Appeal to the Public of Victoria

Daily British Colonist, June 28, 1864

The recent massacre by Indians of Mr. Waddington’s working parties on the Bute Inlet Trail is, of course, fresh in the minds of this community, but it may not be generally known that its result, besides the sad destruction of human life, involves an almost ruinous pecuniary loss to Mr. Waddington, in the pillage of his stores, &c., as well as the stoppage of the work on the trail, which at the time of the melancholy event had so nearly approached completion, that but for the unlooked for interruption the trail would, in all probability, by this time have been opened as far as Benshee Lake on the Bentinck Arm trail to Alexandria, and would have been realising at least a small return on the large capital expended upon it.

The fact that the Bute Inlet trail when opened would divert a large portion of the freight for the Upper Country and mining districts of British Columbia from the Fraser River route, has no doubt excited the jealousy and active opposition of the inhabitants of New Westminster, and has led to the rejection by the British Columbian authorities of Mr. Waddington’s respectful and as he believes justly founded claim on the Government for the destruction of his property; and reduces him to the necessity of appealing to the people of Vancouver Island for aid to complete this important public undertaking on which he has expended so large an amount of his private means that he is unable to furnish the comparatively small sum required for that purpose, in default of which he must necessarily abandon the enterprise and sacrifice all the capital already invested in it.

It is universally admitted that the Bute Inlet trail would be the shortest, cheapest, and best paying to the Upper Country and mining districts of British Columbia, and as there are now animals implements, tools, and six weeks provisions for at least twenty-five men on the ground, it is estimated that it can be opened as far as Benshee Lake (from whence the Hudson’s Bay Company have engaged to establish a communication to Alexandria) in the course of three months at furthest, at a further outlay of $5,000 of which it is confidently believed that the people of Cariboo will gladly subscribe a portion, and it is proposed to raise the amount by public subscription, in any sums that may suit the good will toward the enterprise, and the means of the subscribers, the same to be reimbursed in all cases, if required, with interest at the rate of one per cent per month from the date of payment, out of the first proceeds either of the sale of the town site at Bute Inlet (of which three-fourths belong to Mr. Waddington exclusively) or of the tolls of the mule trains (to which he has an immediate right as soon as opened) or out of the proceeds of the Charter for the Wagon road, all of which property is ample security for the small amount required.

The following gentlemen have kindly consented to cooperate with Mr. Waddington as a Committee for the purpose of carrying the project into effect:

[[list indented]] Hon. Mr. D. Fraser, M.L.C.,
Dr. Helmcken, M.L.A.,
P.M. Backus, Esq.,
J.J. Cochrane, Esq.,
D. Lenevue, Esq.,
Geo. Cruickshank, Esq.,
A.F. Main, Esq.,
L. Franklin, Esq.,
C.J. Hughes, Esq.,
J.A. McCrea, Esq.