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33 WIST MAIN STRUT

WHSTIR.N.Y. MSSO

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•HOI'OSKIi NKU i.'PX KIIN'MKN'T lll'II.DiNOS, VKTOKH, li ■

SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT OP

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THE COMMERCIAL,

KEr.ATiXfi ro

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VANCOUVER ISLAND,
The Adjacent Coast and Northern Interior

BRITISH COLUMBIA.

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'I'hK NlllllMKHN IM'CIIIuH.

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Vl:\V WKHTMiNK'IK.tl lllNTHIlT.

Aoiiiii /niai. RExoum I'M.
• JUJKRN ('KAHUiTTfi: ImI.AKIih.

TriK 'I'iMMKH IvmmTHv.

'I'HK I"'|sM UK IHK CiMwr.

.Ma.mm*i.h Mainland \ni> 1hi.,*niis.

I MlNBRAl,N itl.' TlIK ('<)A«T.

; CttAL MlSRM or HmITISii Col.UMIllA.

' fWlOtasr TKIilANN OP HlMTIHIl t5r»KlfWBf«.

V 'I'lIK JViKTKH Hf'HKMK oK MhITIMH GOMMHIA.

Thr KAti.WAV t'Honi.iai.

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REI'UESENTED BY
WBLOH * CO., SAN FRAN0I80O.

REPRE8INTED BV
R O. WKLOH * OO, LIVKRPOOL.

R. P. RITHCT & GO.,

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WHARF STRERT, VICTORIA, B.O.,

LEi- TV^ERCHKNTS;

SHIPPING & INSURANCE AGENTS.

.A-O-EJi^TS T'OS.

Queen (Fire) Insurance Compftny.
Maritime (Marine) Insurance Company,
Reliance (Marine) Insurance Company.
New Zealand (Marine) Insurance Company,

Moodyville Saw Mill Company, of Burrard Inlet

Thames & Mersey (Marine) Insurance Co.
Straits (Marine) Insurance Company. ,
Sun (Marine) Insurance Company.
Sea (Marine) Insurance Company.

W.}llineton Packing Co., Wellingtoiii Brand.
Harlock Packing Company's Brand.

\

FRASRR RIVER: 3ALM0V OA>VERT AOEVCIEB,

Delta Canning Co.'s Maple Leaf Brand.
.Laidlaw & Co.'s Dominion Brand.
NORTHERN AND 8KEENA RIVER:

Wannuck Packing Company's Rivers Inlet Clipper Brand.
Standard Packing Company, Skeena River, Neptune Brand.
Skeena Packing Company, Skeena River, " Diamond C " Brand.
Lowe Inlet Pocking Company, Lowe Inlet, " Diamond C " Brand.
Cascade Packing Company, Naas River, Cascade Brand.

Qiant Powder Co., Works ; Cadboro Bay, all grades of Qiant Powder and Judson Powder manufactured and

kept on hand.
Columbia Flouring Mill Company, of Enderby.
Pocitic Coast Steamship Company's line of Steamers between Victoria and San Francisco.

IN THE RICK MINING DISTRICT OF

WEST KOOTENAY.

Lots in the Town Sites of
DUNCANS CITY, ARGBNTA, TROUT LAKE
CITY, LARDEAU, KASLO, &; NELSON. i

LOTS - IN - OKANAGAN - FALLS - AND - PORT - ANQELK8.

For Information r9gairdlng the following x

FarmlnnTi Stock Raising^, Fruit Farmlnur, Hop Qrowlnir, Salmon

and Deep Sea Fishing. Lumber, Coal, Gold, Silver,

Platinum, Lead, Copper, Antimony, NIokel,

Quicksilver, Gypsum, Marbles & other Bulldlnir Materials, oonsult

AMOO. M. INS. O.K. M.i.M.B.,

NOTARY PUBLIC, REAL ESTATE. MINING & FINANCIAL BROKER.

Agent for MaiicheHter Fire Assurance Company, and for Sun Fire of London,

^

7S QOVBRNMINT STRUT

VICTORIA.

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Jamm E. 8tHK, Pi aLUiiMi.

tilUMKII'TIOS : ri.OO PiB YKAK I.N Adva.ick.

'Sriti6h Columbia ^uppfemenf.

WINNIl'EtJ, JUNE 24th, 1«9:1.

JTRODUCTORY.

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HH following; push's t'*"»l ^^•''1' "■ poitidii
of FJritisli C"<)luMil>iii wliicli licri'tot'Drc
lias lU'viT liad coinprclit'iisive treat-
ment in tlu' form attempted in this
volume. A jjoixl dejil liiw lieon
written in ii deHultory and jfenerul
way alx)ut the " resoui-cos " ami
" l)o«.sil)ilities'' of British Colnndn'ii
as a whole, and al»)nt the cities of
the (!oast. Numerous " write ups" have appeared at
somtichacolumn, whieii, however, have aimed largely
to appeal to ])ersonal vanity, and depended for success
upon lui vortising pati-onage. As husiness ventures the.se
]»ul)lications nodouht were proKtahle to the puhlishei-s,
laitHsertbits to enlighten the outside public on the
natural wealth of the country, pictures of business
hlocks, hiographfcal notices and vague generalities
are not calculated to nccompiish the objects for whicii
the public support such undertakings. The cities and
their leading citi>:ens have ha<l as much utU-ntion
l>aid to them as is desirable. They havt^ Ihh-ii, if any-
thing, t(M) extensively advertised.

In the present volume the object luvs lM3en to
present a fail, reatlable exposition of ti • resources of
a sectiim of the Province heretofore largely neglected
and on lines uniform with the |)oliey of a commercial
paper such as Thk COMMKKi'lAI. is, the special Held
of which has l)een to deal with the resources entering
into the industrial and business life of the country.
While not leaving out of sight entin^ly personal factors
and individurt! interests, an honest eHort has lieeu
made to deal practicallyand somewhat in detail with the
sulijecth tivato<l of in a way that will lie useful t») tiiose

(

>370'

endeavoring to make up their minds abouf this country,
or are seeking reliable information regarding it.

It is impossible, without jussuming an expense
altogether unjustiHable in view of the jiossible return,
to deal with the '.vhole of the F'ri!\ ince in this way at
once : .so it was deci<led to confine the description to
Vanc(aiver Island, the coast lus far north as Alaska,
indiiiling adjacent islands; and the Northern Interior.
Last year the special nundier of TllK t\).MMEm'iAL,.on
the K(Kitenav county, was received witli so much
■sjitisfaction by the general public and coniriliuted so
largely to the knowleilge concerning that country that
a re<]Uest was inade for a special number dealing
sinularly with the di.stricts Just referred to, and \\»
])ublicatii)n has been undertaken with the sincere
hope that tlie etibrt, which has been made at the con-
siderable expense i>f both time and money, will not bo
less useful or highly apprcciateil.

The indications are that enterprises of great
moment will U- shortly set on f(K>t whereby this vast
region will bo ultinnitely brought into touch with the
world's cctnuuerce, whereby the fisheries v.'ill be
developed, ndnerals and eonstrnetion materials brought
int.o reipii.sition, electric comninnication extended up
and down the coast, the extensive interior (ilateaux
coloni/ed and tapped by railways, and cities, towns
and villages not now dreamed of will spring into life.
There are few peo|ile who thoroughly apji.reciati'
the aggrt>gate wealth of this now almost wholly un-
(trganized territory. It is with justifiable pride that
the iH'ople of this Province j)oint to the richness' of
the Kriwer Valley, ' ^Id ( 'ariboo, the two Kootenays, and
the districts included in Yale, but there is a country in
British Coluinliia greater in aiva than all these put
together, out of which, from coal, tind)er and fish, arise
the princi{)Hl i-ovenuesof the Province at present,and for
nuneral and n^riuullural possibilities is d> stined to rank
with thi' great proilucing mv»\» of this cimtinent.

■#■•»-

■*,«»-

Pacific N. W. History Dept

FWOVINCIAi. LtSRARY
VICfMllA* SkO.

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THE roMMEnriAL—lilllTISll I'dLIMIt/A sriU'f.HMKNT.

UP THE COAST.

Description ot the Graiidest Holiday Trip on
the American Continent.

IF a Imsiiicsb mini, worried t>y tin ccuseles:* di'inainls
on your attention and nifiitally and j>liy.>sically
exliaustt'd t>y cIohc a])j)lifntion to othec worlc ;
if a student wliose cheek liius paled under ti»e ligiit of
the initlnight oil; if a man of leisure wliose routine
of social responsibilities ami plea-^in-ahle pursuits has
pro«lucetl c»iHi(i : if a lover of s])<)ri and travel keen
for adventure and your spirit restless for fresh trophies
and a new arena: if a pupil in nature's school, eager tf)
witness the operation of her laws in other and wider
forms; if an artist in whose soul hums the desire for
subjects of sublime beauty and massive grandeur; if
a collector of rnre and inttMestiiig objects; if you
belong to the litrrnti and are thirsting f<jr fresh
fields and unhnekneyed topics.; if plunged in states-
craft and wearied for the nonce of the ceaseless jnr of
opposing parties; if a professional man with brain
and nerves tired and overworked ; if no matter who —
and can afl'ord two or three weeks holidays, let us
invite you to a pleasure excursion the attractiveness
of which among the many opportunities advertised
for this seas«m, is iuie<|ualle<l for novelty, healtiiful-
ne.ss, int<ncst and pieturesipie outlook — the tri)) par
ej:adlcnce of the Ameriean continent

t'ome for a two weeks voyage along the west
coiist of British Columbia to Alaska, free from
the cares and conventionalities of every <lay life and
bi-eathing the very an- of heaven itself you burst like
the Ancient Mariner, into an unknown sea tilled with
untold iKiauties and sail over a bosom of waters un-
ruffled a-s glass ; among myriads of islands; through
deep, rugged rock-walled channels, past ancient Indian
villages, mediimal glaciers, dark, solemn pine-elothed
shores, snow-capped peaks, dasl.\ing cataracts, yawning
niounttiin gorges spouting monnters and sea whelps —
away to the Nortli a t!iousand miles a'Imost to mix
with the ice-bergs that once Hoated under the
sovereignty "f the ('/ar of all the Huss'as, but now
drop jwacefully from ancient glaciers over which the
American eagle holds watt^hfid guard — a continuous
panorama in which the most beautiful, the inn-est, the
rarest, the wihlest and tin- grandest forms of nature
are revealed.

All this may be enjoyed under aus[iic(!s of ease and
conifoi't e<|ual to that of your own home. After
seeing the sights which Viincou\er anti Victoria attbrd,
l«)ard the steamer and away.

it may bi.> well to remark lu're, pnn'nthetienlly, that
for .some years there have been excursions run to
Alaska anil well pati'oni/ed, especially by wealthy
Americans, i>ut strange to say for (iOO mil"s nortii of
Victoria no stoppages have been ma<le, the long stretch
of crowt deeply nidente<l and skirted by iniuimerable
islands, the whole constituting one continuous archi-
pelago, has practically remained a blank to touristjs,
exce])t in so far as the ra])id and most rlirect course
noriliwarii has admitted uf passing gliniiwos. All the
Uairist and guide l)ooks jump over this wonderful
set'tion <(f the rout<> with even gioaU'r care than the
Alaska stiuinieri do, leaving an nnaccount^ible hiatus

ill the descriptiiiii .Vlaska bus U-en the tirst, last
and only feature of interest ; whereas Alaska, with
all the halo that surrouii<ls it from an excursionists
|)oint of view is barren compared with t!ie attractions
of ()))() miles and more of adjacent coast. What does
Alaska possess that British Columbia has not ;' Do
tiau'ists .seek H.'iida totem poles, if so the Alaska
Haida is not more remarkable for his art than his
cousins of Queen Charlotte Island. For marine ideals,
land.scape and mountain views, startling and impressive
natural etlects, Indians and their relics, or interest
attaching to the natural resources of the country
Alaska may be described as in the diiuivarndu of
what finds its greatest perfection along the British
Columbia C^oast.

STAiniN'ti <IN (»IK .lOlKNEY.

The .starting point is Victoria and one ship. Tins
Ixluiiiler, a fast, luxurious yacht-built steamer, the
Knest on the coast and admirably adapted for excurs-
ion trips. The pas.sage from Victoria to Vnnconver
affords only an ii.klingof the scenic ertects that will
l>e obtaiiu'd for the next 14 days. Leaving the inner
harlior the iioat swings out into the Straits of Fiica
and you get the tirst .smell of the (K-ean, westward for
.50 miles. To the right is pa.s.sed the historic i.sliind
of San Juan. To the left Vancouver Islainl is in view.
The Strait of Georgia is cro.s.sed at its ereaUfst width
and after San .luan is a succession of iKuuitiful low
lying and timbered islands. Midway is Plumpers
Pass, always a point uf gn-at interest and beauty and
where a tine summer hi>iel is being elected. Pas'-ed
I'oint RobertHS, the mouth of the Fra.s<'r Uiver, Pt
(irey and through the Narrows into Hurrard Inlet,
Vancouver City is reached in alout five hours I'asy
sailing. Right under the lM)ld, high blutf of Brockton
Point promontory is the remains of the old Beaver, the
tirst steamer on the F'acitic Ocean, now gone to pieces
on the rocks, the prey of teredo and relic hunters.

From Vancouver the steamer takes a sti'aiglit cut of
;i() miles across the Strait of (Seorgia, passing Nimaiino
and Wellington, where the coal mini's of British Colum-
bia are locat'd. From here fur the wliuli' length of
Vancouver Island the .steamer hugs its shore and here
too, begins that ina/.e of islands tlml continues in
moil' or less bewildering proftision as far north its you
go, gradually increasing in si/e and cliaracter from
low l,ving, heavily timbered to high, bold and rocky.
The Strait of (ieorgia continue about 7"» miles. The
mainlaiiil shore to tiie right i" iiidi'iiti'd with inniier-
ous inlets or arms of the .sea. Ibiui' Sound, Jarvis
Inlet, Toba Inlet, Bute Inlet ami so lai, up which if
there was time to enter wonderfnl iieaiities would be
di.sclo.sed. There are Indian rcscTsations and logging
camps and settlers found all almii;. Up Jarvis hilet
is an extensive ijuarry of excellent slate. Texmlu, .'JO
milei hmg, low and timbered with \nM rocky shore
and traversed by a ridge of rugged trap mountain!', is
on the niainlanil side. It lontains important ir>n,
marble, lime and mineral depcj.sjts. To the left arc
Hernly and Deiiby. picturescjUe islands, over tlie««) are
seen the mountain ridges ,,( \ancouver Island; the
neaks of wiiich here an the highest of the range.
Point Holmes on the left, a bold promontory is passed.
From here to Coinox, the coast is low and heavily
timbered inland, and here lies one of the must iiuport-
aiit Coal measures of N'ancouver includml in the
I )unHmuir railway belt opposite, in the direction of
Desolation Houud, arc mmierous islaiulit — Uentiando

THE COMMKRClAL—liUiriSH COl.VMHIA SUP PL KM EXT.

Cortez, Maria, anil so on — upon sonic of whicli iiif
settlers and Inj^jring ciiinps. Over in tlu' liistance, on
the mainland, rise n;i the Oasttadc Mountnins, ranj^r
ufter range.

SKV.\n)l'lt XAKUOWS.

Now you creep closer to the Vaiic<aiver shore and
presently enter thecelehrated Seymour Narrows, onee
in which hy reason of the hij^li hluH' shores you are
shut out from the view on either side. The Narrows
proper are aliout .SOO yards wide and alMUt li miles
long, though Discovery I'ass, to which it is the
entrance, is alMiiit i'-i miles long. At (IcmhI the ti<l('
runs from six U> twelve knots an hour and at el»l» from
six to eight, the Hoinl and e'lh running eijual intervals
ofahoutsix hours each with alxjut ten minutes still
wattu'. Valdes Island, lying at tlie entrance to Bute
Iidet and forming the right shore of this channel, is
a finely timlK-red island, with a numlK-r of logging
camps on it and .some ive1l-to-ilo ranchers on the Ix'nches
hack from the shore 'I'he Evelatan or Back Narrows,
of alino,st etiual note among navigators, on the other
sifle of the island, is also very rapid and dangeii)us
as well. It was at this j)oint where it was once pro-
jHwed to hring the line of the I'. P. K. thii)U"l> the
Vellow Head Pa-ss down Bute Inlet and connecting
with a line of railway to Victoria hy hridging
Seymour Nan-ow-s, the present proposetl route of the
British Pacific.

Just hefore entering the Narrows is a village of
Kvelatan Indians, once reganleil as the worst of all
the Briti.sh (\)luml)ia trihes and said to have l>een
cannihalistic. Pa.ssing the mouth of Campbtdl Kivor
you look up the fine Men/.ies Valley ami over west-
ward in Vancouver I.sland arc towering snow clad
peaks extending for nules. Sailing hy Menzies Bay you
enter the Narrows already descri!ie.l whicli after an
exciting run widen out into Johnstfm Straits. Along
here, on the Vancouver .shore, are some lH<autiful
lieaches and snug coves anil l)ays, and on the other
side a group of small rocky inlands — Helmckon, Har-
wick, etc. — on the timhcred iK-nches of which is to he
found the finest Douglas fir in the Province. The
famous Bickly Bay loggi'.ig camp is located on the
hack channel on HarwicK Is'and.

After having sliarjily rounded Chatham Point the
steamer gets in closer and closer to Vancouver Island
and the shores hecome more and more precipitous.
Along Jolinston straits westward you steam past the
mouth of Salmon River, where there are rapids and
overfallfl with heavy sea. The straits widen out to
al»out three niiles and now you are directly hetween
the shores of V^lncouver and tlie mainland, the only
place where they approach s-ach other directly. This
appraximation continues ten or twelve niiles, Ixitli
shores Vx'ing thickly w<KKled. On the mainland side
are Bienlensop Bay and Port Neville. The former is
a gcMMl harlnu' with rocky picturoscpie .shore. The
latU^r is an inlet seven miles long, up which first-class
huilding granite '.n found. On the Vancouver shore,
which presents a lK)ld rocky fnint, is the mouth of
Ailams lliver, just opposite which coKunencesOiiHJroft
Islr.nd, running twenty miles pan\llel with our courwv
At the south-ctwt end of it is Port Hartney, a fine
harlH>r.

Myriads of islands, larger and small, wil! Ik? seen
all along the mainland side as far as ('ap«> (.caution,
locally known as fclio Brouglit<ui ai-chipelago. The next
point of interest on yrmr left is Beacon Cove, which in

addition to U'ing a gofwl harbor has an excellent
milling .site. A marhlb tjuarry has heen located here.
Back of Beacon Cove, extending to tli<' great Nimkish
Lake is an extensive valley. Nimkish Kiver which is
the outlet of the lake into Broughton Sound, Nimkish
Lake and Kaniniutseena River, which empties into it,
all artbrd the finest trout fishing in the I'rovince.
This <Iistrict is a veritable sportman's j)aradi.se, now
much frei(ueiited for big game — elk, deer, panther, etc.
while the scenery is simply enchanting. From this
point the centre of the island is etusily accessible.

AI.EUT HAY.

Five miles aliove Beacim (.'ove we arrive at our
fii-st stopping place. Alert Bay on Cormorant Island,
just opp>site the numtli of Nimkish River. It is very
prettily situated, and is a favorite calling place lioth
up an<l <lown. Here are an Indian village with a
population of 150 or so, whites included, a salmon
cannery, a sawmill and two stores, an English Church
mission and an indu.strial .school under way. The run
of salmon has been poor for several years and the
proprietors have turned their attention to canning
clams which alxjund in the neighborhood.

The fii"st thing which strikes the tourists eye on
rounding into Alert Bay is the Indian Burial (iround,
on tht- south point on the right hand entering the bay.
It is fantastically decorated with streamei-s and flags
of (liHerent colors and varioui kinds of grave fences
and epitaphs. The next thing which particularly
attracts a stranger's eye is a fine totem pole, aliout 30
feet high, beautifully painted and carved, which guards
the entmnce to the present chief's house. In all
pn)bability it was purchased from the Hydales.

Cormorant Island possesses coal formations. Near
it are several i-ocky islets upon which discoveries of
silver ami copper have been made. Farther up is
passed Haddington Island, all one (|uarry of the finest
freestone, and still further on is Malcolm Island, agri-
culturally the best piece of land on the coast. At this
point in our trip we are beginning to lose the com-
panionship of the Douglas Fir, which has been abund-
antly with us fn)in the outset, finding instead forests
of hemlock, spruce, cedar, cypress, birch and alder,
which prevail more or Ie.s8 for the rest of our journey.
Opposite Malcolm Island is Port McNeill, l)oa.sting a
comnKxlious harbor. The country all along here com-
prises coal measures and for 25 n ilcs through to the
west coast Tluve miles beyond Bioughton Straits we
enter Queen Charlotte Sound, whei-e the ocean swell is
aliemly noticeable, skirting the north-east coast of
Vancouver Island we put in at the hi.storic Fort
Rn|iert, 21 miles beyond Alert Bay.

FOKT ROPKKT.

It consists oi' the old Hudson's Bay Fort, and a large
Indian village, situated on a long open lieacli of shingle
and shells, which gives it a white, snowy look. There
are no wharf ncconiincKlatlons and coiiseciuently it Is
only in cases of absolute necessity that steamers call
here, in which case coniiiiuiiicjitioii has to lie made with
the shore hy boat or canoe. On two occasions this
huge village has been shelled and laid In ashe,), to-
gether with all the ja-operty and canoes l)elonging to It
by gunboats sent to demand the surrender ol murderere
among them. The Chief, Captain Jim, himself, was only
saved by the entrejity of a trader, and ever after order
was preserved.

Twenty miles beyond Fort Rnpert we enter Galiano
Channel imd (ialiaii'o Island, and leaving Itehind (Jape

THE C(>MMh:m'IAI.-RHiriSH (U)l.UMHIA sri'I'/.hJMKNT.

Scott, the iu(«t noitliiTly point of Vaiicouvor bliiiul,
|)ass out into tin? opou sea, wIumh- for tlie first timi' we
ri'ocivc till- full swceii of the Pacific Ocean, and sniflf
tlie salt sea l>n'eze. In the next two hours the steamer
has til liiitfet the loHfj I'ollinjjf sea from <^ueen Charlotte
Sound, and headiufi; north-westerly in the direction of
Cape I'auiion. we encounter a law-lying, rocky shore,
where are daufferous sunken reefs. CajM^ Ci'.ution,
around which an abrupt turn is made, bein}^ appropri-
ately named. This hrinjjs us to the entrance to Rivers
Inlet.

Ourinj?' tiie time since starting up the Straits of
treorgia, we have not omitted to note tlie scenery, which
though not on so mag'iilicent a scale as that yet to come,
lias been nevertheless peculiarly charming. It has
been one continuous subject for the artist, in which
rare and elusive eli'ects have entered^marine sketches,
laud and water combinations, here depressed and there
bold and bn>ken shores, backed by recurring benches
densely timbered, and away over all, far off and high
up have risen majestic^illy the tops of the coast range
of mountains ridging the entire length of Vancouver
Island on one siite, and the mighty peaks of the CJas-
cades of the mainland on the other, giving, on the
whole sweep of vision, that indefinable charm which
•• magniticent distance " alone can lend. Leaving out
the few tide rip.s. which you experience with delight,
you have been gliding, not propelled, over water as
smooth as glass, and at times your impressions have
bi'en dreamlike, now weird and solemn, and again
exhilirating. Occasionally, as you have crept up into
the twilight shadow and stillness of a deei)ly forested
si\(ire()riin|iending l)luti'. you could nothelpa "shiver\ "
feeling tlia is irresistible, yet making you afraid
and tiiink (»f gho.its. Si'a fowl innumerable -gulls,
ducks, geese and others — have kept you company, and
occasionallv, sometimes frei|uently, the attention of the
parly has been diverted to a spouting whale, a swarm
iif porpoise, and even land animals which are to be
seen once in a while from the deck. To Rivers Inlet,
our ne.xt olijective point, we will have co . .>red some
3.")() or 100 miUts, and our promises so far have been
more than fulfilled.

Now we have entered a distinctly new plnsc of our
trip. W<.' are going north with the ocean and scattered
Islands to the left of us and the maiidand on the right.
Leaving Cape Cauiion and passing Smith's Inlet, where
two canneri(!s ,ire located, a few miles on w(! enter
Fitzburgh Sound, and steam up Rivi'rs Inlet. This wa.s
named Rivi-rs Canal by the great Vancouver. Our
friends will have recognized in the names of the Is-
lands passed some time ago llf^rmando. Cortez, Tex-
ada, Valdes and so on — historic memories of early
Spanish explorators who held the coast cojointly with
the British, but as usual the christening, which remain-
ed with Uritisii iiscendancy, was done by Vancouver a
huiidied years ago,

KIVK.ns INLET.

Rivers Inlet runs upalxiut 25 miles. At the entrance
and for several miles up the sides of this Inlet, which
is oidy one to one-and-a-half miles in width, are steep
and covered with dense forests of spruce and cwlar.
At the head of the Inlet the sides mount up abruptly
for about L',(KJ(t feel, and are almost bare of vertlure
through the action of landslides and avalanches. In
tl.'s Inlet are three canneries, a saw mill and a station,
formerly usimI as a salmon saltery. One peculiarity of
the salmon run here is that it never, or very rarely,
falls. At Nassau, on the mainland side of the channel,
Messrs, l)faii>- .t Shalbolt are building a new cannery
with a capacity of H,(KH) cases jier annum. Rivers

Iidet is a strikingly pretty place. We travel from here
up Fitzburgh Sound and enter Hentlnck Arm, upon
which are situated the Itella Ciwla Indians. There is
an Indian villagi- here. >lohn (Jlayton, a trader, and
family reside here and keep a store, lie has, as well, a
large stock ranch. There is a large extent of agricul-
tural country here, and the Bella Coola ValUy affords
the easiest and best route into the Chilcotin country.
From here you pass into Dean's Canal, where the cele-
brated Uella Bella Indians reside. They have a large,
beautlf'ul village, with several stores and a resident mis-
sionary. This was the old Fort Mcl^aughlin, of Hudson's
Bay Co. days. Leaving Bella Bella, we sjiil into Mill-
biink Sound, and entering (iraham Reach, passing
along the inside of Princess Royal Island, which has
high, bluff, rocky shores, and past which we reach the
mouth of the

OREAT OAKDXKH INLET.

The sail up *his disclo.iii* the most wonderful
scenery on the route. The shores are thousands
of feet high and almost ijer|)endiealar, lending a
grandeur and impressiveness to the scene almost
indescribable, while magnificent waterfalls and
glaciers are to be seen. Perhaps there is not on
the whole western coast of America scenery which
quite equals It in its way. The great Capt. Van-
couver, who explored this ehanntd over a hundred
years ago, describes its Ix-auties most graphically.
At its head is situated Price's cannery, and the Kit-
lupe tribe of Indians, after which the inlet is some-
times called, .\lmost jiarallel with (iaiilner Canal is
Douglas Channel, the extension of which is known as
Kitimat Arm. \t the head of this arm there is can-
siderable good land and a pass into the interior.
Kitimat Arm is similar in the massiveness and beauty
of its scenery to Kitlupe Inlet, but differs in the char-
acter of detail. The "hores, whicli are wooded with
hemlock, spruce and cedar, are not so abrupt, but are
bounded with lofty ranges of mountains running
parallel to each othei'.

Two tribes of Kitimatos reside at the head of this
arm, in all about :.'()0 souls.

fioing out of ti.'inluer's (^inal we enter (irenville
Channel which is ittl miles long, passing along Pitt
Island. Here the scenery is extremely picturesque,
with ad,iacent bare walls of roi-k and higli distant
peaks, .\t Lome Inlet, off the channel, is an Indian
station and a cannery. The general effect of so many
mountains rising on<> above the other, renders (iren-
ville passage one of the most beautiful landscajjes on
the coast, and is e(|ualled only by Klemtoo passage.

It was omitted to sUitc that on (iribliell Islaml, at the
mouth of (iardner Inlet, is a very tine hot spring.
Through (irenville Channel, on Pitt Island, China Hat
is pa.ssod. This is an Indian vilLige, with the usual
missionary and trader.

Lowe Inlet is the residence during fishing aeaiion of
the Kitkahtla Indians, whose chief is the far-famed
Shakes. Chief Shakes has a monoixily of the fishing
here, and with a seine net in the bay, often hauls in
from "JtKX) to HCKXt salmon a day, for which ho gets seven
cents a pieei!. We have already passeti Hartley Bay,
whore there is a sawmill and an Indian village. Aiid
now we are at the mouth of the Skeona Kiver, and take
Telegraph passage, passing the well-known HtandanI
eaimery.

THK. SKEENA.

The Skeena Riv«r, the mouth of whicn we have
ontered, is tlu^ largeiit river on the British Columbia
coast, except the Fraser, and Uikes In rise several hun-
dreds of miles in New Caledonia, near Bablne Lake.

«•-••

THK COMMKHClAL—liHITlS}! COLVMIilA ^UPPLKMENT.

VL'I from here
k Arm, upon
><■ There ih
trader, ami
las, as well, a
I't of ajfrieul-
»llt> affords
'tin country,
are the cele-
liive a large,
resident mis-
, of Ifiidson's
itil into Mill-
t'li. passing
i, whicli ha.s
e reach the

wonderful
2 thousands

lending a
ene almost
'■fails and

is not on
nery which
<-'"pt. Van-
i» hundred
•raphicallv.
<1 the Kit-
't is some-
!• Canal is

known as
ere is cdu-
e interior,
nd beauty
I the char-
•oded with
•t. but are
» ninning

ad of this

• Jrenville
ilong Pitt
[^turesque,
r'l distant
m Indian
^ so many
urs (ireil
»Cft|)e8 on
ssage.
lid, at the
't spring,
hina Hat
lie usual

•eason of
nr-famed
0 Hshing
hauls In
3l8 seven
ley Bav,
»■ Aiid
tnd take
Itandanl

ye have
alumbia
•nl hun-
? Lake.

It is the route into the grnit gold country of Umineca.
The scenery up to Hazleton and beyond is not unlike
that of the Kraser, and in some places nuite »M|uals it.
Its rugged canyons and fierce rapid.s rtMiuire skilful
narigation. It is to the Forks of theSkeena, where one
of the alternative surveys for the (,'. 1'. R. was run, and
here in liG the Western I'nion Telegraph (.'o. reached
with a line which was to connect overland, by crossing
Itohring Straits, with a Siberian line, when the news of
the Atlantic cable being laid was received and the
scheme was abandonotl. We, however, only explore
the mouth of the wonderful river as far as I'ort Kssing-
t(m. In it are located seven canneries and three saw
mills, the timlxM' used being cedar, cypress, hemlock
and spruce. Another cannery is being erected, and u\\
of them are thoroughly equipped. They have an
annual wipacity each of about 12,000 cas«!s. There is
an Indian village here and a church. The view from
any point here is very Hne, and there is a great deal to
interest tourists. The river is prolific with salmon,
and is said to drain rich mineral deposits of gold and
coal. The shores are heavily wooded with mountain-
ous back-ground, and potatoes and berries of all kinds
are very plentif\il.

Leaving the Skeena we pass out into Chatham Straits,
and rounding the Isimpshean peninsula, soon arrive at
one of the most noted jjlaces on the coast, .Metlakalitla.
!t very prettily situatetl Indian village atwrnt twelve
miles from the Skeena.

METLAKAHTI-A.

This at one time used to be a veritalile beehive,
under the management of Rev. Mr. Duncan, a mission-
ary sent out in early days by the S. P. O. Society of Lon-
don, Kngland. He had a sawmill, a woolen mill, a
cannery, a brick yard, a boys' home, a girls' home, an
industrial school, and many other means of keeping the
Indians employed. But the Home Society began to
think he was getting too rich himself and sent out
Bishop Ridley (tln^ Bishop of Caledonia), to take charge
and look after the Society's interests. This caused a
strife between two factions which arose, some siding
with Duncan and others with the Bishop, and ended
in Duncan leaving with his adherents for a new settle-
ment some 30 miles alwve Fort Simpson, called " New
Metlakahtla." Now since his depirture " IchalKxl "
may be written over the cannery, the brickyard and
the sawmill and woole,. mill. They are all shut down.
The boys' and girls' homes are still running and the
Industrial School is doing good work. But in Hshing
season the toiutiful little village is almost deserted,
the Indians going down to the Skeena to work in the
canneries, and when that season is completed many of
them hiave for the hop fields in Washington. They
have, if anything, been a little too well educatetl, one
effect of It i)eing to make them artf\il and conceited.

