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Hugh Bernard Ashton Birch (1889-1956)
Highlights of History from The Whitehorse Star
The Whitehorse Pioneer Cemetery
Hugh Bernard Ashton Birch was born at Hendon, London, England, in about 1889, and came to Canada in 1902. The family seems to have settled at Calgary for a few years, then moved to Vancouver, where at the age of 16, Hugh learned to be a telegraph operator and went to work for the CPR. After a few years with them he transferred to the Dominion Telegraph Service, and went north in their service in 1910, with his pregnant wife Harriet. He worked all over the Yukon and northern B.C., at 32 different stations. For the final ten years he was at Lower Lebarge, remaining there until the service closed in 1952.
In 1954 a forestry lookout tower was built on Haeckel Hil at Whitehorse, and he became the first "towerman" there. On June 9, 1956, a medical emergency forced his departure from the tower. He spent six weeks in hospital before returning to his cabin in Moccasin Flats, where he was found dead on September 19, 1956.
Hugh was married twice. On August 25, 1909, he married Harriet Maud, but she died at Terrace on January 25, 1916. On September 15, 1916, he married Priscilla Angelin Stuart, but in the 1921 census, Hugh was living at Terrace with three sons, but no spouse. Son Hugh was 9 years old, Walter was 7 years old, and Thomas was 5 years old. Hugh was killed when run over by a train on July 14, 1927, when he was 16; he had run away from the Boys' Industrial School in Coquitlam, where he had been an inmate since August 1925. Walter died in an accident at Prince George on May 17, 1977; at that time Thomas was living in California.
Hugh Birch appeared in The Whitehorse Star several times starting in 1941, but he never mentioned a family. We have reproduced all the newspaper stories below.
The Whitehorse Star (Whitehorse, Yukon) - Friday, June 6, 1941
Mr. Hugh Birch, government telegraph operator at Lower LeBarge, who has been a patient at the local General Hospital for the past few weeks, has sufficiently recovered as to enable him to return to his duties.
Victoria Daily Times (Victoria, B.C.) - Thursday, October 16, 1941
DAWSON, Y.T. (CP) - It took Hugh Birch, crack government telegraph service operator and linesman, 31 years to reach Dawson City from Vancouver, but he
finally made it.
Hugh, tall and rangy, reached Dawson on September 22, 1941, by way of Prince Rupert, Stewart and half a dozen other points in the northern hinterland of British Columbia, where he put in varying periods as telegraph operator and linesman. He left
Vancouver for Prince Rupert on February 10, 1910.
"I guess I've been longer on the way to Dawson than any other living person in the Yukon today," Birch said, "but it wasn't entirely my own fault. I'd have
been here a whole lot sooner if things hadn't worked out the way they did."
Birch, born in London, England, came to Canada as a lad and at an early age took up telegraph work. He was eventually sent to Prince Rupert as night operator and linesman. "I was stationed at Prince Ru- pert for a year and a half," he says, "when I was transferred to a place they called Graveyard Point. Graveyard Point in those days was just exactly what the name implies. But I didn't care... I was 80 miles on my way toward Dawson."
From Graveyard Point, Birch was sent to the government telegraph post at Old Kitchen Kettle and from there to Stewart, on the Portland Canal. "At that time Percy Goodenough, who was later editor of the Atlas Miner, was located in Stewart. He was one of the old-time printers and set up everything in his paper by hand."
Birch stayed there until 1914, when he was recalled to Old Kitchen Kettle, now renamed Terrace. When Terrace was cut out of the system he went to Atlin as a linesman and served there four years, until the land line system was reorganized and Birch was given the choice of coming to the Yukon or quitting.
"I took her," Birch says, "because I had always wanted to go to Dawson and knew that some day I would make it." Birch arrived at Lower LaBarge, Yukon Territory, on July 10, 1940, where he stayed until the past summer when the telegraph line between that point and Dawson City needed repairs. With a crew of four, Birch was given the job. They worked through to Dawson over a wilderness trail, making a good deal of the trip by raft on the Yukon River, and finally arrived here September 22.
