The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-05-24

Nessrs r. Dunsmu.r 4 Sons. and tn \.
len CoiEery Company. near Comox nj
following table viii give an sdea of al
output for the last eleven years.
Year Tons Year r.. Il
1874 ...... N.0d0s SSS ....-.. EeI
1875 ....... iio.ooosiSSs ........ NH
lsss .-...-.---- lS-uSi ~ .....-...... flWu
Isl -...-.----. i54eeoslssS ....-...-... 0TN
lsse .--..---.-- l.LNest>cs ...-.......- SaAUf
ls.s -..---..--- -tlfssei iN1 --.-..-.,... S4RI
lsS .-......... asNwktSs -.....-.....la0RU
M .'..--..--. w. .....-.>..-. mi
ISL ..-.-...-.. S.a0I sS.S ............ SaTy
iSsS -...----..- sIS-s-ss ls4 -.-...-....l022k
During 1855 .zsi..Ss5 tons were ship2ed !. /
the California market. the total err, Il
Of the collieries TO foreign countries 80.
Sc tons The output OF ccsl win, a.
ing the present year. be greatly incrsmaI
for the manufacture of coke Is TO be ena~.
ed Into on a large scale at the Unloa 81
iieries. A market tor this win be H.
emcnnx the smei;ers that the immen.
gold. silver and copper mining deyeso.
-nent has rendered necessary. ut prs,S.
a great deal OF coke Is imported into - !
province from Cardiff and from the uBkpl
States. but the tests that have been NJ. 1
with Union coal show it to produce . hian.
ly desirable coke. and the Union Cola, /
Company will have no difficulty In s>cu@ /
ing a market for its production. n
sides the fact that coke Is produced chez
iy on the seaboard wiz give an impetpe = /
mining for precious metals along u
coast. the discoveries that have been ~.
in the last few months giving promiss I
smelling operations being begun helaev
long The Union collsery coke ovenn m
have a capacity OF ise tons of coke pef
day ard as the ovens are ciose to u
water the steamers can be loaded By
steam derrick direct from tbs ovens. A.
other Improvement that the Union al.
Nery Is putting in is Luhrix coal wsnA.
ing machine, capable OF handling 90 Ia
day. This will give washed nut CO.
equal In value 10 the lump. for II h
been found in Great Britain ana German
that the nut coal after being sized anl n
washed gives better rusults for steam pur.
poses than lump coal. besides being easis
handled.
The NanaIrno coilsery has a plant valusl 1
at sssa.o,o; has eleven and ole-half mlla
OF railway, five locomotives and ~ cAa
Their wharves have s.eo0 feet frousAn
at which ships OF the largest size O. j
load at all stages OF the tide.
The wellington coil.erles have Q plan /
valued at $50 go. with five miles OF ranr
way. six locomotives. 80 cars and -four /
wharves for loading vessels.
he 1gt1 t0i%AEft mas ~ ft3ut N8&0UU ~
sfss. 90, with twelve miles Of railway. N
cars. four locomotives and two wharveA
The number OF hands employed during f.
1855 was as follows:
Nanalnao coll.sry ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Wellington coiliery ................-...t0
Union collieTy ....-....-.-...-.....-...... ~
-
Total .-.s.-...--..-.. .........-..---.....<A
The island Railway.
An important factor in the prosperity q |
Victoria is the EsQuimait q Nsnasmo rait
way. II connects the commercial capital
OF the province with the immense coal
regions OF what Is known as the NanAins
basin Fer many years its construetiaa
was recommended and strenuously advo-
Gated as advisable in the interests OF con-
merce and settlement. but II was onay
when II became essential as matter u
public policy that actual work upon Il
was undertaken. Its building was q part
of the celebrated Carnarvon terms OF com
pensation for the delay In completing the
main line of the Canadian Pacific railway,
Upon more than one occasion II had pre-
viously been endeasored to make 1t q part
of the transcontinental system, but The
parliament at Ottawa was not content TO
treat II as such. However. under the set
Element BIZ of 1852 its construction was a.
OF 1854. the late Hon. Robert Dunsmuir
having. at the suggestion OF the Marquis
OF Lorne. then governor general. and 9th.
er prominent persons. consented 10 A.
sumo tina responsibility. Under the settle
ment bin the Dominion government was
pledged TO grant s.5a. 600 towards the work
of building. and the provincial govern
ment the lands that are known a. the
railway reserve. comprising about 3.ooo.eD
acres.
Under Mr.. Dunsmuir's contract the
railway was to he running by Juns n
1851 but with such energy was the UNI
dertaking prosecuted that on the 10th u
August. fsss. the last ran was laid. and
on the 18th Of that month the last spike
was driven by the late Right Hon. ST.
John A. Macdonald then and for many
years premier Of the Dominion. II II I'm.
derstood that to build and equip the road.
whose total length is seyenty-cight miles,
cost over s2.st0oo. That the work was
30 successfully carried on was almost en-.
tireiy owing to Mr. Dunsmuir's sagacity
and perseverance. he with some aim.
Guilty having Interested some Of the
wsalthiest capitalists OF California. who
In addition to the practically unlimited
means at their disposal. were large con-
sumers OF coal A matter worthy OF note
in this connection is that not a single
cash was paid down on the nail the mo-
ment IL was required. As viii be appar.
ent 10 any one who travels over the rood
It's construction involved the removal Of
many engineering difficulties. There was
large quantity OF heavy rock work, 81.
ceptionaily high bridges and tres.les hal
TO be constructed. and the amount q
filling that had to be done WAS rcmark-
ably great. But. despite all this accord
N GDV nj tsaAo st.a lua~
Nanaimo railway Is one OF the best
built roads on the continent.
Inc scenery Bil along the line fs bold
grand and impressive. broken at times By
some OF the most charming bits OF land
scape that could be imagined The Ell.
fects are panoramic--so abrupt are some
OF the transitions, while other Views for
long stretches follow In their succession
like one harmonious whole The build
INK Of this line has given rapid and con-
venient connection between Victoria and
number OF important points that from
business point OF View were practically
inaccessible. A number Of fourishing
business and agricultural centers have
been opened UP and given an outlet for
the valuable products with which they
around. Valuable building stone is plsn-
tifui all along the route: some OF the tim,
Der ~ really magnificent, and the guam
tify OF this material may be said to b
almost inexhaustible- Rich siiver-bezrinG
quartz lodges have been prospected and
VIII doubtless be developed in the early
future. That there are valuable farming
lands hereabop,s IL shown by the numbef
OF agricultural settlements which are
brought To light in almost every break
In the forest. There are extensive ssu-
mills at Shawnigan. Chemainus. Govt
chan, Nansirno and other points. which
have been rendered possible Of succesxfu
operation BY the means OF trasport which
the railway has afforded.
The railway. moreover. ia addition 10 b.