Panning for Gold

Faces of the Gold Rush

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You be the Judge...

Thompson River First Nations

I take leave to present you with a report of the prospect of the mines in my district, and in doing so have much pleasure in observing that everything is quiet, and very extensive preparations are being made for mining in the Spring.

I forward Your Excellency a list of water privileges that are granted to parties for mining purposes. There are several large water Companies who are making watercourses upon different plots or flats on Fraser River, their object being to erect Flumes in some places that will supply more than one thousand claims; it is by such means and enterprise.that the Country will be prospected.

I also forward you a diagram of "Prince Albert" flats.(10) The most extensive preparations are being made for opening these mines, and upwards of four thousand men can work on this flat when the water comes in the claims. I have measured off myself, allowing to each miner twenty-five feet frontage and five hundred feet in depth,(11) being the first dry diggings discovered on Fraser River. The twenty-six claims allowed to Mr. MacHenry(12) I have reduced to one claim each, by mutual consent, in consequence of the depth of the claims being on a liberal scale; each miner looks forward with confidence of reaping a golden harvest. There are two water Companies hard at work making ditches for conveying the water to the flat; it will take some time, perhaps a month or more, before they will be able to get in the water.

I have heard nothing more of the reported "Silver-mine" nor seen any of the men who discovered the lead; other parties are now in search of the continuation of the mine. Your Excellency shall know the result of their labours. I understood Mr. Williams had taken specimens of the Ore to Victoria." All I can procure I forward herewith.

I am sorry to state that Hill's Bar is worked out; the flat at the back of the Cabins, however, proves very rich. I have marked out the line of high-water mark on this bar; some of the miners have taken great offence, expecting they could dig up to the very mountain on this flat, and indeed the mountain or side-hill will soon be worked.(14) A water company have already commenced to dig a ditch for conveyance of water for the miners here, and will be completed in about five weeks; this ditch will cost about Four thousand dollars.

On American(15) and Santa Clara(16) bars the miners are also waiting for water, which is being conveyed in a ditch about two miles long from a Lake at the back of Texas Bar. The parties are Messrs. King, Severe, and McKay; they are now employing sixty-eight men on the work, the cost of which, I understand, will exceed five thousand dollars. Such men as Mr. King deserve encouragement for their enterprise.(17)

On Cornish Bar(18) very few claims pay to work with a rocker; here again water is being conveyed for sluicing and miners will shortly be able to work to better advantage. In all operations of fluming and sluicing, where the dirt only pays a cent to the pan, a man can earn $10 per day, whereas in a rocker he will not save more than $1, the gold being fine; it is almost impossible to save it without quicksilver.

Very little mining is doing above Fort Yale up to the Ferry(19) indeed, hardly worth naming; the spring-time will, however, be better, the rain and cold driving miners down, together with the high price of provisions.

On the flat opposite Fort Yale the miners have sunk shafts and discovered good mining ground; consequently Mr. Wells did not survey the twenty acre lots for Garden purposes.(20) If this flat should prove rich, I presume Your Excellency will not object to have it worked; water can be carried up the river in a ditch from below Hill's Bar.(21)

Some Miners commenced sinking a shaft near the Indian house this side Fort Yale Creek and discovered good diggins of course gold. I was, however, compelled to stop further progress, otherwise Fort Yale Town would not exist; much disappointment was manifested by my interference. I could not, however, do otherwise.

An immense extent of flat land opposite Strawberry Island(22) was a few days ago discovered to contain rich deposits of the precious metal, and much excitement was created in consequence. I was down on this flat on Friday last and was much delighted to find that eighteen cents to the pan was found at a depth of eight feet. The ditch Company No. 13 are making every exertion to bring the water on the flat from the Creek at the head of the flat, it will however take some time to complete the operation.

I have given Your Excellency some idea of the mining prospects which cannot be but most gratifying to your feelings, especially with regard to Prince Albert flat-above the rock named Albert head at least one mile of frontage on the river I intend to survey off into claims of twenty-five feet frontage. Your Excellency will perhaps feel much surprised at the depth allowed for each claim. The striping of the top dirt does not pay within eight feet of the surface, it would not pay men to go to the great expense of fetching in water so long a distance unless more extended privileges were granted; therefore it was to open these mines and encourage the men on that induced me to comply with their wishes. There is plenty of ground that pays, even up to the foot of the mountain, about one and a quarter mile back. I trust you will confirm the action I have thus taken.

I have very many difficulties to contend with, especially with regard to Water grants. Men are almost at times out of their cences and are determined to infringe on the privileges granted to others. I was compelled to issue Injunction notices to Messrs. Williams, Burns, and six others to restrain them from carrying a ditch from Santa Clara Creek on to the bar and flat, and very much interfering with other operations in progress.

All that can be done to carry on the mining operations of this Colony I will do to the utmost of my power. There are many elements that would, if possible, stay its progress, but I trust to overcome them all.

I stated to Your Excellency try opinion in a former letter that the reduction on mining Licences would operate most beneficially. I mean that. instead of a monthly licence,(23) a Quarterly one be substituted of the amount of Five dollars. All miners can pay that amount, no complaint would be made, and I assure Your Excellency a sufficient revenue can be collected to support the Colony, because the poorest claim can afford and must pay the licence; as it is now, the miner cannot do it. I would also respectfully beg to observe that the collection of the licence will be more easy; it now takes upwards of a month to go over my district and I am called off to different points of my district to settle disputes, which retards the collecting considerably. All these obstacles could be remedied, and if the monthly system is to be retained, Your Excellency will, I am sure, allow me to appoint deputies to assist; these collectors must be paid, and it would be much better that the hard-working miner should have the advantage, if any.

