BRITISH COLUMBIA ELECTRIC RAILWAY COMPAN Y An Inventory of Their Record s in The Library of the University of British Columbi a Special Collections Division i i BRITISH COLUMBIA ELECTRIC RAILWAY COMPAN Y TABLE OF CONTENT S BoxNo . Subject Page No . British Columbia Electric Railway Co . Ltd . The records are those of the B .C .E .R . unles s otherwise indicated 1-8 2 President's Office Files 1 83, 160-61, AXB 5/ 1 Vancouver Gas Company also letter 44,76 books, AXB 4/ 2 83-87, 161-63, 166-69 , Vancouver Power Co . Ltd ., also 44, 76, 83 183 letter books AXB 3/2 87-88, 160, 18 4 Vancouver Island Power Co . 47, 76 88, 156, 159, 183 , Victoria Gas Company 48 AXB 5/1, AXB 5/2 88-96, 185-87, AXB 5/1 , Western Power Company of Canada Ltd . 48, 76, 90, 9 1 AXB 4/3, AXB 4/ 5 97 Financial Record s 50 97-158, 163-165 , Office Correspondence Files 50 169-178 97-101 New Westminster Files, 1900-1911 50 102-103 Lulu Island Railway Files, 1905-14 52 103-104 North Vancouver Files, 1905-1914 52 104 Vancouver Railway & Lighting Co ., 53 incoming correspondence, 1893 Consolidate Railway Co . Files, 1894-97 5 3 105 Kitsilano Extension files, 1909-1910 5 3 Comptroller's correspondence 1898-1900 5 3 106 Reports of tests on lighting arresters, 54 meters and relays, 1913-1 4 106-114, 16 6 Diaries, 1908-1915 54 115-120 Correspondence with employees, 1904-14 59 (Routine only ) 12 1 Miscellaneous reports, 1896-1898 62 Departmental reports, 1914-15 63 Reports on water tests, Lake 63 Coquitlam, 1905-15 AXB 4/ 1 W. Saville, Diaries, 1924-36 95 122-124 Correspondence re passes, 1916-1925 6 3 125 Letter books, 1933-1942 (General 64 secretary's correspondence ) 143 Saanich tramway extension, 1913-14 72 143-144, 155-15 6 J. A. Roosevelt, correspondence re trans- 72, 77 portation, 1911-12 144-146 Applications for employment, 1909-13 73 146 Accident reports, 1912-14 73 146-14 7 Lighting reports, 1933-1940 7 3 147 Chilliwack line, survey correspondence, 74 etc ., 1906-07 147-148 New Westminster and Vancouver, corres- 74 pondence, 1897-9 9 iii Box No . Subject Page No . 149 Union Stage and Taxi, corres - 75 pondence, 1925-30 149-151 B . C . Motor Transportation, state- 75 ments, 1924-3 8 151-152 Municipal Annual Reports, 1926-45 75 152 City of Vancouver, negotiations, 1932-36 76 152-153 Public Utilities Commission, corres - 76 pondence, 1916 153 Commercial lighting, correspondence, 1925 76 153-155 Street railway union arbitration 7 7 papers, 1916-2 7 156 Correspondence re transportation o f 78 mail carriers, 1903-15 156 Street lighting reports, 1937-39 78 156 Department of labour publications, 79 1919-192 4 157-158 Correspondence files, 1913-43 7 9 158 Petitions for streetcar line ex- 79 tensions, etc ., 1894-1914 188 American Electric Railway Assn . , 93 correspondence 163-165 City of Vancouver, correspondence, 1900-15 81, 84 AXB 5 ; 2-6 Union arbitrations and agree- 97 ments, 1910-4 5 165 Forms used by other companies, 1916 82 165-166 London cables, 1909-1914 82 166 Mr . Kidd, correspondence with 82 London, 1911-1 4 166-168 Vancouver Power Co ., Corres- pondence, 1001-02, 1904-09, 191 2 168-169 Wages, 1909-1913 83 169 Gas Investment Co ., correspondence, 83 1908-191 4 169 J . Buntzen, correspondence, 1905-10 84 170 B .C .E .R. Co ., Vancouver Electric Illum- 84 inating Co ., Consolidated Railway Co . , correspondence, 1888-1901 170-171 Westminster-Chilliwack line , 84 correspondence, 1906-1911 188 City of Victoria, correspondence re . 93 waterworks contract AXB 1(3-5) Employees' letter books, 1901-14 94 172-178 London Correspondence, 1897-1914 85 178 R . H . Sperling, private files, 1910-11 87 R . H . Sperling, diaries, 1909 87 AXB 4-1 Cables to London 95 Letter Books 94 Labour Arbitrations and Agreement s 94 OTHER COMPANIES 179 Coquitlam Waterworks Co . Ltd . 89 Blue Funnel Motor Line Ltd . 89 New Westminster Gas Co . Ltd . 89 British Columbia Gas Co . Ltd . 89 iv Box no . Subject Page no . 179 Chapman's Motor Cartage Ltd . 89 White Star Motor Line Ltd . 89 Consolidated Truck Terminal Ltd . 8 9 180-182 Stave Lake Power Co ., also minute 8 9 books, AXB 4/2 171-172, 182,183, 143 Sumas Development Co . 84, 90 183, 126 Victoria Power Co . 65, 9 0 184 North Vancouver Power Co . 9 1 182 Re,t1 & White Cab Co . Ltd . 89, 9 9 Pacific Tour & Travel Bureau 90 . 9 9 169 Gas Investment Co ., also letter books 83,91,95-96 AXB 5/1 Chilliwack Power Co . 96 AXB 5/5 Burrard Westminster Boundary Railwa y 9 9 & Navigation Co . AXB 5/5 Prince Rupert Hydro-Electric Co . 99 AXB 5/1 Vancouver Electric Illuminating Co . 84, 9 7 AXE 5/1 Vancouver Electric Rly & Light Co . 9 7 AXB 5/1 Vancouver Street Railway Co . 97 AXB 5/1 Westminster & Vancouver Tram Co . 91, 9 7 170, AXB 5/1 Consolidate Railway Co . 