NORTH AMERICA: DOMINION OF CANADA. 335 



There are 5 daily papers, 3 semiweeklies, 8 weeklies, and i 

 monthly published on the island. The number of printers is 14; of 

 publishers, 10; of bookbinders, 5. Paper is universally used here 

 in every bindery, in every manufactory, by every merchant, in every 

 office, and in every family, .to a greater or less extent. 



There is no article manufactured from either paper or pulp on 

 this island. 



The consumption may be expected to increase in direct ratio to 

 the population. 



For book and news paper, the Canadian house of E. B. Eddy 

 Company, of Hull, Ontario, has practically a monopoly. It keeps a 

 resident agent here, and supplies almost the entire demand of the 

 news offices and publishers. Fine record, flat, and writing papers 

 are bought largely from the United States; paper boxes and card- 

 board also come from mills at Everett, Wash., from Massachusetts 

 mills, and from wholesale dealers in St. Louis, Mo., one of which 

 has a resident agent at Seattle, Wash., who makes monthly trips here. 



PRODUCTION. 



There is good water power near Alberni, and also near Nanaimo. 

 At Sproat's Falls, 2 miles from Alberni, there is sufficient to furnish 

 5,000 horsepower, and on the so-called "canal," at Alberni, an ad- 

 ditional 1,000 horsepower. Also, on the Nanaimo River, 7 miles 

 from the city, there are falls which furnish 400 horsepower. These 

 are the estimates given by practical men. Alberni is situated -on the 

 "canal," which runs 50 miles west into Barclay Sound, and thence 

 into the Pacific Ocean. Nanaimo is on the Gulf of Georgia, 40 miles 

 from Vancouver, and has railway communication with Victoria, dis- 

 tant 83 miles. There is developed water power at Goldstream, 12 

 miles from Victoria, which is used to generate electricity for the tram 

 cars and for other purposes in the city. , 



Fuel is found in abundance. Wood can be procured in any 

 amount ; also coal. In large quantities, wood can be bought for ^2. 50 

 per cord and excellent coal for $4 per ton. Transportation facilities 

 by water or rail are good, and cost, according to distance, from 15 

 cents per ton upwards. 



As regards raw materials, a large portion of this island is unde- 

 veloped and covered with forests of pine, spruce, fir, alder, maple, 

 cottonwood, hemlock, etc. In fact, the supply of wood may be re- 

 garded as inexhaustible and is easily accessible. It could be floated 

 on streams to mills at a minimum cost. The price of wood cut is 

 $2. 50 per cord ; less in large quantities. Rags are an unknown quan- 

 tity. There are not enough to supply the present demand. 



There are large iron works in Victoria which manufacture ma- 

 chinery ; no paper machinery is now manufactured here. 



