ADVENTURES IN COOKING 181

The North Okanagan and Salmon Arm district has another famous
valley, the Nicola, which takes its name from an Indian chief. In 1866
Willie Voght pre-empted land where Merritt now stands and stock-raising
became the first industry. In 1907 the Nicola Valley Coal and Coke Com-
pany was formed to develop the extensive coal deposit discovered earlier.
A spur line of the C.P.R. run in from Spence’s Bridge gave impetus to the
coal, cattle and lumber industries giving the district a staple payroll.

‘Thus we see that North Okanagan and Salmon Arm district owes its
early development to the hardy pioneers, fur traders, miners and over-
landers, those splendid men who opened up the country for the cattle
ranching mixed farming, lumbering and fruit-growing which became the
mainstays of this region’s economy.