19811022_Cariboo Observer-1.pdf - the Quesnel & District Museum ...

, 6-QUESNEL CARIBOO OBSERVER, THURSDAy, OCTOBER 22, 1981
After l e n g t h y s e a r c h
B i r t h m o t h e r f i n a l l y l o c a t e d
By
RUTH SCOULLAR
After beingseparated
for 27 years,
adoptee , Leane
ScliimeH'inig started a
search for her birth
mother five years ago
in Quesnel. .
Her search was carried
on Ihrough f^arcnl
Finders which ended in
success last October.
For more than a year,
now, Leane has lived in
Kamloops but on a recent
Thanksgiving
weekend visit to
Quesnel, she told the
Observer how' it all
•came about.
She found her
mother and halfbrother,
Bob, living in
Vancouver and a halfsister,
Doreen, living
only two blocks from
her in Kamloops.
Her search started by
writing to Parent
Finders but dropped
the idea for a couple of
years when a letter was
returned, incorrectly
addressed.
"1 couldn't contact
anyone who knew
anything about the
organization," Leane
recalls.
A welfare worker
phoned,Parent Finders
in Vancouver who gave
her Lynn Worden's
name as a representative
for our area.
Worden had been in
Quesnel about three
•years and il was a year
later that she goi the
program going.
• Leane's search iiself
took only about six
months.
"We got into a lot of
dead ends at firsi."
Leane had her baptismal
cerlificaic with
her birih mother's and
father's name. This
should have been
destroyed. Usually,
when you are adopted,
all papers are destroyed
and no names of any
kind arc released.
: Having been advi.sed
to read the obituaries,
Leane discovered a
nolice which contained
ihe name of the godmother,
Yvonne. She
wrote 10 the doctor
mentioning the
obituary noiice, asking
that a Idler be forwarded
to Yvonne, asking if
she was the same person
on Leane's birth
cerlificaic.
"A couple of weeks
later we received a reply
asking if il could have
anylhing lo do wilh the
adopiion of a baby girl.
She enclosed her
number. Lalcr, Yvonne
told me all she could.
NEW LEADS
Leane wrote lo Victoria
and received the
basic run-down of her
b'a c k g r o u n d all
adoptees are eniiiled
to, which showed she
came from a small farming
communily in
Saskatchewan. The
search then ccniered in
Ihat area.
She wrote ihe iracing
and reunion branch of
ihe Red Cross bul
received no reply. I.eilers
wrillcn lo ihc archives
in Saskalchewan
and Victoria resulted in
only .Saskalchewan
replied, saying noihiiig
THE SIGN OF A
GOOD BUSINESS
NEIGHBOR . . .
THE SIGN OF
A MERCHANT
WHO CARES
ABOUT PEOPLE . . .
This Ofnblern identifies
the civic-minded
businessmen who sponsor
im
in the community
For infnrmijttrjn caH
Phone 992-6463
747-1453
could be found of what
she was looking for.
Although Leane had
Ihe name of her faiher,
mother and godmother
on the baptismal certificate
signed by the
priest, he , could
remember nothing. The
priest died short after.
Yvonne was ihe
church secretary and
recalled how she'had
been called in one night
lo witness her first baptism.
She did not know
Leane's mother. She
never forgot it although
she was only' 16 years
old at the time.
"What we didn'i
know was thai
mother's and father's
names had both been
switched. Not only
thai, mother's name
was misspelled," says
Leane.
Worden says thai
you go by whatever
variations of names
you can find. They had
about 20 combinations
of the name using every
Ukrainian last syllable
Ihey could think of.
A Parent Finder in
Saskatchewan said he
knew an older Ukrainian
fellow in a small
town, bul he changed
the names around again
and it happened lo be
the right way.
COINCIDENCES
"A year ago in June
the Saskalchewan
Parent Finder phoned
my mother's parents
asking for her. ll was a
coincidence thai she
had been visiiing ihere,
the first lime for 10-15
years."
He asked her if she
had ever been in Vancouver
and ai first she
said yes, I hen changed
her siory several limes.
Leane says, "I guess
in her own way she was
trying to drop a hint
bul noi to lei anyone
else know whal was
happening."
She did noi tell him
she had an adopted
daughler.
