, Cassi ar Courier

the Voice of Cassiar Country
<* NOT November 1976 1O0cents

Thee «2 your FREE coty/ Who said
December, each copy will cost 10¢. When there’s

This first issue of the Courier is free!
We want you to look us over, and see
what we mean by a free,
munity newspaper.
Starting with the next issue,

you pay 10¢, we believe you are invest-
ing in the future of a media concerned
about the future of people in Cassiar
country. People are good investments!

independent com-

in mid-

by Jerry Rosman

Less than 30 years ago, the man res-

ponsible for the first road into the
Gassiars from the Alaskan Highway sp-
ent two nights and three days driving’
from Watson Lake to Blue River. He
met 40 foot wide water-filled potholes,
tree trunks, boulders and deep ruts.
He had to chop down trees to drive ar-
_ound deep pits in the road.
In the spring of '48-'49-'50, you

had to allow four days to make the

WELCOME

We all welcome Dr. Rudy Gasparelli
-and his wife, Carol to Cassiar Country.
Dr. Gasparelli arrived in Cassiar

on October 17th, after 5 months in

Watson Lake. He received his degree
at the University of Toronto in 1972.
Two years of medical practice were
spent in Moosonee, Ontario.

Dr. and Mrs. Gasparelli were mar-
ried in April of this year. Both have
their pilot's license and recently
purchased their own plane. Mrs. Gas-
parelli is a Registered Nurse and will
be active in Cassiar Hospital.

The “Gasparelli's are avid skiiers,
so needless to say they won't have
far to look for a good supply of snow.

A warm welcome to you both, and sin-
cere hopes: for a long stay and fond
friendships ‘with the people of Cassiar
Country!

The to Cassiar

trip from McDame Creek to Watson Lake.

Today you drive it in two hours,
with time to enjoy the scenery. ~~

"Little did we know in 1947 that
someday you could drive all the way to
Vancouver on what we started."

That's Bob Wilms talking. Bob is a
prospector, geologist and super-sales-
man for Cassiar country. Bob has lived
here for 54 years, on the same spot he
landed on when he arrived in 1923.

Bob, his wife, Violet and a hyper
bundle of blond dog-fur named ''Shorty"'
live on their placer mining claims-on
McDame Creek about three miles west
of Good Hope Lake.

It was Bob's unshakable faith in
the future of this area that led him
to make a road from the Alaskan High-
way to McDame Creek, part of a con-
tract he signed with Mocassin Mining
Company of Sacramento, California in
1947.

Bob contracted with Mocassin Min-
ing. They could dredge placer gold on
his claims, IF they built the road
from Watson Lake.

In May of 1947 Bob freighted testing
equipment up the Stikine and down

Dease Lake and Dease River to his claims

Tests proved out, and contracts were
signed.

"Everything was Cleared with the min-
ing department'', Bob said, "but they

didn't have a surveyor to survey the

@continued on page two

Attention
From INTERPOL &RCMP

If you were a guest or a camper
in Grainau, Germany between August
15 and 26, 1976, please contact
the RCMP immediately.

There is a possibility of
medical infection.

‘ures we should add, or subtract,

nothing
new

You're looking at it!

The Cassiar Courier.

But, we can't say hello to a new
newspaper without a proper "goodbye",
to the old one.

"Goodbye'', Asbestos Sheet! You did

a whale of a job. Thanks!

A special thanks go to all the many

‘people who made it successful, with

special thanks to:
Rupert McKenzie.
Marlene and Paul Wood
Laurie Fitzsimmons
Vivian Cousins
Paul Clark
Dorson Shuffler... and many others.
If we missed someone, and we're

' sure we did, our apologies.

"HELLO", Cassiar Courier!
What's going to be so different ab-
out you?

YOU PUBLISH THE COURTER!

It's a community newspaper, not a com-
bination company newsletter with local
news. It will be published by people
with a sincere interest in everything
that effects the lives of people in
Cassiar Country.

WE COVER A LARGER AREA!

We want to link the communities of ‘the
so-called "no-man's land" together,
with one voice.

When the concerns of Watson Lake,
Good Hope Lake, Cassiar, Quartz Creek,
Dease Lake, Telegraph Creek and Iskut
are put together, maybe the "powers-
that-be'' will think twice about over-
looking Cassiar Country.

People in these communities can now
exchange ideas, opinions, concerns,
goods, services and news. This inter-
change will be essential as we face
the future.

‘MORE FEATURES!

If we tried to list them all here, we'd
take too much space. Look us over, and
you'll see what we mean!

If you have suggestions about feat-

please
let us know. It's your newspaper.

In this issue...

...lhe Road to Cassiar
..-Good Hope Lake Reports...
..Chain Lakes Status

. Ethnic Cookery
.-School News
..Your Town