April 2003 - Vol Three, No. 5

GREETINGS! And happy Easter to everyone!

Spring and Gardening

"Plants from France

In the bonded warehouse at the C. P. R. station, New Westminster, are several cases of shrubbery and trees that have been imported from France by Messrs. T. R. Pearson, of Westminster, and E. Hutcherson, of Ladner’s Landing. The cases contain over 60,000 plants and shrubs of various kinds, the first importation of the kind brought to the city from France. A number of them go to Victoria, but the majority are for Westminster and Ladner’s Landing. The plants and shrubs brought from France two years ago for the experimental farm at Agassiz gave the utmost satisfaction, and led to this importation."

Source: Vancouver Daily World, 10 May 1892, page eight.

Now, if only they had mentioned the names of some of the plants imported ...

Canadian Geographical Names

If you need to research place names in Canada, you may be interested to know that the url for the site at Natural Resources Canada has changed and is now http://geonames.nrcan.gc.ca/index_e.php

A page on this site has information on the origins of Canada’s geographical names (cities, provinces, etc.). You can find it at http://geonames.nrcan.gc.ca/education/index_e.php

The Y.M.C.A.

This is a commentary that might come as a surprise to most people.

"Catholics and the Y.M.C.A.

In the Church of Our Lady of the Rosary on Sunday morning Father Morgan, of New Westminster, who is officiating temporarily, took occasion to emphasize the fact that no member of the Roman Catholic church can conscientiously become a member of the Y.M.C.A. Whilst holding that organization in the highest respect, Father Morgan deemed it his duty to point out to the young men of his flock that membership in the association is against the principles of the church.

In England, he said, Catholics joining the Y.M.C.A. were forbidden the sacraments, which practically meant expulsion from the church. Were it a social club, or did a Catholic join for the benefit of the gymnasium, there would be no objection, but on account of the Protestantism displayed in the religious exercises it was prohibitory for a Catholic to become a member of it. Instances have been known in England where Catholics have subscribed handsomely to the funds of the association and at the very next religious meeting the Holy Father and the church would be excoriated by an over-zealous Protestant.

Father Morgan had nothing to say against the organization; on the contrary he stated that there is no one more anxious than himself for the welfare of such organizations as tend to lift young men up and to assist in the development of noble characters, but he simply wished to warn Catholics from becoming affiliated therewith."

Source: Vancouver Daily World, 20 March 1893, page three.

A Helpful Website

Here’s a useful website that contains, among other things, almanacs, an atlas, a dictionary, and an encyclopedia. Located at http://www.infoplease.com/, this site appears to be a very informative resource, but largely focused on American material.

Building the Parliament Buildings

"Parliament Buildings Contracts

The tenders for the erection of the new Parliament Buildings at Victoria, designed, as one of the Cabinet cheerfully put it, to beautify the capital, impress foreigners with our greatness, and make the Island City a more attractive point for tourists, were awarded yesterday. There were over 250 tenders for the various works, and the awards were made as follows: Masons’ work, F. Adams; carpentering, Bishop & Sherbourne; plastering, Richard Drake; coppersmith work, W. H. Perry; plumbing, H. T. Flett; iron-founders’ work, Albion Iron Works; painting, E. Spillman. The lucky parties are all Victorians except the last, who is a Vancouverite. The work, of course, is to be rushed ahead immediately."

Source: The Daily Columbian, 06 December 1893, page four.

Auto License Plates

"AUTO LICENSE PLATES TO BE REDUCED IN SIZE

Automobile license plates for this province are to be reduced from 13 1/2 to 11 1/2 inches in length in 1936, it is announced at Victoria. The new size has been decided upon so that the plates will fit the new streamline auto designs.

The 1936 plates will have a green background with a patrol [sic] cream lettering. It will be the first time in twelve years that British Columbia has had green on its plates, the chief reason being that Washington State, adjoining the province, has been using some combination of green during those years and there was danger of confusion. Next year Washington is going to adopt the 1934 B. C. scheme.

With the smaller plates will come a new system of lettering. All commercial licenses will have the letter ‘C’ in front of the numbers. Private vehicles will still have just the numbers."

Source: The Weekly Optimist, 29 August 1935, page one.

Identity Corrected

This item appeared in a column titled "Correspondence," the equivalent of "Letters to the Editor," in The Daily Columbian, 28 February 1893, page one:

"A DISTINCTION WITH A DIFFERENCE

EDITOR COLUMBIAN -- Sir: Your correspondent at Ladner’s, in his ‘Delta Notes’ to your issue of the 23rd inst., appeared to be unable to discriminate between Ladner’s Landing and Port Guichon.

The steamer Islander called at Port Guichon on her way to and from your city, on the 20th inst., and our port has not been closed to navigation at any time during the winter; but these facts are what distinguish Port Guichon from Ladner’s Landing, as the s.s. Islander did not go to Ladner’s Landing, nor was that point open to navigation until a few days previous to that time, when the ice was cut away to permit the s.s. Princess Louise to call.

We are quite willing that Ladner’s Landing should enjoy and be benefited by our superior shipping facilities, and we ask, in the interests of our citizens, that you will kindly make this correction in your next issue.

Yours,

PORT GUICHON

Feb. 25th, 1893."

Museum Fund-raiser
The second annual Garage Sale of Treasures and Collectibles for the Delta Museum and Archives Building Fund will be held on Saturday, April 5th at 5122 - 44th Avenue, Ladner, from 9 a.m. to noon. Please drop by.

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Gwen Szychter, M.A.

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