Some Reminiscences of old Victoria Part 20

Higgins will forgive me if I say that the _Gazette's_ evidence is likely to be more correct than mere memory. I am glad of the opportunity to correct an error I made in copying from my former article; that of subst.i.tuting the name of Southgate for Stamp.

Southgate's name occurred several times in items, and I find by referring to my former article, that I have Captain Stamp's name all right. Now for the further evidence. I would ask if it is likely that any one would build a wharf on Broad Street, say at the office of the Daily _Times_, Ltd., which is now at the foot of View Street? I ask this because in the _Gazette_ it is announced that Rousette is building a wharf at the foot of View Street, which meant next to the Hudson's Bay Company's warehouse on Wharf Street. Further, I produce from Mallandaine's First Directory, compiled in 1859, two advertis.e.m.e.nts which will show that View Street ended on Wharf Street opposite the Hudson's Bay Company's store:

F. J. St. Ours Wharf Street, near View Kaindler's wharf--Victoria, V. I.

Commission Merchant Storage Etc., Etc., Etc.

Reid & Macdonald Commission and General Merchants Warehous.e.m.e.n Wharf Street, Corner of View Street Victoria, V. I.

"Neither Bastion Nor View.

"To the Editor:--Having read with great interest Mr. Edgar Fawcett's letter _re_ the query as to the permanent term for the street now named as View and Bastion, may I make a suggestion that in the event of a re-naming that the thoroughfare be known as Fawcett Street? Many old residents are perpetuated in street names, and I feel sure, after the indefatigable efforts put forward by Mr. Fawcett in all issues connected with archaic research in Victoria and its immediate environs, that it would be a fitting tribute on the part of the city fathers to perpetuate the name of such a zealous citizen.

"Well Wisher.

"Victoria, B.C., Nov. 8th, 1910."

"View or Bastion or Both?

"To the Editor:--In case the project for extending View Street through the burnt block is carried out, what name would be given the street when it connects with Bastion at the corner of Government?

Although View Street as originally planned commenced at the waterfront where the Hudson's Bay Company's store stands, I think 'Bastion' a better name for the street, as it was the northern boundary for the fort, and, as is well known, Richardson's cigar store stands on ground formerly occupied by the N. E. bastion, and is therefore a historic spot or landmark.

"Since the correspondence with respect to View Street and where it commenced and ended, I have met two gentlemen who were residents in 1855 and who both state positively that View Street was always open for traffic from Wharf Street eastward until 1858, when the land now proposed to be expropriated was fenced in on Government and Broadway, as Broad Street was then known, by Captain Stamp, with the consent of Governor Douglas, on behalf of the Hudson's Bay Company."

"The Bridge to the Reserve.

"Sir:--There cannot be two opinions as to the utility of a bridge over the harbor from the bottom of Johnson Street. The first bridge crossing to the Songhees reserve at this point was built by Governor Douglas prior to 1860, it being an ordinary pile bridge such as graced, or disgraced, James Bay until the Causeway was built. The first bridge over to the reserve was part of the highway to Esquimalt, Craigflower, Metchosin and Sooke, and was very much in use in the olden days.

"A continuous stream of people, many Indians amongst them, pa.s.sed to and fro, and in times of potlatches, when there were hundreds of Indians living there, and as many visitors from other reservations on the island, and even mainland, it was a busy place. The ceremony of making a medicine man I have seen on two occasions, when a candidate was locked up for days, being kept without food, and then at the appointed time let loose, when he ran about like a madman and was supposed to catch a dog, of which there were scores on the reserve, and in his hunger bite pieces out of the dog. It was very unsafe at times for persons to go over to the reserve at night, on account of the drunken Indians.

"But this is beside the question I started to write about, which was the bridge and its approach on Johnson Street end. I repeat what I said in reviewing four old pictures of 1866 which appeared in the _Colonist_ of a few weeks ago. In speaking of the old buildings to be seen on the water-front next to the sand and gravel concern, 'there are two which, I remarked, should not have been allowed to remain so long.' One was known in the earliest times as the 'salmon house,' where the Hudson's Bay Company salted, packed and stored their salmon. It may have been considered an ornament in those days, but in these days of progress it is an eyesore and very much in the way. Opposite this building, and across the street, was manufactured most of the 'tangle leg' whiskey sold to the Indians in those days, and which drove them crazy, rather than made them drunk.

"Edgar Fawcett."

CHAPTER XXIX.

MR. FAWCETT RETIRES FROM THE CUSTOMS.

"Pioneer Pensioned by the Department--One of the Oldest Residents of the City.

"After twenty-nine years' service in His Majesty's customs as a.s.sistant appraiser in charge of the Postal Package and Express Office, Mr. Edgar Fawcett has just received word that he has been retired with a substantial pension. While glad to retire, Mr. Fawcett said he feels that he will miss the favor he has met with at the Customs House week by week for so many years.