Their houses, until lately, were all built in one style,
a lofty two-storey building which, if divided up, would
contjiin about eight or ten rooms, and each one has a
nice little garden patch laid out in fruit trees and
vegetables, which have Iwen much neglected of late,
but nevertheless, gooseberries, rasplierries, currants
and strawberries thrive here wonderf\illy. The Church
of F^ngland, built by Mr. Duncan, is a beantif\tl piece
of work, and is the largest and most Anglican appear-
ing in tiie province. "The Indians are very musical,
and have a I'rass l)an<l, and in almost every other
house an organ. The church organist is an Indian.
An excellent hospital has recently been established here.
.Metlakahtla is situated on the great Isimiwheixn i)fnin-
sula, inhabited by the once mighty Isimpshean nation

of Indians, of which those at .Metlakahtla and I'oit
Simpson are notal)le examples.

KOKT SLMI'SO.V.

A few miles farther north, the chief of the Hudson's
R-iy Co.'s trading post.-*, is a ^k)1)u1ous Indian village
situated on an excellent harbor, which was onei! alsoan
aspirant as a tcnniims of the •'. P. K. by way of the
Forks of the Skeena. Kven now there has bctm an in-
cipient boom in town lots, looking in the direction of
another railway. The Hudson's Ifcty Co. have a large
store here where anything can lie prtK'ured from a
needle to the latest |iattern Winchester rifle. They
have also wh;irves ab'^ut a (luarter of a mile long and a
warehouse at the extremity. The harbor here affords
excellent anchorage at any de|>th up to .'to fatlioius,
with gowl mud and sand bottom. The rise and fall of
the tide is from 18 to '10 feet, and on this account con-
siderable of the shore is dry at low water tide. These
Metlakahtla Indians are first cousins to the Fort Simp-
son's, with whom they intermarry. The latter, how-
(!ver, are Methodists. They have a church, two school-
houses, a fire hall, two stol'ies with a tower, a two-storey
drill hall, a sash and door factory, a shingle mill,
worked by water powei-, a turning mill, worked by
water power, r. boys' home, a girls' home, also an ex-
cellent mission house and a hospital is in course of con-
>truction. They have also an excellent brass band
which discourses sweet music of an evening from the
tower of the fire hall.

Bidding good-bye to Fort Simpson, we sail past the
mouth of the Xaas River, where tliere are several can-
neries and imposing views, across Chatham, around
Cajw Fox. into Dixon's entrance and into Alaska. On
the way up we sail by Tongas Islands, the home of the
Tongas Indians, who are allied to the Isimpsheans. In
early days the natives knew nothing of boundary lines.
Tongas is wliere Mr. Duncan has established his cele-
brated mission, '• New Metlakahtla." On the way up
we visit Sitka and Juneau, and circle areund among
numerous channels and enter several noted glacier
liays. This is the land of the midnight sun and a great
attraction to American tourists, but for diversity of
scenei-y, for beauty, and for interest, apart from ice-
bergs and glaciers, it is incomparabh* with the great
route just passed over, wliolly in British Columbia
waters and in Canadian territory.

THE NORTHERN INTERIOR.

An Immense Country of \ast Ajfricultural,
Pastoral and Mineral Possibilities.

AWAY
the
a pi

to the north of Cariboo, in Itself one of
richest gold countries in the world, and
pastoral district of importar.ce, there lies
an immense territory, the agricultural capabilities of
which through recent survey and exploring parties
have been to some extent ascertained. The Chilcotin
plateau and the country north of it, including the
Blackwater and Nechaco valleys, form th«'. greater
part of the region discovered by Sir Alexander
McKenzie one hundred years ago, named by him New
Caledonia, (ieograi)hically it answers to the interior
plateau of Idaho, Nevada and Utah. In fact, it Is part
of that great jilateau, which extends almost uninter-
rnpti.'dly from the (iulf of Mexico, through the United
States and British Columlna, to the northern boundary

fllK C(K\nih:R('lAL~liHlTlSU Cni.VMlUA SVPri.KMENT.

of the latter. Its general elevation here, Mr. I'oudrier
iirhis rejxjrt says, may lie taken as .'J.tRK) feet alvjve
the sea level, though several valleys are nmcli lower.

THK CHIU'OTIN fOL'NTHV.

In 1890 tlie first exploratory survey \jas niaile hy
A. L. I'oudrier, D.L.S., who in his report sums up the
whole region I'v stating as follow: —

TakiiiK the ooni^iu-'t trmct of good Uml on the NecihjKO valley, KrMer and Nllo
I.Aknt, ami the nunierous trwl« nientioiieit In the c^iurae nf thin re|Mtrt. iher** ai«
alM)ut(M,OU\(N)0) three inlMlon aura* flt fur aKrifnltiiml pnr)H>-4tf<. of thut. one-
Ihirtl, perhaps, U in prairie, ur wi upon that it may l>e clatf*t^l aj* rtiich in prai-tife ;
tlie rent ia nearl> all cx>niiio«e4l of le\el Wiii-hea, punl> t<overe<l with a •^tiiail
tfniwth of {Hiplara. The auil all over in of the rioheitl loam with flay nntiMiil. In
!*ume part*, at hitfh elevations, Huimni'r frosta may ili> a little tluinaij^f at first, aa
the Itidiuns lay; bnt, 1 lielieve, that it the iieetta were put in as early Ihcre iim they
should Ihs, and if there was any clearing done, that (he danger would )>e c)\er.
The Nechai-o valley seeint to l»e free of that daiitfer. It is remarkahle (hat e\ erv-
where on the hlack pine plateau, where (he (lee has passetl twti or three xears in
sucucaaion, the forest gives place to flue jiastiire. I ha\e reaiton to think, ainl it is
also the lielief of i^r. iHtwson. that, 1 tier on. the whole of that jil.tteau, whieh
twera uiillions of oores, will some da^' heoouie useful for i<attle raisniK- V.\ , n the
high plateau on the local mnuntaint, like the I-'-eha, ll-gai;h.irx, i^nani-hus,
Kawniet, offera rich stiianicr pasture on theii ■tiniiiiita. where the Are hivs |Hisseil.
The ttr*t thing iieede<l to 0|>eii this eoilutr\ , is a waggon mad from (juKsuellf. No
doubt the country will lie thoroughly aettleil only when titers ii a railroad, hut I
ihiiik a wagifon r.>ail would open the Xechacvi \ alley in the iiieantinie. 'I'lierv is
room for thousands of settlers, and with its good land, abundance of water, fire-
wood, aliundance of game and flsh, a rather large population of niinera anil ln(''ans
at short dlaunces, making a local market for produce for (hi- Arst year-., I
believe no other place in the ii terior, in the Northwest Territories, <>r in British
Columbia, offers better promised of mitccss for the fanner or \iattleman There
would lie no e\traordiiiari- difllciilties in building a railroad or waggon roail into
the ununtry ini Bute liilet hy the Ilomalko, or from Bella-Coola or Bentinck
Arm, by the Bellat^oola and .Salmon Kivers. A route to l.ar des Frani-jis was
also found prartii'able hy the V, P. K. engineers from Dean Channel and the
Skeena, hut I lielieve the' route by Bute Inlet and the f-2ast Uomalko to (h- the
most practicahlt.

The timber in no part of the eountry is large
enough or in suttieient i|Uantities for export, but is
everywhere suttieient for Itxial wants. Douglas Hr,
spruce {Englfiiianu black pine, cedar, small balsam,
aspen, jwplars and .junijier would serve all purposes
which the needs of construction suggest.

The part oovereil hy the exploration in i)UeatioH, and lying between the Kraaer
Klver and the Cascade Hange, is watereil hy three principal rivets, ninn'ng from
weat to east, and falling Into the Fraser. Klrvt, the t'lincotiii to the south, then
the Blar^kwater or Wettroad, and, last, the Nei'haco. lUsides these, several
rivers take their sourt*es on the edge of the plateau, and run their couraes tlirough
the Csjicade Kaii^e tc the PoiMf^c Ocean, amongst which are the two iloiimlktii, the
Kle-na-klene, the Bella-Coola, the Salmon Kiver, and branches of (he Skeenii.

It covers an extent of country 30,0(H)8(iuare miles in
extent. Agricultural and pistoral areas exist on Twist
liiike, Tatla Lake, L'hilcano River, in the ("hilootin Kiver
valley, on Alexis Creek, the F'raser Kiver, on the
Blackwater, on the Nasco Kivar, the country drained
by the Kuchinico, the plateau InUween C'hilootin and
Blackwater, the great Nechaco valley, tht! (liillaco
River, the Stuart Kiver, Lac des Fraiicais aul Kraser
Ij&ke, the Kudako, the country bt\tween Blackwater
and Nechaco, along Telegraph and on the Kawnies
and McMillans. The greater part of the cuuntry
described affords excellent grazing, while tliere are
large tracts of agricultural land, very rich, and cap-
able of good crops. In the Chilcotin valley proper
there is considerable laud taken up, and a number of
settlers, principally cattle ranchers.
. Mr. Foudrier's report, 18'.»0, gives these sections more
in tletail. For instance, he speaks of -

The grvxing land, which includes all the northern bank of Tails l.aki>, a nar-
row strip on the southern shore, and that large extent which Joins to the two
heads of the Ilomalko, and, further west, the source of the Kle-na-klene and tile
Bella-C'oola, whare piece* of hunch grass and an entent of hay meadows are plenti-
ful is i|ult« oonsiderable. * Trie grass is very luxuriant. ' The shore
near the lake is fringed with small iHiplara, willows and serviiT berries.
Hunch graaa rioven the side hills. ^ * Pea vines and other grasses are very
abundant in the o|ien wood, and iiromiss good graxing. * * Tlie Chilcano
valley, for nearly the whole way to the Junction with the C*hilc3tiii pro|ifir, a dis-
tance of in miles hy the trail, is of a very uniform tppeamiu'e. . . . The up
htils, though partly wmsled, offer good summer graxtng, and there Is a large
nnmljer of ponds, some of which could lie utilixeit to irrigate the low lands at
pointii where it wouiil be too costly to irrigate from tlie chilonco. . . From
(he Junction with the Chilanco to Cheilctit lake, a distance of aliotit twenty-five
miles, the river is much like the (Jhilanco. The width is over half a mile; the
sides, in terraces are generallv covered v.-ith luxuriant gnua, tht Imttonilaml la hay
nif odows or low land, istrtl.t covereil with willows, easy to clear. . . The oollise of
(he i'lintxee, about nine miles before reaching the lake, shows niunli gmsl gnuling
laiiil and meadows. . . .\t the mouth of Alexis (7reek Hessni Hewer and
Nightingale have a garden, where they grow all kinds of vegeta'. les. Fuither
down, on the south side of the river, there are several ranches where all sorta of
farm urmluce are grown. . . The up(>er plateau, sniuetiines at a height of nearly
4,000 feet, is formed of lovely prairies, on which large hands of cattle ure already
feeding. Messrs. ilnimniond and Iteaumont, near Kisky Creek, have a large
cattle ranch; thev also ralie grain on a .100 u're fann. . . At (he point where
IbeChilui falls Into the Chilcotin there an alwut S,)*"' >''"'< ut very detirable
farming land.

of (he Fraser Ui^er heM.i>s: Tile soil is very rich, and everything can be grown,
even tomatoes. Ten (o fifteen thousand ai-res wfiiild lie fit for llrst class faniia.
Of the Blai'kwaler : The graxing i< good all the way, with an abundance of hay
meadow. Nasiii Kiver: Klgiil thousand iicrw alioiit (be <|uantlti of land flt tor
ramiing.

Iletwei'ii (tic Kuchinico t' the north, file Blo'-kuater to the Solltb, and the
McMillan Mountains to the went (here is ii wide plaieau of an average elevation of
!,(l(IUlcct. The northeni |iart cf Ihol plateau i« geiieralh broken and timbered ;
but a (jfreat portion of the s,inlhern part l.'iii inileM in area, I estimate, foimsa
splendid graxing ground. 1( is a genily rolli ig, park like inunin, entered with
bunch grass anil cp amities of otbt-r rich fo<sl plants. In i-onjunction with the
flat lands along the Blackwater, it w ill some day make a fine ranching coiinf ry. It
isctit up bi smnll creeks, |Miti<ls iind meadow h.' The vast extent of coiintry

from the heail of the Fraser lliier to the lie;Ml of Ihe Cbib-olin Kiver, fonns a vast
limtiereil plateiiii; it is in geni-ml very level.

TIIF. NKCHACO VAl.LEV.

This is the most important district of the Chileotin
platejiu. and for agricultural purposes the Im st. It is
intersectt>(l by a large river of the same name, which
has numerous tributaries and extensions, the gr»;ater
part of which is surrounded by rich, low land. There
are large extents nf prairies and meiidowa iintl the rest
is paitly o|H'n. the vegetation consisting of thickets of
small asjM'r, pojilars and lialsalm poplars. The timber
covering this v.-ist exteii' of cwiiitry which by some has
iKsen estimated jis high as "i.lXKMxiu acres. Is ample for
all purjioses anil consists of Douglas lir, engelman
spruce, balsam spruce, birch, ixijilar, cotton wotxl and
timlH-r, all of it large size. The grasses are varietl and
excellent, the lakes and streams are Hlleil with Hs -nd
all kinds of game plentiful. The climate here is less
severe than in any (tart of the northern interior, with
light snow fall, anil no summer frosts. Irrigation is
unnecessary and so far as is known all kinds of cri>|>s
can be grown. This valley is already attracting
settlers and over KX) wert; locattnl this spring.

The needs of this country are woods, and alxive all
railr(i:i(ls, when it is found to become the most fruitful
ectioii of British Columbia.

MINKKAl.s.

Colors of gold are to be found in every stream. Of
course, to the south in Cariboo something like *4i),()UO,000
of placer gold has lx;en taken out and to the north in
Omineca coiwiderablo ijuantities, but the (Chilcotin
country has not btjcn extensively pros|H!cte(l, Copptir
ore was fouiul in the Ilomalko riwr and r,ac des
Krancais lignites have b<H!ii discovered in a niimln'r
of places, and iron in several localities.

I'ure cinnabar in small (|uantity has lietdi found on
the two branches of the Ilomalko, (,Mi.ii'iz bearing free
gold and sulphurets was discovered on tiii^ west branch
of the HoTualko, and on the Chillacco river. On the
lower Chilcotin and on the Kmser Hiver, alum shale and
"feather alum" were found in large deposits; also
native arsenic.

Two veins of galena were located on the Chilcotin
Kiver. Limestone of good (|iiality is found on the
I.rf)wer Chilcoten. Limestone is .ilso Ibuiitl in numerous
other places. Some of the vole.ir.ic tuff near the
Fawnies Mountains and the .McMilhms would very
likely Iw useful as a base for liyiliaulic cement. A
tuff on Lac des Kraiicais. foiuiil in large (|uantity, is
supposed by Mr. Dawson to be lit fur the manufacture
of porcelain.

THK l'LI.KI,K\ VAI,1,KY.

This river which gives its luime to this valley rises
not far from the head w.it 'i- '' tne Kndako and Hows
into the Skeena at Hizh ,! Yv. (iauvreau, who ex-
ploretl this section of N< •» > liiettonia says :

The general length from thr -unuiiii., I- , ., the waleinhed of the F.ndako
to the Skeena, is 11(1 miles Tlie lileii wme all the wav, oa muoh >a twelve

niilea In places. A very large |)or-~ ' *■ ■

where It is 'Inibereil. it would Is-

lie exposed to sninnier frost, mwti.,- 1,;; jT' tin

vegetables of all sorta. Ne duiibt 'the; ,

froat would lie greallv rediiciil Ar , r:, ■.■■. r je,-" itcvinol lie siirvoaawl, and where

the timlier has hem burnt, (In- niiniei.,,. vs.iOtlM of grasses growing allow ihat

the area of poiture could be largely hn'i. -cd."

Mr. I'oudrier. wiio iii.ide a more detallod survey In

IHitL'says:

liillea In plaiies. A very large iiortion I^ ofen . -»!ri», with' bixuria.it gmsa, and

'* *'" to iiU'ir.r. Xlie soil is good, and tnoiigh limy

vy.y wheat could Ix- grown, aiHl
•^er once rernoved, the danger of

In ml
and [lasl
still extl
enough \
resourco

Keforl
the coaiT
several f
Kitimatl
Skeena \

77/ A' CftMMICIH'IM.-^-nniTlSll IJoLUMIilA SUI'PLKMKXT.

ii

AMnt niH- loiirthni the nhulc \alle>, which itvi-rair^** frvtiii the tu lt;iiiiiilt^4 iti
wltltti i-oimiNtH of prAihc niid optn land. I( ii (I'w MiMcrt iHiiiebeKiii to put irii
cattle or improve the Uml. ihi-y «ill he ri-iiifonrwl by now coiiien*, who will ht-
reaf1> to UMINI thfiii in niakitii; openinif<« in the witmU, (w|ie<!tally in a country
u-herc clearlnK in wr eaHy, anil where it cim l>i- dortc completely hv f1r4. Thentwn
iMiiintrv Ih \ery rich in ifrans of different «|>«ne»* ; an much an three toiii of ha>
can lie cut to an tuTe. and in ^ine plaiTM aa many a<t ftnir. More than half of the
country Murveycdand the cnntinuatinn of tlie valley tM>yond the liinltH of the mir-
\ey ifl(«ver«(l with n i^rowth of i*mall a<4|)en |ioplar, balaatn |Miplar, Rlnull tiin'h,
M-Aicc herry. The hill are ircnerally t-overe*! with coniferoiia tipe«'i«M where
Kii'tlvnian xpruiv, hlack t le preil.iminate. In the hollowi* anil aloin; the Mtreamn
and lakes thi iKittoniwiioii, alden* and different H|>ecie« of wtUowv are very ahund
ant, with a amall riuantity of cellar. The noil all through the valley is very rich.
On the level land, which coven the Kreater {lart, the tioil is <viMii|KMef1 of from two
to Hvafevttof alhivium, iiiHlerlaiil with a clay Hill. oil. itn the hdU the depth of
detrituM isnot an Kreat, and ihe lower stra'a in either Hand orifravel; hut at any
ret« it h rich enoutrh to fonn a luvuriant iiaature (ground."

In n ^'iirtl to cliiiiatt! Mr. I'oiulrier says :

The hiH Hi;e lieyini* in .\pril, and at the end cf that month the snow ia all irotie ;
tliat ia. if wc can tnjat to the informaiioii olitaltie.1. The Hummer ii* very hot and
rather dry, lint the proKinlmitv of the tiioiintain, often liiiiitf Hirht auninier froata.
. . . According to the flora of the i^tintry, this viklluy ahould have a climate
ei|ual, if not MU|)enor, to the neiKlvlmi'hiKMl of t^neliei', and I kno v liy experience

that the MUmtner aeaaon is loni;er. . . H ■yoiift the he ♦' itulklev Kiver

hut In the continuation of the aanii' valley on the Kndako Ktl. i, ' ia an Indian

who haa a ranch of over thirty acres tinder cultivation, lie rai i 'tle.v, oata,
pnlatoea, tunilpa, iTarrota and other vei^etahles iii atiiindaiKv, and .^ ' ,llh a very
iti'fective mothtid of farming ; still the elevation of hia land ia over:'.* -tt feet above
the sea. I am leil to tn-lieve hv what I have seen of the few exp rin mta of farm-
inK oarrie<l onhy others and liy myself, and hy a i>areful eKatr..,atlon of the flora
of the iw>uutry,"that in well chosen Kmtind w .ih a aouthei . ; jiect an<" hy selectinic
ifooil wheat -aa red life or, lietter, lado^a - that a KCe**' ' ult coiiy . nhtaineir
As for barley, oats or common veit-'tahles, there woulif '..• .) difficulty Ifi aJtnnst
anv part of the land now stirveywl. There is plentvcf timherfnrthe ""? of se'.li-m,
cedar and lialaam, iKipoUir, birch, Jtiiiiiier, mapi , wild olicrry, ) , i-^Hiar anil
hemlock, Iterries, like the service Iterry. htifh bush cranherriea, -ftild ihcrriisiof
thrt a species, wild currai.ts, -rooselierries, strawlierries, raap' .rri- ,re all moat
itrnliftc and plentiful, (hitcrop , of coat occur at luitnerous i>./,nts ')u the r^ver.
I Afferent assays made |,tivean averat?e in carlionnf als^ut A8 to ttiiper i«llt., leavliiH^
little aahes, of i reddish colour, and it nutkea a Ann aiii. tine co' e Iron nodules
are abundant, hnldint; atiout 40 per cent, metalhc iron. In Ui. mountains thin
veins of ancenliferous were fnutid (iohl in stuill ipiaiitlties waa taken from the
river and Ita trihutariea. ri.Uinuni is als.) said to exist there. Avaiv^ine tuff,
useful aa ubove for hydraulic cement lies in lar/e *ve«is in the upiH>r part
of the main river. Hut, i-oncludM ,Mr. I'oudier : The value of the
Ihilkley Valley, lieaides its Kood land and uraain^, lies in the fact that,
when the time c<nnes for the .\mericaii people to run a railway to and
through their territo y of Alaska, this valley offers the Itcat loute ; ill fairt
tile only mute weat of the Koi^V s, where a railway is iioasible in tbat direction.
There is a niail alreod.v prepared by nature from the Kraaer to the Yukon Kiver,
where xreat eiufineerinir dittlciiltics arc unknown, where no mountaina have to lie
crosseil, and where the licit of land, tlioiixh narrow, is rich andalres''y half cleared.
When this time comes, then the iinmenac coal Held above mentiotisd, which has no
Miifierior In the Provtiice, v. ill lie a source of wealth.

THE OMINECA COUNTY, KtV.

There is wmsidcrabit! gotxl gra/.injj land at the mouth
III the Endako river iiml in the valloy of the same
wliich is s:nin'wliat extensive.

.Mr. (iaiivreau's explorations in 18!>1 extended to
8usi|uwah Valley and lijibine trail, Ikbine I.ijikc, the
Frying I'an I'a.ss, Kehweher I'ortafje, North Tallah
Lake, DriftwoDtl Kiver. Miildle Kiver, Treniblay Lake,
Thatcher Kiver, Stuart Uike, Stuart Lake to MeLeod's
Lake, Crooked Kiver, (liseome I'ortajye, Fort (ieorge.
Pack Kiver, Parenip Kiver, Nation Kiver. Finlay Kiver,
.Manson Creek, Omineca Kiver and NewC^reek.

In all this country there is larg^e tinantilies of grazing
land and lu.xuriant growth of grasst^s. hut there is no
large area siiiteil to general agricultural pur.iwscs,
" .\lthougli." Mr. (jauvreau says, " No doubt that should
mining. operations be carried out with vigor, extensive
traeks could be utilized for hardy grains anti vegetables.
Cattle could well be kept with the existing pasture, and
the area could be materially meretti<ed." It is next to
mining prospects, gold having been found in all the
country described and particularly Omineca, a grazing
and stCK'k country. The wintei-s are Sv;kere, however,
and the summers hot, with frosts.

in

N.VAS AND SKKFNA QJUNTKY.

In addition to all this large extent of agricultural
ami (lastoral laiul descril)e<l in the foregoing, there are
still extensive areas to bo considered, a district large
enough to make a province in ittself rich andvariefl in
resource.

Kcforence is made elsewhere to the lanil ad.jacent to
the couat at the head of (iardner's Inlet, whicii has
H(!veral akms, to the Keniand Kivoc and Pass and the
Kitimat arm and river to the mouth of the Naas and
Skcena and the Isimpscan pcnlnsual between. This

country, which is the fipening to or verge of a verv
iinportani interior phiusau, has (isli, salmon, lialibui anil
oolochan principally, iiml limber of great value.
Douglas Mr, Kiiglfninii spruce, eedar, n-d and yellow,
hemlock, poplar. cottoiiwoiHl, birch, aliler and maple
are more or less plentiful.

There are a iiumbei- of imitortaiit industries, consist-
ing principally of salmon canneries and saw mills in
and around the mouth of the Skeena. which, next to
the Fraser, is tlie most imiiortant waterway in the pro-
vince. Port F^sington, at the mouth, is an imjiortani
triiding and Hshing village.

K. Cunninglmn i*c Son, the pioneer trailers of the
northern coast (excepting, of course, the Hudson's Hav
Company) The senior of the lirm has been ;i() years
engaged in trading, 20 years of which he was at l-jising-
ton. They own two canneries, one here with a cajjacity
of 1,500 cases, and another at Lowe Inlet, 10,lX)0 cases.
They have started, at liet'uge Hay, on Porticr Island, a.
(I'ig-tish oil factory, with an annual capacity of from
lifty thousand to seventy-Hve thousand gallons i)or
annum ; and a tish freezing establishment at Port
Kssir.gton, with a cajiacity of from twenty to thirty-
live tons i)er month. They also operate a saw mill at
Ussiugton, run by water power, having a capacity of
from twelve thousand to fifteen thousand feet per day.
It is principally employed in sawing box lumber for
ftie canneries. There is, besides, a considerable local
deniiim! This summer they intend building another
mill having a capacity of twentytive thousand feet
jier day. Two small steamers are owned by tliti'i in
connection with tlieir own business. This year they
have undertaken another cnterprize — a hotel. It will
be two stories, and have twenty-tivi. rooms, and be very
complete in every rcspt^ct as a tourist and commercial
hotel. .\s a tourist resort it shoulil Im! vei'y jxipular, as
the shooting and hunting is the best north of Nanaimo.
In connection with their ej tensive business, which is
the largest on the coast north of Victoria, they have a
general branch store at Ilazleton, which is a very
picturestiue sjKjt on the s'lkeena, about l.VJ miles from
l^ssington. The Hudson's Bay Co has an important
trading station here, as well as throughout the whole
northern interior. The section of the coast included in
the foregoing has mad" very rapid progress recently,
a immbcr of homesteads have been taken up, and white
families are going in.

It is impossible in a brief description to do justice to
this region. The main branches of the Skeena, upon
which are large tracts of arable land, the Lakelse,
Kit-sum-galum, the Limotitz, the Kitseguecla, the
Bulklcys, the Kispyox, the Habine and the Hear rivers.

The Niuis is an important strejim, failing into the sea
at the junction of Portland (Channel and Observatory
Inlet. The Cascade Cannery, owned by R. P. Hithet &
Co., Victoria, is at the mouth.

A man named Uray, laya Mr. I'oudrler, haa there (a lew niilea Irom the
iiioulh of the river) a very gt^otX farm and some cattle: he rmise« almcit everythiiiH
one couM wish for in mich a climate, and his wheat and hay are flnt-claaa. lie
s|H-aks highly of the iiuality of the aoil. And fulther on— A laive extent of
Kooil famiinK liiid could he utlllced, not only along the Naas but all the way to
the Skeena through that valley, and all along ila continuation.

Sizing up the whole region, Mr. Poudrier says :—

There are a large number of good pieoas of land, heavily limbered, siong the
coast, which could oe utilised, hut it Is very hanl to get the acreage with any cer-
tainty. The valley of the Skeena, with all Its Islands, the tienches aliov e l^uatMilU,
near llaselton, the valley of the Klsiiyox, the upper branches, without i>ountlng
the valley of the Walscn-kwB, and the iiart Includetl In the second part of this

reiKirt, afi«r very carehi' computation, would give Sno.tmo acr,« of tanning land,
t his more or lesa woodevl. The Nsas Kiver, Its banks, Its islands, the valleys of Its
higher liniliches. fncludln,; the valleys of the Tsl-sx, to the 8k«ena,of th« Ishtgaltin
to Kltwaiigm, and the prolongation n, the valley fiom *he Tsl-*x would give lui ap-
proximate area of 700,0(10 acres of farming laiicl. Of this, thtte-fourlhs is wooded,
and the rest is either clear, or covered only with light thickets. Of the higher
land exposed to the summer froak, and where « heat could not be grown, mnd Ei,(h

Itastiire land, there i\n several soattered areas. Around Klt-wan-ooole the higher
leiiches on the upper Skeena and Naas; the high plateau lying between the dlf.
lerent branohes of the Naaa, and lietween this watfrshid and Stlskeeu, can all he
used as graslng land and olassllleil as such. A million and a half (1,000,0(10) acres
would lie ubout the true estimate of the graitng lands.

Till-: ciiMMERCIAL—HlilTlSlI cnl.rMHIA sIl'PI.EMh'NT.

llli; MIXKHALS.

TliP wlidlc chain of the coast riinf;:c! IVom Dwm's
Chaiincl 1(1 the mouth of the Siiokt'cn is cDiiiiioscd of
crvstaliincs, <;riiiiiti's. sciiisis and triiciss, hifjlily nii'ta-
niorpliizi'il. On tiic Naas ami Si<ecna KivcM's, s-asl liwls
of saiMlsiiinc and artrullitos arc dcvolopcd. 'I'lic tertiary
and coal-licariiiff civiaiM^ons fii'c well dcvcloiied in
(litfcrcnt places. I'spccially mi tlic Watsonliwa or Hulk-
ley Hivcr.

Larjre i|uantities of {^olil were formerly found in
Oniineca, the old iilace.rs beiny: to some extent worked
yet, whicli is proof of the precious metal's exif.tciu'o
iiiore. The cost of fretting into tliat country was too
{jreat to make anytliing liut gold in abundance pay.
During the exiieditioii in IS'.H gold colors were found
in several branches of the Skccna. in the Omineca, the
Lower l'arsiiii> and a tributary of the Naas. Si>ecinieiis
of rich ijuartz. bearing free gold and gold in suljihurcts,
were collected on the upper branches of ilie Naas.
Skeena and Oniineca. on New Creek. Manson. Heaver
and (iermanscn creeks, in tlu^ Omineca and Kinlay
Rivers and on a local rangi' of mountains lietween the
Skeena and Naas.

Silver bearing galena, assaying high, was discovered
throughout the same country. Nati\e silver incon-
siderable cpiantities has been taken from Vital Creek
and Omineca Kiver.

Native copper and very rich veins of copper were
found on Keniano Hivcr. in I'unt-il-denay I'ass., on the
I.akelsc, on the upper Naas, and many other places.
I'lnnabarwas located in the pass from Kcma no to the
Interior.

Iron ore in abundance w.is seen at (iardiuM's liilei ; it
is very pure magnetic iron, l\ing in beds of limestone.
On the branch of tiie Kxtall Wiver. a large mass of
licniatite was seen. .Magndite iron was also found on
the Keiniiiio. upper Skeena. Kitsciiuela. 'AmiM'V/. and on
Mear Hivcr. Iron nodules in immense i|uantities are to
be found on the AValsonkwa, in |iroximil,v to tlie coal.
They are also abundant on the Kitse(|Uela, the ui)per
Skeena, Naas. and tlic Shigaltin Rivers, On a small
creek below lla/elton. an immense bed of ninlules was
located. Iron and eopiier pyrites are abundantly found
near Kitsjlas f'anon, on Habine Lake and Tatlah Lake.
Magnetic sand is common in all creciks at the head ol
both the Naas .ind Skeena.

.\^ has already been stated, lignite in drift was found
all through that country, but on the Kitsei|Uela and
Mulkley Iv'ivers p;irticularly, coal of irni' biinminious
eharaclcr were located iii larg<' beds. Limestone is
very abumlant. some ol the volcanic tiill's alVording
godd material foi' lenunl. liuildiiig stones granite,
samlslone, pi^rphirctic rock, limestone and lav.is arc;
in abuiidiinc.e. While the countr>- has been bandy
prospectc(l. as yet enough has been ileinonst rated to
prove that the whole of the northern interior and coast
is highly mln(>rali/,(!d, only reipiiring improved coni-
municalion to mak(! it accessible ami valuable.

