The Pioneer Stimulus of Gold 161
civil organization, sometimes with the aid of the vigilance ccMnmittee. The Territory of Idaho was created in 1863 ; that of McMitana, in 1864. New counties were organized frequently in Or^on, Idaho, Washington and Montana. Roads and bridges were built; public schools established. The whites forever supplanted the Indians. The San Juan boundary dispute with Great Britain was precipitated in 1859 as a re- sult of the rush of American population to the gold diggings and to Puget Sound, and was decided in 1872, in favor of the United States, by the Emperor of Germany.
In British Columbia the mining era was very important for the British. The resultant growth finally established British power on the Pacific. Formerly it was but a fur-bearing domain of the feudalistic Hudson's Bay Company. In the midst of the "gold rush," in 1858, the reign of that Company was supplanted by a provincial government, and the seat of government was established at Fort Langley, the formality of which todk place November 19, 1858.
In the seven years, 1861-67, the areas of Oregon, Wash- ington, Idaho and Montana produced probably a total of $140,000,000. Those of British Columbia yielded probably $21,000,000 more. The gold yield of California in that period, by the same comparison, was $210,000,000.* So that it is evident that the great gold crop of California, though larger than that of the northern mines, was not so much larger as common opinion may judge. The best figures on this sub- ject are but estimates, yet by competent authority the figures here given are considered reliable. The totals are segregated as follows, for the whole producing period ending with 1867 :
Washington $ 10,000,000
Or^on 20,000,000
• Idaho 45,000,000
Montana 65,000,000
Total $140,000,000
74 These ttatittics are taken from Trimble's Mming Advance, pD. 102, 118. See The Oregonitm, Jtmt 6. 1866. p. 3: .January. 15, .ifM. P. 3- E. M. Bamum. in Tk^ Oregonian. March ai, 1867, estimates the yield of Oregon, Washington mmA Idaho, in 1858-66, at $57,000,000, which is probably too conservative.
