The following extracts taken from early Victoria, British Columbia (BC) newspapers are credited to Leona Taylor for her excellent work in indexing the papers. Full information can be found here: ”Index of Historical Victoria Newspapers“, 2007-09.

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Dominion Government Steamer Quadra is loading supplies for the lighthouses of West Coast Vancouver Island, and is expected to leave about the end of the week. [Colonist, 1912-09-05]

 

Walbran may command Estevan… came here in 1888 with SS Islander, native of Yorkshire, England, b 1848. Educated at Ripon Grammar and served on British training frigate Conway, served in merchant marine for 11 years, and secured his master’s certificate at age 22. First ship commanded by Walbran was sailing vessel British Consul, bound from Continue reading Lighthouse History – 41 (1912-09-05 to 1914-12-30) →

The following extracts taken from early Victoria, British Columbia (BC) newspapers are credited to Leona Taylor for her excellent work in indexing the papers. Full information can be found here: ”Index of Historical Victoria Newspapers“, 2007-09.

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phs/Clayoquot, called after a West Coast tribe of Indians. ‘Cla-o-quaht’ means people different from what they were. (See Walbran). It is situated partly on a peninsula of Vancouver Island and partly on Meares and Stubbs Islands. The white settlement is commonly known as Tofino, though it is registered at the Provincial Land Office as Clayoquot Townsite, and is situated at the Northwest extremity of the peninsula extending about 9 miles Northwest from Long Beach. The Indian village, known as Opitsat is situated on the Southwest shore of Meares I. The hotel, large store, and wharf belonging to Mr Dawley are on Stubbs I, with the Post Office and police stn shown on the Admiralty chart as Clayoquot. 
The common meeting ground of all the settlements is the large sheet of water between them, full of sand banks and channels, with strong tide rips, so that all the inter-communication has to be by boat, making it a miniature Venice. There are many Norwegian seafaring settlers, many of whom form the lifeboat crew at Tofino; besides owning their own houses, they build rowing and motor boats with great success. The only motor boats and pilots to be hired for the work up the many inlets of Clayoquot and Nootka Sounds are at Tofino. The expeditions after timber, minerals, earths, cannery sites and land locating in these sounds are nearly endless, and they have been all transported by these Tofino guides and their motor boats. In fact, Clayoquot is the best place to commence any small expedition to any inlet South of Cape Cook and Quatsino Sound.  Continue reading Lighthouse History – 40 (1912-04-14 to 1912-07-20) →

The following extracts taken from early Victoria, British Columbia (BC) newspapers are credited to Leona Taylor for her excellent work in indexing the papers. Full information can be found here: ”Index of Historical Victoria Newspapers“, 2007-09.

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Up to the time of going to press this morning no further word had been received regarding the accident to Tees reported to have struck a rock in Kyuquot Sound.

There was much anxiety regarding Tees since early yesterday. Northwestern en route to Seattle from AK, caught a wireless message from Tees. It was brief, stating only: ‘Tees struck rock. Kyuquot Sound.’ The message was transmitted to Estevan and thence to Victoria. United States Steamship Tahoma was at Neah Bay and when Tatoosh heard the news at 4:30am this vessel was notified and proceeded at once to the scene, being due at 11pm at Kyuquot. Mr E J Haughton, Superintendent of the Dominion Wireless Stations, sent a message to tug William Jolliffe of the Fisheries Protection service, which was off Quatsino. C P Edwards of Ottawa, who is on board making a visit of inspection to the coast Stations, has fitted a set of apparatus on the tug and sent a message reporting Jolliffe would reach the scene about 5pm. British Columbia Salvage Co sent the salvage Steamer Salvor with a wrecking crew, and Captain W H Logan, special agent of London Salvage Assn, was a passenger. Salvor is due at Kyuquot this morning. Steamer Newington of lighthouse service, last reported from Clayoquot 2 days ago, has also gone to render assistance.  Continue reading Lighthouse History – 39 (1911-11-30 to 1912-04-10) →

The following extracts taken from early Victoria, British Columbia (BC) newspapers are credited to Leona Taylor for her excellent work in indexing the papers. Full information can be found here: ”Index of Historical Victoria Newspapers“, 2007-09.

