VOL. 11, No. 1.
PRINCE GEORGE, B. C,   THURSDAY,   DECEMBER  8,   1927.
Five Cents.
Premier MacLean ['Declares Policy on
Railway Question
Will    Complete    P. G. E.   to    Princ
George  if  Satisfactory  Sale
Cannot be Made.
Extension   of   Railway   From   Princ
George to Peace River Will
be   Made  Later.
Vancouver, Dec. 2.—The an nouncement which Premier MacLean made last night as to the railway policy of his government, in connection with the P.G.E. railway, is the most important declaration made within the past ten years. Speaking to an audience of 3000 persons the premier stated that in the event of failing to secure a satisfactory offer for the purchase of the P.G.E., which has cost the province some $55,000,-000 and which continues as a heavy charge for interest, he proposes to complete the railway from Vancouver to Prince George, and ultimately to extend it into the Peace River district. The logical solution for the railway problem of the province, in the opinion of Premier MacLean, calls for the amalgamation of the provincial railway with either of the transcontinental railway systems, but so far the management of neither system has made a satisfactory offer for it. The operating deficit on the P.G.E. is decreasing, but the big consideration was the interest charges which are costing the province approximately $2,500,000 per annum. The announcement that the government had arrived at a definite policy with respect to the railway was received with cheering and prolonged applause.
It is now assured the P.G.E. railway question will be the major issue to receive consideration when the legislature assembles next month, when the premier will doubtless set a time for the receiving of offers for the acquisition of the provincial railway system, and fix a date for the commencement of work to extend the line into Vancouver and Prince George in the event of no satisfactory offers for the purchase of the railway   having been  received.
Developments in the Peace River during the past two years have opened the eyes of the people of Vancouver to the possibilities for expansion with the result that there has been a complete reversal of opinion as to the future of the P.G.E. With this has come the conviction the time has come for the province to make its decision with respect to the provincial railway, and that failing to secure an arrangement for the building of a railway into the Peace River, which will include the constructed line within British Columbia, it becomes • imperative for the, province to definitely announce its policy to make such further expenditures upon the P.G.E._.as will secure the very large amount already invested therein.^.
This conviction, it is believed, is in a measure responsible for the action of Premier MacLean in making his announcement a few weeks in advance of the assembling of the legislature. It can be taken for granted that the completion of the P.G.E. into the Peace River is now the fixed policy of the government, and that failing the making of an agreement with some responsible railway company within a reasonable time, the government will undertake the early extension of the railway into Vancouver and Prince George, and ultimately from Prince George into the Peace River district.
WEATHER   REPORT
For the week ending at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, the lowest temperature reading was zero, but early ye«ei-day morning there was a-™$?* drop and the temperature fell to £».* decrees below zero. The readings from November 30th to December 6th were as follows:
Wednesday ..............    1Jl         {q
Thursday..................    \n         Jo
MOVING OF PEELED TIES
IS ADDING TO THE JOYS
OF THE CONTRACTORS
Weeks ahead of previous years, the hauling of ties got under way in the Smithers district on Monday, and from the architecture of loads passing through town to the railway the local contractors will need all the time they had gainead. Thc extent of the hardship worked on producers through the order calling for peeled ties is only fully apparent as hauling started. Compared to a peeled tie a greasy pig is as easy to catch as a split finger nail, and the loads slither around like banana skins. Up at Fred Griffin's camp on Hudson Bay mountain they are divided between the necessity of breaking all the present commandments or adding more to the list, as they wrestle in deep snow with ties that have become glazed with a coating of ice through the removal of the bark.—The Interior News.
SIX CHICAGO BANDITS
SHOOT   UP   THE   PARTY
IN  THE PARODY  CAFE.
Chicago, Dec. 6.—Six band'tsheld up a party of two hundred guests in the Parody cafe at 2:45 o'clock on Monday morning. Several of the men in the party were armed and opened fire on the bandits, the dancing floor being converted into a battle ground. The bandits were frustrated in their attempt to rob the guests and made good their escape. One of the guests of the cafe was killed and five men and two women received' bullet wounds.
y
Saturday Sunday
 ) «
 32  4  0
Sunday  ....................    ) «
Monday....................    JL
Tuesday .........¦-¦¦¦ •__f1
REWARD FOR ARREST OF EARL NELSON  ^/"J AMONG SIX
Winnipeg Dec. 6.—The authorities have divided the reward offered for the arrest of Earl Nelson convicted of the murder of Mrs. Em>l> Patterson, among six of the claimants. Nelson is awaiting execution in January. The stranglcr express* the belief'he will escape the gallows and says he will devote the rest of his life in such an event to rehpnon.
