BC Tel- Hyder Alaska

Hyder Alaska

Named after Frederick Hyder, a Canadian mining engineer
In the early 1900’s all but a couple houses in Hyder, were built on stilts. Signs of the old piles can still be seen.
Friendliest Ghost Town In Alaska, is their motto.
Try and knock on a few residence doors, to gather telephone information, and you get a different perspective!

I get the impression, they don't like utilities, Government, or anything to do with Government.
Hyder is located just on the other side of the border, about a mile north of Stewart B.C.
Check out the museum in Stewart, they have tons of old pictures from the Stewart and Hyder area.
The whole area is well known for it's mines. Copper, Gold etc. have been numerous over the years.

Besides the radio system in the Stewart Office, we also maintained the CBC hut on the end of Brightwell, on 14th Ave. It was accessed by a narrow lane, past the school building. The Antenna Pole for this building was placed, by none other than Mickey Hartline and Don McRobb.

Mickey Hartline- Burns Lake District Repairman, Dec 1957

One story from this job, was a BC Tel salesman had come to town, to sell the town of Stewart, a new switchboard. He was to meet with the Town Fathers, the next day. That evening they, (Don, Mickey and the Salesman), all met at the Glacier Inn in Hyder, and proceeded to “Hyderize” this fine fellow. He thought he was a drinker, and after so many rounds later, he was carted off to his room, passed out, and had gotten sick on his nice new suit, he had on.
Don being the gentleman, and feeling sorry for the guy, for leading him astray, decided he would take his suit down to the Laundromat and clean it up for him, for the morning meeting. You guessed it, wool suit, it shrank big time! Last they seen of this guy, he was getting on the Goose, with sleeves up to his elbows, and pants up to his knees, never to be seen in Stewart again. The next day Don got a phone call asking him, what they did to this poor guy. The town is still waiting for him, he was a no show!
My warning is, yes get “hyderized” but stop after 1oz, If you are smart!

Remembering being Hyderized, is like remembering the day you got your driving license. One trip into Hyder, I ran into Bob Hippisley, who was the Stewart BC Tel Combinationman, and with me, was my designated driver for the ride “home” to Meziadin, Ken Rowe. We were only going for 1 or 2 beers, when suddenly the whole evenings plans changed for the worse! It started with Bob asking me if I wanted a drink, and to pick my medicine from the long line of bottles. I was to pick a brand I never had before, so this bottle of Wild Turkey Bourbon looked interesting so I told him that one! He called Lloyd over, and he poured me a shot glass of it, and I was instructed to pour it down the hatch, just like being Hyderized. I proceeded to do what I was told. And low and behold it wasn’t half bad. The rest is a blurr, but I do remember this old miner sitting next to me buying me round after round, with Lloyd throwing one in, every once in awhile. The whole time Ken was getting a little irate since he couldn’t drink any more, since he was driving. I tuned him out and merrily kept drinking, until the bottle was dry. As if it was yesterday I remember this old timer said “I bet you ten bucks you can’t get off the stool and stand up”. I wasn’t about to turn down the bet at that point, since I felt like a million dollars. So up I got, and no problem, so I won the bet, and turned to Ken and said OK, now I am ready to go home. The Glacier Inn had 2 swinging full doors. I remember walking to the door, I remember opening the door, and then lights out. Ken later told me I hit the fresh air, and literally fell nose first into the sidewalk out front. Out Cold Turkey from Wild Turkey! If that wasn’t good enough, Ken had to pour me into the old International Panel truck, and away we went. I remember waking up at one point with Ken just cussing at me, and he never swore, or very seldom, anyway. The next morning I woke up with a very sore head, and Ken greeted me at the table with a pail of soapy water and instructed me to get out and clean up the front of the truck. I had gotten sick all over him, all over the front of the truck, it even went into the glove box! Now I know why he was cussing! We went back into Stewart the next day and who do we meet but Bob. He hears my sad story and tells me it’s like riding a horse, and falling off, you got to go and get back on, so away we went to Hyder. He ordered me a shot of Wild Turkey and passed it to me. The smell was enough, and off I went. Haven’t been able to smell, or drink the stuff, to this day! Sorry Ken!

Note- Hyder Cider is actually “Everclear”= 95% Ethanol and 5% water
Run your car on it, if you want!
Might be a better use for it actually!
I now hear they do not do it anymore, sad, but probably a good thing.

The main Stewart office, was the “Glacier Inn”, operated by Lloyd Fillion,
or the “Sea Alaska” operated by Gary Benedict.
The “First Chance-Last Chance” was operated by Lloyd for a few summers also.
This establishment was the only one in the world that had a pay phone mounted in a Real old style Coffin.
This was done by Pat Coulter, “Mr. Stewart” for many years.
Pat found it in the attic of the bar, while wiring in the pay phone.
It became a major tourist attraction while the bar was open.
BC Tel Security, and the coin phone big shots, freaked when they seen it, but Lloyd wouldn’t let them change it.
Lloyd would spike the beer, and whatever else you were drinking, with Hyder Cider, 100 proof alcohol. It ruined a good beer in my eyes!
If the can of beer came opened, look out. He treated us and others pretty good!

Hyder is one of the last frontier towns, not uncommon to see handguns on the hip in town.
There has been more than one shooting in the bars.
It is like going back 100 years into the Wild Wild West!
There has been shootings in the bars, bullet holes are left as evidence.
There has been more than one person die of alcohol poison, in the Bar!
In the old days, the Bar owners would know when the State troopers were on their way, since the Airlines or Ferry Service, would always tip them off.
If they would have only seen what went on in the 60's and 70's, and probably earlier!!

Customs was in operation for a few years in the 70’s then disappeared.
It is back in business in late 1990’s.

Hyder is one of the few places, maybe only one, Where the Telephone Central Office is in Canada, and the Residences, and Telephones are in the United States.
There might be others, but not many.
Gen-Tel in Alaska would do the billing, and we would do the installs and repairs, for a certain portion in return.

Some day I will write a book on my most unforgettable character and that without a doubt, (not even a close second!), is Don McRobb. (Splicer in early 60's, later Facilityman)
The following short story about Don, is based in Hyder Alaska.
According to Vern Fredericks, Don got a wee bit tippy one night, so the guys put him in the bucket of his Ladder Truck (parked out front no doubt)
and then raised the boom as high as it would go, then they left him in there all night. The bucket on these machines would only be about 30“ sq.
Rumour has it Don complained about a stiff neck for days after! I wonder why?
I also wonder how they got him in there? He was no small guy.

More Hyder Photos

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