HISTORICAL NEWS SEARCH - Government of British Columbia

installed across Granite Creek. The overall cost to repair the washout at Granite Creek was $2,187. Thornhill Creek
overflowed, running over the road surface for a distance of 300 ft. (90 m). The road shoulders were severely scoured.
Furlong Creek badly scoured the northern approach to the bridge.
In Terrace, the cover of the box drain crossing the Columbia Cellulose property collapsed in several places,
causing the water to rush in an open stream to Lakelse and Greig Avenue. The Alcan power transmission line between
the plant and the townsite was damaged.
Highway 16 east and west of Terrace and Highway 25 to Kitimat all had heavy washouts and trees across the
road. Highway 16 had six large trees across the road and 30 to 40 trees across the highway 9 mi. (14.4 km) west of
Terrace. On Highway 16 between Prince Rupert-Terrace, six slides occurred. The largest one was 35 mi. (56 km)
west of Terrace.
Heavy rain on October 30-31 caused slides, creating havoc in Cousins Inlet near Ocean Falls. On October
31, a slide from a logged-off area above Wallace Bay completely demolished two summer camps belonging to Mr. and
Mrs. I. Cairns and Mr. and Mrs. A.E. Corbin. Evidence was left of only one cabin. Part of one wall and the roof, lying
on its side, was visible. The other building was buried in the mud and silt, or washed into the sea. The triangularshaped
slide practically matched the section that was logged off over 30 years previous. The mud and earth at the
seashore was at least 30 ft. (9 m) deep. The two-log float, that was just out from the shore last summer, was partially
buried and a complete loss. Several other cabins were threatened. The largest creek in the central area of Wallace Bay
was jammed at the mouth, 70-100 ft. (21-30 m) into the salt water with trees, roots and stumps 3-6 ft. (0.9-1.8 m)
across. The summer camp of Mr. and Mrs. E. Prosser of Thompson Bay was also obliterated indirectly by another
slide or slides. It appeared at the mouth, with debris washed down from the valley beyond the building. This caused
the creek, swollen by the food waters, to back up and move the house and contents into Cousins Inlet. Damage was
estimated at approximately $1,500-1,900.
Between October 31-November 1, the government experimental farm near Smithers recorded 1.53 in. (38.9
mm) of rain. High winds on November 1 damaged the Fall Fair grounds fence and lifted the old display booth section
onto Highway 16. The road was closed until the debris was cleared.
November 30-December 5, 1959
Event type: Flooding and debris slides.
Precipitation: Kemano (98.0 mm/2 days), November 30-December 1, 1959; Sandspit A (121.1 mm/6 days), November
30-December 5, 1959; Ocean Falls (397.0 mm/6 days), November 30-December 5, 1959; Falls River (295.9 mm/4
days), December 2-5, 1959; Kitimat (249.4 mm/2 days), December 4-5, 1959; Kitimat Townsite (209.1 mm/2 days),
December 4-5, 1959; Terrace (148.3 mm/2 days), December 4-5, 1959; Prince Rupert (112.8 mm/2 days), December
4-5, 1959; Langara (75.1 mm/2 days), December 4-5, 1959; Kemano (125.3 mm/2 days), December 4-5, 1959; Falls
River (519.4 mm/10 days), December 4-13, 1959.
Source: The Vancouver Sun, December 7, 1959; The Northern Sentinel, December 10, 1959; The Omineca Herald,
December 10, 1959; Prince Rupert Daily News, December 1, 5 and 7, 1959; The Interior News, December 10, 1959; J.
Mekechuck, pers. comm. 1989. CN Railway, Edmonton, Alta.; File 28-20-31 No. 31 Port Edward - Cassiar Cannery
Road. B.C. Ministry of Transportation and Highways, Terrace; Teletype, December 2, 1959 R. E. McKeown, Dist.
Supt. to R. G. Harvey (Reg. Eng. Prince George). B.C. Ministry of Transportation and Highways, Terrace; Letter,
December 10, 1959 Harvey Grier (Dist. Mgr. Terrace) to C. S. Shaw (Dist. Supt. Terrace). B.C. Ministry of
Transportation and Highways, Terrace.
In the 48-hour period ending 4 a.m. on December 6, Prince Rupert recorded 4.44 in. (112.8 mm) and 60-mph
(96.6 km/h) gusts. Terrace had 10 in. (254.0 mm) in 36 hours and Kitimat 5.5 in. (139.7 mm) in 24 hours or 8.5 in.
(215.9 mm) in 72 hours. Heavy rain and gale force winds were reported throughout the area. More than 20 slides were
reported on all roads leading into Terrace.
In Prince Rupert, winds caused property damage and many basements flooded. The winds were strong
enough to scatter lumber in several yards and rip tarpaper from buildings under construction. At the Dominion Pool
Hall, water rose to within a few inches of the underside of the billiard tables. Hays Creek threatened bridges in
McClymont Park.
On December 2, a slide occurred on the rail line at Mile 80.3 (highway Mile 5.2) between the Sunnyside-
Cassiar canneries. The shoulder of the road under construction broke away, covering the tracks to a depth of 6 to 7 ft.
(1.8 to 2.1 m) over a distance of 60 ft. (18 m). Two subsequent slides happened, one of which derailed a freight train.
Highways Superintendent R.E. McKeown admitted, “No doubt our operations contributed to some extent.” Passenger
train No. 196 was delayed at Mile 79.6 for three hours. A D-6 Cat and a 1-yd. shovel were used to clear the slide.
On December 4, a second slide came down east of the slide that happened on December 2. The rockslide at
the Cassiar cannery derailed two engines and 12 loaded grain cars. On December 5, a mudslide occurred at Phelan,
measuring a length of 500 ft. (150 m) and a depth of 50 ft. (15 m). It wrecked a worktrain, pushing CNR trucks, a
water car and an equipment car 100 ft. (30 m) into the Skeena River. The telegraph and long distance telephone lines
were knocked out. The rail line was closed for 32 hours (J. Mekechuck, pers. comm.).
In Kitimat, several road washouts occurred in town. The most serious washout occurred early on December
5, when the bank along Lahakas caved into the edge of the road. On December 5, the Kitimat River rose to near-flood
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