The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-05-27
CARDSTON, CANADA.
DESCRIPTION OF THE EIGHT YEAR
OLD COLONY.
People Are Happy, Contented and
Prosperous, Although There Are
Some Drawbacks.

Cardston, Canada, May 15.-In all
probability many of your readers
would like to hear something regarding
Cardston, Canada, and her people,
therefore the following:
Off here in Cardston, Alberta, n W.
T., Canada, there are eight hundred
Latter-day Saints making for them
selves comfortable homes and cultivat-
ing extensive farms. To find more
happy, contented and prosperous peo-
pie would, L think, be impossible.
Eight years ago President Charles
Card. formerly of Logan, Utah. came
to this country for the purpose Of
establishing a branch of Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on
Canadian soil. At that time all was an
uninhabited stretch Of prairie lands be-
tween Lethbridge and the Rocky
mountains; but hard labor and inces-
SAINT faith in the future has worked
wonders; what eight years ago was
neither more nor less than rolling hills
of tall grass and wild flowers, is today
a growing village of a wonderfully
healthy people. During the eight years
of existence Cardston has been called
upon to mourn the loss of but few of
its inha bitants.
Geographically, this country is
marvellous: for hundreds and hundreds
of miles to all points of the compass,
millions of acres of comparatively level
land stretchs it's uninterrupted vast
ness of prairie farther than the eye
can see. Here at Cardston, rolling
hills, similar in some respects to those
Of eastern Denver, are dotted with cot
tages, small but generally comfortable.
Two stores, hotel, -four mill, cheese
factory, creamery and meat market
are the principal business establish
house as the largest building in the
town. The flour mill is worthy of
special notice, it being so simple yet
SO complete in every detail. 1t is run
by water power, and IS in operation
about six months of the year, during
which time all the wheat is made into
flour. Mr.. Low, who at one time re-
sided in Cache valley. Utah. is in
charge of the MILL and through his
untiring efforts the people now receive
in exchange for their wheat an ex-
cellent grade of flour.
In Cardston and the surrounding
country there is very good soil with
out irrigation splendid crops are Sc
cured and mammoth vegetables OBJ
tanned. On the scales. potatoes go as
high as four and a half pounds and
other products weigh in proportion.
The thousands of acres of good grazing
land affords excellent pasturage for
hundreds of thousands of stock and
horses. In the district of Alberta, the
winter climate IS comparatively mild,
not severe; Billiards are unknown, and
stock winter in the open air and come
out fat and in good condition in the
spring. Your correspondent was pres
ent recently at the killing Of a range
steer. the beef from which fairly
floated in fat.
To the young man, northwest Canada
offers many inducements. Railroad
land can be purchased from companies
in Cardston for SO an acre, or any per-
son over eighteen years of age can
homestead quarter section of land,
and secure patent from the govern
ment after three years residence on the
property.
There are, however, as IN all new
countries, some quite serious draw
backs, one of which is the scarcity of
water for culinary and irrigating pur-
poses; another is the lack of a good
market for products of the farm, and
another is the disagreeable wind which
blows almost necessarily the year
around; with these exceptions, the
country is unexcelled. And In all pro-
liability irrigation will soon be had for
land near Cardston, as President Card
| is using his efforts in that direction.
He is in favor of the farmers uniting
for the purpose OF building canals, and
by SO doing remain their own masters,
not becoming the servants of capital
lists.
On the south of Cardston is GGtna, a
village of one hundred souls, and on
the north is Mountain View with It's
one hundred and fifty people, and in
and around these settlements indica-