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The Vancouver West Windermere Trail BRITISH COLUMBIA HISTORICAL NEWS

Features The Old Cariboo Wagon Road 5 by T.D. Sale The Provincial Archives of British Columbia, Part Two 11 by John A. Bovey Jonathan Miller, One of Vancouver’s Earliest Pioneers 14 by Douglas E. Harker

News and Notes The Canadian National Historical Association Regional History Prizes 21 Introducing 22 Writing Competition 22

Bookshelf Ninstints: Haida World Heritage Site by UBC Press and UBC Museum of Anthropology; review by Douglas Cole 23 Footprints: Pioneer Families of the Metchosin District by Marion I. Heigeson, ed.; review by Barry Cough 24 Floodland and Forest: Memories of the Chilliwack Valley by Imbert Orchard; review by Jacqueline Gresko 25

Voices: A Guide to Oral History, by Derek Reimer, ed.; review by Lynne Bowen ... 26

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8138 V1Y B.C. Kelowna,

Way, Enterprise 2255

Department, Fire Volunteer Kelowna

Secretary,

c/o P.O. 2A8. B.C. 94371, Box V6Y Richmond, Wilson, K. Donald Mr.

Society Genealogical Committee, Centennial contact: please whereabouts,

truck’s contact Vancouver Columbia the please British this of know members your of any

for descendants or you, shown List on the Voters’ 1886 should and request our of members your

and any regarding the families 527 inform of individuals, could you if it appreciate would We

We urge any everyone information with ago. years 15 approximately B.C.,

of volumes series Ucluelet, family concise of biographies. of community the served last truck

a This as publish material gathered this ultimately ladders. wooden and siren electric lights

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equipment, form will gathered The descendants. information France La with chassis Graham

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to collect all the on available information GRAHAM-DODGE 1928 a is for searching

are of City we We propose 1886 List. Vancouver Voters’ truck The Hall. Fire Main our in display

and the as Society has chosen centennial project our restoration for Truck Fire serving longest its

Kelowna to in 1986. British The Columbia Genealogical to return like would we celebration,

City The department’s of centennial its celebrates our Vancouver of a part As year. this Jubilee

Diamond 75th our celebrating are Department,

Fire Kelowna the of subsidy a Volunteer as We, Descendants

Trucks. Fire old our of one acquiring possibly Their and Individuals of —Biographies

and

locating in

assistance your requests kindly

City The of 1886 List Voters’ Vancouver

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Editor to the Letters T.D. SALE

The Old Cariboo Wagon Road Early Travel On The Cariboo Highway To 1943

Prior to recording the historical development At the beginning of the nineteenth century of the Old Cariboo Wagon Road it is first Simon Fraser was the first explorer to travel the necessary to examine the geographical structure length of the Cariboo country, naming it New of the northern part located in the area once Caledonia. One definition of ‘Cariboo’ is known as “New Caledonia”. The fur trading ‘Cariboeuf’ which means the favourite haunt of companies needed no road but made use of the the reindeer. numerous rivers and lakes to gather the furs to Early in 1856 an Indian found a large pebble of the forts which were strategically located. The gold in the Nicomen River as he stooped to local Indian population did most of the trapping obtain a drink. He sold the gold to the Hudson’s and brought the furs to the forts in order to trade Bay Company, who didn’t want a stampede of for goods. The fur brigades delivered these furs gold-seekers to interfere with their lucrative fur to Montreal by following the rivers and lakes trade in the area. On April 16th, 1856, Governor across what is now known as Canada. James Douglas publicly announced that gold had Gold, discovered on the bars of the lower been discovered. As the nearest mint was located Fraser River, brought in the first sizeable wave of at San Francisco, the Hudson’s Bay Company in white settlers. Rich strikes in Lightning Creek and February 1858 shipped 800 ounces of gold on the Williams Creek caused the wave of gold-seekers steamer Otter, thus further spreading the word to ascend the Fraser. After the readily available and speeding up the gold rush to the lower gold began to decline, so too did the population. Fraser. Quite accidentally gold had been By 1901 the census recorded a population of only discovered on Hill’s Bar. 4500 in the whole Cariboo area. On April 25th, 1858, four hundred fifty miners The population began to increase, slowly at arrived at Fort Victoria on the Commodore. At first, when the railways began to supply the area. the time, the population of the Fort was only four The Canadian Pacific was located to the south, hundred people. In quick succession an the Canadian National to the north, while the estimated 30,000 gold-seekers travelled from San Pacific Great Eastern (now known as the British Francisco on any ship that would float. This ever- Columbia Railway) followed the old Cariboo increasing stampede of miners made their way Trail and for many years ended at Quesnel. up the Fraser River in search of the precious Ranching was making a good start. This was soon metal. followed by the forest industry. As transportation Governor Douglas was faced with a large improved so did the industries in the Cariboo. By number of idle miners driven from their claims 1951 the census showed there was a population by the flooding of the Fraser River in the late of 50,000 people. spring of 1858. He put them to work constructing The climate of this Central Interior Plateau is the Harrison Trail to Lillooet. He hired twenty continental in nature and thus cold in winter teams of twenty-five men and gave them free (averaging 10 degrees below zero F., or -10 transport, free room and board, but no pay. Each degrees C.) Due to the altitude the summers are man hired had to pay a twenty-five dollar peace reasonably cool. Precipitation is about twenty bond and work guarantee. The equivalent sum inches at the southern end and increases towards was returned to him in goods when the trail was the north. completed, which was at the end of September 1858.

British Columbia Historica News Page 5

News Historical

Columbia

British Page 6

108 House, at Mile 105 built places stopping were and Richfield. Camerontown,

stagecoaches, of the days In fire the in 1937. Barkerville, at located of the gold-fields heart

by

destroyed were the buildings where original the to extended was road the year following

House, Mile 100 to it was downhill Then House. The Cottonwood. to Quesnel road from

Mile at 93 needed was change hill. steep Another a wagon build to contracted G.B. 1864 Wright In

up

the coach pull the to needed were horses a steamer. by served to was Soda Creek Quesnel

fresh where House, the 83 Mile then House River. Fraser the lower on navigation the of head

Mile 74 stop was stage next main 1956. fire The in was it since Road Wagon the for point the starting

by

destroyed was House 70 Mile 1946 fire and in as chosen been had Yale Soda to Creek. Clinton

by destroyed was house 59 Cariboo Mile Road, from section mile 130 the awarded promptly was

the on Back and Lake Springhouse. Alkali Creek, He section. to Clinton Lillooet the completed

Dog Lake via to country Williams Chilcotin the successfully had Wright G.B. Contractor

of edge the through 125 miles of route alternate Spence. Thomas partner his and Trutch Joseph

an is there of Chasm the north miles Two included contractors These 1863. and 1862

one Lillooet. from the in sections out in was Road Wagon contracted

as Road Wagon same the follow would Yale from The year. the of at times various washouts and

stagecoach the At Clinton Secretary). Colonial to slides subject and holes, with muddy, pitted

the after Clinton (named House 47 Mile reached dusty, stony, as described was It feet. eighteen

stagecoach the of a two change horses further or was road this of width to The Ferry. Cooks Yale

After Mountain. up hard Pavilion pull three-mile from road a rock solid from to almost out blast

the

for needed were horses extra House, where and survey to began October 1861, in Engineers,

Mile was 22 second The House. Mile 15 being Royal the route, to the as made decision The

the first Lillooet, from numbered Houses were be utilized. should

Mile These overnight. or be fed boarded could River Thompson the along Canyon and Fraser

passengers and be changed could horses where the through route the superior that Douglas

Road, Wagon the along appearance their made Governor persuaded an engineer, Moberly,

