The Chilliwack Progress from Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada • Page 2

THE CHILLIWACK PROGRESS. Sept. 20, 1950 COMMUNITY PORTRAITS Iii My Small Corner C.M.B. 31w (Ehtlltitmrk Progress Member Audit Bureau of Circulation Class A Weeklies of Canada, and Canadian Weekly Newspaper Assoc. Subscriptions: In Canada, $2.50 yearly; United States and Foreign, S3.00, Published at 39 Yale Street East every Wednesday by The Chilliwack Progress and authorised as second class mail.

Post Office Department. Ottawa. Postal address: payable yearly or halt yearly in advance. Barber, Publisher Publishers' Record of ABC Circulation Last Week 4372 Box 160, Chilliwack, ts.u. L.

Establhlxd IS 9 7 i Open Letter to Alex C. Hope, MLA, Delta wack Regional Fair. It is the only Class air on i Dear Mr. Hope: W'c sec bv the despatches th.it you are suggesting a regional fair tor the Eraser Valley one which lasts for three or four days. You are also quoted as saying the population of the lower mainland warrants such an enterprise.

This is to advise you that (1) The Frascr Valley already has a regional fair. It is held at Chilliwack and is called the Chilli the lower mainland. (2) Our fair, which is a pretty good one, lasts three days. (3) W'c would appreciate your assistance and would ask, particularly, that you keep this situation in mind when you are opening other fairs, including the one at Cloverdale. Sincerely, Willie.

The Problem of the Future It seems as though every B.C. newspaper columnist of any standing at all has turned into a tourist this year. First of all, in the spring, Penny Wise investigated conditions in the South Seas and told us all about them. Then Margaret Ecker went to Sumatra. Mamie Moloney visited New York and eastern Canada.

Alt Cottrell is still busy touring the interior of B.C. I notice that Jean 1 lowarth is about to set lorth on a trip covering the Okanagan cities, and that l'at Wallace is leaving shortly for Lngland. And of course Jack Scott has now reached the other side of the continent after the most lengthy and elaborate travelogue of them all. There seem to be two ways of going about these writing tours. The first method is strictly promotional, and hrmly based upon the well-known fact that more flies are to be caught with honey than with vinegar.

It should absolutely guarantee a rise in circulation in the areas visited. Under this system the columnist goes starry-eyed Ironi place to place. Lach town lie enters is more beautiful than the last, more progressive from a business point of view, more fully-packed with friendly, genial, hospitable citizens, as many of whom are mentioned by name in the column as often as is humanly possible. The writer never finds anything to criticize, anything to cause him a moment's disappointment, regret, or anger. Everywhere he goes tne pies are the crustiest, the songs are the lustiest, the folks are the trustiest.

I he second approach to the travel column is that of the Dim View. A Dim View columnist is always sponsored by a very prosperous paper and by a shrewd, tamragcous editor who gives his star writer carte blanche, reasoning that a good controversy is about as stimulating to circulation as a contest. A Dim View columnist is almost certain to start a lot of controversies. He never interviews Chamber of Commerce officials, or town dignitaries, or members of the Board of Trade. Instead he talks to the down-trodden, the unemployed, the refugees, the poverty-stricken, the dismayed and fearful.

1 le uncovers all sorts of tragedy and injustice. hen he linds that the roads are bad, or the people stupid or unobliging, or that the crops have tailed, or that the water is not fit to drink, or the town is hideous or moribund, he does not hesitate to tell you so, in bitter, brilliant prose. He linds some things that are funny but even his amusement is somehow rueiul. He sends home some dispatches that are masterpieces of reporting, some wonderful, thoughtful, sensitive observations. But a lot of what he writes no matter how smoothly or intelligently it is done makes you wish that he had just stayed home.

It would be natural to suppose that almost every problem affecting Canada and Canadians would have been discussed and analysed by some of these roving reporters this summer. But 1 have not yet seen a word written, nor yet heard one spoken, in protest about a serious situation that has troubled inc for months. Apparently it remains for me, sitting quietly here at home without going so tar as to draw public attention to a national problem that in my mind, and 1 am sure in many others, has assumed the proportions of a minor tragedy. Of course, the person I shuuld have taken this question up with was the Postmaster-General, The I Ion. Mr.