Coos Bay Times (Marshfield and North Bend, Oregon) - Saturday, February 6, 1943
Glenn Hardy, KHJ-Don Lee newscaster, heard from his friend up north again the other day. The November 17 edition of his twice-yearly letter from Hugh B. Birch, Lower Lake LeBarge, near White Horse in Yukon territory, Canada. Each November 17 for four or five years, and again in the spring, Birch writes to the newscaster, whose broadcast he hears in his lonely cabin, isolated at a lookout point in the Canadian wilds.
The Whitehorse Star (Whitehorse, Yukon) - Friday, June 16, 1944
Mr. Hugh Birch, Dominion government telegraph operator at Lower LeBarge, was in town last week to secure medical advice. He left Sunday on his return trip.
The Whitehorse Star (Whitehorse, Yukon) - Friday, June 22, 1945
Mr. Hugh Birch, Dominion government telegraph operator at Lower LeBarge, arrived in town Saturday on a visit. It was in Oct. when he made his last trip into Whitehorse.
The Whitehorse Star (Whitehorse, Yukon) - Friday, August 31, 1945
His many friends will be sorry to hear that Hugh Birch, Dominion government telegraph agent at Lower LeBarge, had the misfortune whilst on an inspection trip of the telegraph line in his territory, to injure his left hand with an axe. Through the courtesy of the U. S. airbase am emergency plane was sent to Big Salmon to bring Mr.
Birch to the Whitehorse General Hospital where he is now a patient.
The Whitehorse Star (Whitehorse, Yukon) - Friday, September 7, 1945
We are glad to report that Hugh Birch has sufficiently recovered from his recent accident as to enable him to leave on the str. Casca today for his domicile at Lower LeBarge.
The Whitehorse Star (Whitehorse, Yukon) - Friday, September 14, 1945
Sincerest appreciation and best thanks are extended to the officers and crew of the U. S. Airbase who were responsible recently for an emergency trip being made to a point approximately 170 miles north of Whitehorse in order to bring Mr. Hugh Birch, who had been injured Whilst using an axe, to the local hospital. The trip was made the more hazardous by reason of the fact that at the time one of the most violent windstorms ever experienced hereabouts was blowing at the time. After medical treatment and a few days spent in the hospital Mr. Birch was able to return to his home at Lower Le Barge to resume his duties as Dominion government telegraphist at that location.
The Whitehorse Star (Whitehorse, Yukon) - Friday, February 6, 1953
Climaxing an important phase in the history of the Yukon, the Government Telegraph Office in Whitehorse was officially closed on January 19. The closing of the Whitehorse office followed similar procedures at Lower Le Barge, Taggish and Atlin. The Atlin office changed to radio telephone in conjunction with the Signals Office in Whitehorse.
Hugh B. Birch, who officially closed the office departed from Vancouver in February, 1910, and has never returned to Vancouver for a visit. His first Northern position was at Prince Rupert as night operator. He worked up the Skeena River before the CNR was built at Hazelton, B.C.
Hugh has many interesting tales of his experiences in the North. He has become an expert knitter through his long periods in remote stations, where no one visited him from freeze-up to the thaw. He has now retired from the service, but expects to stay in the Yukon.
The Whitehorse Star (Whitehorse, Yukon) - Friday, July 16, 1954
Hugh Birch, retired Government Telegraph operator who was stationed at Lake LeBarge for a number of years, was in the City this week to have an infected heel treated. Hugh has taken on a job as look-out man for the Forestry Department.
The Whitehorse Star (Whitehorse, Yukon) - Thursday, October 13, 1955
A description of the life of a "Lookout Man" is included in a letter written by Hugh B. Birch received at The Star office last week. Due to a delay in post one
of the main points in Mr. Birch's letter has been lost. He had written to the Lady Talk column because of the mention it had made earlier of the beautiful view he must have from his lookout tower high over Whitehorse, and his letter invited the columnist for a cup of tea and a look at the view.
