HISTORICAL NEWS SEARCH - Government of British Columbia

November 13-15, 1923
Event type: Severe storms.
Precipitation: Queen Charlotte City (122.9 mm/3 days), November 13-15, 1923.
Source: The Daily News, November 17, 1923.
During early part of November, the Queen Charlotte Islands were raged by severe storms. Thirteen in. (330
mm) of rain fell in Skidegate Inlet during a period of 15 days. In one day alone, 2.8 in. (71.1 mm) fell. The lineman of
the Dominion Telegraph line had to use a raft along the line near the Port Clements-Tlell road. During the heavy storm
on November 9-10, the launch Viola S sustained damage to its hull while anchored at low tide. The light at Sand Point
in Masset Inlet was wrecked during the storm on November 14. The S.S. Kennicot was wrecked near Queen Charlotte
City. The S.S. Princess Mary of the CPR, inbound from Alaska, was delayed by the stormy weather.
December 1-5, 1923
Event type: Severe storm.
Precipitation: Terrace (72.4 mm/1 day), December 1, 1923; Prince Rupert (199.4 mm/5 days), December 1-5, 1923;
Terrace (210.1 mm/5 days), December 1-5, 1923.
Source: The Evening Empire, December 3, and 4, 1923; The Daily News, December 1, 3 and 6, 1923;The Omineca
Herald, December 7, 1923; The Terrace News, December 7, 1923; The Alaska Daily Empire, December 3, 1923.
On December 1, a gale with a force of 50 mph (80.5 km/h) with gusts of 70 mph (112.7 km/h) caused
property damage in Prince Rupert. In the Westview area, Atlin Avenue/17 th Street was worst hit. Three blocks of
telephone and hydro poles were flattened, putting some 100 telephone poles out of commission. On Alfred Street
some greenhouses were damaged. The train traffic was delayed due to a slide at Shames.
The shipping was held up by delayed arrivals of the Prince John from the Queen Charlotte Islands and the
Princess Mary from the Alaska. The S.S. North Western was delayed for three days by heavy storms. On December 4,
a boat was found upside down. It was feared that a Kitkatla man was drowned in this mishap.
The road near the Terrace Bandstand was washed away on December 1. Logging roads were blocked by
fallen timber.
On December 6, Ocean Falls reported very heavy precipitation during the previous few days. On that date
the water level behind the new dam came within 15 ft. (4.5 m) of the top, a level higher than that of the old dam.
January 4-6, 1924
Event type: Non-fatal snow avalanche.
Precipitation: Prince Rupert (114.1 mm/2 days) January 4-5, 1924; Aiyansh (67.3 mm/2 days) January 4-5, 1924;
Stewart (114.3 mm/2 days January 5-6, 1924.
Source: The Evening Empire, January 4, 1924; The Daily News, January 4 and 5, 1924; The Portland Canal News,
January 11, 1924; B.C. Ministry of Transportation and Highways 1980.
A big snowstorm over the weekend blocked practically all the roads in the Stewart district. Frank Bowler
narrowly escaped injury, getting caught in a snowslide just north of the Old Wharf. The slide, which was 300 yd. (275
m) long and up to 20 ft. (6 m) deep, completely buried the stage outfit. The snow was very light. A big stump on the
upper side of the road broke its full force, preventing the horses, sled and driver from being swept into the river. It
took almost “a score of men” and several teams two days to open the road to the wharf. Due to snowslides on the
upper end of the Salmon Valley Road, the Crawford Transfer Co. stage was held up for several days at the Premier
Mine.
January 22-25, 1924
Event type: Snow avalanches.
Precipitation: Stewart (132.1 mm/4 days), January 22-25, 1924.
Source: Portland Canal News, January 25, 1924.
On January 19, due to heavy snowfall during the weekend, the Stewart-Hyder road was again blocked with
snowslides. On January 20, some 15 men and two teams worked all day to clear it.
February 10, 1924
Event type: Severe storm.
Precipitation: Not applicable.
Source: The Daily News, February 11, 1924; The British Columbian, February 12, 1924.
On October 12, Prince Rupert was hit by “one of the most destructive gales in her history.” Wind speeds
averaged 50 mph (80 km/h) with gust up to 70-80 mph. (112-128 km/h). The gale lifted about half of the roof of the
overhead approach to the Prince Rupert railway station. The wind swept up land turned over long stretches of sidewalk
near the Post Office and the B.C. Undertakers and along 3 rd Avenue and McBride Street. Gusts tore loose 150 ft. (45
m) of the 16-ft. (4.8 m) wide plank sidewalk on 2 nd Avenue. The north-facing roof end and the ceiling of the sitting
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