In granting water privileges I have not neglected the interests of this new Colony; they will all be subject to taxation, monthly, when completed. I have fixed the amount at Five dollars for each sluce and flume, on some of the large flats forty or fifty sluces will receive water. I have little doubt but that next year more than two thousand sluce boxes will he in operation in this district.

A meeting of the miners on Hill's Bar was held last evening and a memorial (signed by the Chairman) to Your Excellency adopted. I beg to state that I have only done my duty in marking out the boundry of high water mark, which separates the river claims from the bank diggins. Mr. Allard, myself, and two of the oldest Indians on the river proceeded to the spot; the Indians ought to know best the bounds of the river. It took us a day to go over the ground; it was no interest to the Indians to deceive us, and I am sure they performed their duty manfully, altho' the miners swore and insulted them, to the disgrace of white men--as they call themselves. The fact is there are a set of men on the river who are doing their utmost to treat the Authority with contempt, and establish the same system as in California. I am happy to say that their are many exceptions and the general mass of the miners are well disposed; there are many such characters on Hill's Bar termed the Boatmen of San Francisco who care for no Law or order and if such men are to rule and have their own way, others of course will follow. It is not at all likely Your Excellency will sanction men holding a larger claim than is allowed by Law, if they do they will run back into Canada in time.(24)

Mr. Kirby having returned from Victoria handed me your Letter, and another I received this morning dated Oct. 13th by Mr. Kitson who came up with a boatload of Flour for Mr. Allard.(25) I will have the accounts ready by tomorrow and forward for your inspection. I would have done so sooner; the only reason is the want of accommodation for carrying on my duties. I shall in two weeks have my office ready, now you approve of the plan, and of the amount to be expended in its completion; after I get into my office I will forward Your Excellency a monthly account on the first of each of the month. I assure you I have little rest or time for myself. I am early and late at my post, and altho' Your Excellency intimates that parties complain of my public and private conduct, I am at all times ready to answer any charge that can be brought against me.(26)

All your wishes shall be complied with in every respect intimated in your kind favors. With the greatest respect,

RICHARD HICKS.

Footnotes:
(10) Prince Albert Flat, about a mile above Emory's Bar and three miles below Yale.
(11) Presumably Mr. Hicks pieced this limit of depth ot the claims on dry diggings under the discretionary powers given in his instructions. See these in Papers relating to British Columbia, Part I., p. 32.
(12) John McHenry, Richard Dlghton, Thomas Wolters, D. McLaughlin, W. Lee, F. Carstain, R.H. Maines, H. Knox, C. Johnstone, W. Grash, G. Grash,G. White, G. Gilmore being the discoverers of the flat, were "allowed to take up an additional thirteen next continuous claims"by permission of Mr. Hicks on October 7, 1858. Laterhe substituted his own name for an absentee owner. He now reduces the original 26 claims to 13 each having a frontage of twenty five feet.
(13) On October 8, 1868, Hicks has recorded for J.M. Williams, C. Hyder, and J. Steel "a mine of silver ore" situate according to the record, 'in an easterly direction from French bar above Emory's and being eight miles, more or less, on the creek above French Bar." The description of the locality is now, and perhaps was then, quite unintelligable. The claim was a half of a mile along the vein along each side of the vein. This was in accordance wlth the regulations published in theVictoria Gazette, August 5, 1858.
(14) By the "bar", Mr.Hicks means the portion below the high water. The difficulty was drawing the line of high water. The bar claims werew only twenty-five feet square while the bench claims had only twenty-five feet frontage. He refers to this again later. From the Victoria GAZETTE of september 28, 1858, it appears that the dipute as to the porper line became serious and that revolvers were drawn; but no shooting occurred.See alos B.C. Papers, PartII., p.28.
(15) American Bar was about 4 miles above Hope, on the right or opposite bank.
(16) Santa Clara Bar was immediately alongside of American Bar.
(17) Texas Bar was about seven miles above Hope, on th right bank and opposite Strawberry Island. On July 20, 1858, Mr Hicks had granted to King, Severs, and Marshall the rights to the water of four creeks as well as the lake. He was certainly encouraging them.
(18) Cornish Bar, otherwise Murderer's Bar, about four miles below Hope, on the same, or left, bank.
(19) The ferry above Spuzzum above Yale. The favourable crossing spot had been used by the Hudson's Bay Company as early as 1848.
(20) See the extracts from letters of Douglas dated September 5, 1858, and November 4, 1858, in Mr. Brew's letter of Aprll 23, 1859.
(21)Hill's Bar was a mile and a half below Yale, on the left or opposite side. It was one of the earliest discovered, richest, and longest worked bars.
(22) Strawberry Island, about seven miles above Hope.
(23) The original license fee on fixed by the regulations of December 29, 1857, had been ten shilings a month, but in 1858 it had been raised to twenty-one shillings a month.
(24) See note (14), ante. The lengthy resolutions of the Hill's Bar miners passed at a ineeting held in " the saloon of Mr. Petrick Martin " are published In the Victoria Gazette, November 6, 1858. They characterize Mr. Hicks as "an unscrupulous man, as well an a corrupt public officer, and altogether unfit and unworthy the position he now holds", and ask for his removal. Part of the trouble was caused by the conflict between the laws they had themselves established, with, as they claim, the Governor's approval, and the general laws that he had later promulgated.
(25) Ovid Allard, the Hudson's Bay Company's agent at Yale.
(26) These complaints continued to be made until the Governor dismissed Mr. Hicks on February 8, 1859. See Mr. Brew's letter, under date February 20. 1859, post.

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