After he found oui
the lasi names were
wrong, we felt we were
back lo square one.
But Ihere were so
many coincidences ihal
Leane fell compelled to
track ihc woman down
and verify it once and
SCHIMELFENIG
...reunited
for all. The Parent
Finder's director in
Vancouver contacted
Yvonne who promised
to help with the search.
From the city directory,
they found
Leane's mother worked
for SuperValu. Yvonne
wcnl 10 all the Super­
Valu slores closest to
where Leane was born.
After many days of
searching, it was finally
discovered Leane's
mother worked in a
branch in North Van­
couver.
Yvonne was willing
lo meei face to face
with the mother, as she
was the only person
who would recognize
her. But she knew that
she must be very
careful to meet her
privately when the rest
of the family were not
around.
Finally, Yvonne
phone Leane lo say that
she was going lo make
one more at tempi to see
Leane's mother.
"If 1 can't gel hold
of her we might as well
forgel aboul il because
ii's jusi noi meant lo
be," she had said.
FOUND
Thai day, Leane's
mother was home, by
herself, and she said
she had been wailing
ever since lhal day back
in .lune when she
received ihe phone call
in Saskalchewan.
Leane recalls, "They
had a long lalk. Thai
evening my mother
phoned me. Another
coincidence, loo, as il
was my birthday, October
27."
Originally she had
said she and Leane
would correspond
through Yvonne but
phoned later to say she
would tell her husband.
She phoned later to
say she u-as going to sit
down and tell her husband
about Leane,
which she did, and he
was even more happy
about finding out than
anyone.
A couple of days
later she phoned Leane
to make arrangements
to meet but first she
wanted to talk to
Leane's half-brother.
They weren't sure
whether they were going
to tell her halfsister,
Doreen, because
she is very sick. They
didn't know how she
would accept it.
Another problem
was that Doreen has
always thought that her
mother's father was her
faiher. The sister is
older than Leane. With
three separate fathers
involved, trenhendous
complications arise
when the sister suddenly
realized he wasn't
her father after all.
"They talked it over
and decided to go to
Kamloops and talk to
Doreen. Eventually, I
found out she lived only
two blocks from me.
They were worried
about that, with the
kids going lo the same
school," says Leane.
"She took the news
very well. We are now
very close, she is over at
my place or I'm at hers
or we talk on the phone
every day."
Leane had not been
able lo meei her mother
until last New Year's.
Knowing her sister had
made it easier by this
lime.
COMING HOME
"When we got down
there, Dad came out
and gave me a big hug
and kiss. Mom was
talking on the phone
when 1 came in and she
said, well, I've got to
go, my brats are home.
1 felt like I was home.
The first time I had
seen her for 27 years."
Leane also ' got lo
meet her 22 aunts and
uncles.
"It's been like I've
alwys known them. I
don't feel like I lost all
D e v e l o p i n g
n e w J o b s
Nearly 3000 British Columbians are employed by B.C Rail.
They're members of a vital rail-system that's playing a key-role in the
development of our province.
Technicians, dispatchers, trainmen, line maintenance crews and those
who serve B.C Rail's customers...by helping to get B.C resources such
as lumber, plywood, pulp, mineral concentrate and sulphur from industry
to phme market destinations, they're helping to build our economy
All up and down the line thousands of other jobs develop as the payrolls
of B.C Rail and major industry are spent and invested in scores of
communities as far north as Fort Nelson. And that means strong
growing communities...good places in which to live and raise families.
B.C RAIL YOUR RESOURCE RAILWAY.
B R I T I S H
C O L U M B I A
R A I L W A Y
those years. It's just as
if they had always been
my parents which is exceptional
to be put into
a family and treated as
all the rest."
Her mother said she
had wondered many
times what had happened.
There wasn't a birthday
went by that she
didn't think of her
daughter.
Parent Finders are
located across Canada
with contacts to several
different groups in the
States, such as Alma,
Orphanage Voyage, as
well as organizations in
England, Wales, New
Zealand, and
Australia.
Adoptees are legally
not allowed to be
reunited with their real
parents. There are
some provinces, but
not B.C., which are
quietly facilitating reunions.
Worden says that
one of the provinces,
Saskatchewan, she
thinks, was going ro
take 100 names and try
to see what happened
when reunions resulted.