TRAGEDY OF CASPIAN SEA NOT SO SWEEPING AS FIRST REPORTS INDICATED
Moscow, Dec. 6.—Severe weather has hampered the work of rescuing parties seeking to relieve the victims of the great storm which scept over the Caspian sea. First reports had it that one thousnd fishermean lost thc-ir lives. It is now known that a number of those believed to have been lost are marooned and may be saved. The drowned are now placed at one hundred and there is an equal number of which no trace can be found.
A. M. Priestly is Killed as Result of Falling Rock
Crashed   Through   Roof   of   Baggage
Car Near Terrace and Pinned
Him  to the  Floor.
Death    Followed    in     the    Hazelton
Hospital   a  Few  Hours  After
After the Accident.
A. M. Priestly, who was employed on the Canadian National on the run between Smithers and Prince Rupert, was the victim of a remarkable accident on Sunday morning which resulted in his death a few hours later in the hospital at Hazelton. The train on which Priestly was travelling left Smithers on Saturday night, and while it was passing a rock-rut about one mile east of Terrace a large rock dropped down the slope and struck the top of the baggage car. The weight of the rock was sufficient to drive it through the roof of the car immediately over the head 0/ Priestly, who was crushed to the floor.
The trainmen  hurried  Priestly to
SHOOT FOR CHRISTMAS
TURKEYS  WILL  BE  HELD
IN THE CURLING RINK
Through the courtesy of the officials of the curling club, a Christma: turkey shoot will take place in the rink on Wednesday, December 21st. Rifles of .22 calibre will be provided, and entrants will not be allowed to use any other, thus ensuring equal conditions, .for aU ) participants. Ladies are invited to take part, and several have already intimated their desire to shoot. Shooting will start in the afternoon and continue throughout the evening, and turkeys, geese, etc., will be put up by Paul Wieland.
Whatever the weather, the shoot will not be affected, and competitors can sit in comfort, instead of chasing around in the deep snow and shivering out of doors. Special Rhoots will be put on for the ladies, if they so desire, and one side of the rink can be utilized for them and the other side for the men.
WEALTHY  SYNDICATE WILL BUILD GAMBLING RESORT
ON  CORFU  ISLAND
Corfu, Nov. 23.—The little Greek island of Corfu, situated between the "heel" of Italy and the coast of Albania and Greece, may soon rank with Nice, Monte  Carlo, Venice, the
the  Hazelton"hospital as quickly   as ! Lido' Ragusa and other semi-tropical possible,  where it was found his in- \ winter retreats    as     a     fashionable
juries were so great there was no hope for his recovery, and he died during the afternoon. The piece of rock which killed Priestly was the only large piece of material which came down the slope of the cut, and the theory of the trainmen is that it had been held in place by the frost for some time and was released by the recent thaw.
The deceased was well known in Prince George. During the summer schedule he had the night run out of this city, but when the winter schedule came into effect he was moved west to Smithers and took the run between that' »fivision and, Prince Rupert. He leaves a wife and family, in Vancouver.                               -
pleasure and gaming resort.
The Greek government has accepted an offer of a group of foreign capitalists, including Americans, to build here a luxurious hotel of 400 rooms, a Casino and other buildings. Thermal baths, sea bathing and water sports will form a feature of the new resort.
Those behind the scheme have also offered to purchase the famous Achilleion Palace, formerly the home of the German nmperor, which was used as an American hospital after the armistice. A section of the Achineion will be converted into a museum. An asphalt road will be built from the center of the town to the Achilleion and a number of other improvements effected.
Misrepresenting Railway Policy
Large Company A ttends Opening of , Legion Premises
Guests  Were  Hospitably  Entertained
by Officers and Members of
Local  Branch.
Ceremonies Were Rounded Off With
Most Enjoyable Dance in
the   Evening.
By H. G. Perry, M.L.A.
Before an audience of thousands in Vancouver last Thursday Premier MacLean boldly announced that' his policy for the Pacific & Great Eastern railway was to cpmplote it to Prince George and finally to the Peace River, ifno acceptable offer for its purchase were received by his goveramefit.                      .
