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- 56 VICTORIA ILLUSTRATED.
Although picked ore has been sent from the Kootenay Lake district to the smelters at Butte, the output from the quartz mines does not,
so far, form an important item in the annual Government return. This is still made up almost altogether from the placer mines, and chiefly
from Cariboo. In this district, where first the mining was by sinking and drifting and sluicing, the greater portion of the gold now
obtained is by hydraulicing. During the past year, companies having large capital have begun the opening up of claims on the north fork of
the Quesnelle, where Chinese miners have previously, by their small methods, secured large returns. An English syndicate has secured the
whole of Williams creek from its mouth, and next year will begin a system of hydraulicing. The fact that ground on Williams creek, which
was the richest of all camps in the early days, has continued to yield good returns from drifting ever since, is evidence that a successful
system of hydraulicing, where every portion of the dirt would be carefully washed, will produce grand results. The same,
indeed, is true of every creek which has produced gold. On the Fraser river, from Lillooet to its sources, there are benches which would
produce good pay, if water for hydraulicing was available. Attention has now been turned to the working of the Cariboo placers
by this method, and there is little question but that in a few years the old district will be producing as much gold as it ever did.
On Vancouver Island, gold and silver bearing quartz is found. On the west coast, so late as this year, on Gordon river, miners have secured
fair pay from placer mining on the bars. Many other of the streams on the coast carry gold in greater or less quantities. Gold, silver,
copper, iron, quicksilver, marble, and especially coal, exist on this island, with abundance of timber and valuable building stone. The same
is true in a lesser degree of Queen Charlotte Islands, where recently an extensive silver deposit has been found, and a very valuable
deposit of magnetic iron ore.
It would be difficult to prophesy the great returns that will be secured from the precious metals in the near future. That it will run into
many millions, and rival the output of Montana, Nevada and California, is quite within the possibilities. Up to the present the chief
market for gold has been in Victoria. In the early days it was brought here by stage and steamer from Cariboo, the Bank of British Columbia
being the pioneer in establishing a branch of its bank at Barkerville. Garesche, Green & Co., the Bank of British Columbia and the Bank of
British North America have always purchased the output of the mines, and through Wells, Fargo & Co.'s Express it has been shipped to the
mint in San Francisco. In the colonial days a mint was established at New Westminster, but was suppressed by the Imperial authorities. The
necessity of establishing a mint at Victoria in the near future will undoubtedly be acquiesced in by the Dominion Government.
Refining. --There is every reason to believe that refining works will, in the near future, be erected at Victoria ; the market for the
bullion is here, and besides taking the ores from the mainland and islands of British Columbia, the absence of duty on the class of ores
coming from Alaska, places Victoria as the nearest practicable point to take the output of these mines.
Iron. --The iron ores of British Columbia exist in large quantities at Sooke, on Vancouver Island, on Rivers' inlet and at Seaforth channel ;
but the bed most available is that of Texada Island, Gulf of Georgia. This is a perfect mountain of rich magnetic iron ore, within
limestone walls, assays 68 4-10 of iron, and has a very low percentage of phosphorus and other impurities. This iron has already been much
used as a necessary ingredient in connection with iron found in Washington State, where steel products are necessary, by the Puget Sound
iron companies, and it is of interesting note that the ordnance department, in their last report to Congress at Washington, D. C., spoke
of this ore as a necessary adjunct with the ores of Washing-ton State in the manufacture of guns on Puget Sound.
Copper. --The most prominent ledges of copper yet found are one on Howe Sound and Texada ; but there are other finds in various parts of
the province -- on the islands and mainland.
Coal. ?-This industry has already undergone a wonderful development on Vancouver Island. On the mainland veins of lignite exist in the
vicinity of New Westminster, and good croppings are found along the North Thompson and Skeena rivers. Bituminous coal is found near
Kamloops, while a very large body of semi-anthracite has been opened up at the Crow's Nest Company's mines in East Kootenay. At Graham
Island, one of the Queen Charlotte group, a considerable amount of Victoria capital has been expended by such well known men as William
Wilson, Henry Saunders, Captain John Irving, and others, in the development of coal beds which are of a clearer character of anthracite
than any yet discovered on the Pacific Coast. The Oregon Improvement Company, the owners of railways, steamers and coal mines
ST. JOHN'S CHURCH.
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