Leane was lucky. She
had a name. There are
a lot of adoptees that
don't have anything to
start with. Leane was
aware that there was a
history of TB in her
background because
her doctor had told her
adoptive parents to
have a TB test done
every year. Even knowing
this didn't trace her
mother.
Most adoptees have
no idea who their
parents are, not even
their mother. Worden
suggests a
breakthrough may be
possible someday by ptting
pressure on
Members of Parliament.
M e r i d i a n M o t o r s
automotive excellence.
Send your own
"CREATIVE
PERSONALIZED
GREETING"
to all and each of your friends
in Quesnel and area.
All you have to do is come
into the Observer office and
write out your personal
greeting on one of the cards
provided. It will appear, along
with others, in the Dec. 22nd.
issue of the paper, EXACTLY as
you wrote it.
Say hello, extend holiday
wishes to that neighbour down
the street, to that friend across
town or perhaps to your mom
and dad. Whoever you have in
mind, don't send a commercial
greeting card, send a
"CREATIVE PERSONALIZED
GREETING" only from you.
Save postage and card costs,
express yourself at Christmas
for only $9.99 or $7.99 (2 sizes
available).
Drop into the Observer to
place your greeting. A limited
amount of cards will be
available; and our friendly staff
will be on hand to help with
your greeting, if needed.
Quesnel
Cariboo Observer j\
102 - 246 St. Laurerit Ave. {I (
992-2121
introduces a new age of
N o \ K > o n d i s p l a y in the showroom for your
personalized viewing.
The all new...
1 9 8 2 L i n c o l n C o n t i n e n t a l 4 ' d o o r
Medium-dark, Mulberry color, metallic, dual shade paint,
leather upholstery.
Some notable 1982 features are: Automatic overdrive
transmission, 4 wheel disc brakes, gas shock absorbers, self
sealing W.S.W. steel belted radial tires, unique electronic
instrument panel with message centre and systems monitors,
Halogen headlamps, left and right hand power heated
mirrors, with left hand thermometer, electronic AM/FM
stereo cassette complete with "Preminum" sound system,
roof assist handles, and the list goes on...
M E R I D I A N
M O T O R S l t d :
266 Carson Ave. D.L. 6348 992-2138
Bjorn
STAVRUM
The operating rooms at G.R. Baker Memorial
Hospital are once again being used five days per
week, after a cutback during the summer to three
days per week, because, according to hospital
spokesmen, of a shortage of registered nurses
and because of holidays, being taken by those
who are available.
Still, the hospital can use eight more RNs right
now, says nursing director Sue Graf.
But there's both more good news and bad
news regarding the situation.
The good news is that two RNs are "on the
way", according to Graf.
And the bad news is that the hospital will lose
five more registered nurses between now and the
end of the year.
Advertising for the positions has resulted in
most of the 20 applications currently on hand
corning from England.
The problem, of course, is the time it takes to
check the credentials of the overseas applicants,
which could involve anywhere from three to six
months.
Closer to home, Graf anticipates that three
qualified RNs from the College of New
Caledoniia program will begin work at the
hospital after Christmas to partially reduce the
shortage.
* • * • •
ALONG THE TRAIL...if you didn't already
know, the fall issue of Beautiful B.C., a quarter­
ly puiDlication of the tourism ministry, features
18 pages of commentary and color photos on the
Mackenzie Grease Trail between Quesnel and
Bella Coola.
The magazine's feature on the trail is one of
the largest spreads ever done by the magazine,
which has a press run of about 600,000.
The text is by John Woodworth, an Okanagan
architect and well-known conservationist, and
also the current chairman of the Nature Conservancy
of Canada.
Woodworth has played a major role in having
the trail considered as a historic site by the
federal and provincial governments, having been
involved with the trail designation for the past
decade.
But the inspiration for the idea of preserving
the trail for the future, as Woodworth
acknowledges, came from Halle Flygare, who
until this summer has been on the trail with a
crew for the past few years doing a lot of mapping,
photographing and partial clearing on a
joint federal-provincial government contract
basis.
As it stands now, a total of $3 million has been
approved by the treasury boards of both levels of
government to establish a committee to determine
what should be the next step.