Houses Mile days stagecoaches, of In the the Walter times. many too to be handled had

expressman. one was Ballou pioneer such freight meant which route land water and mixed

William packman. or by horseback, or canoe a was route Harrison-Lillooet of The gold. dollars

was service express first to pay. to The ability their million three of a total Cayoosh produced Creek

according wants their supplying the with miners, Francisco. San of north town largest the second

touch in kept packers and traders carried. The was and 15,000 of a population had Lillooet 1863,

being freight the of original times three price the By Road. Wagon Cariboo the first of start and the

or two often was transporting cost of The pound. 0 Mile became Flats, Cayoosh as known formerly

a

cents fifteen of rate be freight the added must onion), wild (meaning Lillooet In 1861,

figure this a To pound. a half and over cents two 1859. 5, May on Colony of capital the

or a ton dollars fifty-three totalling levied were the became Westminster New Colony. fledgling

tolls road, pay the for To per mile). ($2500 dollars the on influence a to steadying served have

a million just over was the road of constructing presence Their Royal Engineers. by the surveyed

cost total The Road. Cariboo to the dollars build all were Quesnel and Lillooet, ster, Lytton,

a million a of quarter to borrow empowered Westmin New surveyors. and painters, miners,

was Douglas km). Governor (928 miles 580 of carpenters, blacksmiths, as architects, tradesmen

distance a total to Barkerville, miles Yale from 400 such were Engineers the Royal Colony. Amongst

and Yale, to Victoria from steamer sternwheel the for Works and Lands of Commissioner

by miles 180 the travel to possible was it Road, Chief became also Moody, who Colonel

Wagon Cariboo the of the With completion was Deputy His Columbia. British of colony

the country. and steps left their mainland the of Douglas Governor became

retraced or for and occupations other looked James Langley, at Fort 1858, 19th, November

quest the up gave five a less, after quickly, eror year On Moody. Richard Colonel of command

rich get to sought that miners For six every alone. the under 1858 of arrived the men, fall in

Barkerville of the vicinity in was dollars produced and officers 165 of consisting Engineers, Royal

million six estimated an in peak when 1863 of detachment a England, Colonial in Office

its reached Cariboo in the Gold production the to appeal Douglas’ to reply Governor In Mile House, 111 Mile House, 112 Mile House, 114 Mile House, and 115 Mile House. Here the Cariboo Wagon Road follows close to the shores BARNARD’S of Lac La Hache (Lake of the Hatchet). Travelling north, frequent stopping places were available at Express Line Stages ll7Mile House,l22MileHouse,l27MileHouse, 132 Mile House, 134 Mile House, and 141 Mile CARRYING II. M. MAILS, leads into the San Jose House. At 145 Mile a road wm make Valley where St. Joseph’s Mission, the Onward Ranch, and the Sugar Cane Indian Reserve are Regular Weekly Trips I located. At 150 Mile House the Cariboo Road by from Barkerville, passed Williams Lake and headed across country via 153 Mile House, 158 Mile House, and 164 Mile Arriving in Yale on Thoredays. in time to Co fl 1&C t se ith the e tea nor” On ward f House to the Gold Fields Trail. In 1860 this had New Westrnineter. and wi(h the II. B. Co.’s been the walking route for thousands of miners. steamer . Enterprise” On April 14, 1861, near Hope, the boiler of the sternwheel steamer Fort Yale exploded, killing ARRIVING IN VICTORIA ON five of her crew. One of the survivors was the SATURDAYS. purser, Francis Jones Barnard. Following the The Calilornia steamers leave Victoria on explosion, he left steamboating and began the 7th and 22d ot each month. delivering letters and papers throughout the np273m F. J. BARNARD. Cariboo. From this humble beginning evolved the famous B.C. Express Company. On March 12, 1864, the first BX stagecoach run and blacksmiths were stationed at the Mile was made from Yale to Soda Creek, taking 72 Houses where changes of horses took place. hours to cover the distance. The red and yellow, Each horse had its own handmade harness which California built, Concord-type coach was used. was cleaned every time it was used. The baggage, The fare was $130. Meals at the Mile Houses were express parcels, and the mail were all loaded first, fifty cents or seventy-five cents. A night’s lodging then the passengers took their seats and finally was fifty cents. With less traffic on the road at the driver, with his money bag, climbed into his night and by travelling non-stop except for meals seat. The ostler would then lead the two sturdy and changes of horses, the travel time was 1700 pound “wheelers” or “luggers” to their reduced to 48 hours a short time later. In 1865 the positions on each side of the staging pole, fasten fare from Yale to Barkerville was $125. Express them properly into position, and hand the reins parcels were a dollar a pound. An express letter to the driver. The second pair were the was also one dollar. A newspaper was fifty cents. “spanners” or “swing” team. Having placed By 1868 the fare had been reduced to $85. Sleighs them just ahead of the “wheelers” the ostler were used to make the trip in winter. fastened them in the proper place and handed In the latter decades of the nineteenth century their reins to the driver. Finally the two 1300 the Cariboo owed its development mainly to pound spirited leaders were brought out “horsepower”. The big tandem freight wagons prancing and eager to go. Usually with some were often drawn by five teams of sturdy draft difficulty, the ostler fastened them into position horses. A common sight were freight wagons and handed their reins to the driver who rapidly being pulled over the rough terrain by as many as released the stagecoach’s brake. The horses six yoke of oxen. The most colourful and the best lunged forward, but within a few yards settled packer of this era was John Jacques Caux, better down to a brisk trot, drawing the coach forward known as Cataline. With the building of the at a steady pace. The ostlers and the blacksmiths Canadian Pacific Railway in 1886, the distance for took pride in their work and gave these hauling some of the freight was shortened since stagecoach horses the best possible care and deliveries could be made by rail to Ashcroft. attention. The drivers seldom if ever abused Following the completion of the CPR, the BX these horses. They became very skillful with the Company transferred its office from Yale to use of the “jerkline” reins and the whip which Ashcroft. Six-horse stagecoaches were the main could urge an indolent horse to pull his share of method of travel at this time. The best horses the load without the other five horses even possible were obtained for stage stock. Ostlers knowing the driver had used the whip.

British Columbia Historical News Page 7

News Historical Columbia British 8 Page

and

hills

steep the up truck the get to of assistance” podge’ a ‘hodge time this by

was which

possible

every give “to was it duty whose Barkerville into running were

stagecoaches

swamper a

by

accompanied usually was driver the 1865 By water.

soda like

bubbles and

The

trucks.

chain-driven rubber-tired, solid lime of carbonate of

a deposit over runs

which

by

hauled

was

freight I War World Following creek nearby the from name its obtained which

House. Mile 100 at Hotel Creek, Soda at located was mill

flour a

1947,

Arms

Exeter

the of front in on display until presently years, eighty For

1921. in

discontinued was

is

Stagecoach

BX preserved A well route automobiles. river This George. Prince of

city

present the

the

and

railways the by displaced as be as to far and to Quesnel River

Fraser the up travel

about

now were

they but years, fifty for to Cariboo used 1863, in 55

Enterprise the

with beginning

the

in

supreme

ruled had stagecoaches drawn sternwheelers, The Creek. at

Soda

ended

horse

The

1921. in made was run passenger Road last Cariboo the 1865

and 1863 Between

The

1919.) in

died Tingley (Steve 1915. October baggage. of pounds

forty of

maximum

in

made

was

run atmail last The Young. a Al and allowed were and to Barkerville,

trip the

Leighton J.B.

