rn the Voice of Cassiar Country October 1984 10 cents Seventy-one percent of the 29,923 registered voters in the Skeena riding cast their ballot on election day, September 4. The results were: Jim Fulton , N.D.P. Incumbent — 13,674 Pete Weeber, Progressive Conservative — 10,803 Elmer Derrick, Liberal — 5,088 D. Craig, Rhinocerous Party — 358 In the Cassiar Polling station the results were: Fulton — 201, Weeber — 185, Derrick — 69 and Craig — 17. icDame der tonnage doubled Brinco Mining Limited has announced that a recently completed diamond-drill hole 2500 feet south-east of the open pit mine and 550 feet south-east of the con- tiguous McDame Asbestos deposit, has intersected 495 feet of asbestos-bearing serpentinite with asbestos content similar to that of the Cassiar orebody. During 1982 it was reported that previous work on the McDame deposit had outlined 15 million tons of asbestos-bearing serpentinite. Results of the recent drill hole indicate that the McDame deposit thickens towards the south and that the tonnage of asbestos-bearing mat- erial in the deposit is more than double the amount previously reported. The ore located in the McDame deposit would be mined underground, not .as an open pit. Peter Jones, Vice President Mining for Brinco, said the decision to mine underground at Cassiar has not yet been made. He _ expects a decision on underground mining within another couple of years. Dease Lake School Progress Report The initial ground work for the new Dease Lake School has been completed, according to Stikine School District Secretary/Treasurer Don Best. The ground has been cleared and the well has been sunk on the school site, located on the road leading to the lake. Tenders for the new school are expected to be called in October and the contract will be awarded in November. Mr. Best said the Ministry of Education has already approved $1,686,986 in construction costs for the school. The permanent building will be approximately 1300 square metres and will house four classrooms, a kinder- garten area, gym, shop, science and home economics rooms, and a library. It will accommodate students from kindergarten to Grade 10. The present school is a collection of trailers located on the Stewart-Cassiar Highway. There are about 75 students enrolled. The community has been trying to get anew facility since 1975. The new school is expected to open in Sept- ember, 1985. _opments in the northwest.” e deposit — Mines Minister visits area B.C. Minister of Mines, Energy and Petroleum Re- sources, Stephen Rogers, toured Cassiar Resources Mine and Erickson Gold Mine on a recent three and a half day fact finding tour of the province’s north west. This is the first time he has visited the area as the Minister of Mines. He said there is nothing like first hand experience to make him aware of the kinds of operations and problems we have here. He added, “It’s easier for people to phone you if they've met you. They wont be apprehensive about phoning.” At Cassiar the Minister met with Mine Manager Keith Jones, Hugh Snyder President of Brinco Ltd., 4 Peter Jones Vice President of Brinco Mining, and Paul Clarke, Bill Zemenchik, Stefan Dyk and Frank Buckley. Keith Jones said they discussed the new McDame deposit as well as the possibility of hydro power for Cassiar and Erickson. Speaking of Cassiar’s future Mr. Rogers said, “I’m aa optimistic about what will happen in Cassiar. (There was the) Asbestos scare (but) people are becoming more | knowledgeable about how much asbestos is used in their lives.” “The company also has to battle with other fibres and synthetics. They have a lot of little problems they need help with and there are things I can do to help,” he said. At Erickson Mr. Rogers toured the surface mine site on top of Table Mountain, several mine portals, the mill and a surface diamond drill. Mine Manager Al Beaton said the Minister was impressed with Erick- son. He enjoyed the tour and the operation. The Minister expressed optimism about this corner of the province. He said, “I expect to see some big devel- _ In particular Mr. Rogers spoke enthusiastically about the large anthracite orebody at the Gulf Klappan project about 100 km north of Meziadin Junction. This high qual- ity coal deposit could see as much as one to three million tons of ore produced each year. On Monday, Septem- ber 17th, the Cassiar Detachment was vis- ited for the last time by retiring Superin- tendant Andy Mea- cock. He will retire November Ist after 35 years service. He was accompanied by S/Sgt. Macara, Sub Division NCO, Dave VerMeulen, Manager of the ‘Bay’ in Prince Rupert and Don Sun- dan, the pilot of the R.C.M.P. ‘Gremlin Goose’ they were travelling in. Meacock retiring Left to right: Don Sundan, Pilot, Supt. Meacock, S/Sgt. Macara Pictured at Erickson were: Tom Schroeter Dist. Geologist; Mines Minister Stephen Rogers; Erick- son Mill Supt. Jasman Yee and Mine Supt. Tom McGrail; Asst. Deputy Minister (Mines) Lorne Sivertson; Erickson Mine Manager Al Beaton. “This may be the breath of life for Stewart,” Mr. Rogers said. The anthracite could be shipped by truck to Stewart and then by boat. During his tour the Minister visited Mt. Klappan, flew over the Chevron property near Telegraph Creek, ___..toured_a placer.operation in Atlin, and visited Cassiar, Erickson and Stewart. He was accompanied by the Assist- ant Deputy Minister (Mines) Lorne Sivertson, Executive Assistant Penelope Chandler, District Geologist Tom Schroeter and journalist Joel Connelly of the Seattle Post Intelligence. and Dave VerMeulen A Reserve for Good Hope Lake Negotiations are underway between the Kaska Dena Native Council, the provincial government and the Dept. of Indian Affairs to designate Good Hope Lake as a Native Reserve. Council President Peter Stone said they want to trade reserve land near Dease Lake for the Good Hope Lake reserve. Stone said there is a reserve on the north end of Dease Lake at One Mile Point. The Stewart-Cassiar High- way goes through this reserve and the land was never surrendered to the provincial governement. This should be done before land can be used for a highway or any other public use. Stone said, “There is an illegal trespass by the Min- istry of Transport of B.C. and rather than take any legal actions we have agreed to sit down with the province and discuss Good Hope Lake getting reserve status.” “Everyone is agreeable,” he said. “The province wants to legalise the highway and the land trade will be good for both parties.” : There -is also a problem regarding taxes. At the pre- sent time residents of Good Hope Lake receive tax not- ices for their homes and land. The Kaska Dena Council feels the people shouldn’t have to pay any taxes if they don’t get any services. If Good Hope Lake is designated as a reserve the people would be able to receive services such as housing, water and sewer, through the Dept. of Indian Affairs. A meeting is planned for October 2nd in White- horse between representatives of the Kaska Dena Council, the provincial government and the Dept. of Indian Aff- airs. The officials are expected to discuss the tax issue as well as how much land the Good Hope Lake commun- ity would be able to get.