in the early 1860s, perry collins, obtained financing from western union telegraph to build a telegraph line from san francisco through british columbia and alaska and across the bering strait to russia and ultimately europe. the line was begun in 1865 at new westminster, and continued as far as the skeena river in 1866, but then the project was abandoned because the transatlantic line was built first, making the collins line redundant. despite the fact that the line would not be completed, surveyors had created a primitive route from quesnel to the newly established settlement of telegraph creek, thus opening up the district for travel.