This clear-cut statement of policy S  received   with   particular  enthusiasm  in  all the territory affected by he railway, and by all citizens anx-ous to see definite action taken regarding    the     investment     by     the people in a railway which shows very ittle change year by year in its deficits, and has neither beginning, end, objective nor destiny, but is merely a railway trail, offering each year its account for $300,000 loss on opera-ion   and   over  $2,000,000  for inter-strfrom the general revenues of the jrovince  in   order to  be  kept  going n its present state.
This enthusiasm    was    somewhat
chilled   by  the   startling  editorial  in
he   Vancouver   Province   (the   same
ssue in which is reported the prem-
er's  speech)   to  the  effect  that the
completion  of  the  P.G.E.  to  Prince
George will entail extra expenditure
if $14,000,000.    The following is a
quotation   of   the   editorial     in     the
rovince of Friday. December 2nd:
"About five years ago, at the request of the late Premier Oliver, Mr. J. G. Sullivan, consulting engineer, made an examination of the P.G.E., and estimated the cost of completing it from North Vancouver to Prince George. His estimate was that to build and equip ,the twenty-nine miles between North Vancouver and Squamish, and the forty-five miles still without steel between Quesnel and Prince George would cost $6,000,000. In addition, he figured that $8,-000.000 would have to be spent within ten years on betterments on the entire system. If Premier MacLean can show us how the completion of thc P.G.E. is likely, within any reasonable time, to yield sufficient revenue to meet ' the extra op-n^.ting costs n:id the fixed charges on the $14,000,000 extra expenditure, we shall hold up both hands and applaud his project. But if, as seems certain, the only result is to be an increased operating deficit and an extra half-million or more a year in fxed charges, where is the prov-
ince to benefit in any wny? And -••'how can the aggravation of the difficulties which face us be regarded as -in r.ny way a solution?"
Mark the question they put and the impression it leaves in the average mind that $14,000,000 is the expenditure entailed by the completion of the railway... What are thc facts? On page 7 of the Sullivan report we quote t'.ie following, in reference to the cost of the uncompleted gap between Quesnel and Prince George:
"To complete this gap and put the line in condition to be operated is estimated to cost from $500,000 to $600,000. If this additional line is put in operation it is estimated that extra equipment to the value of $1,-500,000 will be required; that is to put the line from Quesnel . to Prince George into operation will require over $2,000,000 new capital."
In reference to renewal of trestles, bridges, etc., on page 8 of the Sullivan report it states that "$8,-000,000 new capital will be required for these renewals within the next ten years." Where are these renewals required? On the existing road now   operating.
But the Vancouver Province deliberately adds the cost of $8,000,-000 for renewals required on the "existing road," adds again the $4,-000,000 estimated cost from Squamish to Vancouver onto the $2,000,000 estimated for construction and equipment required from Quesnel to Prince George, and asks the premier to show how the completion of the P.G.E. will yiold sufficient revenue to meet the operating cost and the fixed charges on the $14,000,000 extra expenditure.
The premier advocated the completion to Prince George for thc present.    To quote Sullivan, this en-
In an editorial of the Province on
tails   $2,000,000.     Why   should Vancouver   Province   want     to
thc be
shown, before it gives its blessing, that the territory between Quesnel and Prince George can produce operating and fixed charges on fourteen million dollars when the cost for that area is two millions?
Sauce for the goose is sauce for the  gander.
Why did not the Vancouver Province use the same argument, or ask the same question, when $3,000,000 was requested in the last report of the P.G.E. directors for renewals on the existing road which is losing $1000 a day on operation alone?
December 22. 1926, it said:
"There is another reason,too, for keeping the P.G.E. in shape to "serve the country through, which the line runs. That *the country is gradualy opening up. There are more settlers there and more traffic. The line is gradually reducing its operating deficits, and there is something to be said for the contention of the manager that if the government took account of the extra revenues from taxes and timber dues which the operation of the P.G.E. brings to its coffers there would be no deficit at all.
"The thing to do, then, is to keep the line going and keep it in shape to go. We have no choice but to spend the money for upkeep, and we have little hope of an immediate return. The only way we can get a return is by rendering the railway more useful, and there seems no means of doing this except by making it a real colonization road which will colonize the country through which it runs. Traffic ailone will save the P.G. E., and traffic will not come without people."
This $3,000,000 was part of the $8,000,000 now counted in the Province's $14,000,000, and it was voted by the legislature and is already largely spent to "maintain the present road."
