Item T1194:0001 - 0004 - Walter Wicks interview

CALL NUMBER: T1194:0001 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Walter Wicks : early years on the lower Skeena River : part 1 PERIOD COVERED: 1901-1922 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1961-07-20 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Walter Wicks recounts his arrival at the North Pacific Cannery from Germany (c.1900), his first impressions of the area and recollections of some of the residents of Port Essington. He talks about his life at the cannery, his education, fishing on the Skeena, his family background, living conditions, learning fishing and hunting, fishing spots along the Skeena River, Japanese-Indian-white; relations, fishing incidents, the naming of Hicks Point, fishing methods and grades of salmon. TRACK 2: Mr. Wicks continues speaking about fishing methods, types of salmon, the wastage of salmon, ch;anges in fishing methods, names of the area canneries and steps in the canning process. TRACK 3: [Note: due to a break in a splice on the original tape during dubbing, the remainder of T1194:0001 Track 2 has been continued on Track 3 of the CD copy.]

CALL NUMBER: T1194:0002 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Walter Wicks : early years on the lower Skeena River : part 2 PERIOD COVERED: 1901-1922 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1961-07-20 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Walter Wicks recalls his time as a student at the Metlakatla Mission School, incidents at the school, Mrs. Margaret West, training and schooling, the mission at Metlakatla, children's activit;ies and a trip to Victoria. He recounts childhood activities and incidents. TRACK 2: Walter Wicks continues with his recollections about childhood incidents, hunting stories, Indian deer hunting meth;ods, a prank at the North Pacific Cannery, childhood adventures and a landslide at the cannery. He recalls the beginnings of the town site of Prince Rupert, survey parties, early construction progress; at Tucks Inlet, land title problems, the town construction, land clearing (1908-09) and early buildings.

CALL NUMBER: T1194:0003 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Walter Wicks : early years on the lower Skeena River : part 3 PERIOD COVERED: 1901-1922 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1961-07-20 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Walter Wicks continues speaking about his experiences working in a land clearing camp on the Prince Rupert town site, living conditions, land conditions, development, workers and the real est;ate auction. He recalls jobs in railroad construction, as a lineman for the Dominion Telegraph line, an anecdote about shaving with an adze, more about railroad construction work and an incident with ;a horse team. He speaks about his family's move to Prince Rupert, Prince Rupert's first water system and utilities. He discusses changes to fishing methods following the introduction of power boats an;d Dr. Curgin -- owner of the first gas engine propelled boat on the Skeena River. TRACK 2: Walter Wicks describes Port Essington, the local canneries, life in the town, Robert Cunningham's business interests, sawmills, social life, George Frizzell and a silent movie presentation. He speaks about law enforcement including: Constable "Keyhole Johnny" (John Herring), the Indian rancherie, the "skook;um house", liquor problems, hotels and saloons, Essington during railway construction and provincial constables -- Harry Berrimen and Jack Collins. Mr. Wicks speaks about the decline of Cunningham's businesses, Bob and George Cunningham, Captain Bonser and a story about a snag scow and "Hunchback Mary".

CALL NUMBER: T1194:0004 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Walter Wicks : early years on the lower Skeena River : part 4 PERIOD COVERED: 1901-1922 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1961-07-20 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Walter Wicks continues with his story about a snag scow and "Hunchback Mary". He goes on to talk about Port Essington as an administrative centre, seat of government and Billy Lord, the Anglo; British Columbia Cannery manager. [TRACK 2: blank?]