Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1891-08-21


dence here have tho wheat crops
been seriously injured by the autumn
frosts. Many of the farms in this
vicinity cannot be bought for $50
per acre. Winnipeg, on my return
trip, is reached in due course. One
thousand Ontario farm laborers have
already taken advantage of the C.P.
II. S25 round trips and scattered
themselves over the province to
assist in harvesting operations. The
only conditions are that they show a
certificate that they have worked on
farm four weeks. Many of those
men will take up land and become
permanent settlers. Time presses
and ! must hurry on through that
43l miles Of wilderness to catch the
United Empire at Port Arthur.
Here | must correct the statement
in my former letter that Lake
Superior never gives up her dead"
l should have said Lake Superior
seldom gives up her dead. Four
bodies from the wreck of the i'll
fated Algoma were washed ashore
on Isle Royal, but this occurred only
one-half mile from land and the
water being shallower there is
warmer than it is out in the open
lake. The temperature of the water
well out in Lake Superior seldom
rises above 33 degrees. Sault st.
Marie is reached in due course and
we are detained three hours before
our turn comes TO get through tie
canal lock. This delay necessitates
tying up for the night as the river is
too tortuous to undertake its naviga-
ton in the dark. Two additional
canals are in process of construction
here and they are much needed. 1t
is said that the tonnage passing
through the 500 canal is greater than
that passing through the Suez Can
nal and | have reason TO think the
statement is correct. We are off
again with dawn of day and pass the
sunken "Potiac" before breakfast.
She is just as we saw her on the way
up only that an enterprising manu-
facturer has utilized the masts to ad.
vertise a favorite make of chewing
gum. That man knows which side
his bread is buttered on. Out in
Lake Huron the log is cast and we
are off fast as steam can drive us to
Port Huron but our progress is
slower than during the upward trip
as there are 10000 bushels of wheat
and 5000 barrels Of flour slowed
away in the hold of our steamer,
which sinks her six feet deeper in
the water. The flour is Minneapolis
grind, shipped at Duluth, passing in
a Canadian bottom in bond direct
to Glasgow. The wheat was grows in
Manitoba and is also on its way to
the Glasgow market. A lively lot
of passengers, 40 in number, enhanced
the pleasure Of the voyage. Music,
dancing aud card playing are in.
dulged in. A breeze sprung up off
Au Sable which makes her rock.
But aye the fun grew fast and furious
The storm without might rare and rustic
Tam did ma mind the storm whustle."
We retire before the "wee sma'
hours" and awake in Sarnia on Sun.
day morning in time for a good
breakfast of which all hands partook
before leaving the ship. Before
closing my letter permit few words
regarding the Canada Pacific Rail
way, for convenience called the c. p.
II. This road extends from Hall
fax on the Atlantic to Vancouver
on the Pacific 1865 miles with separ-
ate lines to Quebec, Toronto, Owen
Sound and Chicago footing up 1886
miles making total of 5o5l miles,
the largest railway corporation in
the world. In addition to this, lines
of steamers plying our Great Lakes
and the Pacific from Vancouver
to Yokohama are owned by this
gigantic company as well as alternate
sections Of land for several miles on
each side of the Railway from Port
Arthur to Vancouver. It's wealth is