PROVINCIAL LIBRARY, C. 181 June 31-48 NORTHERN AND CENTRAL BRITISH COLUMBIA'S NEWSPAPER Formes drugs .................. rnViNi BLJfAI? f Prompt At.AHHnnr. Service Daily Delivery mm PHONE 81 Published at Canada's Most Strategic Pacific PortTrince Rupert, the Key to the Great Northwest" STAR CABS VOL. XXXVII, No. 127. PRINCE RUPERT, B.C., MONDAY, MAY 31, 1948 PRICE FIVE CENTS i Intefibr TdDV HIGHWAY III GOOD SHAPE "From here to Kwinitsa, the highway Is in as good shape as hi EIDY , COOLER WEATHER i nice nnnn I'ATmo J- I L - 1IL1LO ILUUU WHILIIO Czechs Anti-Communist PRAGUE Totals of yesterday's ballots against the Communist fixed slate In Czechoslovakia's election have ranged as high as 39 per cent in some regions. With half the votes counted, more than a half mil Battle Against Fraser Flood at Pitt Meadows Supplies Being Dropped to Relief Workers From Aircraft More Evacuations Made Railway Traffic to Vancouver Paralyzed VANCOUVER Major battle against the Fraser Valley floods now is being fought at Pitt Meadows, just 22 miles east of Vancouver. Reinforcements have been rushed to the danger scene where waters threaten to break through the defence works. Evacuation of whole towns is continuing. Its ever been," said R. E. Benson Sunday, speaking of the drive taken by Dr. Cade and himself the preceding afternoon. They left at two o'clock and were back by six. Kwinitsa is the beginning of the trouble zone. There the flood was ln full force. Beyond there, they went on foot for a short distance. Despite reports to the contrary, they are of the opinion that the water is not (or was not) higher than the record of 1936. Certainly, there are. no boats passing through the tunnels. Snags and other debris in the river are numerous. Once, a black bear was sighted crossing the highway. rganization of Relief Measures Speeded -Calamitous Picture Is More Fully Seen Repairs Will Be Huge Task ,1,1, cloudy weather came to the Skeena and ,v River valleys during the week-end to relieve ae time being at least the danger of further delation (if the already calamitous flood situate full seriousness of which was becoming more lion votes were against the gov ernment ticket. Czechoslovakia has more than eight million registered voters apparent as reports trickled In from various localities. Head but it appeared that many stayed e.way from the poles rather than vote in the one-i'ded contest. Thu naval force on "Opera- Seek Help Bulletins Flood Flashes! tion Overflow" transported the residents of two towns on the upper Fraser today to relief centres. More than 1000 residents were taken from the holiday resort of Harrison Springs while BOO residents of the town of Agassize were moved to safety in a naval diving tender.' Britain mid I'tiiled al Favuring Arabs way has been made with the organization of relief measure's in transportation and communication. At the name time it i has become apparent that the restoration of the regular services, after the recession of the flood waters which have been clearly of unprecedented proportions, will be a task of first-class magnitude. ! Between KwlniUa and Prince George, aerial and other obser The AJbertson & Sorensen SALEM-An army of the sawmill at Dorreen Is flooded. The Watson family there has ; VANCOUVER ISOLATED VANCOUVER For the first time in railway history, Vancouver is isolated from Eastern Canada by transcontinental railway. Both CN R. and C.P.R. UacK are awash. Embargo were placed on all shipments to the east. Trans- fighting forces has i Russia to help end ag-ot the so-called British- been flooded out and evacu Mayor Nora Arnold today called a public meeting for Tuesday night to organize and coordinate the local relief effort for flood-suffering Interior communities. Local service clubs and other organizations are being re ; EXPLAINING U.S. PALESTINE SWITCH - U.S. alternate Philip C Jessup (right) is pictured explaining the details of the draft trusteeship agreement for Palestine which the U.S. submitted to the first committee of the United Nations General Assembly, to Gen., Andrew G. L. McNaughton uf Canada (lefti. Meanwhile, a three-man truce commission, set up in. Jerusalem, is checking a report of an Arab invasion of the Holy Land. The Jewish agency contends that Arab forces appear to be moving towards an attempt to take over the country by the time the British mandate ended on May 15. ated. New crisis today confronted thousands of exhausted workers fighting against the worst floods in British Columbia's 77-year iprpssion in JPaiesunc. peal whs made in a rfidio At Kitwanga the ferryman g t lust night. history. quested to be represented with house Is flooded and part of the Pitt Meadows district is 30 w charged that Great delegates. and the U nlted Slates miles southeast of here. One thousand persons were being vations, indicate the railway line 'has suffered bad washouts at Innumerable points. In some places, the rails have