91, 97 V Introductio n Correspondence files of the British Columbia Electric Railway Company, Limited, created mainly prior to 1928, were deposited b y the British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority from their Fi r Street records room in November, 1964 . In addition, minute books and accounting records of the B .C .E .R . and related companies wer e transferred . In May, 1969, the minute books of British Columbi a Power Corporation Limited, 1928-63, the parent company of Britis h Columbia Electric Company Limited, were donated after th e liquidator of B .C . Power Montreal Trust Company, made a fina l distribution among the shareholders of B .C . Power Corporation Ltd . Correspondence files were transferred from the transfer cases (containers) in which they arrived to cubic ft . records storag e boxes maintaining the original filing system as stated on variou s schedules . Oversize material such as letter books, minute books , accounting books, wage agreements, seals, etc . that were too large for the cubic ft . records storage boxes were placed together on th e shelves . It has been listed on pp . 94-98 of the inventory . When requesting material, please ask for the box number or, if th e material is oversize please state shelf number with specifi c information about the desired item or items . Since the acquisitio n of the B .C .E .R . records, considerable progress has been made i n listing maps and plans that were located in the correspondenc e files . A finding aid to the maps can be found in a separat e inventory entitled, B .C .E .R . inventory, maps and plans . See also Addendum #1 for newspaper clippings relating to th e activities of the Company and Addendum #2 for a sample of account s payable vouchers and other routine records created by the Compan y (pp . 101-109 of inventory) . 1 PRESIDENT'S OFFICE FILE S PRESIDENT'S OFFICE FILE S OLD CORRESPONDENCE FILES (BOXES) TRANSFERRED T O RECORDS ROOM, CARRELL STREET, VANCOUVER, FEBRUARY 26TH, 194 8 BOX NO . SUBJECT 1 • Gorge Extension Victoria - Land bonu s • Application of Land bonus for Extension of Railwa y to Point Gre y Passes - Fairview Property Westminster Hotel Proposition s Advertising Contract - (6 files, 1906-45 ) - Insurance - Employers' Liability Insuranc e Corporation Ladner extension - Fluctuation in Power Circuit - B .C . Telephone Co .' s Complaint - Victori a McPhillips & Laursen - Re Theatre Cars - Freigh t Cars on Westminster Branc h Extension of Railway System to Cemetery - Victori a - Street Sprinkling - Victoria - Vancouve r 2 - Legislation - Vancouver's City Charter Amendments - Foreshore Act - Electrical Workers Act - New Office Building - Victori a Vancouver Athletic Club - Shares subscribed for an d Donations given - Car Barn Site(new) - Report of Work performed by Line Dept . 1905 - Angu s McDonald Estimate etc ., East End Extension - Harris, Vernon & Keefer Sts . (New) Rolling Stock, 190 6 Funeral Car ▪ The Roby Lumber Co . Power Rate s • Guards for Chinese Trains - (C .P .R .) 190 6 - Power for Railway Extensions between Vancouver & Seattle Increase in Street Car Service - Chilliwack Hy . ▪ subsidy Dom. Govt . Employees Tickets - re withdrawal of - Badge s substituted • Car Crew Overtime - Conductors and Motormen Lands on Capilano river - & North Vancouver 2 Electric Co . Electric Power for new C .P .R . Hotel at Victoria Applications (1906) for half rate tickets and passes for Employees, B .C .E .R . Co . - Re Transfers - North Vancouver Tram Car s - Extension to Port Moody (proposed ) "Owl" Car Service (all night cars ) Profit Sharing • Canadian Bank of Commerc e • Taxation and Assessment • Cattle and Other Livestock injured on Track • Canada Line Co . - re power - F .T . Snyder and Robt . Hamilton applicant s Insurance - Company's Propert y 3 - McPhillips & Laursen & McPhillips & Heisterman - Fees • LuLu Island Branch - C .P .R . Co .'s Certificate of cost of Construction Annual Statements of Earning s and Expenses Goldstream Lands - Sects . 2,5 & 6 re Jas . Phair - Sect . 7 Goldstream - Lulu Island Branch - Freight & Passenger Tariff s Municipalities - right to extend operations int o • New Westminster - Value of Property Corner o f Begbie & Columbia - sold to Mrs . H .M . Walker • Coast Quarries Ltd . - re Hauling crushed roc k • Investigations re operation of Car Shops at Ne w Westminster - Night Watchman, Vancouver offices and Station , duties of - Steveston - Ladner ferry proposition - wharf a t Steveston • Kitsilano Beach Amusement Co . - Transportation of Letter Carriers - Years 1915 - 1916 • Nernst Lamps - Data re • Power Rates - Various letters and data re Powe r charges - Rolling Stock - Independent report on (by J .G .