151
known to contain some gold, but whether sufficient to pay for drifting—
the only possible method—can be determined only by drilling. In order

to drift the ground would have to be drained by pumping. A drain tunnel
is, apparently, out of the question as it would have to be 6 or 7 miles long.

Slough Creek Benches

A series of rock benches overlain by drift deposits (Figures 22 and 23)
occur along the south side of Slough creek and extend from the mouth
of Devils Lake creek to Nelson creek. In 1881, they were found to con-
tain gold and since then have been hydraulicked chiefly by Chinese com-
panies for nearly the whole distance. Comparatively little mining has been
done during the past few years owing to the increasing difficulties in making
the operations pay. These difficulties are mainly the very thick drift deposits
on the south side of the rock bench; the steep, high bank; and the disposal
of the tailings. The first work was done near the mouth of Devils Lake creek
and near where an old flume crosses Nelson creek and extends northeast
to the benches of Slough creek. Its course apparently indicates that the
drainage of Slough Creek valley was at one time the opposite of what it
is now. The old channel of Nelson creek and the benches below it were
mined chiefly twenty to twenty-five years ago by the Qwong Lee Company
and by other Chinese companies. Water under a head of about 100 feet
was obtained from Nelson creek. The ground for the most part was only
10 to 20 feet deep and has been pretty well mined out. At the present
time there are three. hydraulic properties (bench leases averaging about
1,500 feet in length) owned by Chinese. The upper one is known as the
Sing Dang, the middle one as the Point, and the lower as the Dang Sing
Dang. The major operations in recent years have been carried on by
the Point Hydraulic Mining Company, Limited, on the Point ground.
The company also holds an interest in the Dang Sing Dang. The property
is owned by Loo Gee Wing, Vancouver, and includes a lease on Montgomery
creek, with which the leases on Slough creek are consolidated. Hydrau-
licking has been carried on for over twenty-five years at the Point mine,
which was so named because of a high ‘‘point’’ of rock on the property.
In 1913 the plant was enlarged and hydraulicking on a fairly large scale
was carried on profitably for several years, under the direction of Joseph
Wendle. The total investment for mining plant and ditches was about
$75,000. Water is obtained from the drainage basins of Nelson, New, and
Montgomery creeks. The drainage area above the ditch is 90,000 square
feet. ‘This area furnishes an average flow of 8 cubic feet per second (285
miner’s inches) throughout the hydraulic season. There are no large
reservoirs available in the drainage basins, and the freshet water can not
be conserved. This difficulty is overcome to some extent by using several
pipe-lines and monitors in the pit during the period of high water. The clev-
ation of the water in the ditch at the pressure box is 4,186 feet and the
elevation of the bedrock in the pit 3,900 to 3,950 feet. There is thus an
average head of about 260 feet. Water is brought onto the ground above
the Point claim by a ditch which leads from a creek heading in a small
lake near Burns creek and crosses Devils Lake creek by means of a trestle.
The headwaters of Devils Lake creek are also brought into the ditch. The