East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1865-03-29
THE GOLD FIELDS OF CANADA.

The following returns to On address
Of the Assembly. dated 18th Jnnuary,
1865, for copies of all reports made
by @. j.. DeBellefeuille, Inspector OF
gold mines, and Of ]. X. Gilman, also
Inspector Of gold mines, has boen
brought down.
ANNUAL REPORT OF c. l.. DEBELLEfUILLE,
IsPEcToR OF THE cnAUDIERE GOLD
MINES, cHAUDIERE EIvIsIoy.
Sr. Francis, BEAucE, 80 Nov, 1864.
TO the Honorable A. Campbell, Com
missioner of Crown Lands, Quebec.
Sn,-H we consider the unfavor-
able weather the miners had to under
go during the months of September
and October, this season should be
looked upon as an exceptional one.
Miners should be advised to leave
home about the end Of the month of
May, in order to arrive at the diggings
about the 1st Of June, which is the
proper month previous to that date
the water is too high to allow mining
operations to be carried on with any
success. sa.s ta.8 - t-
A great many miners committed an
egregious error last spring by coming
up at the beginning of May; the
consequence was, they found it i'm
possible to mine with any success !;
they becaine 1dikhoartsned, returned
home, and spread such reports on the
appearance of the country, and the
check they had experienced, as to de-
for thousands from ultimately visiting
the mines. 1t is well-averred fact,
that many young men, who never Wis
tied the gold region but came within
two or throo miles of it, became dis
couraged at the rugged appearance of
the region, and without ever introduce
ing shovel in the earth, returned
home and may others, after remain
ing a day or two ut the mine, became
nervous at the hard work they had to
undergo, and lost no time in returning
home. Htt
The great advantages for mining
purposes, undorwhich our gold regions
are situated, compared to those Of
California and Australia, is tho easy
access and proximity to cities, and the
thick settlements of this part of the
affording thereby an easy
exit and cheap mode of living to all
miners.
Were they situated THAT is the min
ers) as in tho two above named regions,
hundreds of miles from any settle
ment, and with the option Of working
or starving, it would have altered tho
entire aspect of this region, and untold
wealth. would have dbccn extracted
from the mines. Asst is, we can well
compare, if not surpass, the Califor-
nian or Australian mines. Persons
must bear in mind that this is the
first years experience we have had.
In California and Australia it took
fully three years before tho mines
wore fully developed, that is merely
mentioning tho alluvial mining -
the quartz mining was not developed
until ten years afterwards, that is in
California Lot tho same time expire
here, and / feel confident that the
average yield will surpass that Of the
above named localities. t N
1t must also DO considered that
mere alluyial mining has taken places,
and that in very imperfect manner.
Some one remarked last year, that he
could not but be struck with the un-
systematic and unsatisfactory manner
of the work going on here. Since
then there has been no improvement,
and the consequence must be that Mt
least one-third of the gold must be
lost, As proof of what l advance, l