Kintret, hen he visited British Columbia two or three weeks ago. Unfortunately our paths did not happen to cross socially during his trip so I didn't have a chance to tell him, politely but with immense firmness, how much one obscure Canadian dislikes his most recent issue of one. two, and three-cent stamps. 1 or one ho has never collected them, 1 to be unusually sensitive to stamps. 1 have all my life been proud of the splendid appearance of the Canadian ones.

I have never Listened one on a letter, or cheque, without a feeling of satisfaction and pleasure. Digmlied but colorful, neat but not gaudy, there was a distinction to all our old issues that could never be denied. 1 hey were stamps with real character the ones of my childhood with the marvellous old face of George looking benignly at his subjects, the ones of more recent years with George VI looking resplendent in military uniform. It seems to me that as British subjects we are extremely fortunate in having as our king a man who must surely be one ol the handsomest monarchs of all history. I have never seen a poor photograph of His Majesty.

Even in casual news shots at times when lie has been tired, ill, or harassed, his features reproduce magnificently. The lean, distinguished face, the well-set eyes, the fine mouth, the kindly expression are all splendid and unforgettable. The old stamps showed them clearly and well. But the new ones are hideous and shameful. The 4c stamp is the best of the lot.

It is a rather grim profile, with that decapitated look which, is all right on coins but unpleasant on stamps. The 3c stamp presents the King as a white-haired, unhappy looking man wearing a business suit and a shirt whose collar is a little limp. He looks like a broker telling a client that he is sorry the stocks have dropped so badly in price. A gigantic, disproportionate numeral 3 reaches shoulder-high on this depressing likeness. But it is better than the lc stamp.

The lc stamps shows the King in profile. 1 le looks about seventeen years old, and none too bright at that. In an effort to add character to his face the artist has added a bit of darker color to the. royal lips and eyes. This gives him the faintly rakish look of a male ballet-dancer, whose chin is resting, almost, upon the enormous numeral 1.

I have never seen so ugly a stamp in all my life. If you have not seen one, or even better, if you have and agree with me, I think you should go out and buy a few hundred. Perhaps in that way we can reduce the supply on hand and finally exhaust the issue. If this fails, for the sake of Canadian prestige, we shall have to organize a crusade to march to Ottawa and appeal to Mr. Rinfret.

I will gladly volunteer. I could at least be the first B.C. columnist to travel across Canada on foot The veil is at last off the Cherry Carnival financial statement and it reveals a loss of between $250 and $500 on this year's operations. The deficit in itself should not be overstressed. When it comes to losing money on such affairs, we're pikers by comparison with Penticton for instance, which is supposed to have dropped between 56,000 and $7,000 on this year's Peach Festival and a total of $10,000 on the last of three Peach Festivals.

Sincere appreciation of the Carnival committee's efforts is due. Carnival sponsors admit conditions were well nigh perfect at this year's carnival. The show was satisfactory, the weather perfect and scores of people worked like beavers to make it a success. Yet the Carnival -was not a financial success. There should be a thorough analysis of the whole Julv 1 show and undoubtedly there will be, for' neither the Board of Trade nor the Kinsmen club, sponsors of the event, can go on absorbing losses indefinitely.

Such losses are frequently written off "publicity." When all the man hours, the free labor, the loss of business and farm time is added up, the "publicity" bill comes reasonably high, although the actual loss, in dollars and cents, may be relatively Although it is too early to assess the financial outcome of the recent Exhibition, it is reasonable to suppose the Fair may have a hard time staying on the right side of the ledger. Gate receipts are down and presumably, costs are up. One of the problems facing the sponsors will be whether it would not be wise to merge the two events, to pool our efforts and put on one bang-up show and if necessary, absorb one loss. They may find some way of reducing expenditures andor increasing revenues. They must, however, not only find enough revenue to make the current show pay but to provide for carnivals and fairs which are hit by bad weather.

