.%. <^. IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT 3) 1.0 I.I 1.25 ,f iia Ilia - iltf III 2.2 Hi m 140 2.0 .8 U 1111.6 Phofographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 m \ ■<^^ i\ \ ■4^ «■ 6^ <^ %^ 9)^ PlF A' yf CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHM/ICMH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions / Institut Canadian de microreproductions historiques 6^ Technical and Bibliographic Notes/Notes techniques et bibiiographiques The Institute has attempted to obtain the best original copy available for filming. Features of this copy which may be bibliographically unique, which may alter any of the images in the reproduction, or which may significantly change the usual method of filming, are checked below. D D D D D Coloured covers/ Couverture de couleur I I Covers damaged/ Couverture endommagde Covers restored and/or laminated/ Couverture restaurde et/ou pellicul6e Cover title missing/ Le titre de couverture manque Coloured maps/ Cartes g6ographlques en couleur □ Coloured ink (i.e. other than blue or olack)/ Encre de couleur (i.e. autre que bleue ou noire) I I Coloured plates and/or illustrations/ Planches et/ou illustrations en couleur Bound with ether material/ Reli6 avec d'autres documents Tight binding may cause shadows or distortion along interior margin/ La reliure serr^e peut causer de I'ombre ou de la distortion le long de la marge intirieure Blank leaves added during restoration may appear within the text. Whenever possible, these have been omitted from filming/ II se peut que certaines pages blanches ajout6es lors d'une restauration apparaissent dans le texte, mais, lorsque cela 6tait possible, ces pages n'ont pas M filmies. Additional comments:/ Commentaires «uppl6mentaires; L'Institut a microfilm^ le meiileur exemplaire qu'il lui a 6t6 possible de se procurer. Les details de cet exemplaire qui sont peut-Atre uniques du point de vue bibliographique, qui peuvent modifier une image reproduite. ou qui peuvent exiger une modification dans la mdthode normale de filmage sont indiqu6s ci-dessous. T t( I I Coloured pages/ Pages de couleur Pages damaged/ Pages endommagdes Pages restored and/oi Pages restaurdes et/ou pellicul6es I I Pages damaged/ I I Pages restored and/or laminated/ I ~}- Pages discoloured, stained or foxed/ bkZl Pages ddcolordes, tachetdes ou piqudes □ Pages detached/ Pages ddtachdes □ Showthrough/ Transparence □ Quality of print varies/ Quality in^gale de I'impression □ Includes supplementary material/ Comprend du materiel suppl6mentaire □ Only edition available/ Seule Edition disponible T P o fi b t» si o fi si oi D Pages wholly or partially obscured by errata slips, tissues, etc., have been refilmed to ensure the best possible image/ Les pages totalement ou partiellement obscurcies par un feuillet d'errata, une pelure, etc., ont 6x6 filmAe*> A nouveau de fagon d obtenir la meilleure image possible. Tl si Tl w M di er b< r"! re m This item is filmed at the reduction ratio checked below/ Ce document est filmi au taux de reduction indiquA ci-dessous. 10X 14X 18X 22X 26X 30X y 12X 16X 20X 24X 28X 32X Th« copy filmed here hai been reproduced thanks to the generosity of: Library Divisio.i Provincial Archives of British Columbia The images appearing here are the best quality possible considering the condition and legibility of the original copy and in keeping with the filming contract specifications. Original copies in printed paper covers are filmed beginning with the front cover and ending on the last page with a printed or illustrated impres- sion, or the back cover when appropriate. All other original copies are filmed beginning on the first page with a printed or illustrated impres- sion, and ending on the last page with a printed or illustrated impression. The last recorded frame on each microfiche shall contain the symbol — ^ (meaning "CON- TINUED"), or the symbol V (meaning "END"), whichever applies. Maps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at different reduction ratios. Those too large to be entirely included i.i one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: L'exemplaire film* fut reproduit grAce A la gAnirositA de: Library