Journal Stories From The 2000's

L.U. No. 230 Victoria, B.C.
Editor:

On the morning of December 22, Victoria was visited by the usual winter storm which arrives around Christmas time each year. The wind sprang up from the south-west and tore over the city in a 60-mile gale which in gusts reached a velocity of 70 miles an hour. Official records state this to be the hardest blow in 40 years.

Just as the workers, who are still lucky enough to be workers, turned on the lights, these same blinkety lights gave a few spasmodic blinks and went out. Most people have an oil lamp, relics of ancient days, stored away, but like the foolish virgins, they have no oil for them, so after frantic scurrying around last years Christmas candles and various old stubs became the order of the day, but it was not long before, after a few tantalizing winks, the light became normal again.

Along the waterfront the scene was spectacular in the extreme, especially at the Ross Bay sea wall, which is a part of the Marine Driveway, built for its splendid view and as a protection from storms for the cemetery. Here the most damage was done, for huge logs and pieces of timber and other debris were swept on mountainous waves right across the driveway, demolishing the massive, cement terrace on their way, and were left strewn around the lower part of the cemetery. Along an adjoining street people were flooded out and their yards and doorways were littered with the flotsam of the sea. Some years ago a community of Bible students settled here. According to their interpretation of the scriptures, Vancouver Island was slated to exist long after the rest of the world was destroyed, but as this island is about four-thirds rock, which is split open in places so that trees can grow and enough dirt gathers in the hollows to grow our vegetables, I think their judgment was largely based on the rock. The community had its little day and passed on, and this last storm, bad as it was on account of the extremely high tide at the same time, has not shifted this island one iota, although, to satisfy the fearful doubts of some of our residents, I personally went to the beach, and by careful calculations with the latest scientific instruments designed by Einstein for this purpose, I satisfied myself that we are in exactly the same latitude and longitude as we were before the storm. When I returned and informed my neighbors of the results of my investigation they were so overjoyed that they fell on my neck and crushed-I mean blessed-me.

Needless to say, that at the first blink of the lights, our noble band of good wood-butchers mounted their hobby horses and galloped into the fray and were busy all day and most of the night clearing up the major troubles but it will be some time yet before the trouble is finally cleared up. The downpour of rain which accompanied the wind made line work especially dangerous. Any old hiker knows what handling the “hot stuff” means with wet rubber gloves and water streaming down the slickers. Our Jordan River powerhouse and substation operators all had their troubles, too, as well as our Brothers on the phone, but it was good to see the faces of some who had been laid off back again on the job, even if only temporarily.

By the time this reaches print I hope all the Brothers, including our officers, will have enjoyed the very best Christmas and New Year’s possible under the present circumstances.

Shappy.



	Published in January 1933 - I.B.E.W. Journal L.U. No. 230 Victoria, B.C. Editor: On the morning of December 22, Victoria was visited by the usual winter storm which arrives around Christmas time each year. The wind sprang up from the south-west and tore over the city in a 60-mile gale which in gusts reached a velocity of 70 miles an hour. Official records state this to be the hardest blow in 40 years. Just as the workers, who are still lucky enough to be workers, turned on the lights, these same blinkety lights gave a few spasmodic blinks and went out. Most people have an oil lamp, relics of ancient days, stored away, but like the foolish virgins, they have no oil for them, so after frantic scurrying around last years Christmas candles and various old stubs became the order of the day, but it was not long before, after a few tantalizing winks, the light became normal again. Along the waterfront the scene was spectacular in the extreme, especially at the Ross Bay sea wall, which is a part of the Marine Driveway, built for its splendid view and as a protection from storms for the cemetery. Here the most damage was done, for huge logs and pieces of timber and other debris were swept on mountainous waves right across the driveway, demolishing the massive, cement terrace on their way, and were left strewn around the lower part of the cemetery. Along an adjoining street people were flooded out and their yards and doorways were littered with the flotsam of the sea. Some years ago a community of Bible students settled here. According to their interpretation of the scriptures, Vancouver Island was slated to exist long after the rest of the world was destroyed, but as this island is about four-thirds rock, which is split open in places so that trees can grow and enough dirt gathers in the hollows to grow our vegetables, I think their judgment was largely based on the rock. The community had its little day and passed on, and this last storm, bad as it was on account of the extremely high tide at the same time, has not shifted this island one iota, although, to satisfy the fearful doubts of some of our residents, I personally went to the beach, and by careful calculations with the latest scientific instruments designed by Einstein for this purpose, I satisfied myself that we are in exactly the same latitude and longitude as we were before the storm. When I returned and informed my neighbors of the results of my investigation they were so overjoyed that they fell on my neck and crushed-I mean blessed-me. Needless to say, that at the first blink of the lights, our noble band of good wood-butchers mounted their hobby horses and galloped into the fray and were busy all day and most of the night clearing up the major troubles but it will be some time yet before the trouble is finally cleared up. The downpour of rain which accompanied the wind made line work especially dangerous. Any old hiker knows what handling the “hot stuff” means with wet rubber gloves and water streaming down the slickers. Our Jordan River powerhouse and substation operators all had their troubles, too, as well as our Brothers on the phone, but it was good to see the faces of some who had been laid off back again on the job, even if only temporarily. By the time this reaches print I hope all the Brothers, including our officers, will have enjoyed the very best Christmas and New Year’s possible under the present circumstances. Shappy.