If that $3,000,000 was necessary to "render the present railway more useful" surely the expenditure necessary to complete the road to Prince George and tap the trade of the whole north country is justifiable. If it is not justifiable, the sooner we know the better; then Prince George can realize its destiny is not as the link between the north and Vancouver and Prince George (and Central B.C.) can work out its own development and future in co-operation with Edmonton. Peace River, Northern Alberta and Prince Rupert.
The growing sentinfent throughout the north, which is becoming bitterly anti-Vancouver, and which has be°n demonstrated recently in the demands at Peacp Rivor and by thc Prince Rupert board of trade for a new province, needs only leadership to crystalize into a powerful movement, and misleading1 editorials by influential newspapers at the coast nro dnmatrinf? tho cau^p of economi"' and political unitv and co-operation fo much more to be desired thai-division and separation.
The formal opening of the premises of the Prince George branch of the Canadian Legion yesterday afternoon was attended by a large company. Many of the visitors came early, and. had an opportunity to inspect the new building and its very excellent appointments, not only as legion headquarters but as up-to-date city club. The committee in charge of arrangements was composed of Comrades F. J. Saunders, chairman; William Bexon, George Docherty, M. E. Harper, R. C. S. Randall, Robert Pooley and James Wilson, and they were ably assisted by the members of the ladies' auxiliary of the legion.
President R.  W.   Alward received the guests in the assembly room   on   * the second floor, where he extended a very hearty welcome.    In a short address he touched briefly upon   the aspirations of the members   of   the local  branch  in undertaking the responsibility of  erecting" their build-ng.    It was intended not only as a home for Legion members,  but as a social club    for    the    residents    of Prince George and vicinity.    It was with this object in view that provis-on had been made for creating1 associate members, so that residents generally might avail themselves of the facilities offered by    the    premises. The   officers   and   members  of    the egion were appreciative of the measure   of  co-operation   which   had     al--eady been extended to them by the citizens   of   Prince   George,   without which it was doubtfuul if they would iave felt warranted in proceeding as ar  a.s they had with their building programme.    They had to keep    in mind   that  the   number  of  returned iion were becoming    fewer   as   the fears went by, so that the mainten-ince of club premises would depend more  and more upon the degree of en-operation extended,    ^n the prem-ises   wNch   had   bee.i   provided    the possibilities  were   presented   for the conduct of a social club which would
bo a credit to thp city, and on behalf of the officers and members of the legion he asked for a continuation of the spirit of co-operation which would ensure its future success.
H. G. Perry was called upon to declare the building open for the purposes for which it had be^n erected. In doing so he complimenfc.1 the members of the legion for their enterprise in giving the city s6 fine a building. It might fairiv be said they had set a standard for semi-public buildings, and that like improvement might be expected with respect tp other buildings which would follow. He paid a graceful compliment to the ai-chitect and contractor, and said he felt confident that every citizen, whether affiliated with the legion or not, experienced a sense of pride in viewing the build-| ing which the enterprise of the legion ] had given to their city.
Mr. Perry complimented the members of the legion upon their decision to take in associate members so that tho club premises would be open not only to returned men but to residents of  tihe  city  and  district    generally. He    considered  this    a    very   happv thought   which   recognized   that    all citizens of Prince  George  had  common   problems  and   common     idrals. As to the desirability of establishing-a  social club he thought  little  need be said, as it was rpprr.rded as a ne-cessitv in the present day in all communities of any size.    His conception of a club was not a loafinp* place, but one  for the enjoyment  of social intercourse, for the promotion of good fellowship and   intellectual  improvement.       Glaticinp- over tho  appointments of the building ho thought it would  prove to be  a    place    where many of the married men of the eorn-munity could foregather with profit. It was a place where comfort aopear-ed to have been studied, and association   with  it   mitrrit   well   stir   the thought in the minds of manv of the married  men to  a?k themselves   the nuestion why they did not have some-thins: approaching the same comfort in their homes.    This micrM   nrom^ them to bo  morp  renerpns to the"" wives  in  their familv Budgets-    a^d result in  increasing thev        f         ? their  several homes.       Thn of the members of    the    Won    to cater to th? requirements of the citizens generally, through the nrovis;nn for   associate   niombo"1.     wa^     pltv»-"ether  laudatory;   and  Ho   felt  mnfi-''ont   it  would  moot wit>i the hearty (•Continued on parre 4.1