Arnold Silber sponsored the Vancouver City Council minutes from 1890.
The transcriptions were made by Margaret Sutherland, Joy Marie Vasquez, Chris Stephenson, and Donna Kynaston.
Click on any headline to see the full transcript of that meeting.

Election results for Vancouver Mayor & Aldermen for 1890
This document was transcribed by volunteer Gerald Soon in July of 2018. These election results were published in the “Vancouver Daily World” on December 10, 1889. The winners took office…
Vancouver City Council 1890
Mayor: David Oppenheimer Aldermen: J. M. Browning (Ward 1) J. T. Carroll (Ward 1) James F. Garden (Ward 2) J. W. Horne (Ward 2) J. M. Fox (Ward 3) F.…
City Charter to be amended – February 24, 1890
Many amendments made to City Charter. Mr. Hamersley, city solicitor, sent to Victoria to see them carried through. Site for [Rogers] sugar refinery established, to be purchased from F. C.…
Robert Hemphill new Pound Keeper at $420 per year – March 3, 1890
Cattle shed to be built in city Pound facility at a budget of $35. Robert Hemphill to be appointed pound keeper at a salary of $35 per month, he to…
Isaac Hallet new Police Magistrate at $1,500 per year – March 17, 1890
(Special Meeting) After three rounds of balloting, it was agreed that Isaac H. Hallett be appointed Police Magistrate at a Salary of $1,500.00 a year on the conditions that “he…
Labor wants nine hour day, no chain gang on city contracts – March 17, 1890
Letter received from Joseph Dixon, President of the Trades and Labor Council asking the Council to discontinue Prison Labor on the Streets and to reduce the time of corporation Day…
Fire alarm boxes received at customs – March 24, 1890
Fire alarm boxes ordered by the City and shipped from San Francisco have been confiscated by Customs. City authorizes $1,140.50 in customs be paid to release the shipment. Board of…
Hack (horse-drawn taxi) fares standardized – March 31, 1890
Representatives from the Hackmen have met with Police Committee and set standard fares to apply at all times except public holidays. Health department has tested the milk supplied to the…
Alderman Browning OK to serve as sugar company director – April 14, 1890
Alderman J. M. Browning, elected President of BC Sugar Refining Company, to whom Council has granted a sizeable bonus, assured that “his being a Director in said Company in no…
Citizens must protect trees from stray animals – April 21, 1890
Request from Robert Dickie and others asking the Council to allow them to use the Common South of Nelson Street for herding their cattle. Meanwhile, “…while everything possible is being…
Water Street property owners may be forced to fill in lots to the low water mark – April 28, 1890
Looking into whether the City “can compel the owners” of the lots in the low lands on the North side of Water Street in the Old Granville Townsite to “fill…
Public meeting will be held over July 1 celebration – May 13, 1890
Council, having reviewed the cost of last year’s celebration, will hold a public meeting regarding this year’s July 1 celebration. Mr. Herman Schussler, C.E of San Francisco to come to…
Dogs running without a license will be seized – June 2, 1890
All unlicensed dogs running at large to be seized. Request from G. Perrie & Matsado Sora Kiche asking Council to cancel the License imposed on wrestlers. Aldermen Doering, Costello, Horne,…
No dumping off the Granville Street Bridge – June 16, 1890
Chief of Police to post signs on the Granville Street Bridge to prevent dumping off the bridge. Pound keeper’s salary increased to $60 per month to cover extra duties. C.B.…
Barbers clamour to re-open on Sundays – July 28, 1890
City barbers request to be allowed to re-open their shops on Sundays, and the request is seconded by the hotel keepers. Royal City Planing Mills objects to the Cambie Street…
Garbage burning crematory urgently needed – August 4, 1890
City Clerk instructed to reply to Harbour Master’s complaint about the City’s dumping of waste into the harbour would soon be replaced by burning it. Burning site to be established…
Rev. E. D. McLaren to head University of British Columbia – August 11, 1890
Rev. E.D. McLaren appointed the City’s representative to the newly-formed Corporation of the University of British Columbia. Council recommended that the Union Steam Ship Company be granted a subsidy of…
Street railway route revealed – September 8, 1890
Committee met with Street Railway Company and recommends the company be allowed to extend their line along Westminster Ave (Main Street) to Ninth Ave (Broadway), then west to Centre Street…
Council carefully review market by-laws – September 9, 1890
This transcript was made in 2015 by Transcribimus volunteer Donna Kynaston and sponsored by Arnold Silber original handwritten minutes here City of Vancouver Archives Series 23-A Volume 4 pg 39…
City buildings to be numbered – September 15, 1890
Board of Works to undertake contract with Mr. Henderson to number all the buildings in the city, “provided the cost does not exceed 25 cents for each set of numbers.”…
McGeer vows he will close Westminster Road – October 20, 1890
Property owner James McGeer gave notice that he would close Westminster Road running through his property within ninety days unless some arrangement was made with him. Question of whether to…
Water Works price to be set at arbitration – October 31, 1890
The amount to be paid by the Vancouver for the Water Works to be determined by an independent arbitration. This transcript was made in 2015 by Transcribimus volunteer Chris Stephenson…
Library requests $125 per month – November 3, 1890
Mr. M.H. Hirschberg, President of The Vancouver Free Reading Room and Library requested $125 per month in order to rent a suitable room – $25 per month to rent a…
Citizens Committee wants Market Hall entertainments three nights per week – November 10, 1890
Market Hall Committee to meet with Citizens Committee, who are asking for use of the Market Hall three nights per week to provide “free public entertainments such as lectures, music…
Present street lighting is “unsatisfactory” – November 24, 1890
The Fire Water and Light Committee report suggests Council put the Vancouver Street Railway and Light Company on notice that the present lighting is unsatisfactory and the City does not…
Officer Grady injured on the job, receives full salary – December 22, 1890
No reduction be made in the Salary of Officer Grady, injured while helping the Chain Gang to remove a stump in one of the lanes of the City. Two miles…
Council seeks company to build drydock for less than $100,000 – December 29, 1890, 10:00 am
A Special Meeting to resolve to offer financial incentive to any company who could build a “graving dock” (dry dock) for less than $100,000. A By-Law was drafted, and a…