Thomas Frederic Harper Reed (1878-1965) was a surveyor, Indian Agent and telegraph operator in Telegraph Creek, Atlin and Victoria.

Records include correspondence clippings and scrapbooks, regarding proposed construction of highways and railroads through Northern British Columbia to Alaska (box 1); personal papers and autobiographical material (box 2, file 1-7), ; British passport; legal papers; private correspondence (box 2, file 8-21); notes, notebooks (box 3, file 1-6) , miscellany (box 3, files 7-10), and annotated publications in boxes 3 and 4. Maps transferred to the Maps Division, listed in box 1, file 12, map call number L/602a/R324as.

This series contains records relating to Placer Mining Leases Includes applications, licences and lease forms, and correspondence. Many tracings and sketches are contained in the lease and correspondence files. Maps and plans transferred to Map Division.

Telegraph Creek Gold Commissioner's records

Source: GR Finding Aids

Transferred from Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, Mineral Titles Branch, 1982.

Finding aid: file list.

Series consists of report generated by the Survey's branch of the Government of British Columbia for a survey and study of a proposed highway route in British Columbia along its western border with Alaska, connecting the town of Hazelton to the Alaska Highway in Yukon Territory. The records included in this series reflect the methodology of the 1947-48 investigations and covers: a review of existing reports, ground reconnaissance, aerial reconnaissance and aerial photography using 3-camera photography. Prior to the construction of the Alaska Highway, investigations took place to determine the viability of proposed routes that would allow road travel between southern BC (and Seattle) with Yukon Territory along the scenic Coastal Mountain range and provide access at various points in BC to coastal ports along the Alaska panhandle. P.M. Monckton, surveyor, was recognized as having the longest association with the western route project and contributed not only ground photographs and text, but also summary reports from his previous survey work beginning in 1926. N.C. Stewart, Surveyor General of B.C. provided primary oversight for the project. His report to the Hon. E.T. Kenney, Minister of Lands and Forests, includes a diary describing the flight path, weather conditions and topographical features with aerial photograph reference numbers typed in the margin of alongside timed entries. Aerial photograph reference numbers are additionally inscribed on the attached maps and include directional arrows. G.S. Andrews provided aerial reconnaissance and stereographic photographs in his capacity as aerial survey engineer. D. Pearmain, senior draughtsman and most junior member contributed aerial reporting. In June of 1948, following the completion of aerial and ground reconnaissance surveys and reporting, R. Thistlethwaite, DLS, BCLS undertook the final part of the study, an astronomic survey. The purpose of the astronomic survey and reconnaissance was to provide horizontal control for aerial photographs. A series of captioned photographs illustrates this final report. Records are arranged in 5 black cloth binders printed with title of report (source of series title); book number, from 1 to 5; N.C. Stewart Surveyor General; and date, 1947 on books 1 to 4 and 1948 on book 5. The report includes ground and aerial photographs, maps, and text produced predominantly between 1947 and 1948 as well as reports written during earlier regional surveys in 1929 and 1939.

The file consists of records created by the Department of the Interior in 1898. The file contains mineral claims in the Atlin District of British Columbia recorded under Yukon mining regulations.

This series consists of wildfire mapping records including fire atlas maps and fire reports from the Prince Rupert Forest District. The records date from 1921-1980. Collectively these records provide a comprehensive image of the amount and extent of forest fires in the area.

The Prince Rupert Forest District was divided into smaller Ranger Districts. These Ranger Districts changed over the years, but included: Burns Lake, Hazleton, Terrace, Prince Rupert, Kitwanga, Haida Gwaii (Queen Charlotte Islands), Ocean Falls, Francois Lake, Smithers, Telkwa, Houston, Pendleton Bay, Kitimat, Lower Post, Topley, Bella Coola, Southbank, Telegraph Creek and Atlin.

Annual fire reports are oversized handwritten tables that provide detailed information on individual fires for the years 1921-1967. The tables list: name of the fire; name of officer in charge; date; district fire number; fire origin; cost of fighting and source of funds; area burned; total area of damage done; amount of merchantable and unmerchantable timber burned; amount of range land burned; amount of property or other damage caused; and the cause of the fire. Possible causes include lightening, recreational activities, railroad clearing, smokers, brush or range burning, construction, industrial activities, incendiaries, miscellaneous known causes and unknown causes. The pages are arranged by year, with one page used per Ranger District. Each year includes a summary sheet with the totals for all Ranger Districts.

Fire atlas maps and overlays show the location and type of fires, as well as the extent of some burned areas. The majority of the maps are forest cover maps which have been annotated or had overlays added with this additional information. Many of the maps have been cut to fit in the bound volume they were originally stored in. This can make it difficult to determine the precise year the maps were created and annotated.

The series also includes one scrapbook of newspaper clippings related to forest fires, fire protection and firefighting for the years 1988-1991. This item was created by the successor of the Prince Rupert Forest District, the Prince Rupert Forest Region.

Ministries responsible for the creation of this series, and their dates of the responsibility, are:
Dept. of Lands (1908-1945)
Dept. of Lands and Forests (1945-1962)
Dept. of Lands, Forests and Water Resources (1962-1975)
Dept. of Forests 1975-1976
Ministry of Forests 1976-1986
Ministry of Forests and Lands 1986-1988
Ministry of Forests 1988-2005

The series consists of records created by the Northwestern District mining engineer between 1920 and 1943.
Records include correspondence inward and outward, reports, alphabetical files and prospectuses of mining companies and correspondence about the mining of tungsten.

