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RECORDED: [location unknown], 1965-10-30 SUMMARY: Andy Gray recalls in detail his career on the CPR. Born in Scotland, he came to Canada in 1890 and then to Vancouver 1892. He began work on the CPR in 1906 as a "wiper", then a fireman, and by 1911 as an engineer. He discusses his experience working with the trains in Revelstoke from 1909 to 1915; the Rogers Pass Slide of 1910 with the only survivor, Bill LaChance; train recollections throughout the province; Kootenay Central; and "Cranbrook Ed," who was one of the escaped elephants from a visiting circus at Cranbrook.

SUMMARY: "Between Ourselves" was a weekly series of hour-long radio programs that presented Canada to Canadians. It featured aspects of Canadian life in docudramas, plays, music, and interviews, originating fr;om different regions of Canada. The series ran from 1966 to 1979. The first part of this episode [archived as T2463:0001] is "The Luck of La Chance" by Imbert Orchard, a special documentary presentati;on about the 1910 avalanche on Rogers Pass, which took an estimated sixty lives. It is a personal account of the disaster by Bill La Chance, the sole survivor. Other voices heard include: Mr. and Mrs;. Philip Parker, Andy Gray, Doug Abrahamson, and G.H. Williamson. The second part of the this episode, "Folk Songs", is a collection of folk songs, including some from B.C.. The vocalists include: Cla;ire Klein, Bud Spencer, and James L. Johnson, with conductor Bud Henderson.f@!NYKlein, Claire singer ;f@!NYSpencer, Bud

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RECORDED: [location unknown], 1965-03-09 SUMMARY: Mr. E.W. (Bill) LaChance recalls his experiences working as an locomotive fireman and engineer for the CPR, based in Revelstoke. This interview mainly relates his story as the sole survivor of the Rogers Pass Snow slide of 1910, in which fifty-eight railroad workers were killed.

RECORDED: [location unknown], 1965-01-29 SUMMARY: TRACKS 1 & 2: Doug Abrahamson recalls Revelstoke at the turn of the century. His family came from Sweden, settled in Revelstoke and built and ran the Central Hotel. He describes the social life and customs in Upper Town and Lower Town, characters from the Revelstoke area and Big Bend region, the steamboat "Revelstoke", and trails in the area. Incidents around town. The local red light district; the various "houses" and their inhabitants. He also discusses the Rogers Pass slide of 1910, Illecillewaet, and the transfer of the CPR divisional point from Donald to Revelstoke.

RECORDED: [location unknown], 1964-11-10 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mr. G.H. Williamson recalls his 40 year career with the CPR. Born in Toronto, he moved to Donald, B.C., in 1892 and started with the railways. By 1900 he was working as an engineer. He discusses the community of Donald, the town, and the CPR facilities. He provides descriptions of railway equipment, engines, train mechanics, rails and grades. This portion of the tape concludes with descriptions of the Rogers Pass rail service and snow slides.

TRACK 2: Mr. Williamson continues with recollections of his railway career, the Rogers Pass area, the destruction of the original Roger's Pass Station and facilities in an 1898 slide, the Rogers Pass Slide of 1910, the construction of the railway tunnels in the Field area, railway accidents and the dismantling of the Donald CPR shop which was moved to Revelstoke.

CALL NUMBER: T0866:0001 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1964-11-09 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mr. and Mrs. Bergenham discuss farmers; railroaders and con men in the Kootenays. John's father came to Canada in 1892; worked for the CPR; living conditions in Golden at the turn of the century; Walter Moberly was the CPR surveyor; Golden's fluctuating fortunes were dependant on lumber and the CPR; complaints about the highway and how it brings about the demise of the small family farm;er; he began to work for the CPR at age seventeen; then worked on construction of Connaught Tunnel. TRACK 2 Mr. Bergenham continues with more on the construction of the tunnel; description of the Roger's Pass line; varied discussion of railroading around Golden from 1900 to 1920; several anecdotes on smelter construction by fraudulent stock companies; preachers pushing shares from the pulpit; famous outlaws at Golden such as Bill Miner; and several more anecdotes.;