been left hanging in the air with the grades Inundated below. In other places hillsides have been swept ushed a suRKCslion the Security Council moved from the path of the wild-running Alouette River. cemetery has been washed out. Telkwa reports $1000 damages with the main street flooded and three families evacuated. At several points in the Mrs. Eric Christiansen of Usk, in touch with her father, H. A. Dodd, tosay said "everything Is all right" there. There is no ac to the (ine made during msh Civil War. It was Flood Disaster Hits Suburb of Portland to open pattern would Reeves of municipalities in the district declared a state of emergency. Men worked throughout the tual want or distress. The population of the lower village, forc rus tit Jews but would over the line to leave it burled. The damage to telegraph lines has been equally serious. "Far worse than 1936," says one server. In that historic year, the assaae open tor anus to ed to leave thplr Tlnnri-flllprl bs. in spite of a request Bulkley Valley the highway is washed out or covered with water. Provincial police headquarters here were advised today by 's tor Arabs and Jews, ; PORTLAND Van port, a suburb of Portland, night to hold the fast-crumbling nomes were c6mfortable ln the dykes and speed the evacuation ' schooIhouse and tne iarge resl. Navy officials said today that the dPnce of James Gould on dyke was still holding. hillside. The. serious flood situation in, ',. ... inni'd imHrtant military In the Holy Land. lanaaa airlines are doing a capacity business. Almost 1,-200' people have been carried., from Calgary to Vancouver by a fleet of T.C.A. planes. PROBE FLOOD PORTLAND The waterlogged debris of the nearby war-built city of Vanport was ptwfeed today for possible victims of a flood that destroyed the city of 17,700 within Mlnatea. Officially, there are MklUMW ilaad IX ttsurn after m wail of water burst upon the tiyke-goarded community on the south bank of the flooding Columbia River but unofficially it Is said 17 perished. MAJOR ARAB DRIVE CAIRO Arab armies were reported today to be grouping for a three-pronged assault on Tel Aviv, military headquarters of the state if Israel. amies appear to be dnv-n onslaught in Tel Aviv. j Inspector F. B. Woods-Johnson, Oregon, has been swept to pieces by flood waters which broke through the emhankmcris, north of the city. At least seventeen are dead. Over 18,000 people were caught in the town which was built during the. the Fraser Valley of British Columbia was pointed up last night in an appeal to school children devastating flash Hood hit only the Skeena River. This time the flood front has encompassed as well the Bulkley, Nechako and Fraser Rivers, making the area from end to end of the central interior. t'SK MOST SERIOUSLY HIT COMMUNITY The Prince Rupert Medical Association was preparing to organize t.nHflV fnr f.hp tumrlirifT ry developments occur-tly in the Holy Land on war. From to aid 'in the battle against therelief medical ln raging Fraser River Although, terior flood sWcken u the air. the town tooks like a toy village which was iiu iifw major oreaKS nave Deen crushed by a giant's foot. The exact number -of deaths may not be known for several hours, per necessary. Railway service is being maintained from Jasper through to Houston where wash-out is making it necessary to transfer passengers, express and mail to buses and trucks for Smithers. From Smithers another train is haps for days. Thousands of persons have been rescued. Human chains have been formed to pass It began to look late Saturday that Usk. a village of 108 persons 107 miles east of Prince Rupert, was the most severely stricken community as a result of lower Skeena River floods which by then had reached unprecedented proportions, exceeding even 1936. "Usk is completely washed out," was the terse communication received by the now at Terrace near the distress area of the Skeena River floods, that the flood level had receded 14 inches from the high mark. Temperature was 50 above today after two cooler days. Arrangements were being made today for the Skeena Air Transport Seabee plane to fly in 'relief supplies to Terrace. Section Foreman E. G. Storey of Salvus, who last week was driven with his family into the attic of his section house, reported to laiiway headquarters here today that the Water was now out of the station house with eight inches still over the. track. "Everything under control" was women and children to safety but a Jewish statement' u Arabs and Transmits were planning to or. an attack on Jerusa- city. An Israel gov-; spokcsian made the in Tel Aviv but the dis-Irom Jerusalem gave :i:mation. warn filed late Sunday it Jerusalem was rela- niM. rxcept for sporadic bombing or the centre ;wn. 