For the first issue of the Asbestos Sheet in 1970, we have
the honour of an Editorial by our Company's President, Mr.
J.D. Christian.

AN AWARD FOR SERVICE

Early in 1970 the Company will be introducing a system
of service awards. | have been asked as one of the “Old
Timers’’ and also presumably as President, to write a guest
editorial on this subject for the ‘Transport Times’, the
““Rock-Fluff” and the “Asbestos Sheet”. in the hope that
it may be of interest to all the readers.

Let me begin by saying that | consider myself most
fortunate in having been a part of the Cassiar team from
the days of its early development, through its years of
youthful growing pains to the formation of the Trans-
port Division, and finally, to the successful development :
of the Clinton Mine. | well remember the first fibre from
the mill in 1953. It was dried on flat, iron tables and
turned over with a pitch fork until it was golden brown
on both sides. Although produced by amateurs in those
days, every pound of fibre was sold. Others will remember
some hair-raising rides in the chute as the miners tried to
keep the ore moving down from the mine. The Transport
Division at that time was operating a fleet of 10-ton trucks
that ploughed back and forth through the mud between
Cassiar and Watson Lake. What a trip that used to be!
Like everything else, it has had its ups and downs, but on
the whole, it has been a tremendous experience with a
great group of people. What is even more important, the
operation has been a success and no matter what roles
each of us may have played, it is nice to know that we
have accomplished something worthwhile.

The “Award for Service” will identify those Cassiar
Asbestos people who are of the same era, who can swap
the same stories. Believe it or not, there are a few who
will soon have twenty years worth of anecdotes under
their belts.

In all, there are about fifty people with fifteen years or
better service, whom we might classify as the ‘Old Timers’.
The next group with ten to fifteen years currently total
fifty-five in number and might be referred to as the ‘‘Middle-
age Crowd”. | feel certain however, that they can also relate
some good stories of starting the mill and tramline at Clinton
in -60 degree weather. That was only three years ago, and
time marches on.

The awards take the form of a lapel pin or tie-tac for
men, and a ring for women and will start at ten years service
with design changes every five years thereafter. The ten-year
award, designed as a piece of jewellry in the shape of a gold
“C” with a jade centre, is embellished by six diamond chips
in the ‘‘C” for fifteen years, and by the further addition of a

diamond in the jade for 20 and 25 years service. The difference
between the award groups is subtly brought out in the placing,

the number and the size of the diamonds. The meaning will
be clear to all of us in the “Club” and it is hoped that the

design itself will prove sufficiently attractive to elicit attention

from strangers.

Both of the mines have many years of production ahead
of them. |, for one, hope to reach the 25-year mark before
retirement and it is more than likely that a good many of the
children, born at Cassiar, Clinton Creek, or Whitehorse, will
reach the same goal.

The past and future success of the Cassiar operation is the
story of the lives of the people who will wear these awards.
My congratulations to all of you. We all look forward to
watching our “’Club”’ grow.

* *& & Ht

Curious ideas about anatomy prevail in newspapers. Wonder
if the medical faculty of Cassiar would care to comment re
these excerpts.

One newspaper reports that a certain colonel was “shot in
the ticket office’. Another paper stated that a man was shot
in the ‘suburbs’ as he “kissed her” passionately “upon her
reappearance’. She is alleged to have “whipped him upon
his return’ whereupon he “kissed her back”.

Another periodical relates a story in which Mr. Jones
“walked in upon her invitation” and that she seated herself
upon “his entering’ whereas it was thought that she sat down
“upon her being asked’’. To climax it all, it was reported that
she “fainted upon his departure”.

* et &

SPORTS NEWS — by D. O'Neill

Curling — The Curling Club is now in its second draw, the
first having been won by the rink skipped by Danny Legros.

The 16th Annual Bonspiel will be held on January 29th,
30th, 31st and February 1st. There will be 24 hour curling
and the club hopes for 12 rinks from outside. A banquet
and dance will be held Saturday, January 31st and the finals
and presentation of prizes is slated for the morning and
afternoon of February 1st.

Hockey — The hockey season in Cassiar was officially opened
on January 4th with Mr. Caron dropping the puck to start
the first game. There are three teams in competition:

Tigers — sponsored by Territorial Supply — representing the
Shops.

Wildcats — sponsored by General Enterprises — representing
the Services.

Vanecon Producers — sponsored by Vancouver Equipment —
representing the Mine.

The opening games have all been well contested and the
influx of new players augers well for future All-Star games.
However, hockey is also a spectator sport, so if we are to
progress as a club, we need YOUR support, so come out and
shout for your team, give of your time and energy when asked
for. This applies not just for senior games, but for the junior
games as well. Remember, a good senior had to be a junior
once. The U.S.W.A. sponsored a competition in aid of junior
hockey. First prize, a ski-doo, was won by Bent Pederson.
Second prize a $50 bond, was won by Wayne Aadland.

Shotokan Karate — The Cassiar Karate Association has been
formed with a qualified instructor instructing, (Brown Belt).
The classes are held in the school gym Monday—Thursday at
9:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. Men and Women are cordially
invited to participate.

Ski-ing — February will be an exciting month for ski enthu-
siasts. On February 21st and 22nd there will be a heat of the
Yukon Amateur Alpine Championships, with teams from
Whitehorse, Elsa, Mayo and Watson Lake competing for
points in the championship.