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ijim

KLONDIKE

THROUGH

CARIBOO.
OMIMICA,
CASJIAR

AND LAKE TESLIN.

■ A«tAT-» Dli.:

» \\. 1-HANKM A SONS. I'1(1NT);HS, PIOOUI »

K4..3t

FORWARDING DEl-ARTMENT OF

ARVEY, BAILEY & CO.

GENERAL MERCHANTS

ASHCROFTj«j»j«j«j« BRITISH COLUMBIA

SEE ILLUSTRATION PAGE 2

N. B.— We desire
to point out
that goods pur-
chased in Canada
are admitted
to the Gold Fields
free of duty.

r Havinj,*^ made extensive arrangements
/|\k for obtaining the most suitable goods for
miners and prospectors going North, we
are prepared to supply complete outfits,

comprising Provisions, Heavy Cloth-
j\/l|t^gj*c ing, Blankets and Sleeping Bags, Boots,
Mocassins and Snowshoes, Hardware,
Rifles, Ammunition, etc.

Realizing that the quality of goods is
an essential point to prospectors and
miners, our quotations will be in all cases
for goods of best grades obtainable.

We have had long practical experience
in outfitting parties for the upper country
and any orders instrusted to our care
shall have careful attention.

Write us for information which will
be cheerfully given.

and
Prospectors
<iy Outfits

HARVEY. BAILEY & CO.

Ashcroft, British Columbia

iOftSio

PREFACE

Hl many letters of inquiry received
of late by the residents of Ash-
croft and those residing alontr the
Cariboo Road, at Clinton, the ISO,
Soda Creek, and Quesnelle, shows that a
knowledge of the actual condition of the
overland route to the Gold Fields of British
Columbia, the Northwest Territories, and
the Yukon, is being eagerly sought for by
the public. To meet these inquiries, this
volume is published.

Respectfully,

Cite British mmm mining 3ourn<il

ASHCKOf-T, BRITISH COLUMBIA
Dec. lUTH, 1897

\D'

.1. W. Franks & Sons
Punters
Peoria, III.

(-"
O

'vj.

\ . V

t • ♦.

OVERLAND.

ROM Ashcroft to Ouesnelle is J20 miles over a splendid
(•overnment Stage road, semi-weekly mail stages con-
vey her Majesty's mails from Ashcroft to interior points
the year around. Passengers are also carried by the
British Columbia Ivxpress Company, who have the mail
contracts for that section. At (Juesnelle, the I*'raser
River is crossed, there being a steam ferry that crosses
passengers and horses at reasonable rates, r'rom this point it is about .lOO
miles by the old telegraph trails to Hazelton on this Skeena River. I'rom
Hazelton to Telegraph Creek on the Stickine is about 200 miles, and from
Telegraph Creek to Lake Teslin is about 120 miles, making the entire distance
by trail from (Juesnelle where the Overland Route proper begins, about 620
miles. Add the 220 miles of stage road to Ashcroft and you have a total of .S40
miles. This trail cut out so many years ago, has been in constant u.se since, but
some sections of it, more particularly that from Hazelton to Telegraph Creek
has not been used to the extent that it was in early days. The consequence
is that in many places, trees have fallen across the trail and those traveling
through would rather go around a fallen tree than to cut it out. This makes
traveling for small parties slow, but a large party could easily clear out all
obstructions of this kind and .scarcely delay a pack train an hour. Of feed
there is an abundance, from early in May until in Novem])er. Blue joint and
wild pea vine growing in profusion. The Provincial government has prom-
ised to have a party of men at work on the Overland Trail at the earliest pos-
sible time in the Spring and not later than IMarch to cut out the fallen timber
and put it in good condition for the many thousands that will pass through
in the early spring. This route is very appropriately called the poor man's
route to the Klondike. With a few cayuses, which can be obtained for little
money and a year's supply of provision, a gun and fishing tackle, a man can
leave Ashcroft and reach any point he pleases in the Northwestern Gold I'ields,
and will need to pay out scarcely a dollar. A little help, perhaps, in fer-
rying or swimming a couple of rivers, which can always be obtained from the
Indian villages near the fords or crossings. I f he decides towards I'all so to do,
he can sell his pack animals for which there is always a demand in the vicin-
ity of Telegraph Creek, after getting his supplies to Lake Teslin, buy a few
hundred feet of lumber at the saw mill at the head of the Lake, build his boat
and load it, and from the time he leaves until he reaches Dawson City, he en-
counters no bad waters, except that at Five Fingers after the junction of the
Hootalinqua, the outlet of the lake with the Lewis River, and the Five
I'ingers can be run with a loaded boat with safety if in charge of a coMpetent
boat man.

The country passed through on this Overland Trail is gold bearing nearly
the entire distance. The immense gravel mines of Cariboo, one mine alone
the Cariboo Hydraulic, produces an average of over $2,000 per day during the

2^3356

Pncific N.W.Histo

PROViNCIA!- L13RARY
VICTORIA, 13. G.

ki,()M>iKi:

season, ami which has sent down several washups of $7^,000 to 5S.S,00(i for a
siiiulf run. The olil Creek beds that have never been bottomed, but known
from their situation and the (act that the benches are rich, contain perhaps
as great an amount of j,'old as world famed Williams or I.ightninK Creeks, out
of which more than >4U,()()U.0i)O have been taken since their first discoverv, 1S5').
The Ctoldeti River (Juesnelle, from whose bars f3rtunes have been rocked, and
on which thousands of Chinese have, for the past twenty years, been rocking,
they work a few seasons and by their thrift and industry accumulate a few
chousand dollars, and satisfied, go back to the flowery kingdoni to spend the
balance of their days in luxury and ease, their ])laces being taken by other
Celestials who repeat the performance. The country being thus stripped of
its golil with little in the way of an equivalent. The Horse I'ly mines, a ten
stanij) quart/, mill, its liydraulic elevators, and deep diggings now producing,
but the output to be inucli increased in the near future, immense works on
Williams Creek by the Cariboo ( rold I'ield's Company, the Antler Creek Mines,
Slough Creek Mine, Willow River, (Juesnelle Forks, and vicinity, the Mon-
treal, the Beaver Mouth, and many other promising large hydraulic mines
soon to be opened upon a large scale, the I'raser River Mines, and other .sec-
tions too numerous to mention, all of which goes to show that the section
first discovered to be gold bearing in 1S59, and well named (iolden Cariboo,
is yet a promising field for capital. It is not, as a rule, at this time, a poor
man's diggings, as machinery is recjuired to handle the water from tlie deep
shafts along the creek beds or in placing the immense hydraulic machinery,
nevertheless, men do, sometimes, strike surfjice diggings, where gold can be
taken out without a large capital. As a rule there is plenty of work at fair
wages, 52 00 to 5.V00 and board are paid, and it will be remembered that this
Bection is so close to rail transportation, that living is comparatively cheap.
The Overland Trail strikes north from Cariboo across the I'ra.ser and past
the Ominica Mines. In this well known district, several large mining com-
panies are at work installing large plants. The l.Ul Mining iS: Milling Co.,
of Ottawa, Ciinada, have worked from sixty to eighty men each season for
the past three years, and the \ictoria Consolidated Mining Co. about an equal
number The mines owned by these companies are on Slate, Manson, and
dermanson Creeks. Individual miners are working in this section, and some
are said to be making from 510.00 to 530.00 per day to the man. There is a
large portion of this district not yet thoroughly prospected. It is but a short
journey from the Ominica Mines to the head waters of the Peace River. On
the Parsnip, Smoky, Nation and other streams, large dredging plants are being
placed, and that section will be brought well to the front in 18<AS. A rich
strike was reported late this season on some creeks that are tributary to the
Nation River, and many claims were located, but too late in the season to get
absolute information of the extent and value of the new finds. There is, how-
ever, no (juestion but that there rre good mines to be found in this section ;
at least, this is the belief of those who are thoroughly informed of the con-
ditions and lay of the land.

Of Cassiar and vicinity, it is sufHcient to say that many millions have been
taken out since 1S70, and work is still being prosecuted. Late this season a
number of Chinamen came down from Victoria with from #5,000 to |130,000
each as the result in some cases, of a few years work. Owing to the isolated
location on the Cassiar Mines and the extreme high cost of living, combined
with the comparatively short season, the country was never thoroughly pros-

been
■son a

po.ooo

)lated

lined

Ipros-

SrEAMER CALEDONIA ON STICKEEN RIVER

M I I M > I K I :

peeled, and tluTf is a chatUf for tliousatids of prospectors in to the North
and List of Lake Tesliii and down the Lelly and Hootaiiniiua Rivers. This
section of the country, profiahly 5ltO miles in Icnj^'th, and from JOC) to .W) miles
in width, is entirely un])rospecteil. There is no man in the West l)t«tter in-
formed, in a general way, of Northern Hritish Colnmltia, than Mr. R. H.
Hall, of \ictoria, who has been for tfiirty years in the employ of the Hudson
Bay Company, and for many years in charne of the trading posts of the Com-
pany for Hritish Colnmhia, and .is such aj^ent visits each .season all of the
Nortliern posts. .Mr. II ill said lo the writer a few weeks since: " 1 believe
that as j;reat or greater mines than tho.se of Klotidike, will be found in the
section of country lyint< North of Cassiar and Last of Lake Teslin, and reach-
ing down to Stewart kiver and Klondike. This section 1 sawastnall portion
of Ust season, and was much impressed with it as a >;f»ld country, but few, if
any, men have ever crossed it, and hundreds of sciuare miles have never been
seen or crossed by Indians or whites. It seems to me from the favorable lo-
cation and formation that a little of the golden treasure this section contains,
has spilled down through Cassiar, and at the other end of this track is Klon-
dike, l)ut the great body of gold mining country, is lying between, and mines
of immense value will be found in this unexplored territory in the near
future."

The New York World Sent a Special Correspondent, Mr. W. M.
Pindell, to Investigate This Route, and He Had This to Say
in an Article Published in the World, Oct. 24th.

Put in a nutshell, the route in question begins at Ashcroft on the Cana-
dian I'acitic Railroad; follows the Cariboo stage route to (Juesnelle; from
Ouesnclle follows the trail of the old lireat Western overland telegraph line
to Ha/leton ; from Hazleton to Telegraph Creek on the Stickeen River, and
from the Stickeen River to Lake Teslin. Lake Teslin is the very head-
waters of the Yukon River, and from its extreme upper end, where the trav-
elers will land, it will be an easy matter to transport themselves, their
horses and their supplies by flatboat to Dawson City or to any other point
along the Yukon where they may think there is a better chance of finding
gold.