"Diary of P.M. Monckton's trip from Telegraph Creek, British Columbia to Atlin, British Columbia" [October 27, 1930 - November 11, 1930].

Presented by Don Pearson, Map Production Division, Surveys and Mapping Branch, 1979.

The series consists of mining leases filed at Victoria and arranged by mining district. The records were created by the Chief Gold Commissioner between 1876 and 1930.

CALL NUMBER: T0316:0001 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Hugh McLean : reminiscences - the Klondike (1898-1901) and the Bulkley Valley (1907-1914) RECORDED: [location unknown], 1961-07-09 & 1961-07-10 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Hugh McLean begins this interview with recollections about a pack train to the Klondike, 1898, the story of an ill-fated homesteader -- Kispiox (1908), George Birnes, Mike Touhy, Barney Mulva;ney, stories about the mail delivery c.1910 and the Tomlinsons of Minskinisht. TRACK 2: Hugh McLean speaks about coming to B.C. (1896), smelter work at Trail, railway and telegraph work, prospecting,; the Klondike (1898), the journey to the Klondike via the Stikine, the ice ladder at Skagway, pack outfit over White Pass, dog sleigh freighting (1898-1901), mining at Atlin, prospecting at Big Bend and Fort McPherson, and Telkwa (1912). He continues with recollections about the Yukon Telegraph Company line, pioneers in the Telkwa area: Archie and Neal McInnes, Bill and Bob Clark, the telegraph l;ine along the Skeena, Smithers, Hubert, the Hanson Tie and Timber Company, Hazelton, Cataline described, Gabe LaCroix, French Canadians, Ed LeBlaux and Jack McNeil.

CALL NUMBER: T0316:0002 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Hugh McLean : the storyteller I RECORDED: [location unknown], 1961-07-09 & 1961-07-10 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Hugh McLean relates a story about the movie "Ben Hur" with Len Broughton, one of the chariot drivers and a local character. TRACK 2: Hugh McLean tells anecdotes to a group of children: the cattle and salt in 1931, Indian women and the plank bridge, a small boy and his grandmother, the sage hen -- 1894, the bear story, a story about an trapper at Takla Lake -- Daniel Teegee, the wreck of the "Distributor" and a story about stopping there on a mail run.

CALL NUMBER: T0316:0003 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Hugh McLean : the storyteller II RECORDED: [location unknown], 1961-07-09 & 1961-07-10 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Hugh McLean continues the story about an incident along the mail run, a story about wolf dogs at Aklavik on the mouth of the McKenzie River, the police patrol when Hugh McLean was ill during ;the flu of 1918, his collie pup, and a story of Wiggs O'Neill -- "Klootch and Clutch" about a spare boat clutch at Port Simpson. TRACK 2: Hugh McLean continues with stories told to a group of children, "Old Fort Isaac", the bear cub story, the bank robbery at Hazelton (1913) and tall tales: a trapper at Loon Lake, a tabby cat and a Joe Hanson tale. Names of the children in the group: Robin Hood,; Joan Phillips, Alan Phillips, Barbara Small, Pat Mahood, Ann Troback [sp], Tom Stall [sp], Art Hale [sp], Paul Dail [sp], Franklin Hood and Kelda Giddins.

SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Bennett, B.C., during the Klondike Gold Rush, 1898-1900 RECORDED: Victoria (B.C.), 1974-12-04 SUMMARY: Mr. Wilson discusses his background: born in Victoria; worked in Merchants Bank of Halifax in Vancouver prior to 1898. Sent to Bennett, B.C,. to open a bank branch. Description of Bennett: type of people (inexperienced); cold of winter; opening of the bank in one room of the hotel; "waitresses" (i.e., dance hall girls) and their role in Bennett; RCMP kept order well; dance halls; arrival of White Pass and Yukon Route railroad in Bennett, 1899; prospecting unsuccessfully; trip to Whitehorse; went to Atlin after 3 years (?). (End of interview)

CALL NUMBER: T1067:0001 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Guy Lawrence : Atlin and region : part 1 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Guy Lawrence describes the circumstances surrounding his immigration to Canada from England with his father and travel to the Yukon gold fields in 1898. He discusses people (such as John Pelling) and incidents while travelling through Wrangell, Stikine River, and Telegraph Creek; mining in Atlin; various jobs; confrontation between miners and employers over Japanese workers after the government declared that foreigners had no rights to claims; and Lawrence becoming a Constable. TRACK 2: Guy Lawrence continues describing his work as a Special Constable, working on telegraph stations at Nahonahe River and Blackwater; and working at Fort George.;

CALL NUMBER: T1067:0002 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Guy Lawrence : Atlin and region : part 2 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Lawrence talks about his father, John Lawrence, who became a famous portrait painter. He also discusses duties of a telegraph linesman; John Pelling, who was his partner at Blackwater; the railroad reaching Blackwater in 1908; Lawrence marrying an Indian couple; and accidents along telegraph lines. [TRACK 2: Blank.]