"509b25b3-addf-4290-b8c8-186eaeb0efc5"@en . "CONTENTdm"@en . "http://resolve.library.ubc.ca/cgi-bin/catsearch?bid=1588448"@en . "British Columbia Historical Books Collection"@en . "2015-07-06"@en . "[1887?]"@en . "\"Map of Vancouver on verso of pages is dated 24 February 1887. Map has title: City of Vancouver; Canadian Pacific town site. Three smaller maps are inset. In the Arkin Collection.\" -- Lowther, B. J., & Laing, M. (1968). A bibliography of British Columbia: Laying the foundations, 1849-1899. Victoria, BC: University of Victoria, p. 86."@en . ""@en . "https://open.library.ubc.ca/collections/bcbooks/items/1.0222118/source.json"@en . "32 pages : illustrations, advertisements, maps, tables ; 25 cm"@en . "application/pdf"@en . " \nVANCOUVER, B.C.,\n\u00E2\u0080\u0094THE \u00E2\u0080\u0094\nPacific Coast Terminus of the C.F.R.\nTHE LARGEST\nSingle Line of Railway in the \"World, and\nTHE ONLY\nTruly Transcontinental Railway of America.\nLADY STEPHENS' BLOCK\u00E2\u0080\u0094Hastings Street.\nFurther .particulars fttrnished on application. Correspondence solicited.\nAddress:\nROSS & CEPEELEY,\nReal Estate, Financial and Insurance Agents,\nVANCOUVER, B.C. PUBLIC\n(9 5 0 Acres)\n+ 73'above H.WM-\nGOVERNMENT RESERVE SKETCH OF VANCOUVER, B.C.\nHER. MARVELLOUS GROWTH AND GREATER PROSPECTS FOR THE FUTURE.\nFor the information and perusal of the thousands who are preparing\nto go to the Pacific Coast, the capitalists and others who are contemplating a change to better their circumstances, the sportsmen and those\nseeking health, we submit the following brief outline of facts relative to\nthe City of Vancouver, British Columbia, which are gathered from personal observation and enquiry, and other reliable sources:\nVancouver is the western terminus of the Canadian Pacific Railway,\nthe longest single line of railway in the world, and the only truly transcontinental line in America. It is only on this Road, as you approach\nthe Rocky Mountains from the East, that your conception of their grandeur is fully realized, as from Gleichen westerly they stand out in bold\nrelief, rising from the plain, \"tooth-edged\" and \"snow-capped.\" You\nplunge into the mountains at once through the far-famed beautiful valley\nof the Bow River, past Anthracite, named after the coal which is being\nmined in the neighborhood, past Cascade Mountain, through the Canadian National Park, consisting of 260 square miles, and in which are\nsituated the celebrated Banff Hot Springs, where the C.P.R. Co. have\nerected a magnificent hotel, which will accommodate 250 guests. Past\nMounts Castle, Lefroy, Cathedral and Stephen, the latter two especially\nbeing indescribable in their grandeur, down the valley of the Kicking\nHorse River, which has to be seen to be appreciated, thence north along\nthe valley of the Columbia some distance, when a pluuge is again made\ninto the Mountains, this time the SelMrks, even bolder and grander than\nthe Rockies, up the valleys of the Beaver River and Bear Creek, past\nMounts Tupper (Hermit), Macdonald (Carroll), and Sir Donald (Syndicate Peak), to the hotel at the foot of the Glacier, in which the service\nand appointments are unsurpassed, if equalled, as is the case in the\nthree hotels\u00E2\u0080\u0094viz., at Field, Glacier and North Bend, all erected in the\nstyle of the Swiss chalet. The view here is perhaps the grandest and\nmost sublime that could be had from any spot on any railway in the\nworld. Then around a series of wonderful curves or loops past Ross Peak.\nThe following are the heights of the mountains:\nAbove\ntbqj.Tkack.\nAbove\nSea Level.\nMount Stephen\t\n6,474\n5,960\n5,558\n10,625\n10,284\n9,440\n4,983\n9,063\n6,980\n10,645\n8,951\n7,616\nAfter passing Ross Peak you go down the Illecillewait River, all\nalong which rich quartz leads have been found, then past Albert canyon,\na wonderful production of nature, to the valley of the Columbia again,\u00E2\u0080\u0094\nthe second crossing. You ascend now through the gold range, not so\ngrand as either the Rockies or the Selkirks, but possessing beautiful\nfeatures of its own in Lakes Summit, Victor, Three Valley and Griffin,\nto the great Shuswap Lake, the home of the sportsman, which, owing\nto its wonderful contour, surpasses in beauty the far-famed Lake Pend\nd'Oreille, on the Northern Pacific Railway. Down the lovely valley of\nfthe Thompson, with its clear beautiful water and perfect forest, mountain, and cloud reflections, along with the shrubbery and coloured rocks,\nproducing remarkable scenic effects,to the junction of the Fraser River.\nAcross the Cantilever bridge, down the wonderful canyons of this gold-\nsanded river, through tunnel after tunnel, and over trestle work, with\nthe maddened waters surging beneath. Now, thoroughly awe-stricken,\nyou hold your breath in viewing this, one of the greatest rock-rents of\nnature. \" The scene is fascinating in its terror, and we leave it gladly,\nyet regretfully.\" For thirty-six hours in comfort, yea, luxury, you have\nbeen passing the greatest of the world's panoramas, ever changing and\nnever tiring; and now you fall back in your seat and cry \"enough,\"\ndelighted that you have entered the rich lower valley of the Fraser. You\npass Agassiz station, where passengers get off for the celebrated Harrison\nHot Springs, and in a few hours gaze on salt water. Burrard Inlet is\nreached, and \"Vancouver\" is called, where the passenger either stays\nor transfers for Victoria, Seattle, Tacoma, Portland, San Francisco, New\nZealand, Australia, Yokohama or Hong Kong.\nVANCOUVER.\nThe position of Vancouver on the Pacific Coast is, in Canada, similar\nto that of San Francisco, in the United States, and its rapid growth\nshould also be similar, thus making it in the not distant future the\nsecond city on the Pacific Coast of America.\nThe site of Vancouver was chosen by the far-seeing and energetic\nmanagement of the C.P.R. Co. as their western terminus, on account of\nits magnificent location, being one of the finest natural town sites in\nthe world. The main harbour is on the north side of the city, nearly\nthree miles wide, with mountains on the north for protection, with a\nnarrow entrance, yet easy to navigate by the largest ocean craft. It is\nsheltered at all times from high winds, and thus vessels are always safe\nin their berths, making it one of the best harbours in the world. English Bay, on the west side of the city, is a large, open roadstead, with\nexcellent anchorage, and by erecting a breakwater a good harbour can\nbe made of it. From this, in an easterly direction, runs False Creek,\ndividing the city in two, and here is more harbour accommodation,\nwhich can be largely increased and improved by dredging. The main\nportion of the city is a peninsula, having Coal Harbour on the north,\nFalse Creek on the south and English Bay on the West, as can be seen\non the map inside. By reference to this plan, the shape and mode of\nlaying out the streets will be seen, as also the location of some of the\nmore important buildings and places.\nThe surface of the ground is gently undulating, and slopes towards\nthe water on all sides, thus affording an excellent opportunity for\nthorough systems of drainage and sewage.\nOn the 1st of March, 1886, there was only one struggling street\nalong the waterfront, as shown in view herewith, and the town site was\nan unbroken forest, the clearing of which at once began at a cost of $300\nper acre, and rapid progress was made, building going on all the while.\nOn April 6th, 1886, the city was incorporated, a Mayor and Alderman\nbeing duly elected. Mr. M. A. McLean was chosen the first Mayor.\nOn 6th May following the C.P.R. Co. first put their property on the\nmarket, which was eagerly sought for. Great improvements were made\n.during the next two months, but which were nearly all obliterated by\nCOBDOVA STKEET.\u00E2\u0080\u0094Makch, 1886.\n4 the fire of the 13th of June following, which swept all the houses hut |\ntwo or three out of existence. All suffered great loss, and many were |\nmade penniless, but the citizens were equal to the occasion, and by four\no'clock the following morning lumber was being hauled for the re-building of the.city, and the motto \"nil desperandum\" was adopted, with A\nresult never previously surpassed, if ever equalled, in any city on the\ncontinent, when we consider the growth, as well as the substantia] character of the improvements.