as such drivers well-known many make to $37.50 summer in

and $42.50 in winter

by

assisted

was Tingley Steve era stagecoach paid passengers travel,

of

inconvenience

the

the

of

years

remaining the Over Barnard. of Frank spite In axle. to the sink

would

stagecoaches

out

bought

Tingley Steve 1886 In Company. that (gumbo) muddy

so was

the it year of

BX

the

of

running the over took Tingley times other certain at and

the so spring

in gravel,

Steve

and

1879, in

retired Barnard Jones Francis with topped been had nor not paved, it was Road

saloons. and restaurants, Cariboo The hour. an miles of six

speed average

houses,

stores,

mines, shafts, windlasses, an at Barkerville to Ashcroft from

280 miles the

props,

waterwheels,

tailings, workings, travel to days tour took stage mail The regular

1884 Road, On the Cariboo through the gumbo that was very common following a rain or melting snow. The wheels would have to be blocked if the truck stalled. In winter several cowhides were carried on top of the freight. If the truck was in danger of stalling or skidding, the swamper was expected to jump out and quickly place a frozen cowhide in front of the rear wheel to give it some traction. As the wheel passed over the frozen hide the swamper had to remember to duck as the hide shot out from behind the wheel like a kite. He then quickly retrieved the hide and repeated the procedure until the driver had nursed the truck up to the snowy, slippery summit of the hill. Horsedrawn stagecoach travel was coming to an end in 1919 as the Pacific Great Eastern Railway was being built to provide another means of entering the Cariboo. Williams Lake thus far had been by-passed as far as the Cariboo Road was concerned, due to an unfortunate quarrel between the contractor and an early settler. In the early days the Indians called the Lake ‘Columneetza’ (meeting place of princely people). The early settlement was called Borland, which became Williams Lake in 1920. In July of the next year fire destroyed much of Williams Lake. Although the PGE Railway was incorpor ated February 27, 1912, it did not reach Quesnel until 1921. It was October 31, 1952 before the service was extended to Prince George. The southern terminal was extended from Squamish to North Vancouver in 1956. Two years later, in 1958, the northern terminal became Dawson Creek. This provincially owned railway had rejuvenated the town of Williams Lake, which was incorporated as a village in 1929. The PGE rather chilly station waiting room. About 7:30 enabled the Cariboo to become an area of huge a.m. the waiting passengers were met by the beef cattle ranches. At last, in 1932, the main genial Clarence Stevenson or one of his expert highway was built through Williams Lake, thus drivers—Hugh Higby comes to mind. They ending its somewhat partial isolation. would then be loaded into a large, comfortable In 1923 Clarence Stevenson and Norman car (circa 1930 Studebaker) that would carry eight Clover formed the I.T. (Interior Transportation) passengers making use of the ‘jump seats’ Stage Company, covering an area from Ashcroft installed between the normal front and rear to the northern Cariboo. Clarence Stevenson, as seats. The baggage was carefully stowed on the a youth, had driven a four-horse stage for the BX cartop racks for the trip up the Cariboo Road. Company from Ashcroft to Clinton on to Frequent stops were made en route to drop off Lillooet, and later to northern Cariboo points. parcels and deliver passengers to their The advent of balloon tires had made motor destinations. Often, parcels and letters, and stage riding much more comfortable. sometimes passengers, were accommodated Half a century ago commuters travelling to the between the Mile Houses. Cariboo would arrive at Ashcroft by CPR train, Noticeable along the Cariboo Road were the from Vancouver and other communities, in the different types of split rail fences. The two most wee small hours of the morning, and spend an common were the Russell fences and the uncomfortable three or four hours in a small, snakerail fences. The latter type worked out at

British Columbia Historical News Page 9 approximately 2500 rails per mile and would last surtaced, paved, widened and straightened. for at least forty years. It was easy for the ranchers Frequent markers show where the old Cariboo to remove a panel and drive through their stock Wagon Road was once located. In a matter of rather than build gates. What a wealth of hours, in modern cars or buses, the traveller can knowledge Clarence Stevenson had gathered cover distances that a century ago took days. At about Cariboo history and how interesting he the end of the old Wagon Road (Quesnel to made the trip for the young teachers travelling to Barkerville is now Highway 26) the restoration and from their respective one room schools in and reconstruction of Barkerville began in 1958 the thirties! and continues little by little each year. What an At times during the year travel was limited to important part the old Cariboo Road has played night time because the then unpaved Cariboo in the development of B.C.’s history! It richly Road would freeze over as the temperature deserves the nomenclature of the Eighth dropped to well below freezing. During the Wonder of the World. warm sunny days the ground would soften and the layer of soft sticky gumbo made travelling difficult, and at times almost impossible. Up and T.D. Sale is Secretary of the BCHF, and a member of the down the Cariboo Road, and along the feeder Nanaimo Historical Society. He was a school teacher at 100 roads, old-fashioned phones, worked by a crank Mile House from 1935-1936, and at Springhouse from 1937- and the Morse Code (dots and dashes), complete 1939. with ‘howlers’, had been installed in a number of homes. Since ‘listening in’ at the megaphone shaped ‘howlers’ was a common and accepted practice, the departure time and place of the I.T. Stage would be phoned out to the farthest point on the phone line. The passengers would miraculously make their way to the Stage’s rendezvous point in time for the departure. Regardless of the hour of the day or night the trip down the Cariboo Road to Ashcroft was accompanied by many interesting stories and much singing. A welcome stop was always made Don’t Forget! at Clinton where a delicious home cooked meal was enjoyed at the Bob Inn Cafe. Descending the Subscribe now if you’re not hill to Ashcroft, the parting song was usually “The receiving the End of a Perfect Day”. The final leg of the journey News regularly. was the CPR train trip to Vancouver. The l.T. Stage carried mail and parcels to Williams Lake and way points every Monday and Wednesday, and out to Ashcroft every Tuesday and Friday. Parcels earned the Stage Company a modest nominal charge. Errands were cheerfully C done at Ashcroft, Williams Lake or Quesnel. In the twenty year history of the I.T. Stage Company there was never a serious mishap. On July 1,1943, the Greyhound Buses took over the routes served by the I.T. Stages, and Clarence Stevenson retired. The Cariboo Road has now become the Cariboo Highway and is part of Highway 97. Today Cache Creek might be considered to be Mile 0. The Cariboo Highway has now been

Page 10 British Columbia Historical News John A. Bovey Provincial Archivist The Provincial Archives of British Columbia

Part Two:

The Manuscripts and Government / - .• ..• ,

Records Division , When people think of “archives” what they usually see in their mind’s eye is something very close to the collections to be found in the

Manuscripts and Government Records Division. / Its holdings are the traditional, central, A foundation stones of most archival institutions. But even in repositories which have holdings dating from the era of vellum, if not papyrus, the impact of twentieth century technology is being felt with rapidly increasing impact. It used to be possible to describe the holdings of the Manuscripts and Government Records Division as written records which, unlike books or articles in periodicals, had not been published. Readers who have home computers Fort Kamloops Journal 1860-1862 will realize that that definition is no longer quite adequate. Floppy discs and magnetic tapes, like the pen or the typewriter, can be used to the Provincial Government. However, we do document human actions, decisions and have some municipal records and copies of impressions, and will very shortly become part of relevant Canadian, British and United States our archives. But for the moment, our holdings records, including records of the Department of consist of paper records—or copies of them— Indian Affairs and the Immigration Branch, and it is those records which will be described Colonial Office despatches, and American here. Consular records. As its title suggests, the division collects two Records of the Government of the Province of kinds of records: manuscripts—the private British Columbia are selected for permanent papers produced by individuals, businesses and preservation in the archives through procedures organizations—and government records. Our administered by the recently formed Records aim in acquiring these records is to document all Management Branch, and approximately five aspects of the political, economic, social and per cent of all records generated finally end up in cultural history of the province. So far we have the archives. They are selected to document approximately 970 linear metres and 2000 major policy, legal, and administrative changes microfilm reels of manuscripts, and 3200 linear and are as necessary to the government as they metres and 2600 microfilm reels of government are to the historical researcher. The use of records. Collections range in date from the mid archival records by the Provincial Government in eighteenth century to 1984 and in size from a arguing the ownership of the bed of the Strait of single page to over sixty linear metres. Georgia and related areas is a case in point. Since we are the Provincial Archives, the bulk Amongst the earliest government records of our government records naturally are those of collected by the Provincial Archives were the