If some means can be found to entice Chilliwack people to such affairs in larger numbers, the problem will solve itself. The number of people attending the Fair and the Carnival, related to the total number in the area, was not large. Both affairs merit-ted greater support from local people than was given. So far, the key to this situation has not been found and it isn't for want of trying by those responsible. Chilliwack would be a poor district- if it is not prepared to invest something in such communty institutions as the Fair and the Carnival and a $500 loss itself is something that will cause few headaches.

Future plans call for some real head scratching. 77 ACTON Fit AN CIS PKLLY, liquor vendor The number 13 played a startlingly important part in Acton Felly's life and even though the effect was jnearly disastrous it doesn't seem to bother Chilliwack's genial native-born liquor vendor. The events leading up to the Questionable Other Days in Chilliwack Valley Taken from the Files of The Progress Written by C.A.B. remain so as long as he lives. People may not like his particular brand of politics but they cannot doubt the man's sincerity, lie will have no truck with socialism.

He is a fighting exponent of fighting Conservatism and there are precious few people in the party who can be so described. He may not be a leader, he may not be the kind of Conservative who can get voles for his party but he is forthright, able in his own right and as much a credit to his party as Mr. Johnson, the premier, is to the Liberal party. There is every indication that many Liberals and many Conservatives are getting ready for the breakup of the Coalition. Mr.

Anscomb's departure from the leadership of the Conservative party may be a prelude, if it occurs. The use of smear tactics do not augur well for those in the Conservative party who are endeavouring to eliminate Mr. Anscomb as Conservative leader or. as a questionable means to a dubious end. In their efforts to moe the Hon.

Herbert Anscomb off the throne of the provincial Conservative partv, some people have resorted to muck raking of a kind which must disgust many British Columbians. These people have been at great pains to point out a connection between Mr. Anscomb and the wine industry, a connection which has been well-known for years. Mr. Anscomb has been linked with sinister liquor interests bv those within his own party who oppose him.

This campaign, timed to coincide with pre-provincial convention arrangements and the controversy over the leadership of the party, does little credit to those who are stirring it up. And while we hold no brief for either Mr. Anscomb or the Conservative party, the campaign does the man a rank injustice. Mr. Anscomb is a dyed-in-the-wool Tory and will and Dr.

Patten in men's open doubles Bv defeating city 1-0 Sardis football club wins uirhe.it! cup. I ORTY YEARS AGO TLN YEARS AGO Sept. IS, 1940 Smiling skies greet large crowds for opening day of Chilliwack I air following wet judging day. Showing of heavy and light horses outstanding. Stores close Thursday afternoon as well as Wednesday.

Show gets excellent backing from business community Men 21 to 24 called for medical examination and military training Victory bond sales reach Red Cross and Women's Institute members put up 6U0 cans of fruit Harry Berry wins City 36-hoIe open golf tournament for fourth time with 142 score. Bill Sharon second with 146 and "Doog" Davis third with 150 in a field of 29 Miss Patricia Leavens swims'from Dumvill Beach to park boat house, 3 I2 miles, in 55 minutes, ten minutes better than year previous Cultus Lake Park blacked out when lightning hits transformers during worst electrical storm of season. A Greater Chilliwack quently gives no indication of the number of people doing business in it. This stuation applies to Chilliwack. The town has a population of about 5000 and the municipality about 13,000.

The conception of a municipality is, unfortunately, foreign to the eastern mind. Frequently, areas like Chilliwack city and municipality get the short end of a deal because easterners insist on thinking of Chilliwack city alone. It is to be hoped the federal government when it takes a census next year, will see the wisdom of providing a combined figure which will do justice to the area as a whole. We don't want more than our share we simply want what's coming to us. The Chilliwack Board of Trade undertook a good piece of work for the district recently when it endorsed the principle of asking the federal government to create for census purposes, a "Greater Chilliwack." A "Greater Chilliwack" sounds grandiose for an area such as ours but it's not that we're getting too big for our boots.

