atholic
church on Fifth street, and which was destroyed by fire during the big Van- couver fire, when practically the whole heart of Vancouver was wiped out of existence. This school was conducted in the latter part of the fifties by Father Brouillet, who represented the mission at Washington, D. C, for so many years.
The next school, the first public school, was conducted by S. B. Curtin, one of the old pioneer teachers in the old Episcopal church at the corner of Sixth and Reserve streets, which building is now used as a residence. This was about the year i860.
The first school built by the district was the building now occupied by the fire department between Seventh and Eighth on Washington street.
Later, there was a school near the big mill and then old Central was built. This building is still used.
Vancouver now boasts four good schools with another under construction, besides the two state institutions for defective youth, and a new Carnegie li- brary opened the first of January, 1910.
In the last few years, Vancouver has taken a start which will soon advance her to the position of one of the largest and most prosperous cities in the state of Washington.
In January, 1909, was completed across the Columbia, the largest double track steel bridge in the world ; and thus bringing regular train service from all parts of the country. This bridge is now used by the Great Northern, Northern Pacific and Harriman lines, giving Vancouver a regular train service of twenty- two trains daily.
Electric car service connects Vancouver and outlying districts in the country.
Congress has made appropriations through eflForts of our congressmen, and efforts of energetic citizens for dredging the mouth of the Willamette, thus al- lowing deep-draught sea vessels to enter.
Last year the city limits were extended, which together with the influx of newcomers, have increased the population from about five thousand, five or six years ago, to nearly ten thousand at present.
Property has doubled in value and many fine tracts have been platted into town lots.
Last fall, one of Vancouver's prominent lawyers, W. W. McCredie, was elected as United States congressman, to succeed F. W. Cushman, deceased.
The city of Vancouver was incorporated by act of the territorial legislature of January 23, 1857. The act appointed the following officers to hold office until election of their successors, which election was to be held on the first Monday in November, 1857, to-wit:
Sumner Barker, Joseph Brant, Moses E. Goodwin, John F. Smith, Gay Hay- den, Samuel Marsh, and Henry C. Morse, councilmen; Patrick Ahern, recorder; B. L. Gardner, marshal ; N. Bateman, assessor ; Paul E. Eubank, collector ; and Henry S. Burlingame, treasurer. The council were to elect one of their num- ber mayor until the election.
At the election in November of that year, Levi Farnsworth, was chosen mayor, and it is he who signed the first ordinance, which was passed on March 16, 1858, according to the records. This was an ordinance to forbid business on the Sabbath day.
As to claims, the donation land claim of Amos M. and Esther Short, occupied that part of the present city lying west of Main and south of 26th streets. The city park and public levee were given to the city by Esther Short, she having donated the east half of the claim, and her husband the west half.
The most interesting relic in old Vancouver is an apple tree now 85 years old, and still yearly bearing good fruit, which was produced from the seed of an apple from a dinner table in London, England, at a dinner party given to an officer about to sail for the Columbia river in 1825. The apple seeds being de- 'posited in the vest pocket of the officer by a young lady guest at the table, and
