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- CHAPTER XXVIII.
THE CLOSING OF VIEW STREET IN 1858.
IT is known to few only that View Street at one time reached from Cook to Wharf Street.
In the Victoria Gazette of 1858 appear several items regarding this street. A public meeting was called for by certain citizens who considered themselves more aggrieved than the general public, in that they, being residents of the upper part of View Street, had on coming to business, to walk on to Fort or Yates Street to get to Government or Wharf. Without any notice the street was fenced across on Broad and also on Government. The Gazette states that there was great dissatisfaction at the fencing of the vacant space on " Broad-way " and Government Streets, which the paper stated was used as a cabbage patch, and there was talk of pulling the fence down.
All the agitation seems to have amounted to nothing, for not only was the fence not pulled down, but J. J. Southgate, one of the earliest merchants of Victoria, erected a large wooden building on the street. By referring to the engraving this building may be seen indicated by a cross. Later on Southgate erected the present brick building which Hibben & Co. have just vacated after an occupancy of forty odd years. The Gazette stated later on that the Governor had sold the lots to Mr. Southgate, and that settled the matter.
That it was not intended that View Street should endTHE CLOSING OF VIEW STREET 207
at Broad is evident, as Bastion Street was then known as View Street, being so called in Mallandaine's first directory (1859.)
Mr. Trounce, who owned the land through which Trounce Avenue passes, after the closing of View Street, decided to make an alleyway through his property so as to more easily let his stores. This alley has been open ever since, but used to be closed for a day each year for many years after.
I might state that J. J. Southgate, who was a prominent Mason, called a meeting of " all Free Masons at his new store on Monday evening, July 12th, 1858, at 7 o'clock, to consider important matters connected with the organization of the order"
T. N. Hibben & Co., who have just vacated this site after so many years, have moved only once before since going into business on the corner of Yates and Langley Streets, in 1858, by the firm name of " Hibben & Cars-well." The building is that brick one lately sold. Both founders of this well-known and long-established business, together with their bookkeeper who later became a partner (Mr. Kammerer) have passed away, and the firm now consists of Mr. Hibben's widow and William H. Bone, who has been connected with the firm since 1871.
"DID THE THOROUGHFARE ONCE RUN THROUGH TO THE HARBOR? A QUESTION OF RECORDS.
"The question of whether or not View Street, which is now blocked by stores and office buildings at Broad Street, was ever open to traffic as a thoroughfare clear through, which theory D. W. Higgins, in an interview published in the Colonist last week denied, is causing
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