It is just that we want our boot size recognized for what it is. When eastern firms are allocating business in various centers of population across Canada, they frequently work on the basis of town population. In British Columbia, the population of a town fre Sept. 14, 1910 Spark from nearby bush hie ignites roof of house at corner of Reece and Robson. lire brigade saves home from destruction.

Charles Dolman, by hitching hole reel behind his horse and cart greatly assists in getting equipment to scene of blaze Bartlett Bros, sell Rosedale general store to Charles W. and Elgin Munro, Camp Slough, and D. C. Christie disposes of his blacksmithing business to James Castleman, a popular Rosedale resident George Ross, Regina, begins auctioneering business I-red Goodell, Yale road, sustains chest injuries when loaded wagon passes over him M. A.

Als-gard, Vancouver, opens tea room and ice cream parlor in Knight block C. E. Chapman, Mount Forest, takes over A. J. Bell photo studio, and W.

S. I'orsyth re-opens his studio in new buildin Bank of British America opens branch at Agassiz Rosedale wins Valley baseball honors by defeating league-leading Hope team 9-1 at Agassiz. Champions Inions Ryder If, Laughlin ss, Cameron lb, Good cf, Muirhead 3b, Mercer 2b, Thompson ss, Nottingham rf. IIETY YEARS AGO Sept. 19, 1900 A count was made of 400 Indians sitting on town sidewalks Saturday, waiting to spend their hop picking earnings before leaving for reserves.

Average earnings per picker $14. Some Indians nmue as much as $40 during the picking season Public meeting at Cheam decides t.i nrn- one day after a customs guard had literally creased his hair with a bullet. There are several other amusing incidents that he recalls, as a result of war-time rationing. One day a lady came into tie store and explained thai her son, who was away, had written to her to buy the father tne best bottle of Scotch available. Tnis lady was not a regular visitor to the store and w.i.1 very shy about the whole thing.

Sue had her sister aong for company. Just as she was getting served a previous customer leit the store and the door clicked. One of the venders immediately said: 'Hello, Mr. giving the name of the lady's minister. She turned around quickly aiul then started to laugh, as did her sister, when she saw the joke.

Such jokes apparently are common around the store. Mr. Pelly says that he and his stall' get along well and that fun is the order of the day when business is not pressing. How2 ever, the staff knows how to work when the occasion warrants. Mr.

Pelly was born in Chilliwack August 16, 1895, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Justinian Pelly. He came into the world in a house that since has burned down but which stood where Dr. R.

G. Foster's home is now. Dr. J. C.

Henderson, father of Dr. W. E. Henderson, who practises here now, attended at the birth and for years later Mrs. Henderson would refer to Mr.

Pelly as her baby. Mr. Pelly had two brothers, one still living, and a sister. The brother, Raymond, lives in Chilliwack and his sister, Mrs. Miriam Donovan, resides in Melville, Sask.

The other brother, Rupert, died of diphtheria while a child. His father had come to Chilliwack in 1894 from New Westminster where he had lived with his sister and brother-in-law, Rev. Acton Sillatoe, who was the first Anglican Bishop of New Westminster and Kootenay. Mr. Pelly Sr.

practised law here before becoming the second provincial registrar in the district. Leaving that position he became a real estate and insurance salesman. He died in January, 1948, at about 90 years of age. His wife died in May of this year, also aged 90. Mr.

Pelly attended elementary school here but went to England in 1906, staying until 1912. He attended a preparatory school in Dursley, Gloucestershire, and then schools at Chelton College and Bradley Court. Returning, he attended CHS briefly before going to work at Harrison Mills' on a tow boat and then on to Vernon. He came back to Chilliwack again just in time to be called from the militia into the active force on August 10, 1914, six days after war was declared. He was posted to the 131st" battalion as a driver and stayed at that post for almost a year despite strenuous efforts to get posted to an overseas-bound unit.

He finally was posted to the 131st battalion just before it went overseas, as a rifleman, rather than a driver. After advanced training at Vernon the unit went to England. A week later Mr. Pelly and his comrades were in the front line. Mr.