TIIKSTKKKKN .\NI) I'KACK Rl\ MRS COINTKY.
.\nd north and northeast there still lies a great coun-
try. The Stick(!cn (s|ii^lle(| in a \ariet,v of ways)
River is i.^o miles long and has immerons tributaries, and
is navigable, for LH) miles. \ recent publication says:

\t hiu lieiMic iiiipiirirl li.\ Or. Iliiwuciii »ltli <\\k provln I ViiU'niln. whirh mil''

iioi-tH III pri>Miiitit|i<))ii(lnllonnr o\,>r<inriiilIliiirt. nrrtnitrou iheHitnii pnwIiinrN, hihI
Ml tullii->nil wi'iillli iH |ircihi|iilv 'iKtlv KitpiTior At pri'icut H iiitmnll.V' tonrliwl, pxnijtt
liv tur triuli'm iiriil ic'I'l iilliici s hiiiI )i"t i'iiiilrlliiili>» im Hiimll i|iiotii (iilmiil ll.'ill.linil
iiiiixtntly) tn tin- rfiveinictior e.i- I'nutitr,^ . Mr. Omixrimi. wli(Him<lt' tui tjxiiloratnr>
NMr\r\ n| till" coiiiitr.x In Ui: in nntor to Hint u rniiti' ttininirti fV.iiu<liaii tcrrlt<io
III till' VnrktiMi I'oiinirv, »•>» Thi'ri' l« 'inao ii Inriio »«•« nl ini«li1i< Itnil, mnl
tlioiitlli <'ri>|ii<(>iiiilil tic <'»|ioin(l U) miniliiiT lr('«t. I liHIi'ii' IhnI liiinlv rr^lii^ "'
wi'll rtioin'ii \ani'h , would kuctuI wiill. Oatu, lijirli'.\, rvc, |icnn,ii?iil fillttir com
iiioii vrit'tnliliii iiiiilil be Kruwii In milllolinii uliunilmiui' la niKlalii u Iniv* pa|iuli>

ttoii. Ittit tile . tiiuf Miliu'ikf thi> i-L'^ion is for ilq iiiinpralfl. In the siintnier of
18fl'2. two tiiiner-, fhonupt and Carpenter, iliMcovt-red fine gold inlhefiaraof the
Stikine, and the .\ear after nIarKe imitilHjr of niinera came from X'ictoria and work-
eft witli more or leiw MniTen.". The laying irraund wait found t^i lieKiii twelve niilcH
helowO'eiiora. In 1S73, two sturdy Canadians, Thihert and .McOuIlorh, croiised the
foniitry from the .McKeiizie, westwaiti. and found gold in aoineof the i-reeks falling
into I)e»K(vI.ake, and in thenntuinn they Joined the miners working on the Stikine.
The next year, a large nuinlier of minerh rushed in to the new diggingH, ftnd a large
and rieh ratnp \\m entablished. whieli was suts-eMsful for six or seven years. The
amount of gold taken nut in thedistriit of Cansiar in ahoiil (5,INJ»,0ail. Mr. Oauv-
reausaya: The great eitent of auriferoun (-'ountry in Ca-wiar distriet (not includ-
ing the area that ban already lieen w-orke<l), has not l)een properly proii|i€cted and
explore*!- With impniveil inachinery, and lietti-r inelhiMli; of working out claims,
whiirh to-da\ do not pay on account of lieing two expensive, there will in the near
future, he o'pentsi a pa.ving area in the district ; and in (|uartz mining Cawiiar wilt
ere long have its turn of prosperit.v- According to the report of a couple of ex-
perts, a goodgaleni mine has liceii discovered on the l.iard Kiver. near the liouii-
dar.i of the Province aiirl the Canadian Northwest, In oildition to this, l>r. Daw-
son'says, ill the annual re|iort of the geological survey of Caiimla (18H7-H8). Qiiartx
mining will, ere long, be inaugurated ami will alTord a more penimncnl basis ol
prosperity than :illu\ial mining, however rich.

The country through which the Liard and reace
River Hows in the northeast part of tht^ Province is of
vast extent, and said to contain millions of acres of agri-
cultural lands, Kaoh of these rivers has a course of
between .'!(MJ ai'.d UK) miles in the Province, and supposed
to contain ))lacer gold. The sources of the Yukon also
lie within the Province, which is a river containing
gold, and drains a valuable fur-bearing region.

VANCOUVER ISLAND.

And the Cities of the Coast with their Industries.

THH history of Vancouver Island is to a large
extent tiic history of Urilisli Columbia. It ha«
furnished the mainsiiriiigs of progress, has con-
centrattMl its wealth and intliience. ami I'roin a ])oliticAl
and social point of view has constituted a centre. Sciveral
circumstances gave it a prominence that it otherwise
would not have cn,if)yed. It was the first discovered,
occu])ying what may lie termcil the ocean outpost of the
Province, lieeame the seat of Iliiilson'a Hay Co. govern-
ment, and cousetitieiitly the wliolesfile centre of what
trade existed in early yejtrs, and fiirtliennorc at an
early date developetl a coal industry tiiat has grown to
largt! and important proportions. .\s u means of com-
munication with lh<^ tiutside world, until the C.P.R.
reached Port MixHly on the mainland, was by water
almost exclusively. \'ictoria long nunained the com-
mercial cH</v;w)/,anil after the C.P.i{. was an aconi]ilishcd
fact it continued by its advantiigeous relations to trade,
to occupy a leading position iind progresstid mor(> rap-
idly th.'in ever. Its growth for the past seven years has
not been less remarkable than the progress of the many
rt'inarkablc cities nl the I'acillc coast.

In rounil ligurc> \ancouver Island is ;i(H) miles long
anil liasiin aver.igc width of about .'iO miles, possessing an
area of about KMHXUXKi acres. It is separated from the
mainland by the Strait of (ieorgia and otliiM' channels,
.\s elsewhere tlescribed, it is the most prominent in a
a series of Islaiiils which rt>present a Mubmerg*''! range
of monnlains. which undoubtedly formed part of the
nijiinlanil before th;'t mighty cataclysm occiirre'l 'vhleli
ercalcil the archi|iclago in i|Utmtion,

The history of the discovery and subsei|Uent ctireer
of the coast, more pai'ticularly of N'ancoiiver Island, is
an ofY repeated and familiar one, not in Its il(>lails, but
in Its outlines, A Spaniiird is said to have llrst rounded
Capi^ Horn, anil to iIm^ oIiI iirobltMii of a north-west ims-
sage do we owe the voyage of that ilaring and skilful
navigator. Sir l''raiieis hriike. How far north he came.
is not known, or to what exti^nt his enmity to the
Spanairds inlluenctul his t unduct, iniist romain a mys-
lerv. There are several rival ohiims to dlttcoverv of

/

(

NiKWS IN TIIIO NulMlli;»N InTKUIOK I'LATK.Vli.

I!<. Limi|i at UlauhwaUr.

«il. NiiiMi (.'riiiik, Kurl Krawr. 111. Ku uhl iilxo Ukt, lllackvaOr Vallfy.

Ill, IH, 17. Views III llroal Ntrhuco Valley.

Kinmiilint<>urii|ih>t iiikL'ii liy Mr. ruriiHiaa-

7'Afl Uoinniatcial — Uritiiih CduiiJm SujiideitKint,

I

tlie norl
to liiive
the hoiK
West I'o
is some
(lisaovei
SpiiniiU'i
is, perlu
MS a hii
'I'liis mu
tl'at tlie

ol'CUpitH

as KussJ!
from wli
is upon
eni WMt<
'I'iie S
wen^ ins
out the
the whi
Uussiaui

I'aiim Scknk, (uM'ix Vai.i.ky.

Davs Sl'oKT, VaNIXHIVKH IhLAM). BfSRNK, COWIOIIAN KlVKII, V.l.

y/jo Comimirlnl - llritish C'DluinIna tSuj>i>i>^iiwiU.

THE VOMMEHCIAL-HRITIHH COLUMIUA SrPPf.EMEXT.

the north-west I'licific cofist. P'rancisco de (lali is said
to have reached it from Cliiiia ; others claim for .Japanese
the honor, and tiie ethnological characteristics of the
West Coast Indians would seem to indioate that there
is something in the theory that the Japanese not only
disttovered the country, but colonized it; while for the
Spani.u'ds and Kussians, strong claims are made. It
is, perhaps, not a matter of gre;-t importance, except
its a historical problem, who did discover our coast.
This much, however, seems to be pretty well established
that the Russians first discovered Heliring straits and
occupied the country that used to be known on our maps
as Russian America and familiarly now as Alaska, a fact
from which we inlierit the Hehring Sea disputes because it
is upon the Rtissiau claims tj jurisdiction in these north-
ern waters that the American position is founded.

The Spaniards, who had occupied the Mexican coast,
were inspired by Russian invasion in the north to carry
out the edicts of the King of Spiiin to take possession of
the whole coast north of California and displace the
Russians wherever found. In 1774 a Spanish man-of-
war went as far as the north end of (^ueeu Cliarlotte
Island, and Hnding none of her enemies returned.
Sul)se(|uentex[)lorations were carried on and considerable
knowledge of the whole coast was obtained. The trace
of the Spaniards in our history is seen in many names
which continue to this day, such as Cordova Hay, Texada
Island, San .Juan, Straits of Ileceta, (laliano Island, etc.,
etc. For four or five years the .Sjianiards had the coast
to themselves, until the celebrated Captian Cook ar-
rived in 1778, and made important explorations. Span-
iards, liowever, discovered the Fraser River and Hur-
rard Jidet. ('apt. (Jray, an American, discovered the
( 'olumbia. About this period a large number of explor-
ers visited the coast, incluiliiig Spaniards, Americans
;iiid the FiiglishC.'aptains, Cook, I'atland, Dixon, Harclay,
X'lincouver, and nniny others. About this time, also,
occurred what is known as the Nootka alT'air, which arose;
out of a Spanish claim to ascendaii'.'y and exclusive
jurisdiction and which very nearly ended in bloodshed.
Of all these explorers the one whose name has been
most indelibly impressed on our history is that of (apt.
(ieorge Vancouver. lie gave his name to the island
and the names of hosts of his friends to the physical
fejitures of the island and coast north and south. For a
time he held the island in joint occupation with the
Spaniards, but they finally withdrew, leaving the
llriiish masters of the situation. Vancouver completed
Ids surveys in li'M\ and returned to Fngland. l"'rom
17!tUon to IHV2 there was a very (extensive fur trade
c.'irried on by vessels of several nations, principally
American and Uritish, which was ]iaraly/ed by the war
of the latter year.

In these early days two great corporations got a
foothold, and occupied an immense stretcli of territory
for trading jntrijoses, these were the Northwest Fur
Co., and the Hudson's l<ay Co. bitter rivals and keen
com]ietitors. Sir Alexander McKenzio, a Scotchman,
made the first overland trip from Montreal to the coast,
in 17!l,'), <'OTning Into the province through the north-
east corner of it, aixl named New (Jaledonia. In 1H2I
ihe fur comiMinies amalganuaed, and the Hudson's Hay
Co. occupied, governed and traded over, having ex-
clusivi! domination of, the greater half of the North
American continent, the trade rar.ilHcations and tlie
dlHciplinary system carried out being among tlu; most
womlerful of miMb^rn commercial corporations. In the
early d'lys lh(« Hudson's Ilay Co. exercised a sort of
territorial lordship over a vast area, including Wash-
IngI.em and Oregon, Owing to the decrease In the fur

trade, and the probability of the boundary line between
Hritish and United States possessions being settled at a
point which would exclude these or a portion of them,
it was decided to establish the head offices of the com-
pany some place further north on the coast than Fort
X'ancouver. Sir .James Douglas, who was their chief
factor, cliose Camosun, subsequently named Albert, and
finally Victoria. It was founded in 1842 : and the
steamer which carried the party there was the old
lieariT, now a wreck at tne mouth of IJurrard Inlet,
the first steamer on the I'acific Ocean. She rounded
the Horn in 18,'i.'">. The boundary line was fixed in
184t> at the 4.!»th parallel of nortli latitude. Victoria
tlien became the chief trading post on the north Pacific
coast. l'"or ji number of years tlie Hudson's Hay Co.
held a.i ai)Solute proprietorship of Vancouver Island, on
conditions of colonization. This, however, was from a
colonizing point of view not a success, atid in 1850 tlie
Hudson's lifiy Co. was settled witli for a lump sum by
the Imperial (iovernment, and the Island of Vancouver
became a crown colony, with provision for a form of
government witli a governor and an executive council.
Richard Hlaiichard was the first governor, but finding
Ills position somewhat irksome and unsatisfactory,
resigned in 'S.'.l, wlien .James Douglas was appointed
in Ids stead Victoria was laid out in 1852 by .Mr. .J.
D. I'embertoii, a gentleman who is still hale and hearty,
Jiiid in business. Tlie first parliamentary election for
tlie new colony was held in 185(1, and was presided
over by Dr. Helmcken, who is still seen on the streets
of Victoria, as bright and genial as ever, with the ever-
present cigar, respected and liked by all who know
him. He came to Hritish Columbia in 1841* as phy-
sician for tlie Hudson's Hay Co.

The colony was practically ruled by the Hudson's Bay
Co. until 18.58, Sir .James Douglas being its chief factor as
well as governor of the colony. Then the discovery of
gold and the rush of gold seekers suddenly made Vic-
toria a city of many inhabitants, and a new era
dawned. 'Hie mainland upon which the gold diggings
were, was formed into a seiiarate colony, with Sir
.lames Douglas, who prcviou.ily exercised a sort of
protectorate over it, as governor. Westminster was
the capital. Sir .lames Douglas resigned from the
Hudson's Hay Co. in 185!t, Ijut conti.med as joint
governor of' the colonies until 18ti4, when he was
knighted and retired to private life. Captain Ken-
nedy succeeded him on the island and Frederiel:
Seyinour on the mainland. The island and the main-
land wen; joined in 18(17, and the capital moved from
Westminster. Anthony Musgrave was governor of the
united colonies until Confederation, in 1871, when
Hritish Columbia became part of tiie Dominion of
Canada.

One of tilt; princii»al elements of developntent was
the coal industry It was discovered at Nanaimo in
18411, mined in the early fifties, and the output gradu-
ally increased In 18(l'.i, the late Hon. Robt. Dunsmuir
discovered coal at Departure Hay, and with the aid of
capitalists whom he nterested, developed extensively
what jiroveel to be a rich coal Held.

After the first gold excitement was over, Victoria :ind
tlie province were depressed, until the Cariboo oxcite-
mont took place, wlic.. another period of prosperity en-
sued for a few years. In 18G0the white population of
Vancouver Island was 5,(XK), with a similar number on
the mainland. Progress was slow but sulwtanlial Until
tlio advent of the C. P. K., which gave a wonderful
stimulus to poiiulatlon and business, it having more
than trebled during the last decade. The last Dominion

THE COMMERCIAL— lilUTIt^H COUhMIilA StIPPLEMEXT.

<B^

census gave Vancouvei- Island in round numbers ;n,CK)0,
the province l(X),t)00, and Victoria city 17,0(K). A
census taken by tlic city ofHcials placed tiio popula-
tion of >'ictoria at -i.'J.CXX).'

Tiic otiicr important industries in addition to coal
niininfT, which assisted in the develo|imeut of the coast,
were the sealing, timber, and salmon canniiif,' liusiness.
Tlie first cannery was built on the Fraser in t*?ti, and
the industry rapidly extended. tS'^f

VICTOKIA Oh- TO-DAY.

As previously referred to, Victoria has always been
most advantagreously situated in reiafard t'' ^hippint; in-
terests and the trade of the coast. i''or m.'ny years she
enjoyed the advantaji^es of beinfi^a free port, and many
to-day regret that these special iirivileges have i>a8sed
away. This aided largely in esuiblishing the supre-
macy of that port in the past.

It is more particularly from an inilustrial ])oint of
view that this has reference to the city, but there are
peculiar attractions possessed by the city which must
always lend an importance to it indejiendentof industry
and commerce. It has great natural beauty, and as a
place of residence and a resort for tourists it has a future
peculiarly its own. With age to impart an air of com-
fort aiul homeliness, witii a climate adaptable to the
growth of fiowers and shrubs, with old oak trees, with
picturesque surroundings and -'i nation, and with l)eau-
tiful drives, parks, etc., it strii^ s the visitor as a place
where the fullest measure of enjoyment is ptwsible. It
has a profusion of flowers of all kinds in summer —
roses, honeysuckles, ivies and all the rest of the old-
fashioned (lowers and plants ; it has Heacon Mill park,
one ()f the most beautiful spots on earth : it has drives
to Oak Hity, where a line new summer hotel, the Mount
Haker, has just been opened ; to the (lorge to Ksqui-
malt, to Mt. 'I'olmie, which has a splendid view, to Cedar
Hill, to (ioldstiiam and immy other places ; it has ita
Chinese quarters, with the Joss houst and Chinese thea-
tre ; it has KK()uimalt, with its <lry dock and harbor and
men-of war ; it has the Oorge, Victoria's }iicnicing
grounds and boating resort ; the Provincial museum,
where is a most interesting collection, illustrative of all
parts of Hritish Columbia ; it has the ci-mctcry, (iovorn-
ment House, Dimsmuir c«istle, the agricultural grounds,
and suburban fishing and shooting grounds— all places
of exceeding interest largely visited by all who take in
the city.

The inner and outi'r wharv !s furnish accommodation
for consideralile volume of diip|)ing, th-j former for
smaller craft and t\w hittei for ocean-going vessela.
N'ictoria handles the principal jiart of the salmon and
sealing trade, and has a number of large wholesale ar
commission lumses .\mong these are K. 1". Uitlu^t k Co.,
merchants, shi))per8 and insuraiu'e agents; lUuUon's
lUy Co., general sujiply and liquor merchants ; Turner,
Heoton iV Co., liiiiwr merchants, commission and insur-
ance ; Kobt. Wai'd i^ Co., commission merchants. Im-
porters and insurance ag(Mits ; Ij<mz .t Leiser, dry
giHMls ; Simon I.eiser, groceries ; V). l\. Marvin & Co.,
hardware; .1. II. 'IVmW it Son, grocers; K. (i. Prior it
Co., iron and agricultural implements; Thos. I'iarle,
groceries; Nicholls ,v Uenouf, iron and hardware ; Cow-
an i\r Wilson, di'y goods; ,\Ic(^>uadc A- Son, ship chand-
lers; J. I'iercy .V Co., dry goofis ; Ik)ueherat A Co.,
liquor in(!rehants ; Sirouss .V Co, dry goods; 8ehl A
Co. and Weiler Uros., furniture; ,1. .V A. Clearihue, fruits,
etc.; Langley .t Son. drugs; Moscowitz \- Sons, ftirs,
etc. All of these ami others do a large and prosperous
business, which extends all over the Province.

K. P. Rithet it Co. (Ltd.), Is probably the largest and
wealthiest firm in the Province, with agencies in San
Francisco and Liverpool. Their business ineliules
wholesale merchandise, fire and marine insurance,
canned salmon, in which they represent a number of
canneries, an<l shipping agency. They represent as
well the (iiant Powder Co., Cadboro' Hay ; the Pacific
Coast Steamship Co.; the Columbia Flour Mill Co., of
Enderby ; aiul the Mootlyviile Saw Mill Co.

Industrially Victoria has made great progress. The
Albion Iron Works is prooably the largest and oldest r.f
the industrial concerns in the city, and the largest oi"
the kind north of San F'rancisco. Large marine contracts
and a general foundry and machinist business is carried
on. The Victoria Iron Works (,"o. (Lt*l.), has recently
teen established, and is running night and day. 'I'liis
company has control of Williiinis' celebrated patents,
particular among which is Williams' gas producing
engines.

The Victoria Rice and Flour Mills, operated by Hall,
Ross it Co., is an extensive manufacturing enterprise,
which is a branch of the Mount Royal Milling and
Manufacturing Co., of Montreal. A variety of rice and
rice manufactures is made with ;i market from Victoria
to AViimipeg. Something like 3,0(X) tons of rice are im-
ported in the fast sailing ship "Thermopyla'," owned
by the firm. A considerable busiiu-ss is also flone in
grass mats, split rattan and Chinese cord. The manufac-
ture of wheat Hour was undertaken two years ago in
conjunction. Wheat from .Manitoba, Okaimga, Nicola,
Fraser and Willamette valleys is milled for general
family use. The mill has a capacity of L'.Wbbls. a day.
Trial shipments have been made to the Orient.

The National Mills, owned by Messrs. Hrackman &
Ker, is another large concern, producing oatmeal, roll-
ed oats, split peas, pearl barley, tiraham fiour, ehopiHHl
fee<l, etc. This business was formerly carried on in
Saanich and was moved here two years ago. The firm
imports feed oats aiul barley, from Manitoba principally,
but the oats manufactured for oatmeal and ''olled oats are
all obtained from the Province, the home article Iwing
peculiarly adapted for pro<lucing si'perio- l)rands. The
imported oats have not been found of a suitable quality
and an^ not used.

Chemical works have becii established and are in full
blast, supplying the wants of the provin ,. .i basic
acids and other cluunical i)ro<lucts. The Caiuida Paint
Works have established a branch paint factory, which
will soon be in operation, and it is understood a com
pany lias und(!rtaken a jirojeet to utilize bone refuse in
making charbon ash, fertilizers, etc., etc.

Sehl & Co. and Weiler Hros. have large and old
established furniture factories. There are several sash,
door, planing and lumber mills and ship yartls.

Two years ago, Messrs. O'Kell A Morris started a
fruit canning industry which has had a most successl'ul
career and last year was turiu'd Into a joint stock con-
cern and jiaid after the first year a dividend of 20 per
cent. They are n- lUufacturing jams, jellies, canned
fniiis, etc., and are extending their market to Kngland
and the Territories.

The Victoria Vinegar Works, under the management
of. I. H. Falconer, has been established for some time
and turns out :i llm- line of vinegars, syrups, sauces,
ci<Ier8, llavors, . \(iacts, andcatsuiw, which are sold ex-
tensively In the Province.

Stemler iS: I'kirle manufacture coIFih", spices, cocoa,
cream tartfir, mustard ai\d baking powder. This In-
dustry was established In lHV.''i anil has made solid pro-
gress ever since.

/(

THE COMMERCIAL— lUi/TISll roLVMIilA SUPPLEMENT.

0 largest jind
iifios in San
esH includes
e insurance,
a number of
represent us
; tlie PaciHc
■ Mil! Co., of

ogress. The
md oldest r.f
he largest o*'
•ino contracts
VMS is ciirried
has recently
tlay. This
ited patents,
as producing

ited by Hall,

g enterprise,

iMilling and

y of rice and

rem Victoria

nee are ini-

Vlu'," owned

Iso done in

'he nianufae-

y'l^ars ago in

laga, Nicola,

f'T general

bbls. a day.

ent.

Hracknian &
atineal, roll-
our, chopiKid
irried on in
>. The Hrni
principally,
•Med oats are
article Iwing
brands. The
nl)Ie «|uallty

\^ Are in full
' J -1 basic
imada I'aint
tory, which
)o<l a Coni-
ne ri^fuBc In

gf and old
Bveral sash,
rds.

s started a
t succe8s(\il
t stock eon-
of 20 per
es, canned
to Kngland

nnagenient
Home time
1>», sauces,
ire sold ex-

oos, co('oa.

This In-

I "olld pro-

Ames, llohU^n it Co., manufacture boots and shoes;
I'hillips k Hros. and C. Morley, soda water ; Kurtz &, Co.,
cigars ; M. K. Smiih k Co., biscuits ; W. .1. I'endray,
soap; H A. Lilley, candy; The Hamilton Powder Co.,
giant and blasting powder, etc.

There arc three breweries, the Victoria Brewing Co.,
the I'luenix Hrewing Co., and Fairall's; a granite and
marble works ; two lithographing estjiblishments ; the
AVilliams Hook-binding Co.; a match factory ; a rubber
stamj) factory and the Briti.sh Columbia Pottery and
Terra Gotta Works.

The last named as a comparatively new industry
deserves some sjxjcial attention. The works are situated
at Constance Cove, on the road to Esciuimalt. They
manufacture (ire brick, pressed brick, terra cotta ware,
drain pi^jc and ordinary red brick. The plant consists
of six kilns, 25 feet in diameter, eight feet high and
carrying three lengths of pipe ; and all the latest and
most im])roved presses, machinery, etc. The Are clay
is obtained from the coal mines at Xanaimo, and in tire
bricks and sewer i)ipe they manufacture an article equal
to anything ever impi)rted into the Province and prac-
tically supiily the entire demand, the works being fully
occupied.

The banking interests are represented in the Hanks of
Hritish North America, Hritish Columbia and Montreal
chartered ; and (iarcBche, (jreen & Co., and the British
Columbia Land and Investment Co., i)rivate. Brad-
street's and R. (i. Dunn k Co. have district agencies here.

The leading real estate, tinancial agents and mining
brokers are : —

H. Croft.

Lowenberg, Harris A- Co,

.1. E. Crane it Co.

J. 1). J'emberton k Son.

Henry Croft, Asso. M.

H M. Johnson.
Dal by ik Claxton.
A. W. More k Co.
Morrow, Holland .t Co.
Inst., C. K., etc., transacts a

The Wilson.
Oriental.
New England,
Brunswick,
(ku'ldcntal.

very large amount of business as real estate agent,
mining broker, tinancial and insurance agent, and is
largely interested in the Province as well. He is a
member of the Provincial. Legislature and prominently
iilontlfled in a number of ways with public affairs.

J. E. Crane .t Co. carry on an extensive real estate,
commission. Insurance and manufacturers' and mercan-
tile agency i>u8ines8.

There is a ,ge number of hotels, in Victoria, the
prinei|)al of which are : —

Driard.

Dallas.

Victoria.

Mt. Baker Hotel, Oak Bay.

Balmoral.

The Driard made a eontinen'ial reputation years ago
and the new building erected a year ago is one of the
largest and most (Inely appointed on the Pacltic coast.
It is eight stories high, containH 225 rooms, with accom-
UKMlatio-. for ;J(H) guests. Throughout the Driard is
lighted by eb^ctric light and gas and heated by steam,
with elevator to each floor and hot and cold water in each
room. The main dining-hall seats 350 persons, with
private dining ivirlors and cafe attached. The appoint
nuMils and furnishings are all llrst-dass.

Victoria has gas, waterworks, electric light and
tramway, transfer, messenger and telegraphic service ;
communication by steamer with Vancouver, Westmins-
ter and Eraser river points, Seattle, Tacoma, San Fran-
cisco, China and Japan and all northern const jwints as
far as Alaska; and by E. fi N. Ky. with Nanaimo and
interimodlate points, Jourmilistlcally it is represented
by two of the Hnest dally papers west of Winnipeg the
OoloniHt and 'Vhnen.

'I'hc Board ot Trade has a large mombership and is a
very active and influential hw\\. A splendid new
building has recently been erected and was formally
opened on the -Ith of May this year, the occasion being
celebrated by a banciuet at the Driard.

Thi! city boasts of three clubs — the I'nion, Victoria
,iiid Anglo- American ; line agricultui-al exhibition builf'-
ings, nmrket place, church edifices, town hall, court liou e
and numerous liandsMme business blocks. Public ap-
propriations have been made for new Parliament build-
ings, i)Ostof1ice and cust(mi house, fortifications at Esfiui-
malt, (luarantine station at William Head, d.ill shed,
barracks, and several otiier important publi<' improve-
ments. Victoria in many rcsiiects has a bright future
before it.

The Canadian Pacific Navigation Co., Limited, was
incor])oratcd in tiie spring of 1883, and commenced
business with the steamers "Princess Louise," "Enter-
prise, "Otter," "K. P. liithet," "William Irving," and
"Kelianee." Sliortly afterward the steamers "Western
Slope" and "Gertrude"' were purchased, and in .July of
the same year, the fast and commotiious steamer
"Vosemito" was added to the fleet, whicli has since l/ecn
increased by the purchase or building of the following
steamers and steamships. \\7.: "Wilson G. Hunt,"
"Maude," ."Premier." "Sardonyx," "Isl;inder" and
"Danube," thus placing the company in a position to
transact any business in connection with water trans-
portation that the public may demand, and offering
superior inducements for the public patronage, by the
number of steamers being a guarantee to fulfil ar.y
undertaking in the water transportation of British
Columbia.

Daily tripsare made between Victoria and Vancouver,
connecting with Bellingham Bfiy and British Columbia
K. It. for Puget Sound ports, tri-weekly trips between
Victoria and New Westminster, there conni-cting each
trip, during river navigation, with river steamers of
the same company, for Hope, Popcum, Sumas, Chilli-
wiack, Langley and way landings on Eraser river;
semi-monthly trips to Fort Simjjson. Metlahkatla, Skccna
Uiver, Bella Bella, Alert Bay and intermediate ports on
the Northern coast, which, when inducements are
offered, are extended to ports on the West coast and
those of (^ueen Charlotte Islands, carrying Her Ma.jesty's
mails oviT tliese various routes. Regular trips arc
made to Alberni and ports on Barclay Sound, Trips
are also made to Bute Inlet and other points, as occasion
requires. During t\w tourist season trips are extended
to Alaska. The Islander and the Danube are line
steamers, the former being etiual in equipment to any-
thing on the Pacific coast. The company is under the
management of (;apt. John Irving,

THE OOTKH WHAHF.

One of the largest individual enterin'ises in

the

Province to be undertak(^n purely on faith in the future
was the outer wharf of Victoria city. The gentleman,
whose enterprise it was, is no otlier than W. P. Rithet,
the name of whom Is now uw, of the lu^st known in
British Columbia, being associated with large businesses
and extensive undertakings and almost synonymous
with success. When it is stated that #250,000 was ex-
pended in this work and that it was begun ten years
ago, before the C. P. R. was comphfted, and long before
PaciHc steamship lines to Australia and China and
Japan were thought of, and when our merchant marine
was very small compared witli what It is now, the fore-
sight anil business courage of the i)roinoter can \w. best
understowl. Mr. Hithet undertook it and carried it

THE C(>MMi:R('IAL—mUTISU COLUMBIA SUPl'LEMKNT.

through siiifrU'-handcd. and is to-day sole proprietor of
one of tlie most valuable properties in the city, a work
that cannot be duplicated except at enormous exiiense.
Briefly, it was bcfjun in 188.-! and completed Marcii Ist,
IS'.tl. To carry out the scheme in completeness a threat
deal of dred^'ing was necessay to ensure a deptii of
water, at low tide, suflicient for all purposes. Vor this
two dredges were built, one costing :82r),(KK) and the
other ?IO,000. With a KO-ft. boom, one of these dredges
could carry material a digtance of ItlO feet. For this
purpose aiso, .'>! acres of waste, rocky land was re-
claimed. At the present time there is 1'8 feet of water
at low tide alongside the wharf, sutticient to float the
largest ship in the ocean. The new and main wharf
is 210 feet wide and extends 1, 100 feet into deep water:
the old dock is 120 feet wide and extends 1,100 feet
into deep water. They are parallel to each i tlier. To
give an idea to the solidity and expensive character of
the work in iiuestion, it may be stated t!:at the dumji
wall, south and west, took no less than 130,0(X) tons of
stone to form it. The main (Vont, the face of the dock,
is of solid masonry, large blocks of sandstone, setjn
cement, being built under water to a dejjth of from 24
to 38 feet, and nearly all placed in position by divers.
This front cont;iins about 8,(KK) cubic yards of masonry.
Some of the blocks ran from two to eight toils each in
weight. A rock excavationofr)2,0(X)cubic yards wasnec-
essary to make the dump >\ all. The new doi'k is capable
of accommodating Hve or six large sading shi|)s at once
and both the old and new docks can take in eleven
large sea-going vessels, whilt^ there is acconnnodation
at the head of the docks for smaller craft. The I'aciflc
steamships now call at the outer wharf, having every
accommodation and convenience, while further appro-
priations have been made for dredging the harbor, the
opening of which is well sheltered, alTordiiig absolute
safety to shipping and rendering it ])ossible to load a
vessel in the heaviest gale. Mr. T. F. Sinclair was the
contractor who so succc^ssfidly carried this extensive
enterprise to completion. As a matter alTi'cting the
commercial importancf of Victoria, the imporUtnce of
an undertaking like the outer wharf can scarcely be
estimated, the more wonderful as promoted by the
elforts of a single man, wl'o illustrated not only great
business foresight, but remarkable faith in the future
of the city's commerce. When Mr. Witliet undertook
the work, many regarded it as a too ambitious, and not
a few as a crazy project, but to-day not a man in the
I'rovince but admits his head was level.

I'OINT COMKOHT HOTIOI..

Midway between Victoria and Vancouver is I'lumjjt'r's
Pass, a channel dividing Mayin; and Oalian Islands.
It is in th(! steamer's course and is distinguished by
great natural beauty. It has becit a favorite stopping
place for some years and it is not surprising tliat it
should have been seleetecl as a site for a tourist and sum-
mer hotel. The enterprise was promoted by Mr. AV. H.
Mawdsley, a proiniiKMit ranela^r there, and now u
spliMidid hotel with all nnMlern cdnveniences and beauti-
ful grounds, is being erected and will be o|K!iied
shortly. It will be a popular resort, (iood (Isliing and
sliooting are available.

OAK lUV HOTEL.

Three miles from Victoria at Oak Utiy, which is
reacluMl by tramway and also by a beautiful drive
skirting the Hca, a new, large siiniinrr hotel has been
opeiHul under the managtMiient of Mr. ,]. A. Virtue, late
manager of tlii! llntei Vancouver. The hotel is b<>HUti-
fully situated, and under the management referred to
is certain to be Huccessful.

iiARCLAv sou.vn.

