Terrace "Omineca" Herald
Ruth M. Hallock, Editor, Catherine M. Fraser, Publisher
Government of the Day
Page 2 of 18
The current session (1966) of the Provincial Legislature proves beyond a doubt that politicians are just performers at heart, and that some press representatives are only anxious to pick up items that are sensational enough to sell newspapers.
The combination is dangerous, and the daily newsmongers are having a heyday.
We hear reports of an inattentive House, wherein the Premier, the Cabinet Ministers and the backbenchers are disorderly, unmannerly, loud-mouthed and lacking dignity and decorum. Our only means of proof is the diatribe that emanates from Vancouver News service.
The Provincial Legislature has not Hansard. There is no record kept of the addresses made by our representatives. There is no record of the response from other members. There is simply no record, and no method of recording other than the press gallery.
Snip
All we have is a carbon copy of our own (Skeena) Member's address during the Budget Debates. Mr. (Dudley George) Little has also fallen prey to the press gallery and the following quote indicates he too will resort to almost anything to attract the attention of fellow members of the House.
"Once a ferry was built on the Kalum River (Kitsumkalum River) to get a cow to her boyfriend. Prior to the ferry being built, the farmer had to swim the cow across the river's icy waters and by the time the swim was accomplished, the cow was no longer in the mood. If you think this was frustrating to the farmer, think of the poor cow's feelings! Twas rather expensive Government cooperation too --- but weren't the officials faces red --- when shortly after the ferry was put into use, the farmer sold the cow!"
It's likely Mr. Little's story got a big "HO HO" but it's doubtful it produced a movement within the Government to provide better access to the Kitwancool Valley. At least one very productive sawmill is operating there, even though timber has to be transported some 45 miles out of the way before it gets to the saws.
Snip
Had the House been recording for a Hansard, it's doubtful Mr. Little or any other member would even consider making such an undignified presentation.
Let's have a provincial Hansard
George Little Park is situated in the heart of downtown Terrace.
The Park was named after the town founder George Little and is a terrific gathering place for people to enjoy concerts, have a leisurely picnic or just to sit and visit with friends.
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Activities and People
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On January 22, a “dry” avalanche
came down 28 mi. (45 km) west of Terrace. It wiped out a service
station and motel-restaurant complex North Route along Highway 16. The
service station had been built in 1964. It was located in the run-out
zone of large avalanches that would probably occur once in about 15
years (Stethem and Schaerer 1979). According to a National Research
Council report, tree growth patterns and broken wood in the area
demonstrated that avalanches had reached the highway through two narrow
gaps before the café was built. The North Route buildings stood directly
in the path that dry, rapidly moving avalanches would be expected to
take. “Unfortunately, the hazard was not recognized when the service
center was built,” the report states. “And later, when avalanches did
come close, the warning went unheeded.” (Terrace Standard, January 21,
2004). Several vehicles were also buried. Seven people were killed. *2)
The snow mass was estimated at 400 ft. (120 m) long, 100 ft. (30 m)
wide, and 30 ft. (9 m) deep. The avalanche traveled 500-600 ft. (150-180
m) down and 1,000-1,500 ft. (300-450 m) across. D.D. Godfrey, Highways
Department regional engineer for Burnaby, estimated the speed at which
it traveled to be over 100 mph (160 km/h). The estimated speed of the
avalanche when it hit the buildings was 108 km/h (Stethem and Schaerer
1979).
The avalanche snow ranged from 1-8 m in depth and was strewn with
housing debris and trees up to 0.5 m in diameter. The average depth was 1
m, but the snow in the area surrounding the buildings was up to 8 m
deep. The avalanche ran out on the ice of the Skeena River, with the tip
of the deposit 250 m past the service centre. On several trees between
the railroad and the river, snow was plastered on the north side of the
tree trunks up to 30 ft. (9 m) above the tracks. Snowfalls at the
accident site are usually greater than those at the Terrace airport. At
the North Route site, the snowfall was probably greater by one third
(Stethem and Schaerer 1979).
Earlier that morning, a Canada Post mail truck driver and only survivor,
heard “a bunch of noise rattling outside.” He was told not to worry as
“it’s way up in the hills.” Just after 8 a.m., the slide hit. “I heard
it – just like a cannon shot,” he said. It pushed him through the wall
of the coffee shop and 50 ft. (15 m) beyond.
During the rescue operations, a smaller slide occurred about a mile (1.6
km) from the disaster site. At 2:45 p.m., almost seven hours later the
first body was found under 3.6 m of snow. Zobel was the second victim
found, and he would be the only survivor. It was nearly 20 hours after
the slide hit that the last bodies were found. The only other survivor
was a husky. The dog was under a building and crawled out a couple of
days later.
The coroner’s inquiry found that logging carried out by the service
station owner was a contributing factor to the slide. He had logged off
an area above his property on Highway 16. Warmer temperatures loosened
the heavy snowpack on the mountain above the highway triggering a fast
moving powder snowslide. (The Vancouver Sun, March 21, 1974).
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