All this without the aid of a map, and without information concerning
the wide .stretch of country to be traversed, is very vague and meaningless.
It requires, however, only a glance at the nmp to grasp the general features
of the route, and as I have just returned from a journey over a part of it,
and as I have talked with people who have tmversed mnch more of it, I
am able to supply information which will be common enough no doubt a
year hence, but which at present is comparatively little known.

Starting at .\shcroft, which is a little trading town on the Canadian
Pacific Rail.oad, somewhere between 200 and ,^00 miles east of Vancouver, I
went to Soda Creek, 16.') miles due north, in the old-fashioned six-horse
stage coach which makes the journey twice each week. The road is in excel-
lent condition, and there are capital inns at intervals of thirty miles all
along the route. It is over this road, of course, that the Klondike caravans
of the near future will be passing, and although it runs for miles along the
sides of high mountains, it is nowhere dangerous to a rider or driver of any

KI.(tM)IKI-.

■

ordinary fle^ree of skill <n laiition. At Soda Creek you have an option of
two routes. \'f)n may continue on tlu- sta^e coach, or yon may take the com-
fortahic little steamer Charlotte down the l*raser River to (Juesnelle, The
<listance is sixty miles.

Now all ot this isan old and well-known road, and in that section of the
country— a road over which commercial and other travelers think no more
of K"'"K than they do over any of the beaten tracks of the Kastern States.
lUitit is at the end of this 220 mile journey that the real trip to the Klondike
begins. Onesnelle is in reality "the jumpin).,'-off place"— the last white set-
tlement until you reach the Skeena River at Ha/leton, M^O miles away.

\ou cross the 1-raser River at (Juesnelle by a steam ferry boat, and then,
only a few hundred yards from the river's brink, you jjluuf^e into the ^reat
silent wiWlerness of lofty pines and ruj^g^d mountains, which continues
unoroken for hundreds of miles to the north. There is an iuterestiujj bit of
romance about your road after leaving (juesnelle. It follows what is known
as the old "Telegrajih Trail" — a J;,reat swath IJO feet wide cut itraight
through the forest, and intended originally to reach to Hehring lu.'Vs, opp(»-
site the continent of Asia. It is the scar left by a great conunerci.il failure,
this old telegraph trail. It is at once a scar anil a memorial to the persist-
ence and genius of Cyrus W. iMeM. People who jeered at ?i . I-^ie'd's idea
that electric signals could be transmitted by a wire laid un.icr the Atlfutic
Ocean, set about b"i' Ing a telegraphic line to Ivurope, while .Mr. I'leld was
tinkering with what they regarded as his day dreams. So they ./lUnged into
the great N ^ thwest woods to build a line to Hehring Straits, and so to Asia,
and so on again to the civilization of Western Kurope. I'.ut while they were
still cutting timber, Mr. I'ield got to sending telegraph messages between
New \'ork and London, so they shouldered their axes and came out of the
woods, leaving the telegraph trail behind them as a monument to the hun-
dreds of thousands of dollars they had sunk in the enterprise.

The great 120 feet wide swath is now nmch overgrown, of course, but
through the center of it there runs a wide, smooth path, over which I myself
rode a great many miles; and when I say that it is not an uncommon thing
for a man to ride a bicycle from Ashcroft to Onesnelle, and that the telegraph
trail from (Juesnelle northwanl woidd make a smoother and better bicycle
path than the .stage road from (Juesnelle southward, I do not know that any-
thing further need be said about this particular stretch of the poor man's
road to the Klondike. I'urthermore, I can say, as bearing upon the condi-
tion of this part of the road, that Mr. .1. I). Devereux, a young surveyor, left
yuesnelle on September 7lh last, and made the trip alone to Ila/elton — .lOO
miles — in thirteen days. He had two horses, and he writes me that he was
delayed a good deal by fallen timber.

After leaving Ha/leton, which is a Hudson Hay Company's trading po.st,
the first stage of the journey northward is fifty miles to Nas.se River, which
you cross by an Indian ferry. Then you are only 1.50 miles from Telegraph
Creek and the Stikeen River, with a good trail all the way, and Indian
ferries for all the streams of any size or difficulty. From Telegraph Creek
there is a fine (^.overnment trail over the route surveyed for a railroad by the
Canadian Pacific Company, a distance of 120 miles, to the uead of Teslin
I^ake. Here the worst part of the journey ends, for getting down the lake
and from the lake down the Yukon River to Dawson City, is only a matter
of plain boating. It is not unlikely that a steamboat will be plying on Tes-

KI.ONDIKK

lin by next spring, and, even if that is not the case, the construction of
llitboats capable of carrying travelers with their horses ami supplies is a
simple matter, with all the fi :a timber there is at hand for the purpose.

From this general outline it will be seen that there is here open a perfectly
safe and comparatively easy route to th<! Klondike gold fields which hereto-
fore lias not been in any of the columns of matter which have been printed
in newspapers and books since the excitement over the gold discoveries began.
It is not to be understood, however, that the people along the route — the
people who inhabit the region between Ashcroft and (Juesnelle — are not alive
to the fact that at no very distant day their country is destined to be on the
line of a much -traversed route to the North. But the Canadians are nothing
if not a conservative race, and the Canadians of British Columbia are no
exception to the rule. Had such an opening to a country which so many
tliousands desire to reach been through any part of the United States, it is
perfectly safe to say that steam and electric railways, as well as steamboats
for the navigable waters, would already have been far advanced in construc-
tion. The trail from Ouesnelle to Hazleton and Telegraph Creek has been
traversed for years by carriers of the Hudson Bay Company, and the route
from there on to Lake Teslin and the head waters of the Yukon, is equally
f imiliar to hundreds of surveyors and adventurous spirits who have traversed
ii time and again. That it is a perfectly clear, open route to the Klondike
has been generally commented upon by the people up there, but there has
been what in the United States would be considered a curious apathy in
turning the fact to profitable account; not, however, that there are wanting
men up there with a keen appreciation of the situation. Dr. 1'. S. Reynolds,
publisher of the Uritish CoIudiK'ux Mining Jounial, was an early advocate
of this overland route, and has done much work in connection with it.
Senator James Reid and Representative Adams, of Ouesnelle, two of the
leading men of the province, have also taken much interest in the matter. It
is obvious that people on the coast are not going to exert themselves to point
out how the argonauts may give them a wide berth on the way to the gold
fields. So with this, and the languid attitude of the Fraser River people,
this excellent overland route to the Klondike has been totally overlooked by
all who thus far have gone or talked of going to the gold fields.

The general plan to be followed by those who may contemplate t^ ri-
menting on this route is very simple. They should be in Ashcroft about the
middle of April, and then buy their .supplies. A party of four or five would
probably get along best. Kach person will need two cayuses, and cayuses
are tough little Canadian horses. They are very cheap in Ashcroft. Two
good ones may be had for f50. One would be used, of course, as a beast of
burden, and the other to be ridden. By starting in the early spring, good
grass and feed tor the animals will be found all along the route from the
starting point to the Yukon.

Supplies, likewise, can be bought to advantage at .Vshcroft, although
they may be renewed at (juesnelle, Hazleton and Telegraph Creek. As for
the time occupied in the journey, it may be roughly estimated, as the condi-
tions now are, at about six weeks. As the route becomes known, and as the
Britis!: Columbia people awaken to the situation, the trails and the river
crossings, and the steamboat facilities will be so improved that this time
limit from Ashcroft to Dawson City will be much diminished.

And right here in this connection it may be said that a very important

KI.ONPIKI-:

■4

feature of this route lies in the fart that the travelers will arrive at their
destination with a very valuable property iti the horses which have carried
them there, and which will be sold readily, up where means of transportation
are in such demand, for many times their original cost.

And a further very important point is that the country, all the way up,
will not only supply the horses with fodder, but will give all the food in the
way of game that is wanted for the travelers themselves. Wild fowl and
fish are in bewildering abundance all along the route. I'urthermore, plenty
of Indians will be met with, and, if they are properly treated, they will be
found obliging and very useful. There are several Indian villages between
Quesuelle and Telegraph Creek; and, in fact, all the way over to the head
waters of the Yukon.

But the most important feature of all lies in the fact that there is gold
all the way up from Fraser River north. The route lies right along the
great gold and silver belt which extends from Mexico to Alaska. Chinamen
manage to make a profit by gold washing right in the vicinity of Quesuelle,
although that region was pretty well cleaned up by the fortj'-niners who
followed the gold thus far up into the north. But very valuable finds have
recently been reported from the Skeena River, and the Argonauts would find
promising fields for prospecting all the way on to ibe Yukon, and might
strike their fortune even before they reached the golden Klondike.

But, even if they did push on to the Klondike, they would arrive there
pretty well-seasoned pilgrims, and not the bewildered, flabby tenderfeet who
are dumped with their year's supplies on the bank of the Yukon, with no
means of transportation to get to their destination, and utterly unbroken -in
to the rough life before them.

Mr. W. II. Griffin, who made the trif from the head of Lake Teslin to
Dawson and return last fall, made the following statement to me:

"Teslin Lake is about 150 miles long and averages about three miles in
width. A large but sluggish river empties into it at its upper end, and here
the Indians have their canoe cache, where they leave their boats during their
absence while going to and coming from Juneau on their annual trips to dis-
pose of their furs.

"Here, at the head of the lake, we built our boats and started on our
prospecting. There are three streams emptying into the lake from the north.
Two of these, the Oklohene and the Netticene, are quite large and very
swift. There is only one river running in from the south. There is no part
of the lake that is not navigable for light draught steamers, and the greater
part of it is extremely deep. In some places we were unable to find bottom
with a 100- foot line. The shores are for the most part rocky and precipitous,
but heauti.'ul camping places can be found along the north shore. .\s you
approach the lower end of the lake the banks are of clay, quite high, and
coming down into deep water.

"The lake gradually grows narrow, and before you are aware of its
proximity you are entering the IIootalin(iua River, which is the outlet of this
large body of water. We expected to find a narrow river, but instead of that
there was no current to speak of for some miles. As we proceeded down the
river, which is ISO miles long, the speed of the current increased until it was
running at the rate of about five miles an hour. The Hootalinqua is perfectly
safe for any rowboat, and navigable for light-draught steamers through its
entire length. The same can be said of the rest of the route to I'orty-Mile

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with one exception. This exception is the I'ive- Finger Rapids, which any
boat can run with ordinary caution without unloading.