Division Provincial Archives of British Columbia Les images suivantes ont AtA reproduites avec le plus grand soin, compte tenu de la condition et de la nettet* de l'exemplaire film*, et en conformity avec les conditions du contrat de filmage. Les exemplaires originaux dont la couverture en papier est imprimis sont filmAs en commenpant par le premier plat et en terminant soit par la derniire page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'illustration, soit par le second plat, selon le cas. Tous les autres exemplaires originaux sont filmis en commen^ant par la premiAre page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'illustration et en terminant par la dernidre page qui comporte une telle empreinte. Un des symboles suivants apparaitra sur la dernidre image de cheque microfiche, selon le cas: le symbole — ^ signifie "A SUIVRE ", le symbole y signifie "FIN ". Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent dtre filmis A des taux de reduction diffArents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour dtre reproduit en un seul clichA, il est film* A partir de Tangle supArieur gauche, de gaucha A droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images nAcessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mAthode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 Ouop 60 Vic. Shuswap and Okanagan Railway. 483 MR. FAliWELL'S REPORT ON THE PROPOSED SHUSWAP AND OKANAGAN RAILWAY. Victoria, B. 0., June 9th, 1887. To the Hunournhle Attomey-Genernl : Sir, In apcnrdanre with your instructions dated the 15th April, 1887, I have visited tlie localities to he atl'ected by the proposed Shuswap and Okanagan Railroad, and have the honour to report as follows : — 1st. As to the cost of constructing and equipping the S. & O. Railroad, length 51 miles, estimated by the S. O. R. Co. to cost $1,370,180.27. 2nd. As to the extent of the lands suitable for agriculture traversed by, and tributary to, the proposed railroad, estimated by Mi. C. E. Perry, C. E., Chief Engineer to the H. & 0. R. Co., at 340,000 acres. 3rd, As to the accuracy of the \ erbal statements made by the promoters of the company to the Government of British Columbia, to the effect that the said lands are well adapted for wheat growing, and capable of producing wheat in suificient quantities to supply the whole of the lower country, including Vancouver Island. First, as to the cost of constructing and equipping the S. & O. Railroad, length 51 miles, estimated by the company to cost §l,370,lf<0.27. The proposed line commences at Sicamnos(! Station, oti the C. P. R. line, and follows, in a southerly direction, Ihe west shore of Mara Lake to the mouth of Shuswap River, thence it continues along the left bank of Shuswap River to Lambly's Landing. The Shuswap River at this point turns abruptly to the east. The railway line continues in a southerly direction through Spallumcheen Valley, crossing Bennett's Creek near its confluence with Shuswap River, traversing its right bank to the watershed, between Shuswap River and the head of Okanagan Lake. Cro.ssing the divide the line is cacjried on the left bank of Deep Creek (which flows into the head of Okanagan Lake) to the head of Otter Lake. Thence it rises on side-hill into the Swan Lake Valley, which it follows to Priest Valley, thence down Priest Valley to the Okanagan lake. The first ten miles from Sicamoose to the mouth of the Shuswap River is through heavy rock work, the shore of Mura Lake being very rocky and precipitous. From the head of Mara Lake to the crossing of Bennett Creek, 13 miles, the work is lighter, with cuttings in gravel and clay. Thence to the head of Otter Lake, 13 miles, the work is rather heavy in clay cut- ting and embankment. Thence the line ri.ses to the Swan Lake Valley in heavy clay cuttings for about four miles, with a grade of 48 feet per mile for 6,600 feet. Thence the work is light for nine miles to the point of descent to the Priest Valley Arm of Okanagan Lake. The last two miles to the lake is in henvy I'ock work, cemented gravel and clay, on a grade of about 60 feet to a mile. This grade and the one rising out of Deep Creek Valley are the steepest on the whole line. I