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- VICTORIA ILLUSTRATED. 91
attractive of Victoria's dwellings and business blocks. He is at present engaged in the completion of the Five Sisters' Block and Turkish
Baths. The building is four stories and basement, constructed of stone and brick. Its dimensions are 101 x 160 ; it contains eight stores
and ninety offices, many of the latter being in suites. The building is furnished with a first-class Albion Iron Works elevator ; is heated
by steam and lighted by electricity manufactured on the premises. The Turkish Baths, which are being built in the basement, are to cost
some $30,000, will he a great addition to Victoria's luxuries. It is unnecessary to enter into the details, but the plans, as given are
such as to show that they are to be of the very highest order, and the personnel of those connected with the venture is such as to ensure
its being a thorough success.
THE OCCIDENTAL HOTEL.
This hotel is one of Victorias' oldest and best known hostelries, and is located in the center of the business portion of the city,
fronting on the wharves of the California, Puget Sound and Fraser River steamers, and the Esquimalt and Nanaimo Railway. Two years ago
the hotel was considerably enlarged, and now contains seventy-six rooms ; is furnished throughout with call bells, electric lights, hot
and cold water baths as well as other modern conveniences, and has billiard and reading rooms attached. The bar of the Occidental is one of
the most famous on the coast, and has always been noted, in particular, for XXXX eight year old imported ale, which is served on draught.
Mr. Jensen, of the Hotel Dallas, was formerly proprietor, but turned the hotel over on the first of last May to Messrs. R. H. Berryman
and R. C. Andrews, who had been with him four and two years, respectively, in his very successful enterprise. The present firm, of which
both members are young men, enjoys an equal popularity to that bestowed upon its predecessor.
FLINT AND WILLIAMS.
This firm is composed of Arthur St. George Flint and Benjamin Williams. The former is a native of Ireland, and was with Flint & Son, of
Dublin, Ireland, in the real estate and auctioneering business, for twelve years, coming to Victoria in 1887. Mr. Williams is from Wales,
and came to Victoria in his thirteenth year. The present firm was founded December loth, 1889, for the purpose of a real estate, insurance
and commission agency business. They represent, as city agents, the National Fire Insurance Company of Ireland. In addition to their real
estate business, they have organized three building and loan associations, as follows : The Vancouver Island Building Society, capital stock,
$250,0000 ; Victoria Building Society, capital stock, $400,000, and the Queen City Building, Loan & Savings Association, capital stock,
$5,000,000. They are agents and secretaries for these three companies, the first two of which observe the Star system of England, and the
latter that of the Chicago and Philadelphia Building and Loan Associations. Both members of the firm are young men, and have pushed their
business in a way that reflects great credit upon their business sagacity. They are two of the most tireless workers of Victoria, and,
although young men, are building up a very large business. Flint & Son, Dublin, Ireland, are their British agents.
VANCOUVER ISLAND LAND AND INVESTMENT COMPANY (LTD.)
This company is a successor of the business carried on, until the 7th of April of the present year, by Bourchier, Croft & Mallette,
with a capital stock of $250,000. Mr. Henry Croft, President of the concern, was born in Sydney, New South Wales, and received his
education at Rugby, England, returning from England to Australia as Inspecting Engineer to the New South Wales Government. Mr. Croft
is a member of the Civil and Mechanical Engineers' Associations of England. In 1884 he left Australia for Vancouver Island, and immediately
went up and started the Chemainus saw mill, which has since been purchased by the Victoria Lumber Co. At the election in Cowichan last
term he was elected by acclamation as M. P. P., and was re-elected this year. In December, 1890, he joined the old firm of Bourchier, Croft
& Mallette. Mr. J. B. McKilligan, the Secretary and Treasurer of the company, was born at Aberdeen, Scotland, on December 20th, 1845, and
received his education at Robert Gordon's College there ; he was trained as an accountant with the firm of Robertson & Lumsden, Advocates,
Aberdeen, having been twelve years with them. He removed to Toronto, Canada, in 1876, where he was employed under the Hon. Geo. Brown ;
afterwards was accountant in the Union Loan & Savings Company. From Toronto he went to Winnipeg, Manitoba, in June, 1879. He took the
business management of the office of Messrs. Bain & Blanchard, Barristers, until the spring of 1881, when he was appointed agent for the
Canadian Pacific Railway townsites under General Manager A. B. Stickney. He had charge of the townsite of Brandon, which had such a
phenomenal success. He then went into business on his own account as Real Estate and Financial agent. He passed through the memorable
boom of 1881-1882, and carried through some of the largest sales during that period. During his residence in Winnipeg he occupied several
positions of trust, was agent for Loan Companies, Secretary of the Board of Underwriters, was Land Commissioner of the Netherlands-American
Land Company, Local Director of the Lon-don & Canadian Loan Company, President of the Chartered Accountants' Association, was a justice of
the Peace, Notary Public, Conveyancer, etc. He left Winnipeg in 1888, and went to San Francisco, Seattle, and finally to Victoria, where
he arrived in January last. He was appointed Secretary and Treasurer of the Company in September last. The Company was organized on the
joint stock principle, for the purpose of carrying on a general real estate brokerage and financial business, including the promoting of
land companies. Their list of property includes both inside and outside Victoria property, large areas in Port Crescent, and they are the
promoters and owners of the Port Angeles Waterworks system, which they undertook and completed at a cost of $54,000. To the old firm is
due the credit of promoting the town of Port Angeles, and Mr. Mallette is one of the promoters of the Port Angeles & Southern Railway,
to run
THE FIVE SISTERS BLOCK. [THOS. C. SORBY, Architect.]
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