"While on the lake, we met ]Mr. J. Colbreath, who had just come through
from Telegraph Creek with his pack train of thirteen horses. He informed
me that the trail was in good condition." W. M. 1'ini)i;i.i..

The Following Descriptive Letter is from A, L. Poudrier, Dominion
Land Surveyor of Robson, B. C, Under Date of October 6th,
1897:

The government of British Columbia has spent many thousands of
dollars during the last eight or nine years in exploring and surveying the
northern portion of the Province, and, although the work is not quite com-
pleted, the portion more nearly related to the Yukon country is fairly well
known.

Having been employed during several years at that work, it has been
my good fortune to travel many times through that great valley which be-
gins at the Fraser river and reaches the source of the Yukon, that is, Teslin
Lake. The valley of the Yukon is simply a continuation of that cut, and,
no doubt, in the far ages, this king of streams was far longer than it now is.

As many persons intend to go to Alaska in the spring, starting from
Washington and going via Ashcroft, a description of the route may prove of
interest. I will say nothing of the tirst part of the road, as Ashcroft may be
reached either by rail or overland from Washington.

There is a first class wagon road, 220 miles in length, from Ashcroft to
(juesnelle Mouth. This road is in perfect order, and a stage line, as regular
in its time card as any railway, makes the round trip every week. The land
is fairly settled along the whole distance, and farm houses and regular
stopping places are met at short intervals. For those who travel with their
own pack horses, free feed is plentiful all along.

Quesnelle Mouth is a small town on the banks of the Fraser river. It
has a first class grist mill, where Hour is nearly as cheap as in Spokane.
For many things needed on a long trip to the north, such as fur robes for
bedding, moccasins and duffel (a thick woolen cloth, made especially for
Indian trading), no other place equals that little town.

The I'raser has to be crossed here, and there is a good ferry. ( )ne has
now reached the gold country of the Cariboo excitement, and at Quesnelle
the banks of the I'raser have been washed and re-washed. This, too, is the
beginning of the old telegraph trail, and in many places the wire can still be
seen strung up or lying along the wayside.

The country from Quesnelle to the Nechaco valley and Fraser Lake, a
distance of 150 miles, may be generally described as a rolling country, with
no high mountains, and covered with a growth of small poplars, birch and
black pine, nearly all of second growth; only a few tall trees of the old
original forest are to be seen.

The trail crosses many small streams and follows the banks of numerous
lakes, where rich meadows and open glades give the richest of food for
animals at nearly all parts of the trail. When the water is high one stream,
called the Chillacco, or :Maud river, gives trouble. That is, at the end of

Kl.ONDIKl'.

June or early in July. Only one other stream of consequence is met; that is
the Rlackwater, and it is crossed on a good bridge.

On reaching the Nechaco valley, rich meadows— which will be the farms
of the future— are traversed by the trail along beautiful lakes, where many
Indians are living. The Nechaco is crossed to reach Fort Fraser, a Hudson
Bay post and a large Indian village.

I'roni lort Fraser the trail follows the south bank of Lake Fraser for
twelve miles, through a rich, rolling, park-like country; and the streaji
emptying Lake Irancais into Lake Fraser is crossed near the village of
Nadina. The ford is easy. The Indians in this part are called "Carriers,"
and are good, hospitable and honest.

From -Nadina the trail follows the valley of the I'.tidako, which empties
into the Stellaco. It is a wide valley with much open land and bunchgrass,
good for farming and grazing.

The distance from Stella to Ilazleton, on the Skeena, is 160 miles. After
reaching the source of the Endako, the trail enters the valley of the Bulkley
or Hagwilget river, falling into the Skeena. This valley is similar to the
Lndako, with broad meadows, beautiful open grassy slopes, light park-like
woods, full of small fruit in season. The streams and many lakes are full of
fish— salmon, trout, char and two or three other kinds. Small game is
plentiful all the way from Ouesnelle. Grouse, ducks and geese are abundant
in season, while rabbits and deer are scarce. Bears are most common,
especially in the ICadako and Hulkley valleys, where black, brown and
grizzly bears are met every day.

This road is not far from the < )menica e;old fields, and gold is found on
almost every creek along the trail from I, ike Fraser, though no very rich
ground has ever been struck. It is (juite possible, however, that some of the
small streams might give good results to the prospector.

Hazleton is a Hudson Hay post. Indian agency and mission post. The
Hudson Bay Company's steamer, Caledonia, makes occasional trips from the
sea. Supplies of all kinds can be purchased at this point, as it is partly the
rendezvous of the miners working in Omenica. The river jan be crossed
with canoes, and the horses have to swim. Horses are fairly abundant here,
nearly every Indian owning one or more.

Ilazleton was the last place where the wire was stretched for the tele-
graph company. F'rom here the trail follows the Skeena for twelve miles to
the Indian village of Kyspyox, and there two routes can be taken — one, the
longest, follows the Skeena to the Indian village of Kuldo and then goes
northerly to the Cheau-Wean, a branch of the Naas river. The first part of
this trail — that is, as far as Kuldo— is fairly well traveled.

For a big expedition the better road is to follow the Kyspyox river to its
source. I'rom there the valley is occupied by two branches of the Naas river,
the Koniscees and Chean-W'ean. Thence the trail follows two branches of
the Iskoot, a large stream falling into the Stickeen. The main branch of
the Iskoot is called the .Ningurasa. From this stream the trail strikes a
small river called the Iirst South branch of the Stickeen. At the mouth of
this the Stickeen is crossed by swimming the horses. Telegraph creek and
Glenora are quite close.

From Fraser Lake to Glenora the distance is 278 miles. The trail was
never cut wide, as the portion after leaving Ouesnelle is seldom used, and in
many places barely visible. I'or a large party with men ready to cut a fallen

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tree once in a while or to clear a thicket of underbrush, it would cause little
delay, but for a small party it would be a serious loss of time. The country
here is similar in appearance to the portion just described. Game is plenti-
ful, feed co'-nmon and open land often met with.

The navigation from the sea on the Stickeen to (^ilenora is easy, and
there are, I believe, two steamers running continually. Telegraph creek is a
good point to obtain supplies, and it was easy to find packers there, but
one cannot say how the excitement i.nd rush to the Yukon may have affected
the place. From Clenora to Teslin Lake, by the pack trail was 130 miles.
They are now cutting a wagon road and surveying a railroad for the Canadian
Pacific, and large trains will be employed all winter freighting goods and
machinery to the lake, and this winter will be a very busy season.

The country north of the Stickeen is perhaps a little more wooded than
further south, but, nevertheless, foo I for horses is very abundant. Gold is
found on nearly every stream, and on the Thulton and Dodedonto rich
pro.spects have been located.

Teslin Lake is a very beautiful sheet of water, from two to six miles in
width and about eighty miles in length. The shores are not high and are
generally covered with the same short growth of trees which characterizes all
of the interior plateaus. A sawmill has lately been built at the lake, and
several steamers will be constructed during the winter.

The navigation from the lake to Dawson is open, there being only one
rapid which is not of much importance.

The river coming out of Lake Teslin is called the Hootalinqua, and then
the Lewes to the point where the I'elly reaches it at old l-'ort Selkirk, where
it takes the name of Yukon. I believe this is wrong. The Hootalinqua and
Lewes are by far the largest feeders of the Yukon; they are also in the same
line of direction. Therefore, according to the rules of physical geography it
should be called the Yukon, and Lake Teslin is its source.

Two noted gold fields are known in New Caledonia — the Omenica, north
of Lake IVaser, and the Cassiar, which begins at Telegraph creek. Large
amounts have been taken from this locality. In ( )minica powerful companies
have started hydraulic mining on a large scale, and, no doubt, the same will
soon be done in Cassiar. People with experience in that line and with
sufficient capital do not need to go as far as the Yukon. Cassiar offers as
rich a prize as Klondike to the hydraulic miner.

Larije tracts are not yet prospected at all, even for placers, and nothing
whatever has been done in the line of quartz mining. It is known thet rich
deposits of galena ore occur on the Skeena, and rich copper ore is to be
found on the Stickeen and on Lake Teslin. Native copper has been mined
for ages by the Indians from this locality and has been hammered into shields
used for currency, which can yet be obtained.

There is no doubt that the road from the sea to Telegraph creek, by the
Stickeen, will be largely used next spring; and as the great field for pros-
pecting will be the upper Yukon, Lake Teslin should be a busy spot next
year.

For those who wish to take horses or cattle, the way I have described
from Quesnelle offers no dangers of any sort, no difficulties. Far from it;
it is one of the most pleasant trails to travel, and I have remembrance of

'' ^"S!"-

ON THE FRASER RIVER

MONDIKK

many happy days eniployetl riding daily along and camping at night loaded
with small game. With such a climate during spring, >ummer and autumn,
it is easy to forgive a few weeks of cold weather.

A. I.. I'orDRIIvR,

Dominion Surveyor.

Thomas Hamilton, to whom we are under obligations for much
valuable information, says :

He was for seventeen years an employe of the Hudson Hay Company in
that section, vi/.: Stuart's Lake, for four years, at Nechaco River, and for
some years a trader at lort Connelly. During Mr. Hamilton's time many
hands of cattle were successfully driven into Telegraph Creek and the Cassair
mines. The route, Mr. Hamiltoti says, is through a country abounding in
feed, and the trail is easy for packing or herding cattle. I'rom Telegraph
Creek the new trail to Teslin Lake will put interior Hritish Columbia within
easy drive of the Yukon markets. .No other route offers the inducement for
overland travel to the Klondike that the Cariboo-Cassair-Teslin Lake route
does. Thousands will travel it next .season. They will buy their pack animals
in Ashcroft and begin the journey here. All along the route they can restock
and resupply if they wish at Telegraph Creek, and further, they can spend
their time profitably in prospecting the creeks and rivers on their way, and
may .strike another Klondike before going many hundred miles, and Teslin
Lake, 760 miles from ( uesnelle by trail, is bound to be a great mining section,
so say all authorities.

As many inquiries have been made as to whether a portion of this
route could be made by water to advantage, the following
letters are of interest :

Extracts from a /titer rt'ceiied from Senator James Reid, of Ouesnelle, to
the editor of the Journal:

" I have yours of the 14th, and will comply with request as correctly as I
know how. The charge by steamer as far as she can go at present, viz. :
Soda Creek to Cottonwood Canyon, is one cent per pound, but in 100 ton lots
could make some reduction. From thence it can be taken by boats or canoes
up to the head of North Tatlah Lake, say about 300 miles from Cottonwood
Canyun. This latter would cost about eight cents per pound. This will
leave you in the middle of the Ominica country, and from thence via Fort
Connelly by land to the Cassiar mines is about 200 miles.

