Click on any headline to see the full transcript of that day’s meeting, and pictures of the original handwritten minutes.
Council wants $15,000 more for Court House building – January 28, 1889
Council to ask province for $15,000 more for Court House, $5,00 grant in aid of Hospital, and $2,000 in aid of the Police. Aldermen Clark, Howe and Whetham to meet…
“Fraudulent absconders” must be stopped, say merchants – February 4, 1889
Vancouver merchants continually cheated by “fraudulent absconders” who charge goods and then escape on the Steamers without paying. Lawyers Davie & Pooley offer to represent the city in in the…
$50 Exhibit fund granted to Mayor Oppenheimer – February 20, 1889
$50 granted to Mayor David Oppenheimer “to organize a Provincial Commission for the purpose of preparing a full Exhibit of the Mineral, Forest and Agricultural Resources of our Province with…
Stray cattle and horses to be curbed, verandah damaged by runaway team – April 29, 1889
Z. G. Goldberg permitted to re-construct his veranda damaged by runaway team. City Pound enlarged to suppress “nuisance of stray cattle and horses along our streets.” This transcript was made…
Vancouver police get uniforms, batons, handcuffs, and whistles – May 6, 1889
Council approved purchase of uniforms for police chief, sergeant, 5 officers and caretaker at a cost of $282.50. Police department also authorized to buy “2 Batons, 3 Sets of Handcuffs,…
Sansom & Dawson win City Market contract – July 22, 1889
Sansom and Dawson’s plan for the City Market selected. Committees established to deal with the Reading Room and to meet with the Street Railway Company. Water service must be extended…
Stanley Brothers may put a photo studio on the roof of London House – July 29, 1889
Permission was given to the Stanley Bros. to erect a photo studio on the roof of the building known as the London House. The proposition of James M. Holland to…
Wanted: one Fire Chief, two Engineers, two Drivers, and two Stokers – August 19, 1889
Purchase of “another patent collar and harness” for the fire department was approved, as was was the placing of job advertisements for the first paid Fire Department employees, “one Chief,…
Salaries set for firemen, nurses – September 02, 1889
Establishment of professional fire department. Chief engineer J. H. Carlyle’s salary was set at $75 per month; firemen, stokers and drivers were paid $40; and additional on-call men were paid…
Westminster Ave. to be repaired, bridge closure still pending – October 7, 1889
City Engineer must repair Westminster Ave. between the bridge and Prior Street. $13.50 in extra police wages approved. This transcript was made in 2014 by Transcribimus volunteers Margaret Sutherland and…
Fire department gets new team of horses – October 21, 1889
Alderman McConnell to select a team of horses to be purchased for the Fire Department. An electric light to be installed in the Fire Inspector’s office. This transcript was made…
Vancouver volunteer militia approved – December 16, 1889
Formation of a Battalion of Volunteer Militia and one or two Batteries of Garrison Artillery in the City of Vancouver was approved. Decision of last Council meeting to pay former…
Council of 1889 concludes; John Clough awarded $50 – January 6, 1890
Final reports received, Council for 1889 retires. This transcript was made in 2015 by Transcribimus volunteers Margaret Sutherland and Joy Marie Vasquez and sponsored by Arnold Silber original handwritten minutes…