The view has now faded and Mr. Birch came down from his perch September 30 at the end of the fire-watching season. Lady Talk hopes to get that cup of tea next summer, but in the meantime, here are some of Mr. Birch's comments:
"There is a standing invitation for tea up at the tower for any and all who can manage to struggle up there. It's a 14-mile drive from town, on the Fish Lake Road (so-called). If one is lucky, he can sometimes get within about three miles of the tower with a pickup, not a car; the balance of the way has to be done on Shank's mare, straight up the mountainside, and the only rigs thatecan make this are powerful four-wheel drives or a "cat." The big ridge is 2,700 tough feet above town. The view at all times, unless obscured by fog or clouds, of which there's plenty, is magnificent, and thrilling, a range from north to south of close to 70 miles..."
The job consists of sitting, day in and day out, every day of the month from 5 a.m. until after 9 p.m., constantly scanning the area for "smokes," or forest fires, and generally radio-phoning a report to the town Forestry office within rarely more than 15 minutes. Crews go into immediate action. Location of any smoke is spotted to within close to half-a-mile of the actual site.
However, there's more to it than just sitting admiring the view. There's a gas generator to be kept in running order for charging storage batteries for the radio-phone; 16 large windows to be washed and polished at least once a week; all the cooking to do, even the making of bread and cakes...
The supply rig comes up about every ten days or so, bringing water, wood, grub and mail, and apart from a rare visitor, the driver is the only person the lookout man sees for weeks at a time. In case of necessity, medical attention, etc., relief can be arranged. Since Mr. Birch went up to the tower on May 17, he had been to town just four times.
Last weekend he prepared the tower for its winter alone, and made the last trip down the ridge to town for 1955.
The Whitehorse Star (Whitehorse, Yukon) - Thursday, May 31, 1956
"It has to be seen to be appreciated," says fire watcher of the view from his lonely lookout 2,700 feet above Whitehorse. But few appreciate it as few see it - it's too far to walk.
Haeckel Hill forestry lookout tower, 5,000 feet above sea level, was built in 1954. Crowflight distance from town is approximately eight miles, by road about 14 miles. Ordinary vehicles can make the first part of the trip for seven to eight miles, on the Fish Lake Road to the power line hydro pressure gate - but for the rest of the journey only a four-wheel drive power wagon or a good Jeep can navigate the six miles of
rough bulldozed road. Near the top are two switchback on an almost vertical mountainside. Supplies for the tower are hauled from town every two weeks. Snow, melted and stored in steel barrels, lasts until mid-June.
The purpose of the tower is to spot, locate as to direction, distance and nature any smokes or fires as soon as they start, giving this information to the town office by way of two-way radio-phone. Crews are put into immediate action. The towerman is required to keep a constant lookout over an area roughly 70 miles from north to south, and about 25 miles east to west. An average day's scanning is from 5 am to 9 am, longer if fire hazard conditions warrant. Under fair conditions the towerman can keep in touch with other forest ranger stations by radio-phone at Mayo, Teslin, Watson Lake, White River, Haines Junction and Carmacks. He also keeps in touch by radio-phone with crews working on fires.
According to Towerman Hugh Birch the most important qualification for the watchman is that he must be well used to the lonesome places and able to make himself quite at home and keep himself occupied in various ways, and forget all about the bright lights of Whitehorse, in sight at all times, and so temptingly near. The only persons he sees at the tower during the five months of the summer are the supply rig driver, perhaps
the chief warden or the forest engineer, and a handful of brave visitors who come as far as they can with a car then wend their tough and weary way to the top on shank's mare. Last season no less than 24 Boy Scouts with three scoutmasters landed all in one heap one day. Birch says there were "plenty tired boys but all got a big kick out of the trip, and I'll bet when they reached the bus waiting for them at the cut off, it looked just like heaven. All the visitors up here have been thrilled with the glorious view, words just
cannot do proper justice to it. It has to be seen to be appreciated."
Born in London, England, 67 years ago, Birch came to Canada at 13, lived in Calgary and Vancouver. He learned to be a land-line telegraph operator when he was 16, worked for a few years for the CPR, later for Dominion Government Telegraph Service, all
over Northern British Columbia and the Yukon, putting in 35 years maximum service at 32 different stations. He spent over 10 years at Lower Lake Laberge until the famous old line was closed down. The last office on the whole line, Whitehorse, was closed early in 1952 by Birch who then retired on superannuation. He has never gone back to England, and has not been outside since leaving Vancouver in 1910.