"I may say that the Dominion Government has an engineer now up
examining the Fraser, Nechaco and Stuart Rivers, with a view to their being
made navigable for steamers, there being only three or four points which
need clearing out in the whole 300 miles to Buckley House, at the head of
North Tatlah Lake, and as soon as these places are made navigable, the
North British Navigation Company intend placing steamers suitable for the
trade of that route.

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" Meantime, my idea of goitiR into the Yukon, which is, I presume, the
objective point, would be to l)ring goods to Soda Creek by team or train
(freight this season two and one-half cents per pound), thence by steamer,
which would land freight on either side of the river at Ouesnelle for half a
cent jisr pound (distance 60 miles), and from thence by pack animals by the
telegraph trail to Telegraph Creek and Teslin Lake. The cost, distance and
time would be about as follows:

DAVS. I'l.ALl'S. MH.US. COST.

12 Ashcroft to Soda Creek 163 Z'jC

1 Soda Creek to Quesnelle 60 ,'2C

16 (Juesnelle to Hazleton 240 say 6c

13 Hazleton to Telegraph Creek 200 " 5c

10 Telegraph Creek to Teslin Lake 120 " 3c

52 783 17

"This would be about the ordinary time for a pack train to travel, of
course, going light, faster time could be made.

" Another route to go north is directly up the Fraser and Giscomb Portage,
distance from Cottonwood Canyon about 115 miles, thence across a portage to
Summit Lake, seven miles, thence by small boats or canoes via McLeod Lake
down the Parsnip river to its junction with the Peace River, thence up the
I'indlay Branch to near the Liard River tributaries, which lies between the
Ominica country and tributaries of the Yukon River. Any of the routes
mentioned are within the gold bearing zone lying in a direct northwest line
from Cariboo to Klondike.

' ' The only obstructions to navigation on the Praser river are Cottonwood
Canyon and Fort George Canyon, and I think if th; latter were improved
somewhat, thi former could be managed as it is, s ^ *hat steamers could run
from Soda C reek to Giscomb Portage, say 195 miles, at a cost for freight of
say not over three cents a pound."

From /'. C. Dunlcvy, Soda Creek, II. C.

"In answer to yours of the 14th ultimo will say: There are but two
places in the Fraser River where boats heavily laden should be lightened of
part of their loads, first the Cottonwood canyon, at certain seasons, is unsafe
to take a boat very heavily laden through. About one-half of the load should
be taken out and packed around the canyon half a mile; there is a good
wagon road around. Second, Fort George canyon, where the same should be
done. Then you have plain sailing to the head of Tatlah Lake by going up
the Nechacc and Stuart Rivers into Stuart's Lake, thence up Tatchie River a
distance of fifteen miles to Lake Trombley, thence up Little River a distance
of twelve miles into I^ake Tatlah which is about seventy miles long.

"Should you desire to follow the Fraser there are no obstacles in the way
of boating until you pass Giscomb, or say about eighty miles above Fort
George. There is no place along either of these streams one could not unload
on the banks except in the canyons. I have had goods delivered at the head
of Tatlah Lake for six cents per pound. This was twenty yean ago. No
doubt it could be done cheaper now. If there was a trail from some point
near the head of Tatlah Lake into the Stickeen River it would pass by the
headwaters of the Findlay and Omenica Rivers. The country, I am credit-
ably informed, is sparsely timbered, gravel hills with much quartz showing
in many places, and while no prospecting has been done there, gold has been

KI.ONDiKK

found by men passing through the country. There is scarcely a shadow of
doubt but that rich mines couM be found throughout the entire distance to
Cassiar, as many of the bars in the I'indlay have paid well, some as high as
i?50 per day to the man, and in every instance the bars grow richer the nearer
you approach the heads of the streams. It would be of great benefit to
British Columbia and the entire Dominion if the government would remove
the obstacles in the river this winter and make it navigable through to Tatlah
Lake. The Provincial Crovernment could not spend a little money to a
greater advantage to the Province than opening the trail from Tatlah through
this section of country by the head of the I'indlay and Omtnica. I feel quite
sure they would be amply repaid in revenue from this section in a very short
time. By removing the obstacles to navigation in the I'raser and Xechaco
Rivers, steamers would be enabled to lay goods within twenty- five miles of
the Ominica, whence they could have down stream to the Ominica mines,
tiermansen and many other streams where gold has been found in paying
quantities. I say nothing about the route up the Fraser to Giscomb Portage
thence over the divide into the Parsnip River, as I presume you care nothing
about that country. The route by Nechaco is in almost a direct line with
Cassiar and Klondike. By all odds the best and cheapest way for persons
going to the Klondike would be to cross the I'raser here and follow the trail
via Fraser Lake and Ilazleton to Telegraph Creek until navigation is possible.
I have traveled over it as far as Fraser Lake and can safely say it is an ex-
cellent trail, abundance of feed the entire distance and a road any fairly
good pack horse could carry three hundred pounds and upwards. It is a
short and easy trip to the Stickeen. Those going this trail could outfit
at Ashcroft, Clinton, 150 Mile House, Soda Creek, Quesnelle and Hazleton at
very moderate prices. I fear this is far from what you want in the way of
information, however, it is reliable and may help you a little.
"vSoda Creek, October 19, 1897."

tn credit -
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has been

From John k'ini^, Spokane, Wash.:

John King, a miner well known in Spokane, who has prospected and ex-
plored in the Black Hills, Arizona, Nevada, and was identified with the early
history of the Coeur d'Alenes, spent two months this year on the headwaters
of the Yukon, in the Cassiar and other districts. He was within 200 mi .. of
Klondike, and among other things says: "I was within 250 miles of the
Klondike diggings, o'.i Teslin Lake, which is the chief source of the Yukon
river. The chances of getting to Klondike down that lake and the Hoota-
linqua River are most excellent. I'rom Telegraph Creek the route is by pack
train and horses across table lands, teeming with grass and well wooded and
watered, to Tes-lin Lake, which is a large body of water. There are no high
mountains by this route. Down Tes-lin Lake the journey of 200 miles to the
Hootalinqua river is made in Indian canoes or boats built by the passengers
themselves. From there the journey is made in the same canoes down the
Hootalinqua River into the Yukon and thence to Klondike, a distance from
the lake of 150 miles.

"There are few white men in the Cassiar diggings now, but those there
heard of the Klondike excitement before I left. The abandoned placer mines
in that district have fallen into the hands of Chinamen, as has been the case
in other districts on this continent. I landed in the Cassiar country the 10th
of May of this year, and work was then progressing on placer diggings. The

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seasuii does not end there until tlie 1st of November. Ihe climate is not half
as bad as painted. The cold is intense in the winter, of course, but it is a dry
colli and there are no win<ls to cut and bite, liic Hudson's Hay Company
turns out its cayuses all Winter, and in the Spring they are fat and strong.
There is ^rass in plenty for the animals, which paw and root the thin cover-
in){ of snow away and ^et at the feed. The Iiiamond S. company has mules
and is obli^ced to cut hay for its animals in the Winter time. Tradinjj posts
are established alon^ the trail from Tilej^raph Creek to Tes-lin Lake. The
government Iniilt the trail ami it is a good one you may be sure. Horses are
not plentiful as a good caytise sells (or >15(). Thi.s is because the two trading;
companies have a mono])oly of the furnishing of supplies and own nearly ,ill
the animals. I'hey are the frei^^hters and packers for all the inhabitants. In
that country there are plenty of cariboo, moose ami black bear. I'ish abound
in myriads. In 'I'es-lin Lake salmon weij^hiny as much as forty pounds are
captured, and most of the mountain streams have trout in abu!idance. .A few
grouse and pheasant are occasionally shot, but the great game bird of that
country is the ptarmigan of which there are countless thousands at times.

"I know of white men who have lived thirty years in that section and
have grown children. It is a mistake to believe that the country is not in-
habitable. The I'iamonil S. company has a trading post at the head of Tes-
lin ]<ake. .Ml its goods are brought over the government trail from the head
of the navigation on the Stikeen. Ivarly this Spring the company tried the ex-
periment of sending three barges laden with freight and provisions down the
lake and rivers to the Klondike post. Indians were placed in charge. The
barges were safely landed at their destination and the Indians returned.
When asked if the water route was safe they told the post traders that there
was no more danger than on the Stikeen, and that steamers could run as well
as barges.

"The man who goes to the Klomlike by this route is exposed to few
more hardships than in any new country. lie will not be obliged to walk at all.
He can go nearly every foot of the way on train, steamer, horse and small
boat. (_)ncj at the head of navigation, the man with an outfit can employ
Indians to do the drudgery of camp life and will be sure of safe pilots. The
liulians, Taltons and Stikeens, getJJ a day and board. They do the cooking,
set up the camp and perform all other duties. All the prospector or voyager
is expected to do is to get off his horse, the Indians do the rest at night and
in the morning.

" ISIy property in that district consists of (juartz claims. I am going back
in two weeks by the route I have described. My principal place of operation
will be on the Ilootalinqua River. Should I decide to go to Klondike it will
be an ea.sy matter to get down the river to the Yukon. As I remarked be-
fore, the Indians say there are no dangerous rapids by this route. I believe
it will be the future road to the Klondike."

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J'nnn Jamrs Orr, of Cariboo.

V-

i^F Cariboo and its mines much was heard in early days, but until
the past three or four years but little since 1875. The mines that
had produced so richly before and up to that dat . were about
worked out, and the extreme cost of living with the high
freight rates, the fact that it required heavy pumps to keep the
shafts clear of water that it was necessary to sink in order to work to advan-
tage in the old creek beds, and the further fact that most of the miners being
of an adventurous disposition had moved on to Ominica and Cassiar caused
Cariboo mines to be largely deserted. That there is yet untold millions in
that section no one at a!l familiar with the count. j; can doubt, and each year
now adds to the promise of an o'd-time revival of the gold mining of from
'59 to '75.