have examined Mr. Perry's plans and j>rotiles, and am satisfied the amount of rock excavn+ion cannot be materially reduced. The excavation in earth may probably be reduced on the construction location of the line. An estimate for the equipment of such u line of railway is open to a considerable margin. For instance, ono eiigineer might figure on station buildings, &c., with some claim to architectural b«««aty, similtr to tliose erected by the Northern Pacilic Railway Company, ^jjither might feel satislied with the barn like structures to be seen on the Canadian Pacific rogd,. After careful consideration I am of fipinion that the Shuswap and Okanagan Railway eumcl^ be built and suitably equipped for a less sum than 1026,000 per mile, and rigid economy I*. ^jihmmm 484 Shuswap a.vd Okanagan Railway. 1887 will b« required to keep the total cost within that amount — 51 miles at 825,000 = $1,275,000. 2nd. As to the extent of the lands suitable for agriculture traversed by, and tributary to, the proposed railroad, estimated by Mr. Perry, O.E., Chief Engineer to the S. .fe 0. R. Co., at 340,000 acres. The portion of Yale District in question is situated in the south-east corner of the interior plateau of British Columbia, and is described by Dr. Geo. M. Dawson in his report on the physical and geological features of the southern portion of the interior of British Oolum bia, published in the Report of Progress, Geological Survey of Canada, 1877-78, from which I have made the following extracts : — P. 7. B. "The extremi! upward limit of agriculture may be stated at 3,000 feet, and it will be observed that the greatest area of comparatively level plateau country lies above this elevation, and is subject to more or less summer frosts. Farming is in consequence practically conlined to the trough-like valley bottoius, or slopes adjacent to them, and in most cases to those portions of these on which water may be brought for irrigation. It is beginning to be found, however, that fall wheat may Ix* grown on many of the higher levels on which water cannot be obtained, the moisture left liy the winter's snow being sutlieient for its development in an average season. The soil is almost everywhere very rich and yields crops excellent both as to quality and quantity. Little demand at present (1877) exists for cereals, however, owing to the isolation of the district, but if stimulated by a good market, a considerable annual export could be made." P. 57. 13. " About the north end of Okanagan Lake is an extensive region characterized by broad open valleys separated by lower ranges of hills, and affording not only stock ranges but much arable land." * ♦ ♦ ♦ P. 60. B. "The Spallumcheen Valley, running from the north epd of Okanagan Lake to the Spallumcheen Arm of the Shuswap Lake, is already an agricultural district of some importance, and constitutes the largest area of available land found together in any one valley of the interior of the southern part of the Province. The portion of the valley examined (south end) is partly prairie land, most of which is taken up, and partly wooded. The climate is such that without irrigation fine crops of all sorts can be raised. The soil of the lower benches and bottoms is clayey, deep and rich ; that of the iiigher levels is lighter, but still good. The sub-soil shows a tendency to resemble the white silt deposit, but it is not well characterized as such." * ♦ ♦ ♦ * I estimate that Okanagan Lake is about 1,200 feet above the level of the sea. The Shuswap River at Lambly's Landing was found by Mr. L. B. Hamlin, C.E., by instrumental survey for a canal in 1^82, to be 20.32-100 feet higher than Okanagan Lake. The low land through Spallumcheen, Swan Lake and Priest Valleys is about 1,300 feet above the sea level. In my estimate of the agricultural land in this vicinity I have included none at a greater elevation than 1,800 feet above sea level, or 600 feet above Okanagan Lake. The maximum elevation it will be observed is 1,200 feet below the summer frosts limit as stated by Dr. Dawson. Any reference made herein to townships and sections applies to a map " of a portion of Osoyoos District," published by the Lands and