RECORDED: Burns Lake (B.C.), 1981-09-27 SUMMARY: Margaret Long was born in Quesnel on August 30, 1921, and received her teacher training at Vancouver Normal school in 1940. Schools taught at include: Palling (near Burns Lake), 1940-42; Burns Lake Elementary (not the one remaining). She was the music specialist for her district until 1977. The school at Palling was still standing in 1981, and was being used as a community hall. Tape starts with sound of school bell. City girl, a music specialist ACTM graduate, comes to small town and loves life there. Falls in love with local boy; marries him five years later, on his return from war, and they remain in Palling. Tells of fun social life: riding, dances, concerts. Happy life of the country. Children. Junior Forest Rangers founded. Describes playing for dances, played old cowboy tunes. Children at school liked "Riding down the Canyon" and "Elmer's Tune". Plays piano on the tape. Skiing to school -- Scandinavian people. Deplores IQ tests for children; the tests are geared for city kids. Husband, Art Long, describes his early school days.

CALL NUMBER: T0399:0014
SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Martin Starret and Dick Lattie
RECORDED: Hazelton (B.C.), 1966
SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mr. Starret continues with his story about his arrival in Hazelton in October 1909 on the steamboat. He offers a detailed account of what Hazelton was like, including the stores there and their locations. He talks of pack horses and specific mule trains such as that of Cataline and George Burns. Mr. Starret offers his impressions of Hazelton as he and Mr. Orchard look over the town; he compares Hazelton in 1909 to [1966]. Dick Lattie, born 1895, talks about his life in Hazelton, and he and Mr. Starret recall when they first met in the fall of 1912. Mr. Starret and Mr. Lattie recall leading the Bell Mare pack train to Manson Creek with pipe for the miners. Mr. Lattie cooked and served food for the pack train. Mr. Lattie describes the trail from Hazelton along Babine Road, over the hills to Manson Creek where the miners were mining gold. He describes Manson Creek as it was. The miners there including a Chinese man named Packtrain Joe. Ferrying mules across Takla Lake; Ned Charleston's pack trains; and working for Cataline. TRACK 2: Mr. Lattie continues, discussing: pack trains, the Indian village before Hazelton was founded, where the first white settlements were and how the Indians moved to reservations.The first white man in the area was Charlie Humans [sp?] who moved there to start a store. Mr. Starret describes an Indian chief who had a lot of power, the first one who had a pole carved on the Hazelton reserve. Mr. Lattie discusses the towns in the area before Hazelton was founded and the white people came, and Indian chiefs and their homes. Mr. Lattie discusses trade between the people of Babine and Hazelton; instruments used in ceremonial dances; and the songs used in the ceremonies.

CALL NUMBER: T0399:0015
RECORDED: [location unknown], [196-]
SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mr. Starret discusses a 1909 trip on a Union Steamship vessel, the "Camosun", from Vancouver through Alert Bay to Prince Rupert to meet his mother at Metlakatla. The boys waiting at the dock could not read but bought news papers so as to look educated. Mr. Starret discusses boat travel during fall rains. He offers anecdotes about things that happened on the boat, including a story about a man who was looking for the saloon on the boat and the story of his hardships as told to Mr. Starret. Mr. Starret describes his experience upon landing in Prince Rupert, and the process of getting to Metlakatla and reuniting with his mother. Mr. Starret describes his experiences in Metlakatla, including people's names, a description of the town, and a meeting with Captain Irving. He describes the geography. TRACK 2: Mr. Starret discusses another four-day steamboat trip from Port Essington, up the Skeena River to Hazelton. He describes some of the passengers, including Blackjack McDonald, the cargo (70 tons of liquor for a hotel), the boat itself, the Captain's notion of shallow and deeper water, the condition of the boats, the crew, a character named Turley Hambley who established Hambley's Landing, what staterooms and dining saloons were like on board, the steerage accommodations, Captain Jackman, the scenery, Fred Daniels, and more on the passengers.