The personal experience of Mr. James Orr, one of Cariboo's old-timers,
is well worth hearing. Landing at Williams Creek in 1862, when the famous
creek was in its glory as a producer. Gold, gold, gold everywhere. Mr. Orr
was one of the owners in the CaU donia and was bookkeeper for the company. In
fifteen months they took out over half a million dollars. They took out $6,500
from five pans of gravel, the prize pan being $1,680. This was in 1863. Out
of the Caledonia, which was sixty-seven feet to bedrock, the best paying
dirt was about two feet on bedrock and the run was often 150 feet wide. The
Never Sweat was adjoining and washed up every day from 60 to 200 ounces ;
Beauraguard as high as 800 ounces a day; New York from 150 to 200 ounces;
Mc fat's over $300,000 taken out of 100 feet square, which was the size of the
Cariboo claims. The McLean claim was next, but not so rich. The Tinker
with 300 feet of ground paid in dividends over $700,000. The Watty, a small
claim next, paid $80,000. The Cameron claims cleaned up over $1,000,000;
the Rabby $900,000; Dead Broke $70,000. Below were some short, but rich
claims. Prince of Wales paid 8 interests half a million. Above the Cale-
donia, the Lillooet and Cariboo were very rich. The Aurora, with its 14
interests, paid in dividends, after all expenses were paid, about $39,000 per
interest. On the Diller, two men working on the windlass and two under-
ground took out in ten hours 102 pounds of gold. la all over $300,000 was
paid in dividends to the thr'^e interests in this claim. Above the Black Jack,
which was rich, the Windup was a rich fraction. From Canyon to Prince of
Wales, on up to the sawmill, the ICricsou, Nigger and others paid from
$25,000 to $50,000 to the interest. Dozens of other claims along old Williams
Creek paid enormously and the creek never received, says Mr. Orr, credit
for nearly all of its enormous output, it being generally said that the sum c*
$25,000,000 was taken out of 1"^ miles. Mr. Orr says it was twice that
amount, In any case it was such a creek as was never before struck, and so
far the Klondike is not in the race for record output. Other creeks in the
neighborhood, Mr. Orr says, will yet prove as rich perhaps as Williams
Creek was. Lightning Creek, Swift River, Slough Creek, Willow River and
dozens of other creeks which have never been bottonnd, will yet give up
their hoard of gold. Of Omenica, Mr. Orr, who spent two years there, says
it was barely scratched, and the whole of the Cassiar country is yet com-
paratively virgin ground, The enormous cost of provisions, difficulty of
access and cost of labor all combined to make the gold hunters drop any
work that would not quickly and enormously repay. To day there is no

KLONDIKK

better gold country to prospect ♦ban from Cariboo through to Klondide.
From Ashcroft through it is only a little over 1,200 miles, of which the first
220 miles is by a first-class wagon road, the next 560 by trail, and the balance
by a splendid water course down Tes-lin Lake and the Hootalinqua River,
But within one year the excitement will very likely be centered in the Cas-
siar range of mountains, from which water sheds the sources of *.he Yukon
largely spring. For prospectors who wish to go in cheap we say, start from
Ashcroft in April, leave Quesnellein early May and you can spend the season
most profitably in prospecting through to Telegraph Creek, If you should
wish you can then sell your pack animals, for which there is always a de-
mand at that point, and build a boat, and in a week from the time you leave
Lake Tes-lin you can be at that now most talked-of spot on earth, Klondike.

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THE STICKEEN ROUTE.

Captain of the Alaskan Comes Down oa the City of Seattle.

iAlTAIN J. I). TACKAHI-;rV, master of the steamer Alaskan, the
only steamer on the Stickeen River, speaks from experience,
ha%ing navigated the river for years. In his opinion, the
Stickeen -Teslin Lnke route is the one route to the Yukon, and his
opinion is being home out by the fact that hundreds of men are
(locking to Wrangel from Skagway and Dyea, to await the opening
of the river in the spring. Some years the river is open by the latter part of
April, or between the first and sixteenth of ]Mav. He has never seen it later
than the latter date. It remains navigable until October, when the ice com-
mences to come down. ( )ii the last trip of the Alaskan some ice was encoun-
tered, but since then the weather has been warmer, which might again clear
the river. The Alaskan is a rather deep draught boat for river traffic, so she
cannot run as long as could lighter draught steamers.

Captain Tackabery advises men not to attempt to go up the river on the
ice. It is, he says, a very hard and hazardous trip, and there is not much to
be gained by it. Men are still a', work on the trail from Telegraph Creek to
Teslin Lake. There are 3U0 men at Telegrr.ph Creek waiting for the snow to
fall so that they can get their goods over on sleds, b'rank Yorke is taking
his goods to the top of the knoll, four miles from Telegraph Creek, so that
when the snow falls he will have a down grade run to the lake. There will
be considerable traffic over the trail this winter, so that the snow road should
be a good one.

Before leaving Telegraph Creek, Captain Tackaberry had a conversation
with Mr. St. Cyr, the government engineer. !\Ir. St. Cyr says t i route is a
good one for either a wagon road or a railway. There is a very slight grade
from Telegraph Creek to what is known as the top of the hill, a distance of
four miles. From there to the lake is four miles.

There are a number of men coming up the river in small boats, but they,
Captain Tackabery says, will never get through to Telegraph Creek, unless
the ice is very late in forming. They will have to camp along the river.

i;s

CLIMATIC CONDITION.

The following report on the climatic conditions of a portion of the
country through which the old telegraph trail passes and its possibilities
as an agricultural country is of interest. It is taken from the report on
agriculture issue<l by the government of liritish Columbia in 1896. Of the
country from Ashcroft to (juesnelle it is sufTicient to sa;- that no finer
farms or, as they are called, ranches, can be found in the world than
the Williams Lake Ranch, the Onward Ranch, the \ieth and the Borlund's
Ranch, Dunleavy's, the Australian's, Hohanon's, W. A. Johnson's, the
Adams and Morrison, and scores of others found along the Cariboo road
or on the I'raser and Thompson rivers. Along the lake stream luscious
fruits, splendid vegetables and anything grown in almost any country, and
the dry air of the Thompson valley, health-giving and pure, the mild winter
with rarely any snow all goes to make this section a most desirable one for a
home:

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SODA CRHKK AND ALKXAXDRIA.

Soda Creek and Alexandria lie along the Fraser river and the Cariboo
wagon road. The valley of the I'raser, above Soda Creek, widens out con-
siderably so that the ranches are much nearer the level of the river than they
are lower down ; most of the ranches are on the eastern side of the river, on
the Cariboo road, some of them very fine ones, notably the Australian and
Hohanon's, beyond Alexandria, where extensive and profitable operations are
carried on. On the western side above Alexandria are also some large fertile
farms, including that of .Mr. Adams, M. V. P., upon which very heavy crops
of cereals are grown.

r. C. Dunlevy, Soda Creek, reports: All roots and vegetables grown;
potatoes yield about -WO bushels per acre ; frost injures crops in higher lands
in July; droughts very often interfere with crops; irrigation being required
to successfully grow heavy crops ; timothy and clover are the only grasses
grown for fodder, which, if mixed, are the best for cattle; alfalfa has proved
successful where tried; hops grow well, but there is no consumption; cattle
are kept exclusively for beef; no dairying; horses are only profitably raised
in a small way, many already in the business, as a rule, only undesirable
animals are raised ; the ranges are abundant, and there is excellent feed from
the 1st of May until the middle of November, after which ordinary cattle
must be fed; sheep raising is not carried on to any extent, but the country
is we!l adapted for the business; most farmers raise a few pigs; there is
money to be made in the industry ; does not pay to raise much poultry ; bees
have never been tried, think the summer season is too short; only small
groups of good timber are to be found, as a rule there is little more than is
required for general purposes; improved farms, including agricultural imple-
ments, bring from 510 to |15 per acre.

orESNEKLK.

Cjuesnelle is situated at the confluence of the stream of that name with
the I'raser, and at the point where the Cariboo wagon road leaves the I'raser
and goes in an Easterly direction to Barkerville. Rarkerville is purely a min-
ing town and the principal centre of the Cariboo mining district, one of the
largest and most important in the Province. There are public schools situ-
ated both at Rarkerville and Ouesnelle.

Mr. R. Parkinson reports: — Wheat is grown to a limited extent; spring
varieties succeed best; barley only grown for home consumption, but does
well; oats are the staple crop, ami demand exceeds the supply; rye is grown
with success both for grain and hay; peas grow well ; corn is grown only for
table use, the season being too short to ripen the grain; light crops on ac-
count of the unusual .season; all roots and vegetables do well ; potatoes are
the staple crop, they were slightly damaged by frost at the end of August;
timothy is the only kind of grass grown here, price $50 per ton; crab apples
and most small fruits do well.

Dairying is not carried on to any extent, no one keeps more than one cow
at a time for that purpo.se; the price of fodder in the winter prevents farmers
from keeping milch cows or making butter except in summer; there are very
few sheep in the district ; there are very lew swine or poultry on account of
the price of feed; irrigation is very necessary.

There is any amount of Govenment land open for pre-emption, but there
is little of it of much use without irrigation, and generally the altitude is too

ki.ondikp:

great to allow of successful farming; it is only near the river that land is be-
ing worked at present. I know of no farms for sale here.

NECIIACO.

Many inquiries have been made about the Nechaco Districts, and con-
sequently all the information possible has been obtained from all sources.
The information is somewhat contradictory, and without personal and definite
knowledge of the conditions which exist there, it is impossible to give ad-
vice as to its desirability as a place for settlement. That it is a good summer
stock range is unquestionable, and from all accounts there seems to be every
reason to believe that a sufficiency of fodder can be produced from the natural
meadows to winter stock. Its northerly position (about 54.10 N. and 124.10
W.) and its altitude, probably between 2,000 and 3,000 feet above the sea
level, would naturally render it somewhat uncertain for the growing of grain
crops. Still, with cultivation and drainage, it may be susceptible to great
improvement in the matter of summer frosts, which has been the experience
in other places with similar characteristics. In any case, situated as it is,
it is evidently not a country suitable for a man with a family and small
means, and unless a settler is willing to live in an isolated condition, without
any immediate prospects of roads, bridges, schools, postal facilities and
other adjuncts of ordinary living, he is not advised to attempt it at present.
If a colony of fifty or more were to settle there, it would be somewhat
different, as conditions would be altered and the lack of facilities referred to
would naturally soon be obviated. The present isolated condition is un-
doubtedly the reason that so few settlers have thus far taken up lands there.
With railway communication, however, and access to the mines of Cariboo,
many of the real or alleged difficulties in existence there would no doubt
soon disappear, and a very large area of pastoral and agricultural lands would
be added to the wealth-producing power of the Province.

In answer to inquiries, the following letter was received from Mr. U.S.
St. Laurent, Mouth of the Quesnelle:

Mr. Bowron has requested me to give you a description of the Xechaco
country with reference to its capabilities for agriculture. I am not competent
to give the required information. I have asked Mr. Williams, who has a
ranche in the valley, and who planted some grain and vegetables this spring,
and he has been good enough to give me the inclosed information. He
mentioned L. A. Poudrier, I). I<. S., who surveyed that valley, and he thinks
that he made a correct report to *^he government. (See the maps and report of
1891.)

