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BLASTS FROM THE PAST Nov. 21 - Catholic church awards contract

Chronicles of Boundary Country from the pages of the Boundary Creek Times Volume IV, No.2 – March 19, 1898

Chronicles of Boundary Country from the pages of the Boundary Creek Times Volume IV, No.2 – March 19, 1898

➤ Roman Catholic Church – “The contract for building the new Roman Catholic church in Greenwood was let to J.B. Derosier on Saturday. The edifice is to be a frame building, 45x24 feet. The building will be erected on block 26, Church Street, and the position of the church on the lot will be decided on by Father Rivers this week. The place selected is on one of the prettiest building sites in the city.”

➤ City Work by Contract or Not - “An informal discussion at city council Thursday evening, in reference to the manner in which money was to be expended, by contract or by day labour, brought out many arguments for and against city work being done by contract. One of the most important questions raised was: ‘Could the city save contractor’s profits by putting the work in charge of a practical man and, have it done by day labour?’ This is a question that should be thoroughly discussed by the city aldermen.”

➤ Collecting the Dog Tax – “Considerable discussion took place at council in regard to the best manner of collecting the dog tax, and whether it would be advisable for the city to furnish collars and tags or not. Also as to whether owners could be compelled to decorate their dogs with collars and tags furnished by the city. There are 5 dogs and 67 curs in Greenwood, but only two of them are worth paying a $2. tax for, in their owners’ opinion, corroborated by the tax-collector’s books.”

➤ Lighting Homes and Businesses with Acetylene – “R.L. Evans has been appointed agent in this district for Newling & Co., of Nelson, BC, who represent the Niagara Falls Acetylene Gas Company. Mr. Evans will give an exhibition of the new light shortly, and will be prepared to furnish to business places and private houses at a much less cost than the present method.” (ed. – The “present method” of lighting is assumed to have been coal oil or kerosene.)

➤ Eastern Department Stores – “One very often hears the statement made that there is not enough money in circulation in the district. Perhaps not. If the people, who send their cash to department stores in the east and run their jaw with the local merchants, would reverse the order of things, the circulating medium would become quite plentiful here. Fully $10,000 is sent annually from this district to eastern department stores. None of this ever comes back to the district. If this amount were spent with local merchants, the profits would remain in the district and assist in developing the district.”