IJarclay Sound is a large open ro' istead at the mouth
of Alberni Canal, dottecl with .,nall idands, through
which there are two channels, tlit middle and eastern,
the latter being in direct line with the Alberni Canal.
Its shores are heavily timbere<l with flr and cedar,
mixed with alder. From Cajie Heale to Harcla> at the
head of the Sound is a fine agricultural valley extend-
ing several miles back. It has a clay subsoil covered
with vegetable mould. The northwestern side is pre-
cipitous, with the exception of one large flat at To<iuart.
At the head of the sound on rehiieklesit harbor is the
town site of Hiirclay. The harbor is ,"$ miles long by
U miles wide, is perfectly lanil-locked and sheltered
with from l") to l()0 fathoms of water. Here is what is
known as "snug basin." naturally and |)eculiarly
adapted for a Hrst-class rlry (hx'k. At the head of the
harbor and sejiarated from it only loO yds., is a fresh
watcu" lake 10 miles long. There is a Hue run of salmon
here with an A 1 site lor a cannery. The promoti^rs of
Harclay town site claim that if a transcontinental rail-
way rtnds a terminus on the west coast it will be at
Barclay and not at Alberni. as in t!ie Alberni Canal
there are strong winds and strong tid<'s, but that either
one will some day be selected, aff'ording as it does an
immediate opening to the ocean and the most direct to
t\w Orient.

Alberni Canal is 25 miles long, ranging from :-J00
yds. to lA miles in width, with steep, rugged shores,
which at the mouth are very jireiipitons. .\t the head
of this is the celebrated AlbiTiii X'alley, an extensive
tract of rich agricultural land, surrounded by moun-
tains, the sides of which are heavily timbiu'ed. Some-
thing lik .^0.<>) acres of land in this valley have been
taken up by settlers and much more still remains
unsettled. Alberni is rich in resources and not less in
minerals. Kefereiiee has been ina<le to its gold jilacers,
but a recent valuable discovery of (piicksilver was
made on Cinnibar Creek, the property having been sold
to a Victoria syndicate, who are developing it. There
is no question as to this being a very rich claim and
this opinion has been conflrmed by <'X]jcrts. Alberni
has another industry, the only one of the kin I in the
Province, viz., a paper mill. The site was iiurchased
from Mr. .Mallett, and consists of K'.O acres. The
machinery is all in place and ojierations are exjiected
to be begun at an early dale. The ('. P. X. Co's. steam-
boat "Maude" makes regular trips to .Mberni ami
points on the west coast, anil carries the mail there.

NANAI.MO.

The black diamond city, as N'anaimo is called, grew
outofthe<oal niining industry, fully tiescribed else-
where. It has a iwpulatioii between (i,0(M) and 7,000,
is delightfully situated and overlooking a beautiful
deepwater. well-sheltered harbor. The trade of
Nanaimo dt^iends largely U|ion the coal mines in the
district, previ<msly ennmerat(!il under that heading.
For that reason the shipping of Nanaimo port is the
largest in the Province, vessels from San Francisco
being constantly em|p|oyed as colliers.

Next in importance to the coal milling Is the oxteii-
siv lumbering busincHs carried on by Mr. A. Ilaslam,
Mayor of the city, President of the Board of Trade and
recently elected by acclamation to ri^presi'iit Vancouver
electoral district in the House of Commons. His has
been one of the most prosperous enterprises in the
Province. It includes a saw mill, sash and door factory,
planing mills, etc., etc., which for some years has suji-
plied almost the entire local demand. He employs a

TllIC CUMMKUriAL—nniTIHn CoLUMJUA SUVI'LEMENT.

$

large nunihcr of Imnds. Recently he lias uiulcrtakeii
the erection of another mil! designed for the foreign
trade for which he will compete as soon as the markets
ini]irove sufticieiitly. Included in Mr. Ilaslain's exten-
sive timber limits is some of the Hnest cedar in the
I'rovince, a wtK)d that will be ultimately the most
valuable. Mr. Haslain is justly regarded a.i Xanaimo's
most eiiteriirising citizen and the honors conferred on
him are evidences ot the esteem in which he is held.

Naiiaimu is most advantageously situated in regard
to the trade and shipjung of the future. It possesses
gas, electric light, waterworks and telephone system,
wiih i)rospe<'ts of a tramway to Wellington in the near
future. It is connected hy two lines of steamships with
Vancouver, by one with "Westminster and b>- another
with Victoria. It is also eoniiected with Victoria by
rail, and with Cranberry, Cedar, Oysti'i', llarewood and
Xorthtield by wagon I'oad.

The local industries ai)art from those mentioned are
the Hamilton I'owder Co's Works, the British Coluiiil)ia
Tannery, two foundries and machine shops, a cigar
factory, two breweries, a carriage shoj), soda water and
several others.

The city is bcautifuny located and for attractiveness
is second only to the capital itself. Climatologically it
is if anything more favcrably situated, and for fruits,
Howers and vegetables no part of the I'rovince can excel
N'anaimo and tlie district immediately surrounding it.

One of the features of the laboring population ii-
that they are as a rule the owners of their own real
estate aiid dwelling houses, it being difticult pcrliai>s to
find a coal mining region where similar conditions pie-
■ vail, or where tlie minors are so contented and pros-
perous. It is a model milling town and to the wise policy
of tli<' New Vancouver Coal Co., this i^ largely due. I'er-
liaps in the whole continent of America there arc not to be
found more interesting so<'ialogical conditions than here,
.lust on the outskirts of the city a few years ago the
Coal Company laid out a tract of land in five acre plots,
built roads tiirough it, etc. These were sold to the
miners at i*20() an acre, the piiyments extending over
ten years without interest. The result has been that
this wasteland, which will soon all be within the city
limits, is the home of hundreds of ijeojile, with cosy
cottages, well cultivated gardens and everything
in<licating comfort and prosiHsrity — a worthy example
for the Trovince at large. The same air of neatness
Rud general well-to-do-ness characterises the city at
large, tlu! streets being in good order and the residences
well kept.

There arc several goal liot(ds, notably the Wilson
and Windsor, an active Hoard of Trade, a daily evening
Iiajier the Free PresM, tine churches, good schools,
fraternal organizations, a theatre and all the usual con-
comitants of a modern town. Merchants hero do a
steady lucrative trade, owing to the large amount of
wages distributed in cash each month. Opiiositc the
city Is tilt! island of Newcastle, upon whieli is a line
c|UMrry of samlstone, and I'rotection Island upon which
a shaft of the New Vancouver Cojil Co. is in operation.

Tributary to Nanaimo are the mines at Chase River,
Nanaiino River, Northllold, SouthlieK!, llarewood, Wel-
lington, Kast Wellingt(m and South Wellington, and the
sottlemcnts of Cranberry, Cellar, Oysterand N inoo.se Hay
the population of which in the aggregate is considerable.

Naimimo is 75 miles from Victoria by the K. A N. Ry.
and 35 miles fi om Vancouver with which it has daily
mail service by steamship Cuteh. Nanaimo has an
over present aiid rapidly growing Industry to depend
upon and its steady, substjintial growth is nssurod.

.\mong the largest mercliants in the city arc A. R.
.Johnson A- Co., grocers, etc., and Spciicer\t Perkins,
dry goods, millinery, etc. The leading real estate antl
Hnancial agents are W. K Leighton, Marcus Wolfe,
(Secretary of the Hoard of Trade), A. L. Planta .t Co.
and C. Dempster .\: Co. W. K. Leighton represents as-
well the British Columbia Land A- Investment Agency,
the Western Investment A Savings Co., the Dominion
Hiiilding i^- Loan Ass(x;iation and six leading insurance
companies. Mr. John ililbert, ex-mayor and a leading
citizen, carries on a large furniture business.

TEXADA ISI.AN'I).

Tliis, tlie largest island in the (iulf of (ieorgia, is one
of the most remarkable on the coast from a geological
point of view, containing as it iloes, nearly all the
mineral formations of the I'rovince Ijcsides a number of
valuable structural materials. It is situated about 35
miles from Vancouver and about 18 miles from Nan-
aimo. Tliere a.''e immense deposits of iron ore of the
purest and best (|ualities- -iiuarries of it in fact. In
1888, gold, silver and copper were found in several
parts of the island, running from 80 to $'2,000 per ton.
The silver shows good prospects and some six different
veins of copper exist, varying from 20 to 40 per cent.
ofcoi)per and assaying gold and silver. Lead, zinc
and moIylKleiium have also been found. Perhaps the
most remarkable of all the deptisits are those of marble
of which fourteen different varieties have been found
and which when dressed have been greatly admired.
So far as can be judged these deposits are very exten-
sive. For decorative purposes tiiere is ample to sup-
ply a very large mavket. The liest limestone in the
I'rovince is (|uarried here ami tv>'o kilns are in opera-
tion with an unlimited supply. Terracotta clays of
excellent ((Uality also exist. All these deposits liave
additional value from the fact that they are located as
a rule near deep water shipping points affording cheap
shipping facilities. The geological formations of the
island is one of the most interesting to students. Tiiey
contain granites, porphyries, syenites, limestones,
araygdaloids. slate shales and sandstones. The latter
arc rich in fossils, while (juartz, tjuartzites and quartz-
ose Hgure prominently throughout and the intrusions of
tlie lower rocks add constjintly to the interest of the
student. This wonderful combination of mineral re-
sources is bound ere long to bring Texada Island to the
fore. Several mining companies have been organized
through the efforts of Mr. Raper, of Nanaimo.

VANC(U'VEr< ClTi'.

The youngest of the quartette of coast cities is also
designated the Terminal city, its origin and destiny
being largely bound up in the fact that it is the tor-
minns on the Pacific coast of the Canadian Pacific Hail,
way, and the ocean terminus of the Pacific and Aus-
tralian steamship lines. Shortly it will be the Canadian
tern inus of the Northern Pacific and Great Northern
Pacific railways. Vancouver is seven years old, is
situated on Hurrard Inlet on the mainland. Its popula-
tion two years ago, according to the census, was 14,000,
and may fairly be jmt down now at 17,000. The dis^
linguishing features of Vancouver are its rapid growth,
its many handsome and substantial Imsincss blocks, and
its admirable and picturesque situation. It has an ex.
celleiit system of waterworks, gas, electric light, elec-
tric tramway and telephone Co. The workshops of the
C.Hiiadlan Pacific Railway for the Pacific division arc
located here, and with the head oltices employ alwut
(>0(J men. Among the larger industries are the British
Columbia Iron Works, the British Columbia Sugar Re-

THE COMMiniriAL—mtlTIiiU COLUMJilA SUPPLKM/JNT.

tinery, the lliistiiijirs Srw Mills, the Kopal City I'laning
Mills, Cassady A (Vs., Tiainy A- Kylo's, the Vancouver
(Vs., Vancouver Mauufacturiuf? and Trad in;,' Cos.,
Buso's, Mossc it Boffg's, II. II. Spieer's and several oiIkm-
smaller mills, which include lumber and woodworking
of all kinds; the San Juan limekiln, I'ortland cement
works, jute and cooperage works, cigar factory, tan-
nery, four breweries, candy factory, three foundries in
addition to the British Columbia Iron Works, a fruit
canning factory, soap works, etc. Moodyville Saw
Mill on the other side ol the inlet may fairly be in-
cluded. That and the Hastings Mills are the two
largest exporting mills in the province. The lumbdr
industry of the province is largely concentrated on
Burmrd Inlet, the mills in oi>eration there having a
cjipacity per diem of about 7.50,U()0 feet. Vancouver is
a rival to Victoria in regard to the wholesale trade, and
during the past three years has develoiied a very ex-
tensive business with the whole province. The Hrm of
;Me8srs. Oppenheimer Bros., wholesale grocers, weie the
pioneers in this line, and ilo a business of very large
proportions. There are in the wholesale commission
line, Messrs. B. Major A- Eldrigh, McMillan A- Hamilton,
F. R. Stewart, Baker A I.eeson, Welsh Bros., AsliHeld i
Co., Martin it Robertson, all making a heavy turnover.
The other wholesale firms are Thos. Duncan A (V.,
McLennan it McFeely, and the Cunninghom Co. hard-
ware: '■'. W. Hart, Setil it Co., and Shelton it Co., furni-
ture ; .Skinner it Co., crockery, glassware, etc.: Cars-
caden, I'eck it Co., Wm. Skene, C S. McConnel, dry
goods, hats, caps, etc.; R. V. Winch and A. Fader, fish.
There area number of good hotels, the Hotel Vancouver
being known the whole world over almost. The lead-
ing hotels are : Hotel Vancouver, .Manor Housi', Leland,
Delmonico, Oriental and Waverly. The Opera House,
built by the (-'anadian Pacific Railway, is the finest on
the Coast. The city is unusually well oft" for schools
and churches, has two clubs, and is in every way cos-
mopoliton. Stanley I'aak, eight miles around, is one of
its chief attractions.

Burrard Iidet, perfectly land-locked, is one of the
finest and largest in the world, and the city slopes to it
gradually, affording unexcelled drainage facilities.
The rise and progress of Vancouver reads like a fairy
tale. It has now settled down to jn'osaic ways of the
world and subst;intial growth, with high expectations
on every hand for its future.

The Hudson's Bay ('o. has an extensive business in
general wholesale aiul retiiil lines. Messrs. Bell,
Irving it I'aterson, and Messrs. Evans, Coleman &
Kvans, are among the leading shipping and commission
agtmts in the province, with dock facilities of their
own. The banks of British Columbia, British North
America and Montreal have Hotirishing branclu^a, with
tine buildings of their own. The other financial con-
cerns are the British Columbia Land .t Investment Co.,
the Yorkshire (iiiarantee it Savings Co., the N'ancouver
Securities Co., t\w Vancouver Trust, Loan it Survey (V,
the Western Investment it Savings Co., the Dominion
Building it Loan Association, the Canada Permanent
Loan Co. jind others.

Messrs. De Wolf it Munro are the only firm on the
coast who make a specialty as mining brokers, both
being practical men, well aei)U!i luted with the country,
and Mr De Wolf being a graduate of the School of
Mines, London, England.

WKSTMINSTKR.

The Roval City is the familiar name for the fresh
water terminus of the Canadian I'aciHo Railway. It
was founded in 1858 by Col. Moaly, and was the first

capital of the colony of British ('olunibia. It is situ-
ated on an eminence sloping to and overlof>king the
Eraser River, and has, like all the other cities referred
to, a most pictures(iue foreground. Being the only city
on the F'raser River, it is the natural centre of the rich
agricultural district known as the Eraser River Valley.
The last census gave it a population of 7,<XX), which now
may be regarded as It.tKX), it having experienced the
same rapid development as the rest of the province
during the past fi^w years. Westminster is the centre
of the great salmon canning industry of the Eraser
River, upon which there arc about 25 canneries.
Statistics of this industry have been given elsewhere.

The other industries are the Ross Mcljjiren saw mill,
the largest in the province: the Bonnette saw mills, the
Hoyalty planing mills, the woollen mills, oatmeal and
feed mills, a match factory, the Reid it ("urrie iron
works, and several mining concerns. It has water
works, electric light, electric tramway, and telephone.
The number of fine new business blocks is a remark-
able feature of the city. There are also a numbtu- of
large public institutions — the provincial penetentiary,
lunatic asylum, court house, two hospitals, central
prison, schools, Y.M.C..\. hall, and public library and
reading rooms. The city is well supplied witii churches,
and is the diocesan heathiuarters for both the Episcopal
and Roman Catholic Churches. It also is the head-
quarters for the Dominion (iovernment ofticials of the
mainland. There is an effective board of trade, splen-
did agricultural exhibition grounds and buildings, and
a social club. It is connected with the Canadian Pacific
Railway by a branch line, is the jirosent terminus of
the (ireat Northern Railway, and is joined with its
twin sister, Vancouver, by an electric tramway, twelve
niles long, which makes the time in thirty minutes.

NEW WESTMINSTER DISTRICT.

BY far the largest and most important farming
area in the Province at present under cultiva-
tion is the New WestmiiiBter District. There
are between 50(),0()(J and 75t),0(X) acres of agricultural
lands in the valley of the Era r, a good deal of it of
the richest po.ssible character This valley wa« evi-
dently an immense salt water iilet which has been fill-
ed up by detritus from the l''raser River, which broke
tlirough the coast range of mountains and found an
outlet in the inlet referred to. It is nearly all rich allu-
vial deposit, showing jilainly its origin.

Westminster District really is composed of about
250,000 8(|Uaro miles, extending all the way from Yale
to the northern boundary, taking in the whole coast, the
adjacent lands and a large portion of the interior, but
Westminster county profu'r, and what is generally un-
derstood as such, is the valley on the coast through
which the Eraser River finds an outlet. It is made up
of the municipalities of Delta, Richmond, South Van-
couver, Co<|uitlam, Burnaby, Langley, Surrey, Matsqui,
Maple Ridge, Chilli wack and Dewdnoy, aiid the well
known districts of Pitt Meadows, Mission, Hatnic,
Agassiz and Harrison I^j.. e.

A very considerable area of j)rairie land is include<l
In the Delta, Lulu, Sea and Westham islands, Pitt Mea-
dows, Langley, Surrey, Sumas, Matsipii and (!hilliwack,
all of it very rich, and that portion of it which has
been reclaimed being wonderfully productive and
varied in its products. A great deal of it is being re-
claimed by dyking and draimige, and soon all of it will
be reclaimed. These portions of the Province are
Mpecjally adapted for grain growing, hay, dairying, roots

THE COMMHRCIAL— BRITISH COLUMBIA SUPPLEMENT.

(C^

and vegetables. Most remarkable yields are recorded.
i'Yuit, too, does well, especially plums, pears, cherries
and small fruits, but the part of the district which
seems pirticularly adapte<l for most fruits is that nortii
of the Fraseron the high dry benches and in Chilli wack.
The Experimental Farm at Agassiz has demonstrated
the great capabilities of the district in almost every re-
spect, but 'specially in fruit and floriculture. In that
section peaches, grapes and tomatoes have the best
prospects.

There is considcr.ible land suitable for hops, which
are now being cultivated to some extent. The yield
and character of the crop is very much similar to that
In Washington and Oregon on the other side of the
line.

The district is very heavily timbered in places with
very valuable timlier, Douglas fir, cedar and spruce,
and some alder, maple and cotton wood.

Considerable is done in dairying and stock raising in
tlie prairie sections, and attention is being paid to poul-
try and bees. Grain of all kinds yields heavily, but
oats pay liest, as the wheat is rather soft for milling
.■ilone, and barley cannot always be safely harvested
fro.m rain. Root crops and vegetables are everywhere
enormous, and small fruit of all kinds reach their high-
est perfection. Apples do well in most places, where
land is high or well drained.

Improved land is, as a rule, pretty high in priciv and
where unimproved costs from ^10 to 50 perai.efor
clearing. For general mixed farming no part of the
Province has lietter adaptabilities. The white jKipula-
tion of New Westminster district is about 8,000. The
main line of the C. P. K. runs through it on the north
side of the Fraser RiTcr. A railway is being built from
Vancouver via Westminster on the north side of the
Fraser to Sumas to connect with the (ireat Northern
liailway, 47 miles. A branch of the C. P. R. runs
from Mission city to Sumas, B.C., ten miles ; and a rail-
way is being constructed from Uhilliwack to Sumas, so
that facilities of travel will be excellent. Two lines of
steamers run up the Fraser from Westminster, and an
electric tramway connects Westminster and Vancouver,
on which there is an hourly service each way, taking
15 minutes to make the trip.

Kxtensivc dyking enterprises are under way at Pitt
meadows, Sumas, the Dt^lta and Richmond by which
large areas of very rich lands will l)e reclaimed.

There are three fruit canneries in operation, one in
Vanceuver, one at Chilllwack and one at Ladner's
lijinding. The field as yet, however, is a limited one
which will develop with the fruit growing industry.

There are several important industries, the head-
((Uarters of which are here : The Westminster Slate
Quarry at Jcrvcs Inlet ; the Westminster Tile and Pot-
tery Co., on Fraser River, and the Terra (,'otta Co. of
Port Moody. Woods & (Jamble, wholessleand financial
agents, arc secretaries of the Slate Quarry Co., and carry
on a large business in their own line.

AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES.

The Districts on Vancouver Island and Adjacent
Coast.

BRITISH COLUMBIA has not been known as an
agricultural country principally cm account of
the general impression as to its being a " sea
of mountains," but its farming caiMibilities have been
demonstrated beyond (luestion, and the areas, which

are suitable to cultivation are very much more con-
siderable than is generally conceded. The part of the
country of which this treats, on the Island and coast, is
more particularly adapted to small farming — on a
mixed scale — fruit growing, horticulture, hop raising,
ix)ttltry, stock raising on a limited scale, oats, etc., etc.,
as there are no large areas upon which fanning on an
extensive scale could be carried on. In the northern
interior there are very extensive areas suitable to graz-
ing, grain growing and general farming. There are
difliculties in the way of forming as it is conducted in
the east, but the advantages of soil and climate, and
the advantageous relation of tlie market to farm pro-
ducts give many compensating offsets. Of course,
there are a great manj' disadvantages and inconveni-
encies peculiar to a new country, but where rapid de-
velopment occurs ad means of communication is
increasing these will shortly be overcome. In the
older farming sections many comforts exist, and there
is perhaps no part of the American continent where the
farmers are in better condition. Fruit growing is re-
garded as the most hopeful aspect of agriculture in
this province, and Vancouver Island and adjacent
coiiat with its mild, equable climate and warm sea
breezes have special adaptibilities for the industries.
The principal districts in the field reviewed herein are
described in what follows. The particulars are com-
piled from the most authentic sources : —

ESQUIMALT, METCHOSIN AND HIGHLANDS.

These districts, which adjoin Victoria city, contain
about 110 farmers. The rainfall here is small, and as
a consequence grain growing and sheep raising do
well. Root crops, fruit and vegetables are all good as
a rule. Poultry do well. About 20 per cent, of the
land is cultivated. A large portion of these districts is
dry, gravelly plateaux, with a thin soil, suitable for
growing alfafa. There are some very picturesque
spots to be found and the driving, on account of the
good roads, is a most en,joyable exercise. Dairying is
not carried on to any extent.

THE ^AKE DISTRICT

has about 70 farmers, who raise considerable quantities
of hay, grain, roots, vegetables and fruit. Some atten-
tion is paid to stock raising. About 20 per cent, of the
land is under cultivation. The representative of the
district, Mr. O. W. Andei-son, says : " All root crops,
temperate climate fruits, early peaches, grapbs, tomat-
oes, and apricots do well."

VICTORIA DISTRICT,

Immediately adjoining the city of Victoria, and in-
cluding the Lake district for parliamentary purposes,
is one of the oldest settled parts of British Columbia,
and pastorally considered one of the most picturesque
and best cultivated. It contains some beautiful farms.
There are about 150 ranchers in it. A good deal of
fine grain is grown, large root crops, and a very large
quantity of fruit, which is invariably a sure crop. There
are a number of small nurseries in the district and
numerous orchards and vegetable gardens. Dairying
is a considerable industry, but the milk is nearly all
sold in the city and not used for making butter.
Sheep raising is carried on to some extent. About
fifty per cent, of the land is under cultivation.

8AANICH.

This district — north and south — is to Vancouver Is-
land what New Westminster district is to the mainland
of Hritish Columbia — the garden. It contains alnrnt

wmm-

TRE roilMEHClAL—HIUTISH (VLVMHIA Sl'PI'LEMENT.

loO farmers. J. R Andereon. in his report to tiie l)e-
partniont of Afjriculture, says: " Tin- reinarkiilile
fertility of the soil and the i-qnaMf c'liniate, reiulcrs tiie
successful cultivation of all jsrrain, root crops, hops and
fruits, Iwth hardy and half hard, an easy matter in
most seasons. It is particularly well adapted to the
cultivation of hops, which here attain ^'rcat perfection
and have a reputJition in the Knglish as well as in the
eastern markets. The industry is liein};; prosecuted
with vigor anil promises to form one of tlie leading
features of the agricultural products of Saanich. A
fair number of sheep are raised. A goul deal of liut-
ter is made and a large quantity of trrain, hay. hops,
roots and truit was marketed. I'roliably !'.''> to ;!.') ]ier
cent, of the land is cultivated." iieing close to \'ictoria
a gootl market is afforded for all pi'oducts.

SHAWKIOAN

includes Cabbie Hill and Mcl'herson's. It is rendere<l
accessable by the E. .i- N. railway running' through it,
but as yet only a small area under caltivation. There
are b«nween 7.'> and 80 ranchers, principally new set-
tlers, in the district. Hay and root crojts are princi-
pally cultivated. Fruit does well and its culture is
being entered ui)on generally. Butter and poultry are
marketed to some extent. Much of the land is wiHKled
and swampy and requires clearing and draining for
cultivation.

COWICHAN.

This is one of the most important districts in the Is-
land, and includes Sahtlam, t'ertield, Treamicban,
Comiaken, Cowiclian, Maple Hay, Duncans, Somenos,
etc. There are in the neighborhood iHX) settlers. The
report of the Department of Agriculture says : •' This
new and imporUmt district has such a variety of soil
and climate that it is possible to raise all the ordinary
crops an<l fruits." Some grain is grown, princij^illy
oats, also a large (piantity of hay of the very best
• liuility. Hoot crops and vegetables yield largely.
Orchards are being set out in all parts, the fruits, in-
cluding apples, pears, plums, i^iuaches, cherries and all
small fruits. Darying is carritnl on extensively, and
a good many sheep are raised, also ])oultry. About 11
per cent, of the land is cultivated.

'IIKMAINUS,

including Kuper and Thetis Islands, have about 40
settlers. Root crops and fruit are principally cultivated.
In Chemainusa good many jiigs are raised, .•mil on the
islands, sheep. A large proportion of the hind is heavily
womled, and oidy about seven per cent, is cultivaled.
All kinds of crops— hay, grain, fruit, roots ami veget-
ables—seem to do well. In the low-lying land, a goal
deal of which renuires dyking, the returns are very
large.

XAKAIMD DISTUUT.

This includes the Nanoose, (iainioln .DeCourcy and
Mudge Islands, in all of which are some i'lU or 250
settlers, sheep and jmultry raising receive a good deal
of attention. There Is no extensive tracts suitable to
grain, though grain invariably does well. Hay, oats,
roots and vegetables pr(«luce very largely. Perhaps
no part of the province is better a<lapt(Ml to fruit-grow-
ing. For pears, cherries, plums and all small fruit, it
cannot be beaten.

SOAKE,

Tliere are about 70 fnrmers in this settlement. There
is very limited open land ,ind therefore farming on a

large scale is out of the ([Uestion. Fruit-growing, root
crops, poultry-raising, dairying juul sheep farming are
carried on, on a small scale. .Miout ten per cent, of
the land is cultivated. .\s an indication of horticultural
capabilities, tomatoes and corn are grown with good
results.

A1.HKKXI.

One ot the most promising districts of the Island of
Vancouver is Alberni, on the west coast. There is a
vei-y eonsinerable extent of farming lauds, most of it,
however, heavily timbered. The soil is of excellent
character, and the number of settlers annually increas
ing. Its geograiihical situation is unexcelled and tluire
are many predictions in high ipiarters that Alberni
canal which leads uji from the oc'can to the agricultural
district will yet be the |)rincipal route via Pacific coast
to the Orient. In fact, it is stated that the late Hobt.
Dunsmuir, who built and owned the K. .t N. railway,
intended to build a short line across the Island through
this valley. There are some 75 to 80 farmers in this
district, mostly bachelors, however, who have not yet
fully demonstrated its agricultural iind other caiiabili-
ties, owing to its isolation an<l lack of means of com-
munication. Apples, pears, jilums, cherries, wheat,
oats, barley, roots and vegetables, anil all kinds of
grasses are grown with success. One of the drawbacks
to the settlement is the number of young men, who own
ranches, but who are practically non-producers and de-
pend on public works for a living instejid of clearing
and cultivating their lands.

COMi )X.

In this district, including Denman, Hornby, Valdez
and Lasipieti Islands, there are about 2(>0 settlers.
Oats, root crops and hay are the principal crops, but
general farming, with the exception of fruit, does well.
This failure is attributed to mild winters and late
frosts. It is a gooil dairying district, and sheep and
swine are raised in considerable numbers. Fruit suc-
ceeds better on the ad.jacent islands ; but onions, all
wiMil crops, grasses and cereals do particularly well.
Progress here has been very rapid, ,ind development is
now going on at a most satisfactory rate. Its railway
possiljilities an I coal measures have been bringing it
into prominence of late.

SQUAMISH, HOWK SOUND AND tXWEN ISLAND.

These form an important settlement near the mouth
of Hurrard Inlet, in which there are about 40 settlers.
The valleys of S(|uamish and How Sound are heavily
timbered but coniijrise a considerable percent^ige of
good land. So far the area under cultivation is not
large, but fruit, roots and vegetables do well. The
fruit includes cherries, plums, pears and apples and
snii.ll fruit and vegetables, tomatoes, citmn, squash and
cucumbers, (Jrain and grasses are also grown.

THE \W.\A.\ COALA VALLEY.

Reference has been made elsewhere to Hella Coala
Valley. The Itolla f'oala River rises in several lakes
on the jilatear.x west of ('hilcotin, and flows west into
North Hentinck arm, na.igable with canw-s for alwut
40 miles. The valley is from ono to three miles wide.
Mr. (.'layton has a fine ranch there, and his experience
with root cro|)s. fruit trees and cattle shows the farm-
ing oiii>abilities to be good. There are about 18,280
acres of agricultural land. The soil is light sandy
loam anil very proiluctive, adaptetl to fruit, vegetables
and griiss. The timber, of which thi're is considerable,
consists of cottonwoml, spruce, cedar, alder and Doug'

\iciiii;i \, i'kcpm (ii>\ i:i,'n.\ii:nt Hiii.iiixcs. .Ivmks 1(\v.

ViCTOUIA, FHOM (iOVERNMKNT HDILDINOS, JAMES BAY.

The UoiHiiiercUU—lirUinh Columbia Supplement.

I,is tir. witl
(•Idfrlierry
.■liiiiate is
lint dry M
witlisalmo

liCMVfr. IIH

lilciitiful.

A groiiii
Maync,
Islands.'
Tlii'V inch
rancliers,
charapter.
raising, an
tlie islands
is sditaMt'
inav 1k' '"iii

Miiixi \i.\ ViKw, Mkm.a C()i>i.a.

MKnaKAiiTbA, IsiMr.iiii!:AN Pkninsui.a.
Tho ComitiiitviiU — BritUh C'oluiuhia aapitlenwtU,,

T

m"

THE CUMMKRCIAL-HnrriSlf COLUMlilA SUl'l'LEMKNT.

las lir, with adflnsc gi'owthol'salmonberry, {^(Kseburry,
fiflcrlierry, harilhack, willow and craliappic Tlie
cliiiiato \^ less liiiiiiid tliaii on tiie iiiiiupdiatc ot i.-ii, but
not <lry cnoutjii to reciuiro irrifjation. 'Waters te(!iii
witli salmon. Hear, hiadk. brown and ^'rizzly : marten,
iicaver, mountain f;oat. ducks, }jeese and {jrouse are
lilentil'ul. Several s<'ttlers have taken ujt land here.

THE ISI,ANI>S.

.\ {froup of islands, iiududintj Salt Spring, (iaiiano,
Maync, Saiurne, Pender, etc., is known as '-The
Islands," an<l forms a parliamentary constituency.
They include, irrespective of Salt Spring, al)out 7.")
ranchers, ivmi are, generally speaking, of similar
chai-aoter. Fruit, butter-making, eattli! and sheeji
raising, are the pj'inci[ial industries. A good deal of
(he islands is devoted to sheep runs, but when the soil
is suitable anything -lertaining to the temperate zones
may be raised successfully.

SALT Sl'KINd ISLAND.

This is one of the most important of the islands ad-
.joining the province proper. There are over one
hundred settlers, though not much of the lanQ, com-
paratively speaking, is under cultivation — about six
per cent., the island being hilly and wooded. A large
])ortion of it is devoted to sheep runs. The climat is
particularly well adapted to fruit and grain growing,
the rainfall being limited and the climate very mild.
It is adapted to peach, apricot, nectarine, melon and
grape growing. The settlers are principally engaged
in fruit growing, sheep and cattle raising and dairying.

NORTH K.VD OF VANCOUVER ISLAND.

\ large area of good land has been discovered on the
north end of Vancouver Island, and recently surveyed.
.\bont 150,000 acres are described as pastoral and 13,000
agricultural, which, by improvement, would be made
of considerable value. The climate is spoken of as
more ecjuable and humid than the southern portion of
the island, and agriculturally is suited for grazing,
vegetables and small fruits. Though the timber is
sulticient for local purposes, it is no phice of great com-
mercial importiincc. The value of th<! fisheries sur-
rounding this portion have already been dealt with.
The game consists of blue and willow grouse, small
deer, elk, black bear, wild geese, and all kinds of
vv;it.cr fowl. From Cape Commerell around the north
end of the island to the mouth of (,>uat8ino Sound is an
exposed beach, the b'ack sands of winch contain tiour
gold, and though not prosi»ectod extensively, has
yielded in places good pay. The great adaptability of
the country, howo\er, is for pastoral purposes, the
value of which could be greatly enhanced by the ex-
penditure of about #;") per acre in clearing and
drainage.

