The Mountain Boy group was bonded to C. B. Bussell of Seattle in 1903, and development work started; but owing to the loss of a steamer and delay in obtaining supplies, Bussell did not get enough work done to feel justified in making the large payment the bond called for, and the owners refused to extend the time and the deal fell through.

Bussell, however, possibly was ahead of his ventures in the district, as he staked the land now known as the Mann townsite and sold it for a good figure in 1910, when it was acquired by Sir Donald Mann, who also bonded several mining properties and did considerable work on them. Among these was Mountain Boy, which responded favorably to the work done it; but again a refusal to grant an extension of time caused the bond to lapse. The property then lay idle for a number of years, until acquired by the Montreal interests, who formed the Mountain Boy Mining Co. Ltd., and did a large amount of development work.

Although not included within the Portland Canal District, the location of mineral claims on Observatory Inlet by C. Flewin and associates in 1910 led directly to stimulating prospecting on the Portland Canal side, and the discovery of Maple Bay properties followed. Flewin’s party located the first of the claims that later became the property of the Granby Consolidated at Anyox, and were responsible for initiative efforts that ultimately lead to the advancement of today of this section of the Province.

It may be noted that, without exception all the earlier discoveries were made on copper outcrops. Copper was then a metal of importance and, probably, also the bright colors, resulting from the decomposition of the surface ores, attracted the attention of the early prospectors more than the less easily recognizable ores of other minerals. But with the assaying of some ore form the Mountain Boy, resulting in high values of silver. Copper became a secondary importance and may possibly so remain until more favorable conditions warrant the exploration of the many potential copper properties of the district.