British Columbia Historical News Page 11

News Historical Columbia

British

12 Page

donor.

the environment, changing the and history, the to copy the or originals the either out, return

women’s groups, minority of experiences worked agreement the them, on and depending

the history, as labour such areas include copy records, we borrow Occasionally records.

to broadened have interests research As their in be interested we to us would ask with if

touch get in or organizations businesses, people, government. the and organizations

instances, or welcome very other, in individuals donors; between transactions particular

potential we contact cases, In procedure. some probates—document and records, pre-emption

established an to files, through archives not the come company rolls, records—tax types of Other

do manuscripts government records, Unlike decisions. administrative and policy document

records. written create all themselves example—and for schools, particular

not

did who people of lives the into insights information—about specific contain often ones

provide can inquests or hearings preliminary earlier the collection; our of part strong a

be

at

witnesses by given Statements to example. continue ministries of files Correspondence

good a form Records Court new ways. in used historians. local for source valuable particularly

being collections older our of to a some led form have districts various their describing

interests research changing records, of kinds Commissioners Gold from letters The collection.

new collected we have as time same At the rich enormously an is officials, government

populations. and wildlife individuals both from governments

the in patterns changing on and Colonial economies the of departments to inward

Indian Native and Columbian British Northern letters of consisting Correspondence”, Colonial

the on but trapping, on only not “The source, example. for Education, of Superintendent

useful very a are fact in but which routine the rather and Secretary Provincial the of ment

seem might which records of example an Depart are the departments—of government of

acquisition, a recent British Columbia, files Northern correspondence the and Columbia 7 British

for records line Trap past. the and in rejected have Island Vancouver of governments Colonial

might

records retain it to tended the has of archives letter-books and files correspondence

1974.

Street warehouse, Herald Ca. the at

records Government Before ... industry in British Columbia and on rural life in general. Recently, we have been particularly interested in papers relating to the history of education and have acquired the records of a number of independent schools. Business history is another field in which we would like to increase the strength of our holdings. In the past two years we have received some valuable lumbering and pulp and paper company records which complement the records we acquired from the Ministry of Forests in conjunction with their preparations for the celebration of the seventy-fifth anniversary of the British Columbia Forest Service. We have an interesting collection of mining papers, both in government records and manuscripts, but would like to acquire the records of more mining companies. W. Kaye Lamb, Provincial Librarian and Archivist from 1934 to 1941, noted in a speech delivered in 1935 that one effect of the Great Depression and the reawakened interest in gold mining was the increased use oldgold mining records were receiving. It is interesting to see, on the fiftieth anniversary of his appointment, the same thing happening again. However much research interests change, or come full circle, and the kinds of documents we collect change, the records we collect will After ... Records sorted and safely encased in acid remain neutral boxes in the PABC stacks. of fundamental importance to all of the people of the province. None of us can exist without a past. like Our manuscript collections include ship’s logs, Government, any organization, needs records which document its legal, Hudson’s Bay Company post account books and administrative and journals, the letters and diaries of gold seekers, financial affairs; professional historians need records reconstruct and interpret pioneers, missionaries, surveyors and school to our past; we teachers, medical case books, literary manuscripts, are all likely at some point to want to find out the papers of natural historians and of researchers about our own family or town, or to pursue a interest. into the origins of geographical place names. particular are always welcome Amongst the most noteworthy are our large family Researchers at the archives. collections: the McKenzie papers, which We hope in time to publish guides to the use of document the development of Craigflower Farm; our collections; in the meantime Manuscript the Crease collection, containing the correspon Inventories 1 to 3, published by the Provincial Archives available in public dence and diaries of Sir Henry Crease, his wife, and and university sons and daughters and covering a period from libraries, describe at east part of our manuscript holdings. Those who have not visited archives 1839 to 1943; the O’Reilly Collection, like the before will receive information on specific Crease Collection, a rich source for colonial collections and their use in Local and the Newcombe History in British period; Family Papers, an Columbia: a guide to researching, writing and enormously valuable source for those interested publishing for the non-professional by Maureen in the ethnology, archaeology or natural history of Cassidy (Technical Paper Series, British Columbia British Columbia. Heritage Trust) published in 1983, and available always interested We are in acquiring the from libraries or from the B.C. Heritage Trust, records of clubs and organizations: collections we have received from Women’s and Farmers’ Parliament Buildings, Victoria V8V 1X4 Institutes and from the British Columbia Editor’s Note: In our last issue we incorrectly stated that Association and the British John Bovey succeeded Willard Ireland. Allan R. Turner Cattlemen’s Columbia assumed the position of Fruit Grower’s Association have added Provincial Archivist in 1974, when a great deal Willard Ireland retired. John Bovey succeeded Allan R. to the information we have on the agricultural Turner in 1979.

British Columbia Historical News Page 13

News Historical Columbia British

14 Page

Bay.

English to Inlet the from and Park, Stanley become had otVictoria Fort 1862. year

eventful

that

to

Street

Burrard from End, West Vancouver’s blowing of were change of winds the

Nearby,

all

include

would

claim their

[ater, Inlet. Burrard

Inlet. 2 Burrard

to

roads

unfinished

rough

to

close

land

of acres

hundred five buy to dollars

three and Columbian, British

the

newspaper,

a

hard-earned

their of

fifty-five and hundred

Columbian,

Royal the

a hospital, had

It

hundred.

five

ventured

had

Hailstone

William and

house

three of

settlement a to

shanties of

cluster

Brig- Sam

Morton,

John city.

an incorporated

a from rapidly grown had Westminster New

size. largest the of timber forest dense by in shut

was It attractive, not was itself city capital The

river. wide by the joined

sea

sparkling the and meadows the mountains,

1834-1914

Miller

Jonathan

massive of backdrop the high, feet hundred

two some

trees, immense

the country

...

new this of wonder scenic the by entranced

was He Westminster. New and Victoria,

Francisco, San to steamers other by Isthmus,

the across rail by Panama, to by steamer York,

New to train by travelling, been had he a month

For Columbia. British unexplored largely distant,

to daughters infant two their and Margaret

wife loved much his from away him lure

to enough strongly adventure of promptings the

felt and gold of call the heard had Jonathan But

pattern. 1 family the follow would

he expected had father His twenty-two. of age

the since peace the of justice been had he where

and citizens, leading and farmers prosperous

as generations three for lived had family

his where Ontario, Delaware, from come had

He trust. attracted that reliability and assurance

self- quiet of air an with compact, bearded,

stocky, short, twenty-eight, was Jonathan

Columbia. British of capital

Westminster, New of village the comprised They

River. Fraser the of bank the lining houses small

the surveyed Enterprise, steamer Company’s Bay

Hudson’s the of deck the from Miller, Jonathan

adventurers, the of one 1862, 4, June On world.

