Vancouver Voyager: Qua-Hail-Ta and Chief Thunder Voice

On August 10, 1948, Gassy Jack's widow died on the North Vancouver Indian reserve. Qua-Hail-Ta, her native name, was 90 years old. Madeline, as she was known, was 12 years old when Jack Deighton married her. Madeline was the niece of Jack's first wife and the mother of his only child, a son named Richard who died at the age of five. Six months after his father died. Madeline spoke fondly of Gassy Jack until her death.

A ribbon cutting ceremony was held on August 13 to celebrate the opening of the Oakridge Transit Centre on West 41st, just east of Oak Street. Dignitaries, civic and other, took inaugural rides on the city's new T-44 trolley buses. B.C. Electric offered the public free rides on the 15th and on August 16, 30 of these new buses started making money for the city.

The first passengers received a route map and an explanation of how the trolleys worked.

On September 1, 1948, Mayor Charles Jones died in office. He had replaced Mayor Gerry McGeer who had also died in office. Jones was replaced by Alderman George Miller. Miller was a former mayor of Vancouver - 1937-38 - and covered the mayoral duties until the end of the year.

September 10, 1948 was the day Margaret Sinclair was born. 18 years later, Margaret was in Tahiti when she met the Minister of Justice, Pierre Trudeau. Trudeau became prime minister in 1968 and married Margaret in 1971.

Ten days later, Bing Crosby brought his highly popular Philco to Vancouver to record a program on the 22nd. The location for this recording, which aired on October 13, was the Sunset Memorial Centre on East 51st Avenue. Performers who joined Bing on this broadcast were jazz violinist Joe Venuti and actors Marilyn Maxwell, William Gargan and Ray Milland.

This was a benefit for the Centre and it was unique because it was the only show in the Philco series transcribed outside the US.

Before the show, the Squamish tribe made Crosby a full-blooded Indian "Chief". Bing became an honorary member with the name "Chief Thunder Voice".

Hallelujah Point in Stanley Park was named on October 3, 1948, to commemorate the work of the Salvation Army for over 60 years, 1887-1947.

On October 18, a small bust of Mayor Gerry McGeer was unveiled at the north side of city hall.

Olympic athlete, Marion Lay, was born November 26, 1948. She became known as "Ms. Everything in Sport" and was involved in the advancement in women in sports.

On November 28, at a home in West Vancouver's British Properties, a ghostly image of a basketball game in Seattle appeared on a four-by-five-inch screen. Radio-shop proprietor, E.A. Mullins, built the primitive set from a kit the cost $238. The signal came from Seattle TV station, KRSC - later KING-TV.