George, John

John George served as a Member of Parliament for Bruce North, Ontario, from June 5, 1890 to May 29, 1894.

He arrived in Princeton in July 1910, for “the purpose of making preliminary arrangements for the acquisition of ground and organization generally.” He was to develop the 80-acres of land formerly owned by United Empire at One Mile into a large cement plant. He spent some time promoting the cement works. There were several local investors in the project requiring $250,000 in capital. He was authorized to sell bonds in the new company and he became manager of the British Columbia Portland Cement Company in October 1910.

He was a lay Methodist preacher and he filled the Presbyterian Church in Princeton on July 27, 1910.

Major investors – L.W. Shatford, Member of Parliament, J.A. Harvey, K.C., L.W. Stone, financier, and John George, promoter – came to Princeton from Vancouver in August 1910 via Crockett’s Fast auto line to look over the new property. The Similkameen Star reported that a sawmill would be put into commission to supply the lumber for building and the Certificate of Incorporation would be issued shortly.

The Board Report of the company was published over the course of two weeks in the Similkameen Star in April 1913.

In 1937, the Similkameen Star ran an article entitled: “Princeton’s Great Delusion: A City of Cement that Failed to Stick” on February 4, 1937 (page 7). A “considerable amount of stock was subscribed for locally and a huge plant was built, the venture capitalized at $500,00, and machinery installed, but it proved the greatest white elephant the Similkameen has known.”

From Princeton Our Valley: Started an advertising campaign with Mr. J Budd, with the first money received they bought a hundred acres of the Allison estate on the One Mile Creek.