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After a rough passage from West Coast Vancouver Island Tees returned to port yesterday with 60 passengers from Holberg and other ports of the island coast. News was brought by Tees that the little tug bought a short time ago by Captain Milliken, of Alberni, suffered severely during a heavy gale on Sun night, her deckhouses being swept away and a deckload of lumber lost when enroute to Ucluelet from Alberni. Tees was tied up 4 times during the voyage owing to heavy weather, sheltering at Tofino during the gale of Sun night. Among passengers were Mr Britton, timber cruiser from Holberg, J Pearson, of the New Vancouver Coal Co, from Quatsino, J W Jones, who is working a copper property at Sydney Inlet, J Killeen, resident Engineer of the Marine and Fisheries dept, who has been overlooking construction work at the lighthouse being built at Nootka. The cargo included a shipment of salmon from Toquart and 54 drums of whale oil from the Kyuquot whaling station [Colonist, 1910-11-30] Continue reading Lighthouse History – 38 (1910-11-30 to 1911-06-25) →

The following extracts taken from early Victoria, British Columbia (BC) newspapers are credited to Leona Taylor for her excellent work in indexing the papers. Full information can be found here: ”Index of Historical Victoria Newspapers“, 2007-09.

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Captain Gaudin, Agent of Marine, has received details from David Logan, lineman at Clo-oose, regarding the wreckage washed ashore near Carmanah as recently reported by wireless despatches. Mr Logan’s report says that among the things found were 12 sacks of flour, 23 tins of coal oil, 2 50-gal barrels of coal oil, a case of bird seed and some broken things. At Ucluelet a bottle was found containing some pieces of paper, it having been thrown from Steamer President in Oct. 
Lumber seen floating off the Vancouver Island coast recently was probably from Schooner Yosemite which has arrived at San Francisco and reports having 60,000′ of lumber washed from her decks on Nov 27, when 30 miles from Columbia River. The coal oil found on Vancouver Island coast is supposed to have been part of that included in the cargo of the wrecked Schooner Argo consigned to the Tillamook lighthouse. [Colonist, 1909-12-07] Continue reading Lighthouse History – 36 (1909-12-07 to 1910-09-30) →

The following extracts taken from early Victoria, British Columbia (BC) newspapers are credited to Leona Taylor for her excellent work in indexing the papers. Full information can be found here: ”Index of Historical Victoria Newspapers“, 2007-09.

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Many ex-Victorian seal hunters are on the Japanese sealing Schooner Matsu Maru, which recently put into Hesquoit and has proceeded on her sealing voyage off this coast on her way to Behring Sea, according to ProvincialConstable E McLeod of Clayoquot, who is in the city with an Indian woman, sentenced to one month’s imprisonment at Clayoquot for supplying liquor to other Indians. George Diehl, a well known local hunter, who has been hunting under the Japanese flag for 2 or 3 seasons, and 9 others, including a majority of Victorians. The Schooner has 9 hunting boats, on one white hunter is in charge of each boat, with 3 Japanese hunters. Captain Thompson is navigator of the vessel. 
The 2 Japanese who deserted from the Schooner at Hesquoit were captured at Clayoquot, after much trouble in reaching that village, and were returned on board when the Schooner was hove to off Lennard I lighthouse. She continued on her cruise after taking the deserters on board.  Continue reading Lighthouse History – 35 (1909-04-21 to 1909-10-12 ) →

The following extracts taken from early Victoria, British Columbia (BC) newspapers are credited to Leona Taylor for her excellent work in indexing the papers. Full information can be found here: ”Index of Historical Victoria Newspapers“, 2007-09.

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Tug William Jolliffe, of British Columbia Salvage Co, returned from West Coast lighthouses loaded cement for a new lighthouse at Estevan Point and will probably sail again today for the West Coast. 
Tees, Captain Townsend, sailed last night for the West Coast with a good cargo and a fair complement of passengers. She took lumber, coal, barrels and stores and several large shipments of provisions. Passengers included F W Vincent, of the Canadian Pacific Railway coast service staff, who is making his annual trip of inspection; H Simpson, R J Flaherty, S Dickson, A W Neill, Mr/Mrs J Durham, J W McCreary, J H McGregor, D Wyer, D Duncans, W T Buttar and Messrs Bruce, W McCurdy, Godrich, Todd and Gregg. [Colonist, 1908-09-22] Continue reading Lighthouse History – 34 (1908-09-22 to 1909-01-23) →

The following extracts taken from early Victoria, British Columbia (BC) newspapers are credited to Leona Taylor for her excellent work in indexing the papers. Full information can be found here: ”Index of Historical Victoria Newspapers“, 2007-09.

