"It nearly broke us, and then the bank called in our loan." Aird Flavelle, one of the owners of Thurston-Flavelle

In 1914 Thurston-Flavelle shut down as a result of WW1 and "A tremendous wave of fear spread throughout all industry as the 'unknown' of war conditions was faced" A Cedar Saga by W. Guy Flavelle. Special permission was granted to the mill to pay the final payroll cheque.

"In 1915 business began to increase when American wheat farmers began building heavily due to the $2.50 price for wheat. However, after the war wages in British Columbia decreased. At Thurston-Flavelle white workers were paid $1.75 a day and Chinse $1.25 per day. This was still based on a 10-hour workday and a 60-hour work week. Many of the other Vancouver mills secured their labour for $1.00 a day." A Cedar Saga by W. Guy Flavelle