Natural Facts

Remember when I said that it had snowed last week? Well today I am going to show you some photos of my city on that day. I'm also going to fill you in on some historical facts.

Right now I am going to review the year 1900.

Dantai, the recently incorporated  Japanese Fisherman's Benevolent Society had their first meeting at the Phoenix Cannery in Steveston on May 10.

On the issue of the Japanese on October 26 a Collector of Votes in Vancouver, Thomas Cunningham, refused to register any Japanese on the voters list even if they were naturalized citizens. Yet on November 1, less than a week later, Mrs. Shimizu hosted a ball at the Hotel Vancouver in honor of Her Imperial Majesty, the Empress of Japan.

On July 1 there was strike on the lower Fraser. Due partially to overfishing by the Americans (until 1934 fish traps were legal in Washington State) the salmon stock was greatly depleted. Hostilities arose between the White Fishermans Union and the Japanese fisherman who not only lived in cannery houses but depended on the canneries for food. The friction rose to a point where four hundred soldiers were brought in to protect the Japanese.

On June 9 John Oliver, a future premier, began his political career as an MLA for Delta.

On August 5 there was a letter to the editor posted in the Province newspaper. It read:

“There are few residents in the city and particularly in the West End who are not disturbed in their slumbers from 5 a.m. by the fearful and nerve-killing noises made by the crows. A vote should be taken as to whether the people want crows or not.” (I wonder what they intended to do about the crows?)

On May12 a ferry began regular trips between the south shore of Burrard Inlet and North Vancouver. After many successful trips North Vancouver No. 1 was retired and became a private residence, beached on a small island near Tofino.

September 5, 1900. A teacher's salary in Surrey was $60 to $100 a month. Lots by the river - between 10 and 13 acres - were being advertised for $105 a lot regardless of size. There was a partially cleared, 80-acre farm with an orchard and farmhouse advertised for $40 an acre.

The bells at Holy Rosary Church (it wasn't a cathedral yet) were blessed by a visiting papal delegate on October 21.

The Hudson's Bay Company opened a four storey emporium at the corner of Granville and Georgia on December 15, 1900. They have been there ever since.

December 30 Vancouver honored returning soldiers from the Boer War by holding a big civic parade.

Also in 1900:

The Canadian Pacific Railway financed a film to be made in Vancouver. They wanted it to be documentary to promote Canadian immigration to the west. But CPR didn't want any snow to be shown so it took two years to film.

Cannery owners united this year. They formed the Fraser River Salmon Canners Association in order to protect their interests against dissatisfied fishermen.

And this one is interesting. We all know that many Chinese were brought over to build the railroad. But in the early twentieth century Chinese men were often brought to Canada as 'indentured  laborers' by a 'Chinese boss'. These men would butcher and can the fish. Native and Japanese women would clean the fish and fill the cans while Japanese and European men would catch them. And there was a lot fish going through the canneries. About 57,600 pounds or 26,000 kilos a day. More than 200 cannery and fishery workers were need to process the 1,200 cases daily.

The Dewdney Trunk Road was built on the north shore of the Fraser.

In 1901 Vancouver reported a jump in populaton. In 1801 it was recorded as 13,709 and now the number was 29,000.

In January of that year CPR bought out Canadian Pacific Navigation Co.

I've mentioned this before when I covered the Carnegie Centre at Main and Hastings. On March 25, 1901 US steel magnate Andrew Carnegie granted Vancouver $50,000 to build a library. But only if Vancouver agreed to put in $5,000 a year and furnish a site. Since it is still standing there today you can guess that Vancouver agreed to the conditions and the library opened in October of 1903.

Someone had a bit of fun with the newspapers on November 19, 1901. First the San Francisco Call devoted its entire front page to announcing that they had uncovered a conspiracy. It was called the Klondike Revolution and apparently there was supposed to a plot to overthrow the Yukon government and establish a republic with Dawson City as its capital. The conspirators, backed by 5,000 miner waiting for a signal to overthrow the mounted police, were at Seattle, Victoria, Vancouver, Dawson and Skagway. The Province picked up the story and went to report that other San Francisco newspapers declared the story a hoax. I bet there was at least one reporter in trouble that day.

I didn't quite get the effect I was looking for here. The light just below the branches was making the leaves glow.

Have a great weekend where ever you are and I will talk with you on Monday.

I hope you find the beauty around you.

TAGS:Vancouver, Karen Magill, Andrew Carnegie, Mrs. Shimizu,Klondike Revolution,San Francisco Call,Province,history,