The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1859-03-31
THE WEEKLY PIONEER AND DEMOCRAT.
FRAZER River Stock Rising.-Nerthrup's
Steamboat and Palliser's Pass.

fraser River Stock Rising.-Serthrup's
Steamboat and PailiseF's Pass.
As the season approaches for carrying
into eject the theories and resolutions ma-
tured 10 the seclusioa OF the winter months
it becomes u to inquire what We are going
TO do with Frazer river this year, Is
lever for turning emigration in this direc-
ton. And how shall we we utilize the facil
tiles which have been already provided or
are in course Of preparation for overland
communication by this route with the gold
mines.
A correspondent of the Victoria Gazette
recently assembled Frazer river and its
tributaries several hundred miles to obtain
correct information, and his reports furnish
US with reliable data from which to Judge of
the prospects Of the mines. Everywhere he
found miners making handsome pro6ts-the
average wages for hands ranging from four
to eight dollars per day.
The difficulties Of transportation which
embarrassed the earlier operations in mining
are being overcome. Transit is regular and
comparatively cheap. The country along
the route is described as beautiful.
The following specimens Of the richness Of
the diggings will serve for general examples.
At point 22O miles above the mouth OF
Frazer river, he speaks Of miners making as
follows:
A Frenchman earning SO . day ; Is to 20
men working with rockers variously making
from IS to SIS a-day to the hand. With sluices
they think so could be made at all seasons Of
the year. Going on IL or Is miles, and passing
some 20 miners scattered along the river max
ing from - to - per day. reached Roses
Bar on which there are now 80 or 40 miners
making - to tl5 s-day. The average pay In at
least q sday to the hand.
lie then passes on to Fosters Bar Of
which he says:
Many rich spots we're found upon 1t at low
water, and "a high a. $50 to the hand WAS TAX
en- out for many days in succession. 1t still
pays moderately well with the rocker. Large
wages can hereafter only be made by sluicing.
About SO men on the Bar working with.
rockers.
Farther on at Fountain Bar, he says:
The company have put up comfortable Co.
bins, and are now running three sluices and
working Is men, with an average yield OF $l2
per day 10 the hand They have dirt enough
10 last them for years, the entire top dirt pay
ing three feet down, aud If well managed, the
enterprise can hardly tai to enrich its owners.
| was informed by one Of their number that
they took out 81 500 in one day in October, .
statement found confirmed in other quarters.
The results Of his intelligent observations
the writer sums up in the following terms
That the surferous deposits Of this region
are spread over . considerable scope Of cOun.
try 10 apparent from the fact that paying dig.
gins have already been found on the Frazer
RIVER, extending from Fort Hope almost to
Fort Alexander, n continuous distance Of near.
ly 40 miles. Among the tributaries OF this
stream, Thompson and Bride Rivers are known
TO be Auriferous--the latter sufficiently so TO
have already richly rewarded those who have
labored ss high up as thrt live or forty miles
from its IN putu, W hlIe the former has been ascer
tanned to have many bars that will pay in its
bed. On two OF its NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. and
Bonaparte Rivers good digglDgs are reported
to have been recently discovered. How many
more Of the numerous branches Of these
streams shalI yet be found Astounding in gold
remAirs to be seen, little or no prospecting
having tn ~ far been done upon them. Nor IL
the extent oI tins gold field likely TO be limited
20 these rivers and their sources. Coarse gold
WAS found about six weeks since by some
packers while exploring for . muel route
around Lake Seton. IL was discovered on q
large creek flowing into the outlet OF the lake
at point about fifteen miles from the Frazer.
The dust was apparently OF higG standard
value At two places on the Llilooet River
bars have been found that will warrant work
ing with slu'ce. Fer 100 miles above the
Pavilion, and beyond what Is termed the Canoe
Country, the banks OF Frazer River have been
proved TO pay even better than below the
gold being coarser and more easily saved, -
well ~ more plentiful 1t will thus be seen
that the gold heds Of British Columbia, ascer- |
tanned to be pay ing, to LAY nothing OF Tumored
discoveries beyond, are tolerably extensive.
They do not II il true rival those Of California
or Australia 10 magnitude, but that they cover
u large scope OF country, Acd will give employ
ment 10 a large populat on, IS settled beyond
controversy VI question.
That better average wages can be made than
in any part Of Cal iornia A. present there 10 no
doubt This can b done even wth the present
want Of bitches and Indifferent appliances for
taking out the gold. hese diggings. owing
to the ineness Of the dust and the d fculty OF
saving Il. require to be worked with sluces-s
mode that has been introduced 70 but a limit
ed extent as yet owing to the want OF lumber,
A. well as Of wheels OF bitches for supplying
water. When sluices shall have bee generally
brought into use more than twice the amount
nov realized can be taken out t. hand. Anoth
er cause that viii tend to rerder these mines
highly remuneratise in the aggregate j., that
every man will be able ~ secure a claim, and
that but little capital will be required TOR
starting operations; hence every one will en-
joy the foil fruits OF his Own Ia Dor, and none
need remain idle.
Farther on he says:
would venture, then, after having seen con.
sidersb.e Of the mines 10 this quarter, TO ex-
press the confident opinion that they will prove
sufficiently extensive, productive and lasting
TO warrant large INN grafton to this country
in the ensuing season, and that British Columbia
IL destined 10 become another great gold pro
dueing region, ranking next 10 California and
Australia IN the amount she vii hereafter
.ra.NA -