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Tashme Multi-cache

Hidden : 10/28/2007
Difficulty:
1.5 out of 5
Terrain:
1.5 out of 5

Size: Size:   small (small)

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Geocache Description:

This is a two part multi cache placed to help commemorate the Japanese Community of Hope. At these coordinates you will find a plaque with details which will help you find the final cache.

During World War Two, when Pearl Harbor was savaged by the Imperial Fleet on December 7, 1941, latent ill will towards ethnic Japanese flashed into fear as "Invasion" and "Atrocities" screamed from the headlines.

On January 8, 1942, the Conference on Japanese Matters convened in Ottawa. It's recommendation that Japanese males of military age be restricted from a zone reaching 100 miles inland from the Coast did not satisfy the White populations of B.C. Fears teetered towards hysteria as service clubs of every stripe passed resolutions demanding the banishment of the Japanese.

The Japanese community anxiously demonstrated their loyalty to Canada. Again and again they volunteered to do anything the government desired to aid the war effort. They closed their schools, ceased publishing their newspapers and turned in their firearms, radios and cameras. Still, suspicions and tensions mounted.

Public pressure on W.L.M.King's liberal government in Ottawa and fearing that a bout of ethnic cleansing was about to convulse the Coast, on February 2, 1942, the Minister of National Defense, J.L. Ralston, classified all Japanese, be they "Nisei" -Canadian born -or "Issei" -born in Japan -as "Enemy Aliens" and commenced evacuation of all Japanese to places of internment far inland.

To accomplish the task the British Columbia Security Commission was created and Tashme was established.

Tashme was the most isolated and most complete of the projects. Situated in a valley 2,300 feet above sea level, it was fourteen miles from Hope, B.C. on the site of the old 14 Mile Ranch.

The name TASHME, although it sounds typically Japanese, is of thoroughly Canadian origin. It came about this way. When the evacuation took place, the British Columbia Security Commission, whose primary function was to plan, supervise and direct the evacuation and to provide for the housing, feeding, care and protection of the evacuees, consisted of Mr. Austin C. Taylor, J. Shirras, and F.J. Mead. The first two letters of each of the surnames of these officials were linked together to form TA-SH-ME, a word destined to outlive the settlement, for it was used to name several Japanese-Canadian babies.

The settlement lay in the heart of one of the richest forests in the province. Timber limits were leased, and from the outset many experienced Japanese-Canadian loggers were employed at felling trees. Thus, all lumber used for construction and renovation at Tashme was obtained on the spot. A sawmill was erected on the grounds and dwellings soon began to take shape.

The layout of the settlement was composed of 10 avenues, each with approximately 30 houses resembling army huts. Each building accommodated one large family or two small ones, and in the latter case both families shared the middle room. The bedrooms were separated by curtains.

The residents of Tashme had no running water or electric lights, although taps were placed at intervals along the streets to supply the water; oil lamps provided illumination. There was electricity, but it was confined to street lighting, the store, hospital and other public buildings.

Given the discipline, pride and adaptability of a people, the Japanese and Japanese-Canadian residents of Tashme were able to develop a positive, self-sufficient and cooperative community despite their internment. Here a bakery flourished, dressmakers and tailors, shoe makers and cobblers, a butcher, barbers and hairstylists, jewelers and watchmakers, cleaners and launderers all were open for business. Kept busy were carpenters and cabinet makers as well as a photographer who gave good 24 hour service on films, but would shave only when called upon to take wedding pictures.

The Japanese were excellent gardeners. They grew barley, oats, celery and cabbages. Many a truckload was exported from the settlement. A small soya factory was set up and enough of this commodity, along with miso paste, was manufactured at Tashme to supply the needs across Canada.

There were 22,000 victims of internment during the war, scattered throughout B.C. and Alberta. Their hard earned possessions were sold, without consent, as the Japanese were deemed financially responsible for transportation to, accommodation in, and administration of their own places of detention.

Only very recently, and most unsatisfactorily were the camps' erstwhile inmates and their descendants compensated for some small part of their losses. On September 22, 1988 when the Progressive Conservative Prime Minister, Brian Mulroney mouthed the words, that the 22,000 Japanese who were affected by the removals would receive an official apology from the Canadian Government for the atrocious treatment accorded them during World War Two. As a token of compensation, the 13,000 survivors received $21,000 each, and $1.2 million was put into a Fund to benefit the entire Japanese Community.

You will find the final cache at;
N49-(AB).(CDF)
W121-(WX).0(YZ)

AB = Add together the number of letters in the two words directly under the Japanese writing.
CDF = Subtract 1390 from the year of dedication.
WX = Using the same two words, assign a numerical value to the last letter in the second word.
YZ = Numerical value of the fourth letter of the first word x 13.

Enjoy the drive and have fun!

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Jrfg fvqr bs ebnqjnl - ybbx haqre fgvpxf.

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)