Qv HEN CHARLOTTE ISLANDS.

Tills group of islands lies nortliwest of Vancouver
Island, nearly between .'')2° and 51° north lati-
tude, and geologically is closely related to the
lattei and greater islantl. "V^'io first discoveretl these
islands, whether the .lapanesc, the Kussians, the Spanish
or Knglish navigators, is a, historical speculation of
little lU'yment here. They were rounded and named in
1781) by Commanders Portland and Dixon, and they
have remained as such until this day. (Iraham and
Moresby Islands constitute the principal portions of the
group, and of the two (irjiham is the chief. For ]>ur-

poses of settlement its land, cual and lislnrics are ini
portant elements. \ low range of mountains run along
the West coast, which is abrupt ami rugyrri, but its
greater area is cumparatively level. On .Masseti Inlet.
Wago Suitnd ami all along .Skidegate chainicl are large
i|UMiitities of spruce tA. Afriiziesii timber, the bi'st of
its kind on the cuiitiiient, and grows mueli larger in
size. For box lumber it is preferred to any other tim-
ber on tin' coast.

Hed cedar here attains a size without parallel on the
Pacific slope, and on that account the Indians of tjueen
Charlotte Islands enjoy a monopoly ot the canoe build-
ing rpf the coast, and supply nearly all the canoes used
by the Indians of the mainland and .Vlaska, Some ,.f
these are of enormous size and graceful in contour. The
model of the first clipjx'r f)uilt ships was t.iken from
these canoes. The cellar difl'ers from that of the south-
ern part of the Province, inasmuch as it is sound to the
heart, whereas the other is usually hollow. It is very
plentiful.

The heuilock (.1. CanadinxiK) is also abundant, and
is mudi superior to the Douglas fir in some respects.

iSnother timber found in large ([uantities is the cy-
press or yellow cedar. It is a beautiful woixl and
should enter largely into the maiuifacture of furniture.
For bridge timbers or for any purpose when' strength
and durability arc reipiired it is very useful. P is al-
most indestructible and foundations made ot this after
fifty years were found uiion examination to be perfect-
ly sound. Its durability, exposed to any weather or
climate, is not less than four times that of any other
timber.

There is a large extent of grazing land on the island,
and there is probably 8(X),0<)0 or lOO.WJO acres that
could be drained, extending all along the east coast to
the mountains. The facilities for drainage, too, are
excellent and some day this work will be undertiiken
on a large scale with good results.

There is every reason to believe that the whole of
(Jrahani Island is a l)ed of coal. It is part of the same
formation that extends up the Sound, and along the
east coast of Vancouver, and evidently belongs to the
same geographical periotl. Some extensive prospect-
ing has been done during the past season, and the
seams in which work was done ju'ovc the cpiantity to
be immense and the quality equal to, if not superior, to
any in British Columbia. Seams of from Iti to 18 feet
of high bituminuous coal were very thoroughly pros-
pected, and in the Vakoun Valley, about midway be-
tween Skidegate and Slassett Inlet, a discovery was
recently made and the character of the coal is shown by
the following analysis made by the geological depart-
ment at Ottawa : —

H.vjrrfrtjcopic water 2,(15

Volatile combustilile matter SU,&9

Fix»l carlioii. 61,33

Ash ;,'a»

These coal seams Could be reached by a railway of
eight mile.^ to an excellent harbor on Kennell's Sound
and shi)>ment therefinm could be made about the same
rates of freight to San Francisco as from Xanaimo or
(."omox.

.Vnthracite coal of excellent (piality was discovered
in tlie Southern part of the Island years ago, hut the
measures are somewhat broken and the possibilities of
its working have not yet been ilenlonstrated.
. Moresly Island is more mineralized in its composi-
tion than (iraham. It is supposed to contain copper
and Iron. Springs of naptha were found on an ad-
joining island. Over $(10,000 in gold was taken out of

THE COMMERCIAL— BRITH^ll COLUMBIA SUPPLEMENT.

a pocket on Moresly Island in the early lil'tics, and it
is supposed that a much gi'eater quantity was allowed
to bo washed into the sea. Argentiferous galena has
also been found on this Island, but no ])rospecting liiih
been done. Very fair samples of rock were shown.
Native copper exists on the west coast and is u'^ed by
the Indians.

.V deposit of black clay slate, out of which the Haid.i
Indians, who have their home on (^»ueen Cliarlotte Is-
lands, make their stone figures, and carve many
artistic ami iiiircnious designs, is located near Skide-
gate. and ajiari from its usefulness to the Indians, may
yet be available as an article of coninieree.

The waters about (i)ueen (Charlotte Islands abound
with Hsh of especially Hnc (luality. The Japan cur-
rents strike the Coast here, liringing with them nutriti-
ous Hsh food, and as a consciiucnce the fish of the
northern waters are larger, fatter and in every way
superior to those further soutli. The i)rincipal econo-
mic species occupying these waters are dealt with else-
where.

The climate of (^ueen Charlotte Islands is nmch
better than that of the mainland in the same latitude,
the moisture being greatly less, and in the spring vege-
tation is about three weeks in advance. There are no
summer frosts. Oats and barley and all vegetables do
well. Apples have been tried at Skidegate. Cherries
and all small fruits are successtully grown. Summer
extends from April to November.

KOHT HIMPSON.

This place, upon which the eyes of railway men and
spcculatoi-8 have been for some time resting, is sitniitcd
at the head of Dixon's entrance, and has, in the opinion
of naval men, one of the Hnest harbors in the world.
It is directly connected with the ocean, is live miles
long and throe miles wide. When the Hudson's Hm\-
Co. established itself on the Northern Coast, a l)rig was
sent out to explore in order to locate a depot of easy
access. Capt. Simpson, commander, of the vessel, after
surveying the whole coast thoroughly, and notwith-
standing that a de|)ot had already been established at
the Naas I*iituary, recommended Kort Simpson us
lieadquarters. This was in 1W31, and the business was
done direct with Fort Vancouver and London. It is
still hoadiiuarters for the northern trade. Kort Simp-
son has a good deal in its favor as a candidate for the
terminus of a second transcoritlnental railway. In
Sandford Kleming's re])ort of 187',t, this route in strong-
ly recommcndcii, and it is slated that :\ loeoinoiive
lietween Fort Simpson and Edmonton would be ei|ual
in drawing power to three l>etween Fort Moody and
Calgary.

At Fort Simpson chei'ries anil snnill fruits 'ire grnwn
and peas, oiits, flax and grasses. Three tons of tin\othy
liay have been grown to the acre.

At Fort Hazletoii, on the Skeeiia,oats and barley and
vegetables ar(^ grown suceessfully. Tomatoes ripen in
the op(tii air.

The island adjacent to Fort Hiinpson are timbered
along till! shores, ]irinei|)ally witli cedar and spruce.
The Tsimi)sean I'eiilnHula, u|)on which Fort Simpson
and Metlakahtla are situated, is an extensive moor,
covered witli moss, owing to the humid climate. e.i|>a-
ble of drainage, and wherever reidrmation has lieeii
attomiited the land has proved fertile.

The Ske<Mia is navigable to lla/.leton, and the Hud-
son's May Co'h steanu'r Caledonia made the first suceess-
ful trip In IH'.U. Witli a little more attention by the
Dominion (ioveninuuitto this river navigation would be
greatly lin|)rove<l,

Soutlieasterly is a vast expanse of agricultural and
pastoral land, possessing a healthful and excellent cli-
mate suitable tor tin; cultivation of the Inirdy cereals,
vegetables and fruits and for stock raising.

THE TIMBER INDUSTRY.

O.NK of the principal sources of wealth on the
Coiist is its great timber resources. It is
dirticult to estimate the number of feet avail-
able now, but before tin; best timber is exhausted the
second rate will have grown into a supply equal to the
present, if not destroyed in clearing the country. Not
only the extent of the timber. Imt its size and quality
give value to the timber limits of the Coast, to which it
is principally confined. Immense quantities, however,
have been destroyed l)y tire. In fact, the whole of the
interior has been denuded of its best timber, and a good
deal on or near the Coast has thus been destroyed; No
estimate of this loss can be made, but it might not bo
amiss to put it down at <i sum equal to the value of the
supply now on hand.

The bulk of the best timl)er limits is found on Van-
couver Island, New Westminster district, up the inh^ts
of the Coast as far as Knight's lidet, and on the islands
midway between, notably Thurlow, Crocow, Valdez
and Ilarwick, upon which is situated the famous Hickly
Bay logging camp.

The chief timber is madt; up of Douglas F ir f A. Doti-
ijlasiii, cedar i Thuja i/i<iiinteoj, hemlock (TmigtK
mertenxiana) spruce, ipicea HitchensiK). These at pre-
sent constitute I if we except the hemlock i, the timber
of commerce, but there are found also, speaking of
Vancouver Island and the mainland coast as far north
as Fort Kupert, maple, aldiM-, white pine, some yew
and crabapple and a little oak on the soutliern end of
Vancouver Island, all of wliicli enter more or less into
the manufacture of house tinishings and furniture.
Maple and alder are both valuable woods and white
pine, but are not found in any large (|iuintitics.

The largest body of valuable timber is found on
Vancouver Island in the southern part, principally
located and running up the valleys of Cowichan, Clieni-
ainus, Nanaimo, Fnglishman's, Little Mallenm, Hig
.Alalicum, Comox, Oyster, ('ami)lioll. Salmon, .Vdams
and Nimkiah rivers and French Creek and Hlack Creek
and other streams and tributaries of the foregoing.
On t\w west coast the jjrincipal timber' is in the .Mberni
Valley, where some large timber limits have been
located. The rest of the timber is very much broken
up. A good deal of c<'(lar and spruce is interspersed
in all this, but it is nuiiidy fir. The sprue is found
largely in swampy jilaces and In the delta districts and
attains as large a eireumferenee as If feet, but is not
so tail as Douglas Mr. It is one of the most useful ol
timbi'rs, but In this province is largely used for salmon
boxes. The red cedar is found usually about three
miles or so from the Coast, and at'uins enormous pro-
portions in some instJinees from 50 to 7,') feet in cir-
cumference at the root. Kconomically, it is one of the
most useful of woods for inside llidshincs, shingles,
jiosts and what not, its utility bi'ing greatly enlarged
by its wonderfid flnrahillty. It is the greatest frienil
of the settler, who en turn it to a gr<'at variety of usi's.
Douglas fir Is, of course our forest king, being majes-
tie In pro|)ortlonB, clear of imperfeetlims and useful for
all construction puriKwes, where strength and durability
are rei|ulred. It attalna a height sometimeN of IKK)
I'eet ftiid i\ ciiruml'erenee of r>o feet, l>iii the best aver-

THE COMMKRCIAL—liniTIfin COLUMBIA SUPPLEMENT.

(igcs are 150 I'ect clear of limbs and f) to 0 f'eef, in
diameter. It makes beautiful spars and for car sills,
dredg'e booms, heavy plank, dock beams, etc., etc., it is
the linest timber in the world. The limit of Douglas
lir on the Coast is at or near Fort Rupert, where its
place is taken by t'ypresir or yellow i-edar, a timber
destined to be quite as useful in its way. It grows lo
a large size, makes a beautiful finishing \vo(xl. is very
strong and exceedingly durable. It is Tound every-
where north on the Island and mainland. Large tracts
of it are said to exist in the interior of Vancouver Is-
land. Hemlock, too, is an exeecdingly useful timber
but answering very much the same purpose a» Louglas
tir, will not come into use until the latter begins fo be
exhausted or lumber is in greater demand. it grinvs
from li to ;') feet in diameter and is from 150 to '^QO
feet in height. There are thousands of acres of it a.' 1
up tlie Coast. It is additionally valuable for the bark.
White pine, which is commercially about twice as valu-
able as Douglas tir, is limited.

On the mainland the timber is more broken, but ex-
tensive tracts exist in the Fraser River, on Burrard
Inlet, Howe Sound, and the principal inlets, and many
of the islands as far north as River's Inlet, tl\e limit of
the logging camps for the Coast saw mills.

One remarkable feature of the (-'oast timber is the
great density of the forest and the number and size—
ihe average size— of the trees. As high as .')00,00() feci,
of timber has l)een taken otf a single acre, while sonu -
thing between :;r>,000 and ri(),(XX) feet would be nn
average estimate.

North of the Douglas Hr limit there are hemlock, cy-
press, spruce, birch, maple ami alder. In describing
<^ueen Charlotte Islands, the norMiorn coast and interior
reference has been made to their timbers. These,
while perhaps not affording any great ([uantity for ex-
))ort, are ample for all local demands for all time to (;onie.

HTATI.STICS or COAST TIMIIKR.
NAMK. l.tX'ATION.

Bl'iiiiette SnwinitI (.'c>iit)>a>iv' WewtinliiBtpr.

Mr.txl Willi' Land and Hnwn'tiU <'oinpftnv... M<KKl.v\ilU'.
II. V. .MUlft, TlnilHT nnd TrwIlnifComiNvnv. .1 \'ftncouv*'r.

1 "

1 Wcitininstpr.

Ii<"tniy And Kvie Vaneonvur

w r. Sa.vMonI victoria.

ili'vliltt and Mrlntv^-t; <'owlohaii iihl.

.1. .-.inrtin and .Sons' Wenfr. l)l»l.

A UaHlam Naiiaiuio.

Tijvlor .Mill Coinimny Victoria

I.fii'h and Solid ....' '

1). V AdaniH *'

luiitfht Hroa rapouiii.

Mi'lAren-KoM liiimlwr Co. Wufltinintlpr.

Miiir Hron ..... Sookp.

I'cil .Moodv Saw Mill (!o Port Mnodv.

Iiiill.in Miiwion Alirlltey.

A, !'. n. Kind ,,,. K^(^le^i^'k Arm

Ciinniniclinni k ('o , I'ort K»iin|{tnn.

.1. .\. Carttit'w tt do Kkeuno.

<i. WillliCrotl <lt5orKHo»M

Indian miiMion .... , Ktn<H))l(h.

Vli'iorlaSownilllCo ItlviTu Iiilit.

\'anoonvpr Mawinlll CVi \'anoonvpr.

^ ii^toria Liinihi't- ami .ManufaoturlnfC Co ,. <'hi'niainiiH.

Nttrth raolHi' I.uinluu- '.'o Htirranl Inlel.

II. H. Spiwr Vanroiivcf.

Owi. eamldy ft t.'o

l'.rnfHt Hi)i« Hiuttinitx.

Wcit Hay Hiiw Mill l<n , „ ..(laniliipr ialanil.

Michitian Lumber Co Vani'00\Mr,

I.aldlaw and (.*o , .,» Opita.

Helta Saw Mill Co , , La4tner'n l.andiMir.

M.'.ii«nli'» Mill fo Wii»t minuter.

shaivnlipin Lttinl)«r Oo, ,;,,,,*■•.. ,.•••■. MhawniKan l^ki'.

.1. VMille Sydney. 811,11111

There are M saw mills in all parts of the Province
with a daily capacity of about ;),()(H),(KX1 feet. Of these
.'15 are situated on the coast, having a dally capacity of
l,;'.M),t)(K) feet. It Isestinmted that there are'lO(),0(X),0(X),-
(XH) feet of timber in sight. About (Ift.UOO.OtX) feet were
cut last year. Tlie mills running at thoir full capacity
would take about ir>0 years to exhaust the present sup-
pis, so that ti,. lO need to l)e no anxiety about the Im-
niedlftte future.

DilLV

A> rtHAOR

ArACITV.

)IMHRR.

tllS.OOl)

22,:IJ1

106,000

,M,4,11

iso.ono

3(1,000

!i».4:t;i

i:o,ooo

rio,0(io

S,I„t

40,(«)0

0,04!

IKI.OOU

7,0011

26,000

2,2(to

■,o,oa)

is.xto

ie,oo(i

if>,ono

10,000

M,00il

LW.OOO

rd.IUII

l2,orm

ID.UCII

6.097

6,1100

1114

10,111 10

(1,000

10,1)00

80,000

.s,ooo

6,1)00

126,000

811,1)4(1

1».),()00

18.637

126,000

14,i)6«

:ii),ooo

a,'.'77

ao.ooo

I0,()0«

■»,(K)0

76,00(1

«0,il'i

4,!IB7

Last year there were exporteil by vessel 41,t)80.0r);i
feet, valued at ^480,001 in ships. In the past the prin-
cipal market has been South America, hut Australia,
China, New York and (Jreat Uritain have taken con-
siderable (luantities. For several yciirs all foreign mar-
kets liave been greatly depressed, and particularly the
South American. During the last few years, however,
a considerable trade has grown up with Eastern Canada
in shingles, in tinisliing wc'xls and in heavy timbers for
construction, and tliis tr.tde is very likely to increase to
very large proportions. The building of the Nicara-
guaii canal and the free admission of our lumber into
the United States would give a great impetus to the in-
dustry in Hritish Columbia

THE FISH OF THE COAST. ;

E-\ VKRVHODV has read of, if not eaten, Britisli
Columbia salmon. Few people comparatively
-^ know much of the other fish of the coast,
•.vhicli some day will figure commercially in the same
relation to salmon as die latter does now to the former.
In an article on the Crofter scheme, published elsewhere,
a good deal of information is given in reference to the
footl fishes of the coast, and, therefore, not so much will
be necessary here.

The salmonidic represented in British Columbia are
the salmon, oolachan, trout, char, grayling, smelt,
surf smelt, charr, and white-fish. There are five
varieties of tlie salmon : Suinne! (or spring salmon),
the soekeye, the colioe, the daf salmon, and the hump
back. Mr. Ashdown (Jreen, Victoria, an authority on
this subject, says ;—

All Iheiie arc (cmnd in Ilrillali Coluinliia, thounh all do h.'t fmioent the name
UreaniH; Ijr iniitnncL-, there are no BiK-keyes on the eastern <*hore of Vamnjuver
Island except in the Niinkisli Kiver, and the mnall »tre.ini» to the north o( it.
There are no huiiipliacka In the Cnuichan, while they almund in the C'licinainiia
Hiver. The tvhee sslinon only freipientu the large streams: the <>oho« anil iloij
salmon, every little lirook. The lime or orrivol of the «>nie siiei'ies varies in dif.
fei-eni ri> era. Hroadlv sm'akin^, the tyhee siinion is taken in the lute aiihnnn unil
"priiiK, the soekeye. in the suimiier ai'id the cchoe, dox sniinon and hilinpliack in
the aulonin.

There is not so much known as might be in regard
to the salmon and tlieir habits, but it seems that the
run starts from the north, lyid in their respective
varieties appear a little later as they come south. They
run in all the rivers and inlets from Ahiska southward
to the Fraser in British Columbia, including the west
coast of Vancouver Island. In ad'lition to salmon car.-
niiig, which is tlie staple fish industry, there is being
established at Cloy()(|uot, on the west coast o'' Van-
couver Island, a salmon saltery, by Mr. Mangenscn, of
Victoria. The choice table salmon are the steelhead
and the tyhee, or spring salmon. The latter iire of
two kinds, white anil pink, tlie latter being the favor-
ite lioth for table and canning, but the stock Hsh for the
ciinnerles is the sock(\ve. Cohoos ari^ only utilized
when the run in ti;e sockeyes is short. The dog salmon
and liump back are not eaten, except by Indians.
I'articulars of the salioon pack are given olsowhere.
A trade has started up during the past year or two in
shipping frozen salmon east. There is a freezer at
Port Ilany, aivJ another at Port Kssington. By this
prwess white salmon as well ;is red arc utilized, and
may be kept for any h^igth of time, and shipped, re-
tJiining all the original flavor and freshness when
thawed out. A number of carloads of fresh salmon on
Ice liave been shipped to Now York, although the trade
is still in an experimental stjigo, but it proiulses to be-
come an important item of ctunmercc.

Till hallimt, or giant solo, is one of the most import-
ant of the Pacific cofist fishes. It winters ofl' 'iankn

77/ /v roMMh'RCfAL- HRITISH VOLUMH[A HlJPl'LKMEKT.

Island principally, in enoi'nious numbers, and goes
south as X\w season advances all along the llewite
Straits and the west ooast of Vancouver Island. The
halilnit. next to salmon, is the greatest factor of I'aciHc
coist fisheries, and is the most prized for table use.
As a shipping tish it is aiiead of all others, being line
in texture, and makes a delicious steak.

The "Skil " is a new fish to commerce, referre<l to
elsewhere. It is found in I'lO to 200 fathoms of water,
oft'Millbank Sound and around tin.' head of and along
the West Coast uf \'aucouver Island. It is tlie most
deliciously llavored of all the Hshes, l)ut too delicate a
texture for exjiort tresh.

Tile oolachaii, known also as the candletlsli, is a
little Hsh of extremely d( licate llavor and texture. It
begi"S to run in the Xaas about the -'0th of March, and
later ill Knigiit's Inlel, Kingcunbe iriet, Kitiiii;it Arm
and till' I'raser. In the nortli it is almost too rich and
oil\ to be eat ■ by the AVliites. and is largely used by
Indians for making grease. It is also used by them in
the place of can lies. As they proceed t'urtiier south they
become better pan-tish and when they reacii the I'laser
they make excellent pan-tish, but are no use for grease-
making purposes. Tliese lish run in enormous (|uanti-
ties for a limited season and are greatly prized,

There are several varieties of the true cod, wliicli
are constantly seen ill the lish m.'irkets. They munt
be atnindant soinewliere, .is the young cihI come into
tlie inlets and bays in great numbers, liia the large cod
's only c'liigh^ in tleeji water and not in sutlicleiit ([uaii-
t'ties to lejid to the belief that their lioiiic has bet
as located, on ti " eastern coast. Tin.' ,\rltus ( i
(Upliidion elnnijatnui is very eominon anil ;iii excellent
fooil lish, and is in season the year round.

The sturgeon in Mritish Columbia grows to an enorm-
ous size, 1.000 and 1,200 pound tish being recorded.
It is taken princi|>ally in the Traser. Commercially it
should be of importance, not only for fooil in the ordina-
ry, lint for c.'iiv.'ire and isinglass.

Herring and smelt are \i'ry plentiful. Tlir lormer
run ill enormous numbers, though somewli.u irregularly
Their most noted locality is .Matsino Soiiini. SaidincR
a.'e also present at ti.iies in great ipnintitles and have
been taken in biickeisfiii out of \'ictoria harlior. They
;ire large and of line i(u;iliiy.

{•'lolinders are jilentiful, and a sm.ill Hat ilsli reseiiilil-
ing llounilers, called li\ lish dealers soles, i;re delicious
table lish, very white and llidiy,.

Other HhI), eominonly found on the lish stjilis, are
tonii v cinls, sea liass, sea trout, Ufountain Irrut and
wh'diig, all of whieii are splendid table lish. Occas-
iniiiilly capeliii and graylings are olVered and a few
other species.

Whitetlsh and trout are found in the iiilerior lakes,
and what are known as land locked salmon.

Shell Hsh are represented in iiysi('rs, clams, cockerels,
razor clams, nuissles. crabs, and alielones A small
native (lyster is I'oiuid more or less abundantly in ii
lagoon back of Hluiiden harbur opposite I'ort b'npert, at
Oyster Hay near .Naidamo, above Hie gorge at Victoria
in the mud Hats, iit Sooke, and Chemainiis, These
oysters are small and have ,i sliglitly i'opper\- taste, liiit
by many are more highly (n'ized than the eastern oys' m'.
I loulitless a great ileal could be done towjird improve-
ment bv cultivation, though little or notliing has been
done in this direetion.

There are no lobsters mi the coast, lint the conditions
are favorable, it is understood, for their eulilvaliiui,
and the Doiniiiion lio\oriinienl intend taking steps to
(ilaiit easiiu'ii lobsters on ijiis coast next sear.

A rtsh of great economic value, though not a food rtsh,
is the dog tish. It is in great abundance on the west
coast of Vancouver Island, on the coast of (jitieeii Char-
lotte Islands, and, in fact, in all northern waters. It
preys on all lish, and follows more particularly the run
of oolachan and iierring. It is very lia-ge aiid the oil
from its liver, of which it takes nine or ten to make a
gallon, is one of the finest lubricants known. As the
results of tests in the east it is declared to be of rare
quality. The oil from the bo<ly of the Hsh, though not
equal to that of the liver, is also of excellent quality,
and with greater experience in its manufacture aiid
the adaptation of some of the pi'ocesses employed in
making cheap lubricants, it would Hnd an extensive
market. The dog Hsh is caught principally by the
Indians, who Hsh with long trawls in 10 or 20 fathoms
of water. There are small dog Hsh oil factories in the
province, the iirincipal being at Skidgate, <,>ueen Char-
lotte Island, owned by Holit. Tennouth. There is another
at Clew, (^». C I., and a third is situated on Portico
Island, which is owned and operated l)y H. Cunning-
ham >V Son. I'ort Kssington dog fish are so plentiful
that Indians often make .«10 to !iil2 a day tishing
for them.

Herring, oolachan, rat Hsh, sharks, and whales are
all very plentiful, and economically considered for oil
extraction, etc., are valuable.

The fur seal is another v.iluable possession of the
Coast. They come from the south early in .fanuary
and are followed up by sealers and graduallv work
north into Hehring Sea. .Just around the inside of the
north end of Vancouver Island is ;i favorite place for
them, where the female seals, in young, pup in the
kelp. They are often found in the inlets of the Coast,
which they enter to catch the oolachan. As a Hsh de-
stroyer, till! fur seal is the greatest enemy Hritish
Columbia has, and if it were not for the i'miiortant
returns they yield in the way of skins it would be a
lilessing if they were eompletely destroyed. They
breed in great numbers, and all the anxiety expressei'l
l)y the I'nited States government in refennice to their
extinction by "poiagie sealing if fudge.

liniTlSH (SOI.UMHIA SALMON I'Ant, SKASDN 18!U.

Skrkn* Rivm— ckau.

I'HAKKH Hl\l!ll— I AHKH,

Kwt'H A Co 2r',046 I

lion Aic'onl Fl»h«ry Co 11,4118 '

(Sru I

Ulmiil). Ii),(iiio

AtiKl't Mritidh I'ollinililil l*Hckliiff I

C.i., I'.iniiirlHl'ii;

II r I'. Oo

I'hii.iilx

II A, V. eo

ranix' I'AKi

Wiulliiiiim

IJnrrv Coiiit

Ititmrrit^l

Mrltuniiia

.\iiimndale ,.,,,

llrllliili I'liliinililnl'niinlnirCi) . 7,l«tt

Wi'lliiiKioii ivklnit I'o ii.inii

iH'ltft C'HtittliiK I'o tt,180

UlilliiM * r<i U.lUl

llnrUH'k Cni'kliiKCo (I,ab4

llrnlTi rnriniriir Co litiMA

ItirhinonilCnnnititr eu 1 11,0115

InverrieKMl'Ariiihttf ('« 10,71"

Aiialo Ilritluli rot Packlnit (;o. ;

North I'm'ttlc ,,

I). A. I'. Va

lUi.UII

stancliinl Vnuklnx t'o lii,»;8

Sktiiiin Pai'kiiiK (\< ...11,711:1

KnIiiiomI rariniiiK Co 0,^14

M. I I'nnnervl'o, (l.'(l) i),M4

ToUl 78,1SJ

N'aik I(i\>r —

A. J. .M.'I.i'lUti ft,47H

GiuMiiiilr rurkltiu (^'0. a,7Vll

n. (,', UllililriK Cn. O.'l) {I,IMI>

Tolnl 10,918

Clnuwl tiitAl ai«,(im

TOTAiji mil nipmionT i,<H:AtiTiu,

1800, 18»l.

I.iihi MaiuK'aiirilnvl'o ,.... ilMIOll I ra'vr HIver MI.HlW 178,M«

Alei-tllaj 7,«(0 dSO

Tnliil lV8,llfi4

AMmHT llAV - HAI)

AliHTt lift,\ rAtihinH Co.

Tot«l (UIO

ItlVHKH iNLKT-.
Ill'illlh I'ol. OiiMilnvCi.d.'il).. 14,001

.. W,l»14

Wimilik I'niklr.Kl'o tl,IIOtl

Tohil H4,M4

lUHIIINtlR'H lNl.rT—

I'rlc'i'Aro. (L'd) »,87«

Total il,877

l.ium IlLHT-

I 'iiMiilMifham k AoM 8,imi

Itlvi'r's Inliit II2,IWI >4,ut4

Oinlliu'rn Inlet :|,7I» »,»7(|

LiiiVf liili^t (i,0H7 H.osi

Ski>i'M» lllver 1111,1111,1 ^*,n(l

N«aii lllmr ig.iiiia lo.SM

Hutu Inlnt ifi^n

ToUl iiiiiiiIhm' lit onan,40*, 4AI .SI4,IWj
iiiiiriiiRiin MIR Initi

I'niU'il Kliiiriliini tiO,70l

roiiRiln (KMipni I'nivliiiwi) . .M),MMI

AiutrRlin g^5]|4

'.'''!»» ','.'. l«p

I'll" , lUI

Bil

SMI

(I1IM8

V.

r.
X

n

w

T

NltlURJMirP .

Tolftl

lltltfRJM

I'nilril NlRiiiR

I.n«iil mini Riiil atotiji on huiil

»i»''ll Tnl.l . HH,,»,

r-tl . I«|||puu|q

It ji food Hah,
on the west
'I'uccii Cliar-

waters. It
irly tlie run

and tlie oil
n to make a
vn. As tlie
0 lie of rare

tlioufrh not
ent (|uality,
ifaetun^ anil
mployed in
ti extensive
illy by the

20 fathoms
orii's in the
i>iieen Cliar-
•e is another

on Portico
K. C'tinning'-
80 plentiful
day llshinjr

"'hales are
ered for oil

ision of the
in January
ually work
islde of the
e plaee for
|)np in the
if tlie Coast,
U a (isli de-
3niy Uritish
' important
would 1)0 A
•od. They
V expressed
ice to their

» ISIU.

u.'kln|{ (jo.

.10,717

<l).

W.HI)

. . 10,078

..11,7m

. »,BU

.. 9,m

..78,156

6.47S

•,• 8.770

0 l,Mt

lojtii

.S14,«M

IT lAWAtmw.

ISWI. IMHI.

'.Ml.KHK 178,H44

.ttni)

.'IJ.IHII

:l,7m
, ll,0H7

iiiMW.'i

ii,ii-.'r
im, «fl<

1 IMM

I4,UM

n.srii

14,0s I

rd.i.ifi

10,31,1

MX)

t\uui

i«i,7«i

MI),UIMI

8,AtU

Km

tun

til
SMI

.. »,m
.»\4,im

!■

The pack
(luced nearl
year and th
pack is con

^m victoria

^1 NI.U' WMtmins

^1 Vancouver . . . .

^H Marjimo

s

H Totitl

>

^^1

M

«

^P

PS

^B I'ORT

H

^m Victoria

-<

^H Xf>\v >ve8inun^

B| Vaiifouver . . .

^1 Nanainio

u

jH TotHt ....

X

^^H

i-

^^K

■/.

S MAMA

■/,

«

j^^H

u

^HB

^

'^^H

:k

H T N tl\c

1

S 1

1

m X po»i

<BH at (fiscuu

U

^1 >iiur conn

(/;

■■ Arctic lis

^B Kivers.

^H At one

^

^H all

is

HI iK-ini; no

it
w

^H alone in

y.

^1 likt'h to

wmm

THE COMMKRVIAL— BRITISH COLUMBIA SUl'PLEMKNT.

X

X

u

The pack for 1892 was by general agreement re-
duced nearly 50 per cent., it being as well a very short
year and therefore not a standard year so far as the
pack is concerned.

CATCH OF SKALIN(i SCHOONKRH.

Sealing Fleet of 1892. — 49 vessels — tonnage, ;!,:J42
tons, !•; canoes, 381 bo?.ts, 091) whites, 350 Indians.

CATCH. — Lowisr Coast, 4,127 skins; Upper Coast,
17,443 skins : Behring Sea, 28,817 skins : Indian canoes
1,540 skins ; Catch oil' Ivurile Islands, 399 skins ; Total,
52,305.

Sealing Fleet of 1892 : — Victoria, 04 vessels, tonnage
4,405 tons, 244 canoes, 275 boats, 957 whites, 188
Indians.

Sealing Fleet of 1892 — Vancouver, 0 vessels, tonnage
274 tons, crews 111 men.

TRAUB HKTl'KNH- IMI-ORTH.

The totnl imports o( British Coliinihia for the yf*r ending .lune 30, 181)2 : -

TOTAL TOTAI,

I'ORTOK fll'TIAllLK. KRKh

(tUOIW.

