Without having been nearer than 1000 miles of the camp, the editor of the Victoria Week gives the following learned dissertation on the booming of the Windy Arm country:
The "new" mining district of Windy Arm in which some very promising
mineral prospects are being developed, is in grave danger from the absurd exaggeration of irresponsible newspaper men who are flooding the Canadian and American press with the most fantastic statements of the richness of this district. As the scene of operations on a large scale Windy Arm is likely one day to be an important mining field, but from information to hand it is the very last section of our country to stand "booming." The statements made by the writers referred to bear untruth on the face of them and must do great injury to the prospects of what is now a very promising country.
One Victoria scribe noted for his utter disregard of facts in the concoction of "stories," is sending out despatches stating that Windy Arm "is by far the greatest thing in the New North, greater thao the Klondike ever dreamed of being" - we never heard of the Klondike dreaming before - "and so far overshadowing Cripple Creek as to be beyond comparison." Also this man says: "The estimates of rich ore in sight reaches so far into the multi millions as to stagger the imagination." This writer, who hardly ever leaves the streets of Victoria adds; "MY information is that Windy Arm is by far the greatest mining district yet discovered in the Canadian North."
It is this sort of arrant rot that makes the bad reputation that has so seriously retarded the development of the mining resources of British Columbia. The above is the language of the wildcat promoter, of the gold brick man in the mining business, and it can hardly deceive the biggest fool in America.