'hilp, uip - ranking Is-ofticials and the Arab committee prepared to " 'he United Nations Sec-'uncils latest truce nro- Flying To Canneries , Natives rroin Kitwanga Coming from Smithers , by Plane With the Canauian National Railway line in the Skeena Valley' tied up by flood conditions, Nelson Bros. Fisheries Ltd and Canadian Fishing Co. have resorted to aircraft to bring their native cannery workers to the mouth of the Skeena River. Nelson Bros, are flying some e; notluoc In frir Ihnlr ,lurf a I Hundreds of people are clinging to debris, while others are mar recorded, the officials are appealing for school children to gather up all fabric sacks suitable for sand bags to reinforce the flooding dykes In the valley. The Royal Canadian Air Force is also busy, making reconnois-sance flights and dropping supplies to harassed army and civilian workers. Forty thousand sand bags were flown in from the East and another 60,000 are already on the way. A tired sailor summed up the whole situation in these dramat-(Continued on Page Five) being run as far west as Klt- wanga. ooned in their houses The depth of the water in the At Old Hazeiton "everything is LOCAL TIDES (Standard Time) Tuesday, June 1, 1948 High 8:35 15.5 feet 21:26 17.6 feet under control" was the report Daily News through the courtesy of W. W. Wrathall of the Prince Rupert Amateur Radio Club whose station VE7LK was being used as an emergency communications clearing house. All received at provincial police headquarters this afternoon. The weather is cooler and the Skeena Low 2:50 9.3 feet 14:47 7.7 feet River is down two feet. The Bulk- The Council ralleri nn ley River is also down. Four a morning report from Terrace. ,,o,,pl.hvbTn e,cU.tea iren,:i,orl C.ndln rbhlra "ill Jews to airree bv six families on the main street near town is not definitely known but may be as much as 15 feet deep. The river level was that high before the embankment broke. The survivors, said they were swept out even before they had heard that the river had broken through the embankment. Men, women and children were caught in the waters and many have been swept away. The waves have been likened to ocean Lreakers, as they swept through the town. The waves, each one higher than that before tore the flimsy wooden Tuwlay on a four weeks n throughout the Holy the river, front had to be evacuated and the cabins were removed. Damage, $1000. Co. is bringing down about 15 at the present time. A special train is being used for the movement from Kitwan Usk and some of the buildings-are already missing. The bui'd- ings include two hotels, a gen-1 eral store and some twenty resi-' drnr.es. The people have left the r Klspiox Indian village is flood ga to Smithers whence tne na ed and the residents evacuated. village and are camped on higher jUve fo,k are to be fl(jwn to ground above the town. Among .prince Rupert, them are women and children wlmam Xucher proceeded to UC HEALTH )l ACTION There was enough food, a message said, and plane service is good. "Weather is cooler and conditions should improve from now on." At Smithers it was expected today that train service would be resumed through to Jasper by Wednesday. At present trains are running only as far west as Houston. A bridge across a slough of the Skeena River at Cedarvale has been washed out. and two expectant motners. incthe lnt,erlor last weelc to organ- cut off except &"iG trom uieir iounciauons. town is completely ze tne movement. I Seventy natives were driven from their homes at Glen Vowell and are camped on a hillside. Land line wire service might be resumed to Prince Rupert by the middle of the week, it was suggested this afternoon. to Terrace, thlr- I mmie.s ma peop. wh eQ for the railway xhe native workers wlu be teen miles distant, over which I used ln connection with the j f 1 f wlrs of lhe swo1" nut Saturday af-: Thoi"'" Columbia River. u ciw.ori...- upnl. ur,rfiinrr f .nn nknn JRIA Local health Kl Public health personal flooded areas throuch- Pfuvinre have cone into Sees Three Great Possibilities In Damming Upper Skeena Doug FrUzell, an old timber with new ideas, has come forward with a three-way proposal for a gigantic Skeena River , damming project. He suggests a great dam on the Skeena River Just above Hazeiton, where the Skeena and the Bulkley join, would: First, control flood waters of the Skeena which every so .often go on the rampage. Second, make an enormous power development possible. " Third, back the water up far enough to open up the Groundhog coal fields. There Is a natural site for a dam just below Klspiox, says Mr. Frizzell. The dam could be 150 feet high. The potential would be comparable with other waterpower developments now. being investigated by the Aluminum "Co. of Canada in connection with the proposed establishment on this coast of a $400,000,000 aluminum plant project. The local man has already offered his suggestion to Hon. E. T. Kenney, minister of lands, with whpm the Aluminum Co. is now in direct contact. action, the nrll.ish U . . llBJKUtllg Ul Op.Allg ternoon taking canned milk of SOckeye canning