To make a long story short, politics are currently
holding up the actual signing of the joiiit
F r o m Q u e s n e l to M a r g u e r i t e
The last remaining
Fraser River ferry in
operation in the
Quesnel area is the
Marguerite ferry, 40
miles south of (he city
on Highway 97.
Before long,
however, the three shift
operators, Jim Rankin,
William Lee and Frank
Boyes, will be keeping a
watchful eye on the ice
conditions of the Fraser
when the feirry will be
pulled up until next spring
when conditions are
safer.
In the past, ferries
have had some real problems
with ice as noted
by Tracy Cooper, a
Highways Ministry
employee, o
Cooper has been doing
considerable
research in the history
of ferries in our- area
for the past five years.
Much of the information
was gleaned from
stories from the
Cariboo Observer.
From the notes he is
compiling. Cooper
hopes to publish the
history of the
numerous ferries that
once existed.
MARGUERITE
The Marguerite
ferry started up in spring
of 1917, as a boat
that was known as the
Macalister ferry. On
May 13 that same year,
the ferry boat went
down river after a sudden
rise.
In 1921, a canoe
ferry was being
operated, and by
August 1, the pontoon
ferry was first put into
operation at that point.
A r e a r i v e r
But on November 19,
ice punctured the port
pontoon during the
night, causing it to
sink.
The steamboat landing
at Milepost 184
was used and still is,
with 1 1/8-inch cable
between towers 868 feet
from shore to shore.
On June 7, 1922, the
ferry traveller (dolly)
broke, stranding the
ferry 200 feet out in the
water. Another incident
was the time in
1928 when a lady and
saddle horse were on
board, and the ferry
broke loose and was
swept 10 miles
downstream. The horse
managed to swim to
shore.
Tradgedy struck
again in 1959 when a
car drove off the ferry
through the barrier.
The driver was rescued
but his wife and child
were drowned.
Ice carried the ferry
down the Fraser to Big
Bar in the Fraser Canyon
in 1962.
The name of the
ferry was officially
changed from
Macalister to
Marguerite on
February 25, 1964, as
this is what it had been
named locally for some
N e w c o m e r s w e l c o m e d
time, and to avoid confusion
with the settlement
of Macalister.
Marguerite was the
Jiame of a settler in the
area.
QUESNEL FERRIES^
The first ferry was
put into operation at
Quesnel sometime between
1865-70 along
with the Cariboo
wagon road. In June,
1872, the ferry had a
course across the Fraser
River at
Quesnellemouth.
This was no longer
necessary when the
bridge was built in
1928.
It was recorded that
the ferry boats were not
supposed to carry more
than 12 pack animals at
a time.
Two other ferries
were chartered near
Quesnel for terms of
three years each.
The first one was installed
in March, 1873,
six miles downstream
from Quesnel. Another
ferry was in operation
five miles upstream in
March of 1898, giving
Quesnel residents service
of three ferries.
An example of the
The Quesnel Cariboo two daughters from Miss Lorraine Camp­
Observer welcomes the Halifax, N.S; Mr. and bell from Granisle;
following newcomers Mrs. Erwin Dyck from Mr. and Mrs. Santo
the.,Caciboo,and to. Winnipeg, Manitoba; , .tiago. Hernandez from
deveiopmentagreement. the Quesnel area: ,s. - - - • -- ' 'arid Mrs^ 'Vin­ Guatemalar' CenTral
In the meantime, Woodworth and Flygare
cent Davies and three America; Mr. and Mrs.
have jointly written, and have been sponsored by
Miss Judy Ellis from
sons: from Windsors- ,.,Tho.mas, P.etrie. and
the Nature Conservancy of Canada, a 106-page
Calgary, Alta.; Miss
Ontario; Mr. and Mrs. daughter and son from
Sherry Hofmann from
trail guide. In The Steps of Alexander Macken­
Russell McKay and two New Westminster; Mr.
Coquitlam; Miss
zie.