CALL NUMBER: T0399:0016
RECORDED: [location unknown], [196-]
SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mr. Starret tells the story of his mother; how she came to Hope at age sixteen to teach school and married his father a year and a half later. Eventually the ranch at Hope was not generating enough money to support the family, so she left with the three children (other than Martin) to teach all over the province. In January 1909, she went to Metlakatla to teach. Mr. Starret discusses people in the [northern BC] area, including Simon Gun-an-noot, other Indians and relationships with Indians. He discusses his experience attending South Park School in Victoria, and never feeling comfortable among the city kids there, and other aspects of his education. He describes his mother's physical appearance, ability as a teacher, her relationship with Martin and his brother, her ability as a fur trader (Fort St. James offered more money for fur than Fort Babine), and her retirement back to the ranch in Hope. Mr. Starret describes the location his uncle's home in Hazelton and the old original miners' cabins before the railroad came through. Mr. Starret tells a story about a time he dug potatoes and wheeled them across town for his uncle. TRACK 2: Mr. Starret describes what Hazelton looked like and what kind of place it was when he first arrived. One feature that distinguished it from other frontier towns was that it had warehouses. He describes the surrounding country and his experiences there, gardening techniques attuned to the landscape and climate, Hazelton's place along the Skeena River, a description of the buildings and their construction, the geography of Fort Babine, and salmon as the staple food of the Indians there. Mr. Starret then describes the town of Burns Lake and the people who lived there.

CALL NUMBER: T0399:0017
RECORDED: [location unknown], [196-]
SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mr. Starret describes his uncle Charles Victor Smith's house in Hazelton which was built by Indians. He goes on to discuss the life of C.V. Smith, including several life stories such as how he came to live in Hazelton. C.V. Smith took over his father's tug boat, until his eyesight began to fail him before he was forty years old. Smith decided to go into the fur business. He began by opening a shop and eventually moved to Hazelton in 1904. Mr. Starret discusses Smith's family including his two daughters. Mr. Starret tells a story about a trip to Babine with his uncle with mention to several Babine natives, attitudes of the Indians, interactions with Indians and details of a pack train. Indians based a storekeepers wealth by how much sugar he kept in stock, C.V. Smith had two hundred pounds on the same boat load which carried Blackjack's liquor. The idea was not to compete with Hudson's Bay Company, but to attract trappers. Mr. Starret tells a story about an Indian packer named Alfred Danes. TRACK 2: Mr. Starret describes how his mother was under the impression that Indians in the north were wild. She was worried about her brother until he assured her that the Indians were the easiest people to get along with in British Columbia. Several anecdotes about how Indians are easy to get along with are offered. Mr. Starret describes a saddle horse trip to Babine with his mother and uncle including the supplies they brought, camping equipment, cooking, the weather, the Indians they were with, anecdotes about the trip, and his mother's stiffness on the trail.

CALL NUMBER: T0399:0018
RECORDED: [location unknown], [196-]
SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mr. Starret describes in great detail the pack trail near Hazelton which was laid out by ex-Governor Dewdney from the goldfields of Babine Lake, through Fort St. James to Manson Creek; including reasons why the trail follows the course it does. Mr. Starret discusses the details surrounding C.V. Smith's trading post at Babine Village including details about local Indians and living conditions. He describes the log house in which the trading post was located and its furniture. Mr. Starret tells a story of the mail carrier Jim Williams who worked at the Babine Hatchery, whose wife lived in Babine Village; and a gift he bought her of a musical clock, and a story of her giving birth to a child which died two days later. Mr. Starret discusses Williams' reaction and the reaction of others in the community. Mr. Starret continues with more on his uncle's trading post and a night when an Indian spent the night with Smith and Mr. Starret's Aunt Agnes. TRACK 2: Mr. Starret discusses Carrier Indians in the Hazelton/Babine region and their church attendance. A church bell would ring and wherever anyone was, they would take off their hats and pray, and then resume work. Mr. Starret discusses the hygiene of the Indians and their living conditions. Mr. Starret describes C.V. Smith including his character and habits with the use of anecdotes. Mr. Starret believes that Smith's stubbornness was what made him successful; and he was a religious man who attended church. Mr. Starret discusses his own reasons for not attending church. Mr. Starret describes Smith's physical appearance including his posture, he always wore a Stetson hat and he would never drink. Mr. Starret describes his aunt Agnes Smith whose father was a coal miner also named Smith. Mr. Starret describes his cousin Clara Smith who was born at Moodyville and offers some stories about her. More on his uncle and how children did not like him. Mr. Starret offers his first impressions of Father Nicholas.