Peliy's disability, if you could call it that and he doesn't, didn't hinder him from being active in many ways. He climbed mountains, including Cheam. incidence of 13 in Mr. Peliy's life are uniform for the most part. Like many of his age lie was in the Canadian Army during the First World War.

That is where Mr. Peliy's history took an unexpected change from normal. The change started one April day in 1916 at a small Belgian village known as Vimy. It was a Friday, the 13th of April and Mr. I'elly, with other members of the 47th battalion was engaged in the battle of Vimy Ridge.

A chance shot and he became a "Believe it or not subject. The time was 1:30 p.m., just a lew hours belore Mr. I'elly was due for transfer to a mechanical transport unit doctor's orders. The bullet struck him in the left ankle, putting him out of action. But the chain of events was starting to form.

As he was being carried back to an aid station a German shrapnel shell came over, killing two German prisoners of war who were acting as stretcher bearers. Mr. Pelly was hit in his right leg and the back. Finally he arrived at the 13th field hospital for preliminary treatment. Next he was transferred to the 13th Casualty Clearing Station at Bruay and as if that wasn't enough he next travelled to the 13th General hospital at Boulogne, France.

The next fourteen months were spent in bed at Hampstead General hospital, just northwest of London as doctors tried to save what was left of his leg but gas gangrene had set in and eventually the doctors had to amputate above the knee. After fifteen tedious months in Hampstead hospital Mr. Pelly finally was transferred to a rehabilitation center at Buxton, Derbyshire, for about a month before orders came to return to Canada. Kirkland was the next stop where a week's wait ensued for a boat that would carry him back across the Atlantic, which he had crossed in 1915 as a member of a reinforcement battalion. He finally reached Toronto, where he was on leave for a period until being discharged on Feb.

28, 1919, after which he headed back to his native Chilliwack. On his return he worked for the Fraser Valley Taxi company, owned by Crowley and Cruick-shanks, also two returned men, before entering General hospital in Vancouver for a third and final operation on the remnant of his leg. Then he came back to Chilliwack, working at the Chilliwack Garage where he stayed until he took up farming. It was while on the farm that the job as an employee of the Liquor Control Board came up. Hugh Laughlin, then vendor, suggested to Mr.

Peliy's father that he apply for a position in the store that was then situated on the corner of Princess and Main. He was accepted and started work there on July 1, 1921. In October, 1946. Mr. Laughlin retired and Mr.

Pelly took over as vendor. He recalls that during prohibition in the United States there was a man from Whatcom County who was a steady customer at the Chilliwack store. He made about half a dozen trips here in an old Ford and each time returned to the U.S. over one route or another with from 12 to 15 cases of whiskey. His luck gave out, however, and he was caught Country Editor By JIM GREENBLAT tiated Canada's confederation were men who knew Democracy's big idea that, "God shall rule in the affairs of men" and that it is from this idea and none other that the conception of man's equality and brotherhood springs." TWENTY YEARS AGO Sept.

18, 193 0 Abundant hop and tobacco crops being harvested on Sumas reclaimed lands where a few short years ago a placid lake provided a home for thousands of wild fowl H. J. Barber, MP, announces tariff increase against American hops; government action a boost to B.C. growers Campbell River Logging Co. operating in Cultus Lake and Chilliwack River limits, goes into receivership Large hop kiln and contents at Canadian Hop Growers yards on Sumas destroyed by fire with $45,000 loss Al Evans establishes game reserve at base of Sumas mountain, opposite pump station Board of Trade organized at THIRTY YEARS AGO Sept.

16, 1920 High school opens with 111 students enrolled under H. C. Eraser, principal, and V. Woodworth, vice-principal Hop picking in full swing with 1400 Indians assembled at Sardis Chief of Police David Richardson attends Canadian National Exhibition by special invitation as next-of-kin of late Piper Richardson VC. All winners of Empire's highest military honor resident in Canada, guests of Exhibition management Mrs.