the over all from emigrants of surge a to draw

gold enough produced Columbia, British of area

remote a Cariboo, of district the 1860s the In

Pioneers Earliest Vancouver’s of One

Miller, Jonathan

Harker E. Douglas During his long journey Jonathan had heard life and led to his becoming one of Vancouver’s stories of the gold rush, of its pitifully few leading pioneers. The event was a lawsuit beneficiaries, and of its many victims who had brought against him by Captain Stamp. Jonathan ‘hurled their youth into the grave.’ Moreover, was logging the 1000-acre peninsula which later the winter of 1862 was the severest within living became Stanley Park, but which was then a memory. Ships could not get up the Fraser River Military Reserve. Stamp had been given because of the ice. The capital city was isolated, exclusive timber rights over it, so he sued. the river frozen. Cattle and heavy carts could The suit was widely discussed in the little travel on solid ice from New Westminster to Yale. community of New Westminster. The area which The sufferings of the gold miners that winter Colonial Secretary Birch had handed over to were indescribable. Jonathan decided he would Captain Stamp was far larger than he could not hurry to join the four thousand miners who possibly need or use. Moreover, he was an that year alone had invaded the Cariboo. irascible man whose domineering ways had It was not difficult to find employment. He made him many enemies. Most people favoured worked in a store, and he went with surveyor the unassuming young man from Ontario. They Alfred Waddington’s crew to look tor a route included John Robson, editor of the British from the north end of Bute Inlet to the Cariboo Columbian and Governor Seymour. Stores and gold fields. It would have been 175 miles shorter, businesses closed early that afternoon in 1868 to but the terrain defeated them. The Coast Range enable as many of the townspeople as possible to of mountains, higher than the Rockies, the deep attend the trial and witness Stamp’s discomfiture.6 canyons, towering glaciers, dense forests and Though the judgment went in Jonathan’s favour, rushing rivers were insuperable. It was only by he left the logging business soon after the trial chance that Jonathan avoided a massacre in and bought a farm in the Fraser Valley, but not which fourteen of Waddington’s crew were before he had come to public notice as a strong, murdered by Indians in their construction camp steady man and a leader. in the Homathco Valley. On Burrard In let a little shacktown had grown In 1865 Jonathan became a lumberman. He up nicknamed ‘Gastown’. Its first sale of lots had had come to the conclusion that British occurred in 1869. The following year it was Columbia’s future was founded on timber rather surveyed into streets and blocks of land. and than gold. Before long, he had two lumber called Granville after the British Secretary of State camps on the shores of Burrard Inlet and for the Colonies. A townsite of twenty acres cut employed twenty men. He felt ready to send for from the forest, it was bounded by three streets his wife and children. later named Carrall, Hastings and Cambie. The As Margaret stepped off the Enterprise, with fourth side was the shore, a crescent beach four-year-old Ada holding one hand and three- littered with boulders and seaweed where a few year-old Carrie the other, she must have found a white-washed buildings faced the mountains. disturbing contrast between the settled East and The town was dominated by the Hastings Mill the emerging West. New Westminster had which provided employment for mill crews and begun the year with a serious financial deficit. hangers-on, and was the focus for liquor and Governor Seymour who had arrived a few weeks gambling activities. Granville was a wild place, earlier reported to the Colonial Office: not safe, some thought, for a respectable family “... New Westminster presents a melancholy to live. picture. Many of the best houses are In 1871 a meeting took place between Captain untenanted. The largest hotel is to let. J. Rayrnur, Stamp’s successor at the Mill, Sew. Decay appears on all sides and logs of the Moody and ‘Gassy’ Jack Deighton, proprietor of fallen trees block most of the streets.. Granville’s largest saloon and regarded as Fortunately for British Columbia and posterity, Vancouver’s founding father. The meeting there were in the capital city and on the Inlet concerned the lawless conditions on Burrard some men of rare vision and ability such as editor Inlet. John Robson, mill operators Sewell Moody and Edward Stamp, logger Jeremiah Rogers and At present the Inlet is a scene of others whose courage and endurance built the drunkenness and savage violence on the province. Jonathan was of their number. His part of the Indians. They continually teams hauled logs for the mill owned by Sew. threaten the lives of white men and recently Moody, and it was while he was so employed that have committed one murder and have an event occurred that changed the course of his attempted another on whites, beside

British Columbia Historical News Page 15

News Historical Columbia British 16 Page

to votes 242 by election the MacLean won away. 1 ° miles and half

to vote. or Chinese entitled Indians were four of Brighton, community the neighbouring

No at or six months. for leaseholders least or Westminster New with communication direct

had householders been but year’s all residence have Granville did 1876 Not until dangerous.

a claim Few could ballots. placed men, their and uncomfortable were roads corduroy The

all electors, hundred Four sixty-seven and transportation. public was little There haphazard.

earlier. 12 was arrival their and come to Victoria, from had

months for five Granville won incorporation Groceries light. no was electric There standards.

had to been which committee the join invited civilized maintain to pioneers the hardy

not even had MacLean there. estate business of efforts the of spite was But in life primitive

a real at and started boom Granville coming

the foreseen had Ross a land CPR As adviser, mill. at Moody’s Sew. an accountant

Ross. A.W. to join his Winnipeg brother-in-law, as them, to join Ontario from had come er, who

from come had who newcomer comparative broth Margaret’s Ben Springer, brother-in-law,

a candidate The acl MacLean, Malcolm was other his job for a found also He trustee. school

was otherwise. ease. 11 the result Surprisingly, a became he and attended His Mill. children it

with to the contest mayoralty expected win Hastings a from yards hundred school opened

was He of them. of most the and instigator years, a saw he years those During residents. 9 seventy

fifteen the past for on Inlet the developments and houses twenty-five about were there years

the all in been he manager, involved had twelve next the For the agent community. for

As mill and College. Upper Canada Academy Government appointed officially only was the

Edinburgh at he educated been had leader, he because term the of today’s in sense constable

a natural and An capsized. scholar exceptional a of those exceeded far duties Jonathan’s

canoe

his when icy one waters in mile swimming potential.

of

feat the including survived perils, great had its in faith strong had Jonathan occupants,

and Overlanders, the Canada across with youth and terrain as its as a savage with place climate

a

as travelled a had Scot, Alexander, stalwart a inhospitable wild, as still was regarded Inlet

there. born to be first the Henry son child white the Though play to now others have would with.

and to Granville, in live woman white the was first children five Their the isolation the of farm.

wife whose Alexander, Richard was One mayor. leave to pleased were Margaret Jonathan and

of

office

the for Two competed election. men held. meetings and impromptu

first Vancouver’s of day 3, May was 1886, the posted were notices tree maple where famous

the petition. signed persons twenty-five the was away yards A few Brown’s. Ebenezer and

and

hundred One by acclamation. officer Jack’s Gassy saloons, by two flanked Street Water

ae returning named was Miller aldermen. Jonathan on stood It a cupboard. large as as big about jail

n ten and

a mayor of and election first charter a with House a Court built

and appointment the

a

requesting

Columbia of British Province confirmed $50 Government The a British

month. 8

the

of

to Assembly Legislative the sent was of a salary at Granville, for agent government

and

A

petition

1886. in January Richard Alexander constable Miller appointed Claudet

sanction,

manager

Mill

Hastings at of home the met official without Acting of

the

ships. on one

and city

new

the

for of act up an incorporation fight savage a been had

action.

There who took

to draw

was

appointed

committee

A Vancouver. Westminster, New

in as magistrate stipendiary

in

to

name

its Home changed William Van filling at time that and Office, by out Colonial

the

President

CPR

and immense. immediate was sent Englishman young a Claudet, F.C. It

was

impact the

Granville, at

but places of none these

authority. to higher

recommendation

at

terminus

its have would CPR that the spread their took to They order Granville. bring and law

rumour

the favoured. When was most the named to qualities to the necessary have believed

him

last

The Moody? Port or Esquimalt Westminster, and Miller Jonathan All knew importance.