Works Department of British Columbia in 1873, drawn from surveys made by Mr. John Jane, C.E. The topography on this map, though generally on^y sketched in, is remarkably correct, and has enabled me to give what I am satisfied is a close approximation to the actual area of the cultivable land embraced within its limits. I may be permitted to point out certain conventionalisms, which are current in this neighbouihood. In the Spallumcheen Valley proper, for instance, one is told "all the land is taken up," which means that all the prairie land is occupied. In the more southern portions of the district one is informed "there is no vacant latid." This statement is made from the standpoint that all the low land on which water can be easily conducted in ditches has been pre-empted or purchased, and all the bench land is suitable for grazing purposes only. From either of the abov«' points of view, adopted in sincerity I am sure, the gross amount of agricultural land in the district would, comparatively speaking, be small. Another conventionalism is " it rains more in 8)iallumcheen than it does in Priest Valley, the Mission and Penticton." For my part I can sec no reason tor any material difference in the rainfall at the points mentioned. The flanking mountains of the gold range bound these valleys on the east, and they appear to maintain the same elevation from Shuswap River to Penticton. 60 Vic. Shuswap and Okaxaoan TIailway. 485 Dr. Dawson, page 7 B of his report, says ; " The cause of the dry character of the climate is to be found in the wide and lii.i,'h coast ranges which intercept the moisture of the prevalent westerly wipda. * * * A second zone of precipitation, however, com« mences on the south-western slope of the Selkirk and Oold ranges." This accounts for the rainfall in this vicinity being in excess of that found in the moi'e northern portions of the interior plateau. No one appears to have kept any record of the rainfall in this district; in fact the nearest observation station is at Spence's Bridge. The rain clouds generally approach from the south, and it is reasonable to suppose, the rainfall of whatever quantity, would be pretty equally distributed. At any rate such was the case during my visit. The rainfall is evidently small from the timber growth, yellow pine ' P. Pondproso) predominating. I gather from the resident farmers that during average seasons a few heavy showers fall during the spring of the year, and several during the summer before harvest time. I am told by every one that last year was the driest season ever known, some of the grain not receiving a single shower from the date of sowing to tlie time of liarvesting, nevertheless in nearly every case fair crops were garnered. The av^M-age snowfall through all the valleys ia question is about two feet. In 1886, Mr. E. J. Tronson, in Priest Valley, raised 23 bushels of wheat to the acre. Mr Price Ellison, on a bench -300 fret above Okanagan Lake, raised .31 bushels of wheat to the acre. At the head of Coldstream Valley, Mr. Vincent Duteau raised about 30 bushels of wheat to the acre, and at an elevation of 600 feet over Okan.agan Lake. Kear Swan Lake, Mr. Greenhow and Mr. T Clinton I'aised 28 and 26 l)us]iels of wheat to the acre, respectively. On the 8.E. \ of Section 21, and the S.W. \ of Section 22, Township 7, Messers. Leniieux & Hebert raised about 2.5 bnshi-ls to the acre of very superior wheat, at an elevation of 500 feet above Okanagan Lake. In S]iallumeheen, Me.ssrs. TiUmby and Bennett raised 26 bushels of wheat to the acre. In none of the above cases was ir.'igatlon resorted to. From the above I conclude that all the bench land in the valleys under consideration are capable of yielding wheat without irrigation, and on that basis estimate the amount of agricultural land as follows: — Acres. S. i of Township No. 38 5,760 „ 35 17,280 „ 34 14,720 „ 7 15,360 „ 4 5,120 „ S 11,520 „ S 3,200 „ 9 11,520 „ 6 7,680 „ 3 11,520 103,680 Townships 14, 20, 23 and 26 46,080 Shuswap River, head of Mara Lake to north boundary of Sec- tion 15, Township 38, say 10,000 Salmon River Valley 12,000 Mission Valley, south of Township 26 15,000 White Valley, and tributary valleys west of Township 3 15,000 Deep Creek Valley .' 