The evening times., 1900-07-25

An interesting report on mining a Brit
ish Columbia has been sent to the State
Department by Abraham E Smith. Consul
at Victoria The report contains the OFF,
cial data of the product OF the mines OF
British Columbia during 1SS9 aud other
important figures relative to the mining
inlustry. culled from the annual report of
the Minister Of Mines. just made public.
The total mineral output of the province
for the year 1893 amounts to S12.393. .131,
as against SO 9O6. S61 for 1898, an increase
of 81. .4s6. .27O. or 13 % per cent.
Now that England has won in the Alas
kan-Canadian territory boundary dispute
It is regarded as not improbable that the
output Of the mines in British Columbia
will be doubled next year.
Commenting on the mineral output Of
the province for last year Mr.. Smith
writes:
This would have been largely increased
but for the shutting down Of several mines.
owing to the passage Of law prohibiting
miners working over eight hours under
drastic penalties which completely demor-
allied the industry for some months. caus-
ing a deficit OF 500 S44 in silver and lead
values alone IL is believed that but for
the shutting down caused by the legisla-
tiOn referred TO (the penalties Of which
have recently been temporarily sUspendedj
the same mines would have brought IN
Increase Of S5c0. 600 instead Of the present
deficit making the years increase 81. .S63. -
i59, or about p per cent over last year.
The coal mines Of the province during
1859 turned out 3O6. .32i tons Of coal and
34.25l tons Of coke. an increase over 1888
OF l40. 45S tons OF coal and a decrease Of
$50 IONS Of coke. The total value OF coal
produced IN the province during 1893 was
$3.9IS.9T2
The gold production for 18s9-including z
both placer and lode gold-amounts to
S,zc24t3- The yield OF placer gold was
1884 soc. over double that OF 1898. when
the yield was S643. .346. The large increase
was due to the discoveries in the Atlin
Lake district, which. notwithstanding the
disadvantage OF the disputes regarding
ownership caused by the enactment Of the
alien law, yielded $500. 600 in gold The
output Of gold obtained from lode mining
in 1888 was 81 S5I.573. an increase over 1898
OF SG56, ,356.
The amount OF copper produced in the
province during 1850 was 7.722 59I pounds,
an increase over 1855 OF only per mt
As yet. the C1ppeT-mining districts are
practically limited TO three-RosslaRd Mel
son, and the west coast OF, Vancouver Is
and ROssiard produces 20 per cent OF th g
total output of copper in the province.
There has Teen a material decrease in
the amount Of silver produced IN British
Columbia. owing 10 the fact that the larg-
est producing mines have been shut do
since June or July. on account Of labor
troubles. as stated ebove The total silver
production for the year amounted TO Ss9 =
4i3 ounces valued at $1.663. 70S. a deer =ass
from the production in 1888 of Isl. .6l9
ounces hne silver end OF value S7l2, ,I23.
The total lead production for 1899
amounted to elS62 436 pounds. valued at
SS7s.S5C. as REsiLzt 81 .6s3. .559 pounds. VII
uec az s1.GI7.2S1. tor 1898. decrease OF
9Ssl.lZ3 pounds OF lead and Of SlsS, III IN
value.
Some 2.0C0 tons Of iron Gre were mined
in the province last year-near Ksmioo2s
ard on TeXsda Island-which was uszd fJr
hJT.ng purposes By the smalters.
The total value Of the productions CT all
the miEes OF British Columbia up 10 and
including 1883 is as follows:
'GoId-PIacer So 305. .7lS: lode s. SIS. 47s:
silver. sl1,3fG.5G9. lead, S4.s2S. .O69; copper.
s2.747.29f. coal and coke. S14396.3Se: build
ing stone. bricks. etc. 81 7C0 coo. other
metals. So SEQ. The value OF the produc-
tion Of lode mines was SIS. .375. .45I. divided
as follows: Gold. 81. .359. AS: silver. Sill
$40. .6C9; lead. Si.92S,06S; copper, S2.7f7,-
"a
Last year l.396. .224 tons of coal were
mined. the value Of which was s.. .9IS. .972- %