, 1881-08-06
A Trip to British Columbia.
BY rHE HON. PRILrP RITZ.
july Sd, 1851.

4
elegant Palace car Wallula end were soon
gliding away in ease and comfort over the
route that twenty years ago We came into
Walla Walla over on stage coach, and on
reaching our destination would find the
dust so completely ground into everything
that it was almost impossible for persons
to recognize each other We arrive at
the Dalles at fve in the morning after
having nice quiet sleep, and go directly
aboard the elegant steamer Il. B. Thomp-
son, where We take breakfast as We jour
ney on, and arrive at Portland at about
three O'Clock, and in time to take the ex-
press 10 Albany and Lebanon, in Linn
county, if We should wish, making the
trip from Walla Walla to the center Of
the Willamette in elegance and comfort in
about twenty-four hours-that IN early
settlement of the country used to take
eight and ten days Of tiresome travel-to
make.
The State Fair at Salem was hot a sCc-
cess this season.. yet the display Of horses
VAS very fine, and altogether must have
been quite gratifying TO our Walla Walla
friends as We were told that they carried
off nearly all the premiums for fast stock.
On Friday We took the cars at kalama
for Puget Sound and found the n. 7.
railroad In splendid condition and run
ming on faster time, So that We could get
through 10 Seattle the same day We left
Portland. There are but few roads III
the United States that run smoother than
this from kalama TO Tacoma We stopped
al Tacoma long enough To get an elegant
dinrier at Blackwells hotel, and then
sailed down the sound via Seattle and
| Port Townsend Ia Victoria, where We
arrived tust In time 10 See the steamer for
Yale steam out of the harbor and leave us.
This gave us an opportunity to see the
quiet but nice little English town of Vic
toria, wLerc We could plainly realize that
We were on foreign soil. This is a very
beautiful place of 6O00 inhabitants, and |
don't know of any place on the Pacific
Coast where family could spend month
autly than here or at Port Townsend.
These places are Just far enough from
the ocean 10 have little of the harshness
taken off the sea breezes and leave the air
coming from the salt water deiiciously
soft, cool and invicorating. While stop
ping here gathered some statistics OF
this interesting country which Is to be-
cumevery closely allied to us in the near
future.
In this short article | shall conhne my
self to but few facts and figures and
give but a general outline, as | find vol
ume could be written oil this vast coun-
try which is as large as both Washington
and Oregon, and fully as rich in resources
We left Victoria on the popular and COM
modious steamer HesteIn Slope, COM
manded by her owner Capt. Moore, who
is a perfect gentleman, and all his men
try to make 1t as pleasant as possible for
passengers, and III short time We were
steaming across the Gulf of Georgia in the
direction of Fraser river The scenery
in crossing this gulf is grand and sublime
in the extreme To the right and in the
south Mt Baker rises up majestically
almost from the waters edge, and stands
out against the clear blue sky In bold re-
lief, with her pure white form and at a
distance Of 40 miles, while the front Of
the picture is filled up with beautiful tim
bered islands and low mountains, while
directly in front and up the valley Of the
Frazer river, rising out of the Cascade
range and 80 miles distant, stands Mite
Hope The Cascade range trends around
to the northwest as far rs the eye can
reach say about 100 mIles-where ii
seems to unite III the horizon with Van
couver island, at the north end of the
Gulf of Georgia, forming a picture at Snce
of the grandest and most sublime descrip-
tion, and making view of some l13 miles
| IN extent.
As We reach the mouth of the Frazer
river We hnd very extensive deltas Of the
| richest alluyial soil, and now beng re-
claimed by the Dominion government
Al Lumaz 10000 acres are being dyked
and at Nlatsqui 10000 will soon be re-
claimed.
! learn that the government gave ont
contract of this last at 81 90 per acre or
$50, 900 for the tract.
There are also a number of salmon
fisheries that are Just commencing opera
tions and which promise very finely. Fur
| ther north on the Skeena and Ness rivers
fisheries have been established two or
three years, and SO well are they paying
that already this season one shipment has
been made TO Victoria Of 5000 cans,
! :. h., g, ,-aus.ly
be loaded thisseason with salmon from
British Columbia.
There are eight new fisheries within
radius of ten miles Of New Westminster.
The Indians do all the fishing and the
Cinnamon .he canning The seal fisheries
of Barkeley Island and the north coast
in three or four months amounted to
over 800, 900. have also been reliably
informed that the fur trade in one year at
the Hudson Bay compsny's port at Fort
McKiusey on the Mekinsey river has
amounted 10 81 900, 900.
| will have something further to say
about the Mckinsey river when ! get into
the interior
Texada island as seen IN the distance to
the north IS low mountain about 10 miles
long and seems to be a solid body Of the
most valuable quality Of magnetic IRON ore
The ore is now being shipped to Port
Townsend, and after being there smeited
Is sold in the California market. It Is
said to be as good as the best Scotch pig
and in many respects superior
On the same island large quantities OF
timber for charcoal abound, and coal and
limestone for the reduction OF the.ore III
unlimited quantities afe close at hand.
China and Japan are about to become
consumers Of British Columbia coal The
steamship Oti,std took out the first cargo
Of 2OOO tons xhile | was there, and in
conversation with the supercargo, Wm-
Gray. of Hong Kong, he told me their
company would run three or four vessels
constantly in the China trade, and would
be Glad to load with -four all the time il
he could get j; ON fair terms told him
| thought they could get careoes Of Walla
WsIIa flour on very satisfactory terms.
He promised to investigate the matter for
the next cargo
New Westminster at the Eouth Of
Fraser river and 80 miles from Victoria,
is most beautifully situated 1t has
population of 900 1t is believed that
| the Canadian Pacific railroad will termin-
ate at Burrard inlet on the same peninsula
and but short distance from Neg West
minister. From New Westminster to
Yale is 100 miles The mountains gradually