New

at

be Would localities. competing it paramount be of to a constable of appointment

several

among rivalry keen and debate the considered Jack Gassy Moody and

Raymur,

hot of

subject

the had been terminus its western culpable. equally were whites doubt Without

mooted, first been had Pacific Railway Canadian London. in to Secretary the Colonial Customs

the

of coming the since Ever Inlet. Burrard of Collector Deputy So Brew, Tompkins wrote

of

people the of the prospects and circumstances other...”

in change electritying an suddenly came Then each on violence of acts innumerable First Meeting of the First City Council

Alexander’s 227. The newcomers had triumphed though there was no cash to deposit, a coroner, over the old-timers. city engineer, fire chief and other civic officers, Alexander’s supporters protested. MacLean, including a lamplighter and two scavengers. they said, had been nominated by one Angus C. Jonathan’s various duties as Government Fraser, but the said Fraser was not at the time of Agent and constable were divided among the nomination a resident of the city of several officials of the new city. He received a Vancouver. Nothing came of the protest which different appointment, that of Vancouver’s first was strongly opposed by Richard Alexander and postmaster. Since the Vancouver Post Office MacLean became Vancouver’s first mayor.13 would now become a distributing point for MacLean was a fluent, forceful man, much Chinese, Japanese and Australian mail, the travelled, of the utmost integrity and dedication. position was clearly important and required a He worked without a dollar of salary for the first first-rate administrator. In recognition of the year, furnished his own desk and his own hard work involved and the post office’s postage.14 On May 10th, 1886, he held his first undoubted future growth, Jonathan was given Council meeting. Jonathan’s tiny courthouse was one boy assistant. (By 1904 the job required an stretched to the limit as aldermen and officials assistant postmaster and thirty-four clerks!) trooped in. John Innes’ well-known picture “The On May 14th the mayor called another Builders” portrays the scene: thirty men with meeting, this time to arrange for the celebration high collars, dark suits and serious expressions of Dominion Day. Jonathan, who was of Empire are crowded around a table. A kerosene lamp Loyalist stock, headed the committee. swings from the ceiling. MacLean is in the centre Vancouver’s population had soared to nine exuding confidence and Jonathan at his left, hundred. Lavish plans were made to celebrate white-bearded and looking older than his fifty- the day as never before.16 But a momentous and two years.15 The mayor appointed a treasurer, tragic event held those plans in abeyance for

British Columbia Historical News Page 17 over a year. During the morning and early wrapped the twenty barrels of blasting powder in afternoon of Sunday, June 13, 1886, Vancouver wet blankets, set them on his dray and drove his was consumed by fire. team at breakneck speed into the waters of False Though no one can state with certainty, the Creek.18 Great Fire is generally believed to have started in The other hero, acting City Clerk Joseph the CPR townsite, a six-thousand acre clearing, Huntly, set himself the gruesome task of looking stretching from the high ground west of Water for persons reported to be missing. A makeshift Street (above today’s Victory Square) to the morgue was set up at the north end of Cambie forest edge (Burrard Street). Blasting and burning Street Bridge. Huntly bivouacked with the other of slash went on there every day of the week and refugees at the south end.19 the townsite was perpetually carpeted with a According the 1887 dense mass of dry, fallen trees. Suddenly, to Vancouver Directory, on that the pioneers re-built fateful morning, an extremely hot “with many points of day, a superiority”. One million dollars was southwest gale of almost freakish intensity spent on “buildings of every description including twenty- sprang up. At once the sky was obscured and the air became one mass of fiery flames, driven five boarding houses and hotels, one of them a on by palatial hotel for the Canadian Pacific the gale. The black bitter smoke of burning gum Railway, four churches and several and pitch brought instant suffocation to many. schools.” Jonathan Miller of five Others had no chance to escape the great was one trustees who helped form tongues of fire that swept down on them. the Vancouver Electric Illuminating Company, Most of the Miller children were at home and less than two months after the Fire, electric getting ready for Sunday School. Nine-year-old lights were turned on in Vancouver for the first Walter had gone ahead to help Father Fiennes time. The City’s business was conducted in a tent Clinton ring the bell at St. James’ Church, this until Alderman David Oppenheimer persuaded service being Walter’s particular privilege. the city fathers they could debate more comfort Almost immediately, the Miller’s house was on ably at the back of his warehouse?° fire. As Margaret saw her domain being totally The great day came, May 23, 1887, when the destroyed before her eyes, she was transfixed— first train from Montreal, with baggage car, unable to move or utter a word. Somehow the colonist sleeper, first-class pullman, and dining children propelled her into the street. Their car steamed into Vancouver. Public enthusiasm father, conscientious as ever, had been working knew no bounds. Hundreds gathered at the at the Post Office, which that week had been station. There were cheers for New Westminster, moved to a small building on Carrall Street. They cheers for Victoria, cheers for the Queen. saw him running towards them, carrying in front Streamers floated across the track inscribed, of him a big black cashbox. His spectacles lay on “Confederation Accomplished”, “Occident top of it. Solemnly he said to Margaret: “I’ve greets Orient”, and “Our National l—Iighway”. saved my glasses”. Mayor MacLean, elected for a second term, read “I’ve saved my prayer book,” replied an address to Harry Abbott, General Superinten Margaret. It was her first utterance, spoken very dent of the Pacific Division of the CPR, recording faintly.17 the “high appreciation of the citizens of Several steamers were already engaged in Vancouver”.21 taking refugees across to Moodyvilie (today’s North Vancouver), and Jonathan got his family One year to the day after the Great Fire, SS embarked on one of them, the Senator. By early Abyssinia, chartered by the CPR, arrived from the afternoon they were all safely with their relatives, Orient with a cargo bound for London, marking the Springers, who lived in a big house on the the commencement of trans-Pacific trade using heights above Sew. Moody’s mill. The house had the new railway. Vancouver was made a customs electric lights, a luxury not yet enjoyed on the port of entry. Before long the Empresses would mainland. Eight young Millers and six young be steaming majestically into its harbour. Their Springers bedded down together that sad night. arrival was almost as important as the railway’s. Two young men who were engaged to be The Post Office where Jonathan had been married to two of Jonathan’s daughters busily working when Vancouver caught fire, had performed bravely that day. One of them, burned to the ground. Postal work was now teamster Harry Berry, rushed off to a shed right in carried on in more spacious quarters in the Lady the path of the fire where he knew explosives Mount Stephen Block at 309 West Hastings were stored. With the help of a friend, he Street. Jonathan built a house for his family next