10,000 108,080 Lands on Okanagan Lake 20,000 Cherry Creek (not visited), estimated by Mr. Corgill, C.E 16,000 36,000 The area of land fit for agricultural purposes from Princeton to Keremeos 13,''00 From Keremeos to the Custom House 15,000 From Penticton to boundary line, 35 miles 30,000 58,000 Total 305,760 15094 i i 486 Shuswap and Okanaoan Railway. 1887 The last three amounts were obtained from T. McK. Lambly, Esq., for several years Government Agent for the Osoyoos District. I may here mention that a large valley is reported on a stream flowing into Shuswap River, about ,i .liles east from Lambly's Landing. Another is reported between Mission Creek and Co, 'stream. 3rd. As to the accuracy of tiie verbal statements made by the promoters of the company to the Government of British Columbia, to the efTect that the said lands are well adapted for wheat growing, and capable of producing wheat in sufficient quantities to su[)ply the whole of the lower country, including Vancouver Island. The history of wheat growing in this district is as follows ; — At the Mission, the settlers have raised only such quantities of grain as they could dispose of in that neighbourhood. Mr. E. Lequime has a good mill, with one set of stones, run by a turbine water-wheel, with a capacity of probably ten barrels in twelve hours. He grinds for local cimsuniption only Mr. Lequime informed me that irrigation is necessary for the successful culture of wheat, his crops varying from 1,500 to 2,000 lbs. to the acre. ^Ir. A. R. Kno.x has a farm about two miles from Lequime's ; does not irrigate his wheat ; raises good crops ; has a hundred acres of wheat this year, and says he could sow 900 acres if there was any market for it. He considers 2,000 lbs. to the acre is the average crop. At ^Priest Valley and Coldstream Valley, large crops of wheat would l)e grown if a market was obtainalile. Mr Ellison, at Priest Valley, has 110 acres of wheat in this year, and stated that he could juit in 400 {)rovided there was any sale for it. Mr. Duteau, at the head of the Coldstream Valley, has about 60 acres in wheat, but could sow 600. He grinds what wheat he has in a small mill, and sells the flour to miners on Cherry Creek, iSrc. The farmers in S])allumilieen Valley have been in a rather better position as regards a market, having been al)le to dispose if a considerable (|uantity of wheat yearly to the Shuswap Milling Co., at Kamloops ; to Mr. T. Harper, at Honaparte River, and the Tron- quille Mills. The erection of a large flour-mir iit [i;iml)ly's Lmding, the head of navigation on Shuswap River, by Messrs. Lawcs !• iiashdall, has given (piite an impetus to wheat growiiig for a distance of some 18 miles from it. Heyond that distance the faiiners say it does not pay to haul the grain. I roughly estimate that there are now about .T.i^OO acres under wheat crop between the landing and the head of Okanagaii Lake. From what I could gather I should s.iy one ton, or 'M'^ bushels, to the acri' is the average yield for wheat througiiout the district This is a very large amount, but T am satistied in favourable .seasons it will be largely exceeded. Mr. ('•. 11. Lawes, of the firm of Tiawes & Rashdall, comes of an old milling family, in the neighbourhood of Sailsl)ury, Wiltshire, England, where his father is still carrying oil an extensive milling busine.ss. Helms been in the flour making business all his life, and lati.'ly has managed a mill in Oregon. To him I am indebted for the following information : — The wheat grown in this district is a (irst class flour making article, and in his opinion is superior to Oregon grain. It is also far superior to the grain raised in Manitoba and the North-West Territories. The proportioti of wheat to flour is as three to two, or it takes three tons of wheat to make two tons of flour. The mill erected by the Columbia Milling Company is calculated to turn out one hundred barrels of flour in a day of 24 hours. It can be run about 300 days in a year, nnmufacturing 100x300 = 30,000 barrels, or 3,000 tons, of flour. The quantity of wheat required to make that amount of flour will be 3,000 tons x § = 4,500 