The Slide in Ocean Falls '65

Newspaper Clipping Above From The Millie & The John Fair Collection

OCEAN FALLS SLIDE NOTES - WINTER OF 1965
by JOHN (Alexander) FAIR

April 23, 1908 - Feb 6, 1975

This winter has been very hard on our town of Ocean Falls. November was a poor month weather wise. In December we had a bit of everything the weatherman could give us. Snow, Rain, Freezing rain and more snow. New Years Eve in Martin Valley Ocean Falls was a real blizzard, as I remember, about 12" of snow fell that night. This snow continued almost without let-up, so that Jan 10, when Bill Butendyke came out to shovel off our roof we had a possible 4 ft., on the level and to Bills shoulders on the valley side where the wind had drifted it. We covered the front of the house with 3/4" - 4'X8' sheets of plywood so we would be able to get into the house after the roof was cleared, as the walks at both sides of the house had about 6' to 7' of snow after the roof was cleared.

Mon, & Tue., the 11 & 12 were nice days but more snow.

On Monday I had been telling Milly about the possibility of slides etc., and decided to test out our Radio Phone on battery to make sure all was o.k. in case of an emergency.

On Tuesday. Jan. 12, I had a call from Jim Greg, concerning radio links between Ocean Falls and Martin Valley. I told Jim that I had already tested the equipment out, and it was o.k. He asked me if I would have a meeting with Mr. Hill and himself to discuss emergency phone procedures, in case of any trouble on the Martin Valley road or Martin Valley community. The meeting was held at 10 am. Wednesday, I informed Hill & Greg that the radio equipment had been tested and Rita had instructions to remove the Radio Equipment from My C&F Radio Shop, and set up in the Ocean Falls Fire Department for connection to our house in Martin Valley. At this point I may add we had a radio set in the shack at the aircraft dock as well.

That night, Wednesday we started to have slides of snow and water quite early in the evening. I had a battery at home that I had Frank McCarville send to me from the shop on the bus, that day, so set up the G.C.R, early. The slides out here (Martin Valley) continued during the early evening but not any worse than we have experienced in the past. At about 9:30, I said to Milly, I'm going to bed but felt I was to nervous and wouldn't sleep anyway.

I had just gone to bed when at 9:45, the lights went out. On checking the phone, found that dead as well. By this time the slides in Martin Valley were louder and more frequent than we had ever heard before. We kept calling on the radio but no answer from Ocean Falls. I walked across the river to see if the lights were on in Ocean Falls and as near as I could tell, in the heavy rain and mist, they were on. At this time I could not understand why we had not heard from them, we knew the road was closed by slides, but had no idea of the trouble in Ocean Falls. When I got back in the house I found there was still no answer from Ocean Falls (Enquiries from M.V.F.D., etc.)

At 11:30 approx, Lou Bliss called, and you have no idea how glad we were to hear him. Lou Bliss, Junior Unrow and Phil Watson went by boat to the Airplane Dock, broke in and removed the equipment from the Airplane Dock and proceeded to the slide area, crawled by the slide to C&F Radio and again breaking in, procured the other set. These were installed in Ocean Falls Fire Dept and Townsite office giving radio contact between the two isolated points.

This was the first we knew of the big slide. Now we had a continuous stream of messages, mainly locating or trying to locate people who might be in Martin Valley or Ocean Falls or in buildings demolished in the slide area. What a relief when you find that your friends who usually work on Wednesday Evening, had changed their plans and had gone home to bed early. (Morgan and Buchanan).

From now till morning I could not quote any times. We asked Lou about C&F He said all was OK. This was very puzzling to us. Doug Diggins was injured jumping out of his apartment and Buchanans & Ocean Falls Credit Union was wiped out. This took the slide on both sides of C&F. and the original course of the creek was between Diggins and C&F Radio. A short while later Lou called and told us there was another slide (a small one), C&F still was OK. This will always be a mystery how we could escape the slide-when the main bed of the creek was 20 ft, from our back door. We had no damage from this slide.

