AN INDIE IS:
City Council 1882, bridges and school taxes
Brandon’s first mayor, Thomas Mayne Daly. photo: Daly House Museum
First Street Bridge 1882. photo: Daly House Museum
First Central School, 1882. photo: Heritage Brandon
Brandon’s first mayor and aldermen were sworn in on July 3, 1882.
In October the new Council dealt with the state of city bridges and funding the school board.
On October 9, 1882, Messrs. Ross, Killam and Haggart, Winnipeg lawyers, wrote that their clients wished to dispose of the bridges over the Assiniboine.
The matter was referred to the city solicitor. By December 4 Council was considering a report from the city engineers and from architect, Mr. McCoskrie, as to the stability of both bridges.
Joseph Woodworth, who owned First Street bridge, and Haggart, who was interested in the Eighteenth Street bridge, addressed council and offered each structure for $25,000 “which amount could be reduced by such amount as was needed to complete it”.
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Mr. McCoskrie was doubtful about the stability of First Street bridge. [sound familiar?]
The council was so impressed by the addresses that the city solicitor was instructed to draw up a by- law for presentation to the people, council having agreed to the suggestion of Messrs. Woodworth and Taggart.
On December 26, 1882, on the motion of Aldermen Sifton and Ross, the bridge by-law was withdrawn for an unstated reason to the great disgust of the vendors.
As one traces the matter through the old minute books, written in sometimes almost undecipherable script, it becomes evident that the First Street bridge had no graded approaches.
Pedestrian and vehicular traffic went down the hill to cross the tracks.
The bridge was a low structure on a level with the railroad.
Five years afterward the city secured both bridges at a sum of approximately $5,000 each.
Brandon City Council, from the beginning, had business dealings with the Brandon School Board.
First reference to the Board’s finances concern the receipt of an account rendered to the Council with reference to the amount required for school purposes.
The date was September 4, 1882. On October 28, the Board asked the Council to include $15,000 worth of Debentures for school purposes in the new issue about to be sold by the Council.
This time the Board sent a delegation consisting of Reverend Mr. Ferries and Mr. William J. White.
Both gentlemen addressed the Council on the matter of city schools.
A month later, November 6, 1882, the School Board asked Council to furnish it with a revised list of all Protestant taxpayers.
The Council regretted that its lists did not give such information but that the Secretary-Treasurer might have access to them at his convenience.
The matter was settled by asking Reverend Father Joseph Robillard, chairman of the Roman Catholic Separate School, to furnish a list of Catholics.
All the rest would be Protestant – delightful solution to a difficult question and indicative of the harmonious relations of all parties.
A month later City Council was requesting the School Board to supply it with a list of Protestant taxpayers so that it might determine the assessment for school purposes.
Red tape had reached the Assiniboine basin. The first money by-law passed the voters at the fall election in 1882.
The returning officer informed Council that by-law 19 had passed 116 for, and 3 against.
Thus the city could sell its debentures.
The numbers who voted give us some idea of the number of taxpayers in the infant city in 1882.
It also indicated the optimism of the taxpayers. In 1882, $150,000 was a large sum of money.
– The Assiniboine Basin by Martin Kavanagh
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Today’s Throwback
Daly & Coldwell Block
Designed by F.J. Chubb, the Daly & Coldwell Block was built in 1892.
The block was built as the new law offices of Daly & Coldwell.
The partnership between Thomas Mayne Daly and George Robinson Coldwell was established in 1884.
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After Daly left Brandon, the block became known as the Coldwell Block.
Coldwell’s law practice (under numerous different partnerships) continued at this address for over fifteen years.
The design consists of a detailed moulded cornice, pilasters, and decorative brickwork.
Decorative sills, surrounds, and voussoirs adorn the arched segmental windows.
The voussoir of the centre window is embellished with an intricately carved flower.
Duluth freestone was imported to construct the new block.
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ROLLING SPOKES
Bath Safety
Whether it’s a walk-in bathtub, a simple shower head, a portable bath-lift or just a set of grab rails, staff at Rolling Spokes have the experience and knowledge to help you find the safe solution for all your bathing needs.
Paella Recipe
Bernie Whetter, owner, The Green Spot
Today we offer you a paella recipe created by for the Staub paella pan by chef Dominique Tougne, Bistro 110
Makes 8 Servings
Ingredients
1 chicken (3 to 4 pounds)
16 Mediterranean mussels
16 shrimp
14 oz calamari
1 cup olive oil
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2 onions
2 green bell pepper
6 tomatoes
1 pinch of saffron
2 garlic cloves
8 oz green beans
½ pound of peas
1 pound long rice
Salt, pepper and cayenne pepper
Cut the chicken in 8 pieces.
Clean the mussels in water.
In your paella pan, heat a little olive oil and rapidly sauté the shrimp until it is light brown, keep warm.
Cook the chicken.
Add the calamari (in long strips), chopped onions, green bell peppers (strips) and diced tomatoes.
Add the saffron on top, chopped garlic, green beans cut in ½ and the peas.
Cook this stew on low heat for 15 minutes.
Add rice to the stew and pour 1 quart of boiling water on top.
Add the mussels, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper.
Bring to a boil, cover and cook slowly for 20 minutes.
Add the shrimp and cover.
Let the dish rest for 10 minutes before serving.
THE GREEN SPOT
Paella Pan