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Rev Father Brabant appointed Apostolic Administrator of Diocese pending appointment of an archbishop (Orth resigned due to fatal illness). Brabant is the only one of the local priests who was a priest under Bishop Demers, first of the bishops at Victoria. He remained since under Bishops Seghers, who was killed in AK; Brondel, Lemmens and Christie. Brabant is 62 and has been on this coast for 39 years, mostly engaged at Hesquiat among West Coast Indians. He is the authority upon the language of these Indians. It was in 1874 that in company with Bishop Seghers, the new apostolic administrator went to the West Coast, as passengers on Captain Spring’s trading Schooner Surprise. A machinist who went to install the machinery at Cape Beale lighthouse was also a passenger. During his long residence on West Coast Vancouver Island he has had many adventures, being shot on one occasion by superstitious Indians when a smallpox epidemic was causing illness amongst the tribesmen. He buried the victims of some wrecks, and had numerous adventures among the people of the island coast among whom he lived so long. [Colonist, 1908-05-05]

 

photograph: Banfield Creek Motor Lifeboat… now being repaired by Hutcheson Brothers, Victoria. Photo on Banfield Creek at practise. Lifesavers are practising rowing, with Captain Gullin at the till. Banfield Creek cable stn is seen in the background. 
Dominion Government Steamer Quadra returned after landing gear for the lighthouse and wireless telegraph stn at Pachena Point, and will leave in a few days with Captain Gaudin, local Agent of Marine and W H Roebuck, fog alarm expert, on a cruise to lighthouses and aids of the British Columbia coast on an inspection tour. [Colonist, 1908-05-12, p. 10]

 

Captain Gaudin, marine agent, who was on board Dominion Government Steamer Quadra engaged inspecting lighthouses and fog alarms, has sent word that… the new lighthouse at Pachena Port, is being shown from a tower which stands on the top of the bank, at the extreme point. It is an octagonal wooden building, with sloping sides, painted white, surmounted by a red circular metal lantern. Height of tower from base to vane is 66’… describes flashing light… a white rectangular wooden doubled building with a hip roof has been erected NE of the lighthouse, on top of the bank, immediately behind a narrow gorge used as a landing place in fine weather… description of fog alarm… [Colonist, 1908-05-24]

 

Steamer Leebro left yesterday for Estevan Point and West Coast lighthouses, carrying a cargo of building material and machinery to be used in the completion of the lighthouse and fog alarm and wireless telegraph stn at Estevan Point. A lighthouse tower is under construction on the Southwest extremity of Estevan Point, locally known as ‘Hole-in-the-Wall’. The light to be shown from this tower when completed will be a 1st order triple flashing white light… A fog alarm building has been erected at this light station A fog alarm, consisting of a diaphone, operated with air, compressed by an oil engine, will be installed in the building this year. 
A number of carpenters from Clayoquot were taken in a launch to Estevan to work on the new lighthouse. [Colonist, 1908-07-03]

 

Ottawa report… Harbors and Navigation… 4 lifeboat Stations – Clo-oose, Banfield, Ucluelet and Clayoquot. 
A coast road in course of construction on West Coast Vancouver Island, 24 miles completed; 
5 wireless Stations – Estevan, Pachena, Victoria, Port Grey and Cape Lazo; Kyuquot – Gas buoy; Estevan Point – lighthouse and fog signal in course of construction; Cape Beale – fog signal; Pachena Port – lighthouse and fog signal; Port San Juan – gas and whistle buoy… [Colonist, 1908-07-11]

 

Thomas Paterson, who for many years has had charge of the Cape Beale lighthouse, and who, with his wife, Mrs Minnie Paterson, has done so much in aid of shipwrecked mariners and to save life, has tendered his resignation as lightkeeper. Mrs Paterson’s trip over the sodden trail to send Quadra to save Captain Allison and 9 men from the wrecked Coloma and the work of her husband and herself, when Valencia went ashore won a great deal of praise. [Colonist, 1908-07-21]

The following extracts taken from early Victoria, British Columbia (BC) newspapers are credited to Leona Taylor for her excellent work in indexing the papers. Full information can be found here: ”Index of Historical Victoria Newspapers“, 2007-09.

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Wreckage indicating the loss of a large sailing ship, presumably with all hands, off West Coast Vancouver Island, near Carmanah Point, came ashore following the heavy gale of the 16th, 6 miles to East of Carmanah Point lighthouse. 
What craft is the last victim of the sea in this vicinity is yet hidden… the flotsam given from the sea includes a broken topmast, evidently from some large ship, and a lot of white-painted lumber… there were also 2 large boat chocks, hardwood tumbler racks, 4-18′ oars and the stern of a small gig without a mark on it… Included too, among the debris found by Indians, who carried the news of disaster to the lightkeeper, were 3 tin trunks. Whether these had been the receptacles of the gatherings of the sailormen is not known. It is unusual for tin trunks to be used for this purpose, the usual being wooden chests or canvas bags. 
All this wreckage came ashore last night, and it looks as if the wreck occurred recently, says Lightkeeper W P Daykin, in a telegram…  Continue reading Lighthouse History – 32 (1908-04-18 to 1908-04-29) →