Page 18 British Columbia Historical News for door, and after a brief stay there, moved to many years, though when Jonathan opened Burrard Street, a shady tree-lined boulevard his new Post Office at Pender and Granville running from English Bay to the In let. Streets in 1895, by his express wish the electric He was now a rich man. In its 1891 souvenir street car passed its door and enabled him to edition, the Vancouver Daily World stated: establish Vancouver’s first letter-carrier service. Jonathan lived in Fairview for many years. He At the time the city was laid out Mr. Miller saw Vancouver suffer a temporary recession invested largely in property, a great amount during the 1890s and be revived by the Klondike of which he still holds. He is one of the Gold Rush. He put up money to salvage the largest property-holders here, most of his World newspaper, and established his widowed real estate being of thechoicest kind. daughter, Alice Berry, as its assistant manager and organizer of the World Printing and Publishing Company, the owning company. The article went on to name Miller and Later Alice married Louis D. Taylor, publisher of Oppenheimer as patriarchs of the business the World and one of Vancouver’s most community. enterprising mayors. Vancouver was indeed on the world’s Jonathan’s third son, Ernest, was the most commercial map. Its population in 1891 was prominent of his children. Ernest had been sent estimated at 15,522. Settlers came in a steady away to school at New Westminster Lorne stream from Britain, the United States, the Collegiate, adjoining Bishop Sillitoe’s residence Orient, and every part of Canada. Jonathan’s at Sapperton. Fees were $4 per week for room fortunes advanced with the city’s. In partnership and board, a further $1 for tuition and an annual with Thomas Dunn, hardware merchant and one $2 for fuel. For this sum, meagre even by the of Vancouver’s first aldermen, Jonathan built the standards of the day, ‘careful instruction’ was Dunn-Miller Block on the south side of Cordova given in Reading, Writing, Spelling, English Street, the site of today’s Army and Navy Store. It Grammar, Analysis and Composition, Book stood three storeys high, the largest and most keeping, Literature, Ancient and Modern attractive building in the city. It housed retail Geography, Use of the Globe, Drawing, stores, apartme nts, Vancouver’s first library, first Chemistry, Philosophy, Commercial and synagogue, and the Electric Railway and Light Advanced Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry, Company. Mensuration, Latin, Greek, Bible History, Liturgy Most men of Jonathan’s financial stature lived and Ecclesiastical History. French, German and in the West End which had become Vancouver’s Music were Extras.22 fashionable district. However, he preferred to At this remarkable school, Ernest made a life live farther out. In 1895 he moved to the district long friend of Richard McBride, premier of of Fairview, so named by surveyor L.A. Hamilton British Columbia during some of its most when he first mapped the south shore of False prosperous years. When they met in later years, Creek. Jonathan’s new house on the corner of McBride steered Ernest Miller away from the Birch and Alder Streets occupied an entire city practice of law into politics. He became MLA for block and provided a superb view of forest, sea Grand Forks, the best debater in the House, and mountains. Here he could run his three adviser to the premier and Member of the horses and have a residence large enough for his Council. Death at fifty-four cut short a career of family. Jonathan and Margaret were loving great promise. parents and seven of their children, though in In 1906 Margaret, Jonathan’s loyal and loving their twenties and thirties, still lived with them in wife of more than fifty years, died. Their ten their four-storey mansion. In the grounds were children were scattered all over the province. His cottages for grooms and gardeners and even for brother-in-law and best friend Ben Springer, assistant postmaster John Harrison. who had shared most of his enterprises, had It was a happy life full of sports, games and been dead since 1898. Although Jonathan felt music, but access to town was not easy. Jonathan very much alone, at seventy-two he was healthy spurned the automobile which had arrived in and still working. Vancouver at the turn of the century. When the During twenty years as postmaster Jonathan Millers wanted to go to town they had to walk or had seen the Post Office moved five times, each ride in the phaeton. No tramcar came to Fairview time to a larger and more elaborate establish-

British Columbia Historical News Page 19 10. Ibid. (The first road between New Westminster and ment. Vancouver was growing by two thousand Granville was completed in 1876.) people each month. The Hundred Thousand Club had predicted 11. “Petition for the Incorporation of the City of (correctly) that by 1910 the Vancouver,” Vancouver City Archives. (McLean’s city’s population would exceed 100,000. Jona name is not included among the 125 signatories.) than decided a new and more fitting Post Office 12. Ibid. must be built before he retired. The building was 13. Vancouver Herald, May 28, 1886. constructed at 701 West Hastings Street, within a stone’s throw of the shack he had hastily erected 14. The Shoulder Strap, Vol. 2, Tenth Edition, p. 87, as after the ravages quoted in article by R.J. Templeton and J.S. Matthews, of the Great Fire. Three storeys “Jonathan Miller, First Constable of Vancouver’ (The high, built in the Edwardian baroque style, with title should be First Constable of Granville!) majestic columns and an elegant clock tower, it 15. “The Builders”, John Innes’ famed picture. Names are remained a landmark for fifty years. listed in article by R.j. Templeton quoted above, and on Jonathan did not wait for the opening which p. 66 of Morley, Vancouver. was twice postponed, but retired in 1909 aged 16. J.S. Matthews, Early Vancouver, Vol. I. seventy-five. Next year he came to Vancouver 17. Morley, Vancouver, p. 80. from California for the ceremony, and was 18. Ibid., p. 81. observed standing quietly in the background 19. Ibid., p. 83. while other civic dignitaries did the honours and 20. Eric Nicol, Vancouver, 83. accepted the plaudits. He was never interested in p. public acclaim. 21. Daily News Advertiser, May 24, 1887, In 1914, the First World War heralded the end 22. The Churchman’s Gazette, November 1, 1883. of an era, the end of Vancouver’s golden years. One of the more than 60,000 Canadians slaughtered was Jonathan’s oldest son Fred, who was fifty when he enlisted. Douglas Harker, North Pender Island, B.C., was formerly Towards the close of the year Jonathan, living Headmaster of St. George’s School, Vancouver. He has in retirement in California, suffered a massive been a member of the Vancouver and Gulf Islands sections stroke. He was brought back to Vancouver and of the BCHF, and is currently Treasurer of the Gulf Islands died with eight of his children at his bedside, well Branch. pleased to be able to spend his last hours in the city on whose shores he had resided for fifty-two years, and for which he had done so much—a man who deserves to be remembered.

FOOTNOTES 1. Pamphlet: “Township of Ekfrid” (Middlesex County, Ontario Archives.) 2. F.W. Howay, “Early Settlement on Burrard Inlet,” B.C. Historical Quarterly, 1937. 3. Margaret Ormsby, British Columbia, A History (1958), p. 186. Back Issues of 4. Reminiscences of Kathleen Kennedy, Jonathan Miller’s the News granddaughter, now living in Vancouver, B.C. 5. Ormsby, British Columbia, p. 202. 6. A. Morley, Vancouver: from Militown to Metropolis, p. 33. 7. Tompkins Brew, Deputy Collector of Customs, to Back issues of the News can be ordered at $3.50 Colonial Secretary, London, 1869. Colonial each plus postage from the Editor. Correspondence, Provincial Archives of British Columbia (hereafter cited as PABC). 8. F.C. Claudet to Colonial Secretary, October 27, 1871, Colonial Correspondence, PABC. 9. Vancouver Herald, January 15, 1886 (first issue of first newspaper published in Vancouver).

Page 20 British Columbia Historical News News and Notes

The Canadian National Historical Association REGIONAL HISTORY PRIZES The Canadian Historical Association is pleased to announce that among the winners of its 1984 Certificate of Merit Awards are Lynne Bowen and the Coal Tyee Society of Nanaimo, B.C., and Mrs. Elsie Turnbull of Victoria, B.C. Mrs. Bowen and the Coal Tyee Society were honoured for Boss Whistle: The Coal Miners of Vancouver Island Remember in which Lynne Bowen skillfully wove over one hundred taped interviews, mainly collected by the Coal Tyee Society, into a lively and well-researched narrative of the working days of early twentieth century miners. Boss Whistle is a splendid example of how dedicated and informed local residents and a professionally trained historian can co-operate to produce a volume that is of Douglas and Elsie Turnbull interest to both the local community and students of working class life everywhere. Mrs. Turnbull was honoured for her many historical activities over the years. Her citation reads as follows: Mrs. Turnbull’s name is closely tied to historical studies of the West Kootenay. She was instrumental in founding the West Kootenay NOMINATIONS? branch of the B.C. Historical Association and later served as secretary and president of the provincial association. As an historian in her own The Regional History Committee of the right she has published numerous popular Canadian Historical Association invites articles, two booklets, and two books, Topping’s nominations for its “Certificate of Merit” awards. Trail (1964) and Trail Between the Wars (1980), These annual awards are given for meritorious which carefully recount periods of the history of publications or for exceptional contributions by Trail, B.C. and its close relationship with the individuals or organizations to regional history. Consolidated Mining and Smelting Company. Nominations, including a brief statement of why Her books are in valuable local references but the individual or organization is being have wider interest. As the Trail City Archivist nominated, should be sent to Professor Patricia noted, her second book is “a must for anyone Roy, Department of History, University of interested in Kootenay history and, on a broader Victoria, Victoria, B.C., V8W2Y2. To insure scale, the unique evolution of the industrial inclusion in the 1985 competitions, nominations company town in B.C.” should be submitted by 15 November 1984.