Victoria t 2,92.1,41)1 !»83-2,6Sl

New Westmiiiater . Ml.mt , mi, Ml)

Vancouver Wl,6(ll) 7S2,W)6

N»rjilll0 254,26« 2fl,3«9

LBAK
TOBAIX'O.
120,51X1

RRVK.NI'K RKV);?il'K

1802. ISDl.

*l,0S3,fi91 13 «387,(S72 i;

l.'i.OlO 4:1 1)8,031) 4.'i

330,(18 86 0:,ll a 31

T.^.'ilfi 16 331, aw 02

Tolnl #4,671,888 «1,803,1()6 m\MW ^l,.^),^! 37 «l,4al,222 1)5

KXTORTO.

(•ORT Ol" TOTAL, 1842.

VIclorIa #.1,037,428

New Westmlnxter 388,471

Vum'ouver 641,eiX)

Nnnaimo 2,628,40<)

Total #8,674,(180

IflTAL, ]8i)l-

i'2,77»,873

401,520

2,:V)6,S.'iU

ttM,40(l

«i,':ri7.i5N

MAMMALS-MAINLAND AND ISLANDS.

IN the deer family the moose ranks lirst. Its princi-
pal habitat is in the Peace River countrv, the
point nearest to the coast which it reaches ^eing
at (liscour I'ortagc, FortCieorge. All through the Cas-
siar country it is plentiful, and nortii on the slope of the
Arctic as far as the mouth of the Yukon anil McKenzle
Kivers. It has a very wide distribution.

At one time the .Vmerican elk, or wapiti, was found
all oviu' the mainland, but has been exterminated, it
lieing now eontined to the Island of Vancouver, wliere
alone in British Columbia It !■■ found, ami where it is
likely to l)e safe for a long tii.ie to come. It is specially
plentiful in the centre of the island, keeping away as
far lis possible from settlement. It is hunted more or
less every year by sportsmen, but tlierti is iK^er a
large number killeil.

The wootUand caribou is founil in the interior, along
I lie Selkirks, tt) the head waters of the Skeona and
Naas rivers anil ranges as far as Cassiar. It Is iiuite
plentiful, but not hunted much, except by those who
can alford time and money.

The mule deer, so called on account of its large cars,
is the largest of the sniall deer, and extends from
Similkiimeen across the interior to Chilcotin. It is found
east of the Cascades only, and is very plentiful. It is
extensively shot, and rapidly thinning out as a coiise-
i|uence. Its habitat is in tho opon country, ou moun-
tain ami plain.

The black-tailed deer is ])lcntlfill on Vancouver Is-
land and all the Islands of the coast as far as ,\laska.
It is, ill fact, common on the const and ranges all along
It. but Is not found ('ust of the ('ascades.

WhIte-tuileil deer are found only in the scaithern part
of the Province in the valleys along tho borders of
streams. They are not plentlhil, antl are rapidly be-
coming extinct.

There are no mountain goat on \'ancouver Island,
their principal habitat b''ing along the coast range,
where they are abundant, but they are found all over
the mainland wherever there are mountains. With the
exception that they live in very inaccessible mountain
peaks, they arc not considered great game, being very
stupid and easily shot when their haunts are reached.

'I he suinmiiiii honu in of gport, however, in British
Columbia is tlie hunt for big horn or mountain sheep,
which are found throughout but not west of the Cas-
cades. Their habitat is in the Similkameen valley, in
the Chilcotin country, aiid as far north as the
boundary of the Province. The big horn sheep
are much hunted, the ram's heads especially being
regarded as great prizes. One incentive to their
liunting is tlie difficulty of the sport att'orded. Unlike
the mountain goat, they are very diflieult to bag, which
is accomplished l)y stalking and still hunting.

The black be:ir is found everywhere on the islands
and mainland.

The grizzly is found only on the mainland and
chiefly on the coast ; also in Cariboo, along the Nortli
Thompson, in Kootenay. in the Horse Fly county and
as far north as Alaska. He is wary and very hard to
get a shot at, and the most dangerous of all animals
when wounded. They reach as high as 1000 lbs. in
weight.

The American panther is found all over British
Columbia but is not common anywhere except on Van-
couver Island, where he does a lot of damage. The
largest shot was 8 ft., 2 in. in length, but desjjite his
size and great strength the panther js one of the most
cowardly of animals and is referred to by the Indians
as "cultus."

A really dangcroui animal is the Canada Lynx. He
is found only on the mainland, on the coast, in Chilco-
tin, in the Peace Hiver county, in Cariboo and is very
abundant in Cassiar.

The wild cat is found only west of the (Cascades, but
not on the Island, lake the panther he too is very
" eultus."

The wolverine, a member of the bear family, is a
habitat of tlu' mainland and island, abundant on tlu'
north and running south to the Similkameen. There
arc few on the coast.

The grey wolf a lonely resident of the forest, is
found all over the province, Init more plentiful oii the
east coast of \aiieouver Island. The Coyote, or prairie
wolf, is east of the Cascades in the dry open country.

The fox — red, black, silver and cross— is east of the
Cascades, and in the north.

The marten habilals in \'iiiieouver Island, but is
more abundant in ilie interior and northward.

Mink, almndani on the coast, but found every-
where.

Similarly the lieaver is fouinl all over, but is more
abundant on Vancoincr Island and nonliward on the
inainlar.il.

The land utter has a bi^y range, being found jill over,
but is noi eoinmoii anywhere.

The fisher is not eoinmon, but like tlu' otter is over
the mainland.

The smaller animals are the hare, rabbit, weasels,
skunks, and the ground_liog.

liAMK ItlUDS,

The coast is rich in game-birds and wator-fowl, as
well as the whole of the interior. A check list pub-
lished by Mr. .lohn Fannior, curator of the museum,
contaiijs the principal of these, and from its jxiges the
most common are enumerato^l.

THE (!(>MAfER(!IAr.—HJirrfSH CoLVhfHIA srPPLEMENT.

(Jrebes — western, red-necked, liorned, American
eared. Loons- great northern diver, Pacitic ; tufted
puffin, marbled murrelet, pifi^eon guilleniot, Calfornia
mnrre. (iulls — glacous-winj^ed, western, railiis's.
American lierring, California, ring-billed, Honaparte's ;
short-tailed albatross; fork-tailed petrel; Lore! is petrel;
cormorants —white-crested and violet-green

Ducks are largely represented. The most common
are the American merganser, red-breastc<l mergauser
and hoo<led morgauser, the mallard, green-winged
teal, American widgeon, pintail, American scamp duck,
American golden-eye, butter-ball, long-tailed duck,
harlequin, white-winged scoter, surf scoter. Thi- geese
are the lessei snow, American white-fronted, Canada
goose, Ilutchin's, cackling, black brant. AVhistling
swans are not uncommon. The American bittern and
great blue heron arc abundant, also the sand-hill crane.
Carolina rail and American coote are common. The
northern i)halarapc, Wilson's snipe, the rwl-breastcd
snipe, Robin snipe, the least sandpiper, red-backed
sandpiper, western sandpiper, yellow-legs, wandering
tatler, and butt'-breasted sandpiper are abundantly
resident. The most common plovers are black-bellied
and American golden.

Most common varieties of grouse are the mountain
partridge, California partridge, sooty grouse, the i'ool
lien, Canadian rulHed grouse, willow iitarniigan, and
white-tailed ptarmigan.

Pigeons are not common. There are sixteen
varieties of hawks, which are irijundaiit everywhere.
The golden and bald eaglej are everywhere abundant.
There are about a dozen varieties of owls. The smaller
birds are fairly well represented, such as cuckoos,
woodpeckers, humming birds, )>ercliiiig birds, larks,
,jays, magpies, blackbirds, finches, sparrows, swallows,
warblers, tits, etc. But, breaking generally, they are
less fre<iuent than in the east. There is a noticealilc
absence of songsters and birds of bright plumage.

Knglisli and .lapanese pheasants have been intro-
duced, anil the former are jilentiful in the southern end
of Vancouver Island, especially about Victoria.

MINERALS OF THE COAST.

TIIK g"ol()gical nature of the northern iiit(M'ior has
been pretty fully described (riscwhore. The
subiiiergi'd inountaiiis lying .iloiigside the
mainland and wliich is a cuntiiMijition of the coast
rang<^ i.-< rei>r('sentcd by a series of Islanils. the largest
of which is Vancouvi'r Island. The,\ I'l'produce in the
main tiie physical features of the adjacent coast. A
recent otticiai guide book says ; "The island (Vancou-
ver) may be described geologically as a group of up-
turned gU(US8ie rocks, cinbracing certain lerliary areas
anil worn down by glacial action, so that in one plac<'
extensive gravel moraines, in another beds of bouldi'r
clay, sandstones alternate with the barren elKVs of
trap. Upon such unpromising Hiii'lici^ geiuirat'ons of
11 r trees have nourished, and by their deeay gradually
deposited a mould of nicreasing thickness sultici(;nt to
providi' suitablo ground for othiT forms of vegetation,
until till! country has become covered with a dense
growth of timber, varying according to tint situation and
adaptability to the wants of eacli particular kind."
The coniferous trees grew on the gi-avelly ridges and
granitic deposits, while the deciduous plants and trees
grow on the beds of bouldcu' da ;. and thus one form
of vegetation succeeded another, ma))les _ growing on
burnt pine lainls. "Indeed, in time,' says the writer

Just (inotetl. 'nuich the same sequence of soft and hard
timber might be expected on the coast as is known to
have occurcd on that of tin' Atlantic, where firs, oaks
and beeches have followed in successive order." In-
fcrentially, therefore, we might conclude if no other
evidence was alforded, that the Pacific belonged to a
later geological peritnl than the Atlantic. To man be-
longs the task of diversifying the forestry of this pro-
vince and cultivating tiie hard woals, which nature in
her own slow way would have accomplished in time.

In regard to the geological structure of the coast we
have simply to look around us to apprehend in a limi-
ted w;iy the mighty disturbances and upheavals which
pro<lucc its ruggi'tl exterior. To it we owe the intru-
sions of precious metiils and materials of economic value
which observations regarding the surface have disclos-
ed. For this reason, for the reason that there is a "sea
of inountiains,' the whole of Hritish Columbia may be
characterized as a minerali/ed arcji ; and not less the
part of it now under consideration. To describe briefly
the minerals of the Coast is the objcet of tiiis chapter.
Those of the northerii intcilor have been included in
the geni'ral review de\oted to that and will not be jv-
ferred to here.

In no part of the cuast can it lie described as highly
auriferous. (iold in i)laces has been discovered at
Sooke and in Albcriii distr' , but not in considerable
(|uantitics. Colors can be obtained in many of the
streams all the way up the coast, but nowhere in pay-
ing (luantitics. The black sands at the north end of
Vancouver Island have yielded tine gold in small
c|uantities, and it is said with proper appliances could
be maile to \y.\\ W('II, but little has been done to de-
monstrate their values yet. A very rich jiocket of
gold was miiuMl years ago on Moresly Island, on the
(^ucen Charlotte group, but was cpiickly exhausted and
no further iliscoverics liavc ever been made. A good
deal of prosiH'cting was doiK,' in Ti'xada Island several
years ago, ami very rich surface indications were dis-
covered, tile gold lieing found in stringers. Develope-
ment work ii.is not been snilicient to prove the value of
the deposits. It is said that in and in the vicihity of
Victoria city c|uai'tz veins exist in considerable body,
but if so, the assay value has not been siillicient to in-
duce any dcvelopement to t;ikc place. Altogether, not
Miuch more has bei-n ascertjiineil than that gold exists.

So far as known silver does not exist in any large or
paying i;uantities. A ledge of argentiferous galena
was discovered on Moresly Island, but was lost ;ind
never since found again. Sume Nanaimo prospectors
last year claimed tn have discovered ledges nn the
mainlanil coast «'(iual to the Slocan finds, but nothing
11101 ;■ has been heard of it. Kive years ago ledgers
were prosjieeted on Howen l-l,iiid and favorable jissays
obtained, but that tuo has lapsed into olijjvion. Mural-
i/.ed riH'U of some deseriptinii w.is fouixl in considerable
quantities on the- north side nf Hurr.ird Inlet, but (>vi-
(leiilly of not snlllciently high grade to work.

Coi>per i.^ one of the UK'tals inosl l'rec|U('ntly met with
all up and down the coast, both as copper pyrites and as
jmre native copper. It Is found in a great many streams
ami rivers, and the Indians nnide a variety of uses of the
one n.itive article, but no large IhmIv of it has been found
in one piaci'. The indications arc. however, that very
extensive deposits of copper ore will be located some-
where on \\w coast, (irey copper ore is found on Tox-
ada island,

inoK,

What the Ihlnnds ami coast lacU in preejons inotals
they make up in the I'ennoniie mineials. Princlixil ol'

these are iron.
Westminster 1
magnetite prc(

On Texada
magnetic iron
Irondale smelt
at the north en
bor exists, a sj
DeWolf & M
tiO per cent (
fe(^t in width,
of it, the <
smelting worli
relation to fa(
There is limes
tainable, and
Comox.

Redonda Isl

contains the h

located on tl

Channel. Tlu

smooth the y

feet. The pro

Munro. Then

iipart. No. 1

K) i\. The ar

Ciovernmeut c

Metallii

Sulphui

Phosphi

Titanic

Insolub

Of course
stage as yet, a
of its extent,
millions of to
ehannel on tlu
the sanu^ pai
done. Marbh
vein of which

There arc "
of iron else
l)rincipttl dc]
large contrac
side of the
supply of ire
with unexcel
to be no rcj
not be estabi
any other pa

Another n
It Is abuiida
quality. Th
head of .Icrv
the granite

The chief
work in qua
tide water i
N'niu'ouvcr.
and Hulllcien
lo come. It
whose head
exteimivt
shitu is of e
or Welsh ai
men. Two
III Toronto 1'
willing to p

tl

THE aoMMKRCIAL-BlUTIHll (DLUMlilA SUPPLEMENT.

U

hard
1 to
oaks
In-
)ther
to M

1 1)C-

pro-
.^ in
ic.

we
limi-
i'liich
iitru-
•aliie

il'lOb-

"sca

be

the

■icHy

ipter.

ed in
rc-

tliese arc iron. Hematite deposits exist at Tort Kells (in
Westminster DistrictX at Soolic and elscwlierc, but
magnetite predominates.

On Texada Island there is a very large deposit of
magnetic iron ore on (iilley Bjiy, the property of tlie
Irondale smelting works. Washington. .Vt Blubber Hay,
at the north end of the island, where an excellent har-
bor exists, a s])lendid iron property is owned by Messrs.
HeWolf & >iunro, Vancouver. Tlie ore contains
tiO per cent of iron, the vein being from '.» to 18
feet in widtli. .\ bed of limestone lies alongside
of it. the conditions being most favorable for
smelting works being erected there, particularly in
relation to facilities for ac(iuiring material for tluxes.
There is limestone without limit, charcoal is easily ob-
tainable, and a splendid coking coal is mined at
Comox.

Redonda Island, 10 miles nortn of Texada Island,
contains the largest deposit of iron on the coast. It is
located on the north end ot the island on Price's
Channel. The anchorage is good, and the water is
smooth the year round, above which the ore is tlOO
feet. The property is owned by Jlessrs. De Wolf and
Munro. There are two veins developed, about 2(X) feet
apart. No. I vein is 2'.t ft. ti in. of solid ore, and No. 2
ID ft. The analysis of the coal made by the Dominion
fiovernment chemist was as follows :

Metallic iron <>.'). H7

Sulphur . .01.")

Phosphorus nil

Titanic nil

Insoluble matter 8. Of.

Of coui'se (leveloi)ment work is in its incipient
stage as yet, and it is impossible to give any estimate
(if its extent, but the presumption is that there are
millions of tons of it. On the opposite side of the
channel on the mainland is a similar dei)osit, owned by
the same parties. No developmenr work has been
done. Marble occurs alongside, white and gray, the
vi'in of which is 50 feet wide.

There are iron ore deposits and frciiuent indications
of iron tlsi'where along the coast, but these an; the
principal deposits. Messrs. De Wolf i<: Munro have
large contracts to suiijily ore to smelters on the other
side of the line, and with ajiparently an inexhaustible
supply of iron ore, with every facility for fluxing, and
with unexcellwl communication by water, there seems
Id be no i'((asoii why a large smelting Industry could
not be established and iron produced as cheaply as in
any other part of the world.

ShATKS.

.\notlu!r natural priHluct of great imitortance is slate.
It is abuiidanily plentiful on the coast and of superior
(|Uality. There are slate deposits at Howe Sound, the
head of .lervis Inlet, and elsewhert^ more northerly in
I he granite formation where It is I'ound as intrusions.

The chief deposit and the only one where actum
work in (|uarrying has been undertaken is situated on
tide water on .lervis Inlet, about 100 miles north of
\jin(!ouver. llerc^ therc^ is an immense body of slate,
and Hulllcient for the needs of the trade for numy years
10 como. It is owned by the Westminster Slate Co.,
whose head oltlce is at Westminster', and who have an
extensive trncl of land in connection with it. The
slate Is of excellent i|uality, e(|ual to the best Scotch
or Widish article, and highly commended by practical
int^n. Two years ago an exhibit of this slate was nuide
lit Toronto Fair, and building supplies' dealers were
willing to place large orders for it, provide<l a rate of

freight could be secured so as to allow it to compete in
the market there. The official report on the exhibit
spoke in the highest terms of its ijuality and possibili-
ties. Hut while a rate could Ije secured to sell it profit-
ably in Toronto, the company have recently received
three large orders for it in the Northwest, and expect
to open up a large market there. Although the quarry
has been operated only for a comparatively short time
some of the principal buildings in cities of the Province
have been rooted with this slate, and considerable has
been shipped to Seattle. Tacoma, PortlantI and cities in
California, where it has been received witli great favor.
The only other slate quarry on the Pacific coast is in
California, which produces an inferior article under
most unfavorable conditions for shipping and in a limit-
ed way. TIk; company is now looking to Australia,
Hong Kong and Shanghai, where they expect a large
demand.

The quarry has all modern machinery, and has a
capacity of 1,000 S(|uare8 per month. The plant con-
sists of tramways, 90 h.p. boiler, steam hoists, two
steam drills, three slate dressing machines, a derrick
and all the necessary buildings. It is situated right on
the water's edge, with every facility for shipping.
About S50.0<K) has been spent so far in developing it.
Between 'ih and 10 men arc employed in connection
with it, who produc! about .500 Sijuares per month. The
supply is practically unlimited, and at the present rate
of progress promises soon to become one of Britisli
(Columbia's chief industries.

Itl'ILDIXG MATEKIAI.S,

There is an unlimited supply of building stone on
the coast, both on the islands and mainland.

The principal deposits of gray granite are on Nelson
and Hardy Islands, and on the North Arm of Burrard
Inlet, where (juarries are in operation. There is said
to b(' pure red granite on Valdez Island. However,
the tit'ld for granite is a large one and there are room
for extensivf <|uarries as soon as sulticient demand
exists.

Some excellent sandstones exist also, white and
blueish grays, (jiuarries are located on Newcastle
Island, Koksilah, Coble Hill. F.nglish Bay, and on
Haddington Island. Owing to the extensive sujiply of
stone, granite and saiulstones enter largely into the
construction of all large buildings.

Iiimestone exists in large bodies in Texada Island,
the Peninsula of Sceanicle. on Hedonda Island and
elsewhere.

Clays for brick-making are found everywhere north
and south. I/irge deposits of tire brick clay have been
discovered in the coal mines near Nanaimo, and the
same is being numufactured at the Terra Cotta Works,
Victoria.

COAL MINES OF BRITISH COLUMBIA.

1>HK coal measures of the B.C. coast of British
Columbia seem to bo part of a formation that
extends from California to Alaska, outcropping
at points iill up the Pacific Coast, on the south and east-
ern coast of Vancouver Island, numerous islands In the
gulf, and (,>ueen Charlotte lslan<I. (ieologlcally all
these inilieations iire no doulit related. The principal
deposits, however, and most valuable so far as known
or developed are in the'southeast and eastern portions
of N'aneouvor Island. The coal measures grow iHJtler
apparently as we go north from ('allfornia, no impor-

I

THE COMMERrfAL—nnrriSfl COfMAflUA SUPPLEMENT.

tant or really gooci coal beiiif,' rcaelu'd until we jrct into
Hritish territory. This is proved l>y analyses, iiy the
comiiu'rcial values of the various articles, one-third of
the supply in San Fianeisco heliig received froin the
Vancouver Islaiul mines.

("oal was first discovered at Fort Rupert in the r.irly
thirties and mined liy the lludsons May Co. until aiiout
tSiiO. when a change of th" base of operatioii> was
made to Nanaimo, where good coal in a larjfe body had
1)0011 discovered by Hudson's May Co, tliriiui,'-li -the
agency of Indians. Subsciiuently the mines were sold
to the Vancouver Coal Co., London, Kiig., which was
subsiHiucntly reorganized as the New Vancouver Coal
Co., and is now under the successfull manageinriit of
Mr. S. >l. Robins.

The other princijial coal property is that owned
and controlled by the Messrs. Dunsmuit , i>f X'ictoria,
whose father, the late Flon. Robt. Dunsiuuir, aniassed
the largest fortune in the ])roviiice by his successful
operation ot mines at Wellington and elsewlnre. He
was a coal expert in the I'luploy of the Vanc<iuv(r Coal
Co. many years ago, discovered coal at Departure May,
and though a poor man then, interested suttieient capi-
tal to develop it and by industry and enterpri/e amass-
ed wealth and ac(|uired political iiiHuence. lie built
out of his own means the K.s(|uiinalt and Nanaimo rail-
way, for which he received .■i,<XX),()(W acres of laiiil in
the southern portion of the ishinil. known as the K. X* N.
railway belt. He died rated at between ten and tifteen
millions of dollars, and at the time of his deee;isc was
president of the council of IJritish Columbia. Tlie two
princi])al coal districts are the N'anaimo and Conic\
districts, the first embracing an area of two hundred
and the second three hundred thousand s(|Uare miles,
the workable coal being imputed at IiI.OOO.imki tons to tln'
tfiiuare mile. The cual measures are of cretaecous for-
mation ; the coal highly bitummous : .-iikI the >eam3
from six to ten feet in thickness. Itut the above Isy no
means rei)rescnt the jiossibilities of the cdast in the de-
velopement of the coal mining industrx. Ndi speak-
ing of the coal measure extending up the e.i>t cuast of
N'ancouver Island, in which there are said to be several
valual)le ))ropertie.>,coal has lieeti located on a mimberof
the adjoining islands, euch as Tninbo and Mayne and
many others, on 'jiueen Charlotte Island and in many
parts of the northern interior. Willi reference to the
latter two, considerably has already been said.

Without going intu any descriptiim oi' the mines
themselves, all coal mines being more or less alike,
some more may be said of the established cdllit'ries,

TIIK NEW VANi:yUVEH ((HI. (d.

at N'j'.iaimo, has the largest producing and best e((uip-
pod mines on the island. .\|)ail Irom that it has been
a most important factor in building up a prosperous
community. A iargi' i)ro|iortioii of the citizens of Nii-
iiaimo are miners, or those who directly or indirectly
exist thivmgh this industry. Much of tiie jirosperity is
due td a wis(! and liberal policy on the part of the
management ot the coal mines. Most of the men own
and live in their own houses on their own lots and are
thus rendered liajijiy and contente(l iind to a cnrtain
(!Xtent independent. It may be regardtvl jis a nuKlel
mining town, which has few jiarallels in that important
respect. The same wise jiolisy has entere(l into all re-
lations with the miners themsi'lves and as a coiise-
iiueiiee strik(?s have been averted and mutual good
will established. ,

The Nanaimo colliery iiudiides N'(j. 1 pitt, Ksplanade,
Nanaimo : Southficld No. 2, Southtield No. ,'!, S(iiitli(lelil
No, 5, No. 1 Northtield shaft. Southtield No, 2 is

worked by slope, in a seam tl to 10 feet ; Southlield .\o.
8, by shaft, seam o to 10 feet. Southfield No. o. shaft,
seam ."> to 10 tV'et : No. 1 Ksjilanade, shaft, seam ('.
to 12 feet ; No. 1 .Northtield, shaft, seam 1 feet (i inches.

The following description of the plai.t is gleaned
from the government rejjort : —

•■ Railway to Southlield, i; miles, with sidings: rail-
way to No. 1 shaft, 1 mile with sidings; railway from
Northtield mine to wharf at Departure May, li niiles;
rails arc of steel, ,'iG pounds per yard," of standard
gjiuge, viz., t feet «i inches : 8 hauling and pumping
engines: l.'» steam pumps: .') locomotives: 220 coal
cars iti tons I, besides lumber and ballast cars: fitting
shops for machinery repairs, with turning lathes, bor-
ing, drilling, iilaning, screw cutting machines, hy-
draulic press, steam hammer, etc., etc.; diamond boring
machine, for ex])loratory work (bores to 1,000 feet);
150-horse power electric plant, engines, boilers, dyna-
mo; 2 .'JO-horse power iH ton I hjcomotives : 1 lo-horse
power it torn locomotives; hauling and lighting
(•(piipmenf: wharves, 2.000 feet frontage, at which
ships of the largest tonnage can load at all stages ol
the tide.

The Nanaimo mine is a most valuable iiropcrty with
resources of coal practically inexhaustible. The shaft
is t"..')0 feet deci) to No. 1 level which, with its windings,
is two miles under Nanaimo harbor. Tin, face of the
level is under Protection Island, and last year connec-
tion was made with a shaft there at the d'ejith of (i70
feet, enabling you to go down on Protection Island and
travel two miles under water and come up to daylight
•cgain in Nanaimo. The mine is fitted U]) with a com-
liletc electric iilaiit tbr hauling the coal underneath and
lighting l\w. mine, and this most recent improvement
has proved a succt;ss. .\ large wharf has been built
near the south jioint (jf Protection Island. |()0 feet long,
and the largest ships are able to tic U)i there.

The Southtield mine. Nos. 1 and 2, has produced a
large (pnintity of coal. The c(jal is hard and go<Kl and
I'lenty of it, but owing to depressed state of the market
has not been worked much recently. The cojil in No.
.') i)it is good ([iiality, but the seam is irregular In
width. The mine is well ei|uipi)ed with all necessary
appliances, and iiroinises to be ;i large iiri«lucer. The
Northtield mine is live miles from .Nanainnj. The coal
has a thickness of from two to four feet, and the govern-
ment insii(!Ctor in his report s.ays: •' lieing hard and of
good ((Uality comni.iiids tlie highest price in Victoria
and in the Californi.i markel. .iiid in any other place
where it has been iiiliDduced. "

In addition to the coal got at tliis mine there has
been a large (luantity of lir(^ clays e.\tracted and for-
wjiiiled by rail to the Hritish Columbia pottery and
Terra C(jtta Co., wliose works arc near \icteria, and
who manufacture ar.'icles e(|ual toany of that class that
are to Ix^ got from England.

Tne New Vancouver Coal Co. has done .iiid is doing
a good deal of exploratory work, .and its miiiiagcineiit
being very popular as well as Judicious, its eontimicd
success is the wish of all classes, OiKMil'the character-
istic features of the company's jiolicy is Tie betterment
of the community surrounding the sphere of its opera-
tions, and more particularly the condition of its oni-
ployees. Mr. S. .M, Rollins, the superintendent, per-
sonally has done much towards assisting the progrcsn
of the city of Nanaimo iuid all connected with the
industry.

THE WEIil.I.NdTON MI.NE8.

The Wellington Collieries are ow I by the Messrs.

iJunsmuirs, and comprise Nos. 1, I, 5 and (i pits. There

•Ai.;^-.j--:vi

Thi- Com,

II

\|K\\ S|,\TK <||I'AKI{V, .IaUSI^ InI,KT -OwNKI' UV WksI'M I \s TKK Sl.AlK < H

A. IIasi.am's Saw Mii.i. anh I'"a< tuuv, nkvu Nanaimi' - takkn i-kum Mii,i,stone,
'I'he Vommi'mal—linthh Colntnhiti Siii>i)li'iiiiiif.

^^.i

^

^

* ■ i ~ ■ "

A

,.,iiii||||^H

s

1
, - 1

1

^m^mm"

1

- -

' —

ii]|^H|

-^ 1

' . V ■

^'

./^ ' 'ii'w *

^WJ

.2"''^'^.,.

*. o

7.,

1

'■?T ff«

!n

/»<.'•>

• ■ ■ "-^65&^^^ ^ '^"^

^^^^^^i^Vl^^I*^ ,..-."=** 1 1 ■ ^1 -'^"l^BJ^^^

Sai.miin (.'axxerv, Xorthehk Coast.

LsniAX Vii,LA<iK, Mashett, i^t. C. I.
7V(P CntniiiPrcid/ lirithh Cofuttihia Supjili-iupnt

l'li(>l<iura|ih li\ .\U>\ANis \ ii'tiirtn,

iirc four slia
air sliat'ts.
sidings aii<l
13 station:! r
loading vcss
lire May. '1
three I'cct ai
feet. Close
hard rock tl
thiek ; then
l)lai'k dirt,
twenty-eigh
feet of ino.st
niueli sougl
niuir .4.- Sons
have sent a
nnibia I'otti
^vhich liavc
.Majesty's w;
great satish
that is imitoi
No. ;{ pit 1
plenty of eo.
down on aec
mined coal
the WellingI
is also com
Departure 1
and is worki
ijuite close
coal is han
Wellington s
\o. 2 slopt
Alexandria i
and is ahou
the New Vai
for some tir
resumed thi;
with the lat
economicall;
coal niark<
operated as
also interfei

There arc
•J. Then'
feet thick ;
There are
motives ; :11
(hjukey en
steam pile
fe(!t per diiy
These mine
eonsideraliix
goml (jualitj

This is o>\
Mr. James I
sloiie, with
railway, I U
cat's, -'i Ion'
steam puiaj
driver. 'I'l
and the di
toiitiou of
ovens. Alt
started to w
to causes
The tnines i
tlemenl of <

d

THE roMMERi'IAI^-ltRITlsil COLUMHIA SUPPLEMENT.

iire four shafts, with slopes, iiirway ami h;vi'ls jiihI 8 A sliafl is being sunk on .lurabo Island, with jfoinl

air shafts. There are five inili-:, of railways, with prospects of success, a fair seam beinf,' discovercfl l)v

sidinjcs and branches, si.\ Im'oniotives, 250 coal cars, boring. It is now down .■i5U feet.

i;j stationary engines, 'J steam juimps, 4 wharves for Taking all these together and the undeveloped Helds

loading vessels and bunkers. No, 1 ])it is near Dejiart- which are largely distributed all over the Coast, there

ure May. The upper seam, which is worked, is about are prospects of" an illimitable supply of coal'on the

three feet and of good (.iiiality. The shaft is ilowu 3U0 Mritish Columbia coast for all time to come, which with

feet. Close on the top and betwcn the coal and the its proximity with immense .|uantities of ccal must

hard rock there is a bed of Hre-ciay, live feet six inches evc^ntually give this province the ]>osition in manufac-

thick : then below the coal they have four feet of soft turing now occupied by Great Britain.

black dirt, and next comes a solid bed of lire-clay,

twenty-eight feet thick, making altogeth.M" thirty-three Coixiekv rktukn-,s IH'.f.'.

f(>et oi" most valuable lire-clav, an article that has been .omput ..Tons nnn>is vaiue

much sought after Ml this country. 1 he Messrs. Duns- .N.,Mimo isi.ssn sa-m mi? iwooo

muir A- Sons, although not manufacturing it themseves, Jl^J/t'eifil^n.-,,::::: T«!^^, ''iiZ '?J5 'iZ

have sent a i|Uantity of this fire-clay to the Hritish Col- inmi. colliery «s,«,;s o«,.m9 seo 100,'oon

umbia Pottery and Terra Cotf,ii Company, some of The returns for 180 1 were rather more favorable

-vliich have been ni^'.iie into brick for use in Her than the above, the coal industry being very much de-

.Ma.jesty's war ships on this coast, which brick has given pressed during l8!tL', owing to tiie glut of foreign coal

great satisfaction, and compares favorably with any in San Francisco, the pi incipal market for the B. C. out

that is imiHirted from Kngland. |tiit.

