WHen I first found the broadcast my brain could not compute that there were still people alive who had experienced the Great Fire. I was not quite one at the time of this broadcast
This is very cool. The character of Major Matthews' voice was rather unexpected. One questions whether tiny, fledgling Vancouver actually had as many as 3000 residents at the time of the fire. The 1887 Vancouver directory, available at the VPL website, claimed the Feb 1886 population was 300.
I know, that voice for Mahor Matthews is not pleasant. The directory would have the estanlished population, which was likely low. What the population was with the loggers and railway workers all coming to town? And all the construction workers - there was a lot of building going on. Also, with 5 survivors, all of whom must have been 85+, it speaks to there being a much larger population in 1886
Wonderful to have a vocal record of first hand accounts of the very beginnings of our city. Amazing.
WHen I first found the broadcast my brain could not compute that there were still people alive who had experienced the Great Fire. I was not quite one at the time of this broadcast
This is very cool. The character of Major Matthews' voice was rather unexpected. One questions whether tiny, fledgling Vancouver actually had as many as 3000 residents at the time of the fire. The 1887 Vancouver directory, available at the VPL website, claimed the Feb 1886 population was 300.
I know, that voice for Mahor Matthews is not pleasant.
The directory would have the estanlished population, which was likely low. What the population was with the loggers and railway workers all coming to town? And all the construction workers - there was a lot of building going on.
Also, with 5 survivors, all of whom must have been 85+, it speaks to there being a much larger population in 1886
What a great find 👍. 137 years ago just the other day.
Yes indeed!
yeah, audio is great
GREAT FIRE?
I mean, it was a pretty good fire, but...
Most of the new town was up in smoke, but the town was real small