| Transcript |
- VICTORIA ILLUSTRATED. 69
NANAIMO.
THE BLACK DIAMOND CITY AND THE VANCOUVER COAL COMPANY.
PERHAPS the greatest resource of Vancouver Island is her immense coal seams, which are the most celebrated, both for their output and
quality, of any on the Pacific Coast ; and it is to this fact that the city of Nanaimo owes her existence. Nanaimo was practically
founded in 1856 by the Hudson Bay Company, when the first coal was taken out ; but was not incorporated until 1874. It is situated on
the shores of the Straits of Georgia, and occupies the most eastern point of Vancouver Island. No more beautiful view could be conceived
of than that stretching away from its feet ; several islands form a rampart against the waves and winds of the Straits, and keep the waters
of the beautiful harbor at all times placid. The scene across the islands and Straits is, on a clear day, one of marked grandeur, and
gives a fine view of the saw-toothed and snow-capped peaks of the Selkirks of British Columbia, and of Mount Baker, of the Cascades,
the second highest peak of Washington.
The city contains a population of about 9,000 souls, is provided with six churches of various denominations, two good schools (one a
high and the other a grammar school), a very pretty opera house, and twenty-four hotels; electric light and gas, as also a good water
works system, are among the conveniences.
When one considers that there are ten coal mines tributary to Nanaimo, and furnishing a monthly pay-roll of about $175,000, not to speak
of the great number of sailors from the steamers, and sail-craft from all portions of the globe, crowding the thoroughfares at all times,
and spending their money freely, it is hardly to be wondered at that the city is in a flourishing condition, and growing rapidly; but it
may be said that it owes its prosperity, indeed, its existence, to the NEW VANCOUVER COAL COMPANY,
which bought its mines from the Hudson Bay Company in 1862, and has made them, ever since, the main resource and support of the bulk of
its inhabitants.
For several years after its inception, the company was struggling against many difficulties. Natural " faults " in the subterranean
strata, and other causes, together effected discouraging results, so that the total output between 1862 and 1883 only ranged between
20,000 and 90,000 tons per annum, the company's misfortunes having culminated in 1883, when the output only reached 22,000 tons.
In 1884, under a change of management, the output rose to 103,000 tons, and has steadily increased, till the year of 1890 has seen
389,000 tons of coal brought into the light of day. Of this vast quantity, 286,000 tons were exported, 49,000 distributed in local sales,
and the balance absorbed in running the thirty odd engines of the company itself, which use an average of 100 tons per day. The capital
of the company has been slightly augmented, but by no means to correspond with the vast increase of its business.
The company has at present five mines, four of which are in active operation since 1884. No. 1 shaft is run to a depth of 62o feet, and
tunnelled out under the bay to a distance of over 3,000 yards ; drills are at work sinking a shaft on Protection Island to
connect with the mine, on account of the vast extent of which much of the ship-loading will, in the future, be done from the Island. The
coal furnished from this mine is excellent for gas; it burns to a red ash, and will make 11,000 feet of gas to the ton, giving a fine
coke and 22-candle illuminating power. Shaft No. 3, which is about one mile to the south of No. 1, and the Southfield shaft, which is
three miles further south, are all on the same vein as No. 1, the Southfield, however, furnishing a coal better adapted for steam purposes.
The Northfield, another of the company's properties, is 4? miles to the north of Shaft No. 1, and is a Wellington coal, being somewhat
harder than the others. The trend of the veins of the mines is almost level with the surface rising to the west and then dipping to the
east, at an angle of five degrees.
The present daily production of these four mines is as follows :
No. 1 shaft 600 tons
No. 3 shaft 300 "
Smithfield 800
Northfield 500 "
Total 2200 "
The mines have double shafts for ventilation, and are almost totally free from gas. Most of the property inter-
THE UNION CLUB, VICTORIA.
|
|---|
