C.P.R needs more room for switches – April 11, 1887

H. Abbott of the CPR required a tract of land extending east as far as Carrall Street “to give sufficient length for switches” exempt from city taxation. City Engineer E.B. Mohun to survey and make a contour map of the City between Burrard Street and Campbell Avenue and north of False Creek at a cost of $150. The Fire, Water and Light committee recommended the purchase of Fire Truck Figure 501 no 2 at $1,150. A lamp lighter was hired at a salary of $35 per month.

This transcript was made in 2014 by Transcribimus volunteer
Darrin Pezer/Proactive Building Maintenance

original handwritten minutes here

City of Vancouver Archives
Series 23-A Volume 1 pages 306-315

Vancouver April 11th 1887

The Council met on Monday April 11th 1887 at 7.30. P.M.

Present Aldermen Alexander, Hamilton, Humphries, Lefevre, Lockerby, Mannion, D. Oppenheimer and Sanders.

Moved by Alderman Lefevre seconded by Alderman Hamilton
that Alderman Alexander be Chairman in the absence of the Mayor.

The Minutes of last meeting were read and adopted.

Communications.

From Robert Riesterer asking a donation from the Council to open up a road to his Brewery on Lots 9 and 10 in Block 24 in District Lot No. 302.
Referred to the Board of Works with power to act.

From Cook and Sweet asking permission to occupy a portion of Cordova Street near the Hastings Saw Mill Co Store, with building material.
Allowed to occupy 1/3 of street and sidewalk provided a foot path be constructed around the work.

From L. Samuel, asking Council to buy 5000 copies of the West Shore for one thousand dollars.
The question was deferred until a special meeting in order that the publisher have time to ascertain the number of subscribers he can get in the City.

Reports.

The Finance Committee met on Friday April 8th 1887 at 8. P.M.

The following accounts were recommended to be paid.
Wm. Brown, printing $106.25
B.C. Book Store, Stationery $3.45
S.T. Tilley, Stamps $5.00

In order to meet the following estimated expenditure we would recommend that 3/4 of a cent on the dollar on all the real and personal property of the City be levied for the current year: –

Board of Works $2100.00
Fire Water and Light $500.00
Board of Health $1400.00
Police Commissioners $1250.00
Salaries $12600.00
Gazette Printing $250.00
City Printing and Advertising $500.00
Stationery $250.00
Coal and Coal oil $300.00
Furniture $350.00
Expenses from Last year 4980.00
Interest on Debentures $2500.00

We also recommend that $30,000 be borrowed from the Bank of British Columbia on the security of the General Debentures to be devoted to the following purposes.

Board of Works $24,500.00
Sewerage $1000.00
F.W. and Light $2500.00
Health $2000.00
Adopted.
Lefevre – Sanders Sgd D. Oppenheimer
Chairman

Board of Works
The Board of Works met on Wednesday April 6th 1887 and beg to submit the following Report.
The Tenders for the improvement of Homer, Howe, Harris and Cambie Streets were opened and read as follows.
Homer Street
Wm. Harkins.
Grubbing, grading &c per L. ft. 64 cts
Sidewalks per L. ft. 23 cts
Lumber for Box Culverts per M $15.00
McDonald and Cameron
Grubbing, grading &c per L. ft. 53 cts
Sidewalks per L. ft. 23 cts
Lumber for drains per M. ft. $19.00
Boyd and Clandening
Grubbing, grading &c per L. ft. 64 cts
Sidewalks per L. ft. 23 cts
Lumber for Culverts per M. ft. $16.00
Howe Street.
Wm. Harkins.
Grubbing, grading &c per L. ft. 45 cts
Sidewalks per L. ft. 23 cts
Lumber for Box Culverts per M. ft. $15.00
Muir and Pratt
Grubbing, grading &c per L. ft. 45 cts
Sidewalks per L. ft. 27 cts
Lumber for Sidewalks per M. ft. $17.00
Boyd and Clandenning
Grubbing, grading &c per L. ft. 56 cents
Harris Street
Wm. Harkins
Grubbing, grading &c per L. ft. 90 cts
Sidewalks per L. ft. 23 cts
Lumber for Culverts per M. $15.00
Boyd and Clandenning
Grubbing, grading per L. ft. 72 cts
Sidewalks per L. ft. 23 cts
Planking & Lumber per M. ft. $15.50
Cambie
Wm. Harkins
Per Lineal foot 90 cts
Boyd and Clandenning
Grubbing, grading &c for the sum of $50.00

We recommend that Cambie and Harris Streets be awarded to Boyd and Clandening, Howe Street to Wm. Harkins and Homer Street to McDonald and Cameron.

With reference to the petition of ratepayers for plank walk along the Shore of False Creek it is deemed inadvisable to comply with the prayer of the petitioners.

We have however in this connection instructed the City Engineer to make plans and call for tenders for the opening of Lorne and Dufferin Streets from Westminster Avenue to Leamy and Kyle’s Mill.

In connection with the sewerage question your Committee feel that it would be impossible for the City Engineer to make the contour plans preliminary to forming a scheme of sewerage.

Mr. Bell-Irving who kindly submitted a report on a system of sewerage withdrew his application for the work of preparing plans.

