Wednesday December 4th, 2024
The Atlin Whisper
“Never doubt that a small group of committed citizens can change the world.”
Margaret Mead
COMMUNITY CHRISTMAS DINNER
Saturday December 7, 2024
Atlin Recreation Center
Doors open at 5:00
Dinner at 5:30
Sponsored by the Churches of Atlin
Come and enjoy a delicious turkey dinner
Sing along to some favorite Christmas carols
A String of Blue Beads
By Fulton Oursler
Peter Richards was the loneliest man in town on the day Jean Grace opened his door. You may have seen something in the newspapers about the incident at the time it happened, although neither his name nor hers was publicized, nor was the full story told as I tell it here.
Pete’s shop had come down to him from his grandfather. The little Christmas front window was strewn with a disarray of old-fashioned things; bracelets and lockets worn in days before the Civil War; gold rings and silver boxes; images of jade and ivory, porcelain figurines.
On this winter’s afternoon a child was standing there, her forehead against the glass, earnest and enormous eyes studying each discarded treasure, as if she were looking for something quite special. Finally, she straightened up with a satisfied air and entered the store.
The shadowy interior of Pete Richards’ establishment was even more cluttered than his show window. Shelves were stacked with jewel caskets, dueling pistols, clocks, lamps, and the floor was heaped with andirons and mandolins and things hard to find a name for. Behind the counter stood Pete himself, a man not more than 30 but with hair already turning gray. There was a bleak air about him as he looked at the small customer who flattened her ungloved hands on the counter. “Mister,” she began, “would you please let me look at that string of blue beads in the window?” Pete parted the draperies and lifted out a necklace.
The turquoise stones gleamed brightly against the pallor of his palm, as he spread the ornament before her. “They’re just perfect,” said the child, to herself. “Will you wrap them up pretty for me, please?” Pete studied her with a stony air. “Are you buying these for someone?” “They’re for my big sister. She takes care of me. You see, this will be the first Christmas since Mother died. I’ve been searching for the most wonderful Christmas present for my sister.” “How much money do you have?” asked Pete warily. She had been busily untying the knots in a handkerchief and now she poured out a handful of pennies on the counter. “I emptied my bank,” she explained simply. Pete Richards looked at her thoughtfully. Then he carefully drew back the necklace.
The price tag was visible to him but not to her. How could he tell her? The trusting look of her blue eyes smote him like the pain of an old wound. “Just a minute,” he said and turned toward the back of tile store. Over his shoulder he called: “What’s your name?” He was very busy about something. “Jean Grace.” When Pete returned to where Jean Grace waited, a package lay in his hand, wrapped in scarlet paper and tied with a bow of green ribbon. “There you are,” he said shortly. “Don’t lose it on the way home.” She smiled over her shoulder as she ran out the door. Through the window he watched her go, while desolation flooded his thoughts. Something about Jean Grace and her string of beads had stirred him to the depths of a grief that would not stay buried.
The child’s hair was wheat yellow, her eyes sea-blue, and once upon a time not long before, Pete had been in love with a girl with hair of that same yellow and with large eyes just as blue. And the turquoise necklace was to have been hers. But there had come a rainy night–a truck skidding on a slippery road–and the life was crushed out of his dream. Since then, Pete Richards had lived too much with his grief in solitude. He was politely attentive to customers, but after business hours his world seemed irrevocably empty. He was trying to forget in a self-pitying haze that deepened day by day.
The blue eyes of Jean Grace jolted him into acute remembrance of what he had lost, The pain of it made him recoil from the exuberance of holiday shoppers. During the next ten days trade was brisk; chattering women swarming in, fingering trinkets, trying to bargain. When the last customer had gone, late on Christmas Eve, he sighed with relief. It was over for another year. But for Pete Richards the night was not quite over. The door opened and a young woman hurried in. With an explicable start, he realized that she looked familiar, yet he could not remember when or where he had seen her before.
Her hair was golden yellow and her large eyes were blue. Without speaking, she drew from her purse a package loosely unwrapped in its red paper a bow of green ribbon with it. Presently the string of blue beads lay gleaming again before him. “Did this come from your shop?” she asked. Pete raised his eyes to hers and answered softly: “Yes, it did.” “Are the stones real?” “Yes. Not the finest quality–but real.” “Can you remember who it was you sold them to?” “She was a small girl. Her name was Jean. She bought them for her older sister’s Christmas present.” “How much are they worth?” “The price,” he told her solemnly, “is always a confidential matter between the seller and the customer.” “But Jean has never had more than a few pennies of spending money. How could she pay for them?” Pete was folding the gay paper into its creases, rewrapping the little package just as neatly as before.
“She paid the biggest price anyone can ever pay,” he said. “She gave all she had.”
There was a silence then that filled the little curio shop. In some faraway steeple, a bell began to ring.