\nThe electric light company have their works in full operation, and\nit is being used on the streets, in hotels, shops and private hous*\nVancouver Gas Company have also constructed their works at a cost of\n$60,000, and laid down pipes in all the leading streets, and this light is\nbeing largely used. There is also a complete telephone system extending over the city. The Capilano \"Water \"Works Company are completing their works at a cost of $250,000, and water will be turned on by\nAugust 1st of this year. The city will be furnished by the finest water in\nthe world\u00E2\u0080\u0094clear, soft and cold, free from any animal, vegetable\nmineral impurities, while with it the head secured water can be th\n100 feet over the highest buildings, thus minimizing all danger\nfuture fires.\nAll of the above is the work of private enterprise, thus showing the\nunbounded faith the citizens and capitalists have in the city's future.\nThe city has graded 18 miles of street, planked some and gravelled\nothers, and 24 miles of sidewalk constructed, and all done in a very substantial manner. A separate system of sewerage has also been constructed in the business portion of the city, including altogether 16,127\nfeet, besides 357 feet of cast-iron pipe laid out in harbour and connected\nwith the sewers in length. All of the above has been done in a city hewn\nout of the forest and not yet two years old. The total debt of the city is\n$190,000, and the population, January, 1888, was 6,085; now, May\n1st, 8,000. The assessment of real property is $3,471,245. The city\nhave quite recently issued debentures to the extent of $150,000, bearing\n6 per cent, interest, further substantial improvements, and they\nwere sold at 104, showing the faith English capitalists have in our\nfuture growth.\nAmong the important buildings erected, or in course of construction,\nby private capitalists are the following, wood-cuts of which appear here\nwith:-\u00E2\u0080\u0094\"Wilson's brick block, Cordova street; Lady Stephens' brick\nblock (granite front), Hastings street; Van Home's granite block;\nThe New York block, granite front; Lord Durham's brick block; also\nLord Elphinston's block ; Sir Donald Smith's block, all on Granville\nstreet; and Springer and Van Brenear block on Hastings street. The\nC.P.R. Co. have erected a magnificent hotel at a cost, when furnished,\nof Tfver $200,000. Every room in the building is lighted by electric light.\nIn its appointments it will not be surpassed by any hotel in Canada, and\nis now opened with an experienced manager and full staff, the manager\nbeing Mr. E. M. Mathews, assisted by Mr. H. S. Dunning, both from\nthe Windsor Hotel, Montreal, which should be a sufficient guarantee\nthat the \" Hotel Vancouver\" will be unsurpassed, and the company\nintends that it's reputation shall be established throughout the world;\na view of the hotel appears herewith. Some very fine suburban residences have been built, Queen Anne and other handsome designs being\nadopted.\nThe C.P.R. Co. have constructed 1,500 feet of wharfage on Burrard\nInlet, with ample freight sheds on same'. Anotherl,000 feet of wharfage,\nowing to the demand through increased trade, is being constructed at\npresent. $20,000 were voted by our citizens for a drive around the Park,\nwhich, being a military reserve, was granted to the city by the\" Dominion Government for parbvpurposes. It consists of 950 acres. The\ndrives have been constructed this past winter, and are now ready for\nuse. This is one of the finest natural parks in the world. The visitor,\nbesides enjoying the scenery, consisting of mountain and sea views, along\nthe drive, which, from the C.P.R. hotel will consist of 10 miles, 7 miles\nOf which are around the park proper ; can enjoy the luxury of sea-bathing on the beautiful clear sand beach on English Bay.\nIn the almost immediate neighbourhood, the sportsman, whether a\nlover of the rod or gun, can secure all that his heart can desire, and the\nyachtsman, in the various inlets and sounds along the coast, almost\nI adjoining, can sail or steam for weeks, thoroughly sheltered, and enjoy\nmagnificent scenery at the same time.\nDuring the year 1887, hundreds of dwelling houses were erected in\nall parts of the city, costing from $800 to $10,000 each. In the business portion of the city, solid brick blocks, from two to four stories high,\nand some of them with granite fronts, were erected, all substantial in\ncharacter. During this present season more of this class of buildings\nwill be erected than during the year 1887, and, in future, hardly any\nbusiness blocks will be erected less than three stories high. A by-law\nwas passed by the City Council placing the fire limit over the who]\nthe business portion of the city, so that, in the future, nothing but b\nor stone will be used in the construction of business blocks. There are '\u00E2\u0096\u00A0\ntwo steam fire engines and two volunteer companies. A large school house .\nwas erected in 1887 ; another one is now being erected, and there will\nshortly be a demand for more. A general hospital, of a substantial.(\n> j?\ncharacter, has been erected in a convenient part of the city. It is\nworthy of note thatfiearly all these buildings have been erected wi\nthe aid of borrowed capital, a very small percentage indeed, in feet 1\nthan ten per cent. o\u00C2\u00A3\the parties erecting these buildings have required\ni, to borrow money upon'the same, there not being a single loan compan\n* doing business iirthe city, and no persons loaning money out on mort\n; 9 gages as their regular business, so that these substantial improvements\nare the natural results of capital in the place and the faith that the\ncitizens have in its future. The total value of buildings erected in 1887\nwas over $1,000,000. The following banks have branches established\nin the city: The Bank of Montreal, with a capital $12,000,000 ; Bank\nof British Columbia, capital, $2,433,333; Bank of British North'\nAmerica, capital $4,866,666.\nThe following denominations are represented by churches and regular pastors, viz. : Roman Catholic,. English Church, Presbyterian,\nMethodist, Congregational and Baptist. The first-named are now preparing to erect a church at a cost of $100,000, and the Presbyterian\nand English Churches are each taking steps for the erection of a second\nchurch, the growth of the city demanding it. The various national.\nsocieties are also organized here and in full force, so that the destitute, I\nif any, or the unfortunate of any nation, are looked after by the various\nsocieties. The Masons, Oddfellows and Knights of Labor have also their\norganizations in full running order.\nLots in the city are of various sizes, some being 25x120, others\nI 150x120 feet, while others are 66x132 feet, all having lanes in the rear.\nResidence lots sell from $100 to $1,000 each, depending upon size\nand location.\nBusiness property sells from $100 to $250 a foot frontage, depending\nentirely upon their position.\nThe San Francisco Journal of Com-merce, of January, 1888, though\nwritten October, '87, thus describes Vancouver:\u00E2\u0080\u0094\nA GORGEOUS APPROACH.\n\"Approaching Vancouver by water we presently pass through the I\n',\" Narrows\" and enter at once the magnificent harbor of \" Burrard\nfcnlet,\" the most perfect shelter that Father Neptune ever planned.\nTowards our left we view the craggy peaks and broken outline of the j\ndistant Coast Range, with the foothills extending downward to the!\nwater's edge, and on our right the shaded groves and cool retreats of\nthe Government Reservation, destined for many a \" lovers' walk\" of:\nI the future, for here is the site of the new park.\nThe evening of our entry to the harbor was beyond description.'\nIt seemed as if fair Hesperis had decked herself in all her brightest\ngems and soft, rich-tinted velvets to bid ion soir to Atlas, her retiring\nlord, and as we turned the point and passed beyond the \" Narrows,'1\nthe setting sun now casts each stretch of valley into misty shade, now\nlights the mountain slopes and distant crags with color stolen from\nsome wood nymph's cheek. In front the eye still travels onward down\nthe inlet through the \" Second Narrows \" and on, and on, from golden\npoints to glistening islets, and thus and thus till the warm evening\npurple of the middle distance merges in the mist and both are lost in\nthe cold grey of the shadowy range beyond.\nTurning towards the South, we notice an extensive clearing on a\ngentle slope towards the water front, with busy streets and imposing\nbuildings, stretching away* for nearly two miles along the shore. 11 is\nwell nigh impossible to believe that this is the infant city of Vancouver\n\u00E2\u0080\u0094a growth of a year.\n\" Ah!