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Cassiar, British Columbia

The early prospectors had seen the asbestos as far back as the 1870's and the
Indians knew about it before that. In fact it was the Indians who told the gold
seekers about the wool that could stand the heat of the campfire.

Then Antone Money prospected the Cassiar District in 1923. He noticed that
where the schist and serpentine rock met there were veinlets of asbestos. He
peeled a few fibres from the green rock and examined them. “Although transporta-
tion seemed years away from this isolated corner of the wilderness,’’ he wrote,
“this could be an important discovery.”

It was an important discovery. But nothing happened until Victor Sittler and
three partners, Hiram Nelson and the two Kirk brothers, Ron and Bob, climbed
McDame mountain in 1950 — and staked it. This event triggered the eventual
formation of Cassiar Asbestos Corporation in 1951 and the start of life and industry
in Antone Money's “‘isolated corner of the wilderness.”

Today, after twenty-five years of mining in northern British Columbia, some
240 families call Cassiar home. Its population has now reached 1500 people. Over
300 children attend the town’s Elementary Junior-Secondary school, which is
academically equal to any school in British Columbia. There are over 650 men and
women who earn their living mining and milling Cassiar asbestos fibre, which is
universally regarded as being among the best in the world.

Although Cassiar is a frontier town it offers its citizens many attractive features.
Its scenery is among the finest in the world. In the summer there is fishing, hunting
and a wide variety of other summer activities. In winter there is snowmobiling,
curling, skiing and a lively winter social life. Many people regard Cassiar as a good
place to live and bring up their children.

Because of its well equipped hospital, with its resident doctor, dentist, and
nursing staff, Cassiar is regarded as the medical centre of the Cassiar district. It has
two fine churches, two excellent family stores, a library, post office, a recreation
centre, helicopter pad, a 3400 foot air strip and a first class voluntary Fire Depart-
ment. These, together with other facilities, such as R.C.M.P. services, banking
facilities, radio and television, provide the framework for the progressive develop-
ment of Cassiar’s family and community life.

But Cassiar is not perfect. It has its complement of man-made and natural
problems. It can be very cold in winter. Bone-chilling winds, shards of ice, biting

sleet and snow can make heavy demands on the citizens of Cassiar — both on and