The one thing we all wanted in Martin Valley or Ocean Falls was daylight. It is a terrible feeling when you can't see. After midnight the slides stopped and the silence was almost as bad as the slides, I said to Milly, "Either the snow up there is gone or we have a big dam and the worst is yet to come". But, no more slides that night. We stayed up all night and our home was the clearinghouse for messages to all who came.

In losing the power we lose our water as well, also the slides took out the phone lines. Thurs, A.M. remains in my mind, in messages in regards to getting out the Village Queen, a nickname for a gas engine powered pump that is procured from Ocean Falls to fill our local water tank in cases like this. Also messages in regards to gas engine operated A.C. Power unit to supply power to local Fire Dept. The Village Queen was brought out on Spellmans barge but we had no way of unloading at Oil Dock. I suggested that Northland Prince bring out the generator and unload at Oil Dock and the same time unload the Village Queen. After a bit of negotiation back and forth this was accomplished. Standard Oil dock had to be cleared of collapsed overhang. A road was bulldozed, (this was a story in itself - getting the bulldozer here) from the Martin Valley fire hall, to the river. And water service was restored. The large generator was installed at the fire hall and then we were able to procure the small standby generator from Martin Valley fire hall. This enabled us to put the B.C. Airlines Radio on the air, run the G.C.R. on A.C. power, have a small bulb in the radio room, and charge a 12 volt battery in case of further trouble. I had to go to town during the day, but no matter what trouble Milly had, the Martin Valley Fire Department were always on the job to help her out.

A ferry service was set up between Martin Valley and Ocean Falls, 1 and 1/2 miles by CZ/N.Pulp by boat. This was covered by the MV Myrna and MV Harbour Chief, The men who skippered these boats did a real good job and no matter how tired they must have been at times, were always very cheerful and cooperative. I would say it’s the first time a lot of people have worn life jackets, myself included. This service also carried special grocery orders from the Hudson Bay Company and coal for fireplaces, and was very much appreciated by the people of Martin Valley.

L.Bliss and his Boys And Girls (Johnston Terminal) These people have outdone themselves in a lot of ways. First of all, they are one of the lifelines of Ocean Falls (Deliveries and Garbage) and any job of hauling you have. These boys who drive the bus have my compliments on doing a good job on the roads we have with a big vehicle loaded with people and children.

Our local telephone man, Jim English, did an outstanding job by stringing wires over the washed out parts of Burma Road and the slides on Martin Valley Road to get 2 lines to Martin Valley one was 289-3212- BC Airlines line to our house, and one line to a phone on his outside front porch. This enabled us to have service to 0cean Falls and also Long Distance emergency service to Vancouver. I would have liked you to have seen this man stand on a pole for 4 hours as he did yesterday afternoon, in snow and rain to restore phones in Ocean Falls slide area.

Mr. A.Walker and Steve Frew, should also come in here for mention for restoring the A. C. power. This was a job comparable to the telephone job mentioned above These men of the power and communications systems in 0cean Falls worked without thought for themselves and deserve a special thanks from the people of 0cean Falls and Martin Valley. Because we would all have to admit that our lives and comfort centre around Electric power and the Telephone.

In the following days we set up a temporary office for B.C. Airlines in Cpt. Frank McCarvilles room 634 in the Martin Inn. This was manned by Frank and Rita. Milly stayed in Martin Valley on the main transmitter and I was occupied between Martin Valley and C&F building and the hotel. We had radio communications between these 3 points. Also the room in the hotel was put on 3213 circuit at McCarvilfes suggestion so all phone messages were able to be monitored. We had many outages and problems but it worked out well. We also had small G.C, Radio in Franks room so had radio link with him.

The C& F Radio shop and B.C. Airlines office in Ocean Fails was used during the emergency by the R.C.M.P. as a guard house and shelter during this period. The day following the slide the R.C.M.P. were given a key with permission to use the building as they saw fit.

We are very pleased as to the way our premises have been taken care of, not only by the R.C.M.P. but everyone who had occasion to go in there.

From The Millie & John Fair Collection