Oolichans & other stinky stuff; Spratt's Ark (was Re: Iskit/Secret Island

[Pass/Kishkan/High Ground Press]

>LhaXayEm!
>
>Lhush chandi-ubut.  Good week-end.

>Second:  Spratt's Ark.  Could it have been processing "sprats"?

I don't pretend to know this but remembered seeing reference to Spratt's
Fishery and Spratt's Oilery somewhere. Did a brief hunt in a very untidy
study (I think of it as my midden...) and found a copy of the Vancouver
Historical Journal from January, 1960 (this was published by the Archives
Society of Vancouver, edited by Major Matthews and full of  his usual style
-- exuberant and tangled....). This issue has a watercolour painting of a
trail leading from Gastown to Spratt's Oilery, 1884, near the junction of
Cambie and Water Streets. It also has a photograph of Coal Harbour, Spratt's
Fishery, 1884. At the foot of Burrard Street, it seems to have been the same
thing. But who or what was Spratt? Not fish, I think, but there is no text
to let us know. When I can locate the copy of Matthew's self-published
history of Vancouver which he presented to my husband when John worked for
Matthews one summer, I'll see what I can find out.

Theresa Kishkan