\" cries Pencils, as the good ship Yosemite drew near her\nmoorings, \" do you see that hotel on the rising ground, right here close\nto the wharf and depot ? That is certainly where we ought to stay\nwhilst in town. Just see what\nA SPLENDID VIEW\nwe shall get from the verandas.\"\n\" You've just dined! \"Well, come out with us then on the veranda\nand smoke a cigar. Stretch yourself at full length on that bamboo\nchair, throw your leg over that elongated arm ; that's right; now what\nhave you got to say about it 1 Isn't that a magnificent view over the\nbay? Itis two miles across. You would scarcely think so, would\nyou ? Those foothills are ten miles off, whilst the distant peaks, yon\nsee almost due north, we are told are over forty miles away as the crow\nflies. Those white specks you see over the water are the houses of the\nIndian mission. You may just distinguish the spire of the church ;\nsome distance to the right you see the MoodyviUe settlement; here i\nthe largest sawmill in the province. On this side of the bay, there'tc\nthe right where you see those fine ships lying at anchor, is the \" Hastings \" Sawmill. Right here below you is the C. P. R. wharf. Yon\ncan just distinguish the smoke stack and masts of the '' Port Victo\nlying there, one of the \"liners\" between this port and Japan. '\nline of boats, you will remember, has been just established and has been\ngranted a subsidy from the British Government of ^45,000 per annum\nand increased by the Canadian Government to $300,000.\n-Just this side of the wharf yon may notice an engine and some\nfreight cars; well, there is the depot of the Canadian Pacific Railway, |\nthe gigantic enterprise just completed, connecting East and \"West, the\nAtlantic with Pacific. It cost $200,000,000 to enable the engine to\nreach this town ; nice little bill, isn't it ?\nOne of the first things that strikes a stranger, especially if he hails\nfrom San Francisco, is the methodical, business-like, large-heart\nmanner in which the\nROADS AND SIDEWALKS\nhave been formed and graded; During the past year some tw^l1\nmiles of streets and twenty-nine miles of sidewalk have been graded\nand planked at an expense of some $15,000. Out of pure chaos\nslopes, and banks, and holes, and dips, covered with enormous tn\nand massive stumps, have grown smoothly-paved roads and sidewalks,\nall on proper levels and easy gradients, in many places necessitating !\nfill\" of from 8 to 10 feet. The sideways, temporarily thrust ii\npeculiar prominence, look like so many elevated trestle bridges, cross\ning the city in every direction. The roads are gradually graded up\nthese sidewalks, the houses and stores are built on either side the road,\nfollowing the same settled grade, and every one knows at once what his\nground floor level will be, and will continue to he, after the building is\nerected. It is impossible to estimate the enormous trouble and future\nexpense the city has been saved by the far-sighted, business-like, broad-\nminded policy displayed by the ruling spirits in the City Council in\nthis and other kindred matters relating to the future welfare of this cil\nIt is difficult to give our readers any just idea of the way this city\nbeen treated in this repect. \"We desired Pencils to give a rough skel\nof a bit of the grading work to supplement our remarks, and to give a\nmore vivid idea of the work accomplished here. This sketch, wl\nwe give below, shows some of the graded trestle sidewalks, men at work\nfilling up the roadway, and houses built or in course of erection to meet\nthe same grade. In a few weeks this street will be all completed, built\nin on either side, and no one will any longer recognize that the s:\nwalk was once a trestle bridge and the roadway and houses built i\nmeet it.\nTHE CITY HAS DONE WELL.\nBesides $125,000 spent on the roads, they have spent anothe\n$25,000 in perfecting the sewers, which, before this paper goes to j\n1\nwill doubtless be finished. This special expenditure has been covered\nby a loan of $160,000 at six per cent, for a period of 40 years. The\nloan was plaJed right away at 98. Besides the time and money saved\nby completiig these works in an organized systematic manner, the\namount of the loan has been recouped over and over again already, by\nthe increased value that such expenditure alone has placed upon the\nready graded building frontages thus created.\nIt just makes a 'Friscan's mouth water when he compares the\nbusiness men of this infant Vancouver with the poor, dollar-limit fossils\nof San Francisco, where they boast of having no debt, as if it were a\ncredit to the place not to issue municipal bonds while the roads and\npathways are a disgrace to civilization, and the City Hall is a standing\nmonument to incapacity and jobbery as year after year it thrusts its\ntattered wings before the public gaze.\nAs you approach Vancouver from New Westminster by road,the size\nand importance of the new-born city is particularly observable. From\nthe rising ground whence the last mentioned sketch was made, your\nline of vision takes in the bridge over False Creek, just below you,\nwhile beyond to the right you catch sight of the harbor, and to the left\na glimpse of English Bay.\nSpreadingin every direction on the peninsula formed by these several\nwaters are the houses and stores, the mills and workshops that go to\nmake up the city of Vancouver. You can scarcely credit that a few\nshort months ago the whole of this peninsula was one vast mass of\ngigantic timber and tangled forest.\nAs we stand here on the Westminster road and view the city lying\n]on the peninsula beyond we would have you bear in mind that on \nJune 13th, 1886, the great fire made a clean sweep of everything\u00E2\u0080\u0094two\nhouses alone escaping\u00E2\u0080\u0094and that every building you see in the distance\nbefore you has been erected in the interval. Again, do not imagine\nthat those distant buildings are all flimsy wooden shanties\u00E2\u0080\u0094many of\nthem are\nSUBSTANTIAL, MASSIVE BUILDINGS.\nSome built of hard cut granite, others of brick, others of cement, and\nthat even when of wood many of them are of considerable architectural\nimportance. The following table, which gives not merely the cost, but\nshows also the material of which each building is constructed, demonstrates better than anything, perhaps, the amount of energy that has\nbeen displayed here in this short time.\nSuch, then, is the general appearance of Vancouver and its surroundings to-day (September 1887). What it will be this time next year, it\nis impossible to say, so rapidly is it growing.\n\"HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF.\"\n\"If I had invested a hundred dollars, sir, in San Francisco in the\n*early days' and hung on till now, I'd have been worth my million.\nJust think of it! \" Point out the man on the coast who his not heard\nsome 'Friscan complaining of his luck somewhat as above.\nIn Chicago you will meet with the same weeping and wailing and\ngnashing of teeth, and so indeed in the vicinity of auy of our rapidly\ngrowing cities. Perhaps nothing strikes a visitor from the old c ountry\nso forcibly as the fabulous growth of our centers of industry.\nOn this continent we have become familiarized with the sudden\nspringing into existence of almost ready-made towns. We pass\nover the rolling prairies or beat our way through the tangled forest and\nou our return a few months later, houses have replaced the trees, whilst\nstreets and cable cars monopolize the prairi\u00C2\u00BB, and it is thought beneath\n-pur dignity to give expression even to an exclamation of surprise. If\nwe could only know before hand the winning horse at the approaching\nDerby, or the lucky number of the Louisiana Lottery, what a snug\nlittle fortune we might make, and so with the cities that spring themselves upon us as if by magic on this continent of ours. If we could\nonly get the \"straight tip\" as to what city would secure the popular\nfavor; what spot on the prairie ; what tangled mass* in the forest would\n. forthwith blossom and bud with bouses and stores and busy industries,\nhow easy it would be to become a millionaire I\nRarely do *' coming events cast their shadows before \" with the\nsame marked outline as in this infant City of Vancouver, and yet will\nhistory repeat itself. Many will be the lamentations in a few years to\ncome about the \" golden opportunity lost.