Barkerville, Williams
Creek, Cariboo
BED ROCK DRAIN
In September last year it will be remembered Williams Creek was visited
with one of the heaviest freshets that had ever before been known, sweeping
everything before it, filling up shafts and stopping the working of claims.
The Bed Rock Drain, which had then cost a large sum of money, was rendered
utterly useless, having been choked up with tailings, causing a complete
suspension of work and a panic on the creek for a time. The damage was so
great that the owners of the drain were unable to find the means to repair
it.
A proposition was, however, made to them by the merchants and others of
Williams Creek, and accepted, to raise a subscription of $2500 (which was
most liberally responded to) to enable them to repair and clean out the
Drain on the consideration that they, the Drain Co'y, should cede their
charter rights applicable to the ground situated above the point at which
their Drain then terminated, namely, the lower line of the Moffat Co'y,
to the miners of Williams Creek and allow them to start a new Drain at that
point..
The claimholders interested in the undertaking accordingly formed themselves
into a company called the "Miners Bedrock Drain Co'y," procured
a new charter for continuing the Drain up to the canon-each company bearing
the expense of carrying it through their own ground. The old Drain Co'y
have repaired all the damages and it is now in good order.
The new Co'y have been busy during the winter pushing the work through,
but have not yet reached the upper line of the Caledonia Co'y. It is to
be hoped however that they will see the great neces sity there exists for
the speedy furtherance of the enterprise, as many claims are dependent on
its progress.