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pit to the lower part of Red Gulch channel, but this pit was abandoned and
it is doubtful whether the bedrock in the channel can now be reached by
hydraulicking except in the upper part, if sufficient grade for the sluice
boxes is allowed, because of accumulation of tailings in the main pit. It
is also doubtful what gold values remain in the ground, for it was drifted in
the early days. Much of the ground hydraulicked on the creek is said to
have averaged nearly 50 centsa yard. There is known to be a small amount
of pay-gravels beneath the drift hill at the lower end of the rock benches
on the east side of the creek and there is some possibility of finding exten-
sions of the bench pay-gravels, although several draws leading to the
benches were hydraulicked out and the pay on the benches was found
to end abruptly. Several bore-holes in the channel below the benches on
the east side of the creek were put down in 1914 by J. T. Towers, represent-
ing Boston capital. The drilling proved a small area of dredging ground,
the maximum depth of which is about 100 feet. The average value is
said to be nearly $1 a yard.

Willow River mine is located on the south side of Willow river a short
distance below the mouth of Mosquito creek. Although mining operations
ceased in 1908 they are of interest because they furnish some evidence
regarding gold values in the deep channel of Willow river, and because of the
difficulties encountered and finally overcome and of mistakes made in
carrying on the work. The following account of the mining operations is
based on information obtained from Laurent Muller, who was mine manager
for a time, at the mine, from the mine plans, and from the manager’s reports
in the Annual Reports of the Minister of Mines, British Columbia.

The mining and development work was done by the Willow River
Mining Company, of which F.. C. Laird was manager and chief shareholder.
Work began in July, 1894, and continued during parts of each year until
the spring of 1908. The operations were somewhat similar to those at
Slough Creek mine and the difficulties encountered were at first nearly as
great, although the ground at Willow river is not nearly so deep as at
Slough creek. Mining of the deep channel, to some extent, was finally
accomplished by sinking a shaft to bedrock in the valley of Willow river
and drifting from the bottom of it, in spite of the fact that the deposits
overlying the bedrock consist entirely of gravels, whereas attempts to mine
the deep channel by drifting from a shaft sunk in bedrock on the southern
side of the valley proved failures. Seven bore-holes, the locations of four
of which are shown on Figure 19, were first put down to determine the depth
and location of the deep channel. The data obtained from the borings,
however, were later proved to be inaccurate and this inaccuracy caused a
great deal of trouble and expense, for the channel proved to be several feet
deeper than the bore-holes had shown it to be. A tunnel was started at
water-level, 300 feet west of the line of bore-holes, and was run south 620
feet to bedrock. A shaft was then raised 92 feet to the surface and sunk in
bedrock, the total depth from the collar of the shaft to the floor of the main
tunnel being 192 feet. The main tunnel was extended 485 feet, to where
gravels appeared in the roof, and was timbered throughout, because of the
soft character of the rock. The tunnel had a high grade and at its end was
4 feet higher than at the shaft. Several drives in different directions from
near the end of the main tunnel were made and it was found that when the