The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1869-11-29

| ~ III hIubhtou Wy buo .oApulhlOQ U
Lieutenant Governor McDougAll, ant
the telegraph informs Us that great In.
dIgnAtlon 10 expressed thereat. II thC
dissatisfaction was confined to tho hal
breeds, who made the resistance to The
Governors cntreS, the whole affair
might saiely be- considered as simply
"a tempest In q teapot but It Is known
that the hali-breed hunters are merely
Instruments In the hands OF the more
intelligent population Of English, OF
more strictly speaking, Scotch descent,
whose ambition points them 10 closer
relations with the American markets,
and leads them TO hope for early an
nexatlon 10 the Republic and the realI-
zation Of republican institutions. With
this feeling universal In the Northwest,
and determination to consummate
their aspirations, Canada will yet be
forced 10 the conclusion that her invest.
ment Of &S00, 900 In the Northwestern
territory and its contents will prove as
Improbable as the Investment OF G3,.
C0O,OO In tho great lntercolonial rail-.
way, the work on which ID now, appar.
emily, about 10 be abandoned. Eng
land 10 held on the purchase bonds for
both Of those Items.
There ID another element In the rela
tlOnB Of Canada and the settlers In tho
Northwestern country, which will ever
DO u prolific source Of trouble: The Do
minlon proposes 10 coionize and extend
farming operations, build railroads
nuat Ihn ROnhiFu" ROH naa nj M ~
Communication upon the rivers and
lakes. The hunters and their employ
ers seek the preservation Of unbroken
forests and tho dead stiffness and de-
serllOn needed as Dixie remarks, TO
Insure the presence Of bearing
beastA.' These interests are AntagonlS-
tic.
THE CLIMATE, SOIL, ETo.
Accounts differ. Interested parties
represent the Northwestern Territory
as embracing an Immense tract OF coun-
try, with temperate climate and a soil
equal to tho best on the continent.
Rawlings, a British writer, and author
Of q work on America, from the Allan"
tic to the Pacific says: THE valley OF
the Saskatchewan contains an Extend
ed belt OF land, called the Fertile Belt, ;
which is unsurpassed for the richness
OF lie soil and its adaptablllty for aRri.
cultural purposes. The explorations
ofSlmpson, Hind, Pallsser, Hector, Sui
Ivan and Blaklston, all serve TO prove
that within British territory the most
fertile soil west Of the Mississippi exists
and that 30 vast, 80 rich Is this great
valley, that 1t ls capable OF subslstIng
20000,000 Of people, Captain Blakls-
ton, 4. N, In his official report, says:
Taking either branch OF the Saskatc-
hewan river, It Ia navlgable for boats
from Lake Winnipeg 10 near the base
Of the Rocky mountains, u distance Of
100 miles.
A report made to the New York
Chamber Of Commerce says:
There 10 In the heart OF North Ameri-
ca a Distinct subdivision, OF which Lake
Winnipeg may be regarded as the cen.
ter. This sub~Lilvlslon, like the Valley
Of the Missiasippi, Is distinguished for
the fertility Of It's soil, and Tor the ex.
tent and gentle slope Of It's great plains,
watered by rivers OF great length, and
admirably adapted for steam nRviga.
tlon. 1t has u climate not exceeding In
severity many portions Of Canada and
the Eastern States. II will, in all
respects, compare favorably with some
Of the most densely peopled porLionso OF
the continent OF Europe. In other
words, II 10 admirably adapted to be.
como the seat Of numerous, hardy,
and prosperous community. II has An
area equal to eight or ten first class
American States.
These reports are extravaganza. The
Red River Colony hos selected the beat
locality in the territory for agricultural
purposes, and 1t IL known that their
success Ii by no means satisfactory. a
year ago they were OH the point of
starvation, and could not have lived
through tue WlnIgr II they Ind not re.
celVed contributions from Canada, the
maritime provinces and the United
States.
An Intelligent resident Of tho Red
River Colony has contributed num-
Der Of letters to the Montreal Herald on
the soil, climate, tSc., In the Winnipeg
district, and his statements are candid
and reliable. He says: The obstacles
to successful agriculture, at Rad River,
consist chiefly,
l. In the periodical floods which In
undate tho country, and render It for
nlpeg.
2. 1u early frosIs, which, during tho
summer mouths, often interfere with
the progress toward maturity OF the
crops.
8. In droughts, which, during the
burning heat OF summer days, cause
vegetation TO wlther.
4. Grasshoppers.' Succeeding swarma
appear from year to year, clearing all
before them.' Then bodies OF them
collect In heaps around every wall,
and threaten, by the noxious eflluvia
with which they Ill tho air, to breed
psstllenos.
s. The most serious scOurge OF all IL
the destructive valuations OF the locust
armies.
From this writer and other reliable
sources l find that the country was in.
undated In 1926, 1852 and 1861. Houses
were swept away 10 Lake Winnipeg,
and articles OF furniture OF all kinds
lostlel each other as they floated down
the stream; fencing was swept away
and landmarks destroyed. Tho flood
In 1861 continued 80 late In the season
that no seed WIS planted, and the har.
vest WAS u failure. The explanation of
the cause Of these periodical floods is
this: Heavy snow storms prevail
throughout the winter; late spring
suddenly unseRlS the main rivers at
their sources In the south; burning
suns clear away the snow In all direc-
tons, and warm winds from the south
press the waters down upon the still
solid Ice OF Winnipeg, which obstrucls
their flow. The fat nature Of the prai.
rIe offers no impeachment to the waters,
and the country becomes inundated
over a vast extent OF plain. Summer
frosts are common. Throughout the
hottest summer weather the nights are
always cool, and frost Is frequent in
June and August, and not uncommon
In July. Sleet and hail storms destroy
large fields OF nearly rippened grain.
Dry seasons frequently exercise n 81
lent, but heavily-ielt, influence for Ill
on the prospects OF the farmer. The
burning earth gapes for water, files fly
across the country, deVourInK heritage,