125 YEARS AGO: MARCH 13, 1897
Cariboo Railway: As will be observed by the report on the different lines over which a railroad to Cariboo would be most practicable, the one with least cost is via Bonaparte, cost being estimated and distance measured. Route No. 1, via North Thompson and St. Joseph’s creek, distance 300 miles, estimated cost $9,000,000. Route No. 2, North Thompson via Clearwater, distance 344 miles, cost $10,500,000. Route No. 3, via the Bonaparte, distance 288 miles, cost $7,500,000. The evidence is all in favour of a railroad being some day built from Ashcroft, the only difficulty to be encountered on the route is from Ashcroft to Cache Creek, or rather the first three miles through the Bonaparte canyon.
Body Near Clearwater: The information relative to finding and burying the body between Clearwater lakes last August, which appeared in last week’s Journal, was furnished us by Mr. J.S. Foss, the party who buried the body. It was, it is Mr. Foss’ opinion, the body of the lost German who has relatives in Kansas City. He was known as Karl and was lost in the early spring while going from his own camp on the upper Clearwater to another camp a few miles away. Mr. Foss found the body of an enormous grizzly bear a short distance from the body and as the rifle was empty thinks the German met his death as the result of an attempt to kill the bear.
100 YEARS AGO: MARCH 10, 1922
Filthy Language: Some very filthy language has been written recently on some fences in Ashcroft. This practice must be discontinued. The perpetrators do not seem to realize that this is a very grave offence.
Senseless Scribbling: Sometime during last week-end someone, presumably a boy or boys, entered the Ashcroft school and scribbled over the blackboard in one of the class rooms. The door had been left unlocked for a purpose. Boys must remember that even should the school door be found unlocked they must not enter the building out of school hours. Such entering and scribbling on the blackboard is not only a violation of the rules but shows disrespect for the teachers; and the teachers in the Ashcroft school must be respected.
Ashcroft School Phone: A phone has been established in the Ashcroft school. This phone is not for the indiscriminate use of the public, but is for the convenience of the teachers and the board of school trustees. In the matter of calls parents should confine themselves as far as possible to the morning and afternoon recesses.
75 YEARS AGO: MARCH 13, 1947
No More Tolls At Yale Gate: Hon. E.C. Carson, Minister of Public Works at Victoria, pleased every person in this section of the interior when he announced the abolition of the toll gate on the Cariboo road at Yale. The toll has been an annoyance on the Cariboo road ever since it outlived its usefulness ten or fifteen years ago when it had collected enough revenue to pay for the Fraser river bridge at Spuzzum [the 1926 Alexandra Bridge] built to replace the historic one built in 1863 and washed out with the 1894 freshet. During all those years money collected at the toll gate was said to be be ear marked for Cariboo road maintenance. Its abolition will be a blessing to local residents more particularly, and no longer is the province divided in two.
Ta-Ta Toll Gate: Continued criticism and persistent demand by the Ashcroft Journal, the Kamloops Sentinel and other interior newspapers for the abolition of the toll gate on the Cariboo road at Yale, has brought results even as a continued dropping of water will wear away stones, and the gate has been closed as from this date. The closing of the Fraser Canyon toll gate will open a door to the interior that has been more or less closed for the past twenty years. In future there will be no barrier against residents along the Cariboo road, or the tourist from the south who finds the cost of gas high enough without having to pay a toll to get in and another to get out. The interior is in much need of the tourist trade, and we congratulate the government for at last opening the gate unto them.
Road Programme: The highway construction and improvements programme for the province announced recently will connect many broken links and bring some sections of the main road up to standard. $11,500,000 in all will be spent on the work which will be distributed throughout the province, including the following which will be of local interest: Cache Creek, $150,000, which will no doubt complete the relocation and improvements which had been in progress during the past two years. There will also be $200,00 for improvement to the Cariboo road at the 93 and 100-mile points. Near Boston Bar there will be improvements to the Main Cariboo road. It is the most extensive road and bridge programme in the history of British Columbia.
Road Improvements Will Help: The immense road improvement programme just announced, amounting to about $11,500,000, is a matter for congratulation for the provincial government, and the money is to be spent where mostly needed. New and improved roads throughout the province will be another encouragement to the visitor, besides adding to the convenience and comfort of towns and settlers throughout interior roads. In the entire costly programme, however, there is no mention of a cut-off from the Manor on the main Cariboo road to Ashcroft, although none is more urgent. Of course the B.C. government cannot be expected to build roads and bridges to everyone’s back door, but the approach to Ashcroft is a responsibility to this town that cannot be ignored since the highway behind Elephant Mountain has been modernized. Ashcroft appears to be justified in an appeal and even a demand for such a cut-off from the main road because it may mean a commercial loss to the town so far as the tourist business is concerned. As in the case of the Cariboo road “bridge” toll, persistent pressure from the town will surely bring results in time. We must not be satisfied, however, with improvements to the present cut-off, but should press for a new, shorter and paved grade that will make it optional at least to the tourist whether he drives into Ashcroft to take in the old historic town, or pass on behind the mountain.
Stampede Revived: After a lapse of seven years the colourful Williams Lake stampede is to be revived on June 25, 26, and 27. Businessmen of the town at a public meeting last week formed a stampede association and pledged the necessary money for the rehabilitation of the stampede corrals, race track, and other entertainment buildings. The Williams Lake stampede was noted throughout the northwest until the war halted activities in 1940. The first stampede was held in 1919 and the show was carried on each year until 1940. Since then the fences and corrals have deteriorated to the extent that entire new structures have to be built.
50 YEARS AGO: MARCH 9, 1972
Village Of Cache Creek News: P.J. O’Toole, District Engineer, Lillooet, attended Council meeting to discuss the disposition of the old Cariboo road with the Village. The Department of Highways is anxious to turn their portion of this road over to the Village, after they have widened and paved. Certain sections of this road are apparently not built on the actual road right-of-way due to rock bluffs, so that part of the road encroaches on private property. The Department of Highways expects to discuss this with the various owners. This section of road has been a serious dust problem over the past years and it would appear that it will at last be attended to, probably this year.
Ladies Auxiliary Meeting Held: The executive of the Ashcroft and Cache Creek Hospital Auxiliary would like to thank all associate members and supporters for their continued donations, as every dollar helps towards the furnishing of one of the wards in the new hospital. In future the new chartered name of the ladies auxiliary will be Ashcroft and District General Hospital Ladies Auxiliary, instead of Lady Minto Hospital Ladies Auxiliary.
editorial@accjournal.ca
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