The sound of the distant chiming, the little package lying on the counter, the question in the eyes of the girl and the strange feeling of renewal struggling unreasonable in the heart of the man, all had come to be because of the life of a child. “But why did you do it?” He held out the gift in his hand. “It’s already Christmas morning,” he said. “And it’s my misfortune that I have no one to give anything to. Will you let me see you home and wish you a Merry Christmas at your door?” And so, to the sound of many bells and in the midst of happy people, Pete Richards and a girl whose name he had yet to learn, walked out into the beginning of the great day that brings hope into the world for us all.
Atlin Goldfields Past, Present and Future
By Clive Aspinall, P.Eng.
Geologist /Atlin Placer
Miners Association (APMA)
30th November 2024 - Gold Price $US 2,649.10 /$CDN 3,709.93
The Historic Atlin-Ruffner Mine
The historic Atlin Ruffner mine, is about 23 road kilometres northeast of Atlin. The mine has been an intermittent producer and seen mineral exploration from 1916 to 1997, being operated and explored by numerous companies.
• 1918 M.J. Ruffner, of Atlin, acquired the property and began work in 1921.
• 1928-1934 C.V. Bob Group acquired the property and continued underground development.
• 1951 M.J. Ruffner, under Atlin-Ruffner Mines, took over the property for the second time and produced a shipment of 44 tons of ore grossing 7 ounces gold, 5343 ounces silver, 36,197 pounds lead, and 5824 pounds of zinc.
• 1966 Interprovincial Silver Mines Ltd. optioned the property, built 16km of road and completed a significant drilling program.
• 1981 Cyclone Development Ltd. drilled several holes.
• 1988 Homestake Mineral Development Co. Ltd. acquired the property but found that surveys over the property were inconclusive.
• 1996-97, Pacific Harbour Resources Inc. completed geochemical and geophysical surveys.
$2.8 million worth of silver has been produced from the Ruffner mine, along with credits for gold, lead, zinc and copper.
The mine lies completely within the Middle Jurassic Fourth of July Creek batholith and composed of both monzonitic and quartz diorite phases. The batholith has intruded into CarboniferousJurassic Cache Creek Complex rocks.
Mineralization on the property is associated with dark green, pyroxene-bearing lamprophyre dikes. The dikes host later shearing, veining and fracturing and include varying amounts of sphalerite, galena, arsenopyrite, pyrite, pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite, pyrargyrite with trace amounts of tetrahedrite, molybdenite, scheelite, and cassiterite within a quartz-calcite gangue.
When the mine site was last visited by the author, the mine site, buildings and plant had been reclaimed, and road to the site had been trenched and unserviceable.
Today, the property is undergoing monitoring and reclamation, under the eyes of TRTFN.
Message from the Atlin community representative on the Government to Government Forum between BC and TRTFN ( the G2G Forum).
The G2G Forum addresses important issues on the land base, including mining and mineral exploration, protected areas, fish and wildlife management, as well as research and monitoring.
As your Atlin Community representative, I would like to hear from you about topics that are important to you so I can be the conduit of Atlin Community interests at the Forum.
The G2G Forum scheduled for October was postponed to November. Then they were asked to postpone external G2G meetings for a bit longer to give time for our new government to get in place, and as a result Rodger Thorlakson and Tell Glover, the co-chairs of the Forum, decided to cancel the G2G forum meeting scheduled for Nov 13-14.
The next forum is scheduled for March 4-6, 2025 (on-line format).
Send me your questions or issues relating to the scope of the G2G by emailing infoatling2g@gmail.com
Åsa Berg
Service Canada and Revenue Canada Agency
Will be in Atlin, BC all day on Dec. 4th .
Please come see the GOC representatives at the TRTFN Administration Building. Service Canada and Revenue Canada Agency will be providing:
Employment Insurance
Canadian Pension Plan
Old Age Security
Guaranteed Income Supplement
Social Insurance Number
Passport Application Intake
Printing and accessing Income Tax Slips (to file return)
Printing Notice of Assessment
Monica Walker
Acting Human Resources & Contracts Manager
250-651-7900 ext. 318 contracts.coordinator@gov .trtfn.com www.trtfn.com
Updating Information with CRA (address, contact number, direct deposit) Questions about Benefits and Credits (GST, DTC, & many more)
The Atlin Community Library
Would like to thank The Recycling Club for their generous donation of $2000.00. That’s just wonderful, and it will be a big help with our heating bill. Many, many thanks again!
“Mid-Day Sun”
When mid-day sun Kisses your face You smile.
Caresses your shoulders. Embraces you. Bestows happiness. Spreads love On the way To your heart.
Jeff Salmon
Please send resume to bobscontracting2020@gmail.com
NORTHERN HOMES REAL ESTATE
4th Street
400 sq.ft., one bedroom cabin plus a large workshop on two adjoining 50x100 lots, fully fenced. Quiet location with lots of room for expansion, or keep one lot and sell the other!
$249,000
Surprise Lake Road
6 acres along the Spruce Creek with a fabulous meadow surrounded by the woods and the roaring creek, room for several guest cabins if you chose. Main house is 2 story and a main level cozy self contained mother-in-law cottage is perfect for guests. So much potential to expand.
