h us to-day. Guy Huston, the
gunsmith, occupied the next store. He was the principal gunsmith in
the city, and his two daughters, both married to prominent men
of business, are still residents of the city. Alfred Fellows, iron
and hardware merchant, who comes next, was the founder of the
business of E. G. Prior & Company. The Fashion Hotel was kept by John
C. Keenan, an American, and was a first-class gambling house and
dancing hall. High play was the order, and many a Cariboo miner in
the winter months threw away his easily-got gold by the hundreds
here. Keenan was a prominent fire chief in those days of volunteer
firemen. Wells Fargo's Express comes next, presided over by Colonel
Pendergast and Major Gillingham. On the arrival of a San Francisco
steamer there was a rush to Wells Fargo's for letters, and soon after
the receipt of the express bags at the office the place would be full
to the doors. I might state that it was the custom then for all mail
steamers to fire a gun on arrival, either at the mouth of the harbor
or inside the harbor itself, so that we gathered at the post-office
and express office soon after. Either Colonel Pendergast or Major
Gillingham then mounted a chair and called off the addresses, and the
letters were either flipped or passed on to their owners by those
nearest the caller, for it seemed as if everybody knew each other.
Twenty-five cents was the postage paid in advance. Next door is
the telegraph office and Barnard's express. Our old friend, Robert
McMicking, had charge of the telegraph, and maybe the express also,
but I have forgotten. Langley & Co., the well-known druggists, I can
remember ever since I can remember Victoria. The building is pretty
much now as it was then, only larger. Those connected with its early
history have passed away, excepting it may be Mr. Pimbury; Mr. A. J.
Langley, who died in late years; Mr. Jones, who went into business in
Cariboo and died there, and Mr. Pimbury, who went to Nanaimo
and into business for himself. Between Langley's and the corner
of Langley Street, was Jay & Bales' seed store. Both these early
pioneers have gone to their rest, although the business is still
carried on on Broad Street by Mr. Savory.

On the corner is the Fardon building, which in 1859 was occupied by
Hibben & Carswell, the beginning of the firm of T. N. Hibben & Co.
Mr. Hibben, Mr. Carswell and Mr. Kammerer, the principals, have all
gone to their rest, but the firm still lives