The evening times., 1899-01-18

able that explorers have been unable to
penetrate them and il is unknown what
they contain. but judging from the gold
bearing streams which in places issue
from them it is very probable that they are
immensely rich.
The government of the Dominion of
Canada early recognized the fabulous
riches which lie buried in their territory
and it was for the purpose of developing
this vast region that the Canadian Pacific
Railroad was built. The road was Won
derful piece of engineering and required
an immense amount of money Because
OF the great cost outside capitalists were
called upon 10 furnish large sums of mon
ey and in turn received an interest in the
road which gave them practically the pow
er to control the operation of the entire
road English and American capitalists
have formally secured these interests
which were originally obtained from the
government and have turned them to their
own profit much to the injury OF the road
The government has been prevented by
these outside holders from carrying out
their original programme and as d result
the country which the road was designed
10 open up has never been benefited to the
extent outlined The Vanderbilts. William
Van Horn, the president of the road, and
the Allans of the Allan steamship line. are
the men who now practically control the
road. 1t is said that as soon as they can
shut the government out of It's present
share they will go ahead with the de-
ve!opment of the western part of the Do
minion of Canada as was first intended by
the government. 1t is undcubt edlv due TO
the part which this syndicate has PLAYED
in the history of the road that the riches
of British Columbia have never been fully
known or developed. In spite of these
atto hoc
ed to the. country and even now under
the most adverse conditions it is fast
opening up.
During the gold excitement of the six
ties the Canadian government built wagon
roads extending from Ashcroft, which is
on the railroad, north to the Frazier River
valley. thence up the valley for 900 or 400
miles. Branch roads were built from the
main road to the various mining camps
The roads were built at great cost. as in
many places it was necessary to leave the
valley and ascend to the tops of the cliffs
which border on the streams. In many
places the roads are several thousand feet
above the rivers bed, and run close to the
edges OF the gorges and canyons so that
in some places the trail is somewhat dan
gerous. Soon after the discovery of gold
stage lines were organized, and during the
palmiest days of the excitement the ex-
press companies and owners of the stage
lines made as much money as the luckiest
miner. portion Of the main road from
Quesnelle north for about 100 miles within
recent years has gotten out of repair and
travel has been much impeded. The gov
! ernment is now making repairs, and the
road will soon be in first-class condition
Even now there are several stage lines
in operation, and from the accounts OF
tourists and capitalists, who have visited
the country the companies running stages
are doing all the business that the condi-
tion of the roads will permit.
Ever since 1875 thousands of Cinnamon
have worked the placer mines OF the
streams nearest civilization. With the
crudest of methods they are able to take
! out So and 81 per day in the places which
have been worked before and abandoned by
white men as being worthless The Chi
nese live together in small groups They
build small huts just large enough to sleep
in and do all their cooking out of doors.
1t is their custom to save few thousand
dollars, after which they go back to China.
taking their savings with them, so that
their presence in the country does not in
any way benefit the country. With a sum
that would last an ordinary white man two
or three years a Chinaman will live in
comfort and luxury the remainder of his
life in his native country