1919 Vernon Directories
The centre of the largest fruit growing and farming locality in British Columbia, was incorporated in 1898, and occupies a central position in the Okanagan Valley, being virtually the terminus of the Okanagan rail line of the CPR, 46 miles south of Sicamous, on the main line, and connecting through Okanagan Landing, 4 miles south, with the Okanagan Lake points in Southern Okanagan, and is 382 miles east of Vancouver. It has the offices of Provincial Government Agent; Assistant Horticulturist; Provincial Agriculture Department; Land Commissioner, Osoyoos Land Recording District; Provincial Police Chief Constable; Gold Commissioner, Vernon Mining Division; Sub-recorded Greenwood and Arrow Lakes Mining Division; Agent Dominion Department of Indian Affairs, Okanagan District; Deputy Collector Inland Revenue (Canada); Sub-Collector of Customs, out port of Revelstoke; and District Registrar of the Supreme and County Courts. The city enjoys all modern conveniences, has Anglican, Presbyterian, Methodist and R C churches, public and high schools, CPR and Government telegraphs, fruit growing, packing, canning and evaporating are the principal industries. It is the largest city in and the distributing point for the Okanagan district.
As regards marketing and shipping facilities Vernon is exceptionally well favored. The district is served at present by the CPR, which connects it with the Prairie Provinces, which afford a ready market for agricultural products of all kinds. Now that the war is over the export of apples to Great Britain, Australia and other countries will no doubt be resumed in ever-increasing volume. Owing to the great increase in production, the Canadian National Railways Board has decided to at once proceed with the construction of the Canadian Northern Railway through the district, connecting up with the main line at Kamloops; this will again expand the already large market for local products. Vernon and district are well served as regards shipping concerns. Several important fruit and produce shipping houses have their headquarters in this city, and in Vernon is also centred the selling agency which handles the output of the various co-operative organizations of the valley.
A feature of the year's activities of the co-operative organization has been the formation of a subsidiary storage company among its members, and the mammoth frostproof warehouse being erected by this company is now nearing completion. It is the largest building of the kind in the West, being 400 by 80 feet is size, with a frostproof basement and first storey capable of storing about 250 cars of apples.
Mixed farming is very profitable in the Okanagan, and in the Vernon district a large acreage of suitable lands is available for this purpose. On the north side of Vernon the Land and Agricultural Co of Canada have an estate of 17,000 acres. The soil is the very best.
Eight thousand acres of this are irrigated, 600 acres in orchard, 9,000 acres of range land, and 800 acres in hay, mostly alfalfa.
The company have at the present time 1,000 head of cattle.
The land is operated to show results that can be obtained and settlers will have the advantage of this experience.
It is a well established fact that stock ranching in the Okanagan and adjacent valleys is considered one of the most profitable undertakings, as frequently all classes of stock can feed on the open range from March till December.
The climate is admirably suited for outside feeding through the few winter weeks that feeding is necessary.
From Vernon, up to the end of November, there have been shipped 491 cars of fruit, 456 mixed cars, 225 of vegetables, 16 of hay and 39 of livestock, making a total of 1,127 cars, valued at $1,127,000. Express shipments came to 18,310 packages, valued at approximately $27,465. The Graham evaporator has purchased from local farmers during the season, 3,000 tons of potatoes at an average price of $22 per ton, making a value of $66,000. The Dominion canners have bought locally, fruit, tomatoes and vegetables to the amount of $22,000. The vinegar works have purchased culls and other apples running to a value of $7,800.
District Superintendent McNabb of the CPR, furnishes the information that from the first of June to the end of November a total of 2,769 cars of fruit and vegetables was taken out of the Okanagan by the CPR, and during the same period 217,500 packages of express, aggregating 5,437,000 pounds, were shipped. Express shipments this season increased by 50 per cent over those of last year.
The Department of Agriculture of British Columbia have established here a branch, whose officers are always at the service of the grower to give assistance with advice regarding cultural methods, control of pests, and other problems with which the grower may have to contend in the growing of agricultural and horticultural products. This service also is effective in curtailing and controlling orchard pests, thus insuring perfect fruit.
The Vernon district offers great attractions to the hunter and fisherman. There is an abundance of feathered game, including many varieties of grouse, prairie chickens, ducks, geese, partridges, etc, within easy access of Vernon. The more mountainous districts offer various species of large game, among which are deer, caribou, moose, mountain goat, bear and mountain lion.
In both Kalamalka and Okanagan Lakes trout and other fish abound, and in the mountain streams and lakes the speckled beauties give the angler every opportunity to indulge in this pleasant and healthy pastime.
Population 4,000
For a inhabitants list please see: Inhabitants List