The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1899-09-09
Yictoria-and a sleepier, more tired and
worn out les OF neopla il would be hard

Victoria-and a sleepier, more tired and
worn out les Of people it would be hard
to find anywhere. We were strangers in
a foreign land and they took us in-aDd
skinned u.s.. None Of us had ever been
there before; knew nothing about the
hotels or other Accommodations or any
thing about the lay Of the city--and we
couldn't find out ANYTHING. young
Iowa friend and myself managed to learn
the name of the principal hotel before
leaving Seattle and cablcd across for
rooms. but we thought best not to bank
on it and, before the boat was moored,
made preparations to get to the hotel in
advance of the main party. So boosted
him over the rail before the gang-plank
way run out, tossed his grips after him,
and be made bee line-or tried to-ior
the city. Then threw Harry Wentzy
and his grips onto the dock in the same
way, while was to get the ladies up
town more tremendously. This two
boys nit hackmdn Simultaneously and
he held them up at first for two cases,
but they had their nerve right along
with them and got up 10 the hotel, half
mile away, for one. As the passengers
began to leave tho boat there was no one
to tell them whtre to go or what to do,
but by dint of some hurried inquiries
they found the direction in which the
town lay and then it was a gG-as you.
please and the devil help the lindmos:.
Every nackmnn in the city had his rum
bling old shay drawn Up close by, and
without knowing what else to do-how
far it was to the hotel, or where it was
or how to get there many fell into the
hands OF this gentry and were unmerc.-
fully fleeced to the tune OF a dollar or
more each, with four Or five in haci:.
A little further along, hut IL few rods
from tile landing, was big string of
street cars, On which but the regular
five cent fare was charged aud which
were filed by force Of numbers only.
Those who got it put all over them by
the hackmen, and then haf TO wait I'M
til the arrival and disposal Of the trolley
line contingent were tearing mad. But
they couldn't get near enough 70 The
clerk at the desk to tell him so, and the
Jap boy who nearly stood OH his head
trying to get people to their apartments
and tho old Englishman who dropped 50
many "h's" people fell over them, while
assisting the little Jap, were both too
busy to get ut anu cuss. | forgot tc say
that the first name Oh the register was
Harry Weptzy, Pukwana," and my
young Iowa :rieur had our rooms solid
when we arrived at our l iiu!e. The no
tel couldn't accommodate half the crowd,
but tile remainder got sto~. 4 away some
where before light and all finally were
in the land of nod, by grace Vi her maj
esty, the Queen, and the bulna,iest OF all
the bum towns we struck on our trip.
The only reGeeming fea..re about the
hotel-a second-class hostelry and first
class price--Was that brra... .!st was serv-
ed until noon next day, q blamed poor
one though it was.
As previously stated, Victoria is situat.
ed at the southeriy end Of Vancouver is.
land and is the capital of British Colum,
bia. The population is about 2SOCO Il
is eighty miles by water from Seattle
The town is credited with the usual in,
dustries common to tho coast, but il
struck us all as being too dead in tus
mess way to skin. 1t Is a thorough,
English city and the people are Englisl
in their ways, manners and customs
This is largely due TO llletown being is
soldted from railway communication
with the outer world. There is but lit
! tie, if any, American enterprise rs sCci
i'll all other British columbia and Can
adlan cities. The British government
maintains un important naval statiol
here and one OF the principal objects Q
interest Is the new parliment building
which costs million aud locks to b
worth every cent Of it. 1t is one OF tn
handsomest structures eyer saw. Vii
tolia is largely residence city, due i
part to its being the seat Of goyernmsn
and its fine climate. s.
Il Victoria has always been the home {
the pelegic sealing industry, the heat
quarters of the Canadian sealing feet,
business which has caused no end OF il
!, ternational controversy. Sixty srhool
ers are engaged in the industry and the
employ 800 white men and 900 Indian
The average annual value OF the sea
} skins taken is $750,UOO. The spalil
= schooners are handsome little vessel
a many Of them as trim as oacht, al
q each carries crew Of about thirty me
The vessels of the fleet usually leave ST
r gly or in pairs or threes. Going nor
4 they ship white crews and Indian hur
/ ers. The boats leave Victoria in July
4 late in June, leaving for home in n
yember. Some go TO the Japan Goa
, where tho season is from January
r October. The sealing business in dett
would require an artic.e by itself.
v We left Seattle by the sidewhet
# steamer Yosemite at 4:3o p. m, and gl
n to get out of the town, bound for Va
couyer. The boat was one Of the o
timers, built in the early fifties, but G
rs IDENTIFY staunch and seaworthy and wi
70 al comfortable and roomy. 1t was I
ID most delightful trip by water that
tn had In our travels. After threadip,
te myriad Of islands, between many
re which there was only narrow cham
ye each picturesque i'll itself, the stean
a rounded into tho Strait Of Georgia q
y. plowed hour after hour across The smo
.e waters, over which there was scarcel
ce ripple. Part Of the way We followed
ID. course Of the Alaskan-bound ships {