\"\n\"When Hastings street is connected with Hastings by cable-car,\nwhen Granville street has become the \"Market street,\" extending to\nEnglish bay and taps the agricultural district beyond ; when Cordova\nstreet gives place to wholesale stores, and Water street and the whole of\nI the level ground of the hollow and along the line, become monopolized\nby shippers and merchants; when smelters and foundries, shipyards\nand factories, and the grimy homes of steel and iron, coal and coke\nfringe the magnificent stretch of waterfront; when the whole peninsula\nis covered with bricks and mortar, the town extending along the Westminster road, and the busy ferries taking the surplus population to the\nsecond Oakland across the bay, then shall we hear the same groans in\nthe streets of Vancouver, the same striking upon the thigh, as in our\nown city of 'Frisco to day: \" Oh ! that I had given any price in the\n'early days' to have bought the lots where now stands that factory,\nthat smelter, that warehouse or the like.\" \" Just to think that I might\nhave owned half Market (Granville) street, or the whole of Kearny\n(Powell) street: If I had only looked a little ahead, and studied a bit\nthe signs of the times.\" These and such like regrets will follow with\nthe same certainty as will the rapid development of the city.\n\" We know of no place where\nTHE LINES'OF THE FUTURE\nare, .or ever have been, so clearly marked as in this, same city of Vancouver. Let us summarize a few of them :\u00E2\u0080\u0094 * *\n1. Here is just now completed the end (or the beginning, which\nyou please,) of the mainland portion of a line that circles the globe.\n2. Here is the spot that men of unsurpassed energy, pluck, perseverance, skill, money, forethought and indomitable will, have spent\n$200,000,000 to reach!\n3. Here is a port, whilst yet in its infancy, that holds the backing and support, not merely of the Dominion and her strongest and\nmost capable men, but also of her mother country\u00E2\u0080\u0094a country at once\nthe wealthiest and most powerful of the world.\n4. Here is the first mainland touching point by water with her\nrich sister colonies of Australia, and the wealth of the Indies ; whilst,\nou the other hand, here is the last house of call, so to speak, on the\nmainland, at the end of a line traversing a country larger in area than\nthe United States. These lines of travel, moreover, being deemed of\nsufficient importance already to secure a special and substantial subsidy\nfrom Great Britain.\n5. Here, also, is the most perfect harbour the world can show, entirely protected at every point, and capable of affording shelter to the\nlargest fleet aud the biggest ships of any navy of modern times.\n6. Here coal and iron, both of the first quality, go hand in hand,\na similar cause alone accounting for the secret of England's greatness\nto-day. England is the workshop of the world, and who shall say that\nsimilar causes will not shorly mike Vancouver the workshop of the\nPacific slope ?\n7. Here is the most charming climate of the world, and the\nground-work for one of the most picturesque residential quarters that\nDame Nature could bestow.\n8. Whilst not only does coal, iron and lumber lie at her very\nthreshold, and rich minerals within her province only awaiting short\nbranches from the new trunk line for their development, but the food\nsupply for her own requirements is practically inexhaustible. The finest\nsalmon may be bought at your door tor a cent a pound, and the islands\naud delta of the Fraser river, under 5 miles distant, supply some hundreds of thousands of acres of the finest agricultural land in the world,\nbeing an accumulation of the washings of the mountains.\nThese are a few of the thoughts that will occur to any businessman\nas he contemplates this infant city, but the list might be continued\nalmost without end.\"\n\u00E2\u0080\u00A2 We can thoroughly sympathize with those\nBIG-HEARTED,\nenterprising men, who, in spite of all opposition, have carried this city\nthrough all its municipal difficulties with a display of forethought,\njudgment, and breadth of ideas that have not only produced results\nunique in themselves, but that have, moreover, left such an impress\nupon their work that the careful observer cannot full to recognize in this\ncity an infant prodigy destined for great things.\nPerhaps it is scarcely fair to criticise at all a Board that has\naccomplished so much and done its work so well. When we consider\nthat in March, 1886, the whole of this town site and peninsula was one\nmass of forest, crowded with trees of enormous size, some as much as\neight to ten feet in diameter and S00 feet high, that now some 1000\nacres are cleared at an average cost of $250 or more an acre ; that the\ncity in the like interval has grown from practically nothing to 5000\ninhabitants. That some twelve miles of roadway and twenty miles of\nsidewalks have been graded and planked; that sewers have been constructed at a cost of \u00C2\u00A725,000 ; that water schemes have been discussed\nand settled; fire limits and laws established ; a Board of Trade\ninaugurated; hospital established, and all the work that these and\nsimilar matters entail, we say when we consider all this and the short\ntime in which all the work has been accomplished and the excellent way\nLORD ELPHINSTONE BLOCK,\u00E2\u0080\u0094Granville Street.\nin which everything has been done, we certainly think that the Mayor\nand City Council have produced wonders and are deserving of the best\nthanks, not merely of their city but of the province.\nWe have, however, by no means finished with the Mayor and\nCouncil yet. It goes without saying-that men of this calibre are too\nWIDE AWAKE\nto sit down tamely and let their city mould its own destinies at haphazard. Men who secure the grading of their streets in advance to the\nextent and perfection that obtains in this city, men who hare the\ncourage to accomplish work of this kind in an infant city at an expenditure of \u00C2\u00A7150,000, men who. have the capacity to carry such works\nthrough with the same business forethought and farsighted policy as\nthese men have shown are not likely to let their city of the future starve\nfor want of enterprise and industries. An exemplification of this was\nshown, while we were in the city, the council voting, and the citizens\nby ballot confirming,\nA GRANT OF $45,000.\n~\"\u00E2\u0080\u0094\u00E2\u0080\u0094 \t\n13\n15 Of this sum $20,000 was voted as the first instalment for their laying\nout of the new park, which, when finished, will be one of the largest and\nmost magnificent in the world, and $25,000 as a bonus to encourage the\nestablishment of\nSMELTING WORKS.\nWhen it is considered that ore from this province is at the present\ntime shipped all the way to Denver, Colorado, the important bearing\n| that these new smelters will have upon the mining industry of British\n; Columbia can scarcely be over-estimated. How that the trunk railroad\nis an accomplished fact, branch lines to every rich mining field will\nfollow, and follow as quickly as they can be formulated, when once the\nhall begins to roll. There is enough work already promised to keep a\nsmelter in full blast.\nAs a\nNATURAL RESULT,\nmoreover, of this stimulating effort, an iron foundry is already in the\nfield with a capital of $50,000, and other iron foundries, machine shops,\nand the like, will speedily follow.\nThe Hospital also will cost $20,000, and there are, in addition,\nseveral large private enterprises, such as gas, electric light and other\ncompanies. The water compauy, also a private venture, is constructing\nreservoirs, laying pipes, and otherwise completing the water system at\na cost of $280,000.\nThe reservoir is nine miles distant, across Burrard Inlet, at an\nelevation of 430 feet. The water will be brought thence in pipes and\nfrom its great pressure will throw a jet some 300 feet above the highest\npart of the city, obviating all necessity for fire engines. There will\ninstead be hydrants at close intervals all over the city.\nNow let us whisper a word of advice in the ears of our friends at a\ndistance. If you are desirous of settling'in British-Columbia, of investing in farms or lots, opening up any new enterprise, or what not, let us\nurge you to place yourselves in the hands of those men who give best\n; public proof of their enterprise and push.