CALL NUMBER: T0399:0019
RECORDED: [location unknown], [196-]
SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mr. Starret offers his impressions of the Carrier Indians as he knew them in the early 1900s: their concentration skills and the ways in which they were brought up, Father Coccola sermonizing; about pre-marital relations, eating in church, religion and superstition. Mr. Starret offers several anecdotes about Father Coccola's interactions with Indians and a story about Father Dominic of Babine Lake who was an Indian that learned commerce from white men. Mr. Starret tells a story about the Father asking Indians "what hell is". Mr. Starret tells a story of Coccola as a young man who never thought he would be a priest, and stories about his old age. The Indian congregations at church in Babine and Stuart Lakes, the men and women sat separately. The Babine tribe consisted of two hundred and twenty-five people at that time and he discusses his feelings about Babine and Fort Connolly. TRACK 2: Mr. Starret describes his daily life at Babine Post: he begins with someone coming into the store to buy sugar and daily chores before getting into specifics such as an interaction with an Indian who tried to cheat him, another story about an Indian woman who came into the store with Hudson's Bay coupons, trading posts, Fort Thompson and the three families there. Mr. Starret relates tall stories as told to him by Eli Ferguson, who was an old timer who had several jobs and skills: an amusing tale about a time before horses were used, when people used oxen to pull yokes. There was a man plowing one morning with a side hill plow but the story is cut short.

CALL NUMBER: T0399:0020
RECORDED: [location unknown], [196-]
SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mr. Starret describes Fort St. James upon his arrival by canoe: the riverbank, the Hudson's Bay post, the layout of the town, a description of the houses and a few characters there, where the Indians lived in a place called the Rancherie, there was always one priest there. Mr. Starret discusses Father Coccola and his journeys all over the province. Mr. Starret describes his first trip into the Bulkley Valley to Round Lake in April 1911, to survey property for his uncle; including the landscape and characters he encountered. Mr. Starret describes his journey to Ootsa Lake in 1917 to buy fur at the time when Indians were bringing in beaver, including traveling with Father Coccola and having to borrow $2,000.00 from his uncle. TRACK 2: Mr. Starret tells the story of his uncle who wan;ted Martin to acquire Indian artifacts, one such artifact was Qua's dagger. Mr. Starret describes who Qua was. Mr. Starret tells the story of Sir James Douglas and his relations with the native people. The natives were upset about how he treated them. Douglas was sent to Stuart Lake to be an apprentice to the factor from an eastern post. During the factor's absence, there was trouble between the Indians and white people over the apprehension of a murderer. Eventually Douglas became Sir James Douglas, Governor of British Columbia. The natives became upset with the prices of goods which the Hudson's Bay Post supplied once the goods were shipped by steamboat. Mr. Starret discusses the value and quality of a variety of Hudson's Bay goods and trade with the Indians.

