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About The west shore. (Portland, Or.) 1875-1891 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 1, 1885)
THE WEST SHORE. 391 and Laving a light, sandy soil. Along a scries of lakes near the lnrge one is a volley thirty by fiftwn miles in extent, having a rich soil, good grass, water and timW. Grain and vegetables yield iu abundance. There is plenty of vacant land for settlement. Stock mi?ii:g is tho lidd ing industry. Placer mining has boen carried on quite extensively for twenty years, and numerous rich quartz ledges have been located. A company has been organ ized to open this region by a short railroad and a steamer line on the Columbia River. There is much good agri cultural loud along Columbia lake and river, across which the railway passes in the northern portion of tho district Llllooet, Clinton, Cariboo and Casslop. The Lillooet District lies on the west side of the Fraser above the mouth of Thompson River. It extends for 100 miles along the Fraser, whose auriferous deposits have been worked for many years, though not now on an extensive scalo. It embraces soveral agricultural sec tions, such as Lillooet Valley, six by four miles, in which lies the town of Lilhxn't, and the valleys of Lakes Si-ton, Anderson and Lillooet In the district is Bridge River a considerable stream flowing into tho Fraser from tho west. . The town of Clinton lies in Clinton, or Cut-off, Val ley, fifty miles northeast of Lillooet and east o' Fraser River. It is an important station on the stago road from Yale to the mines furthor north. Agriculture is carried on quite extensively in the valley, also in the valley of the Bonaparte further south. Both farming and mining are engngod in by settlors at Rig Slido, Dog Crock and points along the Fraser. Cariboo District embraces the whole region of the Upper Fraser above Lake La Hacho, and is the great placer mining portion of the province. Tho chief town is Bnrkorville, on Williams Creek, whilo Richfield, Stan, ley, Quesnol, Soda Creek, Alexandria, Lake La Hacho, Lake Williams and San Joso River aro mining camps and agricultural districts. The annual gold product is nl)out 1100,000. On the west sido of the Fraser is a vast rolling prairie, lightly timtared, through which runs the Chilcotin River. It is a good agricidtural region and almost wholly unoccupied The District of Cassiar occupies the northern end of the province, and is a rich and extensive mining region. Its population is COO, chiefly minors. The winters aro rigorous and the summer season short, yet agriculture is carried on successfully along Dense Lake, Deaso River, McDnme Creek and Deloire River. Peace River and other tributaries of the Mackenzie head in this region. Upper Coast and Islands. FltOM the head of Vancouver Island to the southern extremity of Alaska the coast presents the same indented and tortuous line, flanked by innumerable islands, though without the great outlying land, except in the extreme north, where the Qiieen Clmrl.it to group shelter for many miles the inner islands which fringe tho const The mountains border closely upon the sea, their sides, as well ns the mountainous surfaces of (he adjnernt islands, leing densely covered with timW. Tho xpu lotion of this region is chiefly Indian, and they aro both intelligent and industrious, performing nesrly all Mm labor of the two industries-salmon canning and lumber ing which havo gained a foothold there. The climate is mild, tho thermometer in tho southern portion never fall ing below zero, and but seldom doing so in the extreme northern end. Tho rainfall is very great, tho mountains of tho const causing tho first precipitation of rain from tho worm, inoisturo-laden air moving inland from the sea. Tim various centres of settlement and industry are Rivers Inlet, on which are tho village of Weekoeno, two canneries and a saw mill; Bella Coola, on Burko Chan, nd, where is a Hudson Boy Company's ot; Bella Bella, on Camplcll Island, tho site of another Hst; Skeena River, with canneries at Alierdoen, Inverness Slough mid Port Essington; two missionary stations and a small set tlement at Mumford's Landing; Metlakohtln, on tho TsimpHheean Peninsula, where are located a cannery and a mission station, with a saw mill, barrel factory ami other industries; Fort Simpson, a Hudson Boy jsist on Portland Inlet, opposite tho southern extremity of Alaska! Nass River, at the head of Portland Channel, where aro two canneries, a sow mill and two mission stations. Tho ssciol feature of this region is tho guocn Charlotte Islands, an outlying group of large islands, three in numW- Oraham, Moresby and Pnwwt They aro 170 miles long by 100 wide, aro mountainous ami heavily timbered, and hsscss a warm, moist climate. Both mi. thracito and bituminous oool hove lscn discovered there. They npsar to Im U'tter adapted to stock raising tlmn general agriculture. At Skidegoto, on (Irolmm Island, a company is extensively engaged in producing dogfUi oil. There are a Hudson's Bay Nwt ami a mission at Massott, on (Iridium Island. Cities or Urttli.li Columbia. Vinoiil t, situated on the southeastern extremity of Vancouver Island, just outside the eastern entrance to tho Straits of Fuca, Is the chief commercial city, sis'inl metrojsilis and seat of government of British Columbia. It was founded iu 1S-I.1 by the Hudson's Bay Company ss general supply xiint and headquarters for this re inn, and was named in honor of the young queen who had I 'it a few years ltcfore ascended tho throne of F.nglond. Tli ' site wns most wisely cImmcii, since it is tho ocean gateway to tho province, and must ever command tho commerce and receive tho tribute of tho interior and coat regions alike. What San Francisco is tit California, or Portland to Oregon, Victoria is to Itritinh Columbia, at once the great market base of supplies and financial centre. The advantage of location wa first demonstrated in lH.'.S, when the rndleM throng of miners poured into the Fraser River gold fields, ami SO.OOO of them winter! in ami around tho city. Victoria then sprang suddenly into commercial activity, and when, as tho excitement shalcd and the greater portion of the caniMr departed, their tented city vanishing as quickly ss it had sprung np, it