"Mr. Fawcett was presented with an address by the customs staff yesterday and a presentation was made of a leather chair and stool.

The presentation address was signed by every member of the customs staff.

"Mr. Edgar Fawcett is a pioneer. He came to Victoria in 1859 and is one of the best informed men in the city concerning the history and material development of this portion of the province, and he himself has taken no insignificant part in affairs of a general public nature. He has written many reminiscences of early days in Victoria and is a recognized authority along these lines.

[Portrait: Fawcett as Rifle Volunteer.]

"Mr. Fawcett is a native of Australia, having been born of English ancestry at Sydney, N.S.W., on February 1st, 1847. His father, who was a carpet manufacturer at the noted British manufactory of carpets, Kiddermaster, was a cousin of Sir Rowland Hill, the British Postmaster-General, whose work for the penny post is known.

The family emigrated to Australia in 1838, and remained there until 1849, when they were among the 'forty-niners' to become pioneers of California. Mr. Fawcett, Sr., invested at San Francisco in a vessel which he engaged in freighting lumber between British Columbia and San Francisco, and this craft was lost in the Straits of Juan de Fuca in 1857, causing him some financial embarra.s.sment. In 1858 the father came to Victoria to recoup his fortunes, the family following a year later. Mr. Fawcett, Sr., was an honored citizen of Victoria for thirty years, and for three years filled the post of Government agent at Nanaimo. In 1889 he returned to England and died at the age of seventy-six years. Of his sons, Edgar Fawcett and Rowland W. Fawcett remained in British Columbia.

"Mr. Fawcett came to Victoria as a boy of twelve years of age, and in the early period of the city's history, when there was little more than a village on the site of the old fort, he used his facilities of observation to good advantage, and carries in his memory exact impressions and scenes as he then saw them. He received his early education in Victoria at the Collegiate School and the Colonial School, and began his business career with his brother as an upholsterer until 1882, when he entered the Dominion Civil Service, first as a clerk in the custom house, and he has been promoted from time to time.

"Mr. Fawcett served as a sergeant in the old Victoria Rifle Volunteers, afterward merged into the Canadian militia under Colonel Wolfenden. He was among the first to join the volunteer fire department of Victoria. He is the only remaining charter member of the Pioneers' Society, and was secretary at the first meeting when organized in Smith's Hall, Victoria, in 1871. He is a veteran member of the Oddfellows, having joined the order in 1868. He is a veteran member of the church committee of the Reformed Episcopal Church, and was active in the organization of this church about thirty-five years ago."

CHAPTER x.x.x.

SOME COLORED PIONEERS.

Here is an interesting little story to early residents of over fifty years ago that may be recalled for their edification. It would be interesting to present residents to know that in 1858 Victoria had a larger colored population than she has to-day, although with now three times the population. This is how it happened, and thereon hangs the tale:

Before the rush to the Fraser River gold diggings and in California there was an act pa.s.sed through the Legislature of that state making it compulsory for all colored men to wear a distinctive badge. This called forth indignation from all the colored residents of California, and resulted in a meeting being held in San Francisco, delegates from all parts coming. At this meeting, after the matter had been fully discussed, it was decided to send a delegation of three, representing the colored residents of California, to Victoria to interview Governor Douglas, to know how they would be received in this colony. The delegation, consisting of Mifflin W. Gibbs,--Moses, a barber, and another, met Governor Douglas and received such encouragement that they returned and reported favorably. The result of this was that eight hundred colored persons--men, women and children--emigrated to Victoria during 1858 and 1859.

What induced me to write this matter up was the resurrecting of a newspaper cutting, evidently from the Victoria _Gazette_, for which I am indebted to Mr. Newbury, collector of customs, and which is given verbatim:

[Portrait: Samual Booth.]

"Application for Citizens.h.i.+p.

"We have copied the names and occupations of the persons who have made application to be admitted to the rights of British subjects within the past few days, and give them below. They foot up fifty-four in number--fifty-three are colored and one white.

"_Victoria Town._

"George Henry Anderson, farmer.

William Isaacs, farmer.

Fielding Spotts, cooper.

James Samson, teamster.

Richard Stokes, carrier.

John Thomas Dunlop, carman.

Nathan Pointer, merchant.

Augustus Christopher, porter.

Isaac Gohiggin, teamster.

William Alex. Scott, barber.

Mifflin Wister Gibbs, merchant.

William Miller, saloon-keeper.

George H. Matthews, merchant.

Robert Abernethy, baker.

Henry Perpero, gardener.

Thomas Palmer Freeman, storekeeper.

Stephen Anderson, miner.