Municipality of Richmond’s position regarding its financial responsibility toward the construction of a bridge between Vancouver and Richmond “is noted with much surprise and regret by this Board” (see minutes from April 15, 1889). City purchased one horse at a cost of $300
This transcript was made in 2015 by Transcribimus volunteers Margaret Sutherland
and Joy Marie Vasquez
original handwritten minutes here
City of Vancouver Archives
Series 23-A Volume 3 pages 37-43
[volume 3 page 37]
Vancouver June 10th 1889
The Council met on Monday, June 10th 1889 at 7:30 P. M.
Present His Worship, Mayor Oppenheimer, Aldermen Brewer, Brighouse, Clark, Costello, Horne, Mason, McConnell, Oppenheimer, Salsbury and Whetham.
The Minutes of last meeting were read and adopted.
Communications
From Diplock & Co et al, Starrett and Leatherdale et al, The Vancouver Board of Trade and J. W. Simmolt et al praying that certain clauses be eliminated from By-Law No 79. Referred to License Committee.
From Thos. Stephenson, submitting an offer for sprinkling the streets. Filed.
From the Vancouver Board of Trade asking the Council to make an appropriation for advertising the advantages of Vancouver. Filed.
From the Clerk of the Municipality of Richmond returning resolution sent by the Vancouver Council re the Bridges across the North Arm. Filed.
Reports
Works No 16
The Board of Works met on Thursday
[volume 3 page 38]
June 6th 1889.
Present Aldermen Brighouse, Brewer, Horne.
We beg to recommend:
1. That Messrs Boyd and Clandening be awarded the contract for the gravelling of Westminster Road to the City Boundary at $2.10 per cubic yard for North Arm gravel.
2. That contractors who have excavations to make be allowed 10 cts per cubic yard until Seymour, Hastings, Richards and Homer Streets are filled up to grade or until further notice.
3. That Mr. Abbott be communicated with advising him that we are about to gravel Granville Street extension South of False Creek and ask him to put that road in proper condition by crowning and drawing it before the gravel is laid.
4. That suspension rods on False Creek Bridge be tightened.
5. That Howe Street be put in condition for horse racing on the 1st of July.
6. That the City Hall fence be painted and the windows repaired and frosted.
7. That Campbell Avenue be graded from Hastings Street to Princess Street as the excavations are necessary for Hastings Street extension estimated cost $650.00.
Sgd. S. Brighouse, Chairman
Moved by Alderman Horne seconded by Alderman Oppenheimer. That the report of the Board of Works be adopted. Carried.
[volume 3 page 39]
Motions
Moved by Alderman Oppenheimer seconded by Alderman McConnell. That the City Treasurer be authorized to pay John Cameron $300.00 being purchase price of horse for the Fire Department and H. Blyth et al for street work $63.50. Carried.
Moved by Alderman Brewer seconded by Alderman Mason. That the City Engineer be instructed to make out an estimate of the cost and the work required on the cemetery road from the city boundary to the cemetery and report at next Council meeting if possible. Carried.
Moved by Alderman McConnell seconded by Alderman Oppenheimer. That whereas owing to the increasing population of the City the present number of police is not sufficient to patrol the City.
Be it therefore resolved that two additional members be appointed according to the rules governing the force. Referred to the Finance Committee.
Moved by Alderman McConnell seconded by Alderman Clark. That a Committee be appointed to take into consideration the erection of a Market building and report to this council at its next meeting. Carried.
His Worship appointed Alderman Clark, Horne and McConnell to act as the Committee.
[volume 3 page 40]
Moved by Alderman Oppenheimer seconded by Alderman McConnell. That the Fire, Water & Light Committee be authorized to purchase six Flexible Branches, One hose wagon and 2,000 feet of hose. Carried.
Moved by Alderman Horne seconded by Alderman Salsbury. That to avoid loss of time in arriving at a decision in regard to the street sprinkling the matter be left to the discretion of the Board of Works to make such contract for watering such streets as to them may seem in the best interests of the City. Carried.
Moved by Alderman Clark seconded by Alderman Salsbury. Whereas by a resolution of the Council passed on the 15th day of April AD 1889 referring to the arrangements made for the construction of Granville Street Bridge by this City and the making of certain roads and the construction of bridges across the North Arm of the Fraser River by the C. P. R. Co and the Municipality of Richmond respectively, the attention of said municipality was called by said resolution to the fact that this City had fulfilled its part of the aforesaid agreement and that said Municipality had not done what it agreed to do at a meeting between delegates from the Council of said Municipality from the C. P. R. Co and a Committee of this Council in January 1888.
And whereas the Council of said Municipality by resolution refused to receive the said resolution of this Council for
[volume 3 page 41]
reasons set forth at length in the resolution of said Council of Richmond.
And whereas it is true that, though in said resolution of said Council of Richmond, it is alleged that no definite arrangement was made by it with this City or with the said C. P. R. Co. but that only a conditional agreement was made by said Council.
And whereas it is true that at the meeting of Delegates aforesaid, the Delegates from Richmond mentioned the sum of $20,000 as the probable cost of said bridges of which the Provincial Government, it was alleged, would bear one half.
And whereas it was understood by the Delegates from this City and from the C. P. R. Co. that it was the true intent of the agreement with said Municipality of Richmond that the said bridges were to be built at whatever cost by said Municipality with such aid as it might be able to obtain from the Provincial Government and that the City of Vancouver would build the Granville Street Bridge and so constructing the agreement made at the meeting aforesaid, though the delegates for this City mentioned 13 to $18,000 as the sum it would expend in the construction of Granville Street Bridge; still feeling that the City was pledging itself through its Delegates to said Municipality of Richmond to build the bridge at any cost, this Council paid $22, 000 for the construction of same in order to act up to the spirit of its understanding with said Municipality of Richmond.
And whereas in accordance with an arrangement made at said meeting of delegates, this Council
[volume 3 page 42]
petitioned the Provincial Government to make a grant in aid of the works which said Municipality agreed to perform and His Worship the Mayor and several members of this Board in their private capacities as well as the Board of Trade of Vancouver have used their best efforts to procure such aid from said Government and have continued and are continuing such efforts to the present time, and in view of these facts the allegation contained in the said resolutions of the Council of Richmond that this Council acted rather as an enemy than a friend is noted with much surprise and regret by this Board.
Be it therefore resolved by the Mayor and Aldermen in Council assembled that this Board will always be ready to render every assistance in its power in furthering any project which may have for its object the development of the resources of the Province and this District in particular and as an evidence of its good faith in so doing, it expended almost double the sum anticipated by it when it entered into the agreement with the C. P. R. Co and the Municipality of Richmond.
And be it further resolved that this Board sincerely regrets the tone of the resolution of said Municipality just read and hopes that the Council of the same will on more mature deliberation acquit the Council of this City of any motives either selfish or numerical to the progress of its Sister Corporation.
And be it further resolved that the City Clerk be instructed to write to the Council of said Municipality informing it of the feelings of this Council respecting said resolution. Carried.
[volume 3 page 43]
Notice of Motion
Alderman McConnell gave notice that he would at the next meeting of Council introduce a By-Law for the purpose of regulating the erection of telegraph poles, telephone poles and electric light poles in the different streets and lanes in the City of Vancouver.
The Council then adjourned.
D. Oppenheimer, Mayor
Thos. F. McGuigan, City Clerk
