HISTORICAL NEWS SEARCH - Government of British Columbia

Source: The Daily News, May 30; June 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10 and 11, 1936; Evening Empire, May 30, June 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,
6, 8, 9,10, 11, 12,13 and 15, 1936; The Omineca Herald, June 3, 1936; The Vancouver Daily Province, June 2, 1936;
The Interior News, June 3, 10 and 17, 1936; The Omineca Herald and Terrace News, June 3, 10 and 17, 1936; October
29, 1947; Prince George Citizen, May 18, 1939; Terrace Omineca Herald, June 3, 1964; The Terrace Standard, May
31, June 7, 1989; The Daily Alaska Empire, June 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 9, 10 and 13, 1936; The Vancouver Daily Province, June
15, 1936; The Herald, May 4, 1972; Lloyd Johnstone, In: Terrace Review, Riverboat Days guide; Letter, June 9, 1936,
W.H. Cotton (Ass. Dist. Eng. Smithers) to A. Dixon (Chief Eng. Victoria). B.C. Ministry of Transportation and
Highways, Terrace; File G-20-01, Flood damage Range Dist. #9 Night letter, June 12, 1936, J.C. Brady (Dist. Eng.
Prince Rupert) to Chief Eng. Victoria. B.C. Ministry of Transportation and Highways, Terrace; Letter, June 12, 1936,
Carr (Road Foreman) to J.C. Brady: Damage from Floods - 1936 - Atlin District. B.C. Ministry of Transportation and
Highways, Terrace; Letters, June 15, August 31, 1936, W.H. Cotton to J.C. Brady. B.C. Ministry of Transportation
and Highways, Terrace; Letter, June 19, 1936, Road Foreman at Aiyansh to Hugh McDonald (General Foreman
Stewart). B.C. Ministry of Transportation and Highway, Terrace; Letters, June 17, 19, 27, 1936, M.J. Dougherty
(Public Works Terrace) to J.C. Brady. B.C. Ministry of Transportation and Highways, Terrace; Telegrams June 18 and
19, 1936, M.J. Dougherty to J.C. Brady. B.C. Ministry of Transportation and Highways, Terrace; File 27-40-0 Letter,
July 7, 1936, F. Park (General Foreman Vanderhoof) to J.C. Brady. B.C. Ministry of Transportation and Highways,
Terrace; File 35-41-10 Letter, July 13, 1936, W.H. Cotton to J.C. Brady: Estimated repair cost flood damage. B.C.
Ministry of Transportation and Highways, Terrace; File 32-40-51, Letter May 10, 1939, S.A. Cunliffe (Ass. Dist. Eng.)
to J.C. Brady. B.C. Ministry of Transportation and Highways, Terrace; Department of Mines and Resources 1937;
Environment Canada 1991; Meziadin Environmental Advisory Team 1975 (Vol. 3, Fig. 4-9); Asante 1972 (p. 47); Dr.
A.S. Gottesfeld, pers. comm. June 1, 1994; Weber (ed.) 1986.
A sudden rise in temperatures caused snowmelt and flooding conditions province-wide and in the Yukon
Territories and Alaska. The temperatures during the peak of the flood reached 90 o F (32.2 o C) in the shade and went as
high as 95 o F (35 o C) during the last week of May. On June 1, the temperature in Smithers was 90 o F (32.2 o C) and
94 o F (34.4 o C) in Prince George. The Skeena, Columbia, and Thompson rivers reached the highest levels in 30 years.
In the southern interior, the Fraser, Thompson and Columbia rivers flooded their banks.
According to the Native Indians, one would have to go back at least a hundred years to find a flood as bad as
that in 1936 (F. Frank, letter to The Herald, May 4, 1972). The rising water of the Skeena River at Usk was 360,000
cfs (10,194 m 3 /s) (W.S.C. In Meziadin Environmental Advisory Team 1975). On June 3, The Omineca Herald
reported, “All records for high water in the memory of men have been surpassed…. and Indians who have lived on the
Skeena (River) all their lives, say never saw the like. The country of the Skeena and its tributaries will never look the
same again... nearest [previous high water levels] ... in November 1917 and June 17, 1931 ... both those records are feet
below the present level of the water....” In Terrace, the main course of the Skeena River shifted from the south side of
Ferry Island to the north of it. The slough north of the island tripled in size to 300 yd. (275 m). On June 3, the
Kitsumkalum River near Terrace recorded a maximum daily discharge of 883 m 3 /s, setting an all-time record
(Environment Canada 1991). The Skeena River changed its course near Terrace and caused severe erosion
(Gottesfeld, pers. comm.). Most of the pasture on the flats below the bench was washed away (Asante 1972). The
lower part of the Frank Brothers farm at Kitsumkalum cut away 9 ac. (3.6 ha) of land. Floyd Frank described the
situation as follows: “We lost about 12 ac. (4.8 ha) of land in about three days. The river was like something gone
wild. Great waves, like rollers about 3 to 4 ft. (0.9-1.2 m) high, came down the river, carrying chunks of land, trees
and lumber...” (F. Frank In Weber 1986). Other losses around Terrace included 6 ac. (2.4 ha) from the Alex Kerr farm,
Sherwood’s barn and several acres of his land, and “considerable land” from the W. Godwin property. Also the farm
home belonging to Mr. and Mrs. John Loen was swept down the river. On Braun’s Island, several farms were swept
away and many horses and cattle were carried down the river. CNR electrician, William Reid, reported to have seen
23 houses, some of which from Usk, float down the Skeena River.
Usk and Remo were the most seriously stricken communities. Usk suffered more than anywhere else. The
whole town was covered with drift and debris. A logjam at Kitselas Canyon backed up the water in the canyon. Usk
was flooded by 6-10 ft. (1.8-3 m) of water. Several houses were entirely washed away and others floated off their
foundations. The railway station was flooded and the water reached the second floor of Lee Bethurem’s general store
and post office. Only three buildings escaped more or less undamaged: the Riverside House, belonging to Perry
Skinner, the John Williams residence, and Charlie Durham’s old hotel and poolroom. Around June 5, Constable H.R.
McKenay, together with another constable and a nurse, reached Usk with 700 lb. (300 kg) of provisions. A supply
bureau was established at Usk. Around the same time Remo was reached.
Mike Frye described the flooding situation in Usk, “Early May 1936, three days of steady rain caused the
Skeena River to flood its banks and flood the main valley. All the food from the local store owned by Jim Bethurem
was hauled upstairs to the balcony. Above the store was a dance hall and at the far end was the balcony where the
music played for the dances. The big store building was lifted off its foundations and settled at an angle with the back
end down. The women and older men cooked and slept in the school. The livestock congregated on the higher ground
about 1,500 ft. (450 m) from the landing at the schoolhouse. When the water rose crowding the cattle, these were shot.
Most of the carcasses were lost in the fast muddy water. Only a few were butchered for food. When the rain finally
stopped and the water receded, the deposited silt at the bottom of the hill was over a foot deep. The only food items
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