January 2003 - Vol Three, No. 2

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Oil in Delta???

This untitled item appeared in The British Columbian, 07 April 1921, page one:
"Drilling operations were resumed at Boundary Bay yesterday morning on the ground of the Boundary Bay Oil Company after several months of inaction. Last night the drill had gone down 160 feet, and surface casing to this depth was placed. Drilling operations are in charge of Charles Milburn, well-known California driller."

A Local Cookbook

"A Useful Publication

Messrs. Thomson Bros., of this city, have published a carefully compiled work entitled the Handy, Reliable Cook Book, being a practical and comprehensive manual of common sense cookery, showing how to buy, dress, cook, serve and carve every kind of meat, game, fish, fowl and vegetables, also giving plain directions for preserving, pickling, canning and drying all kinds of berries, fruit, etc. The authoress is Mrs. Jane Warren, and the compilation of this useful brochure [sic] is a credit to her, as it is likewise to the enterprise of the publishers. The work is bound to meet with an extensive sale."

Source: Vancouver Daily World, 26 October 1982, page eight.

That first run-on sentence is certainly a prize-winner, don’t you think?

Immigration to Vancouver Island

"THE CROFTER MOVEMENT

Plans All Completed ...

London, Sept. 28 -- Plans for the crofter colony on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, are now complete. The arrangements between the Imperial and Provincial Governments and the syndicate have been all signed. The syndicate is now about to bring out the company with a capital of [pounds] 1,000,000 sterling. The first issue will be for half a million only. The company will be called the Commercial Company of British Columbia. Men of the highest standing are taking a keen interest in the undertaking."

Source: Vancouver Daily World, 28 September 1892, page one.

Canadian Census On-line

I’ve been told that one can search the 1881 census free at http://www.familysearch.org. It sounded too good to pass up, so I did a preliminary search with some familiar Ladner names. Sure enough, the information from the 1881 Canadian Census popped up, not in its entirety, of course, but helpful nevertheless.

This site, as many of you already know, is the Family Search Internet Genealogy Service of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

First Civil Wedding Ceremony

"SINCLAIR-COLTON

This morning Registrar Beck married David W. Sinclair, druggist of this city, to Helen Augusta Colton, of that place. Mr. Sinclair was also formerly a resident there. The witnesses were Sarah Allan and E. F. Allan. The bride looked charming.

Registrar Beck was properly arrayed for the occasion in black clothes and white choker, and wore a nice rosebud in his button-hole, and, truth to tell, though this is the first ceremony of the kind to be performed here, or in the Province for that matter, he did it very well. Both Mr. and Mrs. Sinclair recorded themselves as belonging to no religious denomination, which explains their objections to being married by a clergyman."

Source: Vancouver Daily World, 12 October 1893, page eight.

Incidentally, according to Vital Statistics, the marriage took place in Vancouver, a fact which is not exceptionally clear in this report.

Dating Old Photographs

That’s the name of a website found at http://www.familychronicle.com/dating.htm

The site doesn’t have any information about clothing styles, but the photographs used as examples for different decades of fashion may help you identify some undated images.

Tuberculosis, Formerly Known as Consumption

"A Step in the Right Direction

It is satisfactory to note that the Imperial Government is alive to the necessity of enforcing regulations to combat the spread of tuberculosis as the following notice bears witness:

Prevention of consumption. -- To aid in the prevention of consumption and in the interests of the health of the staff, it is forbidden to spit on the floors, passages, staircases, or in any part of this building.

Disciplinary measures will be enforced against any member of the staff found to act in disregard of this notice. By order of the Postmaster-General.

Evidence is coming from all quarters that such regulations have been beneficial, and decreased the per centage of afflicted persons. In Kamloops we are brought face to face with the peril, yet nothing whatever is done. Why cannot we have a similar order enforced as they do in larger cities in the United States? Probably because if the regulations were made the police would not receive instructions to enforce them."

Source: The Kamloops Standard, 12 December 1901, page one.

Community Newspapers

A lot of small community newspapers in British Columbia are available on-line.

Here are several links which will take you to a listing of these newspapers:

http://www.abyznewslinks.com/canadbc.htm

http://www.onlinenewspapers.com/canadabc.htm

http://www.newsdirectory.com/news/press/na/ca/bc/

Smuggling in British Columbia

I’ve already touched on this subject in the past, but couldn’t resist an opportunity to present another vignette of life in the 19th century.

"SMUGGLING AT MUD BAY

We are informed that an organized system of smuggling is constantly proceeding at Mud Bay. Logging camps and settlers in the vicinity are supplied with all the goods upon which our citizens pay a high rate of duty -- free; besides, this contraband is diverting the trade and the money of the settlers to the American side, to the great loss of the business men of this city. Most assuredly the illicit trade must be put an end to by stationing an officer at Mud Bay, or the illicit trade will become chronic to the detriment of the revenue."

Source: Mainland Guardian, 02 August 1879, page three.

Shipbuilding in Vancouver in the 1890s

"BOOM IN SHIPBUILDING

A Schooner and Steamer now on the Stocks and a Barkentine to be Shortly Commenced

In the way of shipbuilding, False Creek is more than holding its own. Some distance to the right of the Granville street bridge, is Mr. R. Brown’s ship building yard, and a visit to this at the present juncture is by no means without interest.

The schooner Queen City was begun some three years ago by a large Vancouver Company, now unhappily defunct, but as soon as the frame work was completed their courage and their purses gave out and Mr. Brown had to discontinue the work. Some time afterwards, however, Messrs. Nicholson and Adams, and Capt. Bjerre of Victoria, arranged for the completion of the vessel ...

The Queen City is a three masted schooner, 128 feet long by 26 feet 3 inches beam, and ten feet deep. She can carry 250,000 superficial feet of lumber, or 350 tons dead weight. She is built of pine and oak, all the principal portions of the latter material. All natural crooks have been used for curves a circumstance which adds greatly to her strength...

The Queen City is already chartered for a voyage to Japan, with a cargo of lumber, and several good offers have been made for her subsequent employment...

Mr. Brown is also engaged to build a barkentine of 600 tons register for the same Company, as soon as the Queen City is completed. This vessel is to measure 160 feet long by 38 feet 9 inches beam and 15 feet deep. She will carry about 800,000 feet of lumber and is to cost about $30,000...

A new steamer is being built on False Creek by Messrs. D. and W. McKenzie, whose name is more or less familiar in nautical circles. The craft is to measure 90 feet long by 120 feet beam and 8 feet deep. Her tonnage will be some 180. The B. C. Iron Works are supplying the engines, which are of 100 horsepower. She will most likely be finished about May, and will be engaged principally in freight carrying between Vancouver, Fresh River, Mud Bay, Victoria and the Sound..."

This article can be found and read in its entirety in the [Vancouver] Daily News-Advertiser, 01 January 1895, page eight.

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