\nMEN WITH BIG ESTATES\nI and interests who place their affairs in the hands of agents lacking any\nparticle of enterprise, have themselves to thank for what they consider\n| their ill-luck. They are mostly on the spot aud ought to see at a glance\nwhether their property is rightly placed. Some agents for instance will\njust \" suck \" a big estate for what it is worth, content merely to sit down\nidly and take their fees as they come along. Others will be content to\ntake the lion's share of commissions whilst they let some minor agents\ndo the work, spend the money in advertising and developments, and\ngenerally hunt up the buyers and settlers. And others again will\n. actually wish to retard a sale or to keep back the natural growth of a\ncountry in order that they may \"have it all.\" If landowners cannot\nsee through these narrow-minded, small-soulcd individuals, it is no\nbusiness of ours to open their eyes, but we do say to our friends and distant readers, correspond with and\nMAKE YOUR INQUIRIES\n! of, live and energetic men ; seek yourproperty, your city lot, your farm,\nyour enterprise, whatever it may be, where men of energy and push are\nsurrounding you ; be careful to settle on estates, or sections, or quarters\nof a city where the owner, or agent, or ruling spirit is alive and wideawake and you will do wisely, though you pay twice the money for your\ninterest.\n16\nAmong the more prominent real estate men in this city,\nMESSRS. ROSS & CEPERLEY\noccupy very handsome new premises in the Lady Stephen's Block. The\nbuilding is of a very substantial character, constructed of massive\ngranite blocks.\nHalf the buildingis devoted to the use of the Postoffice, and Messrs.\nRoss & Ceperley occupy the other half. It will be seen, therefore, that\nthey 'hold the fort' so far as position and locality are concerned.\nTheir office, moreover, is handsomely fitted and furnished, and the\nwhole surroundings at once inspire you with confidence in the solidity,\nreliability, enterprise and capacity of the men who are conducting the\nbusiness.\nAs we mentioned in another column, the city of Vancouver\nrecently\nVOTED $25,000 AS A SUBSIDY\nfor smelting works. In itself this may not be a very great thing, but\nas an indication of the future it cannot be overestimated. In casting\nin your lot with men of this calibre you may rest assured that your\ninterest will be secured, and that men of foresight, judgment and capacity will look ahead sufficiently for the protection, well-being and\nprosperity of the community. And as with cities, so with property\nowners, so with agents. Let us urge you again to cast in your lot with\nthose who give best proof that they are alive and wideawake.\nFrom the bent of the foregoing remarks our readers, we trust, will\nbe able to follow us, therefore, when we say that there is an immense\ndifference between \"booming\" a place and calling legitimate attention\nto its natural resources, and fostering their development.\nBritish Columbia is certainly not booming. The rapid growth of\nthe cities, the increase in population, the vast and steady advance in\nvalues, are\nSIMPLY NORMAL RESULTS\narising from recent exceptional circumstances in a country unprecedented for the wealth of its natural resources.\nIt would be strange indeed if a country so vast in its extent and so\nfabulously rich in its minerals, its fish, its lumber and natural products\ncould be suddenly transported from the outer wilds to the center of one\nof the main highways of the world, without being brought a little into\nprominence or having its values somewhat revolutionized. We can\nonly say that were any section of California suddenly to receive one-\ntenth of the cause for a \"boom\" as now exists in British Columbia,\nvalues would go out of all recognition, properties would change hands\ntwenty times a week, and real estate offices would be besieged by lines\nof people extending a quarter of a mile awaiting their turn, like the\ncrowd at a music store on a sale of Patti's tickets. The cautious\nBritisher, however, will none of this. There is not the slightest particle\nof \" a boom,\" but the prices rise \u00E2\u0080\u0094 rapidly rise and steadily rise\u00E2\u0080\u0094in\nspite of everything.\"\nPRESENT VALUES.\nThis city is rapidly entering the lists with the other wonderful\ngrowths on this Continent, and it will be as well, therefore, to compare\nits present values with those of some of our remarkable cities that\na few short years ago could only show values equal to Vancouver of today.\nComparative prices of best retail business, wholesale aud second-\nclass retail business, and best and cheap residential properties, per foot\nfrontage, in the following cities:-\u00E2\u0080\u0094\nBest\nRetail\n' l*ll\"iness\nProperty.\nWholesale and\nSecond-class\nRetail.\nBest\nResidential.\nCheap\nResidential.\n5 A\na\n3\na\na\na\n3 3\n\u00C2\u00A3\n3\n3\n$\n3\nCities.\nComer\nInside\n1\no\nO\n3\n3\nq\n\u00E2\u0096\u00A0\na\n8\no\n\"5\nCO\n$6000 $4000\n$2500\n$2000\n$750\n$600\n$50\n3000\n2500\n1800\n1400\n700\n500\n40\nCleveland\t\n8200\n2800\n1600\n1000\n400\n800\n30\nSan Francisco..\n3500\n3000\n2000\n1600\n250\n160\n25\nSt. Louis\t\n3000\n2500\n1600\n1200\n450\n400\nso\nLos Angelos....\n2200\n1800\n1000\n800\n186\n140\n20\n8000\n2000\n1400\n2500\n1500\n1000\n1000\n1000\n800\n800\n500\n600\n150\n300\n300\n100\n200\n260\n16\n10\nSt. Paul\t\n10\nMinneapolis....\n1700\n1350\n850\n600\n200\n160\n15\n1000\n600\n400\n820\n200\n160\n82\nDuluth\t\n900\n700\n300\n200\n100\n70\n15\n700\n500\n150\n100\n30\n18\n5\nPortland, Oregon\n1200\n1000\n800\n-600\n100\n60\n20\n700\n500\n250\n200\n30\n25\n10\nVancouver\t\n250\n200\n100\n50\n30\n20\n5\n\" From the above, it will be seen, therefore, if we are right in our\njudgment as to the probable rapid growth of this city\u00E2\u0080\u0094and the public\ncan weigh well some of our reasons stated above for arriving at this conclusion\u00E2\u0080\u0094then, indeed, there is ample room yet for profitable investments as well as profitable enterprises; and our prophecy above, we\nthink, will be fulfilled; that in a very few years to come, groans will\nbe heard in the streets of Vancouver, and many a slap upon the thigh,\nas people bewail the chance they missed by not investing in the early\ndays.\"\nThe steamers of the route from Vancouver to Yokohama and Hong\nKong, and chartered by the C.P.R. Co., have carried of imports to Vancouver during the six months ending December 31st, 1887, 21,495,994\nlbs., 30,000 bricks and 608 passengers. Of the freight, 17,004,817\nlbs were tea. The exports during the same time were 6,857,792 lbs. and\n369,948 feet of lumber, flour, cotton and electric light machinery, forming the principal part of the export freight. The passengers leaving\nVancouver by these steamers were 1048. The disbursements by these\nsteamers in Vancouver during the six months for labour, provisions, \ncoal, etc., were $116,170.82. Nearly all of this sum is pure profit.\nWhen the new steamers are put on and running fortnightly, the disbursements ou each trip will be about $15,000, which will be $400,000\nper annum. Besides this, large sums of money will be left in the city\nby the passengers arriving and departing.\nPOST OFFICE.\nIn the money order department of the Post Office orders were issued\nfor seven months ending January 81st., 1888, $54,310.22, and during\nthe same time the returns from stamps sold were \u00C2\u00A75,449.17. For Jari-\n| nary, 1888, alone, $1,068.69 were received, while during the whole of the\nprevious year, ending June 30th, 1887, the sales from stamps were under\n$5,000, a good illustration of the rapid growth and development of the\nCity.\nThe first train reached the city May 23rd, 1887, and the first steamer\nfrom Hong Eong during the following month.\nVancouver was only made a separate Port in July, 1887, and the\nfollowing are the returns for the first six months :\u00E2\u0080\u0094\nSTATEMENT\nshowing value of dutiable and free goods imported into port of Vancouver\nduring six months ending December 81st., 1887, and amount of duties\ncollected thereon :\u00E2\u0080\u0094\nValue of dutiable goods $97,787\nValue of free goods 47,935\nDuty collected 28,864.24\nTonnage of vessels arrived at this Port from sea.... 83,858 tons.\nTonnage of vessels arriving coastwise 127,479 tons.\nExports 204,644\nNumber of vessels taking lumber from this port.. 20\nTRAVELLING FACILITIES.\nThe steamer \"Princess Louise,\" or \"Yosemite,\" makes daily trips\nbetween Victoria and Vancouver, carrying mails and passengers.\nSteamer \" Premier\" makes semi-weekly trips between Vancouver,\n\ New \"Westminster, Seattle and Tacoma, calling at way ports. About once\n. in three weeks one ofthe following steamers, viz.: \"Parthia,\" \"Abyssin-\n| ia\" or \" Batavia\" leave for Australia and Hong Kong.\n\"Weekly connection with San Francisco, Cal., is made by the Pacific\nCoast Navigation Company's Steamers, \" Umatilla\" and \" Mexico.