| Transcript |
- 54 VICTORIA ILLUSTRATED.
the Columbia and Kootenay rivers and lakes furnishing excellent water communication from either line of railway. To these facilities is
due, in a great measure, the attention that has been paid to Kootenay district, where prospectors have opened to the world silver mines
that give promise of surpassing in wealth those of any district on the American continent. Thousands of locations of gold, silver, copper
and lead have been made, many of them have been extensively developed, and a great number more or less prospected. The mines of Toad
Mountain, lying between Columbia river and Kootenay lake, were first discovered by a prospecting party coming in from the south. For the
"Silver King," the chief group, $1,300,000 has been offered. This is one of the greatest ledges of ore ever found, it being
of remarkable width, and carrying from hundreds to thousands of ounces of silver per ton. Extensive silver bearing deposits were
afterwards found at what is called the Hot Springs Camp, equally as rich, but not in such quantity. Recently, deposits of silver
giving as rich promise as the mines of Toad Mountain, were located on the head waters of Kaslo river and on Slocan lake, lying
also between the Columbia river and Kootenay lake. Besides these important camps, locations have been made in every part of the
Kootenay lake district of gold, silver, copper and lead ores, but principally of silver. As a consequence of these, miners and capitalists
have visited the field in large numbers, enterprising companies have prepared for the building up of important towns, of smelters, saw
mills, and the means of transportation. Among the most energetic is the Boston Company, really the pioneer of the lake district, they
having been engaged in opening up the famous Blue Bell galena claim, on the east shore, for the past nine years. This company has begun
the building of a large smelter at Pilot Bay. The Victoria Company, of which Joshua Davies is the leading spirit, have erected saw mills,
and have in many ways prepared for the building of a large town at Nelson. Ainsworth, Kaslo City, Pilot Bay, each give promise of becoming
important centres of trade for the mines tributary to them. In other portions of Kootenay mines are being developed, the "Lanark" mine at
Illecillewaet having been proved to be a great deposit of rich bearing galena. At various places along the line of railway in
East and West Kootenay, quartz mines are being developed, and it is confidently predicted that next year and the following years will
prove that Kootenay is the richest mining section of the continent. In the early sixties, rich gold placers were worked in various parts of
Kootenay, and are still being worked, principally by Chinese. Excellent coking and other coals are found in Crow's Nest Pass in immense
quantities. Limestone, iron ore, timber, and other necessaries for smelting, abound adjacent to the mines, so that the treatment of
the precious metal is made both cheap and profitable.
Chief mention is made of Kootenay mines, because they are so far advanced in development, and so favor-ably situated with regard to
transportation facilities (the Great Northern furnishing another transcontinental line next year), that it must be here that British
Columbia's precious metals will first yield up their millions in bullion. But the other sections of the country lying south of the line
of the Canadian Pacific have also great mineral wealth, while north to the Alaska boundary, deposits of gold, silver, copper, iron, mica,
marble, and other valuable natural resources, exist in abundance. With the exception of those on the coast, the mines lying far from railway
communication will necessarily have to await cheaper transportation facilities before being extensively worked. In Cariboo there are
numerous gold quartz ledges, some of which have been shown by the Government Reduction Works to be capable of paying a reasonable profit.
In Lillooet district, some twenty-five miles from the railway, the " Bonanza " gold claim is being thoroughly opened up.
In the Okanagan district of Yale are large gold quartz deposits. At Rock Creek, near the boundary line, are also extensive ledges, some
of which are being opened up. In the Similkameen district are numerous locations. It is in this portion of Yale district that large
quantities of platinum are found in the placer claims. The North Thompson river has also many quartz ledges. It was at
Nicomin, on the main Thompson, that gold was first discovered in British Columbia.
HON. HUGH NELSON, LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR.
|
|---|