CALL NUMBER: T0399:0021
RECORDED: [location unknown], [196-]
SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mr. Starret discusses his belief that Carrier Indians always trusted the priests. Mr. Starret never heard anything negative said by the Carrier Indians about the Church until World War I, when there was a disagreement about discipline. Mr. Starret offers some anecdotes which offer insight into the relationship between the Indians and priests. Mr. Starret discusses and sings a song by A.J. Hamilton which came about around the time of WWI about home-brewed alcohol. Mr. Starret offers his final feelings about the country including the way he would like to remember it such as paddling along in a canoe at night and hearing a loon call. Mr. Starret discusses the attitude of the Indians that all white men are rich. Mr. Starret discusses the attitudes of people in the past as compared to people at the time of the interview. Mr. Starret tells a story of an Indian who was unjustly punished named Francis Prince who was ostracized by the community. There were no white men who were Catholics in the area but Indians were. Mr. Starret believes that priests were fair legal advisors who did not necessarily give favour to white men over Indians. TRACK 2: Mr. Starret offers his opinions on British Columbia and how it is not really a part of Canada. He feels that there is a division at the Rockies and that Americans are like cousins as their money has helped develop Canada. Mr. Starret discusses free trade and his view that British Columbia's way of doing things is the best and he thinks that the Government in BC is the best at the date of this taping. Mr. Orchard and Mr. Starret discuss politics. Mr. Starret prefers working outdoors and he always recognized himself as a Canadian, yet when he first took up land, he had to do it as a British subject, people were not recognized as Canadians in those days. Mrs. Starret, born 1904, describes her life as her father moved from Ontario in 1918 to Burns Lake. She describes her views of Canada and BC as a part of Canada.

CALL NUMBER: T3222:0001 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Early aviation : Maurice McGregor RECORDED: [location unknown], 1978 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Maurice McGregor discusses: his background- born in Victoria in 1911, attracted to the romance of flying after the Lindbergh flight; learned to fly from friend Hal Wilson- description of his first day of flight school; getting his private license, then his commercial; 1930- barnstorming out of Ladner, Roscoe Turner story, aerobatics; establishing his own flying school in Vancouver, but never really succeeding with that; operating a flying school in Victoria at Gordon Head; training Chinese pilots at this time- got to know the Chinese community, so he was asked to go to China to teach flying, but could not go because he was accepted by the R.C.A.F. for a navigation course; Prime Minister Bennett cut back on money for aviation, many people laid off; desire of many non-permanent R.C.A.F. men to go to China. TRACK 2: Maurice McGregor: China offered new opportunities for young pilots, ones that were not available in Canada -- but government in Canada would not allow pilots to go; government's cancellation of mail contracts; first air shows- Lulu Island in 1930, Trans Canada Air Pageant; worked briefly for Airland Manufacturing Company; Paddy Burke crash- he almost went on that flight; Ernest Eve- started the Ford Tri-motor operation, McGregor's father also involved in this company; became an officer in the 111 AC Squadron, R.C.A.F. non-permanent in Vancouver- involved doing tactical exercises, instrument flying, aerobatics; search-and-rescue missions; maps were very poor when he first started; many forced landings; surviving in plane crashes- needed to be tough; flying up the coast in the early '30s; fishery patrol. CALL NUMBER: T3222:0002 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Early aviation : Maurice McGregor RECORDED: [location unknown], 1978 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Maurice McGregor: anecdote at McKay Lake- mechanical difficulties, tricky maneuvering; engine problems a few times- adventures connected to these experiences; getting involved in hauling fish from the north- experience with a snowstorm while bringing fish down to Kenora, competition between companies involved in this business, story about snarling huskies in a search-and-rescue; came back to the coast to open a base at Burns Lake- difficult days in the Depression; flying in dangerous weather conditions; anecdote about falling 30 feet out of a plane during a near fatal landing. TRACK 2: Maurice McGregor: more on story about the landing in which he and his passengers fell into the water; growth of Canadian Airways; making the transition from being a bush pilot to a commercial pilot; working for TCA after it took over Canadian Airways; he flew the Vancouver-Seattle route for TCA; moving to Winnipeg to deliver mail; became captain on the first official night airmail service on the Vancouver-Winnipeg route; trained by Americans for awhile; became supervisor of area between Winnipeg and Vancouver; outbreak of war- his role in training pilots, selecting radio range sites; then moved east, supervised various other regions during war. CALL NUMBER: T3222:0003 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Early aviation : Maurice McGregor RECORDED: [location unknown], 1978 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Maurice McGregor: more on the growth of TCA- expansion of passenger flights; anecdote about flying Senator Gray Turgeon in 1935; expanding TCA service to all over the world; getting lost in Brazil right after the war; expanding to the Caribbean in 1948; after being with TCA for 15 years, he joined Canadian Pacific as director of development- first task was to negotiate agreements with foreign countries so CP could fly to these places; CP could not survive on travel to the Orient alone; going over to Pakistan to help them establish a first class airline- difficult, but interesting experience. TRACK 2: Maurice McGregor: more on his experiences in Pakistan and setting up an airline in this country; going back to B.C. and establishing his own company that concentrated on flying up the coast; selling his line to Northwest Industries; favourite planes he flew; impressions of CP Air, Air Canada; final thoughts about aviation history in B.C.. (End of interview)

Series consists of minute books.

