Evening journal., 1888-12-22
CANADAS GREAT RESERVE
THE RESOURCES AND CAPACITIES OF
THE GREAT MACKENZIE BASIN.

The Area-River Neutrality-suspicious.
Possibilities-1he Climate-Mineral De-
posits-Forest G-owth-Great Fur Pre-
serve-Extensive Petroleum Eield.
An inquiry has been instituted by the
Canadian government into the resources and
capacities of the immense area included in
what may be regarded as the Great Macken-
zie Basin, the region extending from the Sas-
katchewan to the Arctic shores and from
Hudson's bay to the Rocky mountains.
The extent of the scope Of the inquiry
covers 100000 square statute miles, which
area includes none of the islands Of tho Arc
tic Archipelago. Its coast line on the Arctic
ocean and Hudson's bay measures about 5000
miles, which estimate does not include the
coast lines Of inlets or deeply indented bays
Over one-half of this coast line, the report
assures us, is easily accessible to whaling and
sealing craft. The navigabe coast lines Of
the larger lakes Of the region in question
amount TO about 1900 miles, while its total
lacustrine area probably exceeds that of the
Eastern Canadian American chain of great
lakes. There IS a river navigation of about
$3.50 miles, Of which 1890 miles is suitable
for stern wheel steamers, which, with their
barges, may carry 300 tons, the remaining
1860 miles being deep enough for light
draught sea going steamers. There is a total
Of about $500 miles Of continuous lake coast
and river navigation, broken only in two
places.
Within the scope Of the committees in
quiry there is a possible area, it is stated of
$4,000 square miles fitted for the growth Of
barley, and $4,000 square miles suitable for
wheat. There is pastoral area of 100000
square miles, 26,00O miles of which is open
prairie with occasional groves, the remainder
being more or less wooded 274,000 square
miles, including the prairie, may be consid-
cred as arabic land About 100000 square
miles of the total is useless for the pasturage
Of domestic animals or for cultivation This
area comprises the barren grounds and a
portion of the lightly wooded region to their
south and west.
Throughout this arabic and pastoral area
latitude bears no direct relation to summer
isotherms, the spring flowers and the buds Of
deciduous trees appearing as early north of
Great Slave lake as at Winnipeg, st. Paul
and Minneapolis, Kingston or Ottawa, and
earlier along the Peace, Lizard and some
minor western atiluents of the Great Maclen-
Aig 4ANeif WAIAt AilG tlAlildlt ItStllDlto Iuli
Of western Ontario. The native grasses and
vetehes are equal and in some districts supe-
rior TO those Of eastern Canada. The pre-
vailing southwest summer winds of the
country in question bring the warmth and
moisture which render possible the far north
ern cereal growth, and sensibly affect the
climate of the region under consideration as
far north as the Arctic circle and as far east
as the eastern rim Of the Mackenzie basin.
The forest area has upon it a growth Of
trees well suited for all purposes Of house
and ship building, for mining, railway and
bridging purposes, far in excess of its own
needs, and Of great prospective value to the
.treeless regions Of Canada and the United
States to the south, the growth on the Lau-
rentian formation being scant; but the allu-
vial portion has upon it ION the river Of its
name and elsewhere) the "Liard,na balsam
poplar, sometimes called Balm Of Gilead or
rough bark poplar, 100 feet high, with a
stump diameter of feet to 0 feet, the white
spruce, 40 feet high, with a stump diameter
of 4 feet to 8 feet the larch Of about the
same size, and the banksian pine, whose
straight stem is often 100 feet long, with only
2 feet of diameter at the stump
Of the mines Of this vast region little is
known Gold has been found on the west
shore Of Hudson's bay, and has been said
to exist in certain portions of the barren
grounds. Silver, on the Upper Lizard and
Peace rivers, copper, upon the Coppermine
river, iron, graphite, ocher, brick and pot
tory clay, mica, gypsum, liIae and sandstone,
sand for glass and molding, and asphaltum
are all known to exist; while the petroleum
area is so extensive as to justify the belief
that eventually it will supply the larger part
Of this continent and be shipped from
Gl,Yrral4fn or ITvde,,f-
bay port to England.
Salt and sulphur deposits arc less exten-
sive, but the former is found in crystals
equal in purity TO the best rock salt, and in
highly saline springs, while the latter is
found in the form of pyrites; and the fact
that these petroleum and salt deposits occur
mainly near the line of division between
deep water navigation and that fitted for
lighter craft, gives them a possible great
commercial value The extensive coal and
Ignite deposits Of the Lower Mackenzie and
elsewhere will be found to be Of great value
when the questions of reducing its iron ores
and the transportation of she products Of
this vast region have to be solved by steam
sea going or lighter river craft.
TIE chief present commercial product Of
the country is its furs, which, as the region
in question is the last great fur preserve of
the world, are of very great present and
prospective value, all the finer furs Of COM
merce being there found, and tho sales in
London yearly amounting to several millions
Of dollars.
The evidence submitted TO the committee
points to the existence in the Athabasca and
Mackenzie valleys of the most extensive
petroleum field in America, if not in the
world. The uses of petroleum, and conse-
quently the demand for it by all nations, are
increasing at such a rapid ratio that it Is
probable this great petroleum field will as
sumo an enormous value in the near future.
London Times
A Kid Glove Cutter.
An interesting spectacle can be witnessed