The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1881-09-21
ManituDa:as and Winnipeg
TSan Francisco Chronicle

That province OI the Dominion Ut Canada
now known ~ Manitoba Was originally Hui
lLed tu less tnan II, 0U0 square miles, but
lt5 authority ls fapluly tAtunutlg HesbNaIu
anu north westward, along TIE valley q LIS
saskatchewan; anu Wnea Manitoba Is now
mentioned IL implies u Yast afea, as ialst ~
Illinois, Iowa, and Wlsconslu. Il embraces
Ill the territory around LAKE NllAIgeg, tht
n entire valley of the AsslunlDolu liver, al Liz
valley OF Red river nUtta OF tile AtleIlcaL
llne.and ali the lower valley OF the great oao-
katcneNan, b river as long DIS the ONO anu
naVigable tor hundreds OF miles LII the oirec-
ton Ut the Rocky mountains, where liz
SOURCES are, III latitude from so to so degrees
north. The course ct Red river is que noitn,
from about latitude a degrees north, in Mia
nesota, and the greatest length OF the river
is il that state, not more than 100 miles VI II
being in Manitoba. the river ueDouchts IN
to Lake Winnipeg at the extreme southern
end OF the lake, after receiving the Abslnnl-
bOin from the northwest, about twenty miles
from the lake. At the Junction or these i've
rivers, is situated Winnipeg, the capital lOWn
of Manitoba, in latitude 81 degrees, or just
about 700 miles further north tnan Ihiladei-
phia, and 800 miles above the LATITUDE OF
Montreal. But the climate is not more wig
oreus in winter than that OF Quebec. For
hundreds Of miles all around the city Of
Winnipeg the country stretches out d deau
level, %treeless, save on the river banks,
where The cottonwood and willow are found
in rather q s.unted growth. The soil is a
rich black loan, with q subsoil OF white Clay
or marble, and as far as tested it produces
immense crops OF wheat, oats and SUCH other
cereals as can be raised in North Germany
and the Scandinavian countries. Wheat on
the new lands yields from thirty to 1or1y-tive
bushels per acre, and oats from fifty to sixty
{ bushels. The native prairie GRASSES are ex-
cellent, and the valley Of Red River has loug
been famous as the summer resort Of the lar
VI gest herds OF buffalo. To the hardy races Of
Northern Europe this region VIII prove an
agricultural Ei Dorado In the near future,
and ii is attracting rs much attention anu
emigration from the Eastern provinces ~
the Dominion as Dakota or Texas from the
United States. The population.ls assumed, 10
have doubled with in the last two Years, and
though the census returns from that part OF
Canada are not yet reported, therensa ot4oug
conviction that the returns for 1881 viii nr,1e
than double the entire popuja,lou ID 1880
In 1871 it was officially stated a. Il. 225 a4u
at that time, the place % known 70 WAnDi
peg had no existence, save as q fort AID fur
trading established OF the Hudson Bay
Company. The papers OF Minnesota now
state its population at ID, 900. II the earl,
spring OF this year. And it is confidently
spoken Of as .tthe future 1T. Louis u he
North II Lots for building purposes ~ the
business streets are selling at prices r1tIgtug,
acco ding to location. from $500 % 5000 pHG
per front foot, ami business Is ou a oous. ang
S'boom." The iuHnx OF new coulels is IA
confined by Canadians. Thousands OF Amer
leans from Minnesota and Dakota ere Il at-
ing down the Red river into MauIluua
There are already three railroads il nprta-
ton from Winnipeg, and steamers are tnuI-
tiplying on The lake aud the llVers. II IL
said BY another year seven railways will CEN
ter al the capital, and many others are III
<aoryo projection. TIE COST Of construc
ton, owing to the dead level Of the csu -.lrs,
IS little more than the cost Of ties and rails,
and IT Is the cheapest railway region III the
world.
Here, then, Is the bud Of q new life-bloOm
for the Dominion. Winnipeg is to become
IN a few years a greater and more pupuious
city than Montreal, wit;i ils railway system
rivaling that Of Chicago, and its wheat fields
stretching eastward to Lake Superior, west
ward to the foothills Of the Rocky mountains
southwark to The Minnesota line, and North
ward to the divide which separates the wa.
ters Of Hudson Bay from the river system
that feeds Lake Winnipeg.
The important question is, will the trade
10 this promising region Of the future dtitt
toward the st. Lawrence and Montreal. or
southwark into the States and Chicago7 On
the settlement Of this depends the other on.
Whether Manitoba shall femain ID ltoiit1csl
connecfion with the Dominion. or cur ltt-
and cast is lot with The great Republic II
is TOO soon yet to 1ecide; but we my reckon
with much confidence upon nn4 event. and
that Is that American enterprise will il q.
few years don mate " Winnipeg and all the
principal towns Of Manitoba