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Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mdthode. 1 2 3 32X 1 2 3 4 5 6 ■ ' For ptJU^S^Wifm^tqn onii/,] s ,<^ A ^ ,v ,\ STATEMENT RKQAKDING THE GOLD-FIELDS OF EASTERN CANADA. BY JOHN HOCKIN. '7?9'f''»?fW"?'5'!?''" ^^m r . r» i" 3 U p ;'X • •, - . - - Mi. %. ;>*v'ifSsSi3«i4aCu»AV«&.4-awnA ;:• ",1^ I* AP of-' the/ ERE VALLEY. Scale' 12 ifuto ihe/ tndi'. SluuLul thus '//WM/Z/M is live /iUi/aniL VcutdraiU Bvpa'iy purchased' fyiheIk-Le^(j}tnpciny. I, i> ■\i::\:i::i'.],ii t'sHip >9i %I()fief>his .^vficfty inidev ct'iidiftvual Sale-. A STATEMENT. The existence of gold on the south side of the river St. Lawrence, particularly on the Chaudiere and its tributaries, has long been known. In the year 1840 Letters Patent were granted by the Crown to the De Lery family to search for and work mines of gold on a Seigniory * situated on the banks of the Chaudiere river. The several reports from the years 1848 to 1863 of the Geological Survey of Canada, at the head of which is the eminent and well-known geologist. Sir William Logan, have given valuable evidence in regard to the auriferous deposits in the district referred to. In con- sequence, however, of the absence of mining enterprise m the colony, no active steps were taken to develop the mineral resources of the Province until within the last three years. ^ A grant of Laud wan at one period called a teigniory in this rnrt of Canada. 4 ..^.•Jl;ilK. During that period an Act of the Canadian Legis- lature was passed (in June 1804,) to encourage such enterprise, and a Select Committee of the Canadian Parliament was appointed, to obtain information as to the extent and resources of the Canadian gold fields, with a view of ascertaining what further legislative measures might be taken for the encouragement of mimng and the employment of capital in the develop- nu;nt of such gold iields. In March ISfio, an elaborate lleport was made, after searching investigation of the subject, tilling a closely- printed volume of 120 pages. A large nund)er of witnesses, taken from all classes, were examined, in- cluding many of the residents of the Seigniory, and old miners who had worked here, in California, Australia, and elsewhere; this evidence is conclusive as to the existence of gold in large quantities on the Chaudiere and its tributaries. The whole volume, which may be seen at the office of Mr. J. Hockin, 8, Tokenhouse Yard, is well worth an attentive perusal. A few extracts, however, may not be out of place liere, as showing the (character of the evidence it affords. Report of Committee, page 4 : — " The Rivers afford an ample supply of wator for hydraulic rnininff, or any purpose to vvhicli water power can be aj)plied." % w^- Page 5 : — " In regard to tlie extent to wliicli goUI lias been mined or discovered, your Committee liavc obtained very valuable and reliable evidence. The Gold Mining Inspector, Major de Bellefeuille, states the whole quantity of gold produced during the past season, in the Chaudiere Gold Mining Division, to be One Hundred and Sixteen Thousand dollars ; and this, considering the comparatively small number of hands employed, must be regarded as a very handsome return, the average of the season being no less than four dollars per day per man. The Gold Mining Inspector's Report, however, can not be taken as representing the total quantity, as it comes only to the 30th of November, since which period, mining operations have been constantly carried on, and with highly satisfactory results, on the Gilbert. The greater portion of the gold so far obtained, has been taken from a small area on the Gilbert River, a few miles from its mouth, in the parish of St. Francis. It appc^-s, however, that considerable quantities of goM were obtained in various parts of the country, of which he was furnished with no return. Thus, for example, on the Stafford Brook, the evidence shows that Two Thousand dcliars were obtained, while his return shows only Three hurdred dollars. " In regard to the winter operations carried on, on the frilbert, the evidence of the miners is highly important, as it was to some extent against their interest to give it. They have found hill tunneling beneath the snow in winter, as profitable as alluvial washing in summer. " With regard to the general richness of the Gilbert diggings, the evidence of these witnesses is conclusive. William Abbott took from one claim of only sixty feet front, one thousand seven hundred and fifty dollars in gold, during the early part of the summer ; and in the month of 6 -SSU August, he took from jinotlier claim of only twenty-five feet frontage, five hundred and ninety-live dollars. He had seen or found nuggets worth from seventy-nine dollars up to three