Churchill to Cardwell

On the 20th Septr I had the honor of addressing you on the
subject of the Indian Massacre on the Bute Inlet Road, British
Columbia, to which communication you favored me with a reply on the
29th of the same month.

Previously to addressing you I had written to Mr Waddington,
the grantee of the charter, requesting him to communicate with His
Excellency Governor Seymour, for the purpose: 1st of obtaining an
extension of the time for the duration of the Charter for the above
named road: the time for which the charter is granted being only 10
years from the completion of the work, the cost of which will be
upwards of £100,000.

Repairs and Management
£20,000
pr. an.

Sinking fund, to defraythe original outlay
10,000
 "   "

Dividend
10,000
 "   "

£40,000

From the above figures, on a 10 year Charter, the road must
return at
least £40,000 pr. an. which, in the present state of the Colony,
cannot be expected, therefore the outlay would not be warranted as
the capital is permanently sunk.

2nd Mr Waddington was requested to obtain a grant of
land, as the present Charter only grants
100 acres at a nominal rental of 1d pr. an. which may be sold
by the government at
any time should there be a higher bid than that of the Grantee.

Without further alluding to the very peculiar terms and conditions
of the Charter, I will at once state the object of this communication.

1st On reference to the accompanying Map of British Columbia
you will perceive that the Bute Inlet route strikes right into the
centre of the country, and not as the Fraser river, which, so
far as it is navigable, only opens the most Southern portion. The
proximity of the Fraser river to the boundary line, for a distance of
80 or 90 miles, is a great objection to its being the
only route to the interior, which would be closed in the event
of a rupture with the United States: the navigation is difficult
owing to the shifting sand bar at its mouth, and it is frequently
frozen over, or blocked up with ice during the winter months:
shewing the importance and necessity for a more
Northern, Central and second route. Bute Inlet is all salt
water and is never frozen over.

2nd Passengers and Goods going by the Bute Inlet route, will
not go near New Westminster, therefore all the property holders and
residents oppose the opening of the route, as it will, for a time,
deprive them of a certain amount of trade: thus they will bring all
their influence to bear on the Colonial Government to prevent the
completion of an undertaking that will open out some thousands of
square miles of Country, a large portion of which is good
agricultural land, besides shortening the
land journey to Cariboo 160 miles and reducing provisions at
least 50% below their present low prices. They would sacrifice the
whole Colony for the benefit of New Westminster alone. Such short
sightedness is suicidal and I think you will agree with me that it is
desirable to seek the welfare of the Colony as a
whole, and not of any one particular town.

3rd As His Excellency Governor Seymour is in England, Mr
Waddington has instructed me to avail myself of the opportunity to
communicate with you (as the lands of British Columbia belong to the
Crown) for the purpose of obtaining an extension of the Charter and a
grant of land to aid in carrying out this important undertaking.
Should His Excellency have adopted any of the views which are held in
New Westminster, with regard to this route, there is no doubt he
would be influenced by your impartial opinion. As the lands of the
Colony are perfectly valueless to the Government, without roads, both
as regards sale and revenue, I trust you will favor me with your
assistance in carrying out a work of such
vital importance to the development of the material resources of
so vast and wealthy a portion of Her Majesty's dominions. To that
end I beg to submit the following proposals for your consideration:
the scale of Charges remaining as in the present Charter:

A. That the
Charter be extended from 10 years to 25 years, and that 500 acres of
agricultural land be granted for every mile of road constructed, and
10 acres in each town-site. The grantee to have the sole right, for
the above period, of making roads from Bute Inlet and collecting
tolls thereon until the expiration of the Charter, when the road or
roads shall pass into the lands of the Government free of all charge.

B. That the Charter be extended from 10 years to 20 years, and
one acre of agricultural land to be granted for every Dollar
expended in the construction of the roads, and 10 acres in each
town-site. The Grantee to have the sole right of making roads from
Bute Inlet and collecting tolls thereon until the expiration of the
Charter when the road or roads shall pass into the lands of the
Government free of all charge.

C. That the Charter be extended from 10 years to 15 years, and
that 100,000 acres of agricultural land be granted and 10 acres in
each town site. The Colonial Government to guarantee 10 pr. ct. on
an expenditure not exceeding
£140,000 and should the profits admit of a dividend of 10 pr.
ct. and not exceeding 12 pr. ct. the Government to have one third of
the excess, and should the dividend exceed 12 pr. ct. the Government
to have one half of the excess. The Grantee to have the sole right
for the above period of making roads from Bute Inlet and collecting
tolls thereon until the expiration of the Charter when the road or
roads shall pass into the lands of the Government free of all charge.

As you have been informed, by the memorials which have been
presented to you on the subject of this road, that it is the earnest
desire of
all disinterested parties, in both Colonies, that the
undertaking should be completed as soon as possible, I shall be most
happy to wait on you, with a notified copy of the agreement, and
plans, and give all particulars that may be required.