Official Report of the Exploration of the Queen Charlotte Islands for the Government of British Columbia — John Shaqi
Official Report of the Exploration of the Queen Charlotte Islands for the Government of British ColumbiaChittenden, Newton H.
History
Official Report of the Exploration of the Queen Charlotte Islands for the Government of British Columbia
Chittenden, Newton H.
Haida Indians; Queen Charlotte Islands (B.C.)
Over thirty islands and islets are embraced within the waters of the
inlet. Maud Island, the home of the Gold Harbour tribe, is the
largest, being between three and four miles in length, and from one to
two miles in width. It is centrally situated, thickly wooded, except
where destroyed by fire on its southern side, with an average
elevation of about three hundred feet. Lina and South Islands, the
next in size in the order mentioned, are from one and a half to two
miles in length. There is only a canoe passage between the former and
Graham Island. Leading Island, lying between Maud and Moresby, is the
landmark by which navigators are guided safely over the bar in clear
weather. Bare Island, owned by the Skidegate Oil Company, not so
destitute of vegetation as its name suggests, is of interest as having
been once a fortified stronghold of the Skidegate tribe, now living on
the north shore, opposite, and as now containing a flourishing colony
of rabbits.
AGRICULTURAL AND GRAZING LANDS.
There are upwards of two hundred acres of tide meadows at the mouths
of the streams mentioned, the largest and best tract, containing from
twenty to thirty-five acres, lying along the Dena, on Moresby
Island. There are also several hundred acres of alder bottoms, with a
comparatively light growth of spruce interspersed, available for
cultivation. The density of the timber prevents the growth of
nutritious grasses, except in very limited quantities upon the
immediate shores.
TIMBER.
There is a considerable quantity of accessible spruce and red cedar of
merchantable size growing near the shores of the inlet, and much
larger bodies on the banks of the streams, and in the valleys a few
miles back. It would be expensive to obtain the latter by reason of
log obstructions, except where the fall is sufficient for the
construction of chutes. On Slate Chuck I saw spruce trees over thirty
feet in circumference, and red cedars nearly as large. Occasional
groves of alder used exclusively for fuel by the Skidegate Oil
Company, are found on the shores.
COAL.
Several out-croppings of coal have been hitherto discovered on the
inlet, including the only anthracite, so far as known, on the Pacific
Coast. The vein is situated on the east side of Seymour Mountain,
about a mile and a half from the shore at Anchor Cove. Upwards of a
hundred thousand dollars were expended in its development by the Queen
Charlotte Coal Mining Company, chiefly in the construction of a
railway and other shipping facilities. Several tunnels were bored, the
longest to a depth of 450 feet, reaching a vein of good anthracite
coal from three to six feet in thickness, from which a vessel load was
sold in San Francisco at a good price. But the vein soon becoming
faulty, and the owners dissatisfied with the outcome from their
investment, the mine was abandoned in 1872, and before the
explorations made were sufficiently thorough to determine with much
certainty the character and extent of the deposit.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account