The following extracts taken from early Victoria, British Columbia (BC) newspapers are credited to Leona Taylor for her excellent work in indexing the papers. Full information can be found here: “Index of Historical Victoria Newspapers“, 2007-09.

************************************

‘Queen City’ returned from Ahousett and way ports last night, after a dirty trip, replete with fog and rain, bringing a small complement of passengers, including Mr Flanders a mining man from Clayoquot; T Daykin, keeper of the lighthouse at Carmanah, who has been ill; Captain Byers, who has been up to ship a crew of Indian hunters at Village I; and James E Sutton, mgr of the Wreck Bay placer mines near Ucluelet. [Colonist, 1900-06-20]

 

The botanical station to be situated at San Juan, on the West Coast Vancouver Island, is creating quite a deal of interest here. The buildings, 2 or 3 in number, will be commenced this winter, and it is expected they will be ready for occupancy in the spring. For the 1st year 30 or 40 students will be accommodated, and this number is expected to be much increased in time. 
The establishment of this station at San Juan will widely advertise the island, and particularly that district, as the members of the society are drawn from all parts of the United States and Canada, and the immense mineral and lumber wealth will thus be brought before likely investors, with it is hoped, good financial results. The Lieutenant-Gov has signified his intention of being present at the inauguration, and it is expected that a number of members of the house and prominent Victorians will accompany him. The expenses connected with the erection and equipment of the station have been raised by private subscription, and it is hoped that the provincial government will expend some little money in the making of a road from the government wharf at San Juan to the station – about 4 miles. The Messrs Baird, of San Juan have donated to the organizers and had surveyed 4 acres of their land, upon which the buildings are to be erected. 
No goods could be taken to the buildings by land: all the material must be sent by water, and this at many times is unsafe and impracticable. 
It is trusted a thorough survey of the harbour will be made, and that in the near future the government will erect a lighthouse at the entrance of the port. This is much needed. [Colonist, 1901-01-09]

 

Queen City, which returned at midnight from Ahousett and way ports on the West Coast, after a very rough passage, brings news of the finding of a quantity of wreckage, together with 3 ship’s boats, smashed by the breakers, and the nameboard of some vessel, with letters partly obliterated, so that only the letters “REI-NER’ can be read. The name evidently commences with R, and there is to all appearances but one space between the I and the N, but this is not sufficiently plain to allow of that being definitely shown. The piece of timber was picked up within 2 miles of Carmanah Pointlighthouse. The timber was black and the letters were painted in white. Two of the 3 ship’s boats picked up on the Island coast were found badly smashed by the breakers on Bonilla Point, not far from Carmanah. Each of the boats was painted white, with black-painted gunwales. The 3rd boat was found about 2 miles to the westward of Carmanah Point. It is painted black outside and white inside. The beaches were littered with lumber of all sorts and kinds, and on Sun last a quantity of lumber went ashore at Wreck Bay, higher up the coast. 
Seemingly another craft has been a victim of the recent heavy gales, and the indications would go to show that the victim was a lumber-carrier of some kind probably one of Schooners of the lumber fleet, so many of which were compelled to return to port disabled during the storms of the past month. The lumber would go to prove this and the name-board painted black, with letters in white, is of the class usually found on the lumber Schooners. The ship’s boats, too, are apparently of the class carried on board such vessels. 
No news was obtainable from the Indians on the coast of any sailors having come ashore, and it is reasoned that in the wreck – which has from all appearances occurred off the West Coast – the crews must have been drowned. 
Queen City heard of no other wreckage on the Coast, nor of any vessels other than sealing Schooner Triumph, which arrived all well at Ahousett at noon on the 14th after a hard trip of 5 days duration. No other Schooners or craft were seen. Steamer brought down another shipment of ore from the Monitor mine at Alberni, amounting to 150T, with which she left for Tacoma early this morning, after landing her freight and passengers. The passengers were: A Schafer, G Kilpatrick, T Godman, J W Peppett, T Jackson, J J Baird and wife, Miss M Caldwell, J Moore, J Murphy, B W Ransom, D M Robertson, H E Newton, J E Sutton, James Thomson, R Cox. 
H E Newton and T Godman have been surveying for the aerial tramway to the Golden Eagle mine from the end of the wagon road recently built. This tramway will be built without delay, to allow of the shipping of ore from the Golden Eagle mine. J E Sutton is from the Wreck Bay mines, where little work has been done of late, owing to the high tides and stormy weather. When opportunity offered, though, the work done secured paying results, and the quantity of gold in the company’s safe is increasing. Captain J W Peppett left Schooner Umbrina, of which he is owner, on the Coast. 
Queen City will sail again for the Coast on the 20th instant. [Colonist, 1901-01-17]