THIS DAY IN HISTORY: MARCH 30, 1902

Electricity came to Vancouver in 1887, but in 1902 many people were still using old- style oil or gas lamps to light their homes. The B. C. Electric Railway was determined to change this. So on March 30, 1902, the company that supplied much of Vancouver’s power took out an ad in the Vancouver World newspaper. “Keep up with the procession,” it read. “This is an AGE OF PROGRESS and people must adopt the advanced methods and modern ideas and devices of today if they do not wish to be classed with the ‘ HASBEENS.’ “OOLICHANS, pine knots, candles, oil lamps and gas were all right in their day, but THE ELECTRIC IS THE MODERN LIGHT. It is brighter, cleaner, handier, healthier, less dangerous and cheaper than any other. Up- to- date establishments and people of refinement use it.” Frederick Buscombe was no doubt a person of refinement. The future Vancouver mayor was selling a selection of electric table lamps in his store at 319 West Hastings for $ 1.15 ( regular $ 1.75) and $ 1.25 ( regular $ 2). Buscombe also had eight Rochester Banquet Lamps (“brass base and bowl, enameled metal column”) that normally cost $ 10 each on sale for $ 3. Still, the electric light ads in that edition of the paper were outnumbered by the pitches for miracle health cures. One ad featured a bearded fellow named Dan A. Grosvenor, who was a “deputy auditor of the war department” in Washington and scion “of ( a) famous Ohio family.” Dan had apparently been suffering from catarrh ( a painful inflammation of the mucus membranes) until he tried a bottle of Peruna tonic, which cured him within a week. Another ad for the International Aural Clinic claimed “all cases of deafness or hard hearing are now curable by our invention.” Well, all cases except those who were born deaf. In any event, it apparently worked for a Professor of Prosthetic Dentistry in Chicago named Dr. W. P. Scott, who sang its praises in an ad. Sadly, neither the International Aural Clinic or Peruna could help a poor soul nicknamed Cheery Charlie. “Drink Brings Death” was the headline on a small World story detailing how Cheery Charlie, “under the influence of liquor, attempted to cross the railway trestle” across False Creek. Unfortunately, he staggered, hit his head and fell into the water, where he drowned.