British Columbia Historical News Page 21

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INTRODUCING Competition Writing . S. • • . S • • Bookshelf

Ninstints: Haida World Heritage Site. George F. Footprints: Pioneer Families of the Metchosin MacDonald. Vancouver: University of British District. Marion I. Helgeson, ed. Victoria, Columbia Press in association with the U.B.C. Metchosin School Museum Society, 1983. Pp. Museum of Anthropology, 1983. pp. vi, 60, illus. 316, illus., $17.50. (Available through Metchosin $8.95 paper. School Museum Book Committee, 505 Witty George F. MacDonald, before he was called back to Beach Rd., R.R. #1, Victoria, B.C. V8X 3W9) Ottawa to assist in the planning for the new Museum of Man building and then elevated to the directorship This book is a great smorgasbord: a rich array of of the museum, spent a year in teaching at both Simon offerings—some major, others trivial; some Fraser and the University of B.C. During the same international, others parochial; some ordinary and time, he completed the impressive inventory and other peculiar. description of Queen Charlotte Islands Haida poles Metchosin, lying athwart the Strait of Juan de Fuca and posts, Haida Monumental Art: Villages of the between the Lagoon, Royal Roads, and Becher Bay Queen Charlotte Islands (University of British never could boast the secure harbours or richer soils Columbia Press, 1983), itself a monument to Haida art of Esquimalt and Victoria. Somehow nature had been and engineering. This booklet, published as a less kind, and its separation from the two hub-ports Museum Note of the Museum of Anthropology, is a kept it as a refuge for cottagers and beachcombers. generous expansion of the Ninstints section of the William Head, quarantine station-turned prison, book suitably altered for its purpose of singling out stood sufficiently far away from naval base and the Anthony Island village that UNESCO has colonial capital. Even Chief Trader James Douglas of designated as a World Heritage Site. the Hudson’s Bay Company had thought it lesser. In The booklet describes the Haida and their Kunghit 1842, he wrote of Metchosin (and spelled it that way) branch who occupied the site, the village itself as it that it was “an open Roadstead, One and a Half Mile stood in its nineteenth-century prime, and continues East of the former Port [Sooke}. ft is a very pretty Place, with a solid section on contact with Europeans, mostly and has a small fresh water Run near it. There is dedicated to the violence of the maritime fur trade however, no Harbor, and the Anchorage is much period. MacDonald then devotes a section to Tom exposed, and must be insecure in Rough Weather. In Price, the last Ninstints head chief, who, with the rest addition to that Disadvantage the Extent of clear of his villagers, abandoned the remote Ninstints to Ground is much too small for the Demands of the gather with other Islanders at Skidegate or Masset. large Establishment, and a great Part of what is clear is Price was an important artist, especially in argillite. poor, Stony Lands with a rolling Surface, so that on the Finally, MacDonald gives us a brief, moving history of whole it would not do for us.” (p. 16) the effort to salvage the monumental art of Ninstints, But it did do for many others. Take Mary Ellen Tufts first by removing the best poles to museums in (Argyle) for instance. Of pilgrim stock, her family’s Vancouver and Victoria, and more recently by name was given to a great Massachusetts university. attempting to prolong the life of the decayed poles Ellen forsook all that, went to Sapperton, B.C. via the and houseframes in Ninstints itself. The booklet Horn and married the Royal Engineer Thomas Argyle. contains over sixty photographs, some in color, and They spent most of their hazardous lives tending the several drawings, excellent for their purpose of light at Race Rocks with their nine children, their only reconstructing the village as it stood in mid-century. neighbours being the barking sea lions and noisy MacDonald’s knowledge of Queen Charlottes seagulls. The rain supplied their fresh water. archaeology, anthropology and ethnohistory is not to Or take Yorkshire-born John Ash, M.D. Educated at be faulted. We are indebted to him and to the Guy’s Hospital, London, he came to the Cariboo rush Museum and UBC Press for this handsome and but found real estate speculation and colonial politics informative publication. more profitable. Let Doctor John Helmcken’s manuscript Reminiscences tell their own lively tale. Anyone could have had a dispute with Amor De Douglas Cole, who teaches History at Simon Fraser Cosmos and Ash was no exception. They had University, has written extensively on West Coast art quarreled in the Bird Cages and the affair continued and anthropology. outside.

British Columbia Historical News Page 23

24

Page News Historical Columbia British

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Cosmos De met Ash over, being House The THE BRITISH COLUMBIA HISTORICAL FEDERATION

Honorary Patron: His Honour, the Honourable Robert G. Rogers, Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia Honorary President: Col. G.S. Andrews, 116 Wellington, Victoria V8V 4H7 382-7202 (res.)

Officers President: Leonard G. McCann, #2-1430 Maple St., Vancouver V6J 3R9 736-4431 (bus.) 1st Vice President: Naomi Miller, Box 105, Wasa VOB2K0 422-3594 (res.) 2nd Vice President: John D. Spittle, 1241 Mount Crown Rd., North Vancouver V7R 1R9 988-4565 (res.) Secretary: T. Don Sale, 262 Juniper St., Nanaimo V9S 1X4 753-2067 (res.) Recording Secretary: Margaret Stoneberg, P.O. Box 687, Princeton voxiWO 295-3362 (res.)

Treasurer: J. Rhys Richardson, 2875 W. 29th, Vancouver V6L 1Y2 733-1897 (res.) Members-at-Large: Myrtle Haslam, 1875 Wessex Road, Cowichan Bay VOR1NO 748-8397 (res.) Mary G. Orr, R.R. #1, Butler St., Summerland VOH1ZO Past-President: Barbara Stannard, #211-450 Stewart Ave., Nanaimo V9S 5E9 754-6195 (res.) Marie Elliott, Editor, B.C. Historical News, 1745 Taylor St., Victoria V8R 3E8

Chairmen of Committees: Seminars: Leonard G. McCann Historic Trails: John D. Spittle B.C. Historical News Ruth Barnett, 680 Pinecrest Rd., Campbell River V9W 3P3 Policy Committee: 287-8097 (res.) Lieutenant-Governor’s Award Committee: Naomi Miller Publications Assistance Helen Akrigg, 4633 W. 8th Ave., Vancouver V6R 2A6 Committee (not involved 228-8606 (res.) with B.C. Historical News): Loans are available for publication. Please submit manuscripts to Helen Akrigg. JOIN Why not join the British Columbia Historical Federation and receive the British Columbia Historical News regularly? The BCHF is composed of member societies in all parts of the province. Byjoining your local society you receive not only a subscription to British Columbia Historical News, but the opportunity to participate in a program of talks and field trips, and to meet others interested in British Columbia’s history and the BCHF’s annual convention. For information, contact your local society (address on the inside front cover).... No local society in your area? Perhaps you might think of forming one. For information contact the secretary of the BCHF (address inside back cover).