We therefore recommend that Mr. Edward Mohun C.E. be employed to make the necessary surveys and prepare Contour plans on a scale of 200 feet to an inch of that portion of the City between Burrard Street and Campbell Avenue & North of False Creek and to establish permanent Bench Marks for the sum of $150.00 the Engineer to furnish everything necessary for the work excepting stationery.
L.A. Hamilton
Chairman

Adopted
Lefevre – Mannion

Report of Special Committee

The Committee met the Directors of the Coquitlam Water Works Co on Thursday the 7th, inst and beg to submit the following progress Report.

After a long discussion on points in connection with the proposal submitted by the Water Works Co. it was agreed that the Solicitor of the Water Works Co. Should prepare a draft *unreadable* of agreement based on their proposal submitted to be laid before a special meeting of Council to be called by the Mayor for the purpose of considering the same on some day before the 18th instant.
We beg to suggest that as the Water Works Company agreed to furnish to the Corporation plans and estimates of the proposed Works that the opinion of Herman Schussler C.E. of San Francisco, Engineer of the Spring Valley Water Works be obtained thereon.
We recommend that the Water Works Co. Deposit to the credit of the City Cash or City Bonds to the amount of 50% on $280,000 before the execution of the agreement between the Company and the Corporation.
sgd. J.M. Lefevre
sgd L.A. Hamilton
sgd D. Oppenheimer
sgd R.H. Alexander

Adopted Lockerby – Hamilton

To the Mayor & Council
of Vancouver
Your Committee have to report that they had an interview with Mr. Abbott on the subject of placing the Work-shops, yards & round houses of the C.P.R. on the North Side of False Creek if this and their sites should be exempted from taxation and elicited the following explanation.
That the land exempted will be used solely for the proposed purpose such as round-houses, Car-shops & other terminal works and that with the exception of two or three houses for watchmen or others required to be always on the spot no dwelling houses for employees or others will be erected within the tract exempted and further that while unoccupied space remains within the exempted tract no other works of the same nature will be erected elsewhere in Vancouver.
That the tract would be required to extend to Carrall Street as it would require the whole length at the Carrall Street end of the tract to give sufficient length for switches, as it is at this end only that the length can be got in a straight line there being objection to having the yards located where the lines would be in curves.
That your Committee pointed out that if the yards and shops were located on the North side of False Creek there could be no great objection to a draw or swing being provided in any bridges across False Creek and in this vein Mr. Abbott concurred and promised to represent the matter to Mr. Van Horne with the view of having the bridge opened.
All of which is respectfully submitted.
sgd. Rich. H. Alexander

Fire Water and Light Report.

The Fire, Water and Light Committee met on Saturday April 9th 1887 and beg to submit the following Report.
The following recommendations are respectfully made to Council.
That Hook and Ladder Truck figure 501 No 2 be purchased at a cost of $1150.
That A.M. Johnson having failed to carry out the construction of the tanks awarded to him that they be given to Wm. Harkins the next lowest tenderer.
That a Lamp-Lighter be appointed permanently at a salary of $35 per month and that the Lamp-Lighter employed temporarily be paid for the number of days he worked in March and that his wages as permanent officer date from the first of April.
That the By-Laws Rules and Regulations of the Fire Department submitted to Council be adopted.
That the Chairman of the Fire Water and Light Committee be authorized to purchase and place a lamp in front of Post Office.
And that the following accounts be paid.
Hastings Mill Co, Waste 75 cts
John McAllister $34.85
E.S. Scoullar & Co. $13.40
F.W. Hart $7.85
Thos. Dunn & Co. $37.50
sgd R.H. Alexander
Chairman

Adopted
D. Oppenheimer – Sanders.

Motions.

Moved by Alderman D. Oppenheimer seconded by Alderman Lockerby,
Resolved that in consideration of the Bank of British Columbia advancing to the City of Vancouver by permitting said City to overdraw its account from time to time to an amount not exceeding in all the sum of $30,000.00 this Council hereby pledges and hypothecates $88,000.00 of the General Debentures issued under By-Law No 29 to the said Bank to secure the repayment to the said Bank of the amount so advanced by it to said Corporation with interest on the sums so from time to time advanced at the rate of eight per centum per annum from this date of such advances respectively.
And be it further resolved that the Mayor and City Clerk be hereby authorized to forward to said Bank the promissory note of this Corporation for the above amount as Collateral security for the repayment of said advance, and enclose with said promissory note a copy of this resolution.
Carried.

Notice of Motion.

I hereby give notice that at the next regular meeting of the Council I intend to introduce a By-Law to exempt from Municipal taxation for a period of thirty years a portion of land situate on the north shore of False Creek South of Pender Street between Carrall and Granville Streets and the yards and workshops of the Canadian Pacific Railway which may be located thereon.
sgd Rich H. Alexander.

At the next meeting of Council I will move that the Council go into Committee of the Whole for the purpose of nominating a Board of Police Commissioners in conformity with the Incorporation Amendment Act
sgd L.A. Hamilton.

The Council then adjourned.

M.A. MacLean
Mayor

Thos. F. McGuigan
City Clerk