promised in 1838 to the
purchasers of lots on View Street that that street should be opened
from Broad to Wharf. Instead of fulfilling their promise like an
honest company, that street was actually closed, instead of opened,
by blocking up the west end by a large brick police building. It is
true that since May last--when the Government reserve between Yates
and the block house was seized by the Company, with the consent of
His Excellency--a small alley has been opened where View Street ought
to be, but even that by some unknown authority, assumed by the Police
Commissioners, has been closed to vehicles. That authority will,
however, soon be tested, if the obstacle is not speedily removed, as
purchasers of lots in the reserve are entitled to its use. Had it not
been for our timely exposure of the intentions of the Company, the
line of Wharf Street would have been deflected like an elbow, from
Reid's corner southerly. The last act, however, of the honorable
Hudson's Bay Company, is not only contemptible, but 'unjust and
oppressive,' although His Excellency Governor Douglas, in his
despatch of October 25, 1858, said that the often asserted charge in
England that the Company 'had made an unjust and oppressive use of
their power in this country,' is altogether unfounded.

"It appears that the agent of the Company sold last week all the
trees on our streets to a party for firewood. Mr. Pemberton, Police
Commissioner, at the request of some property holders, cut down the
two oaks at the corner of Government and Yates Street, but it was no
sooner done than Dr. Tuzo presented a bill to him for twenty dollars,
ten dollars each. Opposite Mr. Adams' property on Douglas and
View Streets, Mr. Adams forbid the parties, but in his absence they
were felled. He then claimed the trees, as they were intersected
every way by his property. But Dr. Tuzo threatened him with five
hundred dollars damages, assuring him that the trees belonged to the
Company. Up Fort Street a number of oaks have been felled. Aside
from the vandalism which would sell and cut down a single tree
for a few paltry dollars, where it was no obstruction to travel,
but an ornament to the street--the act of itself is a foul
wrong--unwarrantable and without a particle of right to support it,
either in law or equity. We cannot well conceive how that the
agents of the Company could do such a scurvy trick--such an act
of vandalism--except that they have been influenced to do