season will which the town had run com- t start about June 27. pletely out. There was some Tn 1936, the year of the pie-doubt as to how long the rail- vious big Skeena River flnod, a apartment of Health today. npalth personnel, manv the native cannery workers were (transported from Kitwanga via Jasper Park to Vancouver by rail have held educational 'ns In their communities Wlon of floods, will he and brought to the Skeena River canneries by boat. Three hours after the banks gave way, most, of the two storey apartment buildings had been swept, into the turbulent waters of the Columbia River. No one even attempted to salvage their belongings, people fled as they were. Thousands were gatehered on tiie higher regions around Van-port chUdren were tied together to prevent straying. Many thought they were safe in the second storey of their homes but as the river rose in the streets buildings were swirled around like match boxes. ta answer any questions 'c "w.V have concerning "Wards in ppnomi inH SKEENA RIVER DEBRIS AND FLOOD WATER HERE; NAVIGATION MENACED Great uprooted trees, swept out . of the Skeena River by waters of the big flood, were being carried into Prince Rupert Harbor last night and were proving a danger to navigation all the way to Watson Rock at the north end of Grenville Channel. Capt. William McCoombe,'master of the steamer 'UiZatkm in nari.lriilar ELECTION IN YALE TODAY way line would hold out. Pmvinrial polite and welfare moved quickly Saturday to the relief of Vsk. Inspector F. B. W'oods-Johnson left for the scene in the morning and Ed. Coughlan, welfare chief at Prince Rupert, left yesterday for Terrace to take up temporary headquarters. With him went Miss Jcannin Cou-pal, public health nurse. Canadian Pacific Airlines Saturday instituted an emergency dally air service between Prince Rupert and Smithers. (Continued on Page Two) (t the tu. , - valuing Mltll, 111 Hooded ureas rlHnlr- 'N or Mlhru,- ater are in i Cardena which arrived in port Fish Sales 'Urn. uo"" J llnE 1 intesl.lnoi hi. " wis warn that water areas KELOWNa Political interest centred on the Yale by-election in which voting is taking place today. The poll is to elect a successor to Hon. Grote Stirling, retired member. It is a three-cornered contest in which prominent campaigners of all parties have taken part. Candidates are: Progressive-Conservative, W. A. C. Bennett, f o r m e r M. L. A. for funtamination. last evening from the south, reported . sighting many such trees. The muddy waters of the flood, sweeping out of the mouth of the Skeena, kept setting the ship off its course as It, steamed north from Watson Rock. ' Since late Saturday harbor water has had a brown, muddy appearance, quite unusual here, and undoubtedly attributable to the flow of the flood waters. Public meeting American Carolen, 18,500, 22.10c, 20.60c and 10.50c, Pacific. Marilyn, 24,000, 22.10c, 20.60c and 10.60c, Storage. Canadian Cape May, 4,500, 21.50c, 20.50c, and 10c, Atltn. Kam Falls, 16,000, 21,50c, 20.50s and 10c, Booth. Skeena M 10,500, Co-op. Lois N., 64,000, Co-op. Jutsen, 4,500, Co-op. i North Okanacan. RED CROSS MOVING IN Instructed to Make Such Purchases as Necessary For Flood Relief Red Cross organization moved Into the Skeena River flood relief picture today with receipt of authorization-- to the local branch from provincial headquarters to purchase emergency food and medical supplies in recommendation of the provincial police. The Terrace branch Is already understood to be active ln the ways of formulaUpg relief plans. CAYUGA NOT COMING HERE Naval rescue work in the flooded Fraser Valley has caused cancellation of the scheduled visit of the Tribal class destroyer H.M.C.S. Cayuga to Prince Rupert " on June 4. Cayuga, commanded by Commander Robertson, was scheduled to visit here from June 4 to June 7 on a routine training cruise. The destroyer is at present taking part In the evacuation work in the Fraser Valley where hundreds have been forced to leave their homes. Motorist Mails Plane, Police Out A distress signal from the Skeena River Highway was picked up by a passing aircraft yesterday afternoon and sent Sttt. Oeoree Mead and Constables Symons and Davidson out to investigate. It turned out that Gus Olsen had driven his car partly off the road into the swirling flood waters of the Skeena River. By the time the officers arrived he had been safely extricated from his plight. Liberal, Edward J. Chambers. ; C.C.F., Owen Jones, former mayor and councillor of to organize FLOOD RELIEF CAMPAIGN City Hall, Tuesday, 8 p.m. prwfntativcs of Service Clubs and all Organizations requested to attend. N. E. ARNOLD, Mayor. C.P.R. steamer Princess Adelaide, Capt. Fred McGraw. Is due THL WEATHER Prince Rupert Cloudy with EASY TO MAKE Peach halves filled with tart Jelly make pleasing salads or deserts. in port at 5 o'clock this afternoon from Vancouver and fog patches, little change in temperature.