ANNUAL REPORT OF THE MINISTER OF MINES, FOE THE YEAR ENDING 31ST DECEMBER, 1885, BEING AN ACCOUNT OP Mining Operations for Gold, Coal, &c IN THE Jrobitta tff British (Eolwmbm. VICTORIA : Printed by Richard Wolfenden, Government Printer, at the Government Printing Office, James' Bay. 1886. PROVINCE OF BRITISH COLUMBIA. TABLE Showing the actually known and estimated yield of gold; the number of miners employed; and their average earnings per man, per year, from 1858 to 1885. 1858 (6 months) 1859 1860 1861 1862 1863 1864 1866 1866 1867 1868 1869 1870 1871 1872 1878 1874 1876 1876 1877 1878 1879 1880 1881 1882 1883 1884 Amount actually known to have been exported by Banks, &c. $ 390,265 1,211,304 1,671,410 1,999,589 3,184,700 2,801,888 2,618,404 1,996,580 1,860,651 1,779,729 1,331,234 1,002,717 1,349,580 1,208,229 979,312 1,383,464 1,856,178 1,339,986 1,206,136 1,062,670 1,076,049 844,856 872,281 795,071 661,877 613,304 694,782 Add one-third more, estimate of gold carried away in private hands. $ 130,088 403,768 557,133 666,529 1,061,566 933,962 872,801 666,526 620,217 693,243 443,744 334,239 449,860 402,743 326,437 461,154 618,726 446,662 402,045 l-6th 212,534 215,009 168,971 174,456 159,014 132,375 122,861 118,966 $ 520,353 1,615,072 2,228,543 2,666,118 4,246,266 3,735,850 3,491,205 2,662,106 2,480,868 2,372,972 1,774,978 1,336,956 1,799,440 1,610,972 1,305,749 1,844,618 2,474,904 1,786,648 1,608,182 1,275,204 1,290,058 1,013,827 1,046,737 954,085 794,252 736,165 713,738 Number of Miners employed. f 49,385,866 3,000 4,000 4,400 4,200 4,100 4,400 4,400 4,294 2,982 8,044 2,390 2,369 2,348 2,450 2,400 2,300 2,868 2,024 2,282 1,960 1,883 2,124 1,956 1,898 1,738 1,965 1,858 2,902 Average yearly earnings per man. 8 173 403 606 634 517 482 849 813 893 814 992 749 669 734 671 567 648 1,222 783 820 677 607 518 651 548 404 JLJtXUuu 49 Vic. Report of the Minister of Mines. 485 REPORT MINISTER OF MINES YEAR 1885. To the Honourable Clement Francis Cornwall, Lieutenant-Governor of the Province of British Columbia. May it Please Your Honour : The Annual Report of the Mining Industries of the Province for the year 1885, is herewith respectfully submitted. JNO. ROBSON, Provincial Secretary and Minister of Mines. Provincial Secretary's Office, 1st March, 1886. 49 Vic. Report of the Minister of Mines. 487 REPORT. GOLD. The value of the gold exported by the Banks at Victoria, during the year 1885, is as follows:— Bank of British Columbia $ 244,442 Bank of British North America 43,135 Garesche, Green & Co 307,205 $ 594.782 The statistics show a large increase in the number of miners, and decrease in the average yearly earnings per man. Both these results are accounted for by the rush to Granite Creek towards the end of the mining season, and by an increased number of Chinamen rocking during the autumn months on the bars of the Fraser (already worked and re-worked) with but little return for their labours. CARIBOO. Mr. Bowron's Report. "Richfield, 30th November, 1885. "Sir.—I have the honour to submit my annual report upon the mining industry of this district, accompanied by the customary 'statistics,' which will be found to show a further falling off in the annual product of the mines, as also a decrease in mining population—the late discoveries in the Similkameen country having attracted quite a number from the district. "The summer was unusually dry until about 1st October, which caused a suspension of work in nearly all the hydraulic claims for some considerable time; at which date, however, rain set in, and a plentiful supply of water for most claims was obtainable until cold weather closed them out (about 1st November). '■'On Williams Creek the old claims are showing signs of exhaustion, and but few new ones are being opened up. "The Black Bull, Victoria, and other claims, on Lowhee Creek, paid very well while the water lasted. "On Mosquito Creek and Red Gulch the claims, owing to the scarcity of water, were idle a great portion of the summer, but paid fairly for the amount of work accomplished. The Alabama Company, of Mosquito Creek, having obtained a grant of water from Coulter Creek, will, in the spring, commence the construction of a ditch to convey the water a distance of some ten miles. "Grouse Creek has up to the present contributed about the same as last year to the output of the district. The Waverly Hydraulic Company, from a scarcity of water, made but little headway in the development of their mine. No attempt at a 'wash-up' was made. The Sims Company paid very well, and the Jarvis Company have now their claim in good shape for next season's work, which promises well. 488 Report of the Minister of Mines. 