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Barkerville (B.C.) Ranching--British Columbia
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The land of the chief

The item is a composite print of a travelogue from 1973. It is about British Columbia, as seen through the eyes of Chief Dan George. Includes general footage of B.C. scenery, lakes and rivers, Barkerville, a rodeo, ranching, recreation, the Fraser Canyon, Vancouver and Victoria.

Oil -- a new industry in British Columbia

The item is a composite print of an industrial film, from 1961. It shows the construction of Western Pacific's crude oil pipeline from the Peace River region to Kamloops. Includes shots of Barkerville; seismic blasting; drilling for oil; laying of pipeline (with crossings of the Fraser and Quesnel Rivers); BC oil refineries (including Ioco); Prince George; Vancouver (harbour, Lion's Gate Bridge, skyline); Cariboo range land and family recreation.

Leslie Leighton interview : [Orchard, 1964]

CALL NUMBER: T0006:0003 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Leslie Leighton : life in the Cariboo PERIOD COVERED: 1860-1920 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1964-06-01 SUMMARY: Mr. Leslie Leighton talks about his father's and his own experiences in the Cariboo and Fraser-Thompson regions, 1860-1920. TRACK 1: Family background, mother's side (Uren). Town of Savona c.1870. Fat;her's background: a telegrapher who worked for Collins Overland Telegraph. A Chinese telegrapher. Mother's family. Ranch at Savona. Discussion of early rodeos, c.1905. Breaking horses. Ashcroft and Savona. "Stage Billy". Roads in Barkerville area. TRACK 2: Barkerville and people there, ca.1900: Andrew Kelly, John Bowron, George Turnstall, other old-timers. Stage business. Beginnings of Inland Express Company. Roads. People on the stage coaches. Other towns in the Cariboo. General comments.

CALL NUMBER: T0006:0004 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Leslie Leighton : Walhachin and other memories of the Fraser-Thompson area PERIOD COVERED: 1894-1920 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1964-06-01 SUMMARY: Mr. Leslie Leighton talks about the development of Walhachin and other recollections of his experiences in the Fraser-Thompson area, 1894-1920. TRACK 1: Cataline (Jean Caux), a well-known packer. Chinese miners. Mining in area. The story of Walhachin and the Walhachin irrigation flume. The decline of Walhachin. Involvement of the Marquis of Anglesey. Anecdotes about Alphonse Foucault. Freight wagons and jerkline teams. More on Foucault and various exploits. More on Walhachin flume. Memory of first CPR train through Ashcroft. Story about Sir William Mackenzie's daughter Ethel and her husband. [TRACK 2: blank.]

Alfred Drinkell interview

CALL NUMBER: T0314:0001 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1964-07-23 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mr. Alfred Joseph Drinkell tells some stories about the history of the Dog Creek area of the Cariboo, from 1860 to 1914. Drinkell discusses his arrival in BC in 1911. He describes the ranches he worked at around Ashcroft, Joseph Smith's place, and his financial problems and life before he came to BC. He tells anecdotes about Judge Begbie. He tells a story about Samsome, a local doctor, and the legendary packer Jean Caux ("Cataline").

TRACK 2: Drinkell relates the story of Cataline's last trip and describes many trails in the area. He speaks of Joy Sim, a Chinese doctor, and pioneer medicine. He discusses some of Cataline's packers: Robbins, Wiggins Dan Smith, and the first settlers in the area. He describes the Hudson's Bay Trail, freighting, roads in the area, stories about Phil Grinder of Jesmond, a local school teacher, and educated people.

CALL NUMBER: T0314:0002 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1964-07-23 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Drinkell describes the early days of Ashcroft, the Chinese in the area, two anecdotes: the Wright of the Dog Creek Ferry and the Stobie of the Gang Ranch. He offers the background of the Gang Ranch and describes cattle drives, the Duke Of York, a Barkerville bartender, and local Indians.

TRACK 2: Drinkell discusses cowboys, social life and Christmas. Then he mentions Indian-White relationships and a story about Indians and the law. He discusses the Chilcotin and Shuswap Indians, problems with the reserve system, Chinese settlers in the Dog Creek area, and the importance of Chinese in the area. Finally, Drinkell tells the story of five Indian women who killed themselves over a white man, and how nails and gold dust were used as money.

Hugh Cornwall interview

CALL NUMBER: T0362:0001 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1964-07-28 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Hugh Cornwall tells the story of his grandfather, Clement F. Cornwall, who settled in Ashcroft in 1862, including his early days on the ranch, hunting coyotes with hounds, and Ashcroft Manor serving as a stopping house. His grandfather was a politician and Lieutenant Governor of BC. There is more on the operation of the ranch at Ashcroft, which Hugh's father managed after 1910. Markets for cattle changed. More on Ashcroft Manor. TRACK 2: The Ashcroft estate burned down in the late 1930s. Cornwall comments on the veracity of historical accounts.