In his third season as a spotter at Haeckel Hill, Hugh Birch has tame gophers, "sassy as all get-out," he says, who climb on his knee begging for handouts and
trying their best to eat him out of house and home. Gophers make fine companions but human visitors are welcome too. He offers to supply the tea if the visitors will come up armed with muffins.
The Whitehorse Star (Whitehorse, Yukon) - Thursday, June 14, 1956
Popular Towerman Hugh Birch of the Haeckel Hill forestry lookout tower will no longer be welcoming visitors to his lonely post.
Because of health reasons Hugh had to vacate his post last week. A
combination of a high blood pressure condition and the altitude of the tower, 5,000 feet above sea level, caused blood bessels in the nose to hemorrhage. When Hugh was unable to stop the bleeding himself, he radioed to the forestry office in Whitehorse and was taken into town for medical attention. The doctor has ordered that Hugh will be unable to return to the tower.
Hugh, who was in his third season at the. tower, will be hard to replace, according to the forestry office. He was, they say, a hard-working and conscientious
employee and they will be sorry to see him go.
Hugh has a letter to the editor in this week's edition in which he
thanks all the recent visitors he had at the tower. It is fitting that Hugh should have had so many visitors in his last few weeks at Haeckel Hill.
The Whitehorse Star (Whitehorse, Yukon) - Thursday, June 28, 1956
Hughie Birch, who left his perch on Haeckel June 9, is now progressing favourably in the Whitehorse General Hospital. His place at the forestry division fire lookout tower was taken June 16 by Harry Burnett.
The Whitehorse Star (Whitehorse, Yukon) - Thursday, July 26, 1956
Hugh Birch, formerly tower man at Haeckel Hill for the Yukon Forestry Division, has now been released from hospital. He is back at his riverside home and will be delighted to see his friends, if they leave by 8 pm, or arrive after 5 am. Hugh keeps these early hours out of habit from the long years he spent as an operator for the Government Telegraph on Lake Lebarge, and in his job for the Forestry Division.
The Whitehorse Star (Whitehorse, Yukon) - Thursday, September 27, 1956
One of the most colorful lives in the Yukon came to an end last week. Hughie Birch was found dead in his cabin in Moccasin Flats about 11 am September 19. Hugh's health had failed while he was working for the Forestry Division at the Haeckel Hill fire look-out. On discharge from the hospital in May he returned to his winter job at Irene' s Laundry. Only a few weeks. before his death, he told friends about plans to return to Haeckel Hill next summer.
Born in London, England 67 years ago, Hugh Birch came to Canada when he was only 13. He lived in Calgary for a few years and then moved to Vancouver. There he learned to be a land line telegraph operator at 16.
After working for several years for the CPR he transferred to the Dominion Telegraph Service. He worked all over the Yukon and Northern B.C. for more than 35 years at 32 different stations. For ten years he was at Lower Lebarge. He stayed at this post until that office closed. As the last oldtime operator he took over the Whitehorse office when Lebarge closed and when the famous old line closed entirely in 1952 he wound things up in Whitehorse.
After this he retired on superannuation. Unable to sit around and do nothing, he kept busy and when the Forestry Division completed the tower on Haeckel Hill
in 1954 he took the job of watchman. During his stay there, to quote his own words, "to amuse himself a bit ye olde watchman had a number of pet gophers, somewhat like squirrels - tame and sassy as all get out there. They came into the tower. They got up on his knees, begging for handouts and all tried their best to eat him out of house and home."
Many Friends
Besides entertaining gophers, Hugh Birch had a host of friends here and outside. He kept up a running correspondence with over a hundred people. Some had met him at his many different telegraph stations and many were people who visited the Yukon and
stopped at the Lower Lebarge office when the river boats were running. One of his hobbies was making string scarves, which he used to present to visitors at the lonely outpost.
Hugh never returned to England since leaving there as a child, and
after he left Vancouver in 1910 he had never been Outside. Mr. Birch's daughter, Mrs. Robertson from Vancouver, came to Whitehorse to attend the funeral last Saturday. Pallbearers were George Wilson, Bill Hayes, Olaf Wick- strom, Peter Berg, Alec McKay
and George Barrett.
W. J. Morris attended to funeral arrangements.
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