9

FREIGHT AND PASSENGER RATES.

From Vancouver and Victoria to Port Essington the rate is as follows :—Passen-

gers, single fare, S17; freight, 54 to $5 per ton.

ay Vs 40) rey ¢ Tie “ye a C ws hpeq <
oh From Vancouver and Victoria to Bella Coola :—Passenger rate, 513; freight, 56 to
57 per ton.

The above rates are on the basis of weight and measurement, ship’s option, per ton
of 2,000 Ibs., or 40 cubic feet.

, oe Nags = pes ope
From Port Essington to Hazelton the rate depends to some extent upon competition

which exists among steamers, but an average rate is as follows: Passengers, first-class
$10, including berth ; meals, 50 cents extra. Freight, $25 per ton.

From Ashcroft to Quesnel the prevailing rate of freight is 4 cents a pound in winter
and 5 cents in summer. Passengers are charged 338.

. ; : : aes
From Asheroft to Manson, in the Omineca, the rate is 15 cents per pound.

THE NORTHERN INTERIOR.

A Description of the Arable Valleys from Various Official
Reports.

Gees vast and but little-known territory lying to the west and north of the Fraser

River, which was named by the early explorers New Caledonia, and which now
includes the Districts of Cassiar, Cariboo and the northern portion of the Coast District
of British Columbia, holds within its boundaries a considerable extent of agricultural
and pastoral land, the area of which can only be approximately estimated. Portions
of the country, lying along the numerous streams which drain it, have been explored
from time to time, but most of the work done by the engineers and surveyors was
of such a superficial nature that only a very small percentage of its great

necessarily
Sufficient has been accomplished, however,

natural resources has been brought to light.
to establish the fact that central British Columbia contains many hundred thousands of
a large population, when it shall have been opened

acres of land capable of supporting
Meantime, a few enterprising pioneers

to settlement by the construction of railways.
have penetrated its fastnesses and are establishing homes for themselves, and these
speak enthusiastically of the great resources of the country and its splendid destiny.
It is difficult to convey an idea of the extent, possibilities and potentialities of this vast
region in a brief space ; and, indeed, were every available item of information which
ail, there would still be very much of importance

exists in regard to it set down in det
Dawson,

lacking. The principal reports on the country are those made by George M.
¢.M.G.,.LL.D., F.R.S., late Director of the Geological Survey of Canada, and his
assistants; A. l. Poudrier, D.L.S.; N. B- Gauvreau, D.L.S. ; George D. Corrigan,
D.L.S: and John Strathern, P.L.S., who were employed by the Provincial Govern-

ment. There are also others of a more private nature referred to in the body of this