British Columbia / B.C. Postal History - 1 October 1934 - BRIDGE RIVER, B.C. (MOOD cancel / postmark) to Falls Creek, B.C. (other examples of the MOOD hammer from BRIDGE RIVER on stamps)

BRIDGE RIVER, B.C. - is located 13 miles west of Lillooet on the north side of Seaton Lake. It was named after a 100 foot toll bridge built in 1859.

Townsite (South Shalalth) - Development of the electrical potential was in full swing by the mid-1920s, with a "model village" erected around the west side of the bay where Shalalth is located, and one of the tunnels piercing the mountainside above completed, but construction came to a halt with the onset of the Great Depression and the collapse of the finances backing the project, and work ground to a halt in 1929. The townsite remained largely empty during the 1930s, although steady traffic to the mines in the Bridge River Country over the mountain kept the hotels busy.

When World War II came, the semi-abandoned village built for the hydro project at the rail stop of South Shalalth, which had gone dormant at the start of the Great Depression and colloquially known as BRIDGE RIVER, was chosen for one of several relocation centres for Japanese-Canadians from the coast in the Lillooet area. One of the relocatees at Shalalth was Dr. Masajiro Miyazaki, a US-trained osteopathic physician who stayed on after the war and became one of Lillooet's two Companions of the Order of Canada.

Post-War BRIDGE RIVER townsite - After the war, construction of the hydroelectric project resumed with a vengeance, and along with a new boom in traffic to the mines came a surge in equipment to finish the power project. For the next twenty or twenty-five years, Shalalth became the main transportation hub for the surrounding region, with nearly 24-hour heavy traffic over the pass, either to and from the mines or to the new, expanded damsite just over the pass at the head of the Bridge River Canyon.

Shalalth Post Office (1) was opened - 1 November 1925, being the First Nation name for Seton Lake. Renamed BRIDGE RIVER Post Office - 1 June 1927. Name changed back to Shalalth Post Office (2) - 16 June 1937.

LINKS to a list of the Postmasters who served at the Shalalth Post Office (first opening) - recherche-collection-search.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/home/record... - BRIDGE RIVER Post Office - recherche-collection-search.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/home/record... - Shalalth Post Office (second opening) - recherche-collection-search.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/home/record...

- sent from - / BRIDGE RIVER / OCT 1 / 1934 / B.C. / - MOOD cancel in purple ink - this MOOD hammer was proofed - 22 June 1933 - (RF-D).

- sent by: BRIDGE RIVER MOTOR SERVICE / Bridge River, B.C. - (corner card)

Addressed to: Mr. L. H. Drewy / Falls Creek, B.C. (Drewry's Mill at Falls Creek, B.C.)

- other examples of the MOOD cancel are:

- / BRIDGE RIVER / APR 20 / 1934 / B.C. / - MOOD cancel in black ink - this MOOD hammer was proofed - 22 June 1933 - (RF-D). This is the ERD reported for this hammer.

- / BRIDGE RIVER / AUG 15 / 1934 / B.C. / - MOOD cancel in black ink - this MOOD hammer was proofed - 22 June 1933 - (RF-D).

- / BRIDGE RIVER / SEP 21 / 1934 / B.C. / - this MOOD hammer was proofed - 22 June 1933 - (RF-D).

MOOD - It is a device which are known as "MOOD" (Money Order Office Datestamp / Device), which were first issued In Canada in 1927 and distinct looking round rubber CDS cancels of about 24 mm diameter (sometimes with ornaments). The definition of these cancels has come to include all circular rubber hammers under about 30mm diameter that were issued before 1973. MOOD cancels are usually seen in various colours, not often in black. MOODs were used concurrently during the period 1928 - 1945, with the majority seen in the 1930's. Almost all MOOD's have a comma after the town name, and this helps to differentiate them from other postmark styles. These devices were issued to post offices in order to date stamp money order and registration receipts as well as official mail. They were occasionally used for postmarking regular mail, but this use was not officially authorized.

Taken on: December 21, 2023

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