The evening times., 1902-07-09
MINES AND TRANSPORTATION
ROUTES IN BRITISH COLUMBIA.
Abraham E. Smith, consul at Victoria,
whites under date Of June 20:

Abraham E. Smith, consul at Victoria,
writes under date Of June 20:
There mas recently been considerable
activity in prospecting and exploiting
the different mining properties on Van
couver Island. Copper has been found
/ in the Sooke Mountains. less than thirty
miles from Victoria. and during the past
two months 4C0 tons OF high grade ore
has been mined. a cut OF 1,000 feet or
more leaves no doubt that a large vein
exists there. The ore assays over Is per
cent copper, apart from the gold and
silver.
The iron mines on Barclay Sound, con-
trolled by the Pacific Coast Steel Com
pany composed almost entirely Of
Americans). contain immense bodies e
ore. The Sareta mine is especially val
liable, and only needs to be developed to
yield large results The Copper Island
and SecrOft mines also show great
value, and active steps are being taken
to push work in them. 4 small steamer
has been purchased. and short railroad
lines to convey the ore to The shore have
been surveyed AS soon as the necessary
financial arrangements have been made
ative operations win be commenced.
Work has been suspended on the cop
per mines Of the Nahnint Mining Com
pany, on Aiberni Canal; also on the
Monitor mine in tie same locality. It
is understood that the copper veins in
each Of these mines have become nearly
exhausted.
The Yreka Company composed mostly
OF residents Of Tacoma, Washington,
where the head office ts) controls valu-
able mines on the northwest coast Of
Vancouver Island including what is
known as the ComstoCk group. stu
ated on Comstock Mountain QUatsinO
sound which, with the Superior and
Quatsino King groups, comprise about
800 acres Of c0ppeTJld = neral lands.
These groups are contiguous and form
practically one property. The average
of eight assays recently made was, for
all minerals. 81 a ton. while one sample
ran 12.5 per cent copper and $3.50 gold
Free gold is OF frequent occurrence IN
the main lead Of the Ccmstock, and the
average percentage Of copper is expected
to be over 10 a temporary wooden
tramway. erected to transport the ore
10 the waters edge, is soon 70 be re-
placed with an aerial cOuveyoT. The first
shipment from these mines. consisting
OF 400 tons of ore. was taken to the
Tacoma smelter on June i. Il is ex-
pected that hereafter similar shipments
VIII be made monthly or oftener-
The Wreck Bay placer mines, on the
west coast, which we're discovered IN
May. 1900, and since operated with in
different success. have passed into the
hands of Sira-rIa ro-7froT5-Ts r7r0r0za
10 spend $51. eco In developing the Prop
crty with the latest improved machine
ry- The new owners beiieve that the
fine gold in the black sands OF Wreck
Bay v-iIl. with modern methods, yield a
handsome return on their Investment
American citizens are also ia control
OF the Heiga Mining Company. at ClayO-
quot. west coast Of Vancouver Island,
where ledge OF apparently rich copper
ore has been struck tunnel has Eeen
dug into the hill and other development
work ACCOMPLISHED. irvoIving the ex-
DenditUTe of SIS $50. but 50 far On ore
has been shipped.
Heretofore there has been no smelteT
on Vancouver Island now two are IN
process Of construction. both on the east
coast. about forty miles from each 9TH
er. The larger is g t CTOftou- the small
CT at Ladysmith- The first is under the
control Of two Americans It's daily
ca Dacity wiz be $50 tons of ore The
596-n0TsepOweT engines to be used were
built at Milwaukee. It is expected that
the smcIter viii be running before Au-
gust
The new town Of Crofton owes is
birth TO the building of this smeIter. /
Although il is only four months old. |
the town now has a permanent popu-
lation Of over 800 persons. Water for the
smeltcr IS provided By two reservoirs /
up tie mountain slope The ore 10 be
used is brought from the famous Mount
Sicker mines. twel ge miles TO the west, /
and 1906 feet above sea level These I
mines are c0neCJe with Croft0n by a [
narrow gauge railway. on which three /
MISUNDERSTANDING locomotives. manu- /
facJUred at Lima. Ohio. carry the ore /
and l5boTeTs. Heretofore monthly ship !
ments Of ore from the IelOra mine /
but during the past SIX months the GRE /
has been permitted to accumulate !
There IS now 100000 worth OF ore 1
awaiting the completion OF the Crofton /
smeltcr. IN this mine three tunnels at /
different levels have been opened
IN addition to the LenOFa vein. an
other rich deposit of ore. known as the /
Tyee mine, has been found on Mount I
SicEer- The management OF this mine ,
is building = three-miIe aerial Jramway (
10 Jadysmith for the purpose Of con |
yeying GRE TO the smcIter in process Of
construction at that place. Tie smeIte- /