The best route to reach Nechaco is by way of Quesnelle. It is only 110
miles from here and on a good trail. The trail could be made a sleigh road
at very little expense. The Black Water River and Mud River would require
to be bridged. The drawback to that country is that there is no market for
produce. The Indians at Stoney Creek are raising as good vegetables as we
do at Quesnelle. I was told that at I'raser Lake the H. B. Co. are raising
oats and vegetables as good as in any part of British Columbia.

The fellowing is Mr. J. F. Williams' report:— A report on the Nechaco
country, a general description of the country, such as the soil, water, timber,
capabilities for agriculture and pastoral purposes, altitude, climate, summer
frost, the possibility of grain- raising and vegetables, any swamps to make
hay, the time the spring opens. In regard to the above questions, I will

■mm

KLONDIKI':

answer as far as I know. Spring begins about the latter part of March and
the first of April. The soil is very rich and productive.

All root vegetables grow in abundance; berry fruits grow immense. I
have never seen a better oat and barley crop grow than I had on nine acres last
year (1.S95). I am told there had been good wheat raised by the H. B. Co.
some years ago. It is subject to summer frost, more or less, but no more
than other localities in British Columbia where they raise good grain. Good
water is plentiful over all the country. Heavy timber is not so plenty, only
in the foothills.

Small timber grows over all the country, Cottonwood, birch and black
willow ; the feed and grass is growing over the whole country, but it could
not be called a first-class stock country, though there are plenty of large
swamps that make line hay meadows.

There could be a first-class wagon road made with little expense from
Quesnelle to Nechaco, that would be about 110 miles; a good trail and right
of way is already made from this point to Nechaco, and the winters are not
severe on stock, as they winter through without hay most winters. I am able
to say, moreover, that I am going back this spring to seed ten acres more and
break about forty acres more new land, and improve some more. Anyone to
read Mr. L. A. Poudrier's report about the country will find that he describes
it very truthfully. There is as fine water power of a good many thousand
inches as a person could wish for just about the center of the country, viz.,
the Stoney Creek I-'alls, about a mile and a half from the Nechaco River.
The country in the vicinity of the I'nlls is comparatively level, and it could
easily be farmed; the soil is very rich, with a heavy growth of grass and hay.

KLONDIKE.

< )f Klondike, where such a man as Wm. Ogilvie says, as he did in a report
made by himself for the Canadian government in which he states that there
is now practically more than j^bO, 000,000 in sight on Bonanza and Eldorado
creeks alone, with a section of country stretching from Cariboo clear throu.'(h
to Klondike that is not prospected. It means that hundreds of thousands
will find profitable employment for fifty \ ears to come in this vast area.

Joa(iuin Miller says:

"The gold is here, and let me finally repeat the room is here, but there
is room for men only, men with heads and hearts, and spine and marrow,
and they must come e()uipped. Here is room for not only thousands, but
hundreds of thousands on niining grounds already discovered. I am quite
responsible for this assertion, although I have heard it since from many men.
Some of them thought that suffering might come of it ; others, selfish in the
wish to get plenty of ground and gold in their own hands before strangers
can get here. I have entered into every camp here, looked into every big
claim, talked to every miner. I have set down the facLs as I have found
them. I leave you to form your own conclusions, to decide and to do as you
please."

Mr. Harry de Windt in f/ir Strand of November, says:
"As to the great Klondike 'rush' next spring there is no doubt it will
alter the face of the entire region, the climate notwithstanding. R.ailways
and steamships and telegraphs will soon be established, l-ortunes will be

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MAP SHOWING OVERLAND ROUTE

KI.ONDIKK

made, and the unlucky forced to the wall. Sensational reports may be
ex])ected daily, for the place is a real Tom Tiddler's j^^round, honeycombed
by rivers and creeks with sauds of Kold. There is plenty of room for all
between the Klondike to the Cassiar. Let the ^old-seekers take their time
and make prudent preparations. The ultimate result will doubtless be that a
little known region will be dotted with tlirivin^f cities, and the shouts of
triumph from the fortunate few will drown the dyinj; wails of the many who
will fail."

LILLOOET.

The prominence of this section is owing to its immensely valuable quartz
mines that have within the past few months been mo.e prominently brought
before the public than ever before. The Golden Cache mines, the Hen D.
Orr group and numerous others show great values. The entire country will,
next season, be alive with prospectors, and there is an unlimited field. To
reach Lillooet, a good wagon road from Ashcroft, distance 60 miles. There
is also a trail up the Fraser from Lytton.

LYTTON.

At the junction of the Thompson with the Fraser River, is a thriving vil-
lage surrounded with good c|uartz ledges, and is a good field for prospectors.
It is distant from Ashcroft about 50 miles west. Kamloops being the same
distance east of Ashcroft. All places being on the Canadian Pacific Railroad.

KAMLOOPS.

Kamloops is a beautifully situated little city at the junction of the North
and East Thompson Rivers, and at the head of Kamloops Lake. There are
about 2,000 people residing there. It is a railroad divisional point and is a
growing, thriving place. Many prospectors going up the Cariboo Road to
the Northern gold fields, will buy their horses and outfits at this point.
There is a good wagon road leading from Kamloops to Cache f^'cek and
Ashcroft. Its merchants are a lively lot of people that keep apace of the
times. It has two newspapers, the Sentinel and the Standard, both are up
to date and are of great assistance in making the resources of the interior
and Northern British Columbia known to the world at large. Kamloops has
(juartz mines of great value in its immediate neighborhood, principally gold
and copper, also coal aud iron.

ASHCROFT.

(Jn the Canadian Pacific Railroad, 203 miles Flast of Vancouver, and in
the valley formed by the Thompson River, a healthy pleasant village of about
400 people, good stores and good hotels. The mild and pleasant winters
make the towns of Ashcroft and Kamloops desiral' -. places in which to pass
the winter, from the fact that 1,000 horses are continually freighting goods
from Ashcroft to different points along the Cariboo road and to the different
mining camps of the interior it is a lively town, and rapidly putting on
metropolitan airs. Water works, and electric lights will be put in yet this
season. Many hundreds of men will pass at least a portion of the winter at

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KI.ONDIKI'.

Ashcroft gathering information about the upper country. It is now thor-
oughly understood that the Overland Telegraph Line will be extended from
Quesnelle to Dawson City next season. This will make Ashcroft the dis-
tributing point for all Klondike news, and a telegraphic center. Of fruits
and potatoes Ashcroft can beat the world, for stock the surrounding ranches
can give a good account of themselves. The Western Canadian Ranching
Company owns not less than 10,000 head of cattle. John Wilson, of Ashcroft,
is known the Province through as the cattle king. He owns or controls
several ranches and many thousand head of cattle.

British Columbia on the whole is prosperous, and good settlers, those that
will make desirable citizens, are in demand, none others need apply.

THE KISGAGASH DISTRICT.

The Kisgagash district, situated on the route from Ashcroft to the Yukon,
about sixty miles from Ilazelton, sends out reports of recent good strikes.
J. U. Devereaux, representative of the Miniiiii Journal, writing from Hazle-
ton about the Kisgagash country, says:

' ' I have seen ore from thirteen claims in the Kisgagash district which all
look to be very highly mineralized. Some of it is known to run as high as |200
to $300 to the ton in gold alone, and, by information given me by the miners,
the cream of the country is not touched yet. All the old experienced hands
say that the Kisgagash country will be a better camp than the Kootenay ever can
expect to be, as they have gold, silver, copper and lead, where the Kootenay is
mostly silver, which is falling in value every day. Little or nothing is
known about the wealth of this country by the outside world. Within the
past five years I venture to say that $250,000 has been taken out of this
country by individual miners, mostly Chinese."

Intending parties heading for the Klondike, and who take the overland
route, would do well to prospect this part of the country. As is well known,
and is verified oy all who have been in the northern districts, that by going
over the old telegraph trail good mineral can be found almost anywhere. The
great influx of people next spring will open up these districts adjacent to
Cariboo, and it is quite probable that some will strike a nice Klondike
nearer home.

The following: is the report of the Old Telegraph Trail from Ques-
nelle to Hazelton by J. D. Devereaux, Representative of the
B. C. ** Mining Journal.'* Mr. Devereaux left Quesnelle Sep-
tember 7th and arrived at Hazleton September J 9th, making
the trip in good time.

HazIvETon, B. C, September 22.

Sir: Complying with your instructions dated September 2d, I immedi-
ately made arrangements for the trip from Quesnelle to Teslin Lake via the
old telegraph trail.

I hereby submit my report of the condition of the trail between Ques-
nelle and Hazleton, the feed thereon and the feasibility of a road being
opened up to the aforesaid place.

KldMMKI'.

On the 7th inst. I started and traveled on a splendid trail to the 12 Mile
Camp, where feed was in abundance. I'lishinK on I arrived at C.oose Lake
(or 25 Mile Canipi, where a halt was made for the day. I'eed very plentiful
and trail in good condition.

8th. Started early, passed .¥> Mile Camp at <>:15; feed tjood. Arrived at
Blackwater at 2:50. where camp was made for the day. The present local-
ity cannot be improved upon for a road (with exception of the descent to the
Blackwater) .

9th. Traveled over a good trail for 17 miles to Mud River, feed plenti-
ful but a dreaded camp to packers owing to the present state of crossing
facilities. This may be avoided by cutting a road further west, and by
bridging the Mud River canyon, which is very narrow. On the other side
the trail is good with exception of a few mud holes near Lost Horse ^Meadows,
10 miles from Mud River. Went on to tlu' south end of Nathelby's Lake,
where good feed abounds, and camped, covering 30 miles for the day.

loth. Trail very rough for \ miles along Nathelby's Lake, but as soon
as the trail leaves the lake and strikes high ground it becomes good again to
the north end of Bobtail Lake, where good feed is found. Continuing for
the first two miles a few mud holes are found, but can be easily avoided.
The balance of the day's travel to Tsin-Cut Lake was over a good trail with
a few exceptions, where it was found \ery brushy. There is an abundance of
feed here, principally peavine. The distance traveled for the day was 34
miles, most of the way being quite suitable for a road bed.

11th. Traveled all day over a very good trail (patches of prairie land
intervening every three or four miles) to the crossing of the Nechaco, 37
miles from Tsin-Cut I^ake, where swimming must be resorted to in order to
cross. This can easily be avoided by bridging the canyon l'» miles below.
The canyon is narrow, and further, has an island in the center very suitable
for a road.

