Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1940-01-27

well remember his appearance at that
time.
From my recollection the photo
graph Of Ranald Mcdonald taken July
5. 1891, conforms 70 my recollection Of
Ranald as saw him in 1858 and 1854.
with the exception that Ranald at that
time wore no beard.
About the year 1860. Ranald Nc
Donald was associated with some
capitalists OF San Francisco who con-
ceived the idea Of finding a shorter
way up TO the gold mines on the upper
Fraser river. They went from Victoria
by boat up the coast TO see II they
might chance to find bay or an inlet
from the Pacific ocean and then cut
across and strike the Fraser river and
the gold mines. Ranald did this ex-
plortng for q bay or inlet around
Bentict Arm and was successful and
finally got a permit from the Cana
dian government TO establish a toll
trail there, but soon after the govern
ment was approached by some other
people, and Ranald's grant was small.
simply for a pack trail. and someone
more influential persuaded the gov
eminent into building wagon road
Ranald finally buiB trail but never
sur line OF steamer connections. He
wagon took all the business
After that Ranald Mcdonald was
interested In mining and had great
faith In the Horsefly country, but the
mines never proved Of any great value.
During the time that Ranald Nc
Donald was promoting his trail my
brother. Allen, was running a supply
store at Douglas, on Harrison lake
Ranald Mcdonald also had a govern
ment license and ran a ferry across
the Fraser river at Lillooet in 1859 to
1851. Allen was not a partner or In
tereSted In a ferry or in promoting
the trail with Ranald. but ran a sup
ply store at Douglas at Harrison lake
About 1851 both OF them became
associated IN the ranch and the ferry
and Allen gave up the store at Douglas
Allen Mcdonald went out TO what
is now British Columbia In 1857 and
was joined there at Douglas in 1858
by Ranald Mcdonald. who came there
after his visit to his fathers home at
st. Andrews, on his return from Aus
tralia
During the time that Allen Nc
Donald was ut Cameron mine on VIII
liams creek. In the Cariboo country.
and was running a packtrain between
there and the ranch at Bonaparte,
Ranald was IN the Horsefly country
prospecting and developing his mining
claims there.
ALLEN Mcdonald left Bonaparte in
the fall of 1862 and went TO Montreal.
Canada, and remained at Bonaparte
and the next year continued packing
That winter Allen Mcdonald sold most
of his packtrain that was used that
year before and continued TO run
the packtrain with the balance Of the
animals, and that summer Ranald Nc
Donald returned to the Horsefly min
ing claims and returned for the winter
of 1925 to the ranch at Bonaparte.
Moved 20 Fort ColviIle
"Ranald Mcdonald must have left
Bonaparte In the latter seventies, hav-
ing remained there some or 10 years
after I had left. Ranald Mcdonald
still devoted his attention to prospect
ing in the northwest territory and
finally disposed Of his mining interests
and came down to his cousin, Angus
McDonald's, at old Fort Colvtlle and
pre-empted or took up land near old
Fort Colvtlle and improved 1t, where
he remained engaged In farming and
kindred pursuits for six or eight years,
and finally died at place near Bolln-
dairy creek on Kettle river, about rs
miles west Of Marcus, or old Fort Col
Vile Ranald Mcdonald died ON the