Doug Cohen wins ladies' singles tennis championship in two straight sets from Airs. M. II. Ruttledge. Men's open singles won by Jack Davies, while Jack Davies I i t-tcu witii iormaiion ot company to operate combined butter and and cheese factory as outlined by the time.

Many businesses have not passed on the full costs that have been rising since 1942. Rather, they hoped some levelling off would have occurred. Now they are behind the eight-ball and the gravy they are lapping is not the gravy of war years." The train whistle is Cana-ada's national anthem. Granby Leader-Mail. The Bridgewater, N.B., Bulletin quotes a senior civil servant of the department saying: 'Unemployment insurance i making bums out of some young men.

They would rather take $18 a week in insurance than go where work is available." Adds. "Insurance is only good if it is paid out under sound business principles." The Brampton. Conservator asserts editorially that "The founding fathers who ini- -vtr. ivincaiu w. 1: I ems pays $20 .1 fnr W.

Ferris pays $20 a f.mr fnr Comments the Olds, paper: "It's not all gravy- -as a matter of fact, most businesses will admit that the gravy is getting thin with costs rising all 30-foot lot on Wellington street; price considered good for busmcss frontage Gillanders Parsons, clothiers, dissolve partnership, Mr. Parsons continuing A Chilliwack woman elopes with a steamboat employee; is located in New Westminster by Constable Scott and returned to her home Bert Reade provides a circus performance on Westminster street while breaking in a colt to saddle; he succeeded in taming the animal Mrs. S. Mellard is hostess to a surprise party of lively voting people By Jimmy Hatlo fcttotw ft. rM They'll Do It Every Time rrjsr DO JZ vai rDDv MADAM tST IF 5TKOODLE.

Or STROOPLE'S BLOCK- Ajslfe WM SQUARE PMRhAAC j0 ffkg0 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Editor, The Progress mi feKLL QUICK! GOT AHY IODINE? His peg leg was just the thing fur bouncing around, he recalls. He joined the Great War Veterans' Association and followed it into the Canadian Legion, where he has held nearly every post, including that of president in 1941. He also is a member, one of the first in B.C., of the Amputation Association of Canada and was one of the first in Vancouver to get an artificial limb manufactured for veteran amputees. He is a one-time member of Rotary club. Mr.

Pelly married Roberta I. Edmondson of Chilliwack on Jan. 1, 1937, and has no children. The Pellys live at 26 Princess east. Now, Mr.

Pelly has got the latest thing nn artificial limbs. It does have its drawbacks, however. With the peg leg he could go almost anywhere when he was gallivanting around hunting, fishing or what have you besides the mountain work. The new-fangled limb gives way too easy on that sort of thing. tiUOHT HIS HANI? cost of production.

And who is able to say just what the consumer is able to pay. Mr. Nicholson should be more interested in representing the farmer than the consumer. In view of daily rising prices will he continue to insist on 17c milk? His reasoning that higher prices from lower consumption is not shared by the manufacturers of tires, sugar, coffee, etc. At any rate he has convinced the consumer that any increase in the price of milk would be unwarranted and a case of sheer greed.

Although I have stopped shipping milk temporarily I am all for the FVMPA. I believe it is a good organization and if it will have leadership that's democratic and interested in the farmers' welfare, it will continue to grow. II. Iliebert, KR2, Chilliwack I wrote a letter to "Butterfat," organ of the FVMl'A, criticizing the stand taken by the association president, Mr. Nicholson, re milk prices.

I believe our president should be most anxious to air a matter of such importance but he must have thought it better to suppress any criticism that probably represented the view held by-many members of FVMPA. He even went so far as to state that he know of no opposition among the members. To deal with his report would take too much space but among other things he staled that the salvation of the dairy industry lies in the willingness of the farmers to sell milk at a price the consumer is able to pay. Now this sounds very nice but willingness will not buy a cow feed and the price of milk must of necessity, be governed by the TTTTL, CS- II iM S3. IUHL JLwu now the story BEHIND THE STORYUERE'S THE MEDICINE G4BINET IM TWE STROODLE HOMESTEAD-.