\"\nFive or six steamers ply along the Coast to leading points.\nEight stages run regularly every day between New Westminster and\nVancouver.\nThe Ferry boat \" Senator\" makes several trips daily between\nMoodyville, Hastings and Vancouver.\nEXPORT TRADE.\nLumber is exported largely to foreign markets, principally Australia,\nChina and South America.\nThe Hastings sawmill is situated on the shore of Coal Harbor, immediately at the terminus of the Canadian Pacific Railway. The daily\ncapacity of this mill is from 50,000 to 70,000 feet, according to the style\n| of lumber, and there are employed in and around the mill and logging\ncamps about 200 men, with a monthly pay roll of from $8,000 to\n\u00C2\u00A712,000. The timber limits connected with the mill embrace about\n20,000 acres, aud are estimated to contain 600,000,000 feet, board\nmeasure, of lumber. The mill's annual output is about 15,000,000 feet.\n19\nThe mill site comprises some six acres of land, situated about twelve\nhundred yards from the Canadian Pacific Railway wharves and station,\nand the line of the C.P.R. is laid through its yard. The wharves can\naccommodate five or six vessels at one time. In connection with the\nmill is a store, with a separate wharf, mess-house, kitchen and dwellings\nfor employees. Mr. R. Alexander is resident manager.\nThe Royal City Mills Company are amongst the largest employers\nof labor in British Columbia. They own aud work two mills at New\nWestminster, and one large steam sawmill at Vancouver, 66 ft. x 300\nft., having a daily capacity of 45,000 feet or 80,000, feet, and running\nday and night. They have also a large sash and door factory, 50 X 120\nfeet. A shingle mill, capacity 35,000 daily. Warehouses, a boarding\nhouse, 24 x 60 feet, and 25 houses for employees. It has a water front\nage on False Creek of 1,000 feet. The mills and machinery are all new\nand of the finest description, possessing every modern improvement.\nThey are centrally situated, and a good 36-feet planked road runs from\ntheir yards to the central portion of the city. They have three steamers\nfor towing logs and lumber, and fifteen barges. They operate ten logging camps, and employ about 500 men at their mills, camps, and factories. The output of the Vancouver mill is 10,000,000 feet annually,\nand about 100 men employed. The manager of the company is Mr.\nJohn Hendry.\nLeamy & Kyle's sawmill is situated on the south side of False Creek,\nwith an excellent water frontage, and was established last year. It has\nan annual capacity of 10,000,000 feet, and employs forty men about\nthe mills. They only supply the local market, and their trade it increasing rapidly; they have now started a large sash and door factory.\nMacKay's mill at foot of Granville Srreet saws for local market, and\nhas an annual output of about 4,000,000 feet.\nThe Moodyville sawmill is situated on the north shore of Bunard\nInlet, about three miles from Vancouver. The company has a water\nfrontage of two miles on Burrard Inlet. In and about the mill and logging camps employment is given to 300 men. The average pay-roll of\nthe company is from $8,000 to $14,000 per month. The annual output\nis about 20,000,000 feet. The resident manager is Mr. B. Springer.\nThe company have also a yard and wharf at Vancouver, situated at the\nnorth end of Cambie Street.\nThe north shore of the inlet contiguous to Moodyville is a favorite\nresort for the citizens during the summer months, and doubtless in the\nnear future it will be fully taken up with handsome residences, and\nadorned with beautiful grounds.\nOther manufactures have been started in the city, boat-building,\nfurniture manufacturing, tin, sheet iron and copper ware. Soap factory,\nbreweries, etc., a boiler factory being among the number.\nA new foundry is being erected by reliable and experienced capitalists, which will employ 40 or 50 men.\nThe C.P.R. Co. are erecting round houses and workshops on the shore\nof False Creek which, when in full blast,'will give employment to from\n500 to 600 men, thus adding a population from this cause alone of 2,600\npeople.\nGENERAL LOCAL PRICES CURRENT.\nPROVISIONS.\nFlour\u00E2\u0080\u0094Manitoba roller patent, per bbl. 55.25 to $6.50 ; strong\nbakers, $5.00.\nGraham flour\u00E2\u0080\u00944 to 5 cts. per lb.\nCorn meal\u00E2\u0080\u00945 cts. per lb.\nBuckwheat flour\u00E2\u0080\u00945 cts. per lb.\nCracked wheat\u00E2\u0080\u00945 cts. per lb.\nOatmeal\u00E2\u0080\u00945 cts. per lb.; Capitol mills 5J.\nRice\u00E2\u0080\u0094Japanese, 6 cts.; China\u00E2\u0080\u00945 cts. per lb.\nLard\u00E2\u0080\u0094Fairbanks, 10 lb. pails, $1.40 to $1.50 ; 5 lb. pails, 70 to\n75 cts.; 3 lb. pails, 50, cts.\nHams\u00E2\u0080\u0094Sugar-cured, 17 to 20 cts.\nBacon\u00E2\u0080\u009415 to 18 cts.\nPork\u00E2\u0080\u0094Clear, pickled, 16 cts.\nCodfish\u00E2\u0080\u009412J cts.\nSoda crackers\u00E2\u0080\u00947 to 8 cts.\nTea\u00E2\u0080\u0094Uncolored Japan per lb., 25 to 75 otfl.; Oolong, 60 cts. to\n$1.00 ; English breakfast, 50 to 76 cts. ; Green tea, 86 cts to $1.00.\nCoffee\u00E2\u0080\u0094Green Costa Rica, 36 cts.; Java, 85 to 40 cts. ; Bio, 27 to\n80 cts.; roasted Costa Rica, 35 cts. ; Java, 35 to 40 cts.\nBeans\u00E2\u0080\u0094Small white per lb., 4 to 5 cts. ; colored,5 cts.\nSugars\u00E2\u0080\u0094Granulated, per lb. 10 cts. ; yellow, 11 cts.; dark brown,\n7i to 84 cts.; loaf sugar, 121 cts.\nSyrup\u00E2\u0080\u0094Golden, $1 per gal.\nMolasses\u00E2\u0080\u0094per gal., 60 to 76 cts.\nPotatoes\u00E2\u0080\u0094per lb., 14. to 14 cts.\nEggs\u00E2\u0080\u0094Per dozen, 30 to 35 cts.\nButter\u00E2\u0080\u009426 to 35 cts per lb. ; 70 to 75 cts per roll.\nCheese\u00E2\u0080\u009420 to 25 cts. per lb.\nCoal oil\u00E2\u0080\u0094$3.50 per case.\nOnions\u00E2\u0080\u0094New, 24 cts. per lb. VEGETABLES.\nCabbage, 2 cts. per lb. ; tomatoes, 6 cts. per lb.; cauliflower, 16\ncts. per head ; garlic, 25 cts. per lb.; Chili peppers, 25 cts. per lb.; sweet\npotatoes, 5 cts. per lb.; celery, 15 cts. per bunch.\nFRUITS\u00E2\u0080\u0094FOREIGN ANT) DOMESTIC.\nLemons, 35 to 50 cts per dozen; apples, from $1.50 to $2 per box;\noranges, 35 to 50 cts. per dozen.\nGAME.\nWild ducks, 76 cts. per pair.\nMEATS.\nSteaks\u00E2\u0080\u0094Porterhouse, 15 to 18 cts.; shoulder, 10 cts.\nRoast\u00E2\u0080\u0094Rib roast, shoulder roast, 12J to 15 cts.\nMutton\u00E2\u0080\u009410 to 18 cts.\nLamb\u00E2\u0080\u0094$1.25-to $1.50 per quarter.\nPork\u00E2\u0080\u0094Chops and roasts, 15 cts.\nVeal\u00E2\u0080\u0094124 to 20 cts.\nSausage\u00E2\u0080\u009415 cts.\nCorned beef\u00E2\u0080\u00948 to 10 cts.\nSides, 8 cts.\nFISH MARKET.\nFish\u00E2\u0080\u0094Spring salmon, 35 cts to $1 each ; halibut, 124 cts. per lb. ;\ncodfish, 6 cts. ; rock cod, 8 cts. ; sturgeon, 5 cts.; salt herring, 8 cts.;\nNova Scotia, George's Banks cod, 124 cts per lb.\nOysters\u00E2\u0080\u0094Baltimore, 80 cts per can.\nFEED.\nChopped, $33 to \u00C2\u00A735 per ton ; oats, $25 per ton ; hay, $20 to $25\nper ton ; straw, $1.25 per bale.\nHARDWARE\u00E2\u0080\u0094WHOLESALE PRICES.\nBar Iron\u00E2\u0080\u009444 to 12 cts. per lb. according to size and quality.\nSteel\u00E2\u0080\u009418 to 25 cts. according to size.\nRETAIL HARDWARE.\nNails\u00E2\u0080\u0094Rate, $4.25 per keg.\nLocks\u00E2\u0080\u0094Mortise, (cb \u00C2\u00A76 per doz.; do., $16 to $18 per doz. ; rim\nlocks, $4.50 to $8 and $9 per doz.\nSaws\u00E2\u0080\u0094Crosscut, 75 cts. and $1 per foot; hand, $1 and $3.50 each.\nAxes\u00E2\u0080\u0094Handled, $1.25 to 1.75 each.\nShovels\u00E2\u0080\u0094Long handled, $1 and $1.25.\nWheelbarrows\u00E2\u0080\u0094$3.\nWedges\u00E2\u0080\u0094Extra cast steel, 20 to 25 cts. per lb.\nGrindstones\u00E2\u0080\u009434 to 6 cts. per lb.\nSledges\u00E2\u0080\u0094Extra cast steel, 25 cts. per lb.\nMattocks\u00E2\u0080\u0094$1.25, picks, SI; sadirons, 10 cts. per lb. ; polishing\n| irons, 75 cts. and $1.25 each.\nRope\u00E2\u0080\u009416 cts. per lb.\nRakes\u00E2\u0080\u0094Garden, 75 cts. and $1 each ; hoes, 40 to 75 cts.\nPaper\u00E2\u0080\u0094Building, tarred, 5 cts. per lb.\nPowder\u00E2\u0080\u0094Gun, 50 cts. and 81 ; giant, 40 cts.; fuse, 2 cts. per foot.\nShot\u00E2\u0080\u0094$2.25 per bag.\nLUMBER\u00E2\u0080\u0094RULING FIGURES.\nBridge and wharf plank and timber, per m. $10 to $12.50.\nStreet plank, any length, $10.\nRough lumber, building material, $10.\nRough lumber, sized, $12.50.\nI Fir, clear, per m., $14.\n22\nFlooring 1 x 6 t. and g. second, \u00C2\u00A716 ; flooring 1 X 6 t. and g., S20\nflooring, 1 x 4, t. and g. first, $22.50 ; flooring, 1 x 4, t. and g., second,\n$18.