HISTORICAL NEWS SEARCH - Government of British Columbia

Ministry of Transportation and Highways, Terrace; Letter, December 3, 1945, J. C. Brady to W. R. Workman. B.C.
Ministry of Transportation and Highways, Terrace; Letter, December 11, 1945, Ass. Dist. Eng. Terrace to J. C. Brady.
B.C. Ministry of Transportation and Highways, Terrace; Letter, December 17, 1945, J. C. Brady to A. L. Carruthers
(Chief Eng.). B.C. Ministry of Transportation and Highways, Terrace; Letter, December 27, 1945, George Little & Son
Ltd. to J. C. Brady. B.C. Ministry of Transportation and Highways, Terrace; Letter, February 16, 1946, W. R.
Workman to J. C. Brady. B.C. Ministry of Transportation and Highways, Terrace; File 32-40-61 Letter, March 28,
1946, W. R. Workman (Ass. Dist. Eng. Smithers) to J. C. Brady (Dist. Eng. Prince Rupert). B.C. Ministry of
Transportation and Highways, Terrace; File 32-40-57 Letter, June 15, 1946, W.R. Workman to J.C. Brady. B.C.
Ministry of Transportation and Highways, Terrace; Letter, February 12, 1947, T.S. Mills (Chief Engineer Department
of Mines and Resources, Ottawa) to J.C. Brady (District Engineer, Prince Rupert). B.C. Ministry of Transportation and
Highways, Terrace.
On November 2, Prince Rupert was hit by 50-60 mph (80-96 km) winds. The storm, which was described as
“one of the wildest wind and rainstorms in history,” cut all railway and communication links. The heavy rains came
after several days of snowfall in the mountains. Intermittent power interruptions occurred as a result of damage to the
local circuits.
An Indian family of four perished after getting caught in a fierce storm off Klemtu. On November 2, their
submerged boat with two bodies was found at Poison Cove, some 90 mi. (144 km) south of Prince Rupert. The other
two people were missing and presumed drowned.
Terrace received 3.7 in. (94.0 mm) of rain with heavier rain falling west of Terrace. It was described as the
“heaviest short-period rainfall on record in the area west of Terrace.” Logging roads in the Terrace district sustained
heavy damage. Extensive slides and washouts occurred in the lower Skeena area. The headwaters of the Skeena and
Bulkley rivers were not subject to the rain and thaw. If this had been the case, 1936 flood conditions could have
occurred.
On the rail line between Prince Rupert-Pacific, over 30 slides (12 of which major ones) and washouts
occurred, cutting the rail and wire lines. The 80-mi. (128 km) stretch of track between Pacific-Skeena was impassable.
Two worktrains with Buildings and Bridges and extra gangs, pile driver, and dragline were dispatched from Smithers.
The worst washout was just west of Kwinitsa. An eastbound passenger train, an American Army Troop train with the
last contingent of 141 returning soldiers, got caught between two rockslides at Salvus for two days. All the available
equipment and some 250 men were set in to clear the tracks.
On November 3, a washout occurred at Mile 36.3 (Marble Creek?). The CNR alleged the washout was
caused by the blocking of a stream channel under the highway bridge, approximately 800 ft. (240 m) upstream from
the railway. Consequently the railway company submitted a claim in connection with the washout at Mile 36.3
(Mills). The movement of repair crews and equipment was delayed by the derailment of an auxiliary train. The
ditcher, oil car, and caboose derailed near Kaien. During clearing operations a few miles west of Pacific, a large 40-ft.
(12 m) crane went over the bank and ended up at the edge of the Skeena River. On November 23, the train service was
back to normal, after an interruption of 10 days.
On the Northern Trans-Provincial Highway (NTPH) between Prince Rupert-Terrace, a rockslide occurred at
Anscomb View near Rainbow Lake, 16 mi. (25.6 km) east of Prince Rupert. The slide, measuring a length of 200 ft.
(60 m), was cleared on November 8. A smaller slide came down 4 mi. (6.4 km) further east. Washouts occurred at
Tyee, with the worst one at the Tyee Hill. The heaviest damage occurred between Remo-Kwinitsa, with six slides and
the approaches to six bridges washed out. Between Remo-Shames, there were at least 12 washouts, some being 12-15
ft. (3.6-4.5 m) deep. At Kwinitsa, a washout occurred east of the tunnel. Two smaller slides came down between
Exstew-Salvus. A washout and a large debris slide measuring over 200 ft. (60 m) happened at Amsbury, at the same
location as the one that occurred on October 13.
The Zymacord River bridge got washed out. In Remo, about 0.25 mi. (400 m) west of the Kitsumkalum
bridge, a washout occurred, measuring a length of 300 ft. (90 m) and a depth of 10 ft. (3 m). The piling at the northeast
end and both the approaches of the Shames River bridge washed away, tilting the bridge. The repairs were hampered
by heavy snow. On December 5, the Public Works Department was still trying to reopen the highway. To repair the
bridge at Shames, a pile driver was brought down from Smithers.
On December 12, however, the Public Works officials warned people not to be too hopeful about an early
reopening of the highway between Terrace-Prince Rupert. The only major repairs left to be done were at the slide at
Amsbury and the Shames River bridge. On November 25, the repair cost to date for Amsbury was $1,130 and for
Remo $700, but the condition of the Shames bridge was still unknown. The cost just to open the road for Kwinitsa was
$500, Shames $700, Amsbury $2,130, and Remo $900, for a total cost of $4,280. Because of the heavy snow, up to 7
ft. (2.1 m), the crews were not able to reach Shames River.
On December 3, a road crew under foreman E.P. Smith reached a point about 1.5 mi. (2.4 km) east of Salvus,
and expected to reach Shames River by December 6 or 7. On December 21 the road was passable between Kwinitsa
and the Shames bridge. The rental of an U.S. Army Services D-4 Caterpillar tractor and labour for the period
November 6 to December 8 amounted to $1,267.43. On February 16, 1946, the road to Shames was opened. The
bridge crew started working on it again on February 18. George Little's tractor was employed to remove the logjam
under the bridge. On March 28, most of the repairs were completed, except for the rockfill around the piers and
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