No. ;5 pit has not lieeii worked for two years, but has statistics ok the coal mining indl'strv.

plenty of coal. No. 4, 1,()()0 yards east, though now shut -p,,^ following table shows the output of each year

down on account of be ng HoikU^I to extinguish hre. has j.,„„^ ^^-^ ^^ ^^^.y jnCusiye :_

mined coal extensively. No, .5 pit is the only mine of ^^^^ ^

t\w Wellington colliery connected with the E. .t N. It ih;". ".° " u^JI^,',

is also connected by rail with the shipping i)oint at |"'^ • •■ V.V!.',',....,', ..' iio,'ooo

,, ,, ,,,,'• I • \ " ■ . '»"' 130,00(1

Departure Bay. this also is a very extensive niine w:? i.m.ooo

and is working on a large face of coal. No. ("> pit is ^''^.'.\\]V^V'//^^.[VJ/^V\\'^\['\'.[''\\V^'\\\.\.:'.'.'.'.'.''.'.'.'.\[[ ili.'ooll

(|Uite close to No. 4 and connect<'(t with No. o. The }*?' ••••• '• itis'.coi)

coal is hard and of th(! usu.il good quality of the; isvj!!!'.'.'."!!!!'.'.!;.'."','.!;!;;11;;!V.','.','.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.','.'.!!',!'. '.',',, ."'..!;!; 2s!!ooo
Wellington seam, varying from 1 to8 feet in thickness. J^ V^'.'^\V^''\''.'.'.y.'^V'.'.\''Z:l'yV^[V^[\\\\V^'^'.'.'.'.'.''.[\.l[ mm

No. 2 slope has not been worked for several years. ^^^ ',,".'..'. ...',' '..'.'.'.".'. s»b\m\

Alexandria mine belongs to Messrs. Dunsmuir it Sons, lft^7 '.'.'.'.'. \\.[''^ly..i.V ..V^.^\\./\..y':":/y^\'^]'.'.'.'.'.'.'.\'.\\] 'u3\m„

and is about one mile south of the Southfield mine of }^f:.;;;'.'.;:;..':;;;:.:::. .'.'.■;:::;■:;;,■ ■..;; JJS

the New Vancouver Cotil Co, It has not been 'vorking isi"' ".'.',, V,',','.'.'.'.'.'..'."!!.'.'.'.'.','.'.'.'.'.".'.'.' B78!i4o

for some time, but operations were expected to be wll :,',':!.!',!,'!..\\\\'.''.',.'.'.'.\,;,','.;,\";;;V,.'.;!!^'.',\'.\,'!.;;:!.',^' ''SmISs

resumed this year. -Ml these mines are well equipped

with the latest labor-saving machines, and are most ruc r"0\CT IMHIAM*; np RPITKH

economically worked. Owing to thr depression of the inC*^UA51 IINUIAIN:^ ur DKll l^n

coal market for several years, they havi' not been COLUMBIA.

openited as actively as in former years. Strikes have

also interfered with their working, /tAjIE Coast Indians of British Columbia include all

I those from I'oiiit Robert at the international

J. boundary to Alaska, including those on Van-
couver Island and (iHieen Charlotte Islands and on the
Xaas and Lower Skeena, They may be classed ac-
cording to the aflinity of their language as follows: —

1. The West Coast Indians, inhabiting the west coast
of \aiicouver Island, and including the Sookes and
Beecliy Bay Indians on the south and southeast of .aii-
coiiver Island.

2. The Flatheads, from Sooke to Comox on the Island
and from I't. J{obcrts on the mainland up. to S(|uamisli,
at the head of Howe Sound and uj) the Fraser River
four miles above Fort Langley.

.'{. The Fort Ruperts, cmliraciiig all those from Cape
Mudge, north on the east coast of Vancouver Island, on
intervening islands and on the mainlaii<l as far north
as Bella Bella on Mcliiiughlin Sound, which include
.Jervis, Hute, Knight, Kingcombie, Smith and Rivers In-
lets and Blunden Harbor.

4. The Hclla Bellas, including Bella Bellas, Kokoitz,
Kemsi|uit,s, and China Hats in Tolmie Channel

.'), Bella Coolas at the head of Bentinck Arm,

(i, kitlupes at the head of (iardner's Inlet ; Kitaniats
at the head of Douglas Channel ; Kitkalitas at Hartley
Bay, McKay's Reach ; Kitkahtlas at Lowe Inlet and on
the islands at the mouth of the Skeena ; anil the Kitti-
sliaus on the Skeena River,

KAST WELI.I.VOTON COAL CO,

There are two shafts at Fast AVellington Nos. 1 and
2, There ;ire 2se;ims: lower or main seam, 2A to 7\
feet thick ; Upper nr small se.uii, 2 feet thick : 2 shafts.
There are 1,', miles standard narrow gauge : 2 loco-
motives ; ;!1 il^ ton I coal cars : 2 hoisting engines, 2
donkey engines; I fan engine: 7 steam pumps: 1
steam pile-driver : 1 steam saw mill, c;ii>acity 12,0(J*l
feet p(M' ilay. Mr. AV. S. Chandler is superintemlent.
These mines have been working steadily. The coal is
consideral)ly broken and is ilinicult to mine, but is of
go«l cpiality anil commands a high price,

MUM lOI.LII'JiV, COMOX,

This is owned by the I'nion Colliery Co,, of which
Mr. .lames Dunsmuir is president. It cunsists of No, I
sloiie, with airway and levels. There are 12 miles of
railway, 4 feet A\ inches gauge; 4 locomotives; UK) coal
cars, 25 tims ; 1 diamond drill ; ,1 stationary engines ; .'l
steam pumps ; 1 steam saw mill ; 2 wharves ; 1 pile
driver. The coal mined here is a good coking article
and the demand for the coke is active. It is the in-
tention of the Comjiany to build a number of coke
ovens. Although two of the mines have recently
started to work not much has been done recently owing
to causes previously stated as affecting other mines.
The mines are locat • 1 near the extensive farming set-
llemoul of Comox.

i I

THE COMMERCIAL— nniTIHH COLUMBIA SUPPLIJMEXT.

7. Tlic Mcllakiilitlab, Tsirapseans and Naas Kivcr
Indians

8. The Hydalis of (^>uecii Charlotte IsIhiuIh.

The AVcst Coast Indians ari' supposed to iiave been
some time or other connected with the Japanese eitlier
by descent or intermarriage, owing to the striking re-
semblance to the latter people. They were at one time
a brave and warlike nation, often lighting among
themselvcs,and with the Flattery Indians on the Ameri-
can side. Perhaps the most noted were the Cloyo-
iiuots. Of later years, however, they liavo become
greatly civilized in this re? 'ct. Tliey include the
lieechy liiiys, Sookes, Fatchiiias, Kitmats, Clayotiuots,
Xootkas, Euclulicts, Kuehucklessets, Koyu(iuots,
Ghecsbat? and the l^uatsinos.

The Flat Heads were so called from their liabit in
early days of compressing tin; foreheads of theirchil-
drcn, they considering a Hat full moon face a mark of
beauty. The West Coast l.idians on the contrary, com-
press their skulls, so as to give it an elongated appear-
ance, somewhat resembling a sugar loaf; but these
practices have been discontinued of late years. The
West Coast Indians, too, largely indulge in ornaments,
such as earrings, nose rings and lip bones, termed ca-
noe lips, worn by women inserted in the lower lip.
The Hat heads, on the other hand, only wear earrings,
Hngerrings and bracelets. These tribes are : F-squi-
malt, Songhish, Saanich, Cowichan, t^uoenichan, Sonii'-
nas, Chemainus. Penelhocotts, Xanaimo. S(iuamish,l!ur-
rord Inlet, False Creek. New Westminster, Langley.
Port Hammond, Cotiuitlam,lIusi|Uden and Point Roberts
and extending on the .Vmerican side as far as Port
Angeles. The NeaL Bays and Flatterys belong to the
same family as the West Coast Indians. These are the
characteristic Siwash of the coast. They are as a rule
of small stature, averageing .') ft.. ."> ft i' in. in height,
with "irgc, heavy, well developed bodies, but very vle-
minutive lower limljs, in bo<ly giants, in limb pigmies.
This is the evolutionary eHect of tl:oir constant life in
canoes, without which they hardly travel any distance,
while their exertion in paddling has devoloped their
body and arms. They are of somewhat servile natuir.
working harder and more easily inclined to be civilized
than any other of the Hritish Columbia Indians. Some
of them, however, were flerce and wicked enough ii:
their days, esjiecially the Cowiehans. <j»uainichans,
Chemainus and Peullhaeats. .Most of them have em-
braced Christianity and are principally Catholics. The
Songhees and Ks(|uimalts are .MetlWlists, also the
N'anainios. The ( 'omox Indians are Church of Kngland.
Asa rule they make very little use of their reserve set
M])art for agricultural purjio^-rs, iireferring to make their
living liy liunting. fishing, as mill hands, stevedores,
steamboat liaiid.s, etc. The S(|uamish Indians are fisher-
men and hunters, and the Scchelts are mostly liaiuUog-
gers. They make, as a rule, a farely good wage and
have more to spend than the average white working-
man.

The Fort Rupert tribe commences at a line drawn
south of Cape Mudge on VaMez Island across to t le
mainland and includes the following villages: Capo
Mudge, Alert Hay, Fort Rupert. Mamallid'laculla,
Nuoity, Matilipe, Cape Scott, Hhindubarboo, Jervis
Inlet, Hute Inlet, Knight's Inlet, Kingeombe Inlet,
Smith's Inlet and River's Inlet. They are generally
regarded, and perhaps .justly so. the 'worst Indians ill
British Columbia. Missionary efl'orts have Ix'on of
little avail. Whisky among the men and iirostitutioii
among the women are their prevailing vices, while
indolence, theft, creachcry and sometimes more serious

crimes have characterized them as a nation. Their
villages were shelled on several occasions to bring
them to an appreciation of their duties to siH'iety. One
of their annual diversions is the potlatch, at whicli
the ancient <'UStom of a lavish distribution of wealth
and the eating ol live dogs liy medicine men are con-
spicuous features. These potl.itches are described as
terrible orgies.

Strongly in contrast with the Fort Ruperts are the
Bella Bellas, their Hrst cousins, who reside in and
around McLaughlin Sound. They include the Bella
Bellas proper, the Kokoitz, (Tiinaman Hats and the
Kems(iuits. Many years ago they were the most Herce
and troublesome tribe of the Coast, but are now among
tiie most civilized. They are sujierior in every way to
the Fort Ruperts, morally as well as otherwise. They
appear to be devout Christians and trustworthy in
business. They run a co-cjierative store among them-
selves and two shops in connection with it. They .are
retentive o.' memory and (|uiek at ac(|uiring knowl-
edge. They are splendid workers, do a little carving
ot curios, make mats for sale, hunt and Hsh and do
anything else with a penny in it. Their pretty village
is one of the neatest and most pieturesiiue on the Coast.
They pronounce it " Bal Ballas." The women do a
goo<l business in picking and drying wild berries,
which abound there in gnuxt profusion, particularly the
soapberry, the blacklierry and raspberry. The Hrst-
namcd is dried in eikes and when used is mixed with
water and sugar and worked in a basin, when it turns
to a foam resembling soaj) suds, and when sipped Ls-
quite palatable.

The Kemsiiuits. at the head of Dean's Canal, are <f
connecting link l)etween the Bell;i Bellasand BellaCoolas.
The latter, though related to the former, are very little
like them in any respect, more especially in morals.
They are characterized by the lack of cleanliness, dili-
gence, artistic skill, and moral piTcejition possessed by
the others. Their redeeming feature is that they de-
vote themselves to .igriculturo to a greater extent than
finy of the Coast tribes and raise and sell a good many
potatoes. They have considerable goocf laml in their
(•e.sei'vc. The women, though not particularly vivtuous,
;'. ;• goal workers in the salmon eamieries Aiiri hop-
('j|(ls. The Bella Cynla-- have a strong regard ft>i- the
almighty dollar, but .ipart frtnn their cupi<litj-,. are
neither bright nor cunning.

We next come to the Kits and the Sims, •■ Kit" and
"Sim" or "Tsim ' mean people. " Tlius "Tsim-Shaii"
and ' Kittishan" or "Kit-shan" mean "people of the
river Shan. ' which white people have corrupted into
Skeena. 'Kit-salas," an up river tribe, means "people
of the rough waters." their abode being at the canon,
about l.")0 miles above Port Fssingion. The Kiiimats,
at the head nl Douglas eleiniiel, are the first of this na-
tion, being a conneelliig link belweiMi the Bella jiiul
the great Ts:m])sean people of Metlakahtla. I'orr.
Simjison and N'aas. 'J'lie same may be said of the
Kitluj)es, at the lu^ad of (iardner Channel. They
both speak the Tsimpsean language. Their chiefs,
as well as that of the Kitkahtlas, the famous "Shakes,"
all large, powerful men, are half brothers. Paul,
the Kitlupe chief weighs over L'.W lbs. He is a not-
ed hunter, and bags a ii\»w'jer of grizzlii.'s each year.
These tribes are highly civilizetl, well informed and
anxious to improve. They are the (exception among
the Indians in regard to natural increase, being all
married, with large families. Tuo Kits are all fa-
mous hiuiters. good lishcrnieii and excellent work-
men. Tlic Kiit-kahtas are a mere handfuF ijess than

00), and live in a 8

McKay R(!ach. A v

mill there. Indians

the mill. The Kittu

the Skeena. The K

islands about the mc

gent fellows, perhap

know too much o

ivnd as laborers

trouble to the empi

hop tields. They i

although the best

Indians, and perha

their religious deyi

or rather they mak

Kitkahtas are Mel

England. At Port

inations — at Metla

Fort Simpson Met

noted place, and I

Simpson give evid'

any other ; ibes i

education to some

Ihem a very exalt

Both these villag

description of the

have a reserve of

land, of which tli

could be turned tt

stock. The same

who have :55,O0

Small fruit, too, c

Their principal 1

ing in canneries ;

cure their own h;

grease with the

Islands. This or

siderable proHt i

(e(|ual to cod Hv

used by the Indi;

are caught in in

hers and dumpei

come putrid, wh

produced by this

er.-th. The SI

(luantities, and

troubles and vei

able article of e

The Nishkas,

the Tsimpseans

not so far advai

live mostly by

grease. They

totem-poles, bu'

Hydahs it is

taken to crectii

tianiscd. moral

their religioii I

cheating, lyinj;

however have

respects.

We now ct
Indians on the
of (,>ueen Char
proud, of tine
ally superior,
all' the other 1
origin, .lapam
is evident, tor
ii powerful ai

fllh: aOMMEnCIAL—BnTTIHU COLUMBIA SUPPLEMENT.

00), and live in a sin;ill viliiif^c at Hartley liny, in
McKay I{(!jich. A white man, Job Bowyer, has a saw-
mill there. Indians employ their time cutting logs for
the mill. The Kittishans live above Kort tissington on
theSkeena. The Kit-kaiit-las oC Lowe Inlet and the
islands about the month of the Skeena. are Hne, intelli-
gent fellows, perhaps a littie too highly civilized. They
know too much of the way of the white men,
and as laborers have given a good deal of
trouble to the employers at the canneries and in the
ho]) lields. They are grasping and avaricious, and
although th(^ best educated of all British Columbia
Indians, and perhaps the most cunning and clever,
their religious devotion is largely a matter of show,
or rather they nnike a hypo<'ritical display of it. The
Kitkahtas arc Methodists ; the Kitkahtlas Church of
Kngland. At Fort Es^ington they are of both denom-
inations—at Mellakahtla, Churcii of Kngland, and at
Fort Simpson Methodists. Metlakahtla has been a
noted place, and both the village there and at Fort
Simpson give evidence of civilization far in advance of
any other ibes in British Columbia. In fact, their
education to some extent has si)oiled them, in giving
them a very exalted opinion of their own importance.
Both these villages arc described elsewhere in the
description of the coast trip. Fort Simpson Indians
have a reserve of 10,000 acres of very fine agricultural
land, of which they make very little use, and which
eould be turned to good account in raising potatoes and
stock. The same may be said of the .^letlakhathls,
who have .■i't.OOO acres of similar land reserved.
Small fruit, too, could be grown in great abundance.
Their principal livelihocl, however, consists in work-
ing in canneries and in the hop fields. Xeither do they
cure their own Inilibat, for which they trade oolachan
grease with the Ilydali Indians of (i>ueen Charlotte
Islands, This oulaclian grease could be made of con-
siderable profit if properly refined, both as a medicine
(equal to cod liver oil I, and as useful in arts. But as
used by the Indians is anything but pleasant. The fish
are caught in in the two W(!eks' run in immense num-
bers and dumped on the beach, and left until they be-
come putrid, when the oil is squeezed out. The smell
produced by this process is one of the abominations of
' irth. TIh^ spruce gum, which a'oounds in great
quantities, and of great value medicinally for lung
troubles and venereal diseases, should form a consider-
abl(! article of commerce.

The Nishkas, or inhabitants of the Naa?, resemble
the Tsimpseans both in feature and language, but are
not so far ailvanced in civilization nor so ([Uick. They
live mostly by hunting and fishing and the sale of fish
grease. They as well as the Tsimpseans have a few
totem-poles, but whether original or borrowed from the
llyd.ihs it is im|>ossil)le to say. Of late they have
taken to erecting niarlile monnmeiUs. .Mthougli chris-
tianised. min'Mlly ilieyare far from exemplary, using
their religion l.irgely as a clock. They are given to
cheating, lying and drinking wliislu'v, liut recently,
however have shown a markeil inii>rovement in many
respects.

We now come to the most remarkable of all the
Inilianson the North .American continent, the Ilydalis,
of<,»ueen Charlotte Indians, they are hauglity,dignitied,
proud, of Hne |)liysiqueand of medium height and mor-
,illy superior. .\s a nation they are iiuite distinct from
all the other Indians just ilescribed, and whatever their
origin, .fapan(^se, l^gyptian, I'luenician or what not, it
is evident, too, iiuite distinct. The Ilydahs were once
u powerful and populous nation, but are now reduced

to three villages, Massett, Skidegate and Clew. Then'
formerly numbered sixteen or s(!venteen largt^ villages,
now, with the exception named, all desert(^d and in
ruin.s, marked by empty lodges and those renvirkable
totem poles for which the Ilydahs have liecume fam< is.
These totem poles are of all sizes and heights fro. i a
foot to CO feet high, ornamented by carvings and i;iint-
ings, which are geneulogical and symbolical, ..u:, in no
sense of a religious character. It is a common mistake
to regard their carved figures as idols. They are
most skilful carvers in woo<l and stone and engi-avers
in metals, which they work into various beautiful de-
signs. Their artificers are skilled and ])erfeet work-
men, not rude and primitive, and are wonderful imita-
tors. The great immber of Indian curios collected from
the Northwest Pacific Coast are principally of llydah
manufacture, though now becoming rather scarce
ami dear. The (^ucen Charlotte Hydahs are allied to
the American Ilydahs of Alaska, who were all once
part of the siime great nation. They employ their time
in making those monstrous cedar canoes, which they
sell at from $1.50 to .*17,') each to mainland Indians, and
which are from .50 to 75 feet long, 8 to 10 feet wide, and
carrying from 4 to 8 tons with ease. Properly built
and rigged they will weather almost any sea. There
is a great deal of anti<|uarian, archeologicjil, and his-
toric interest connected with the Ilydah Indians, which
it would take a great deal of space to enlarge. Their
tratlitions of the nation and many other things are
especially interesting, and bear a strong resemblance
to the cosmic theories of South American Indians, and
not unlike in many respects to the .sacred narrative
itself. There are glimmerings at least of the Mosaic
hypothesis.

The Indians referred to, together with those further
up the Skeena and in the Omineca country, and on the
Stickeen River, in the upper Cassiar country, nuirber
between ll.OOtl and 12,000. Some twenty tribes live .n
the (,'hilcotin and Cariboo country, numbering about
2,000. There are industrial or other schools at Al-
berni, ,\lert Bay, Bella Itelle, Chllliwack, Kwaw Kewltli,
Hartley Bay, Hazelton, Kincalith, Killope, Keeper
Island, .Massett, Metlakahtla, Nanaimo, Port Essington,
Port Simpson, Victoria, Mission City, Yale, and Wil-
liams Lake, having a total attendance of about (iSO
pupils. The Indian Department returns place the
total Indian population of British Columbia at .S,5,000.
About 12,000 of these are supposed to be in the Yukon
country and on the Arctic slope generally.

THE CROFTER SCHEME OF BRITISH
COLUMBIA.

N<1 project affecting so wide interests is less known
or mori! imperfectly understood that what is
referred to in British Columbia as the Crofter
Sclu'nie. This doe not relate to the general Crofter
Seenie of colonization which has been before the Im-
pei'ial Parliament some years, and which has for its
special object the relief of the congested Crofter districts
of Scotland, one or two colonies, under which have been
planted in the Canadian Northwest. .Although afilliated,
the enterprise, so far as British Columbia is concered,
is commercial as well as colonizing in its scope, and as
such is <iuite distinct. At the outset, the idea of locating
Crofters in British Columbia originated in the parent
movement referred to, and had for its promoter a gen-
tleman whose zeal in the cause earned for him the
sobriquet of "Crofter Begg." Snbse(|uently, however,

'W^Tm^mfmfvmmm

TT^^Tf -""^ """^TTT-Jf i"^

f;-;»'TTr':'^Y?c?Ti

'j^iPBi».^»!rw.-^

THK COMMERCIAL— mUTISIl COLUMBIA SUVl'LKMKNT.

the eiiierprisc took a more detinite and practical I'onn
in the liaiids of men wlio saw how the interests of tlic
Crofters could be brought into effect in developing' the
deep sea fisheries of the west coast of this Province,
and at the same time accomplish the other end in view.
The Crofters, as their name indicates, are essentially a
pastoral class, but situated as some of them were on the
ijleak and inhospitable shore of their native land, they
became a fishing population as well. As a class they
became noted as daring skilful navigators in fishing
smacks and small boats, and aciiuired not only a won-
derful knowledge of local conditions, and the habits of
the fish inhabiting their waters, but great skill in
fishing.

The west coast of British Columbia presented condi-
tions akin to those of the west coast of Scotland, its
waters being rich in the economic and food fishes, and
requiring just such a class of fishermen for the develop-
ment of dee]) sea fishing, the suggestion was a natural
one that the men who lived in the latter place, and
were to the manor born, would more easily and success-
fully adapt tlicmselves to this indus.ry in British Col-
umbia than would any other class of fishermen who
could be selected. Here was a nev and undeveloped
field of wealth ; waters teeming \iW: halibut, cod,
"skil," herring, salmon, oolachan, dog fish, etc., only
waiting for skilled hands and willing hearts for its de-
veloi)ment, and a commercial organization as an ad-
junct to direct the work and find a market for the
fish. The time was ripe for colonizing a number of
persons whose discontent at home was not only well
known, but a matter which had called for action on
the part of the Imperial (invernment. When the ( 'rofter
Scheme w.as first mooted in British Columbia it found but
little favor. In the first place on general i)rinci|)les a
colonizing scheme was likely to l)e a failure, and
had almos?^ iivariably proved to be so in the past.
In the second place, to dump down a lot of Crofters
with their families, on a bleak, uninhabited coast, even
with a few hundred dollars of good British nmney in
their iiockets to start with, would be regarded as an
act of positive cruelty and disregard for human rights.
At first sight, that was a plausible presentation of thi;
case, and although the newsiiapers occasionally nuide
reference to it, little was thought about it.

However, a gentleman with wonderful ch^ar head
and practical genius, .Major Clarke, of Winnipeg, had
incui)ated a scheme, wliich not only anticipated all
possible ol)jections but ])r^)vided appari'iitly for all pos-
sible contingenci"s. The general scheme m.iy not
have been all his, but the details were. Himself a
Scotchman, with thi! most ardent ixitriotisni, he was
not likely to misleail his countrymen. With Alajor
Clark were associated several oilier gentlenn^n with
shrewd, ja'actical, Scotch brains, who, likewise, would
neither encourage nor I'ligage in a wild cat enter))ri8e,
nor iH'rmit of a deceptio.; in carrying out a coloniza-
tion scluMne art'ecting, more i>articularly, thi' interests
of Scotchmen. The laililic did not know what was in
I'onicmiilation, and therefore the i)ul)lic was not to
blame if It rushed to conclusions nid'avoralile to the
lii'ojcct. With characteristic reticence the promoters
did not wish tci disclose all they had In view until they
were (iuite ready, but they ste.'idily developed their
scheme, first at homo and then in Mritish Columbia,
until a perfectly formed i)lan, sanctioned by both Im-
perial and Provincial Parliaments, and 8tal(! aided, wcs
(evolved. Men of the very higliest staiallng in Oreat
liritain gave it their inlluence and support. As may
be seen by the prospectus, and as is jirovided for by

Acts of Parliament, the interests of the colonists are
looked after, inasmuch as they are to be migrated to
British Columbia, given lands to settle upon, housed,
provided with fishing boats and appliances, and every
other necessity of living that human foresight could
suggest. In other words, when the colonists arrive
they will find their land cleared and their houses
ready, the beds nuxde and the dinner cooking. More
than that, it is contemplated to have their fi.ibing boa is
moored at the wharf ready for the fishermen to go out
the following morning, as at home, and fish, and upon
returning again at night to find a buyer for their day's
catch- conditions made for them such as they, afbr
years of hardship, might have evolveil for themselves.
Such, in the rough, is what is to be done for the Croff-
trs in British Columbia.

On the Avliole, the project is one of the most colossal,
far-reaching, unique and ii.nwt:int that has been under-
taken in the material interests of Canada since that of
building a Canadian transcontinental railway was con-
summated. The mechanism of the scheme, from in-
dustrial, commercial and colonization point of view, as
I endeavor to show, is wonderfully complete and pract-
ical. It means making the Pacific Coast equal in
wealth and population to the Atlantic seaboard. But
first, I must review the steps taken in the formation
and development of the great plan, and in doing so I
shall speak by the boo'.; as to the facts

I have said that while the ('rofter scheme, as applied
to British Columbia, was part of the genei'al coloniza-
tion idea, it was still quite distinct in its objects and
iiiodun operandi compared, for instance, with what was
accomplished in the Northwest. By an Order-in-Coun-
cil in 1H88 the British Colun\bia Covernment appointed
a commissioner to submit a proposal to the Imi)erial
(iovernment, offering in consideration of a loan of
i;ir)0,OOU lielng granted for that jiurpose, to transfer
l,2r)() families of Crofter fishermen from the Scottish
coasts and settle them on the West Coast of British Col-
umbia. A St lect committee of the House of Commons
was ajipointed to en(|uire into the various schemes pro-
pv. -"il, and in March, 18111, it reported as follows on the
ih'iti":. Columbia scheim^ : —

"Th*? projci^t pri'SPiiN the mri' reeoiiuneiHlfttion that It ()i>nmii<lD from the
" )mt)lii^ puree or from Icx^til fiiiulH no aoHintniiiue Ih\voi)(1 the Imperial loAti. the
" repayment of whjeli {r ^iiarantec<l hy a solvent and proinislnfr Pro'llxre, whieli
"Heems to pjMHeH.^ ample lewjttreofl f jr the Hettlument of a larKC population, in
" the re«peelH nf ellmat.e and Beatjoartl It Is well svliteil for the reeeptioii of a ciawi
" aeeuHtomtnl to both Hea aixl land piirMUitj*. In wnuy partietitam the reipiiulle
"lUBohitiery Ih incomplete, tint yonr committee see t)o re.F>on to donl>t that the
'•enterprise of the t,ol(jnial Ooverntnetit -,(0111(1 soon rnippiy what is delleient,
' aware, us tliey wottlil he, that the snct^ess of their iiiidertakInK would depend
"upon their very tlrrcl shipment of ei)\i)(,onts hein^ well seleetefl h'kI well prov ideil
"for In every w\v. Your I'ormnittee think that ij no way could the oliject
" recottnised <is necescuiy be ohtaineil with less outls.v or rink to the national
" exeheipler, and they oati conceixe of many oDusidemtlot<s Iti which the eolonlxa-
" tlon of Pritlsh ('i.I.i'itiii! • ' ; ■» maritime popniution won 1 1 appear to be di^irahle
"in the interests of the lirili',.. Kmpiii* They do not thinlt that i>.v aii> one
" scheme the adeipintc relit f of tht contfc'sled districts can lu> attaitied, atid ihoy
" recomtnend the jfoxermiient of ' ritish (■obimbia to the pail> and favorable con.
" slderalU II l:' Her Majesty's (lov -riimenl atid I'arlliinient."

In resiHUise to the above report the Imix'rial (Iovern-
ment olVered tii lend L'lnii.tKM) to the British Columbia
• iovernment, in three instalments of t.M^OtH) each, re-
payalile within tliirt,\' years, at .'1 \wv cent, pt^r annum.
The liOcaJ (iovernment, howt^ver, preiiared to submit
the matter to the Legislature before aecejiting the olfer,
which necessitated the delay of a year before action
could be taken.

i;p to this ]ioiiit the ("rofter Scheme was still i,t
iiiihilm.1. No delliiite plan had been (evolved for plac-
ing the ('rofiers, and the iletails ),ail all to be tilled in,
but jUHt here it took a practical shape by the IntrtKluc-
tion of a comnn^rcial factor. A syiullcaie wiu formed
in lioiiiloii, I'lng., to eo-o|ier.(t,e witli the (iovernment,
calletl the Va icouver Islatid iHn'elopment Syndicate.
This had in view the marketing of th(> llsli caiigl.t by

THE (JOMMERCIAL-nniTTSn CDUJMlilA SUPPLEMENT.

I

the Crofters, mikI the general dovelopinent of industries
growiiig out of tiicir settlement. This symlieate
appointed two commissioiioi's, Major ( liirkc, before re-
ferred to, find Col. Knglediu", to visit British {'oiumbia,
negotiate with the Local (iovernnient, and report on
the eonimei oi!\l prospects. I'pon the report of these
gentlemen, the basis of a full-fledged scheme was
arrang(!d. At the next following session of the Hritish
Columl)ia Legislature two acts were ])nssed dealing
with the otl'er of the Imperial Treasury and the pro-
imsals of the syndicate, the nominal share < .ipital of
which was t'l,0(H),0()0, powers being given to the
(iovernor-in-<'ouncil of the Province to formulate the
details of the agreements, which were to l)e ratified
with Her Majesty's Government anil the syndicate res-
pectively. Lord Salisbury's (iovernnient, just l)ef'ore
the recent dissolution, passed an Act giving effect to the
offer provisionally made. The next purpose of the syn-
dicate, in whose hands the success or failure of the
enterprise lay, was to fc-m a commercial cuuipany to
co-operate with the (iovernnient in carrying out all the
arrangements for which the scheme provided. .\t the
time of writing, that wa.s the state of progress to which
tl'.e project had reached, and the ])romoters were simply
waiting for a more favorable turn of tir Hritish money
market to launch it.

There are three Acts dcalinf with the Crofter
Scheme, t.vo passed by t'le i5ritis'i Columbia
liCgislatun!, and one by the Imperial Parlia-
ment. The Hrst is an Act to authorize an ;igrce-
nunit v.'ith Her Majesty's Government as aforesaid. It
provides for the settlement of l."jr)0 families of " ('olon-
ists" from the I'nited Kingdom on the coast of Hritish
Columbia, subject to the abandonment at any time, if
the measure of success attending the scheme has not
been adeipiate, ami the borrowing of C I ;')(),( HW f'roni the
Imperial Treasury, in three ii.H'allments of t'.^O.OCW
each, at IJ per cent, interest. Keiiaymcnt eonunenees
at the end of five y.'ars from the date of the first ad-
vance, and extends over twenty-live years, in equal
annual installmonts. The second .Act is entitled "An
Act to encourage the Deep Sea Fislniries of Hritish Col-
umbia," and 'leals with the commercial aspect of the
enterprise. I; aulliorizes a company hnvi-ir a capitjd
stock of n.M, less than i;i,(XR),(XX), which is to provide
all the facilities fcr carrying on the work, and for a
grant to ttie said company for ■'■)()U,(X)() acres on the
West Coast of Hritish Colun\l)ia, to h{\ selected from a
reserve of l,.'t(M),(KX) acns for that purpose, sulijecf, of
course, to its carrying out all the re(|uiremeuts of the
Act in ((uestion, said company to deposit s?U)i),(M)0 as
security for their bona tides, until it has expended
i5<l(M),(HM) in permanent. imi)rovementa. buildmgs, ma-
chinery, plant, etc., when the sam<' is to be nfunded hy
tlie Government; but such improvemen's, Ixiildings,
etc., are to reuiain as security to the (io.crnmciit for
o))ligationH enti^i'ed into or behalf of the eompan>'. The
lands in <|u:''*tion are to lie cxemjil from taxes for ten
years, and the personal property of the company for
two years. The Im[ierlal A(t simply authorizes the . id-
vanee of L'ir)0,(H)() from the Imperial T-easury to the
(iovernnient of Hritish Columbia, on (('rtain conditions,
the only ditVtu'ence existing in the tt^rnmof die Act of
the rertpi;ctiv(! govt^Munents is thet the Imperial Act
refers specifically to s«!l(!etlons from Crofter parisluM,
while in tli" I'roviiuial Acts the \\'vu\ "Colonists from
tlie I'liltc''. Kingdom " is used, which does not limU the
selection '>f Scottish Crofteru tit all. That is, if suitable
flsiionimn cannot be found 'imong the Crofters It jier-
inlt« of Bclucthms being miido from any other part of

(ireat Britain and Ireland. This was regarded as iV
wise precaa'^'"" on the part of the Provincial (iovern-
nient, but herein lies a possible bone of contention, but,
if so, ouglit not to be a s(,'rious matter to arrange be-
tw on tlie tWM governments. It may be added here
that the (let. lils of the agreement, whereby the inter-
ests of the various parties interested are to be eafi^
guarded, are settled by t)ie (iovernor-in-Couneil witli
the concurrence of tlie syndicate. This agreement,
though made, is not yet public. One feature of tlie
scheme! which does not apijcar in the acts relating to it,
is that tlie colonists repay to the Provincial (jovi'rnment
the advances made to thei.i in easy instaliuents cover-
ing ii term of years, so that tlie Province, while recoup-
ing the Imperial Treasury, is recouped in return by
.the colonists. Having thus briefly outlined the statu-
tory conditions, I wish to dwell particularly on tlie
commercial aspects of the scheme ; but before doing so
an intcM-esting, tnough mornful subject, with permis-
sion ma\- be introduced. So far as the Provincial (iov-
vu'iiment was .associated ivliii the carrying out of tlio
IJi'ojcct, the latter had as prime mover and a warm ad-
vocate the late Hon. .Jolin Robson, Premier of British
Columbia. The deceased gentlement was one of the
most distinguished of the pioneers of tlie Province and
its most illustrous statesm'en. It is to be related here
that he died in London, Kng., while i - the consumma-
tion of this great entcrprise.having luid conferred on liim
an honor never before accorded to a Premier of a Province
in (Janada, being summoned by tlie Imiierial authori-
ti(!S to arrange with them the details of a final settle-
ment. It was wliile steeped in this jjublic business
that he was swidenly carried away, and if nothing
more should ever come of it, this einsotle will render
the Crofter colonization scheme a memorable oue.

