Prince George^1
Priday, September 5, 1958 .3
Constance Cox
Pioneer Life
Recalled By Historian
u
THIS UNUSUAL PHOTOGRAPH of moose herding near Germansen Landing is among a collection of historic negatives and prints made available to The Citizen by Mrs. Constance Cox., The animals, cold and hungry, roamed the wilderness and proved a good food supply
for nomadic Indians. Mrs. Cox has also given a large number of historic articles and books to Prince George's-museum, which was officially opened last November. She returned to White RocK today after a two-week visit in Prince George.
MANY STORIES are told of Catalina, a frizzly-bearded Mexican who brought 250 burrows into the Bulkley Valley and ope necl up a transportation business. Mrs. Cox recalls he never refused anyone his servi ces and was one of the best-liked men in the Hazelton area. He made good in the days of the gold strikes at Manson Creek but the animals soon succumbed to the   tough climate and lack of food.
Conversion Loans Termed 'Windfall'
OTTAWA ICP) � The government's now $0,-100,000 conversion loan, issue has become a I "windfall" for big Investment i com panics, says Opposition Lead-| er Pearson.
Not so, says Finance Minister | Fleming. It's "the greatest financial  operation  in  Canada's   history."
It is "Fleming's Jolly," whose cost will be felt by taxpayers yet unborn, says W. H. McMillan L-Welland.
It will stabilize the bond market, hold down interest rates and benefit all other bond borrowers,   says  Mr.  Fleming.
ANGIiV  WOKT)S
Those arguments, accompanied )>y angry words, flew In the Commons Thursday for four hours as the opposition, near-, ing the session's end. centred its fire on Mr. Fleming and on the huge refunding operation aimed al retiring outstanding Second World War Victory bonds.
As the inconclusive debate nearal its close an angry Mr Pearson, stung by Mr. Flom ing's charge that, he vyas irresponsible, hinted that the Lib erals might not be as willing as they were earlier to approve quickly finance department spending estimates and hastei along the session's final work.
By JOHN MATTERS
Citizen.   SlafC   Reporter Tlie iiiimr i�f Mrs. Constance Cox   iuean,s us   much  to   II.<\
historians f,s  the :itom   means
to (lit'  liliysuist.
Mrs, Cox, tlie first white child born in Hazeltdi.% visited Prince George during 'the past two weeks, took part in the Centennial Day parade and called on farmer friends.
Today she is one of B.C.'s few living links with the past of a country which is one of the richest in the world for Its dramn and color. �
Wife Knowledge
Her knowledge of some of tihs province's historical hauntsjias been the nucleus of hovels, plays and poetry which have a theme on the rough, tough and often   troublesome   early  days.<
She! was raised among Indians of the Skeena and Klsplox Rivers. Mrs. Cox can fluently lalk four native tongues and his interpreted for Indians in the Supreme Court of Canada.
She recently went into Kit-ivanga to gather evidence for .he defence of an Indian who was involved in a riot at Prince Rupert three weeks ago.
Indians1 Friend
'They all know who 1 am and are very cooperative," Mrs. Cox said.
She stands for equal treat-nent of the Indians with,whiles. However, the theory of "cul-ural lag" applies to the natives �is it does to a society in the trobriarids or Samoa.
Tlic Indians hayis In "caU'li confreres who overtook their communities and lands a century  ag�>,  slit- said.
Liquor, as much of rt bane among Indians us authorities �onsider it( is one of the melh-:mIs of bringing thorn to the level of the whites, argues Mrs. Cox.
Liquor Troubles
'When an Indian decides to Irink he is actually satisfying in urge which is compelling him to think and act like a white man," she said.
Drinking beer Is an act of civilization to an Indian, but Mrs. Cos feohs that complex is capitalized upon mercilessjy by many white entrepreneurs.
"I not only l��'li�'ve but 1 know they will soon r<-:u'lt :i better 1�-Vul of living," she commented.
Her father opened, the Hudson Bay Store at Hazelton soon after he moved there in 1857. The store was located on a historical spot of land now known as Mission Polit.
Her father came to the coun try, spotted the beautiful parcel of land at the junction ol the Bulkley and Kispiox rivers and staked it as a store Kite she said.
Pack trains were the only means of overland transporta tion in  the  18~0's  and SO's.
That, was when Ezra 1-lvan came on the scene.
Hi'   was   si   lmslcy,   fri/zly-Ix-ardcd Mexican wlio brought 250   mules   into   the   Cariboo ami   Hulkh-y Valley.   H�.   was also  responsible  tor   introducing   camels   to   the    northern interior in the gold rush (lays! Ezra had the  influence of  a railroad  president.  He attendee
THE ONLY INDIAN who was loyal to the whites in the Indian uprising is shown on the right. He recieyed a beaver hat with a richly-decorated crown ornament for his fidelity and was among two chiefs who met the Twilight Caravan which travelled through to Hazelton. They are pictured waiting for welcoming ceremonies for Governors Bruce and Parks who travelled with the caravan.
ONE OF THE MOST highly-respected Indians of the Hazelton area was Wasam-La-Kath, who received a good recommendation from pioneer builder and explorer Col. Bulkley. Bulkley couldn't pronounce his name so he called him Robinson. He worked for Bulk-iey and he was found to be a conscientious employee with an outstanding knowledge of the woods. Hs name is remembered � by many in the Hazelton area today.
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sick cases and hrought mndor-ately fresh food supplies to the solated Hudson's Bay posts.
Ezra's Mules
He also capitalized on mining enterprises in the Manspn C'rei-k .uea.
By that time Hazelton was no onger only a HBC post on a peninsula which was covered with hazehvood trees.
Another store ' was built and a hotel and saloon mushroomed.' The heat was on. The Indians started drinking "firewater." Then :the church came.
An Anglican missionary was converted from the saloon building but the Indians kept carrying their totem poles-in the ocn-vhUmi that they clearly knew what �would be their life in the hereafter.
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ously injured. Mrs. Cox attended he wound.
However,    It    did    not   heal
tic nily for fui'thrr treatments.
"I was only i:s or 11 at the line and  1  will always remein-
sr his face," she said.
However, one day he did not :ome back and.Mrs.X'ox wander-�d avyay to find out how he was recovering.
Elderly Wife
She sleppod  into  a tent and
kod   an. elderly,   elahorutely
ussed woman where the young
man  was.   The  woman  said lie
was   her   husband   anil  enmple-
irieriled  her on  the  treatments
he hail glvon.
"1 will have to pay you for his," she said, opening a case >f glittering expensive jewelry jnd told Mrs. (.'ox: to make her �liolce. Mi'.-?. Cox; chose n flashing liamnnd ring.
On   her   way  hom he injured man. "Where?   did   you
 she  met  gat    that
from?" he asked her.
"Your wife -said 1 coiM have this as a present," she replied.
i'ltlsj mine" he said.
�She took the ring off and threw it at the man. She has ie-turned to the spot, hundreds ot times in search of it but has never found it.                        ,
A few days later most of tne horses on the "trail": died atop Poinson Mountain from eating a poison weed. Skeletons of both the horses and riders were found, scattered over the area.
Graveyard
Mrs. Cox went to the. iiipun-J tain one day and saw the heau-; tiful jewelry case and the sad-, die which the "wife" had. She; didn't, touch it because a thundon and lightening storm was an-, proachitiR and had to hurry off- ;
"But whenever 1 goi over that, road and look up to lhal mouiK lain 1 remember the ring, the, rich, elderly wife or that young man and the thousands of riders and horses who died there."
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