The Wyandotte herald. (Wyandotte, Mich.) 1879-1943, 1939-04-28
Unknown Peaks
Foundin Canada
Geographical Secrets Re
vealed With Growth Of
Aerial Photography.

WASHINGTON.- geo
graphical secrets are rapidly bel ,
revealed with the growth of avi :
ton Aerial cameras in recer,
years, have been focused on noun
tains and valleys and map-makers
have added thousands of square
miles to their data.
In 1895, the National Geographic
society's Yukon expedition photo
graphed and mapped q vast area
In northwest Canada, and last
month an aviator reported sighting
an unmapped chain of lofty peaks
IN the northern part of British Co
lumbia.
British Columbia is largely a
land Of lofty peaks and deep, fertile
valleys spreading over an area larg-
er than all Of the Pacific states of
the United States, Washington, Ore
.gon and California" says the Ma
tional Geographic society. MANY
of its mountains are unscaled and
unnamed, and vast areas are
known only to Indians or prospec-
tors.
Once q Crown Colony.
1.-The coast of British Columbia
was discovered in 1774, nearly three
centuries after Canada's Atlantic
coast was sighted Crown colony
status came in 1858, and Is years
later it joined the provinces of the
Dominion of Canada.
Glowing reports of the discovery
of precious metals, and known
wealth in timber, fish, and fertile
lands attracted streams of immi-
grants. In the first quarter Of the
present century, the population
itrebled. Chinese and Japanese inn
migrants were welcomed in the ear
~ days Of settlement to work in
the various industries. But so great
was the influx of Orientals that Chi
nese immigration was forbidden,
japanese restricted. Nearly Is, 900
Indians live in the province today.
In spite of its rugged noun
tains, agriculture is the PROVINCES
leading industry. 1t has not, how
ever, been fully developed. There
are 20 million acres of tillable land
but barely tenth has been farmed.
Specially suited for fruit-growing,
the valleys have shipped apples as
far away as eastern Canada to COM
pete with fruit grown in Nova SEQ
.tia'S Annapolis valley.
British Columbia fishes for much
of its commerce. Salmon, halibut,
herring, and cod slide by the ship
load from nets to markets and can
neries. Owing to the great demand
for salmon, hatcheries on rivers
most frequented by the fish have
been established to ensure the sup
ply. Another development in the
fishing industry is extraction of oil
from whales and dog-fsh.
Rich in Minerals.
Gold was the first mineral to be
mined, and still is important among
the PROVINCES mineral resources.
In recent years, however, lead, COP
per, coal, zinc, and silver have
showed gold down to sixth place in
the mineral output British Column
bia is Canada's chief copper-pro-
Queer. 1t also supplies mercury.
British Columbia trees find their
way into world timber markets.
Most important of the PROVINCES
trees is the Douglas fir which grows
to a height of about 800 feet on a
trunk eight to ten feet in diameter
at its base. Ship and building con-
tractors like Douglas fir because it
IS tough and strong.
"Canada's chief Pacific port and
No. ! city of the province today,
Vancouver, owes its increasing
commercial Importance to the ship
ment of wheat.
Eighty miles across the Strait
OF Georgia from Vancouver, Veto
ria, capital of British Columbia, and
a typical English city, spreads over
the southern end of Vancouver is
land.
Steamers regularly serve other
ports on the fjordlike coast, and
furnish the easiest entrance for
travellers to the PROVINCES several
national parks"