tons. Therefore assuming that my estimate of one ton to the acre is correct, it will tuaC 4,500 acres of wheat to supply this mill with grain for one year. The amount of flour imported into the Province of British Columbia was in — 1883 40,701 barrels 1884 43,737 „ 1885 53.667 „ 1886 51,234 „ 189,339 „ Average for four years 4^,334 ,, Taking the average amount of flour annually iii.i-orted from the United States into British Columbia at 50,000 barrels, it would require 7,500 acres of wheat land, yielding one ton to the acre, to grow that amount ; or, in other words, it will take two mills with equal capacity to that of the Columbia Milling Company to grind suflicient flour to meet the demand in British so Vic. Shuswap and Okanaoan Railway. 487 Colunil)ia. With a railroad to Okanajjan Lakn, and a steamboat service, I am confident that ton times that amount of wheat pan he raised without any material effort. Messrs. Ijiiwes it Rashdall expect to have tlieir mill in running order by the first of August ne.xt. They inform me that they have 1,500 tons of last year's wheat on hand, which quantity in sufHfient to supply the mill at its full capacity for fo\ir mouths. The cost of the mill on the day it starts work will he over 860,000. I mention this fact to show Mr. Lawes' tirni belief in the wheat-growing capacity of the district in the first place, and his conlidence in being able to manufacture an article of flower whicli will compete successfully with that im- ported from Oregon, in the second. Tf Messrs. Lawes it Rashdall succeed in stopping the drain on the resources of the Provim-e for breailstulf, amounting annually to over $200,000, they will deserve the thanks of the community at large. There is, perhaps, one more sut'ject to wliich I ought to refer, and that is the popular Vielief in tlie lower country that good wheat can be grown in Spallumcheen and Okanagau, but the croj)s at least one year in every two are frozen. I must confess that I had, before my visit to those localities, some vague idea in the same direction. I have taken the utmost care to sift this matter to the bottom. From the head of Mara Lake to Penticton, 1 have not met a man who ever heard of any injurious summer frosts. The only attempt at any meteorological record in the district has been kept liy Messrs. Lumby it Bennett. They have for a number of years recorded in their diaries the readings of a minimum tliermometer and a few remarks as to the weather, itc, from wliich they have kindly permitted me to make the followin>; extracts: 1S8L— Regan seeding May Oth ; finished sowing weat Nth May; 22nd May thermometer 2fi° ; very wet during June. In July it rained on the 29th, 30th, and Slst; commenced cutting grain Auifust (ith; hailstorm on August 31st. fn September it rained on the 6th, 7th, 8th, 9tb, 10th, nth, 12th, mth, 17th, 18th, 19th, 20th, 23rd, 24th, 2r)th and 28th. October, 9 snowstorms; October 12tli, thernioniet(*r 13°. 1 882. Finisiied seeding April 29th; plenty of rain in May; harvest finished September 10th; first frost October 31st. 1883. - Finished seeding May 15th, and cutting grain August 25th; first frost October 25th ; thermometer 20°. 1884. — Finished seeding May 14th, ana 'lurvest September 8th; first frost October 3rd, thermometer 25°; second frost November 20th, thermometer 19°. 1885. Finished seceding April 29th, and harvesting August 22nd; first frost November 11th, thermometer 20°. 1886. — Finished sowing May 3rd, and harvesting August 17th; first frost November 4th, thermometer 8°. In this district the seeding is generally finished before the 20th May, and all the grain as a rule is garnered before the 1st September. 1881 was a vt>ry wet season, and Messrs. Lumby it Bennett lost about half their wheat, but all the other farmers in the neighbourhood managed to save their grain. Messrs. Lumby & Bennett account for their loss by being short of labour in the spring, thereby delaying the sowing of the wheat so that it had no opportunity of ripening. It was frozen in the milk on the 12th October. I have, (fee, (Signed) A. S. Farwell. VICTORIA : Printed by Richard Woifukdin, Oovarnment Printer, at tha Oovernment Printing Office, James' Bay.