Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1885-11-25
Wednesday, NoV. %, 1885.
The Last Spike Canadian Pacific
Railroad.

CullCu loIlH u large. uHuOuhI Ol COni
ment, which prespmes to be wise
from the American press. This com
ment, while it admits that the worl
accomplished is of great importance
is generally adverse to the prospec
tive proftableness of the railway
The men who scribble off their dur
nal editorial filling for the morning
newspapers assume to know that thu
country through which the Canadian
Pacific runs is mostly barren o.
natural resources. Their idea is thai
the region is too far north to amount
to anything for settlement or devel'
opment. Besides, it is in Canada
and patriotism demands that the new
thoroughfare and the country it ira.
verses, be deprecated, though likely
as not the young fellows who do the
scribbling are recent importations
from her majesty's dominions.
The Lumberman aims to be fair in
the treatment Of foreign as well as do
nestle affairs. 1t is fully aware that
when American newspapers assert
that the Canadian Pacific railway
will have meagrc resources for local
traffic they are in grave error. AS a
matter of fact the road, for its entire
length, runs through territory rich
in resources. Much contempt has
been thrown at the section north of
Lake Superior, which is described as
utterly barren and worthless. The
truth is that though the Lake SUI
perior region is rocky, and much of it
unfit for agriculture, those ancient
and primitive lodges, said to be the
oldest of earth, inclose the richest of
iron, copper and silver deposits.
These have been sufficiently develop
ed, especially in the vicinity of Port
Arthur, to prove beyond doubt that
the region will one day TEEN with in
dustry, and that the Canadian Pacific
will be freighted with the results,
moving east and west. An important
factor Of local traffic on this portion
of the route will be the rich deposits
of building stone that abound. Late
ly the finest Of marble, of the Scotch
variety, has been developed near
Port Arthur, and is already being
shipped The Rabbit mountain sill
yer mine shows what can be done in
the unearthing of this precious metal.
1t is well known that the most prom
Using silver discoveries have been
made on the north shore of Lake Su-
perior. Silver Islet and Isle Royal
testify to this assertion.
Further west, in the Lake of the
Woods region, the country is scanned
with iron and other minerals. In
that district, also, is a wealth of TIM
Der, much of which is pine, that has
already become the source of a great
lumber industry. To the eastward,
in the region of Lake Nipissing, is
another vast and rich timber section.
1t is simply nonsense to talk of lack
of natural resources for traffic along
that portion of the Canadian Pacific
between Lake Nipissing and Winni-
peg. AS well might we say that there
were no resources for traffic for rail
road running through the mountain
districts Of Pennsylvania or West
Virginia. There are wide areas west
of the Lake Of the Woods that are
swampy, covered mostly with lamar
ack, and there is heavy growth Of
poplar on sections but rs the prairie
country to the westward becomes
settled this swamp timber will be
utilized for wood pulp, railroad ties,
and other purposes, and become
sources of traffic.
West of Winnipeg is that vast
reach of prairie land, spreading away
to the Rocky Mountains, 700 miles,
and from the American line to be-
You'd the North Saskatchewan, 400
or 500 miles. Nearly all this terri
tory is good agricultural or grazing
land, and will one day be completely
settled with thrifty population. AL
ready there is line of settlement and
growing towns, from Win
nipeg to Calgary, near the noun
tains. The main line of road has
several branches striking out into this
agricultural region, and others are
projected. These serve as feeders of
traffic. 1t is true that the country
traversed by the Canadian Pacific
lies in zone of cold winter tempera.
ture, yet excellent crops of wheat,
rye, oats and barley are raised, while
cattle do excellently well. The coun-
try lying just east of the Rocky
Mountains, included in the district of
Alberta, is milder than that further
east indeed the climate there is as
fine as can be found anywhere. There
is nothing in the climate of the Cana
dian Northwest that will prevent its
occupation by farmers. How silly it
is, then, to talk about the Canadian
Pacific not having any local resources
of traffic. 1t will not only have its
home traffic but it has already begun
to capture the cattle trade of North
ern Montana, which naturally belongs
TO the Northern Pacific.
Thus we see that the Canadian Pa
cific begins in the populous sections
of old Canada, runs through region
of vast timber and mineral resource
to Winnipeg, and thence to the Rocky
Mountains, 700 miles, through a rich
prairie country, already partially
settled, and destined to support at
least 100000 of people. What
better situation for way traffic could
be conceived? The farming and pas
toral population of the prairie regions
will want the lumber, the iron, cop
per, lead and building stone of the
Lake Superior country, either in the
raw state or manufactured. In pro-
cess of time the Lake Superior and
n -