1886 "The benches on Lower Antler Creek show a decrease in their annual product, fewer men (Chinese) being here employed. "The Nason Company, on Upper Antler, I much regret to say, have not as yet succeeded in getting into the deep channel, news of which is daily looked for with much anxiety. The unfortunately fatal accident which occurred in this claim last spring, whereby James Blair lost his life by the bursting in of the water and gravel from the channel into the bed-rock "drive," shows the necessity of exercising caution in "tapping" the channel, which necessarily retards the progress of the work. ■ "Although quite a large amount of gold has been taken out on Slough Creek this summer by the Chinese, no new discoveries have been made. Lightning Creek and its tributaries have produced about the same as in 1884. "Sugar and Hardscrabble Creeks have not realized expectations. The rumoured discovery of rich bench diggings on Sugar Creek in October caused some excitement here, and a rush in that direction was made; but so far no one has, apparently, sufficient faith in the ground to make a record of it, although some are of opinion that if water was brought on the ground fair pay would be obtained. "It will be observed that the 'statistics' show a material decrease in the number of Chinese engaged in mining as compared with last year. This, in a measure, may be accounted for by the coming in force of the 'Chinese Regulation Act, 1884,' to circumvent the operation of which recourse was had to every subterfuge, especially to avoid the payment of the fifteen dollars for miner's certificates. Latterly, however, many have yielded to the inevitable, and are taking out certificates rather than lose their claims or relinquish their favourite occupation. "The inauguration by Government of a geological survey of the district, under the supervision of Mr. Bowman (of the Dominion Geological Staff) is regarded as of the most vital importance to the district, as well as to the Province and Dominion, and although the season was far advanced before the party arrived upon the scenes of their labour, yet by the industry and perseverance displayed no doubt much valuable information was obtained, which will prove serviceable in proceeding with a more detailed survey, as, of course, the few weeks at Mr. Bowman's disposal was necessarily devoted to obtaining a general outline of the country. While on this subject it will not, perhaps, be out of place to notice a paragraph which recently appeared in one of our Provincial newspapers (taken from an eastern paper) purporting to give Mr. Valigny's (Mr. Bowman's draughtsman) views respecting our quartz ledges. Mr. Valigny is reported to have said:—'In the quartz ledges examined in the neighbourhood of Barkerville, no free gold was found, and doubtful prospects were entertained if they could be worked profitably,' etc. Such a statement coming (if so) from a member of the Geological Survey Party is calculated to do serious harm if not corrected, as the same might naturally be taken as Mr Bowman's views. The facts are: Mr. Bowman (who was the only person in the party professing any knowledge of geology) visited but one or two ledges in the vicinity of Barkerville, and these certainly not with a view of passing upon their value, his time being too much taken up in making a 'superficial survey' of the country to devote any portion of it to an examination of the ledges (which he proposed doing had he the time left before cold weather set in). Many persons were most anxious to have Mr. Bowman go with them and examine ledges quite near Barkerville, but his answer was invariably to the effect that he must first get through with the work he had in hand, viz., a superficial survey of the country. It is, therefore, quite impossible that Mr. Valigny, speaking either from his own knowledge or that of Mr. Bowman, could have made use of the expressions ascribed to him. "Very little prospecting for new gold-bearing creeks has been undertaken this summer, and that little without apparent results. "In making representations in support of an application for Government assistance in procuring a prospecting outfit, a Mr. Dupre, of Quesnelle, corroborates the reports of Messrs. Stewart, McGuire and party made two years ago (which will be found in the mining reports of that year) to the effect that there is to the N. E. of Barkerville (from 75 to 100 miles) a very promising gold-bearing section of country as yet but little explored. Mr. Dupre says that in 1883 he panned out from a hole he had sunk on a small creek, about 75 or 80 miles down Fraser River from Tete Juane Cache, three dollars in gold dust in a few hours; being without provisions he came down for supplies and assistance, which up to the time he made application for Government assistance he had been unsuccessful in obtaining. "I believe this section of country well worthy the attention of prospectors. 49 Vic. Report of the Minister of Mines. 