1931-1940
In 1931 a group of Kamloops businessmen made another attempt at dredging gold at the creek. This time, perhaps with improved technology, the dredge paid for itself until disaster struck. On June 5 the dredge broke away from its moorings and drifted downstream. When it struck a small island the dredge overturned and the operator, Henry Stevens, and his son had to swim for their lives. They were marooned on the island overnight before the police arrived from Kamloops to rescue them. Unfortunately, there wasn't enough profit from the operation to repair the dredge and start again.
In 1939 Charles McGillivray 'bought part of the old Edwards ranch, now called the Webb Ranch, and turned it into a large 'market vegetable farm. It adjoined onto the Department of National Defense property to the south, now the Rayleigh jail.
Read more about this topic: Heffley Creek, Kamloops, History