PHOENIX
An Anti-British
Constable at Phoenix.
British
citizens of Canada also encountered prejudice and discrimination in their
attempts to make a life for themselves in British Columbia. In the small
mining town of Phoenix, 24 miles east of Grand Forks, citizens of British
descent experienced unacceptable treatment from appointed authorities.
The
main difference in this circumstance was that the British citizens who
experienced such treatment were able to access those in power to address
their grievances (as this letter to the Governor General shows). The matter
of the anti-British constable in Phoenix reached the highest levels of
government including: B.C.'s Governor General, the Provincial Secretary's
Office, and the Attorney General.
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Town of
Phoenix, B.C.
(Image courtesy of Fort Steele Heritage Town Archives
FS
51.43)
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[Document courtesy of British Columbia Provincial Archives.]
Phoenix,
B.C., August, 27th: 1900.
To
HONORABLE, HENRI JOLE,
Governor General.
Victoria.
I
take this priviledge [sic] as a peaceable Citizen to draw your ATTENTION
to a matter which concerns the general public here; and I may say that
many of them with myself consider it a Ridiculous state of affairs, to
be existing in a place that has attained the size of PHOENIX, B.C. The
matter in question is regarding the special constable Mr. M. Tracey, who
has been acting here for some time past. We may say Mr. Tracey is an American
Citizen and is entirely anti-British; and from his former actions is under
Bond to Keep the peace, Being an agitator of strife as well as being the
instigator of false reports, which has led to trouble and annoyance to
peaceful Citizens. The above is a correct statement of the state of affairs
which exist here; to the detriment of the respectable Citizens of PHOENIX.
"W.H.
BELL"
[BC Archives: GR 429, Box 6, File 2, 3227/00.]
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