489 Quartz. "Another year has passed without any material development of our quartz ledges, and if I except the efforts now being put forth by the Quesnelle Quartz Mining Company, nothing has been attempted. "The Quesnelle Company are, however, at the present time making a most laudable attempt to prove the value of their mine at Hixon Creek, having purchased engine and machinery in San Francisco and engaged the services of experienced California quartz miners. The Company are at present cutting a road from Fraser River to their mine, a distance often miles, over which they will take their heavy machinery as soon as completed. Some eighteen men are employed by the Company, and as soon as the machinery is placed in position work on the ledge will be started and crushing carried on during the winter. Gold Yield for 1885. "I estimate the total output of the district for the year as follows:— Barkerville Polling Division $ 120,700 Lightning Creek „ 76,500 Quesnellemouth ,, 62,400 Keithley Creek „ ' 68,100 Estimated product from date to 31st. December. ...... 20,000 I 347,700 "Cariboo has not as yet received any benefit from railway construction. Freights are still high, and Cariboo prices have undergone but little change since my last annual report. " I have, etc., (Signed) "Jno. Bowron, " Gold Commissioner. "To the Honourable the Minister of Mines." Mr. Stephenson's Report. "Forks Quesnelle, 9th Nov,, 1885. "Sir,—I have the honour to forward herewith the estimated yield of gold for Keithley Division of Cariboo District, for the year 1885:— " The returns show a falling off from last year, but there has been a considerable decrease in our mining population for the last year; and also it is impossible to get at a true estimate, as the greater part of the gold in this section is mined and goes away through the hands of the Chinese, and there is no satisfactory information to be obtained from them ; then a great deal of the mining of this section is desultory, the Chinese miners being scattered all over this section of country. They generally work in pairs, and carry their whole mining out-fit with them. When their grub gives out, they make for the nearest trader, lay in a new stock, and away again ; thus they go for the whole season, until the cold weather drives them into winter quarters. Of course there are a few organized companies, but the larger portion of the Chinese mine as above. " During the last summer, two men, S. Kyse and E. Hilton, have been out in the mountains about the head of Quesnelle Lake. They returned about the 10th of October, after a four months' prospecting trip. They say they did not find anything to excite them, but they found some gold, and intend to go back next summer to further satisfy themselves on what they found, as owing to the fall freshets coming on they could not finish their prospecting this season. " There has not been much done at Horsefly this last season, only one company of Chinese working there; they admit they are taking out good pay. The ground all round the China Company's claim is held under a lease by Mr. T. Harper, which prevents considerable prospecting being done there this winter There has not been any work done upon the ground by Mr. Harper since the lease was obtained. " There is a company of white men prospecting on Black Creek, a tributary of Horsefly. They intended to winter there, and it is to be hoped they will find diggings that will pay them for their labour and enterprise. 490 Report of the Minister of Mines. 1886 " In the face of all the cry about hard times and no money, the traders seem to ship as heavy as usual, and the money must come out to pay for the goods, as I do not believe the traders give all their goods away. A few years ago the traders made an outcry about high freights and a toll bridge at this place. Well that bridge has been free for the last season; freights also have been moderate to this place, but the price of goods are quite up to former years, as the following retail prices at the Forks Quesnelle and Keithley Creek will show:— " Flour, 10 to 12 cts. per pound; butter, 62| to 70 cts.; beef, 12^ to 15 cts.; bacon, 35 to 40 cts.; dried apples, 40 cts.; rice, 16 to 18 cts.; beans, 15 cts.; potatoes at Forks Quesnelle, 3 cts., at Keithley, 5 to 6 cts.; tea, $1.25 per pound; tobacco, $1.25 per pound; candles, 45 cts. by the box; gum boots, $12 per pair. These things are the bare necessaries. If we want to go for any of the luxuries, such as there is to be had, then the trader wants to make a little profit, and—well he makes it- -as they claim they can't keep even on staples at the prices they are selling at, and they try to get square on the other articles. " The construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway has made a boom in the lower country, but so far has acted adversely to the mining industry of Cariboo, as by it employment of teams and pack trains up to the last season, it has kept freights high to Cariboo; also when men that were mining became discouraged, or doubtful of their claims, they had railroad work to fall back upon, and away they went; but now that the Canadian Pacific Railway is about finished, we may look for low freight, so that living will be much cheaper than heretofore; also Cariboo may get a share of the influx of people which the Canadian Pacific Railway is bound to bring into the Province, and probably see better times than the present. " I have,