\nRustic, 1 x 8 No. 2, $16.00 ; No. 1, $20 ; Cedar, $25 to $40.\nShingles, $2.26.\nLaths, $2.60.\nD. D. finishing, $22.60 to $25.\nLIMB.\nSan Juan Lime (Vancouver Kiln) $4.50 per bbl.\nSection of Giant Tree, Cut only 150 feet from present site\nof Hotel Vancouver.\nTHE CLIMATE.\nThe climate of Vancouver is temperate, the thermometer seldom\nregistering as high as 90 above zero in the summer, or lower than 10\nabove zero in the winter. The winters are, for the most part, open, with\nrain and snow falls, at short intervals, and a few beautiful shining days,\nespecially in the latter part. This season may be said to embrace December, January and February. The driest months of the year are\nJune, July, August and September, but on the hottest days the evenings\nare cool and pleasant. The rainy season is not all rain, nor the dry\nseason all dry. During the winter the fields and forest are clothed in a\nmantle of green, and flowers bloom in the open air. Roses and other\nflowers can be gathered for decorating the table at your Christmas dinner. Add to this, Nature's scenery, to be seen in its varying grandeur\nsurrounding you on all sides, and who could be unhappy 1\nc-JS\ni\ned\n55\nE\u00E2\u0080\u0094\nC=\no\nC-3\nS*Q\n-t*\n>~\nm\n\u00C2\u00A72\n\u00E2\u0096\u00A0 =\nq\nE\u00E2\u0080\u0094i\n-si\nso\nfee;\nc>\nsf\ng\n>-\npa\nS3\nI\ni\na\n'A\ns\nr\nft\nh\nh\n5\n1\ng\n1\na.\nHighest Temperature, 92\u00C2\u00B0\u00E2\u0080\u0094July 16, 1877, August 11, 1887. Lowest Temperature, 7.0 below zero\u00E2\u0080\u0094January 14, 1875. The only time for 14 years the Thermometer fell below zero was January 14, 15, 16, 17,18, 1875\u00E2\u0080\u0094 perfectly calm. Mean number of days on which rain or snow fell\u00E2\u0080\u0094162. New Westminster being on\nthe first high land from the sea, the rainfall is greater than at other places in the District. Ladner's, near mouth of Fraser, is about 4 inohes to N.W.'s 7.\nd\nS \"\n+->\nA\ncS\nO\nH\nH\nH\nH\nft\n<\nSUMMER\nJune-Aug.\ns\nM\n3\nM\ni\nSPRING\nMar.-May\ni\n1\n3\na 4\nto\n3\n*\nAUTUMN\nSept.-Nov.\n3\n1\ng\ns\n\u00C2\u00A7\nti\nit\n\u00C2\u00A7\nm\nfe\n1\nI\nM\nci\nM\nCT\nsr\n2\n1\n\u00C2\u00AB\ns\n1\ni\n__\n1\n\"o\ni\nM\nJ\nM\nM\n8\nI\ns\ns\nJ\n*\n2\nYEABS.\n1872\nto\n1887.\n1\nN\n24 Thus, to summarize, as the results of the growth of the city, only\ntwo years old, and hewn out of a dense forest at that, we have 18 miles\nof graded streets, 24 miles of sidewalk, over S miles of sewers, electric\nlight, gas works, waterworks almost complete, schools, churches, two\ndally newspapers morning and evening, a really first-class hotel, cosy,\ncomfortable as well as stylish homes, substantial business blocks, shops\nof various kinds with every article required for daily use at reasonable\nprices, manufactures being established, a city rushing ahead with un-\nequaled growth and rapidity and yet substantially built, and all this\nwithout any boom or wild speculation. Add to this the delightful\nclimate, excellent drives which are being established, good boating and\nyachting, fishing and hunting in the immediate neighborhood, and we\nhave one of the most pleasant and attractive cities on the Continent, as\nwell as one whose future rapid growth and development is assured.\nThe following are extracts from a letter signed J. C. McL., under\ndate April 24th, 1888, and appearing in the \"Winnipeg Call of May\n4 tit, 1888.\n\" In Vancouver it is simply wonderful the way the young city is\nprogressing in the building line. Your numerous readers will scarcely\ncredit it, hut to-day there are in the neighborhood of four hundred houses\nin various stages of construction. \"When I say houses I mean buildings\nfor residences and business premises. These range from the humble\ncabin costing about $50 up to the stately palatial business block of iron,\ngranite and brick costing $50,000 and upwards. To you Winnipeggers\nwho have never seen the forest growth of British Columbia it will appear\nto be a matter of not much moment to build a city of close upon 10,000\ninhabitants inside of two years. That, however, is a feat yet without\na parallel in Canada outside of Vancouver. But when it is stated that\nless than thirty months ago the site of the now bustling city of Vancouver\nwas a dense forest, the like of which could nowhere else be encountered\nin the Dominion \u00E2\u0080\u0094 many of the trees when cut averaging 30,000 feet\nboard measure. Hundreds of acres have been denuded of this timber,\nthe stumps taken out, the land graded, and beautiful villas built thereon.\nIn many cases so large was the timber that the cost of clearing it off\napproached $150 and $200 per acre. Now it is a city of fine pretensions ; beautifully made streets and sidewalks for upwards of twenty\nmiles, streets graded to a certain level. Gas and electric light illuminates the city by night. Telephone calls by the 1 nndred ; excellent\ndrainage, and sewerage in some cases. Churches, schools, societies and\nevery other concomitant of civilization, are here to be encountered,\nwhere less than two years ago nothing was left to mark where a town\nonce stood but burning embers. It is a positive marvel, is Vancouver.\nProperty is gradually advancing in price. For business lots as high\nas \u00C2\u00A7225 has already been paid per foot frontage. These figures I am\nconfident will be doubled by the fall of the year. Outside property I\nconsider now to have reached its limit. A mile from the postoffice, or\nthe centre of the city, lots 66x132 are selling for $500 to $1,000 and\nupwards, according to location. Lots are sold subject to building conditions, so that a check is placed on wildcat speculation. At the\npresent rate of growth Vancouver, by the end \"of this year, will contain*\nat least 15,000 inhabitants.\nA large foundry and iron works has been started. A smelter for\nores is to be ei ected shortly. These will be followed by other industries.\nIn brief, Mr. Van Home's declaration, made four years ago, that Vancouver would become on the Pacific coast second only in importance to\nSan Francisco, is likely to be verified.'*\nSMELTING WOBKS.\nThe people of Vancouver voted $25,000 to any company establishing\nsmelting works within their limits, for the reduction of the various ores\nto be found in the country. During this present year these works will\nbe established, as a company organized in London have signed a contract\nto begin operations at once, and a site is secured for the same, which will\ngive employment for 100 to 200 men, besides giving an impetus to the\ndevelopment of the mining industry of the country. Altogether about\n$50,000,000 of gold have been sent out of the country, almost wholly\nfrom placer mining, but the rich quartz leads which undoubtedly exist\nthroughout the various sections of the province, still remain undeveloped.\nDuring the past year, however, in a number of localities capital and enterprise have taken hold of the matter, and some rich veins have been\nopened up and large quantities of ore have been sent for assay and reduction to the United States. \"With smelting works established at\nVancouver it will become the mining centre of the whole province, and\nit is rally expected that before very long a mining boom will take place\nthroughout the whole country. Where $50,000,000 have - been taken\nout in placer mining alone, one can scarcely over estimate the amount of\nmoney likely to be taken out from the fall development of the rich\nquartz existing in all parts of the province ; and when this development\ntakes place Vancouver will become the Denver of British Columbia\nFARMING LAUD.\nFive miles south of the City is the north arm of the Fraser River,\nto which a road is now being constructed from the foot of Granville street,\nthus opening up a connection with the settlements on the rich delta\nlands of the Fraser. The Fraser River at its mouth has two branches\ncalled .the North and South Arms, forming between them two large\nislands and several small ones, comprising a territory of low delta lands,\nabout eighteen miles long, and decreasing from seven miles wide to about\none mile at the junction. The soil is very rich and produces immense\ncrops. In favorable seasons the productions to the acre are, of oats from\n60 to 120 bushels, barley, 50 to 80 bushels, wheat, 40 to 60 bushels, hay,\nZ\ tons, turnips, 40 to 50 tons,' Potatoes, 30 tons, while roots and vegetables grow to an immense size and the yield is invariably very prolific.\nCrops never fail. These lands are four or five miles south of the city.