Lost Bonanzas of Western Canada

Book excerpt: Lost Bonanzas features 13 true stories of lost mines, buried treasure or outlaw loot from British Columbia, Alberta and the Northwest Territories. SAN JUAN—RIVER OF GOLD A lost gold mine, nuggets as "big as a man's fist," treachery and a massacre are the exciting ingredients in one of BC's greatest but least-known treasure tales. FOSTER'S LOST LEDGE Port Renfrew residents roamed all over the San Juan River's upper reaches, panning every pond and stream to discover where Foster got his gold—all in vain. LEECHTOWN'S $40,000 GOLD CACHE Legend has it the treasure was buried in the ghost town of Leechtown in a "knee-high rubber boot, covered with an inverted frying pan," less than two feet below the surface. LEGEND OF THE LOST CREEK MINE The elusive Lost Creek Mine, the best-known and most sought-after mine in BC history, remains lost. Does it exist? Is it worth $100 million? THE LOST PLATINUM CACHE Does a bucket of platinum said to be worth $50,000 still lie buried in the ruins of Granite City? Rumour persists that a Scandinavian named Johannson buried such a hoard. LOST MINE OF THE SIMILKAMEEN On striking a match, they found bones scattered all over the tunnel. Were they the remains of the missing prospectors? If so, this was where they made their last stand. THE LOST GOLD BARS OF CAMP McKINNEY In August 1896, three gold bricks en route to Midway were stolen. Although the suspected robber was later killed, the gold, now worth about $275,000, was never recovered. JOLLY JACK'S LOST PLACER Is the mysterious source of John "Jolly Jack" Thornton's gold still waiting to be discovered, or has it finally been traced by historian N. L. Barlee? THE LOST MORGAN MINE Gordon ran the assay on the specimens brought to him by Morgan. They were staggeringly rich, containing between 400 and 500 ounces of silver and from 4 to 5 ounces of gold per ton. THE LOST LEMON MINE After discovering gold, partners Blackjack and Lemon got into a bitter argument that was settled later that night, when Lemon seized an axe and murdered his sleeping companion. GOLD FROM THE B.X. STAGE A treasure of $15,000 in gold nuggets and bars, loot from an 1890 stagecoach robbery, is said to be buried along Scottie Creek, just northeast of Cache Creek. LOST KLONDIKE GOLD The summit of Chilkoot Pass, known for its fierce blizzards, is the repository of two lost gold shipments abandoned by prospectors trying to save their lives. McLEOD'S MISSING MILLIONS According to legend, Willie and Frank McLeod were the first of 20 people who were murdered or went missing while searching for a rich gold mine in Nahanni National Park.