Its easy to take a trip back in time with the Prince George newspapers digitization project, found online on the Prince George Public Librarys website at: http://pgnewspapers.lib.pg.bc.ca/
The old papers are often difficult to read due to their condition. The earliest copies have few if any photographs. But theyre a treasure trove of stories. The writing is colorful, with a mixture of news and opinion, often in the same article. Here are some snippets beginning with our earliest newspaper.
Fort George Tribune, December 11, 1909
Under the heading: LOCAL NEWS OF FORT GEORGE DISTRICT
Queer stories are told of the weather in this century-old hamlet. Some three years ago an old-time prospector, named Bill Johnson, was acting as cook at the Hudsons Bay Companys. The weather was so cold for a time that Bill wore woollen mitts when frying bacon and had to skate when moving in the kitchen. The writer of this paragraph (editor John Houston), one night last week, when setting type at an improvised stand, with a red-hot stove within two feet of his legs had his German socks freeze solid to the soles of his arctic shoes.
Fort George Tribune, December 18, 1909
Under the heading: Don't Ask for Too Much
(Editor John Houston was twice elected as a B.C. MLA and understood the provinces politics).
A meeting of the Fort George Conservative Association is to be held on Sunday, January 2nd, at 2 o'clock, in the Hudson's Bay Company's dining-room. At this meeting the requirements of the district are to be considered, and for that reason every member of the association should try and be present. The fault found with the action of such meetings is that too much is asked for which gives the Government a fair excuse to say the people making the demands are unreasonable. Ask for the main requirements of the District; the minor requirements will come without asking. Above everything else show that you are not all looking for jobs, as reward for party service.
And on the same page Houston provides a personal observation:
In three months and nine days, the writer has seen but two hens eggs and tasted none. The two will be tasted on Sunday. They came from William Kennedys henhouse, the only one within a hundred miles of Fort George.
Fort George Herald, August 20, 1910
The first piano to arrive in South Fort George reached here Monday last. It is the property of Mrs. R.M. Burns and is now installed in the Burns residence on Fourth Street.
Fort George Herald, Sept. 10, 1910
In this article the editor laments the shortage of gasoline:
A gasoline famine is rampant here. The Traffic Regulation Act will not permit steamboats to carry this very necessary commodity, and owing to the fact that there is no other mode of freight transport to this point the people of South Fort George who wish to use gasoline for both light and power purposes are suffering in consequence.
We would point out to the navigation companies that it would be a simple matter for them to equip their boats with magazine compartments in which gasoline or powder could be carried without violating the act, or by refusing to accept passengers for one trip one of the smaller boats could bring up a large consignment from Soda Creek....
In the following weeks Herald we see why the editor was concerned about fuel shortages:
Our gasoline engine arrived this week and is now installed in the new Herald building on Fourth Street.
The Fort George Herald, of June 20, 1914 described an appointment to an unusual job, by someone who had considerable experience in this line.
CITY SCAVENGER APPOINTED
Mr. Eugene Cashman of Prince George has been appointed City Scavenger and will enter upon his new duties at once. Mr. Cashman will have complete charge of the removal of all garbage, refuse, stable manure, and night soil from Prince George and Fort George to the Government Dumping Ground.
....the City Scavenger will collect fees for the Scavenger work from the owners of same...
The Fort George Weekly Tribune of June 27, 1914 carried this item from Edmonton:
CONAN DOYLE IN WEST - Creator of Sherlock Holmes Stories Now in National Park
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of the Sherlock Holmes adventures, who, accompanied by Lady Doyle, is camping in the Yellowhead Pass of the Canadian Rockies, the guest of Colonel S. Maynard Rogers, superintendent of the new national park, will attempt to scale Mt. Robson, before returning to England, early in July. He will also join Colonel Rogers and party on a big game expedition outside the reserve, making part of the trip in a canoe.
It is unlikely Conan Doyle scaled Mount Robson, which at 3,954 metres is the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies. The first ascent was in 1913 by Conrad Kain, an experienced Austrian climber who said it was one of the most dangerous expeditions he had made.
Fort George Herald, Aug. 29, 1914
STANDARD TIME FOR THIS CITY
The Herald has secured the consent of the Brown Bros, of the Electric Light and Power Plant, to blow their whistle every night at eight o'clock, for the benefit of the public. There are so many different times being kept about town that we thought it would be advantageous for those making and keeping appointments if a common time could be maintained by all. The Standard Grand Trunk Pacific Time will be secured daily and the whistle will blow sharp at 8 p.m. to the second. This will enable our people going by the outgoing trains to make proper connections. Announcement is here given so that there will be no misunderstanding and our readers start looking for a fire.
Jeff Elder is the Chair of the Prince George Heritage Commission.