\nThe same may be said of the fertility of large tracts of alluvial soil\nfurther up the Fraser and along its tributaries, the Pitt and Sumas Rivers.\nLarge settlements of prosperous fanners are to be seen all along the banks\nof the Fraser. It has been estimated that 1,000 square miles of land in\nthe southern portion of the Province and hundreds of thousands of acres\nin the Spallumcheen, Salmon, Okauagan, Eootenay and Columbia districts may be easily utilized for agricultural and grazing purposes, some\nmay require irrigation, but the greater portion will yield abundant crops\nwithout artificial watering. The bench lands in the higher altitudes are\nunsurpassed for grazing. *\nAlong the south arm of the Fraser and the valleys of the interior,\nfruits of the temperate zone grow to perfection, \"rivalling California, such\nas apples, pears, plums, peaches, cherries, strawberries, gooseberries and\nother small fruits ; their growth being slower and more uniform.\nThere are prairies here and there, valleys free from wood and many\nopenings in the thickest country, which in the aggregate make many\nhundred thousand acres of land on which no clearing is required. But\nnear each open spot is a luxuriant growth of wood. A settler may be\nlavish as he pleases ; there is enough and to spare for buildings, fences,\nfuel and all.\n2e\nNew Westminster, the old capital of the main land, situated on the\nFraser River, is distant twelve miles, and is connected by railway, with\nthree suburban daily trains each way, besides two steamers and eight\nstages.\nFISHERIES OF BRITISH COLUMBIA.\nThe fisheries are among the richest in the world. Whales and seals\nabound in the northern seas. Sturgeon are plentiful in the rivers and\nestuaries of British Columbia. They are found weighing 300 to 1,200\npounds, and are caught with little difficulty.\nSalmon are excellent and most abundant. Those of Fraser river are\njustly famous. There are 5 species, and they make their way up the\nriver and branches for over 1,000 miles. The silver salmon begin to arrive in March, or early in April, and last till the end of June. The\naverage weight is from 4 to 25 pounds, but they have been caught\nweighing over 70. The second kind are caught from June to August,\nand are considered the finest. Their average weight is only 5 to 6\npounds. The third coming in August, average 7 pounds, and are an\nexcellent fish. The noan, or humpback salmon, comes every second\nyear, lasting from August till winter, weighing from 6 to 14 pounds.\nThe hookbill arrives in September and remain till winter, weighing from\n12 to 15 and even 45 pounds. Salmon is sold at Vancouver at five cents\nper pound, and there appears to be no limit to the catch.\nThe principal salmon canneries are located on the Fraser River, Alert\nBay, Rivers Inlet, Skeena Rivers, Metlakahtla and Naas River. In\naddition to canning, large quantities are smoked and cured, and salted\nand packed in barrels for shipment.\nThe next important fish, and one which belongs to this particular\npart of the Pacific, is the oolachan, or candle fish, about the size of a\nsardine, and equal to it in every respect. They are delicious when fresh,\ncured or salted, and their oil is considered superior to cod liver oil for\nmedicinal purposes. Herrings swarm in the waters of the straits. They\nare a little smaller than those found off the coast of the British Isles.\nThe halibut and cod are abundant, also anchovy, haddock, rock cod,\nflounder, whiting, crab, etc., etc. The lobster, however, is a stranger\nto the Pacific coast of America, though it is believed the waters are\nsuitable for their propagation, and it is the intention of the Government\nto introduce them.\nThe inland streams and lakes abound in salmon trout, mountain\ntrout, and the famous fresh water white fish. The dog fish is caught in\nlarge numbers, and a lubricating oil manufactured from them superior\nto any other. The Skidegatc Oil Co. manufactures this oil in large\nquantities, and finds a ready market for it in the United States, after\npaying 20 per cent. duty. Seals and sea otters are annually caught in\nlarge numbers off the coast of Vancouver Island and the north west coast\nof the mainland, from which a considerable revenue is derived.\nSince the opening of the Canadian Pacific Railway the fish-curing\nbusiness is receiving more attention, and there is no doubt that in a\nfew years it will become an important item in the industrial enterprises of the Province.\nBKITISH COLUMBIA'S RESOURCES\u00E2\u0080\u0094HER\nWEALTH IN FISHERIES.\nThe following is an account of the different varieties of fish caught\nin the waters of British Columbia during the year 1887, together with\n27 It is expected that farther large tracts of good land will be found\nin the unexplored interior of the province.\nThe whole peninsula between Burrard Inlet and the Fraser River,\nwhich embraces the twin sister cities of Vancouver and New Westminster,\nthe quantity of each kind, the price at which it has been sold, and\nthe value:\ncontains about one hundred thousand acres of agricultural lands suitable\njfor fruits, grapes, hops, vegetables and other products. The demand for\nfruit from the North-West territories will be almost wholly supplied from\nithe neighborhood of Vancouver.\n28\nKinds of Fish.\nQuantity.\nPrice.\nValue.\nSalmon, canned in 4 doz. 1 lb.\n205,088\n4,426\n1,806,600\n29,050\n198,600\n149,000\n55,600\n9,500\n198,500\n18,500\n20,500\n90\n410\n40\n68,500\n38,800\n8,500\n75\n$ 5 25\n9 00\n10\n15\n5\n10\n3\n20\n5\n10\n7\n' 10 00\n2 00\n1 00\n50\n7 00\n75\n60 00\n$1,076,687 00\n39,862 00\n180,660 00\n4,357 50\n9,930 00\n14,900 00\n1,668 00\n1,900 00\n9,925 00\ni,8:o 00\n1,230 00\n900 00\n820 00\nSturgeon, fresh \"\nHalibut, \" \"\nOolachans, fresh \"\nDo salted, bbls\t\n40 00\n29,250 00\nFur Sealskin , per skin.\nHair \" \"\n236,600 00\n2,625 00\nSea Otter Skius \"\n4,500 00\n$1,617,694 50\nExclusive of the fish consumed by the white, Indian and Chinese\npopulation.\nIMPOBTS AND EXPORTS.\nTHE TOTAL TRADE OF BRITISH COLUMBIA FOB TEAS ENDING\nJUNE, 1887.\nThe only report to hand of the imports and exports of this Province is for the year ending 30th of June last, the returns for the last\nhalf-year not being ready for publication. It will be observed that the\nimports exceeded the exports by $66,217. The following are the\nfigures:\u00E2\u0080\u0094\nIMPOBTS.\nTotal value of imports $3,582,684 00\nDuties collected $ 877,188 78\nOther revenues 41,783 85\nTotalrevenue $ 918,972 13\nEXPORTS.\nMine\u00E2\u0080\u0094Gold dust, &c.. $ 684,689\nCoal 1,187,618\nIron ore 521 \u00E2\u0080\u0094 $1,822,828\nFisheries 910,559\nForest 234,109\nAnimals and their produce 380,126\nManufactures -16,062\nAgricultural 2,328\nMiscellaneous 240\nNot the produce of B.C 100,215\nTotal exports $ 3,466,466\nTotal imports 8,632,684\nBalance of trade against us $ 66,217\nTRADE WITH THE UNITED STATES.\nOUR EXPORTS\u00E2\u0080\u0094FIFTY PEE CENT. INCREASE IN COAL.\nThe following are the exports from British Columbia to United\nStates ports, from January 1st to December 21st, 1887 :\u00E2\u0080\u0094\n, Coal, Dec. 31 $1,281,447 84\nTreasure (Dec. 28) 631,869 05\nFurs, hides, and'sMns \" 219,283 66\nSealskins (undressed) \" 152,332 97\nCanned salmon and fish oil \" 89,571 40\nRice and Chinese mdse.... \" 37,560 72\nLumber \" 29,90170\nMiscellaneous merchandise. \" 27,797 71\nTobacco and liquors \" 16,687 36\nSkidegate oil \" 8,358 35\nGrand Total $2,389,810 79\nbeing an increase of about 6 per cent, on the exports of last year, in\nthe total, and an increase of 50 per cent, in the out-put of coal from\nthe Nanaimo mines. Five cargoes of anthracite coal from the Banff\nmines have already been shipped from Vancouver to San Francisco, as\nwell as a large amount of silver ore and platinum.\n "Other Copies: http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/8072536"@en . "Albums"@en . "Illustrations"@en . "F5849.V3 R56"@en . "I-0764"@en . "10.14288/1.0222118"@en . "English"@en . "Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library"@en . "Vancouver : Ross & Ceperley"@en . "Images provided for research and reference use only. For permission to publish, copy, or otherwise distribute these images please contact digital.initiatives@ubc.ca."@en . "Original Format: University of British Columbia. Library. Rare Books and Special Collections. F5849.V3 R56"@en . "Canadian Pacific Railway Company"@en . "Railroads--British Columbia"@en . "Vancouver, B.C., the pacific coast terminus of the C.P.R. : the largest single line of railway in the world, and the only truly transcontinental railway of America"@en . "Text"@en .