Morris tribune., 1899-07-08
justice IN BRITISH COLUMBIA
And Other Interesting Facts about
that Part of the World,

And Other Interesting Facts about
that Part of the World.
From Supt. Ross we have received
permission to print very interesting
personal letter which he recently
received from FL. B. Humphrey, Ross
land, British Columbia. Besides the
valuable facts about the country
which the letter contains, there is also
suggestive account of the admins
tration of justice, which is almost
incompreheDsible to us Americans.
The postage on the letter is a two
cent stamp of the new series which
represents miniature outline map
of the world with the British possess
sions printed in red, and below the
legend, eve hold vaster empire
than has BEEN"
"Rossland is city of 1900 people,
located in the center of one of the
richest mining fields in the British
Northwest. Gold is the chief out
put of the mines here though much
copper, iron and lead ore are mined.
There are between 16 and 20 working
mines within the city limits and from
one mine alone (the LIE Roi) 300 tons
OF ore are daily shipped to the smell
tiers averaging 500 per ton in gold
and copper. Pay day comes once
every month and at that time,
between $4,000 and $4,000 are
paid out to miners alone, from which
the saloon men get their various
shares. There are So saloons here,
every one of them doing a very pros
porous business. There is better law
and order here than any town of
equal size was ever in. Canadian
justice is very severe and the miners
are all aware of it. A man found
drunk outside of saloon or his own
house is run ia" for. 80 days and
fined SO much that he won't forget it.
Once arrested, their is no chance of
being bailed out or released through
aid of Influential friends. Law is
law and must be respected. When
you consider the fact that this is a
town and is kept in order day
and night by a Chief-of- police and
three subordinate officers, it is GER
tainly remarkable. The same town
in the U, S. would doubtless require
a garrison of soldiers to keep the men
in order. It must be admitted that
throughout all Canada, the citizens
have more respect for the law than
do those of our own nation.
''This city is 1000 feet above the sea
level and is located right in the midst
and on the sides of British Columbia s |
widest and biggest mountains.
There is very little timber or vegeta-
ton here and what there is is small
and very inferior. The only resource
is mining and there is an almost mex
haustable quantity of ore here so that
one need have no doubts as to the |
future of Rossland. Ten years from |
now it will rival any city in Western |
Canada in wealth and people. Good |
board and room can be obtained here
for rs per week.
IL see great deal of the rough side
If life here, in fact [ board among
lot of miners. Their life is a hard |
one, due largely to gambling and
vhiskey. | have seen specimens OF
humanity that surprised me little
out am gradually growing accus-
,omed to unusual things. 1t is ter
.ible place in which to rear children
f you desire to civilize them. There
$ but one school housei in the entire
own but there are hordes of children,
many of them not being able to
attend school because of poor accomo-
cations. Canadian schools, at least
n British Columbia ale very poor,
Even in Victoria city nearly 0years
I'D, the schools do not compare with
hose of our small country towns in
10 nv canvassing | have
aiken orders from Germans, Swedes,
Norwegians, Danes, Finnlanders, Rus
slams, Poles. Austrians, Italians,
French, New Zealanders, Australians,
Chinese, English, Scotch, Irish,
Welsh, Canadians and people of the
u. S.
The climate here is usually fine,
out the water is very poor because of
he arsenic it contains. All the ore
lere is nearly white or a dull green
OF the arsenic, and all vege-
alton for miles aronnd the smelters
ire killed bv the poisonous fumes
r,,,, tho cp1aItor ornnaH