The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-10-29
A GLIMPSE OBJ BRITISH COLUMBIA.


Mr.. Alexander Phillips and wife, Of Victoria,
B. c., are visiting the family Of Mr.. Harry Sol
ONION, on South Pennsylvania street. Mrs.
Phillips and Mrs. Solomon are sisters, and have
not seen esch other before in tnirty-ssven
years. Mr.. Phillips 10 q hearty-lookine man of
about sixty-fve. and Is q native Of Enclsnd.
about the biggest story ! shall have to tell
about Indianapolis when / 70, home" said he,
'.wil be in reference to the natural gas. OF
course, we have all read about it, bat a person
has no idea OF what it is to q community until
he actually sees II. and I don't expect they will
believe more than ons-half I will have 20 tell
them about IT. The United States has
made some big changes since I first
knew it. I was one Of the original 49ers,
and went through all the gold excitement
in California 1 went from there in 1852 to Vie.
toria and am considered one of the Oldest set
tiers. 1t was then q trading post Of the Hudson
Bay Company. The stores were log houses and
an immense business Was done with the Indians
for hundreds Of miles around. There were very
few white men there, but now it is a city Of six
teen thousand people. The Hudson Bay Com
pany has great stores aad warehouses now in
place of the log ones. Our greatest business Is
in coal, furs and fab There are large canning
establishments aud canned fish are shipped
from there to oil parts Of the world. The day I
came away there we're four carloads of seal
skins shipped by the Canadian Pacific railroad
for England. They were the catch Of English
schooners that had escaped the vigilance OF the
United States. The furs were sailed
and packed in barrels and the whole cargo
-r-.-a -.rrA 49, -n,lJ
never have thought from looking at
them that they would ever make seslskin
sacquss or cloaks. Victoria Is also a port to
where the English navy ft out and redt, and
we have one of the finest harbors in tho world.
II is also o point where one can take q car direct
through from the Pacific to the Atlantic ocean,
and 10 is also the shortest trip by about a day"
"How about the climateP the reporter asked.
81 fnd that you Eastern people oil seem TO
think that We have n very cold climate. IL IL
not ~ cold there as 1t Is here. We never have
more than six weeks OF winter. Ice was selling
there this summer for 81. so per hundred pounds,
and l have q commission TO buy an ice machine
for q firm there while i am in the States. as ice
can be manufactured cheaper than 1t can be
packed. The climate il mild enough 90 raise
good grain, and We took the prize for the best
wheat ~ London two years ago. The
raising or grain 10 quite an INDUSTRY
at Victoria, but we have toe nness
fish In the world, aud that 10 the great industry.
There are a good many Indians there still, but
not like there were whom I FIRST reached the
place. They are dying out ike they do every
whore else when they como in contact with
white men. They are mostly Flathesds, FACETS
and Qnsen Charlotte Indians, aud they live al
most Altogether By hunting and fishing. They
bring their catch Of tsh toto town and sell IL
very cheap. One queer fish they catch they
cali olican, or candle-hsh. and when dried 10 will
burn slowly like a candle, and give a brilliant
light lie Is also a splendid table nah, better
than any i ever tasted anywhere
"WhAt do your people generally think OF an
nexationf" was asked Mr. Phillips.
'xsIL II you usrs in Victoria you would mol