Marion Hannaford
sons and two daughters and Mrs. Thomas
The trail guide, with a first-edition press run of from Victoria; Miss
from Penticton; Mr. Petrie Jr. and daughter
2,000 copies, is crammed full of detailed maps, Anne Marie Gagnier
and Mrs. James Gor- from Surrey; Mr, and
step-by-step notes, historical references, and from Ottawa, Ontario;
dan from Pine Point, Mrs. Glen Carlson and
photos, and a steal at $11.95 (it's available at Mr. Steve Gallagher N.W.T.; Ms. Mary two daughters from
Quesnel book outlets).
from Vancouver; Miss Barltrap from Van­ Trail; and Miss
It's ideal for the outdoorsman, history buff, Dorothy Stein from couver; Mr. Jim Caroline West from
and the itinerant tourist. An unabashedly four- Vernon;
Sweeeney from Quebec Stafford, England. Cont'd page 20
star recommendation.
City, Quebec; Mr. and
Mr. and Mrs. Peter
In the meantime, until the politics of the situa­
Mrs. Robert Ward and
Drewcock and two sons
tion is cleared up, all official trail work is on
son and daughter from
and daughter from
hold.
Bella Coola;
Houston; Mr. and Mrs.
And what's Halle up to these days? Well, he's
Miss Caren Rennie
Wayne Pollard and son
still on the Mackenzie Trail, doing the
from Courtenay; Mr.
and daughter from
photography, and mapping of the trail_ for the
and Mrs. David Hen-
Prince George; Ms.
Alberta government (see story elsewhere in this
drixson from Hills; Ms.
Shelley Baumbrough
issue).
Shirley Nash and Terry
and Dave Doran from
*****
Paterson and two sons
Fort St. John; Mr. and
EARLY START...Pastor Rae Robinson tells us
and daughter from
Mrs. Mark Fraser from
that Good Cheer donations will once again be ac­
Penticton; Mr. Lyle
Vernon; Mr. Jack
cepted to help the needy in Quesnel at Chwstmas.
Orchison from Fort
Barclay and Sharon
Last year, the drive was sponsored by the
Nelson; Mr. Bruce
Bond from Fort
Good Cheer Fund, in co-operation'' with this
Wark from Vancouver;
Nelson; Mr. Greg Den­
newspaper, but time was a little short before the
Mr. and Mrs. Robert
nett from Vancouver;
start of the drive and Christmas.
McGregor and
Mr. Theo Mallinson daughter from Nazko;
ATTEND THE
Nevertheless, the response was just over­ from Vancouver; Mr. and Mrs. Roy
whelming and excellent.
Mr. and Mrs. Don No­ Davis and son from
CHURCH OF
With a little more lead time this year, the fund, ble and two sons from Medicine Hal, Alberta;
which helps about 100 needy families and in­ Camrose, Alberta; Mr. Ms. Elizabeth
YOUR CHOICE,
dividuals in the Quesnel area, hopes to exceed and Mrs. Alfred Siprcll Hamilton and Harry
last year's results.
and son from Kirkland
THIS WEEK...
Papadopoulos from
On Monday, by the way, city council officially Lake, Ontario; Miss Vancouver; Mr. and
kicked off this year's drive with a $100 donation. Lesley Gurney from
BETHEL PENTECOSTAL TASERNACLE
Mrs. Alan Miller and "Affiliated with tfie Pentecostal Assemblies ol Canada"
Pastor Robinson says cash gifts are really im­ Kamloops; Mr. and son from Invermere;
13J Cwch Hold, Soutilh
portant, since money is used to purchase all the
Quesnel's Charismatic Church
Mrs. Douglas Hacking Mr. and Mrs. SUNDAY SCHOOL 9:45 A,M, SUNDAY SERVICES 11:00 A,M.
perishable goods at the last minule, such as meat and daughler from
7.00 P.M.
Charles Seaman from
and fresh vegetables.
PRAYER i BIBLE STUDY • TUESDAY 7:30 P.M.
Kitimat; Mr. and Mrs. Vancouver; Miss Karol Information Regarding Sunday School Bus Runs & Transportation,
In the meantime, non-perishable items such as Dagenais and son and Chrumka from Delta;
Phone
linned and packaged items, in addition to toys
PASTOR «. OELGAm, 747-3116 « 747-3362
for young children, might be put on your Good
Cheer shopping list in Ihc next few weeks.
For more informalion aboul donations and
volunteering, please call Pastor Robinson at
747-2233 or 992-9172.
