temporary" crew Ted Williams, Bill B. Blackburn and Erie Moffat went on to Soda Creek. They made the GO odd miles by 5 p.m. Saturday night � after paddling for hours in the rain.
Robbed Of $130 In Island Cache
A Hungarian immigrant was attacked and robbed last night near lumber piles in the Island Cache area.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police said today Paul Bartfae was overtaken and robbed of $130 shortly after 9 p.m.
A young Prince George man has been charged with robbery with violence and is scheduled to appear in police court this afternoon.
Bartfae was crossing between a battery of tall lumber piles in the area when he was grabbed and thrown to the ground.
The money was removed from his pocket. A suspect was apprehended by police soon after.
Bingo!
Giant bingo will be held at the Prince George coliseum June 21.
Top prize will be a four door sedan automobile. The games will be organized by the Joint Service Club Council.
15 Firefighters Face
Blazing Acres
Only 1,1 men today are battling a forest fire razing 30,000 acres in northern B.C.
B.C. forest Service officials reported today the blaze was raging through slash and timber-land in the Lower Post area is being combatted by the coterie of tired firefighters at the north-
ern tip of the Prince George Forest District.
Lower Post is near the IS.C.Yukon Border, 500 miles north of Prince George.
Additional supervisory staff from Prince George today is being rushed to the scene and additional fire fighters are expected to be recruited in the small community.
A MEETING of the Advisory Committee of the North' Central B.C. Associated Libraries was held at the Library Commission Building on Third Avenue in Prince George Saturday. From left to right in; this picture is the chairman, Mr. P. C. McGregor; Margaret Beley, secretary, from Smithera and Mr. R. Green of Wells.
Maurice Isenor, forest protection officer for the district, said the fire is very difficult to reach and is rapidy spreading toward valuable timberland.
The blaze seemed to have "exploded" over the weekend when the area, parched by over 30 rainless days, was stirred by light winds.
Peace River area was the only segment of the Prince George forest district which was not blessed with showers during the weekend.
All fires in the Prince George and Quesnel areas today are reported to be under control after scattered showers dampened the timber and slash through which they were burning.
However, Isenor cautioned that the showers were not too reassuring.
Today's weather forecast calls for a return to the hot, dry weather which this area experienced last week. At one time during the warm spell fires covered 25,000 acres of timberland.
Quesnel was the scene of some of the most serious blazes late labt week while earlier fires raged on Prince George's doorsteps at Chief, West and Lin Lakes.
Isenor said fire-fighting crews have been cut sharply in the past two of htrce days and a core of workers has been left at the scenes to handle mopping-up operations.
The fires could break out again after a few more days of warm weather, Isenor warned but the humidity will remain low as long as the skies are cloudy and the uigiite *re cooL
HOLIDAY FOR CITY?
City council is considering declaring a civic holiday August 21, the day Prince George will celebrate the arrival of the Nor' West canoemen from Ft. St� James.
Highlights of the extravaganza include a mam month show, RCMP musical ride, dancing and songs.
Other city council news:
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Mayor Carrie Jane Gray is out of town this week attending the annual convention of Canadian Mayors in Victoria. Aid. Harry Loder has been appointed acting mayor and will preside at tonight's meeting.
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High water on the Fraser River has temporarily suspended work at the site of the city's new sewer pumping station.
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Animal 1!)58 budget was adopted by council last week in the form of Bylaw 1059 which was given its final reading, reconsidered finally passed and adopted.
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Former mayor CJarvin Dczcll appeared before council to find out if hookups to sewer lines which run past property are mandatory.
Mayor Gray informed Mr. Dczell that city council was contemplating a bylaw enforcing hookups but this has not yet been passed.
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Lloyd D. Courtice, 1521 Cedar, has been appointed a member of the Advisory Planning Coin-mission.
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City is preparing a bylaw which will authorize the city to demolish buildings on property owned by Dominic Dallas at iu:;:i lledwood Street.
City engineer George Harford has been authorized to proceed with the purchase of fittings required for this year's sewer layer program.
Fined For Not Fighting Fires
Two men were fined in magistrate's court Friday for failing to render assistance in fighting forest fires.
Hcinrich Hcppncr and Wlllen Blitz were both fined $25 and ordered to pay costs for contravening the Forest Act.
TONY SHIRANT, of Prince George, displays two trout he caught during the Trout Derby held Sunday at Six-Mile Lake. All1. Shirant was one of 40 fisherman who took part in the Derby. Many went home empty handed. Others complaining that the lake has been fished out.
Bombers Seen As Main Red
Russian bombers are the major threat to the North American continent, officer in charge of the air defence of Canada's west coast stated in Prince George this weekend.
