James H. Ray, miner, described by the
Victoria Gazette as a
well-known land speculator,
undertook to pre-empt 1,200 acres of land near
Fort Langley and subdivide it into town lots.
So far as we can learn,
the
Gazette continued,
this action of Ray's is done without the sanction of the Government, and any title
derived from him is consequently of no account.
Ray had been involved in similar activities in California; the
Gazette of 28 September 1858 commented:
By the bye, I notice that a certain James H. Ray is going it rather largely at Fort Hope, in land speculations. I wish him as much success as he experienced in his quartz
speculations in California.
BCDES 4.3. Gazette, 14 September 1858.