Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-12-03

They think Edmonton the Future
Country of the Northwest.

The delegation of Michigan farmers
who have been inspecting lands IN the
Northwest with view Of inarnigrating
70 that country with their families and
friends, have made the following re-
port:
I'VE arrived at Winnipeg on July
Goth. The Manitoba provincial exhibit
rion was then open, and was visited by
us. The cattle and horses were beyond
our expectations; the former, fattened
on prairie grass, were superior TO much
stall fed stock that we have seen. The
other exhibits were a credit to the new
province. We arrived at Calgary on
July 30. The crops west of Winnipeg
328 miles were very good. The Portage
district, which we passed through, was
one Of the best we have ever seen, the
wheat, barley, oats all apparently per-
feet "a to quality and quantity. The
Brandon district was also very good.
: On our passage we saw many fields OF
grain of SO and 100 acres, many miles
OF grain as far as the eye could reach.
We visited the city of Calgary with
its population of 4 500 at the foot of the
Rockies A number of its buildings
are built of stone quarried about two
miles from the center of the city. The
country about this place is known as
the rauching country. We visited the
Chapan rancho, which has 200 head
of cattle and 600 horses. Both the
cattle and horses looked in prime con-
dition. Though the grass was very
short, 1t was plentiful and succulent.
We also saw IN one flock 1000 sheep,
and heard of another of 5000. Stock
OF all kinds thrive in Alberta.
ION Monday, August I'd, we took the
Edmonton and Calgary railroad for Ed
monton. We found appearance of the
country improved as we Travelled north;
so miles from Calgary all the growth
commenced to be very luxuriant, the
grass being especially good. We
found that many settlers were already
In the country, and every station filled
with anxious land hunters. AT Edmon-
ton and points south and east of it,
settlers can procure at the stores all
requirements at fair price. There
are two coal mines at Edmonton. Coal
is sold at $40, or SITS per ton, de-
livered. Gold is being procured by
many placer miners on the sand bars of
the North Saskatchewan. We were in
formed that each mar averaged 8 to So
per day. We saw a great many flocks
/ of prairie chickens, ducks, and geese.
It would be difficult to conceive more
favorable conditions for settlement
than are to be met with in the country
we traversed. Good soil, water, timber,
hay, coal easily and cheaply mined, on
| the Saskatchewan river. 1t seems to
crop ont everywhere. The opinion of the
delegates would be this: That while the
entire country seems well adapted for
stock raising, the district around Ed
monitor, so far as we saw, was beyond
our expectation suitable for mixed
farming. In our opinion, it is to be
the future country of the Northwest.
We can say from evidence within our
knowledge that any man who will en-
deavor to make home can do so In
| this district"
| MICHIGAN DELEGATES.
Chesaning: Dennis Falby, A. J. Heath,
B. J. Corye1l, NJ. L. Parshall. Brant:
John Thompson, Allan McDougal1,
John Cribbins, Z. p. Whaley. Brady:
| James Niblock. ST. Charles: Neil
McFee. Lafayette: William Kennett.
! Ithaca: John Gladstone. Elk Rapids:
William Deering.
| Write to L. A. Hamilton, Land Corn
XIYs Il