34 CANADIAN PACIFIC RAILWAY

Interior of Electrolytic Lead Refinery, Trail, B. C.
Companies, with fully modern and economic equipment, are in a stronger
position than the more scattered smelters of former days. The result is
shown in the general decrease in custom smelting rates and a larger total
tonnage.

Anyone now opening a new mine in the Province is assured of a steady
market for his ores at very reasonable treatment rates and has the assurance
of prompt settiement in cash forall ore shipped, whether in large or small
quantities.

Tron.

Large deposits of iron ore have been discovered in various localities
on the mainland and on Vancouver and other islands, but none of them
have so far been developed in a commercial sense. About 20,000 tons
have been taken from Texada Island to supply a small iron furnace estab-
lished at Irondale, Washington, which ceased operations in 1901 but has
now resumed work. The only place on the mainland where iron has been
mined in any quantity and only to the extent of 3,000 to 4,000 tons, is at
Cherry Creek, near Kamloops, the magnetite being shipped to Nelson for
use asa flux in lead smelting. At Bull River, Grey Creek and Kitchener in
East: Kootenay, are iron deposits of considerable extent. Iron also exists
in large bodies at Schelt, and near Fort George, also the Queen Charlotte
Islands and points on the Pacific Coast. The principal deposits occur on
Vancouver Island, and are of large extent and conveniently situated for

- manufacturing purposes. The growing demand of all the country West of
Winnipeg for manufactures of iron and steel and the increasing Oriental
trade should be an inducement to capital to establish an industry in this
Province, where all the necessary elements are found in abundance and
so closely grouped as to ensure economic production.

Lead.

In 1886 the first shipments of lead were made from Slocan. In 1904
lead mining had been established in several districts, and the output totaled