The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-08-29
VANCOUVER ISLAND MINES
AMERICAN CAPITAL AIDS LARGELY
THEIR DEvEL0PMEHT.

| Istesestiag Data EabeAseA n Ces-
ssIas Reports IRE. Victoria, =.
C-OtheP Sesress u British c..
lsnbia's Great llsnessl wealth.
| Special Dispatch to the Post-lntelligencer
WASHINGTON, Aug. D,-United States
capital n credited with having pushed the
development Of the mineral resources OF
Vancouver island during the past year with
more energy than heretofore. This state
ment In made upon the authority Of re-
port from Consul Abraham +. Smith. Of
Victoria.
The growth Of the country has been 20
rapid that the provincial government ID
seriously considering the establishment Of
telegraph line along the west coast Of
Vancouver island. from Alberni to Clayo-
quot and Uclulet sounds, distance Of 800
miles. connecting with Nanaimo and Vic
tor.a, and the whole telegraph system.
American ctisens have secured q nine
ty-n.ne-year lease on the Copper Island
group Of mines on Barclay sound. contain
ing seven claims, and q similar lease on
the Trilby and Lucky Lamp groups on
Rivers inlet. and L II Their reported inten-
ton to establish blast furnaces. steel mills
and tinplate works near Port Angelica
Other interesting data from the report
follows:
IAN American company 10 also largely
interested on ClayoQuot sound. where cop
per and iron have been developed: aiso
small quantities Of gold and silver. Other
Helga and Good Hope: They are located
on Trout river and disappointment inlet:
The Heisa Is mace mad. up p, Of four claims n o.
will require a mill on the ground. A con-
tunnel The Good Hope group has six
mel twenty-four feet, and two shafts, one
sixty-six and the other twenty-five feet
"On Quatsino Sound, men are at work
on wha; q as Knf T
sess valuable properties.
AN important mine owned by American
capital. and managed BY O. II. Hayes. o.
near Alberni. nscSntly. separate. and
distinct chute OF Flsh ore was struck l20
feet west Of the bcdy OF ore on which the
chute shows for 800 feet on the surface.
SO far. the company has shipped 800 tons
Of ore from the mine. and the smelter
returns have been most satisfactory.
Coal Output Of Vancouver Islsnd.
for 1895 was l,llSsls tons. The extension
Of the Wellington mines. located short
distance from the old coll.eries. but In
past year. During that time. tunnel
one and half niles long has been ruE
the coal at q depth Of ~ yards and opens
out sufficiently TO give an output of
1900 or 1850 tons OF coal per day. The
vein appears TO be incxhnust!bls.
This mine Will be equipped with the
mos, modern electric machinery. will be
lighted by electricity, and the coal taken
locomotives The contract ont ' for this plant
has already been let 10 a. local firm. The
electric tram line will be nearly i've miles
In length and operated a., by two i oprnyd
type. directly connected with automatc.
hieh-spced. horizontal engines. also i5o-
horse.p?wsr each This plant ooo Also In
specially constructed and very powerful.
each OF 100 tons capacity.
From the electric road the coal VIII be
carried thirteen miles on standard-gaugc
railway TO Oyster Harbor. which will. aft
CIR July ]. he the point OF shipment. In
portion srn ~ Of the Esquimsit & Nanaimo rail-
way Is used 10 make this transfer. but u
was necessary 10 build six miles additional
men having been employed during the past
few months. Al Oyster Harbor, six miles
north Of Chcmainus. on the east coast OF
tho island. bunkers OF 1000 tons capacity
have been erected. as well az two large
wharves. where ocean vessels Of the larg-
est class can load 500 tons per hour at low
tide.
Locomotives From United states.
''The total outlay on these improvements
reaches a trife over 81 900 coo. which is all
expended by Dunsmur Il Sons. OF Vic
toria, the owners OF the mines and OF the
island railway. who employ over 1000 men
constantly The ties and lumber come
from the mill at Chemalnus. the cars are
built at the Albion Iron Works. Of victo-
ria. the iron for the rails comes from En-
gland. and the locomotives from the United
States Five hund-el men are now at
work I'm this new wellington mine and II
II expected that the number OF operatives
Will be increased to nj least 800 within the
next two years.
"a population Of 1000 Ia gathered around
the Wellington GOLFERS The machine shops
and terminus Of the Esquimali a. Nansimo
railway are also located NJ this point.
narrow gauge railway runs four miles
east 10 Departure Bay. where the shipping
wharyes are situated. In 1897 the output
was 232.6tz tons. and foreign shipments iN,-
lss tons. Last year the output was 3i5,13s
tons. and the foreign shipments 232.st2
tons. or the exports for isN 22olls tons
were shipped TO the United States. being
carried by l@ steamers and 80 sailing YES
GELS. OF which ~ were OF American register.
Including ~ steamers plying between Iu-
set sound ana Maska These mines are
reported now 10 be nearly exhausted, hut
there arc 100 acres % good coal land adj
Joining them on the forth. where the ex-
tension heretofore alluded to Ia located
Trade Of Victoria.
The receipts OF Inland revenue at the
decided increase. The collections were
made on the following articles: spirits
NTu9aO. malt tsD.bN. tobacco. &ai12. raw
leaf, 81 s3s: cigars. slo.o6&. petroleum. tisi
other receipts. 500.
Victoria customs collections for the year
ended December 81. isaS, were the largest
on record. They we're . per cent. larger
than for the previous twelve months. Az
increase In revenue Is derived from the
Chinese tax. over tSD more Cinnamon hav-
!nc entered the country than ia 1881 The
exports also show an Increase, Compare
son az the last two years revenue shows
tho following figures: In 1891 s133, 40. ls'>
ga~l sso. Increase. fasT,tt0
THE Alaskan trade had very favorable
effect on the shipbullding industry OF Vic
toria, for OF the twenty-five steamers built
In 1883 IN the province OF British Columbia
no fewer than twelve. With a tonnage 81
sais tons, were bull; In Nlctoria. The
majority ~ these were river ste ameTs for
the northern rivers. BESIDES the building
~ steamers. there WAS a great deal q work