Second Part of history of Thomas Abriel - it is suggested that you read Part I first, here.
By 1914, the trend was to move businesses up from Bay St. to Broadway and Tom Abriel decided to relocate his general store as well to the spot where the Bank is now located. (2005) He had purchased these lots earlier, probably about the time he built his office across the street in 1897.
Also in 1914, Tom, who had always been interested in establishing a newspaper for Nakusp, persuaded a printer and editor, Robert Barrett, to set up the essential equipment. The paper was named the Advocate and the first edition came out that October. However, the lack of commercial participation contributed to the eventual demise of the paper. It only lasted nine months. The Nakusp Ledge had a newspaper here for 16 months from October 1893 to December 1894; Nakusp had to wait until 1922 for the Arrow lakes News to come on the scene.
Next, Tom realized that the Opera House was a little too large for many of the small social events such as meetings, concerts, weddings and dinners. He had a vacant piece of land (where the Liquor store is now, 2005) and built the Small Hall. There was a spacious second floor included, and later, a long lean-to style kitchen was added on the ground floor, equipped with a large number of dishes with the Abriel name embossed in red across each piece. It was an important addition to the town but was never given any other name than the Small Hall.
Electricity was the next improvement to the town that was tackled. In 1916, a newcomer to town, George Horsley, explained to the Nakusp Board of Trade how he could establish an electric power system for the town. It took four years and Tom Abriel was at every meeting to help get power going for Nakusp.
Tom was chairman of the school board for many years and they were instrumental in the building of the school in 1912. This is the Centennial Building that now houses the Library and Museum (2005). Another tremendous task was to improve access to the Nakusp Hot Springs with negotiations between Mrs. Ellen Gayford, the owner of the mineral claim and the Nakusp Board of Trade. The nine mile trail to the springs, the grounds and the primitive accommodation all needed upgrading.
A proper protected water system was tackled with the first meeting in 1915 when the Board met with the Government Water Commissioners. Tom was made chairman of the Nakusp Development District and boundaries were defined. It took years to work out the problems to install the system but it was work that had to be done.
Tom Abriel had been a member in the early days when the provincial organization, the BC Fruit Growers Association was formed. This group represented the large fruit growing interests of the Okanagan and Kootenays. His knowledge of the industry and his connections with other agricultural bodies, made him a logical choice as president, a position he held for most of the 25 years he was a member.
Through this association, he convinced area growers to unite, and by 1922, a large addition to the Cannery Association building at Home Ranch was constructed, where boxes were produced and fruit was received from the various fruit farmers of the district. There were four packers continuously at work, trying to keep up to the fine fruit arriving daily. The CPR had run a spur road from the main track to the packing house, which reduced their workload.
Large wholesale houses and distributors in the east wielded great power and Tom Abriel was unyielding in his determined stand to help the small fruit farms survive through the BC Fruit Growers Association, and mounted a unified attack to obtain a fair return for the BC growers. This postponed the end of orchard farming on the Arrow Lakes for many years. Tom Abriel was in his element, meeting, conferring, writing, and planning, in an effort to improve the farmer's lot wherever possible.
He managed his own farm and shipped six to seven carloads of fruit per year, plus tons of blueberries and fruit from three acres of strawberry plants. He also supplied the mines with meat, at one time averaging a carload every two weeks.
The Home Ranch was used later by the University of BC for experimental farming. Tom worked closely with other influential men to establish the Department of Agriculture at UBC. Through his connection with the CPR, he assisted in getting the UBC Endowment Lands set aside, as well as a large tract of land in the Peace River developed for wheat growing.
One wonders how Tom managed and survived on the schedule he set for himself. With his involvement in the Conservative Party, his real estate business and agricultural investments, and the constant executive responsibilities he had volunteered for, he needed to find some help. In 1909, he invited his sister, Bessie, who was ill with TB and living in Nova Scotia to come to Nakusp, offering her a position as his secretary. He also hoped that the fresh air of the mountains would be beneficial and even cure her. She slept summer and winter in a tent-covered platform outside that Tom had constructed for her. She became very proficient at her duties and he missed her help greatly when she passed away in 1920. The loss of her companionship must have been hard, for he led a lonely life.
However, in 1911, he housed a boy of six, Dave Fulkco, and his two sisters overnight en-route to an orphanage in New Westminster. He kept in touch with their situation and when he discovered that one of the girls had died of diphtheria and the other had been adopted out, he decided to offer Dave the opportunity to come to Nakusp. The Children's Aid Society allowed Dave to come in 1918 and Tom became his guardian. This must have lightened his lonely life and gave him someone to help with chores on the farm, which Dave thoroughly enjoyed. Later, he became a guardian to Dick Blyth, who came to stay in 1924. His niece, Ellen Abriel came to stay in 1926; it was rather fitting that Dave and Ellen would eventually marry.
Dick used to help also with work to be done. He took produce to town and had an aptitude for fixing things. He maintained the many houses that Tom had, including papering and painting them. He learned some plumbing and electrical work as well. Both boys attended school and grew up to be good citizens in Nakusp.
Tom had always enjoyed good health, but in September 1935, he broke an ankle. He had come home from hospital and seemed to be recuperating well.
On the 20th of September, he was found dead by friends who had come to visit. His death came as a profound shock to his many friends. He was 68 years old.
This ended the life of one of the most industrious men in the early days of Nakusp. He could have had any position he wanted in provincial politics because he was so well respected, but he chose to remain in Nakusp, always hoping the town he had helped build would grow and become prosperous. It would not have been unreasonable for Nakusp to have been named Abrielville to honor this incredible man.