FOREST INDUSTRY
TRADES ASSOCIATION
M E E T I N G
Thurs., Oct. 29 at 7:30 p.m. in
the New Elks Hall
GUEST SPEAKER:
Bob Clayton, President, F.l.T.A.
• Election of Quesnel executive
•Province wide tradesmen vote on certification
BE SURE TO ATTEND
1
The world's first traffic signal was installed outside
the British Houses of Parliament, London, in 1868,
decades before the automobile was invented.'
ACROSS 35 Rebuke m mm mm
I. Sphere 38 Bards QDIS DD SOEIEIB]
6. Ermine 40, Musical note
I 1, Rustit 41 Russian ElDEIBElilE] BISBS
12, Light hoired village SEKSBilD DB
13. Printing 42 Paid nolice
measure 43 Greek letter
14. Goddess of 45 Sun God BEISEI SDQIBIGOO
ecrlh 47, Italian river
15, Auricle 48 Clergymon em mam me.
16 Exclamotion 50, National pork
17 High card 52, Lamprey
19. Depart catcher
21 Urns 53, Coast
i-2-8| Solution
23, Wornings
26, In this ploce
DOWN 5. Luxurious
27 Loose cape 1. Large 6. Aryan
29 Note of scale 2. Noonday 7. Jewish
scripture
30. Jumbled type meol
31. Abounded 3. Either 8. Atop
33. Mole heirs 4. Sack
9. Stick to
10. Torment
TT
12 Exist
)8. Kind of weasel
20. Water onimal
22. Not often
24. Digroph
25. Frozen rain
28. Kingdonns
30 Type of dog
32. Comporotive
suffix
33. Area
34. Metric
measure
36 Snokc
37. Eoten awoy
39 Agitate
44, Current
46, Fire residue
49, ThcISp,)
51 Toword
maple park alliance cf)urct)
SUNDAY SCHOOL ' 9:45 a.m.
FAMILY WORSHIP ll:00a.m.
Meeting in Lakeview Elementary School Gym
FELLOWSHIP NIGHT IN
HOMES WEDNESDAY 7:00 P.M.
Pastor Jim Rilling Ph. 747-3248
TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH
375 Hartley St. West Quesnel
Sundijf School, 10:00 j.m. - ServicB. 11:00 i.m.
Arnold H. lufchcn, Pistor
Church 992-6112 oi Home 992-8265
EVEHrONE WELCOME!
ST ANN'S PARISH
100 Sutherland Avenue
Mass Schedule: Situidiy tvcnini > 7.30 p.m.
I Sunday - 9:00 1 11:00 a.m.; 7:30 p.m.
Conlessions: Saturday < 4:00 < 5:00 p.m. 1 6:30 - 7:15 p.m.
Baptisms < By Appointment
PARISH PRIEST: Fithet lohn Mclntyre
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION: Sislet losephine Neslman CND
PARISH WORKS: Sisler Loteta Watle CNO
PHONE; 992-2*22 l 992 5768
I
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QUESNEL CARIBOO OBSERVER, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22, 1981-7
ALL ABOARD! But this time the ride isn't the train—It's the ferry. And,
specifically, it's the former ferry at Quesnel. This water-crosser traversed
the muddy Fraser River from the years 1910 to 1929.
I h e l o o k o f
r o m a n c e i s
w a i t i n g f o r
y o u . . .
ttl
F A S H I O N S
S CANAM'S CAMABA'S LJICEST LABCCST AND AHB •ESTKNOMHIJifCOID BEST ICIIOIini BEf ABB CTABB STOIE •
I
I
JOURNEY
Escape
JOE JACKSON
"Jumpin' Jive" — Is You Is
Or Is You Ain't My Baby —
Tuxedo Junction — Much
More!
AT SAM'S
ONLY
BRUCE COCKBURN
"Inner Cify Front" — The
Strong One — Justice —
Loner — More!
aKTRICUGHT ORCHESTRA
"Time" — Hold On Tight —
Roin Is Foiling — Another
Heart breaks — More!
AT SAM'S
PNIt.Y
SATURDAY, OCT. 17, 9:30 A.M. ONLY
J O U R N E Y
"Escape" — Who's Crying Now —
Stone In Love — Don't Stop Believin'
r— Morel
BOB DYLAN
SHOT
.«CI0*0