This page is primarily about the interesting life's activities of
W.J.Pace and his father-in-law William Tierney
from info found at the Provincial Museums of
British Columbia - Victoria and
Alberta - Edmonton

The Colonist
Victoria,B.C.
Wednesday, March 6, 1889
PASSENGERS
Steamer ISLANDER
arr. Victoria from Vancouver
March 6, 1889

WD Ferris Jr., Dr. Hall, H.Saunders, Mrs.Saunders, Master Saunders, Job Humphreys, W.Halcar, Maj.Wright, Mrs.Spalding, Jno.Leask, Mrs.Leask, W.J.Pace, Mrs.W.J.Pace, Miss Tierney, J.F.Blackstone, W.Gordon, R.Knight, W.Matheson, D.McAllister, H.Grant, W.Stewart, Jos McDonald, C.Reed, W.Grant, S.C.Henderson, G.W.Baldwin, H.Kirkland, R.H.Luns, Rev.McKay, Capt.W.T.Stewart, Rev.J.Jeffrey


Who was
William John Pace ?

born 1866 in Devenport, Ohio, brought to Canada in 1870 by parents, Michael & Katherine Pace nee Lewis. He worked as a bookkeeper for a coal company at the town of Crowsnest Pass on the Canadian Pacific line west of Lethbridge.


Read about
CARIBOO WAGON ROAD
to the Gold Fields of the Cariboo in the interior of B.C. from YALE port at the head of navigation on the deadly FRASER River "Much of the road had to be blasted from solid rock"
read C.J. TAYLOR's piece on the Canadian Encyclopedia Site

HISTOR!CA


The Colonist
Victoria,B.C.
Saturday, May 7, 1898
EDMONTON ROUTE
Northern explorers, who started over it in September, Still on Finley River