CALL NUMBER: T0866:0002 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1964-11-09 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: More old timers in the area; "sporting houses" in Golden and Donald at the turn of the century; the naming of Golden. Then Mrs. Bergenham speaks. Then John's mother speaks. (She is 103 [101?]; years old and speaks in Swedish, and John Bergenham translates.) She came to Canada in 1893; hard times in Canada still better than hard times in Sweden where one could not hunt or fish. [TRACK 2: blank.]

CALL NUMBER: T1392:0001 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Railroading in the early days RECORDED: Revelstoke (B.C.), 1975-02-18 SUMMARY: Family background; early railroading and other jobs; comments and events; comments on the Connaught Tunnel and the Spiral Tunnels; change from coal to oil as fuel for engines; change from steam to diesel; women's suffrage movement; anecdotes and comments on Revelstoke life; prohibition years; Arrowhead branch line; river boats.

CALL NUMBER: T1392:0002 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Railroading in the early days RECORDED: Revelstoke (B.C.), 1975-02-18 SUMMARY: Information on Mrs. Middleton; miscellaneous information on snow removal; caribou in Revelstoke, mountaineering; royal trains; gold trains; comments on mining east of Revelstoke; farming in the south area; Kootenay development; Williamson's Lake; today's transportation.

CALL NUMBER: T1391:0001 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Revelstoke, 1917-1975 RECORDED: Revelstoke (B.C.), 1975-02-17 SUMMARY: Parents background; childhood; description of Revelstoke; houses lived in; chores; play; school days; size; subjects; anecdotes; extracurricular activities; public health; facilities; anecdotes; epidemics; churches; jobs; travels in the U.S. and Canada from 1928 onward; speakeasy; travel service; bus driver, bodyguard, organised Young Liberals in 1933; truck driver; Depression in Revelstoke; more on jobs and travel; farming in Wigwam; assistant park warden; utility man for provincial government.

CALL NUMBER: T1391:0002 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Revelstoke, 1917-1975 RECORDED: Revelstoke (B.C.), 1975-02-17 & 03-07 SUMMARY: Working on the CPR from 1945 onward; anecdotes and incidents; changing from coal to bunker fuel; change from steam to diesel; structure and method of local government; provincial and municipal law enforcement; personal involvement in civic organisations; comments on the Columbia River Treaty; how Revelstoke has developed as a city.

Stock shots. Footage of areas flooded by the Mica Dam , including flooded roads and trees, floating logs, etc., along the Canoe River. Aerial views of area, including Canoe River, Mica Dam, Redrock Harbour, Kinbasket Lake, and CPR construction at Beavermouth. Sequence showing dam, diversion tunnels, powerhouse, etc.

SUMMARY: This program was broadcast separately from the regular season's "People in Landscape" sub-series. The Rogers Pass snowslide of 1910, which killed 58 railroad workers, is recalled by Bill La Chance -- the sole survivor -- as well as Mr. and Mrs. Philip Parker, Andy Gray, Doug Abrahamson, and G.H. Williamson.

RECORDED: [location unknown], 1964-11-10 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mrs. Eve Parker came from England to Donald, BC in 1892. She describes her childhood in Donald, and the social life and customs of the community. She traveled throughout the province employed as a school teacher working in Field, White Water (Retallack), Illecillewaet, Hope, Trail and Revelstoke.

TRACK 2: Mrs. Parker continues the tape with recollections of her mountaineering expeditions in the Revelstoke region. Eva Lake is named for her. She discusses briefly the Rogers Pass Slide of 1910. Her husband, Mr. Philip Parker, continues this tape. He came from England to Revelstoke in 1906 and worked for the CPR as a machinist. He contributes his recollections of the community of Revelstoke, the 1910 slide in Rogers Pass, and other accidents on the railway.