$350,000
Lot F Fulton Street
Quiet street with just a short walk to the lake, great views of mountains and water, power in and ready for you to develop as you wish ... or simply park your RV. Vacant lots like this are hard to find ... this one is waiting for you!
$180,000 SOLD … more buyers seeking same!
Seeking True Remote?
Above Jade City on the old Cassiar Highway, in the middle of the gold fields, 0.5 hectares (not surveyed) on the banks of Troutline Creek, License of Occupation, 10 year terms with current term good until 2032. Story and half cabin plus outbuildings. Current holder has had a small farm with goats and chickens. Telephone service. 4.4 km from main highway.
$89,900
First Street
Rare opportunity for good building lot (two adjoining lots being sold as one parcel), just steps away from Atlin Lake, close to center of community, accessed from lane. 50x100’, no records of previous development on the land.
$195,000
4th of July
.78 acres of Crown Land Lease, gated, partly cleared, the perfect spot to keep your RV and recreational necessities there for year around enjoyment. Lease term to 2042.
$45,500
Second Street
100x30 foot lot, sloping between the lake and mountain view. Great central location waiting for you. Develop your new home at your own pace.
$135,000
Call Myrna at (250) 775-1019 or Katie Suter at (250) 500-1915 myrnablake1@gmail.com .or myrnablake1@zoleo.com when travelling Go to northernhomesbc.ca for more details.
My name is Katie Suter and I live in Northern BC. I am an Associate Broker with Northern Homes Real Estate, and I will be travelling to Atlin frequently to help clients with their Real Estate needs. Call or text to set up an
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Thank you,
Remembrance Day (Monday) - Open Nov 10, 12 Christmas (Wednesday) & New Year (Wednesday) Family Day (Monday) - Open Feb 16, 18 Easter (Good Friday) - Open Apr 20, 21 Operated by the Atlin Community Improvement District
39 Lake St, Atlin
Restaurant and Saloon - Winter hours
Sunday - restaurant
Fine dining and dinner specials 5:30-8pm
Tuesday - restaurant
Lunch noon - 2pm
Wednesday to Saturday - in the Saloon!
Bar opens at 5 pm Kitchen open 5:30-8pm
Specials
Wed - limited menu
Thurs - authentic Cantonese
Fri - weekly specials
Sat - burger and a bevy
Note: our restaurant doors are open daily 7:30am - 5pm for continental breakfast, pre made meals, your “get together for coffee” and a nice place to relax-enjoy the amazing view!
Winter Store Hours
Store/Bakery Open
Winter hours starting Oct 15
Monday to Friday 10-5:30
Saturday 10-4
Gary Pumps Ltd.
Please note that requests for same day water delivery must be received no later than 11 am of said day. Thank you! Water delivery and Sewer Removal are available Monday through Friday
Sundays and Stat holidays closed
~Weekly freight truck run on Mondays and freight runs available upon request~
~Weekly freight truck run on Mondays and freight runs available upon request~
Office hours – Monday to Friday 8 am – noon Closed all Statutory Holidays With thanks, Gary McNeil and Jody
Atlin Christian Centre
Affiliated with the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada Service and Sunday School Sunday 11 a.m. Come join us!
250-691-0128
Mountain Shack
Café Restaurant
Fast Fancy Food Great Service
110 Discovery Avenue In Atlin, B.C. EAT IN OR TAKE OUT Wednesday thru Monday 250-651-7789
St. Martin’s Anglican Church 10 a.m. Sunday Everyone welcome!
MOBILE WELDING SERVICE
AVAILABLE
Contact: Alain Vanier
250-651-0037 Reasonable Rates!
Salvation is God’s Way of making us real people
St. Augustine
Smallwood Enterprises Ltd
We provide Concrete, Drain Rock, Screed gravel, Sand, Topsoil and Septic systems. We also provide Equipment Rentals, Excavations, Covered Storage, and Snow Removal. Please call (250) 651-2488 or email bobscontracting2020 @gmail.com
The next Whisper is Wednesday November December 18th Submissions are due no later than Sunday December 15th , 6pm
The Purpose of the Atlin Whisper is to encourage, build-up and inform the people of Atlin concerning ongoing community events and happenings. The Whisper is not a political mouthpiece. Compiled and edited by Lynne Phipps. Paper for printing courtesy of Northern Homes Real Estate Printing courtesy of Dani McNeil and the RCMP Atlin Delivery by Bobbie Whelan and Gary Hill. Classifieds, news, upcoming events Contact 1-867-334-7949 or lynnephippsatlin@gmail.com if you have, pictures or articles you would like to submit.
Please note that submissions should be sent in either WORD or JPEG whenever possible. PDF must first be printed and then scanned back into the computer in order to format it into the paper. This costs in both paper and ink. We know that at times a PDF is the only way, which is okay when necessary, but otherwise, as the Whisper is a FREE community service we appreciate your support in helping to keep the costs down as much as possible. Thank You!