HISTORICAL NEWS SEARCH - Government of British Columbia

Exceptionally heavy rains and wind caused extensive damage in northern British Columbia. The area
affected extended down the Telkwa, Bulkley, and Skeena rivers. Small tributary streams turned into raging torrents,
bringing down many years’ accumulation of drift. Damage also occurred along the Kitsault River near Alice Arm and
on the Port Clements-Queen Charlotte City section of the Queen Charlotte Islands. Roads, bridges, and the rail line
sustained heavy damage. The provincial government agreed to provide money for road and bridge repair by special
warrant. Because of the cut in transportation links on November 6, shortages of certain food staples were reported
from Terrace, Usk, and waypoints. Terrace and Usk were completely cut off for two weeks. On November 10, heavy
rains were also reported from Anyox. A heavy snowfall in the lower Skeena Valley was reported.
On the rail line between Prince Rupert-Pacific, in addition to the regular section hands, 250 men worked to
repair the damage. At Salvus bridge, crews worked in two shifts. The tracks between Salvus-Kwinitsa were flooded
with 1.5-7 ft. (0.5-2.1 m) of water. The Skeena River took the old course north of the roadbed. At Salvus, the platform
and depot floated across the track and outbuildings floated 750 ft. (225 m) west of the depot. The section men used
boats to escape when the water came up to the windows of their houses. Between Terrace-Vanarsdol, part of the rightof-way
at Phillips Creek washed away, leaving the rails and ties suspended 40 ft. (12 m) in the air for a distance of 70
ft. (21 m). At Hardscrabble Creek, 6 mi. west of Pacific, both sides of the bank washed away: 30 ft. (10 m) on the east
side and 50 ft. (15 m) on the west side. East of Pacific at Fiddler Creek, a 15-ft. (5 m) high right-of-way washed out
over a distance of 200 ft. (60 m). A little further east, 300 ft. (90 m) of a 10 ft. (3 m) high grade were washed away.
On November 9, the rail traffic resumed, after the line had been out since October 25. The first regular train since
October 23 arrived at Prince Rupert on November 12.
The road between Skeena Crossing-Kitwanga was blocked and made impassable. This 2-mi. (3.2 km)
section west of Kitsequecla had been cleared of slides earlier in the year. The shovel had to go back again the next
year to clean it up. Roads and bridges in the Portland Canal-Stewart area sustained damage. Travel to the mining
properties in the Salmon and Bear River sections was interrupted. The Virginia Creek bridge abutments had to be
rebuilt. Extensive damage to the Dolly Varden Mine was expected, as heavy bridge timbers were seen floating in the
Kitsault River.
Queen Charlotte City reported 2 in. (50.8 mm) of rain. The road between Queen Charlotte City-Port
Clements sustained slight damage. There were a number of small slides and a small bridge near Skidegate washed out.
Bridge No. 29 north of the Guss Ross Ranch and Bridge No. 30 at N. Schafer Ranch were replaced. The total cost for
the bridge repairs, including the Kumdis bridge No. 55 and the small bridge in the centre of the Indian Mission,
amounted to $1,771.99. The temporary repairs of the bridge north of the wireless station cost $225.00.
December 31, 1935-January 2, 1936
Event type: Flooding.
Precipitation: Namu (85.9 mm/2 days), December 31, 1935-January 1, 1936; Stewart (35.5 mm/3 days), December 31,
1935-January 2, 1936.
Source: Vancouver Daily Province, January 3, 1936; The Daily Colonist, January 3, 1936; The Vancouver Sun, January
3, 1936.
Flooding in the Alice Arm area of the Portland Canal District caused heavy damage and partially paralysed
the mining industry in the area. The flood swept out bridges and tracks on the 16-mi. (25.6 km) Dolly Varden railway
between Alice Arm-West Creek. Every bridge along the route was swept away and many miles of track washed out or
twisted off the roadbed. The town of Alice Arm was saved when one of the mouths of the Kitsault River broke over
the flats above the town and found a new outlet.
February 28-29, 1936
Event type: Non-fatal snow avalanche.
Precipitation: Aiyansh (132.1 mm/2 days), February 28-29, 1936; Namu (44.2 mm/2 days), February 28-29, 1936;
Stewart (71.1 mm/2 days) February 28-29, 1936.
Source: The Stewart News and Northern Miner, March 6, 1936.
On March 1, part of a pack train near Stewart had a narrow escape when a slide came down on the Missouri
Road. *1) When returning from the Big Missouri mine, four members of a Crawford Transfer pack train encountered a
large slide blocking the road at Mile 13. Another slide came down at the same location, carrying away and burying
five packhorses. Twenty-three men summoned from the Big Missouri, cleared the slide and located the horses. The
animals were rescued but the harness was a complete loss.
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*1) The practice of breaking a pack train into small strings was common on winter trails prone to slides. Its efficiency
was proved in this case, as only one team was hit.
May 29-June 3, 1936
Event type: Spring runoff flooding.
Precipitation: Not applicable.
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