hundred dollars. " John McCrea exhibited a nugget weighing twelve ounces fourteen pcnnyweiglits, besides a quantity of gold in rough nuggets, amounting to many ounces in weight. " Your Committee, desirous of obtaining such evidence as would admit of a comparison being made with the Gold Fields of California and Australia, examined several witnesses who had been long engaged in mining operations in those countries ; and the result warrants the Committee in ex- pressing the opinion that the Canadian Gold Fields exhibit at least as fair indications as were in the first instance observable either in Caliibrnia or Australia ; while, in certain cases, the actual average amount of gold obtained to the hand per day, quite equals the returns in those countries, except, of course, in the cases of extraordinarily rich strikes." Within these last two years more active measures have also been taken for the development of the mineral resources of the district referred to. 'J^he country has b^en explored, and in some placets carefully examined by scientific men and practical miners. Deposits of gold have been found in the alluvial drifts in various places on the Chaudiere river and its tributaries, the Gilbert, the Famine, the Du Loup, the Metgermette, the Des Plantes, and others. More recently, abundant quartz veins have been discovered, which have attracted capitalists from New York and Boston, and from distant parts of Canada. Several Companies have also been formed for the active prosecu- tion of mining enterprise. The following are extracted from the Quebec puMic prints : — " The Government Agent, Mr. Pope, reports on the 28th February 1866, that several quartz veins have been struck since the date of his last report. " There are now 14 quartz veins in this division, on wliich shafts are being sunk, and work being actively prosecuted." {Here follows a list of the works alluded to.'\ " In addition to the above a number of veins have been prospected, and surface specimens of ore extracted therefrom for Assay. "Mr. Pope says, 'All continue to give promising in- dications.' " Alluvial mining has revived, the Reciprocity Company having consented to let claims on lot 16 to 19 inclusive, in the De Lery concession (Seigniory of Rigaud Vaudreuil) 25 and 50 feet in front, by 100 feet in depth at two dollars per foot frontage, the time allowed for working being twelve months. " A great many claims have already been taken, and several of the lessees have commenced work. Those who have commenced to wash meet with good paying results." " December 31, 1866.— The Government Inspector for the Chaudiere Mines, reports, 13th December inst., the following results obtained during the four preceding weeks by parties working on lots Nos. 16, 17, 18, and 19, as communicated to him by the agent of the 'Reciprocity Mining Com- pany :' " — ^r & 1 Pit 4 X 5 ft. worked by 5 men 4 weeks . A Tunnel 50 x 6 ft. 5 men, 5 weeks . , . 1 Pit 5 X () ft. 3 men 4 weeks Casually taken out of other pits, and while prospecting for good locations .... Value uf Gold extracted. . ITOO . 504 275 1,200 $2;679 " One nugget weighing 8 oz. 18 dwts. has recently been taken out of those pits. " One party of three, washing casually on a recent day, realized 14 dollars. It is hoped that other companies will lease out claims." These papers contain, in addition to the above, nume- rous statements of the discovery of nuggets of consider- able size, one "3ry recently — 32 feet below the surface — weighing 40 ozs. A lease for 30 years, with the privilege of rencA'al for a further term of 30 years, of the lands of the Seigniory of Rigaud Vaudreuil, with the mining rights over 83,000 acres, granted to the De Lery family by Patent from the Crown, as already referred to, has been purchased for a sum exceeding 75,000/. by a powerful New York Company, who employed thoroughly compe- tent agents, practical and scientific, to examine the landd prior to effecting the purchase. This Couipany, the " De Lery Gold Mining Company," has already commenced sinking on the (junrtz veins, with a view to prove them before erecting machinery for the reduction of the mineral. ^LsrlM The following was the result of this examination up to the end of September last : — RICG VEIN, Sunk 50 feet. Width at suriace 7 feet ; at bottom of shaft 8 feet. Nearly vertical, well defined, and continuous for several miles in length. ii^i. KILGOUR VEIN. '.-[«:;■■■ Sank 35 feet ; 20 feet wide at bottom ; vertical, well- defined and continuous for 3 or 4 miles. 