A g'aiice at the map reveais the fact that tlie land
rr,serv(\'i from which the selections of the 5(X),iX)0 acres
lire to be made, are located along the west and around
the north and northwest coasts of Vancouver Island, on
(j»uei'i' Charlotte Islands, ana at t\w mouth of (iardner
Inlet Oil the mainland of British Columbia. Tlic jirin-
cijial object of the company will be the deveiopmeut of
tlie deep sea fisheries; but other industries will natural-
ly enter into the [H-oject, owing to the iiaturi^ and re-
sources of the ciiast and the lands reserved. The com-
l)any announces the scope of its operations to include
fresh fish, lish curing, extraction of oils, manufacture of
fish proilucts, seal and sea otter fishing, sawing and
conversion of timber, clearing and opening up of lands
for town sites and agricultural purposes, prosjiecting for
coiil and other minerals, and rrading within the
settlements.

First let me say that it is ilie intention of the com-
p.'iny when formed to liriiig out only a few fapiilies at
first and n In force them as the success of the operationn
would seem to justify, so that neither the company noi'
the Province will have a burden on their hands ii' fail-
ure should ensue. In other words, the risk is minimis-
ed to the lowest possible degri i^. if fifty families suc-
ceed then fifty mure will be sent for, and soon until
the whole \,-lM families have been landed. As ex-
plained jireviously, the colonis on landing finds his
land I'h'ared and ju'epared, his house built iiiid furnish-
ed, and everything ready to put his hands to. The
settlers will be Iwatod in villages, so as not to be iso-
hiti'd, and free schools, churches, etc., will be provided;
I'onilitions, only much improved, will be as nearly as
possible like those at home, Trlily, from a sociological
point of view, a well devis(>d plan of colonization.

New, then, as to tlie oominerciuhuul InduHtrlal modus

1(

fllE COMMEIiV/AL—nn/ffSft COHJMHIA SUPPLEMENT.

ilperandi, not less a marvel oC internal nieelianisni.
Primarily, the business of the commercial comi)any of
British ''<ilumi)ia is to catch and sell tish. In the tii-st
place, the company buys from the tisliermen at a fair
market value. He docs not have to hawk or peddle, or
consign them. The local market is limited, and there-
fore the big ni.trket will be In the I'nitcd States and
(.'anada. The best fishing graundsare iiO<> miles north
of V'ancouver, the point of siiipment. Tlie principle of
iiandling will be refrigeration throughout; cold storage
at the fishing stations; cold storage on a line of fast
steamei-s to Vancou'-er; cold storage on the fast express
trains eastward ; and cold storage at the principal
points of distribution, east and south. This system of
refrigeration can bo utilized for general trade pnrjtoses,
and thus be maoe remunerative indep'Midently if the ■
tish business. The above refers to fresh lish, of which
there area number of varieties, the principal of these
being the halibut, or giant sole, much j)rix.ed in the
eastern market. It exists in great numters, is the liest
shipiiing fish known, averages fiom 100 to :.'(X) pounds
in weight, is firm in flesh, antt nnikes a delicious steak.
The salmon, of which there are six varieties, is illimit-
able in ((Uantity and runs in all the inlets, rivers and
streams of the coast. The best table salmon ,irc the
steelhead and tyhee or spring salmon. There ai-e seve-
ral varieties of eofl and herring, sole, flounders, shad,
bass, "skil." oolaehan, sturgeon, haddock, smelts, an-
chovies, capelin, skates, crabs, clanis, oysters, etc., in
great abuidance. Special reference may be made to
one or two others of these. The "skil," sometimes call-
ed "black cofl." is a new fish to commert'c. but one of
the most delicate and finely flavored known. Ii re-
sembles a nuickerel somewiiat. is found in l.')0 ami 200
fathoms of water and is very plentiful. It is of too
ilelicate a fibre, perhajw, to ship long distances, but
cured i)ro;)erly will eventually be one of the most lilghl.\-
prized of fishes. Then the oolaehan spelled in a
variety i)f ways), sometimes called tin! candlelisli runs
in enormous numbers at certain seasons, and is a
delicious table tish, also very delicf'tc in texture, Iiiu
cured woulil make a very marketable "bloater. Tiic
nil, too, of which the Indians extract greiit (piamities,
ai.il use as we use butter, if rellned should become an
important article of coninK-rce. '!"he natl\-e oyst r is
small, but preferred by connoisseurs to the Ivistern,
and 1(0 doubt by cultivation is cajiabh' of much im-
provement in size. Clams are found everywheri"
along the coast, and at Alert Hoy an industry in can-
'iing them has grown up, a''d the m.-inulaciurcd article
is exceedingly good, and shouhl be everywhere sale-
alile. 'I'hese above enumerateil are, of course, inde-
penilent of the salmon canning industry, which has
IxM'ii developed on a I irge scale, and is not eapalilc (/
much further exti'nsion for the ju'esent.

The possibilities In the way oT curing llsli in various
ways salmon, hiilibut. cod, herring, "skil," sardines,
oolachai!, and so on are xcry great, and a largo d«^
nnind exists for such pnxlin'ts, but vhich, as vet, it has
been impossible to supply from tins end,

Another Important Item is the oxtriiclion of oils.
'I'he (loglish, fonn<l following the runs of smMJii'r llsh,
upon which it preys, yields from its liver ami hinly an
oil, which, for lubri"ating pur)ioses more i specially
the liver oiU-has i. p superior in the nnirkel. Two
faet,)rl(?s on the, north coast arc engaged In its prixluc-
tlon ;ind find a n inly demariil. The liNcr of tlie rat-
fish, a murine monstrosity, found with iIk^ dog-
fish, also yields an oi. of great eeonomie value.
Hharkfl, wIiuIoh, herring, .md the little oolaehan

are likewise valuable for their oil producing qualities.

There nrv various other tish products known to com-
merce, whicii it is proposed to numufacture, notably
fish guano or fertilisers, in whicli an (!xtensiue trade
has grown up.

All tliese things the Commercial company l)eing or-
ganized, propose to undertake, and much more. They
will saw their own lumber out of the timber on their
own lands, erect their own houses, make their own
shingles, liarrels and boxes, build their own boats and
shiiis, and construct their own wharves; clear their
own lands ; prospect for and develop their own mineral
properties ; operate their own stores ; trade with the
settlements of the coast ; hunt for seal and sea otter ;
and genei-all> do all and sundry ;ill these things wliieh
tlu'ir iiands tind to do well and profitably for them-
selves and the colonists.

In such a complex industrial and commercial ftio-ic
as the one Just outlined, besides being pi. ■•^iuu • v
founded on well known conditions of utility, v ".'■.: ..
vide fvu- the coloidsts -a diversity of occnpatio., ..Ui. oia-
ployment, constituting an adaptation to a vaiieiy of
pursuits and ci'eate lal)jr at all seasons of the year.

.\n essential consideration in a scheme of the magni-
tude proposed will l)e the character of the colonists
thc'.Tirx'l , 's. and as objections have been raised to the
crofti'>' as a class, from whom tln^y will be largely, if
not altogether drjiwn, sonn^ reference to them is nect^s-
sary. Morally it is a sIgniHcant fact of local re|)Ut(!,
that on the Isle of Skye there was not, in a population
of .'Ui,00i) people, a single serious crime recorded in a
jieriixl of UK) years. It is urged that they are lazy
and unsuitable as emigriints to a new country. These
objections, howexer, are either the result of Ignorance,
or are insiiired by special nnitives. In answi^r, I can-
not do better than quote from " tlu^ Hei>ort of Her
.Majesty's Ciimmissioners of Ini|uii'>' into the condition
oi' the Crofters and Cottars In the Highlands and
Islands of Scotlanil."

SiH'. tn . Hhilull iitiiic Mull tlu' plnHli'iil ioncl>tiou« iif life in the roniolo
" lurtM of tlu' *liitti-h1<* ill <|iU'rt(ioti, fttid thu [MniMiliilltv of iititiKitii; thR nicatm of
" ruiMlcrn pntKrew*, arc fur Iichimi tlio«e of more favoit'ii lurtM nf the fouiitrv, it i*
" lilea^tioK Ic know that tlif jfciieml rhufa<*(er of ttie inhaltitaitttt it* not ho fjv iin>
" nieiin'4. II iiuiv lie sniil, iin On: lonlniiy, that in no part of our .M»Ji'«t.v'ii db,nln.
" ioiiH art' ttirre to tic foutiH iimonii llir tiumiile ranltt* of Not-icty, more intclliifentT.
" lit.ttel iiianni-r^, pnrcr iii'<i-i)U iltitii in thi' rcinotv-Nl )>art« ofUu? IlitflitaiiiU ami
" l»laiiil» from tlir .Mnll nf Kiiilv n' lo tlif Sl<a« of .\li»t in Sln'Oiinil.

"Ut": It wuiiIiHa- ititnciilt lo replace tiieni l»y another rare

" of t'lpiul a1iilit> ancl uoitlt.

"Spc. 34i: It in not onl\ in n-tfanl lo HKhiiiK that rlie v/roft'iiK an-' "Cot I ar
"lioniilution luiM' a iMH'iilinr value Tnt'\ coimtitntc a nitural luuiiH for thv nava'
"ili'ft'nce of On- . .)nntr.\, a wirt of ili'tioin* wlileh nannot In- extfinporiHtnt, and *!ie
" valni' of wltii'li, in iMiHKil>li> enierKiiicli'i*, ean lianlly Ih' o^pir.fiiii. Thi» Hea-fartnif
"pi-opU' of tin- niKhlanilM unci uianiU rontrihiite n', thin moment 4,4:U men to tht
" lloyal Na\al It nerve, a mnnlicr ei)iii\ali>nt to the erews of Hi'vcn ariiioureit v^ar
" wtiaineri' of the tlrnt eiajn. anil wliieh, with eomniewHurntc inilnreniontn, conlrl
"lie «ieall\ inereaHMl. It may he aiMe'l that numt of the men (neoriiorated in
"eorpH of uilliliii and volnnteent w,)nl<l lie nlile to nerve nNhnrt; and afloat vltli
" e,|Ual i.t!leieiii'> .

" See :n:l. The froflimr and Cottar populHtion of the niuhlaiHU and iHlamh,
" -iiiall thonvh It nm\ Iw, a nnritery of uoihI workeni tiiid Kond ellizena for ttii>
"«hnlL' Cnipiri'. In thin re|HH;l the Ktm'k in exeeptloiLiily , ,la. -!' By »ound
"phxMir.il eonslltnlion, native IntelliKi'tiee liiio ifood mora < lii'-, it' Ih pur-
'• tli'ularl, Htteii to rcrruit the |H>ople of our iudualrial ty'Ufn»? 'ir ihont iueh
"help from wholeHome nonropi in rural diiitrietM, woo'd d i .,. iind«»r tir-
" ititlneneen of had loilifliiu, unlu>altliv oiTtlpation aii.i eneruiiiiiL; liahtiM. I*
"cm. not tie inditfereiit to the whole iinlion, eoniiltntcd a« the imlliin now l-i, to
"poiwem within iti* honlerx a piople. hanlv, •klilfn , Intelliuont and prolific an an
" e\er-ttoMiiiK tountiiiti of rcno\aliii|f life '

I cjin hardly give a higher or better authority than
tilt! foregoing, and we migl.t incld'ritally mention tiiat
the ilaiightei's of th«'se hanl> ..flhiioen would Ifcomo
excfllcnt domestic helps i|. o ctmnt'- whose chief de-
iniiilciict' for ilitii purp. St! l.-i \,: , , ifgely drawn
Inini the almcnil I'ved .M,)ngoliaM.

Ilitherlip I have dealt with the project mainly us a
sjicciilatlon having a M'l'y wide Held for succeMsfui
.levelopmenl. I now desiri |.) regaitl it tis II nticessity,
not less n.'illoiial than iiml second mly In Importance to '
the biiililing of the C. I'. U.

All tin- iivailablc evidence goes to show that the west
i!oaHt of Kritish ColnniliJM lias wonderful plNcnl iih woII

(

a

I

aam

Till-: VOMMl'mVlAL—niilTL^lf CiiLi'MlilA SUl'PLEMENT.

I

iis otlicr iiiiU(U'i;tl resourtc's. Owiiiff to peculiiu' con-
ditions it is well iiif^li imiiossihic lov iirivate or iion-
slati'-aiiled cntcrpriso to succoed in dovcloping' the
fisheries, wliicli, hfising' im cstinuite on the wealth of
the Ailiiiitic ("oast waters, should niaintHin a iwptihition
wholly employed in lishinfj of about 75, •)()() persons.
The fisheries heiu}!; situated far north, and the principal
market beinj;- thousands of miles a.vay, it requires a
resident fishing population, a huge system of cold
storage, and a line of fast steamers to make a success
cf it. To ensure success i)rovisioTi must be made for
se.iding a regular and continuous supply of fish,
assorted and in prime condition, to the markets of the
east. Upon this everything hinges as a purely com-
niereial venture. Thiise enormous facilities, if I may
be i)ermitted the e\,'>-ession, involving such a miuutia'
of expensive (b'tail aiiu .''eniM'ally such a large outlay
of money, re(|Uires "enormous '' capital, more, in fact,
than private enterprise can aft'ord or is even likely to
invest in the undertaking.

Hut there is still iiuothcr factor, which has
aliUost been entirely overlooked, and one which,
in these days of combination of interests, must be
fully taken into account. I speak of the Eastern fish
combiiio which controls the markets of the United
States. You cannot siill Western fish to the dealers in
New York, Hoston or Chicago, because they are under
llie thumb of the wholesalers in the combine, to whom
they must look for their regular sujiply and who virt-
ually own them. A great many attempts on a small
scale have been ma<le in liritish Coluiiibia to dcvelo .
the deep sea fisheries, but they have invariably failed
for the reasons named, jiartly for the lack of the long
train of facilities previously indicated, ami largely
because tin; promoters cannot stand against the com-
bine and sell fish in the market which it controls. In
a (luctuating market, such as a fish niarkct essentially
is, the risk is Do great for small capitalists or any pro-
bable conibinali )n of small men. Without agents oii
th(' sjiot. cold storage and all that, if the fish is not sold
at once it spoils on your hands. You cmnot sell to the
retailers or .jobbers unless you can ginirantee an in-
variaiile supply, for tlu^ reason that tlu! dealer must go
back to the wholesaler of the combiiu' again if yon fail,
and he nalurally objects to be made a convenience of.
The latter immediately tells him that if '.e intends buy-
ing from the "trade" v>nly w.ien he cumot buy else-
where than hi' cannot bu ■ at all, and if there happens
to be a balance unp.'iid on 'redit ace lunt he is gently
reminded that an immediate ■ nlcniMit is desirable.
It is senrcely neec^ssary to exjilain this principle of
business. U is too well understood and fidly accounts
frr the repeated failure* experienced in finiling a
market on the olln^r side for our fresh fish. The only
I'cmedy is to oppose the combine with an e(|Hally
|)oW(^rful conibinatioii. \Vith LI, (MM »,()(.)() subscribed
capital and all the moilern machirn'ry for cariying out.
the entcM'prisc, i^vcry comnn'rclal link being com|ih^tc
from the .\tlantic to the fishiiig grounds on the I'acillc
Coast, the Crofter ('ompany could Ibrcc^uid control tin!
markets of the Nc.rtb Ainericin Continent, within the
limits of which there a: 0 about 75,000, (KM) or H0,ooo,-
0;H), and an enormous daily consumption (;f (Ish foods.
Th y have in contomplatioii, as has alreatly bi-en
Btated, the tuloption of the neist complete and improved
Hysteiu '^f refrigeration and storage, and it is understood
recent stdintillc experlinents ha'.: lomonstrated that,
bi^yond doiibf, fish I'an be kept for an ind^'llnife piirlod
and exposed on the eounters or llshmongi rs for ten
diiys al'tur being tliawod out, retaining their original

flavor and firmness. This, in it.)elf, presu'/jioses great
posiiibilitu^s for trade in our lish.

Without the commercial adjunct the (,'rofter scheme,
as iipiilied to British Columbia, would be impracticable
and visionary. The two must stand or fall together.
(Considered as a pliilantropic, a commercial, and indus-
trial, a social, or a colonization enterprise it must com-
mend itself to all men and especially to (Janadians, to
the buililing up of whose interests it would contribute
not only in a material way but in the higher national
sense. It is one of the greatest and best devised pr(j-
.jects of the present day.

In conclusion, I cannot do better than ((uote from a
pamphlet recently issued, which says :—

"CoiiMidmn;,' tlie room (or i'X|ran»ion, it is .luticiimtal Hint llii' Jamilicj unilcr
" lliis wlieiiic will only furrii»li Iho ouUlilu ;(imrd for tliourands more (or whom Ihis
" proviiict COM lliiil plaie and ciiiployuieiit. Tlii-v will tit- tronsferrol (rom ono
" [lortion o( the Empire to settl') uiid'jr the same old Hnu. Not enii^ralioii to a
"(oreiKii land to he lost to the .Mother (.'ouiitr.v hul niiKratini: lo an iiiiouMipied
"and fertile held, where, while workini{ out their indepwidcriie and wi-urinK a
"hriKhler(nlnre (or their oltspriirn, they will he helpiriK In a marked denioe in
"the colonization and development of one of the rkhest and most ultraetive
"portionii of ller .Majesty's Km|)ire."

THE RAILWAY PROBLEA'..

WK have dt^scribed generally ai: " somewhat in
detail the resources of the greater part of
liritish Columbia, and what would in itself
form a province larger, with one exception, than any in
the Dominion. There is everything but pobula'tion
and dtn-elopment to create a coramonwealfh of vast
importance. There are gold, and coal, and iron, and
nickel ; there are fish and timber, and large areas of
farming ami iiastoral lands; there are clays and slates
and buililing 'iioncs ; there are fur-bearing animals,
big game and feathered game; there are pictur(>s(|ueness
combineil with a climate that is nowhere rigorous in
cxtrejues ; there is an ultimate market in the cast from
tlie foot of the Rocky Mountains and across the Atlantic ;
south of the bt)undary line, over the racilic in the Orient
am! on the continent under the Southern Ooss. All the
wealth tif all luc^is is not greater than what the land
and waters of this country afford. Knough has been
brought to sight to demonstrate tins richness of the
untouched 'emainder.

The keys to uidock the treasures are the modern
civilizing agents, the railways, the steanibosts and the
telegraph. A gotnl deal has been done to open up
Itriiish Columbia by these means. One or two n;ain
arteries have been created, with a lew veins, but their
ramitlcations while extensive have left the best and lar-
ges> part wholly out of reach. Old Cariboo, with its
wealth of gold •ind its i'>U,(J(Hi,()(H) acres of territory still
slumbers, after but a brief awaKcning. The whole
northern interior plateau hundreds of miles in extent,
and Containing millions upon millions of grazing and
farming lands, is almost a solitary wilderness : while
six liundred miles of coast to the north, with snfHcient
fislu^ry wealth tn. sustain a population oi' between (io,-
(KH) iiiid liM»,(KM), iill of this must remain practically as
they are until capitalists appreciate the iniiw lanee of
what is the la it, g.eatest and gr"ndest i..v,i of the
North American continent still undeveloped.

The C. I', \{. penetrated II. C. to the coast. It passes
through the wildest and most barren section of tlie pro-
vince, but notwitlidanding the unfavorable local cir-
eiimstances, it has been a phenomenal success and the
I'acifle I'ivision has j>aitl from the start. It has now iii-
ifUgurMi'd.i policy of branch lines, that promises mneli.
'>ii the coast a branch line lias bei'ii built from Mission
City to to the lK)undiir,\ to connect with the vJreat
Northern system. A slu>rt line of railway will be con*

'vssstkj

32-

TJIK ('OMMEllCIAL—mHTIHU (VLUMli/A SCI' I. '.EM EXT.

M'Uiilcd IVoui Ciiilliwack.ou the south side (il'tho I''rasei',
ito e'onncft with the above Ijraneli, and it is proiiosiMl to
<5Xtciid it to Liidiie/'s Landiiiji: to eoiineet again wiili a
ishort line from \'ancouver City Tlio lUirrard lulet
and Fraser \'alley Railways, a part of tlie Nortliern
I'acilic Ix'iilway system, is now lieinf;^ constructed to
•run from X'aneouver City via Wi'stniinstor to connect
Mitli tlie Xortlu'rn I'acilic brancli to Suma's City on tlie
boundary line. Tlic Xew AX'estmiuster Southern, an-
other branch of tiie (ireat Northern, terminates at
Wostminstei' and is expected shortly to be extended to
Vancouver, As will be seen, tiie Fraser Valley is t<i be
wi'll supplied with railways,

Comiufi' over to the Island ol' \'auc 'vi>r, railw.'iy <lc-
velopmeut has been somewhat slow. i ''■^' umalt it
Nanaimo Railway was built b ■ tlie I ;i, K'obt,

Dunsmuir, for which ho received as a siibi 0O(J,()(X)

acres of land, known as the K. i.<: N. licit. 1 extends
from Victoria to Welliiifijton ria Esiiuinialt and Nan-
aimo, a distance of SO niilcs. It was built entirely out
of the iirivate me;ins of the owner, being one of the
few railways in America that has been constructed
v.Mthout lioatiiig bonds. It is still owned by the I tuns-
mnir family, A passenger train each way a day is
I'Uii, The frei;!:ht consists of coal, wood, farm iiroduce,
etc., principi.lly local. It is undcrstooft to h.ive been
the intention of lion. K'obt. Dunsmuir had he lived to
have continued the road to the north end of X'.incimver
Ishoid. and als<j to have built a liranch through the
centre of the island from the Comcx coal lields to .M-
berni harbor, where a short ;ind easy route to the
ocean is afforded. No doubt that before many years
both of these projects will have been carried out.

A more recent undertaking is that of the \'ietoiia and
Sydney railway, a short road ruiniing IVom \'icioria
City to Sydney Harbor, which runs through some uC the
best fai'ming districts on N'ancoux'cr Isljiiid, and
materially shortens tlu^ distance from Metoria to the
mainland, Sydney, the terminus, has ni.ide r;i|)id
progress during the year, .Mr. ,101111 White, repi'e>ent-
ing an eastern syndicate, has erected a line saw mill
there, with which arc connected extensj\c limber
limits. It is understood, when completed, that
arrangements will be made with steamship lines to
connect at ,'^y<liiey with the railway there,

Saaniehlcn is anotinn' town site situated on the Vic-
toii:i and Syiliiey railway, in the centre of the agricul-
tural district of .Saaiiich.

.\iiother railway scheme for whiv'h :\ rhariri' w.a's ob-
tained and a bonus passed guaranteeing bonds, but
which has not yrl niatured, is the Nictoria, S.ianich,
and Westminsier railway. This is a proj'osiiion to
connect Victoria and Westminster by rail, by means ol'
ii ferry across the straits.

Tilt! most ambitious projeci, howcvi'r, is tln' Hritisli
I'ncilic railwa V, hitlu'rto known as the Canada Wistorn,
S(!vcral years ago a charter w.as granted for the eon
stniction of a railway from N'ictoria, running along the
eastern coast of X'ancoiiver Island to a point on ,Sey-
inonr Narrows, dw.v which it was jiroposed to build a
bridge to \iild('/ Island slriking the ni.iiiilaiiil at the
mouth of liiite Inh't. Tin' route is .along I'.nie Inleland
into and thiM.iigh the interior to Vellowhcad Pass, as
formerly proposed for the C. 1', K. belore it was
(dianged as at )iresenl, ,\n .\ct was jia^sed the sanit?
year granting a substantial l.ind subsidy in aid t.f the
enterprise, Iiast year an .\cl was passed ("xlendiiig the
(diarter one v<'nr, .md during thr present year another
Act was passeil granting a still further ext(Mision, and
cluuigiug the name to tlie Miitish i'aeillc Hallway Com-

pany This lattei' extension was granted on the
grounds thai a substantial beginning had already
been nuule in the way of surveys, and the
deposit of .*150,0()0 with the Provincial' (iovcriiment.
This was done through the agency of Chicago financial
men, who repiesented some of the leading citizens of
X'ictoria. .\bout two mouths ago Jlr, F, Hakeinan. of
(,'liieago, was able to announce that he had conrileted a
construction company in London, England, of whom
Lord Thiirlow is head, with subscribed capital siilTicient
to initiate the undertaking viz,, j?.'>,t)00,()00. "'Ihis
company, " Mr, Hakeman exi»lained, 'is to unilertake
to llnance for tiie ro.id. and to raise all the money
wliicli the enterprise will need, not only for the purpose
of eonsiruction, but for the carrying out of tlie large
projects in connection with the road, which the company
has in contemplation."

It is possible that to induce capr.j'lisis to subscribe
fully the money recpiired to build and e<|uii) the road in
its entirety, further aid will be recjUirid in the wa> of
guiiranteeing the interest on some ])oriioii of the bonds,
as the couiitr>- through which tlie road [lasscs will be
larg(dy uiideveloiicd, and will not earn dividends for
the first few years, 'Whether or not the further aid
will or should be granteil is a matter in the hands of
tin- iieople of British Columbia to decide. The road, if
iniilt, will open up and develoj) an area of country
great in extent and imiiortaiice, and as a colonization
road, if no more, will yield great benefits to the pro-
vince, the direct influences of which will be felt in
Carriljoo, in the great interior jilateau northward,
and (m the coast everywhere. As a railway jiro
position this much must be said, if no more, it will
lie the last long line of railway on tlu; .\merican conti-
nent that will carry with it a land subsidy, which in
this instance aiiKJiiiits to between 12,lHH).tXN) .and 20,-
000,000 acres. It will have tributary to it all that
vast extent of country and its varied resources the
description of wliicdi it is the object of this little volume.

Some da\-, sooner or lalcr, the Caiiiuliaii I'aeillc
Railway will build a branch of railway from .\slicroft
to Cariboo to ta [I tliis eountry, not (irobably. howevi'r,
before a rival conipjiny takes the iirojecl up. Some
day, too, a railway will follow tiji the interior jilateau
to .Maskii. .\ charU'i' was obtained at last session of
Parliament for a cable from Victoria and \'ancouvcr
along the west co.ist of Uritish Columbia to (,)ueeii
Cliarlolle Islands. There are a number of passes on
the coast, through whieh railways can be I'un to lap
the interior, \ vast comiiieivial )iroJcet is alreadv
iiiidrr way to develop the deep sea lislieries and other
coast resources; the Can.idi.in Pacific Navigation Co. of
\'ict<iria, the I'nioii Sti'amsliip Co. of Vancouvei', the
P.icilic (.'oast Sieiinishi|i Co, of San Francisco and vaf-
ioiis prival(! inilividtials or llrnis have vess(ds plough-
ing Hriiish waters in every directiotuis far north as Alas-
ka, settlers are going ill at various points and logging
camps and llshing stations are being establishcil. With
all these progressive eleiiii'iits at work it will not be so
very long before Vancouver IslaiKl, the Coast and
Nii'tliern Interior will containa large ami thriving pop.
Illation coiniiared with which llie present populalloii of
the province will be Insigiiillcinf, industries nn a larg((
and reiniiiierati\e sca'e >viil be found e\(!r\ wlieie and
many of the wasl(- pliices will blossom like .a rose.
.\nd while this shall have liceii a( hieved, \'ale, Lilloiiet,
and the two Kooleiiays will hiivi^ gone on in consonanco
and the Proviifc of Hriiish Coliiiiibi.'i like the stono
once ri'Jeclcd of the liiiildei'H will ha\e, become t|u)
chief in till' structure of conl'i'dei'ation,

I n

n

n

niiTMiif ri

lAi^

I n

I'oHT SlMl'soX.

II

Kn'i.oMi;, Oaiiunku's Ini.kt,
'I'lif Vommen'inI livii'mh dnlnmlm Sit/)f)li'iiii'iif.

T T-

I

Nanaimi) N'lr.ws i-iiom Tiir. IIahiioii ('(iNTiNiuirs, .'t, 1, 2.

'I'lii< ('<iiiiiiii>i'citil Urilisfi Ciihiiiiliiii Sii/i/i/i'iiiiiit.

wm

iMH

•^mam-

)

.CANADIAN PACIFIC NAVIGATION CO.,

siq-ct;

STEAMER ''ISLANDER,

Victoria & Varicouver Route. Special Excursions to Alaska.

»>

A Fleet of Steamers make Regular Trips
with Passengers and Freight to Vancouver, New

Westminster and Fraser River points, and to all
ports of call on the coast north in British Co)Timbia„

OFFICE: WKARF STREET.

G. A. CABLETON, General Agent.

VICTORIA, B.C.

JOHN IRVING M ANA.JKii.

pOlT COMFOl(r HOTEL

oa Mayner Island, B.C., at the entrance to Plumper Pass
and commanding the finest and most picturesque view
on the Coast. Point Comfort is in this Province.

THE OflLY & CHEAT SEASIDE QESORT.

Equidistant from Victoria, Vancouver, Nanaimo and
Westminster, the situation -s unrivalled, being

0)1 THE DIRECT LIME OF TI{AYEL.

Beautiful location, shady walks, tennis courts, areh-
ery, lacrosse and cricket fields ; grand fishing, steam
launch for pleasure parties, sea-bathing, hut and cold
salt water baths; farm buildings, garden, orchard,
dairy and creamery in connection — all the conditions
for a perfect summer resort.

A wharf has been bnilt ot which the " Islander " and
C. P. N. Co. Steamers will call regularly.

\ PLACE FOR EVERYBODY TO 00 !

For invalids, for rest and reor«ation, for the artist,
for the tourist and sportsman — for everybody — the
pluio ne pltw ultra to g<) is Point Comfort.

For all information apply to the offices of th*^ Com-
pany.

A. W. TAYLOR & 00.,

TroMno* Av*., Vieiorl«.

Lake^lMoodsjiiUiigo

Mn:,i.s AT
KEEWATIN - - daily oapftdty 9,000 barrets.
Portase l« Prairie " 80<)

TOTAL OAPAOITY 2,800 b«rr«le

We manafkoture the finest brandi o(

HUN^AI^IAN pROdEp^ FLDUI^.

Onr mill are the moit perfectly couatraotad u i e'jiHppeJ in
CkDkdk.

Our mtohlDery embraoea every improvement that modern ia.
ventive geniut hM produced in flour milling.

Obr faoilitiei for lupplying the trade with flrtt < ;*m gooda frum
the Atlantio to the Paaifio, and for export buaineaa, ..re siiperiU'.' to
thoae of any other milling oonoem in Canada,

MONTREAL OFFICES, BOARD OF TR^DK BLOCK

R<)BT. MmoHEN, I'leeident. W. A Hastinos, ikul NUiitiger.

GloROB V. HAiriNOB, General Superintendent, Korwailn

WMMNO opnnt, • oMNm mmn m» t^mt strcits.

S. A. M(.U*W, M»n«mT,

A. MoQUEEN,

VANCOUVER.

AflBNT POR
BfCIXIMH OOI^lTOUIHtA..

m

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