Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-10-08
CITY OF VANCOUVER
Properly Called the Liverpool
of the Pacific.
SOLID AND WE'LL BUILT
EVERYTHING WEARS AN AP-
PEARANcE OF PROSPERITY.
Almost Every Race and Nation Rep
Reconsideration Of Stanley Park
Nothing Like It Anywhere.
SOLID AND WE'LL BUILT
BY WILLIAM e. CURTIS.

BY WILLIAM e. CURTIS.
Special Correspondence of The Star and the Chicago
Record Herald.
VANCOUVER, B. c., September 80, 1905.
This town Is properly called 1.-THE Liver
pool of the Pacific for it is great ship
ping point, considering the sparse popuia-
ton that lies behind it. 1t is a solid-look-
ing, well-built town, much superior In
architectural display and in appearances
generally to any Of the new cities on the
American side that have seen except Port
land. There Is nothing shabby about II.
The streets are well paved and we'll kept;
the stumps have all been removed from the
lots and replaced by lawns and gardens;
everything seems to wear an appearance OF
prosperity and permanence. and nothing is
out of repair There are no empty store
rooms or vacant houses, and wherever you
go buildings for business and residence pur-
poses are under construction Along the
water front there are no eyesores such as
you see in Seattle. Bellingham and other
Puget sound ports The sawmills and sal
mon canneries are well-built structures.
with a permanent look about them. The
docks are solid and are kept in excellent
order There are no rotting piles and no
driftwood or debris lying on the beach.
Vancouver Is altogether one of the most
attractive and prosperous-looking towns
have seen in the west, and in this case
looks are not deceptive, for there is plenty
of business that is paying good proht mere
and it's growth has been marvellous In
Isl Vancouver did not exist; in 1881, py
the official census 1t had Ii, 100 inhabitants:
In 1901 it had &c. 133. and the people are
claiming 1000 and 40 00J now. which. from
appearances. l should judge to be Justified
British Columbia has increased in popu-
lation from 36,8l0 in 1881 to 9S.173 in 1891,
and 17S,65T in 1901. by the official returns,
and the same ratio of increase would give
it 225. coo today. l am told. however that
the greatest grow,A In the history OF the
province has occurred during the past four
years. and there is plenty of evidence TO
sustain that assertion. So it is quite prob
able that the popula ton Is nearer a quarter
of a million.
Only Twenty One Years Old.
The city of Vancouver is just twenty-one
years DID, but, as 1t was almost entirely
wiped out by fire In 1856, 1t is really but
nineteen. and 1 do not know of city Of
similar age anywhere that has so many
lovely villas. so many fine business blocks.
so many banks-a bank occupying almost
every corner-such well-paved streets and
other evidences of wealth and progress.
The Canadian Pacific Railway Company
has made vancouver, however, anu pei
petual reminder stands at the foot or the
principal street in the form of a monu-
mental railway station and office building.
Beside ii are the docks OF the Canadian
Pacific steamship lines to Asia. Alaska, the
ports on the American coast and other
parts of the world. They explain why VAN
couver Is so prosperous. If 1t were not for
them and for the railway the city would
not be here
Vancouver adds another to the long list
of cities which owe much of their pros
perity to good hotel. The wise and en-
terprising men who built the Canadian
Pacific railway established at intervals
along their line string of comfortable and
well-kept hotels, where capitalists in search
of investments. homeseekers and other
travellers could find rest for their pod.es
and satisfaction for their souls. The ef-
feet has been that every one who has Wis
tied this part Of the country has gone
away with a good impression They mad
suffered no discomforts; they had been hos
pitably received; they had been well-fed;
and they had lived among attractive sur
roundings-which. after all. have more in
fuence upon the inner consciousness than
any other argument that could be ohered.
That string of hotels has done more than
any other single influence to build up the
western part of the Dominion.
Grandeur of Stanley Park.
Stanley Park, as 1T is called, occupies an
island of about 300 acres in area, with the
Gulf Of Georgia on one side and the Bay Of
Vancouver on the other A narrow inlet
separates it from the city. and on the other
side is a narrow channef, through which
all vessels must pass ot.r to sea. This
island Is covered with a dense forest OF
Douglas frs, many of them five and six
thousand years old-hoary with the moss of
centuries You find such forests all the
way from Alaska to the arid belt in south
ern California. we rode throush theLn On
~ Yosemite and to Crater
lake. The Cascade range of the Sierra Ne
yadas is covered with just, such vener-
able trees, 800 feet high and twelve and
fifteen feet in diameter. None OF them are
SO large as those that have made the big
tree groves of California famous. but IN
age, dimensions and numbers tney sur
pass all trees that can be 1ound Wltnin tne
limits of any city on the race OF tne globe.
I would like to offer an humble tribute to
the nan-whoever he was-that suggested
the preservation Of this patch of primevai
forest as a park. he Is entitied 10 the
gratitude of all mankind
The island was made a government reSer-
walton early in the history OF vancouver.
and has been well protected Fortunately
no attempt has been made to clear II on.
1t stands in many places impenetrable-as
nature made 1t, filled with fallen trunks,
decaying logs. underbrush of many varie-
ties gigantic ferns and MOSES OF a dozen
kinds: and where the ground Is not thus
encountered beds of leaves and pine needles
lie inches deep. Nine miles OF roadWays
and twenty-five miles of foot paths have
been cut through the forest, with here and
there benches upon which pedestrians may
rest. The roads are in perfect condition.
l wish the California commissioners OF the
Yosemite valley could see them. They wind
in and out among the trees and along the
edge of the bay and the gulf. giving a
great variety to the scenery. do not
know of a more lovely drive. In all my
travels have never seen more unique or
attractive park than this one.
The City and It's People.
In driving about town. however. one is
struck with the slender timbers that are
being put into the houses. The best class
of residences are of wood. and although
timber and lumber are very plentiful and
cheap, the framework is made out of two
inch and three-inch scantiing. They look
as IL any gust of wind might blow them
away The sleepers are two-inch planks.
and the winter climate must be very mild,
because the best of houses have nothing
but iath and plaster on the inner walls,
and clapboards or shingles on the outside.