13th. Traveled through partly open country until 2 o'clock, then
through 4 miles heavy timber to prairie again. Camped on the south end of
Burn's Lake or the head of the P'ndako River. Covered 28 miles.

14th. Traveled through comparatively open country all day. Feed very
plentiful ; camped on the extreme head of the I'raser River water shed.
Covered 20 miles.

15th. One mile's travel brought me to the divide, where feed begins to
get scarce, but plentiful enough for grazing purposes until I reached Klwyn
Lake, where I made camp for the day, having covered 22 miles.

I would advise that a new road be cut on the north side of the divide.
By doing so more feed can be taken in, and also avoid the two crossings of
the Buckley River, which are very troublesome in the sprir-.,'.

16th. Made a late start, traveled all day through partly open country,
camped on a large prairie at night. Traveled IS miles.

17th. Traveled along side hill until 10:20; open country with good feed.
A gradual descent for two miles into level country where a better place for a
road cannot be found. Camped on a small prairie with peavine and blue joint
growing as high as the horses. Covered 28 miles.

18th. Traveled all day through level country and splendid feed ; crossed
the Mauricetown at 12:15. Camped at night on what the Mauricetown In-
dians call the Halfway prairie. Traveled 23 miles.

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KI.ONDIKK

19th. .Made an early start and arrived at Ilazleton at 10:30, after travel-
ing li miles over a good trail. Here we once more find a Hudson's Bay
Company's store, where the greatest kindness {>« shown to travelers by the
genial manager, R. vS. Sargent.

The approximate distance between Ilazleton and yuesnelle is 217 miles.

TELEGRAPH LINE TO DAWSON.

Among the guests at the Palace Hotel is C. R. Hosmer, general manager
of the Canadian Pacific Telegraph Company, with headquarters at Montreal,
an<l who also holds the position of general manager of the Pacific Postal
Telegraph Company, and vice-president of the Commercial Cable Company,
says the San I'rancisco ChroHiclr. He has been in the Northwest for some
day.s past, looking into the proposition now contemplated by the Dominion
government of building a telegraph line to the Klondike, and he brings the
information that the line will be built and in operation early in the coming
year. From \ictoria, Mr. Hosmer came from San PVancisco to see John W.
Mackay, and he spent most of the day yesterday in Mr. Mackay's company.
He expects to remain here until the end of the week, when he will leave for
Montreal ty way of the Canadian Pacific

" There is no doubt," he said last evening, " but that the proposed line
to Dawson will be built during the coming spring. And what is most inter-
esting to contemplate is the fact that the line will be stretched over the same
country that was traversed with a telegraph line thirty years ago. It has
been determined by recent surveys that the only practicable route for the
new line is over the same route that was surveyed and parti)' wired in 1866
and 1867, in the attempt to secure telegraphic communication with the con-
tinent on tlie other side of the water.

" As everyone doubtless knows, for this is a matter of history — a teleg-
raph line was built some distance north on this side of the continent at that
time, while another force was engaged in building a line on the Siberian
coast. The two lints were to be connected with a cable forty miles long
through Behring Sea, and the work was progtessnig favorably, when the
successful laying of the first Atlantic cable caused the entire project to be
abandoned. Now, after a lapse of thirty yeni;;, the project, or part of it at
least, is to be revived, and I would not be surpiised to see the line extended
in the not far distant future from Dawson City to the .\laskan coast at some
point about St. Michaels, and a connecting cable laid under the waters of
Behring Sea. If this were done only 150 miles of connecting line would
have to be built to connect with the telegraph line of the Trans Siberian
Railway.

" While in Vancouver I met Clifford Sifton, the Canadian minister of the
interior, who had just returned from a trip over the Chilkoot and White
passes, whereat he went to take a look at the country through which the
telegraph line will be built. I believe this line will be built in the very near
future, and our company will operate it. The expenditure will probably not
exceed $300,000 or $400,000. The line will run from Ashcroft, on the line of
the Canadian Pacific, in a northerly direction through Quesnelle to Dawson,
a distance of 1,400 miles. I'or the greater part of the distance the line will

Kl ONDIKK

r travel -
n's Bay
i by the

!7 miles.

traverse a timbered country, which will greatly expedite the work of con-
struction and reduce the cost to a minimum. When it is completed there is
every probability that connecting lines will be built to Juneau and other
points of importance in Alaska and the Northwest Territory, and there is
every indication that such lines, with the big volume of the traffic that will
start northward in the spring, would be paying investments from the start."

lister of the
and White
h which the
lie very near
jrobably not
n the line of
! to Dawson,
the line will

MINING LICENSES.

manager
Montreal,
ic Postal
Company,
for some
Dominion
>rings the
le coming
: John W.
company.
, leave for

posed line
lost inter -
r the same
o. It has
ite for the
red in 1866
h the con-

— a teleg-
lent at that
le Siberian
miles long
when the
roject to be
part of it at
le extended
last at some
e waters of
line would
ns Siberian

The attention of all intending to go to the Northern gold fields is called
to the fact that a duty of 30 per cent, is collected on all goods brought into
Canada, or any part of it, that the gold fields are principally in Canada, and
that goods can be bought as cheaply and of as good grade at Ashcroft, Kam-
loops or Vancouver as at any place in the States or in British Columbia. There
are liberal laws for miners. All nationalities stand alike. There are no large
royalties to pay, and no reservation of alternate claims. The mining regula-
tions are not published in this volume for the Northwest territory, for the
reason that new regulations will be promulgated early in the winter, they
will be liberal and specific. Prospectors will be able to obtain a license for
prospecting in both British Cr.umbia and the Northwest Territories at Ash-
croft. The former costs $5 and the latter $15 for one year. Direct railroad
connection is made with Ashcroft by way of the Chicago, Milwaukee and
St. Paul, the Soo Line, and the Canadian Pacific. Through rates are made,
and through tickets sold at the offices of any of the above named roads. For
any further information write to the advertisers whose notices are found in

this volume.

By subscribing for the B. C. Mining Journal, published every Saturday
at Ashcroft, B. C, those desiring further information of the Ashcroft route,
■who travels it, etc., can obtain reliable information.

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83 MILE HOUSE

Stages Each
Way

Stop Over
Night

^ ^ CARIBOO ROAD, B. C.

m I MoTAVISH & 00., Proprietors

First-Class Accom-
modation for Quests.
Good Bar in
Connection. Good
Stabling and
Feed for Horsos

a.
O

I
(/>

xKamloops, B. C.

Good StaWin

f in Connection

J. H. RUSSELL & H. HEROD, Props.

I"'P"

ISO AAile-Ho^^^

5he distribating point for all the

Jiydraalie /^A^ines at

Horse fly, Ko^th and §oath por^s and

main Qaesnelle ^iver, also the

§toei^ Ranges of

(JhilQoten and Beaver L^^^ Valley.

At this point will be found a

good assortment of

©cnerail

MerePiaindise. and
Miners' ^applies

Also one of the best hotels

on the route.

Information cheerfully given.

Vehit & Borland

proprietors

and gtoQi^ Raisers

McArthur & Harper's

Is without doubt the cheapest place to buy your

Dry Goods

Gents' Furnishings -d

Boots and Shoes

We have the best assortment of new and up to date goods

Ashcroft, B. C.

Campbell Bros.

Blacksmiths and
Wagon Makers

Wagons anv Bi?gies made tn order witu tbf best of material

Horse Shoeing; a specialty

hop next to Collins & Haddock's Stables

Ashcroft, B. C.

^uv Soon

Chinese Merchant
and Forwarding
Agent dt ^

Ashcroft, B. C.

(Of

tk mining
Journal

Address

B. C. MINING JOURNAL

Ashcroft, B. C.

Published at Ashcroft, B. C, gives
all mining details of Cariboo, <^ J^
Omenica^ Cassiar, and Klondike.
Gives all news obtainable^ relative
to the Overland route^ who travels
it, etc.^Send in your subscription.^

$2.00 per Year

KLO]

/^ppenbeimer

Wholesale GROCERS

lDancouvet,B»(r.

KLONDIKE OUTFITTING at the best rates that good goods

can be famished for

Hardware

Miners' Supplies
Camp Stoves
Tools

Gold Pans Anythms

Rocker irons Sw^yl"

Hardware

Mark Dumond'

Pither & loeiser

Importers and Wholesile Dealers in

Wines
Liquors and
Cigars

/IS

<iS

Victoria, B. C.

Globe
Hotel

Lytton, B.C,

In consequence of the late tire, the
Globe Hotel has been removed
opposite the post office and has the
same accommodations as usual.
Commercial travelers' trunks hauled
to and from station free of charge.

A. F. Hautier, Proprietor

reduc
Sette
lowe

(

Horse
Shoeing
2 specialty

1. bgHMAN

BLACKSMITH
WHEELWRIGHT
and WAGON
BlULDER

Iron, Steel and Timber kept in stock, and
a stock of Eastern made Carriages,
Buggies and Road Carts kert on hand at
reduced prices, and also made to order. Manufacturer of "The Lehman Tire
Setter," which all blacksmiths should use. All work warranted and prices
lower than ever. An assortment of Coffms and Caskets always on hand.

ASHCROFT, B. G.

C.H.GIBSON

Meat '^

Wholesale and Retail

Market ^

Main St., ASHCROFT, B. 6.

Attention and satisfaction guaranteed
to customers

Clinton Motel

CLINTON, B. C.

SBoard and Jlodging

SBy ttie 3)ay, Weeli or Month

Best Wines, Spirits and Cigars. Good Stabling.

Headquarters for the Cariboo, Lillooet
and Dog Creek lines of stages.

Hunting and fishing in the vicinity.

Marsha// & Smith

S^roprietors

umiture

Carpets
©il Cloths
Etc.

WRITE

FOR

PRICES

■Jtf

CHEAPEST HOUSE

ON EARTH

M. P. 60RD0N

KAMLOOPS, B. C.