Consolidated Omineca Company's propertySecured by British Capitalists

John Roberts, Formerely of Victoria, Killed on Manson Creek

Better evidence of the impracionability of the route from Edmonton as a highway to the Yukon cannot be given than the story of the trip of Inspector Moody and his party of Mounted Police. The left Edmonton in September of last year and a few weeks ago they were still camped on the Finlay River in the Omineca district of this province. Here they were met by Capt. Black of the Consolidated Omineca Company, who reached Victoria on Thursday evening after a visit to the properties in which his company is interested.
    Capt. Black left Victoria in February six months after Inspector Moody left Edmonton, and going to Quesnelle, struck off across the country, a distance of 800 miles, on snowshoes, having as companions, two Indians. He went straight through to Germansen and Manson Creek where the Consolidated Omineca company's property is situated. This property, which consists of eighteen locations on the two creeks, a complete hydraulic plant and nine miles of ditching is about to be transferred to a British syndicate for $125,000. The representative of this syndicate will return to Omineca with Capt. Black in a few weeks to formally take over the mines. Pending the transfer of the property, no work has recently been done. Last year, however, water was turned on some of the ground and the prospects proved very good. The Consolidated Omineca company is composed almost entirely of Victorians.
    On the way out, Capt. Black visited the Nation, Peace, Parsnip and Finlay Rivers, on which other syndicates in which he is interested, have claims. These claims have not been worked to any extent.
    It was on his way home that Capt. Black met Inspector Moody and the members of the North West Mounted Police, they having been camped on the Finlay River since December.
    They started from Edmonton, as previously stated, in September, taking horses for the first part of the journey, but very early in the game, had to take to snow shoes. The snowshoeing was very heavey and upon their arrival at Finlay River, they decided that it was impracticable to continue, and went into camp. They are still there and will await the return of Capt. Black before proceeding. They are well provided with provisions and are in comfortable quarters.
    There are a very large number of men going into the Omineca and Peace River countries, some who know what they have before them and are prepared to meet the difficulties, and others who have not the least idea of what they will have to put up with. The country, Capt. Black says, is no place for poor men. It is far harder to reach than Klondike and provisions are consequently dearer. To make a success of a prospecting trip, a man must have about a thousand dollars and be prepared to remain in the country for two years, and then he has a chance of striking something just as good as Klondike.
    All the way from Ashcroft, in parties, were met, some pushing slowly on, others waiting for the spring to melt the snow. Many, propose remaining in British Columbia, but some expect to reach Klondike by this long overland route. They may succeed "but" says Capt. Black, "they have a long tramp before them."
    At Quesnelle there is a party who appear to have before them difficulties very similar to those that broke up the Grider expedition and they are headed for the same river, the Nation, which Grider told his party, contained untold wealth. This party at Quesnelle is under the leadership of a Mr. Tierney of Vancouver, to whom it is said each member paid a good large sum to be taken to this mysterious El Dorado where they were to take out an ounce a day.
    "They may do so, everything is possible," said Capt. Black, "but it is not probable."
    The members of the party, or a large majority of them, are lawyers and doctors from North Carolina, who have never been out of civilization, and are already getting tired of roughing it, having been at Quesnelle since last fall. In striking contrast to this party is one from California, composed entirely of practical miners who also are bound for the Nation River. They are not expecting anything big and will therefore not be disappointed. The Italian Count and his companion, who started last winter, intending to explore the northern interior of the province, are still at Quesnelle, in company with a score of other adventurers, bound northwards.
    Capt. Black has great confidence in the future of the great northern interior of the province, which he has proved by the time he has spent there prospecting and exploring, a work which will prove of untold benefit to the province and for which the Captain is about to earn a well deserved reward, through the interest capitalists are taking in the country.
    There is some splendid agricultural land in the valley of the Finlay and Parsnip Rivers and the winters are not nearly as severe as they are around Quesnelle. On the Finlay River last winter there were but a few inches of frost and very little snow, so that it is favourable for the miner and the farmer. However, they have to pass through a rough country to reach these more favourable districts.
    John Roberts, a former Victorian, lost his life on Manson Creek last winter, falling from one of the flumes on Col. Wright's mine and breaking his neck. His companion, a man named Smith, was in a terrible way over the accident and at his request Capt. Black held an investigation, arriving at the conclusion, that the fatality was purely accidental. Roberts was a native of London, Eng. He was formerly a sealer and member of the crew of a Victoria Schooner. Capt. Black is desirous of communicationg with Robert's friends
VICTORIA DAILY COLONIST
THURSDAY MARCH 2, 1899

William Tierney died this morning of chronic bronchitis. Mr. Tierney was born at Nepean, Carleton county, Ont. in 1837 and was married at Smith's Falls in 1860 to Catharine McSharry, only daughter of Capt. McSharry of Perth, Ont. Mr. Tierney came to Victoria, B.C. in 1868, residing in that city until he made Vancouver his home in December, after the fire. Mr. Tierney was a member of the A.O.U.W. He has been identified with many public works, being a prominent contractor. He layed out Ross Bay Cemetery and built many roads about Victoria, Nanaimo, Seattle and in Yale. He was widely known and respected for his many good qualities of heart and hand. There survives Mr. Tierney his sorrowing widow and the following sons and daughters, Mrs. W.J.Pace, Mrs. Sheasgreen, Mrs. Willia, Mrs. Abel (Washington state), Miss Tierney, Miss Lena Tierney, Mr. William Tierney (Cariboo district), and Mr. John J. Tierney (Cariboo district). On Friday, requiem mass will be celebrated in the Roman Catholic church in Vancouver, whence his remains will be sent to Victoria for internment in the family plot in Ross Bay Cemetery, by the side of his daughter.
TIERNEY - At Vancouver, B.C. on the 1st of March. Inst., William Tierney, a native of Nepean, Ontario, aged 62 years

The funeral will take place tomorrow (Saturday) morning at 9 o.clock from the Roman Catholic Cathedral, Victoria. Friends are invited to attend.


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