City Wharf

Hospital will need $2,400 for the current year. Board of health recommends Council grant $2,000 toward new hospital building, and solicit provincial government to grant the same; also to solicit property owners to donate site for a building. City Council to ask the Attorney General of the Dominion of Canada to withdraw their notice to remove a wharf at the foot of Carrall Street. The City has the option to buy the wharf at any time for the cost of the materials, and feels it is “a public benefit and no hindrance to navigation.”

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 222-228

Vancouver Jan 17th 1887

The Regular Meeting of the City Council was held on Monday January 17th 1887 at 7.30 P.M. All the Members being present.

The Minutes of last meeting were read and adopted.

Communications

From John P. Lawson, City Engineer giving an estimate of the work completed by William Harkins on Powell Street.

Moved by Alderman Lockerby seconded by Alderman David Oppenheimer
that Wm. Harkins be paid 90 % of the amount of the estimate submitted by the City Engineer less the amount already received.
Carried.

From T.B. Mangan praying the Council to allow him to erect a slaughter house on District Lot 183.
Referred to the Board of Health for consideration.

From R.R. Giltner agreeing to erect wires and cross arms for electric light purposes thirty five feet high.

From Jas. Cooper Keith re loan right of $1000.
Filed
Accounts

J.A. Gillis $10.00 Finance
Edward McKindry 5.00 Finance
Garden & Hermon 5.00 Finance
Dr. McGuigan 15.00 Health

Reports

Health

The Board of Health met on Monday January 17th 1887 at 2.30 P.M.
The following Report is submitted.
In making up our estimates for the current year we consider that two thousand four hundred dollars will be required to meet ordinary expenses in connection with the hospital and we would ask the Council to place that amount to our credit.
We have taken into consideration the necessity of having more hospital accommodation and would strongly advise the Council to grant two thousand dollars towards the erection of a new building and to ask the Provincial Government to contribute two thousand dollars more for the same purpose.
It would be advisable to solicit property owners to donate to the City a suitable and convenient site for a hospital building.
In order to preserve the public health we would recommend to Council that immediate steps be taken to have Columbia Avenue and that portion of land bordering on Main Street in the immediate vicinity of Hayden & Co.’s store thoroughly drained.
We would also recommend that tenders be asked for the cutting of fire cords of wood for the City Hospital.
We have examined the account of W. Ashford amounting to $6.50 for milk supplied to City Hospital for the month of December and recommend its payment.
sgd J.M. Lefevre

Chairman
Adopted on motion of Alderman Sanders seconded by Alderman Alexander.

Finance

The Finance Committee met on Saturday January 15th 1887 at 3. P.M.
The following report is submitted.
We have examined the tenders for City Printing and Advertising and recommend that the printing be given to the lowest tenderer on each article and that the advertising be given to the Daily News and Advertiser conjointly for sixty days.
We have taken into consideration the instructions of Council re the fixing of the salary of the License Health, and Fire Inspector and would recommend that he be paid not less than seventy five dollars a month and that each applicant be required to furnish testimonials showing his fitness for the office.

The following accounts were recommend to be paid.
McIntosh and McTaggart $5.00
S.T. Tilley, Stationery 13.10
A.J. Mathison 2.00
Robert Couth 7.00
In order to secure a good system of sewerage we would recommend that a prize be offered for a plan of the best system.
sgd D. Oppenheimer
Chairman

Report adopted with the exception of the last clause on motion of Alderman Mannion seconded by Alderman Clark.

Board of Works

The Board of Works met on Saturday January 15th 1887 at 3. P.M.
The following report is submitted.
Acting under instruction of Council we have called for tenders for the clearing and grubbing to a depth of 12 inches of three acres on the North East corner of the Cemetery lot and the levelling off to a uniform grade conforming to the contour of the land.
The City Clerk having certified that Westminster Avenue petition had been signed by a sufficient number of the property holders thereon we recommend that the prayer of said petitioners be granted.
We would recommend that the City Clerk be authorized to issue an order for 3000 feet of 2×12 inch planking for the continuation of the sidewalk along Westminster Avenue on the South side of False Creek and also 2000 feet for the laying of a sidewalk along Dunsmuir Street from Richards Street to the lane between Homer Street and Hamilton Street.
We request the Council to authorize this Board to call for tenders for the clearing of Columbia Avenue and the building of one sidewalk thereon.
We have examined the plan of the proposed addition to the City Hall and would recommend it to the favorable (sic) consideration of Council.
In making up our estimates for public works to be covered by the proposed general debenture scheme we consider that $6000 will be required for street improvements and $25000 for drainage and sewerage purposes.
sgd L.A. Hamilton

Report adopted on motion of Alderman Lefevre seconded by Alderman Lockerby.

Moved by Alderman L.A. Hamilton seconded by Alderman Humphries that the City enter into contract with Wm. Harkins for the planking and sidewalking of Westminster Avenue at $15.00 per M for planking and 37c a lineal foot for sidewalks with extras for blocking not to exceed one hundred dollars.
Carried.

Moved by Alderman Clark second Alderman Mannion,
Whereas an information has been filed by the Attorney General of the Dominion of Canada against the Vancouver Wharfage and Storage Company (Limited Liability) to compel them to remove the wharf and approach thereto erected at the northern boundary of Carrall Street in the City of Vancouver,
And whereas the Corporation of the City of Vancouver is the equitable owner of the said wharf having the right to purchase same at the cost price of the material therein at any time,
And whereas the said wharf is a great advantage to a large majority of the inhabitants of the City of Vancouver and is a public benefit and necessity and no hindrance to navigation and will when the City shall take same over be a large source of revenue to it, besides preventing monopolies amongst wharfingers,
Be it therefore resolved by the Mayor and Aldermen of the City of Vancouver in Council Assembled that the Mayor and Council of the City of Vancouver request the Governor in Council to withdraw all proceeding that may have been taken against the Vancouver Wharfage and Storage Company (Limited Liability) to compel them to remove the said wharf and that the City Clerk be instructed to forward a copy of this resolution to His Excellency the Governor General in Council.

On the question being put the following voted Yea. – Aldermen Alexander, Clark, Lockerby, Mannion, D. Oppenheimer, I. Oppenheimer and Sanders. 7
Nay. Aldermen Humphries and Lefevre. 2
Alderman Hamilton retiring.
The motion was declared carried.

A Communication was read from Henry A. Millon re the establishment of a Board of Trade.
Laid Over.

E.A. Wilmot, President of the Coquitlam Water Works Company appeared before the Bar of the Council and discussed the Water Works question.

His proposition was laid over until Friday January 21st when a joint meeting of the several committees would be held to take the matter up.

The Council then adjourned.

M.A. MacLean
Mayor

Thos. F. McGuigan
City Clerk.