Air Commodore A. C. Ross, officer commanding Fifth ItCAF A i r Division in Vancouver, warned that manned bombers present mure danger than the much talked of intercontinental ballistic missiles which won't lie in use for several years.
"The best. Information indicates the Russians are still turn-Ing large quantities of long-distance bom'ocrs capable of an attack of any size on western Canada," he warned.
Air Commodore Ross was visiting Prince George to officiate at the opening of the Ground Observers Corps filter center in the basement of the post, office building.
Ground observers arc a vital arm of the nation's air defence system, he said, because they fill the "blind spots" of radar.
Activation of the Prince George center, which took ploce shortly after 4 p.m. Satrurday, completed the ground observer
City Fined, But Loses No Money
City of Prince George last week found itself in a position many would envy.
It was fined for a traffic violation but didn't lose any money in the action.
A city-owned truck was apprehended towing an unlicensed trailer in the downtown area.
'SKEETER' SPRAY HARMS CLOTHES
Housewives, you wouldn't like to do today's washing all over again, would you?
You might have to if you leave it on the clothesline because an aircraft cepjipped with a sprayer will be flying low over the city killing mosftuitpa tonight.
City engineer George Harford this morning that the Skyway Air Service plane has arrived in 1'iince George for the operation.
Accidents took 30 lives through out Canada this weekend.
Eighteen person were killed on the roads, six were drowned, two were hit by trains, one asphyxiated, one crushed by a tractor and one killed in a 't>teck- car --crash* �
An RCMP. officer took the necessary action and brought the owners of the vehicle to traffic court for a violation of the motor vehicle act.
When the matter came before Police Magistrate P. J. Moran, prosecutor Peter IS. Wilson pleaded guilty to the charge on behalf of the city.
A fine of $25 and costs was levied and the money, collected by the city for traffic offences, returned to its coffers.
The only hardship it created was with the RCMP who had to complete half a dozen forms explaining the matter.
coverage of the entire west coast.
Some 200 ground observers] located as fa)- away as the Queen Charlb'tte Islands, Lhe B.C.- Alberta border and Williams Lake report aircraft sightings to the filter center here.
Over loo "aircraft flash" messages were received in the filler center's operation.; room by civilian volunteers and KCAF volunteers Saturday.
Fllght-LIeut. L, I". MacKinnon, officer in charge of the Prince George detachment of the GOC told the estimated �">') persons who attended the opening that the local filter center is "an important link in the chain of an- defence."
Air Commodore Ross presented awards of merit to Milton \V. Kearns of Smithers and W. K. Elliott of Stewart, B.C. for their work with the GOC;
Only in such awards are made in Canada annually.
Squadron Loader ('. II. Hose-ason, chief of the Ground Observer Corps of B.C., said the detachment was opened at. Prince Rupert, in 1051 but was moved to Pri'nce George because this city was a more .suitable location.
Major .lames D. Lesslcy of the LJSAF radar site at Baldy Hughes south wesl of Prince George, along with Aid. Percy Williams represented the city of Prince George were guest speakers.
Nation Will 'Eye' One-Day School
Tlie "eyes of the nation" will be pinned on the construction of the new school for retarded children here June 21.
National Film Hoard ami CIJC television cameramen have already been assigned to cover the eonstruclon of the $15,000 school.
The project is sponsored by the Prince George Association for Handicapped Children, Ki-wan is Club and Prince George Contractor's Association,
Kiwanis Club officials Dud Sawley and Doug Weicker today called on public support of the venture with donations 16'. ward the school.
"The school cannot be built without the whole-hcatercel cu-operatalon of everyone," Mi\ Sawley declared.
Donations should be telephoned to Gordon Larson at 1-7512."
RC'AF Search and Rescue air-craft scrambled from Vancouver yesterday in a hunt, for an air-force plane overude on a flight from Prince George to Stewart.
The RC'AF Otter carrying pcr-sonell from the Ground Observer Corps detachment here on a field trip was missing for an hour before it was reported safe.
Stewart is H00 miles north east of Prince George.
One Car Smash Over Weekend
Only one motor vehicle accident was reported in the Prince George area over the weekend.
Two cars collidd about a mile east of the Giscome turnoff near the Caribo highway yesterday afternoon. .No one was injured.
A 1931 Vauxhall, driven by Brian Lcfler, 1-119 Fir St., was in collision with a 19ot> Dodge driven by John Hugh AlacDonald of Willow River..
REGIONAL SUPER VISOR, in the RCAF Ground server Corps was rewarded for his long and meritoius; service at a presentation ceremony Saturday. Keith Elliott of Smithers, above, received an award of merit from Air Commodore A. C. Ross, officer commanding 5 RCAF Air Divisions. Presented a .similar award was Milton Kearns of Stewart; B.C. The presentations preceded the official opening of the new filter center in the basement of the post office building.