CALL NUMBER: T0362:0002 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1964-07-28 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: The Cornwalls of Ashcroft are described, as is the naming of Cache Creek. The McLean boys are described -- Allen McLean, Charlie McLean, Archie McLean, and Alex Hare. The Cornwalls are described in terms of fox-hunting, law and order, and the gold rush. Finally, Cornwall describes Barkerville during its boom days. [TRACK 2: blank.]

Nellie Baker interview : [Orchard, 1964]

CALL NUMBER: T0376:0001 RECORDED: Quesnel (B.C.), 1964-07-19 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mrs. Nellie Baker talks about her experiences in the Cache Creek, Ashcroft and Quesnel area, 1890 to 1910. Mrs. Baker speaks about her father coming to BC in 1864 and the story of her father and mother coming to Chilcotin in 1884 before buying Bonaparte Ranch near Cache Creek, where Nelly was born. She describes activity along the Cariboo Road; wagons, stages, stopping places and drivers. She speaks about life at the Cache Creek boarding school and her relations with the native children.

TRACK 2: She moved to a ranch between Spences Bridge and Ashcroft where she used to capture wild horses. She discusses the Little Mountain slide at Spences Bridge as well as the sheep and cattle on her father's ranch. She discusses her life after she was married in Ashcroft, as well as pack trains, memories of the famous packer Jean Caux ("Cataline"), Quesnel in 1910, and activity in the area. She mentions that her husband was a doctor.

CALL NUMBER: T0376:0002 RECORDED: Quesnel (B.C.), 1964-07-19 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mrs. Baker discusses her traveling and her experiences working with her husband in the area west of Quesnel. She describes the social life and recreation of Wells and Barkerville; working outdoors, a story about eating wild parsnips, and rattlesnakes. She comments on bars and liquor and her upbringing and adventures on her father's ranch near Ashcroft. She talks about her marriage in 1907, the Mormons in Salt Lake City, more experiences with her husband, and horse racing. [TRACK 2: blank.]

Janet Yorston interview

RECORDED: [location unknown], 1964-07-20 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mrs. Janet Yorston talks about the Australian Ranch, the stages on the Cariboo Road and various Cariboo people, from 1860 to 1914. Mr. Yorston describes how Andrew Olsen and Steve Downes came to the Cariboo and started the Australian Ranch; farming and activities there; how they sold produce to miners; settlers in the area; Chinese miners; Fort Alexandria; more on the Australian Ranch and how it was purchased by her husband John Yorston; the stopping house; and life on the ranch. TRACK 2: Mrs. Yorston tells stories of two Barkerville old-timers, Harry Jones and the "Duke Of York". She describes details of stagecoaches, travel and places on the Cariboo Road.

Tom Carolan interview

CALL NUMBER: T0423:0001 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1964 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mr. Thomas "Tom" Carolan discusses various aspects of settlement and life in the Cariboo, 1850 to 1930. The interview begins with the story of William Pinchbeck, Cariboo pioneer. Stories follow about Amadie Isnardy; Mexican packers and the pack trains; Antonio Boitano; the Chilco Ranch area; the local history of the Cariboo; his perceptions of Native people; and the television series "Cariboo Country". Carolan discusses his own background in Alberta and hunting wild horses in the Cariboo, circa 1927. He tells stories about the famous packer Jean Caux ("Cataline"), the Tressiera family, and Rosetti.

TRACK 2: Carolan continues his stories about packers and Cataline. He describes fiddlers in the Cariboo; Johnny MacLean and the MacLean brothers; hangings in Williams Lake; Judge Begbie's justice; Charlie Skinner; the James railway survey circa 1870; more on William Pinchbeck; and the Cache Creek boarding school. Mr. Carolan discusses settlers entering the Chilcotin and the China Flats; and Chinese miners. He mentions Becher's place at Riske Creek; the Bryant family; and the hurdy-gurdy girls.

CALL NUMBER: T0423:0002 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1964 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mr. Carolan describes dances at the big ranches and changes in the Cariboo after WWI. Then he describes cattle in the Cariboo; Amedee Isnardy of Chimney Creek Ranch; the importance of Barkerville; and law and order. Mr. Carolan describes ranchers and ranches of the Chilcotin; the Harper family; Alkali Lake Ranch; Canoe Creek Ranch; Henry Koster; and Upper Dog Creek Ranch. Then he discusses the Big Bar area; raising pigs; and ranches on Chilcotin River.

TRACK 2: The final installment begins with a description of roads in the Chilcotin; Benny Franklin; the ways of the pioneers; Mr. Carolan's family background; and a discussion of Hudson's Bay company activities in the early 1800s. Fur trade routes are mentioned as well as Hudson's Bay Company posts at Anahim Lake. Finally, Pat McClinchy, an old timer of the western Chilotin; the Lee family; John Cook, a Gulf Island pioneer; and children of white/Indian parentage are discussed.

Cattle ranching in the Nicola

SUMMARY: The story of cattle ranching in the Nicola Valley: its beginnings in the days of the Cariboo gold rush, and the work of ranchers and cowboys at the Douglas Lake Cattle Company. The voices heard are: Bill Brennan; Alex Bulman; Gerald Guichon; Fred Irwin; Doug Palmer; and Martin Starret.