The sub-series consists of oral history interviews about the history of the Babine, Nechako, Omineca, Stuart-Takla and Upper Fraser regions, from the 1980s to the mid-20th century. The interviews focus mainly on the areas of Babine Lake, Burns Lake, Fort George (Prince George), Fort St. James, Francois Lake, Ootsa Lake, and Vanderhoof.

This series consists of pre-emption Inspector's notebooks. Vol. 1, Southbank, Pre-emption Field Book, Sec. 16, No. 1 (1944-1949); Vol. 2, Southbank, Pre-emption Field Book, Sec. 28, 29, No. 2 (1936-1947); Vol. 3, Burns Lake, No. 1 (1928-1931).

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

This series consists of records related to forest tenures from the Prince Rupert Forest Region, 1968-1980. It had been previously known as the Prince Rupert Forest District. The Prince Rupert Forest Region has included a variety of different Ranger Districts or smaller Forest Districts over time. The records in this series relate to the Burns Lake Ranger Office, South Bank Ranger Office and Lakes Forest District (near Ootsa Lake or the Nechako Reservoir). Note that the names and boundaries of districts and regions varied over the years.

These records include the following types of forest tenures: cutting permits, timber sale harvesting licences, timber sale licences and special use permits. Each file relates to one forest tenure.

The records regard the issuance, evaluation, administration, monitoring, planning, replacement, cancellation and extension of forest tenures. Many of the records consist of waste assessments, logging inspections and maps. There is also correspondence, permits, licences and other operational and legal records.

The ministries responsible for Forest and Range Districts, and the years that they were responsible, are:
Ministry of Forests (1976-1986)
Dept. of Forests (1975-1976)
Dept. of Lands, Forests and Water Resources (1962-1975)

These records were created before the implementation of ORCS, but have been retroactively scheduled under ORCS number 19500-45 of the Ministry of Forests schedule (881261).

RECORDED: [location unknown], 1978 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Earl Gerow discusses: his background- born in Saskatchewan in 1913, introduced to aviation in 1930; learned to service a plane, got a job as an apprentice at Burns Lake; logistics of the 'food drop'; Canadian Airways pulled out of Burns Lake, he lost his job; then hired on with Pacific Airways to pick up miners; education in the aviation industry; hired on to Trans Canada Airlines (Air Canada) in 1938 and stayed there until his retirement in 1977; the McAlpine expedition; description of weather, environment, living conditions of Burns Lake; seeing his first plane; never got his pilot's license; equipment used at Burns Lake; United Air Transport; numerous small airlines in the north at the time. TRACK 2: Mr. Gerow discusses: the differences in dealing with bush planes and dealing with regular airline planes; first memories of working for TCA in Winnipeg; more on logistics of Burns Lake operation, and Burns Lake itself; black flies and mosquitoes; bush schedule was tough, but more flexible than regular airline employee schedule; period when TCA carried mostly cargo and few passengers; effects of war on airline -- some pilots to the air force; beginning of TCA -- difficulties, challenges. (End of interview)

Promotional film. Uses contemporary and historical footage to show how BC's 1.8 million hectares of NSR (Not Satisfactorily Restocked) land is being turned back into productive forestland. Shows past and present reforestation work at the sites of the Paul fire near Houston, the Campbell River fire (1938) and the Sue fire (1971). Scenes of land clearing, slash burning, planting, etc.

Promotional film. Uses contemporary and historical footage to show how BC's 1.8 million hectares of NSR (Not Satisfactorily Restocked) land is being turned back into productive forestland. Shows past and present reforestation work at the sites of the Paul fire near Houston, the Campbell River fire (1938) and the Sue fire (1971). Scenes of land clearing, slash burning, planting, etc.

SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): A United Church minister in B.C. PERIOD COVERED: 1895-1950 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1975 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Reverend Everett S. Fleming was born in 1895, and discusses his childhood in Saskatchewan. School and farm chores in Kelowna, B.C. Education for the ministry: first mission fields and a trip through Europe. Ordination, 1926. First pastorate in the Kootenays. Master of Theology in New York. Posting to Dawson City. Marriage. Church buildings at Dawson City. Moved to Burns Lake, 1930, and Ocean Falls, 1938. Bible story in rhyme. Other pastorates: Ladysmith. TRACK 2: Other pastorates: Whalley, Campbell River, Fernie. Retirement to Kelowna.

RECORDED: [location unknown], 1961-07-07 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mr. Richard Carroll, known as Dick, describes arriving into the [Nechako?] area from Vancouver in 1908 on his way to Alaska; he stopped to work on the Grand Trunk Railway at the head of navigation on the Skeena River. He describes people he met at the time, such as prospector Eli Carpenter, who was on his way to a gold rush; his eventual arrival in Burns Lake via the Telegraph Trail in 1909 on his way to Fort George, which he describes as the most remote part of BC at the time. Mr. Carrol outlines the land he staked; working on the railroad; his work as a mail carrier from Telkwa to Williams Lake, including using pack horses for transportation in summer and sleighs in the winter; prices of various goods in Burns Lake at the time; various farmers and goods they sold in the area; the telegraph office in Burns Lake as means of communicating with the Yukon during the gold rush; Mrs. Bessie Wallace as the first white woman to come to Burns Lake in 1909; produce which came from Ashcroft through Quesnel; more on telegraph posts; a story about Barney Mulvaney's wedding and a description of his character; and a description of an Indian raid at Kispiox. TRACK 2: Mr. Carroll describes an encounter with Chinese people; more on George and Bessie Wallace; ranching; and a trip with an explorer to Fort McLeod.

Judge's notebooks: Volume 1: Smithers civil and criminal cases in both Supreme and County courts, April 1931 - December 1946; Volume 2: Burns Lake and Smithers civil and criminal cases in both Supreme and County Courts, September 1936 - June 1955.

RECORDED: [location unknown], 1964-07-18 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mr. Richmond, born June 16, 1912, recalls his early years in Vancouver before moving to Hope, where his father had a general store and a pack outfit near Manning Park. They packed mining equipment and prospectors into the Skagit Valley. Mr. Richmond describes the area at that time, the building of the road, Whitworth Ranch, and his first trip there with H.R. MacMillan; various old timers and people in the area; more on Hope; new BC Boys Town; Martin Starret; and a description of his father arriving in Burns Lake in 1947. George Little and the founding of Burns Lake; other characters; Babine Lake; more on Martin Starret; and Barney Mulvaney. TRACK 2: Mr. Richmond continues with more on Barney Mulvaney, George Biernes, the Gun-an-noot murder case, and Wiggs O'Neill. Then, Mrs. Mary Richmond recalls and describes Barney Mulvaney.

RECORDED: [location unknown], 1961-07-08 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mr. William Bickle describes homesteads near Francois Lake at Grassy Plains in 1906. Mr. Blaney (from Anahim Lake) and other settlers are described as the first settlers at Francois Lake in; 1904. The subsequent development of Burns Lake. He describes Burns Lake settlers, including Mike Touhy, a proficient man on trails; a description of the rum-drinking activities Touhy would indulge in; upon arriving in Hazelton, and a description of the man and his poetry. Cataline (Jean Caux) and a description of his pack trains for the Yukon Telegraph Line; George Biernes; Barney Mulvaney. Charli;e Barret, who was another very important packer for the telegraph line; and who was the first white settler in the Bulkley Valley. The Gun-an-noot story. John Dorsey, another Francois Lake settler. T;RACK 2: Mr. Bickle continues by describing his travels across frozen Francois Lake, and an account of what is involved in staking out a homestead.