Bay

Co,

Quesnelle Mouth,
Cariboo,

B. C

Direct Importers and
Dealers in

Wines, Liquors ^ Cigars

Dry Goods 1* Groceries

HARDWARE^^^
BOOTS and SHOES

Miners' ^
Supplies

Bed Rock
Prices
Goods Guaranteed
Quality
Guaranteed

Quesmlk
Cariboo*

Vukon

titi

IRecoonising
(SluesneUe
to be

the Center
of the

(5teat rftining
Belt

of British
Columbia
an^tbcl5ukon intbcflortbvpest XEerritor^

The undersigned has always on hand
a superior stock of Groceries^ Dry Goods,
Boots and Shoes, Hardware. Miners'
Supplies of all kinds. Flour, . Beans and
Bacon of the best. Lumber, rough and
dressed. Saw Mill to cut lumber to sizes
required. Shingles, pine and cedai. <^ J^

JlJJpecial attention given to outfit^

ting parties enroute for
©minica, peace IRiver anb the l^uhon

prices IRiobt.^

JAMES REia

rtg

\im

ritot^

outfit*

!5uhon

F. W. FOSTER

General
Merchant

Ashcroft

Station

and

Clinton,

B.C.

Keeps
Constantly

Hand

Full Outfits
for Miners and

Prospectors

Prices
Right

Enquiries by Mail Klondike and other Gold
LOnCerning ••••• promptly answered

F.W. FOSTER.. Ashcroft, BC.

Cariboo and Lillooet

Stage
Travel

British Colum-
bia Express Co.

Ltd.

CLINTON and way points
— Monday, Wednesday

and Friday Ml points in

CARIBOO— Monday and
Friday. (Connecting with
Steamer "Charlotte" at
Soda Creek). ..LILLOOET
direct- Monday and Fri-
day Through and return

tickets at reduced rates.
Special convevances fur-
nished.

STIDEBAKER

WAGONS

Mccormick's

Binders
and Mowers,
McClar/'s Famous Stoves, Farming Tools and General
Hardware

James Valr, Kamloop$,B.c.

oet

oints

its in
and
with
at

OET
r^ri-
eturn
;s.
fur-

[cCormick's
Binders
nd Mowers,
nd General

pS,B.C.

B. C. Cattle Co.
Ranches

CHILCOTEN,
B.C.

Large bands of Cayuses for sale
broke to saddle or for packing.
Fat cattle for the northern mar-
kets for sale.

For particulars, prices, etc., address as above.

20 Mile Housed

JACOB MUNDORF, Propr.

This popular house is ready at all times
to accommodate the traveling public.

20 miles Irom Ashcroit on Caril)oo road,

«l

0)<i$. Pennie«$tockinf!n

P(tmic$l«ii*«B. e.

Fat Cattle for

the Overland

Drive Furnished

at Fair Prices

Philip Parkes

Bonaparte, B. C.
0^ «S

GATTLE for the overland
drive, good stock and in
good condition.s^S>siS^s>§^S>^

JI705. /T\eEu;e9...

STOCK
RAISER

Fat Cattle for the Overland Drive

Animals

for

Packing

p. O. ADDRESS,

Do(5 ^reek, B. ?.

General Merchants

Dealers in Groceries, Hardware, Dry Goc^ Js, Boots
and Shoes, Crockery, Drugs, and Farm Produce

THE CME/IPEST
CflSn STORE

IN THE CrtRlBOO DISTRICT

ONWARD RANCH
CARIBOO,
B.C

Trim and Haddock

bivery, Sale

and
Feed Stable

Ashcroft and Lillooet

Saddle, Pack and
Driving Horses for
sale and iiire. Rigs
l<ept at botli stables.
Special trips made
to Lillooet or points in
Cariboo at any
time. Wire
at our expense tor rigs.

Wholesale and Retail Dealers in Hay and
Grain

/Iftacha^ Sabbleri? ant>
1Darnc66 Co.

Manufacturers and Importers of

abbles, Ibarness, BrlMes,
ITrunks, XiClbips, Spurs, anb
1batnc88 ^vimminGS

Repairing Done with Neatness and Despatch

AUordefs by Mail Promptly Attended to and Satisfaction Guaranteed

ck I The Cariboo

; for

Higs
ables.
lade
)oints in

; for rigs.

ay and

:et anb

Despatch

Guaranteed

Exchange

HIS well-known house
has been recently fitted
up by its owner,
Mr. A. H. Walters.
It is now with its
Annexes a convenient
and pleasant place to stay.
Mrs. Walters
who has charge of he
Dining Rooms
serves meals of the best
to be procured in
the country.
Rates very moderate.

A. H. Walters

Proprietor

^be Hsbcrott

Ibotel

HIS favorite and conveniently located

House has been added to
so that accommodations
are provided for a large
number of guests, Tv/o
large and commodious
Annexes in connection
vs/ith the House i^«^«^i^«^i^i^

Directly opposite the C. P. R. Depot and

Open Day and Night

Mm. X^ne

Proprietor

M^GILIVRAY BROS,

![ Hotel and Feed StaDles

icated

The 59 nile House.

CAR 5 BOO ROAD,
B.C.

Colonial Hotel and General Store

R. HcLEESE, Proprietor

A full assortment of
Dry Goods,
Boots and S^; oes,
Liquors,Cigars,Hardware,

Hay, Grain and
niners' Supplies, at
Reasonable rates.

WHOLESALE AND RETAIL

Via s^
Quesnefle

to Yukon "Charlotte

j.i.« »?

Leaves Soda Creek on arrival of mails
and express from Ashcroft for all points
to Quesnelle, connecting with boats
going to Fort George, Fort St. James on
Stuart Lake, North Tatlah Lake, the
Buckley House, Fort Conally on Bear
Lake, thence by rivers and trails to the
head waters of the Yukon; all in Cana-
dian territory and in the gold belt all
the way from Cariboo to Klondike.

For freight and passage apply to the purser on
board.

JAS. REID, Manager

McLennani McFeeli)

& Co.

LIMITED

1Z2 Cordova Siree^
VaticotaVer, p. C-

HeadqUari

Picks, ShoVek <^
Gold Pai|s ^

Pjick Saddles
I^iVep pools
pog sleighs

Sheet steel StoVes, Tents

Camp iJten»ii». coinpa«»«»» ^^*=-

CALL ON us

CORRESPONDENCE SOLICrrED

p. C DUNLEVY

Hotel Keq)er

General Merchant

A GOOD stock of GOODS constantly on hand

SODA CREEK, B. C

QUESNELLE, B. C

The Occidental Hotel

Is the Leading Hotel

of North Cariboo

On your way over-
land call and see us.

JOHNSON & HOFFERC AMP

PROPRIETORS

hand

)

tcl

ClK

earflile
Rouse

6. B. Jobnson

This well known

house

has been enlarged and

refitted,

and is prepared

to accommodate a

large number of guests

Proprietor

Good service and good

fare.

Terms by the day,

week or month,

very moderate.

Ltd.

Dealers in

VICTORIA

VANCOUVER

KAMLOOPS

AQRICULTURflL inPLEnEMT5 sr/iLLKiMbs

Largest stock in the province and best assortment

/inERK/IN DAW W/IQ0N5 olso

Vn NnDlrirl Dniri Suitable for freighting and farm purposes

BUQQIE5, CflRT5, SFRINQ WflQOMS

All at prices to suit the times.

ORDERS FILLED PROMPTLY

DANIEL HURLEY

JOHN A.MURRAY

fbotd t)ictona

It- i'

This hotel being new and thoroughly furnished
throughout, is the only first-class hotel in the
town of Lillooet. Persons calling at Lillooet
will receive every attention by staying at the
Hotel Victoria. Charges moderate.

it 'A

If I

Good stabling in connection with the Hotel, also the
headquarters fcr the Ashcroft and Lillooet stage. Jt

Ibutle^ Si flDurtaij, Iptoptietots

The Ashcroft,

Lake Teslin and

Yukon

Transportation,

Trading

and S

Will transport those wish-
ing to visit the northern
gold fields and will fornish
them with supplies deliv-
ered at the mines, at reas-
onable terms.

Full details will be pub-
lished soon.

For particulars, address
The SECRETARY, at

Ashciof t, B. C.

Mining Co.

FOR THE NORTHERN QOLb TIELDS

^^::y

mmr

n/IIL ORDERS

LOOKED

/IfTER FRSnPTLT

J. n. CLEnENTJ

bRUQQUT ann STdTIONER

flsncRorT.B.c.

General placksijiilhs

Carriage Builders. Horseshoeing a Specialty.
A supply of iron and wagon material always on

hand.4t»4*»4^+»4*4«» SHOP ON RAILWAY AVENUE.

Ashcrof^t, |3m C.

A Large Stock of Wagons, Sleighs and Farm

Machinery on hand

C. A. SEMLIN

Cache Greek

Cattle and Horses
for the
Overland
trade for
Sale

p.o

Address

Cache

Creek

B.S.

J.G.BARNES

Will Furnish Cattle

by Contract for the

Overland Trail

....The
same tobe in Good Condition aboutMay 1st

ASHCROFT, B. 6.

The Western
Canadian
Ranching Co

• Have large bands

II of fat Cattle ready

for the overland

drive in the early

spring

Ranches.. ..Chilcoten, Ash=
croft and Kam loops

J. D. PREMICE rianager

Canadian Pacific
Railwav^l ^^kmik

S09 Pacific Era« %^.^x*.«,*«

Vsh=

TF you arc going to the Klondike
gold fields call on or write any
agent of the Canadian Pacific
Railway or Soo Pacific Line.
This is our best route. There arc
no customs difficulties; close and
direct connection made with all
steamers sailing from Vancouver,
Victoria^ or Seattle. Rates lower
than by any other line. J-^J-J-J-
List of steamers sailing furnished
on application, and berths on any
particular steamer reserved on aopli-

^^llOI^« %^' JF* ^^ i2^ tj^ JF^ tSr' #^* (^•' t^* t^* l3* ^^ 1^*

W. R. CALLAWAY

Gen. Pass. Agt., Soo Line
Minneapolis, Minn.

E. J. COYLE

Dist. Pass, Agent,
Vancouver, B. C.

lager

ROBT. KERR

Traffic Mgr., Winnipeg

D. McNICOLL

Pass. Traffic Mgr., Montreal

The Chicago,
Milwaukee &

St. Paul Ry

Is the best line to and from Chicago, Milwaukee
and all points East. With its 6,155 miles of
thoroughly equipped road it reaches all principal

centers Norther n Illinois^ Wisconsin,

in -

Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota,
North Dakoka, and
Northern Michigan

THE ONLY LINE

Running Electric Lighted and Steam Heated

Vestibule Trains..* J* ..•* Time tables, maps and

information regarding routes, rates, and other

details relating to the road will be fur.iished on

application to any coupon ticket agent, or by

addressing GEO. H. HEAFFORD. General Passenger and

Ticket Agent. Chicago, III, or C J. EDDY, General Agent,

Portland, Oregon

sIE

•,t and
Lgcnt^