1,000 feet in length of this vein has been sold to an American Company, after having been tested in several jiiaceg, ,. LOUIS LOUBIER'S VEIN. 18 feet wide at suriace; shatt down 5 leet. Ihc average of six assays of this are given, ^24'71 = about 1| ot. per ton. BARBEAU VEIN. Depth of shaft 15 feet ; exceeding 30 feet in width. A ten- stamp quartz crushing mill to be driven by steam power has just been erected on this vein, and is expected to be shortly at work. . RODRIGUE VEIN. ! Well-dclincd for several miles ; 10 feet wide. i "'i^ i'fifl <-aff ]( 1,0 VEIN ON THE XiAPlDS. This and tlje Rodrigue Vein show visible gold. ■ !Vff i:\\ LESSOR. Shaft down 15 feet; 15 feet wide. Assays of the ore from these veins give varying but satis- factory results. Mr. A. Michel!,* of the Provincial Geological Com- mission, who examined the De Lery property last summer, for the Directors, thus concludes his Report: — " The certainty of the gold-bearing quality, in a very high degree, of several of the quartz beds in the Seignory is already an ittiportant fact ; and everything leads to the belief that the crushing-mill in course of erection will soon prove, by its results, that the working out of the quartz of the Seignory of Rigaud Vaudreuil, as well as its deposits of alluvium, is worthy the attention of those interested in gold mining, and the confidence of capitalists." This Report, which is very favourable, can also be seen at 8, Tokenhouse Yard. Considerable quantities of gold are also being obtained in other parts of the gold district, by persons working the alluvial drifts by Licence f om the proprietor of the land, where this is private property, or from the Govern- ment, where the land is the property of the Crown. A property consisting of 10,600 acres of uncultivated * This gentleman lias al«o made a report to Sir W. Logan on the distribu- tion of gold in Lower Canada, which, tliough not yet imblished, the writer has luul the privilego of seeing. Ill 'p// and unexplored land, adjoitiing the Seigniory of Kigaud Vaudreuil above referred to, is at present to be obtained on conditions which will be immediately hereafter stated. One of the tributaries of the Chaudiere— the Desmoulin — runs through the whole length of the pro- perty, and another of its tributaries, the Des Plan tea, referred to in the Report of the Committee as auriferous, takes its rise in and runs through a portion of the property. Quartz veins have also been discovered in the Des Piantes, which run into the property. This property, a portion of the Seigniory of St. Joseph de Beauce, comprising the freehold with all mining rights not reserved by the Crown,* belongs to the Hon. Jean Thomas Taschereau, one of the Judges of the Superior Court of Lower Canada, who has entered into a provisional agreement for its sale to Mr. Thomas Glover of Quebec. isThere are considerable tracts of cultivated land adjoining, but not comprised in, the property above named. It is represented that the mineral rights on the most desirable portions of the cultivated parts of the Seigniory might, at the present time, by judicious management, be purchased for a comparatively small sum. There is also a saw mill, which might be pur- chased for a small sum. ' * The rights reserved by th« Crown, consist only of a small tax iraposed <>a each liccuco for gold rniumg, t't{f n lands largely and successfnily, He hA6" acquired, amongst others, lands adjoining those of the De Lery Company, and is a considerable Shareholder and a Director in that important Company. Mr. Glover has associated with himself in the con- ditional purchase of the property, the following gentle- men, viz. The Hon. Mr. Langevin of Quebec, late Solicitor-General, now Postmaster-General of Canada, who is at present in England, Mr. Washington Lyonsi (Mr. Glover's brother-in-law), and Mr. John Hockin, Managing Director o.^ the St. John D'el Rey, Mining Company, London. These gentlemen have been at some trouble and ex- pense in obtaining the agreement for the purclnse, paying the annual rent to date, and in acquiring much valuable information regarding the district. ''^"^Rff '-v^vfn It is contemplated that Mr. Glover and his associate in Canada should, at the outsetj gratuitously conduct fill- the operations in the colony, whilst the parties resident in England would, in like manner, give their services gratuitouMj , and that subsequently the Directors should be remunerated by a per centage on the profits of the Company only. >^fnitr// Eor the purpose of examining and, if approved of, purchasing this property, it is proposed to form a small Company with limited liability, having a nominal capital of 10,000^. in 1,000 shares of 10/. each, viz. 1000 shares 14 to be wibscribed for, and 600 fally paid-up shares to be placed at the disposal of the projectors above named. i; $1 per share to be payable on the allotment of the 1 000 shares, which would suffice for defraying ail neces- sary expenses in the formation of the Company, and the survey of the property, >