The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-10-17

grazing on the cliffs far above, near
the snow line. / want to say these
mountains would be oppressive in their
grandeur, their solemnity, and their
solitude, but for an occasional mining
| town, or a spOrtSmanS tent which
give human interest to the scene.
In the next fifty-four miles we travel
down the valley of the Bow to Calgary.
The broken ravines are now changed
to wide valleys and grassy foot hills,
with heards of horses in the lower val
leys, thousands of cattle on the ter
races, and flocks of sheep on the hill
tops. all seen at once. We pass five
stations and numerous ranches in
quick succession, also sawmills and
bituminous coal mines. The most inn
portant station is Morley, q shipping
point at an altitude of exactely 4.00G
feet above sea level Reaching Cal
gary, the observation car that ave have
enjoyed for 600 miles, is detached and
for the balance of our journey we travel
IN our Luxurious sleeper, Bombay"
CALGARY TOWN.
| Calgary is charmingly situated at an
altitude of S,SSS feet on a hillside pla-
| teau at the junction of the Bow and
| Elberon rivers, overlooked by the snow
|
! population of about 5000. 1t Is an Eng
! lish colony, settled by representatives
| OF the best families of England, and is
the most important as well as the hand
soonest place this side of the Pacific to
Winnipeg, 2,26t miles from Montreal
| IT Is modern In appearance, lighted by
| electricity and the architectural style
of public buildings and private resi-
dences deserves more than ordinary
mention. owing to their variety and the
| taste displayed. 1t Is called the town
of Ranches and Indian reservations,
and Is an important station of the
Northwest Mounted Police" and post
of the Hudson Bay company. 1t is the
center of trade of the great ranching
country and source of supplies for the
mining districts beyond. Logs and
manufactured lumber are floatcd down
the Bow river from here. Quarries of
light gray building stone are found
here. The scenery. while not so noun
famous. is grand and interesting.
Before us, eastward, is the great sea
of open prairieS, over which, for two
thousand miles, we are yet to travel.
Behind us, on either side, the mountains
rise in varied forms and endless
changes of aspect as the lights and
shadows play upon them. Northward
Is the heavily wooded and also ricl,
ranching districts of Alberta and Atha-
baSca, which are richly watered by nu-
merous rivers and streams, feeders of
the North Saskatchewan, and the Ath-
abasca and Peace rivers, which iiow
northward and empty into Hudson's
hay and the Chill regions of the Far
North'-regions full of moose, elk, bear,
caribou, and all manner of fur-bearing
animals and winged game. Southwark,
q hundred miles, is the rich ranching
and farming country about Macleod.
and fifty miles beyond the United
States boundary dividing British Col
umbia from Montana, all reached by
branch lines of the Canadian Pacific.
The branch northward extends l9l
miles to Edmonton, the most northerly
railway station on the continent OF
America. The fertility of these districts
though, in this high latitude. is surprs-
ing. 1t is attested not only by rich re-
suits, of branching, on the area
over which play the warm Chinook
winds, but in practical farming, where
the largest crops of oats and wheat
known on the continent are found.
Along the base of the mountains adja-
cent to Calgary, the country is we'll
watered. the foot hills are clad with
abundant timber. Coal also Is plenti-
full. The soil too, is rich and deep.
game is abundant and the climate
matchless.
INDIAN TRIBES.
The region about Calgary is the ma
tive grounds of the warlike Blackfeet
Indians, which are found here In the
saddle, clad in bright blankets and
mounted on small piebald and parti-
colored ponies. The mounted police
here, as elsewhere in the territories, act
i,tr
the peace The town though, with all
it's multiform and restless life is said
to be usually quiet and orderly. This
too, is the center of the great ranch
country where the Sow boy" gaily at
tired and we'll mounted. is in his glory.
Nowhere have we seen such horseman-
ship or a more free and picturesque
life.
1t is interesting to listen to the stories
of these ranchmen and one is sure 10
find a cordial welcome In visiting their
ranches. You find them all along the
foot hills. their countless herds over the
country. summer and winter alike. The
warm Pacific winds which blow across
the mountains. tempers the severity of
the winter, and keep the ground free
from snow. except for a day or two at
q time, and the nutritious and naturally
cured grasses. are always within reach
of the cattle, which look as sleek as if
corn fed.
They tell us that in the spring and
autumn all the ranchmen join in a
"round up" to collect and sort out the
animals according to the brands of the
different owners, and then the cowboys
appear in all their glory. To see these
splendid riders cutting out" or separ-
ating their animals from the common
herd, lassoing and throwing them. that
they may be branded with the owners
name, or herding band of free-born
and unbrolSen horses, Is well worth a
stop-Over or even a trip across the con-
tinent to behold. These ranchmen are
a fine looking lot of fellows, mainly sons
of the best families in the East and in
England, living here in lordly. ro-
mantle way. Being admirable horse
men, with abundant leisure and unlim-
tied opportunities for sport and their
intense love for this country and
rowing life, it is no wonder that every
day brings more young men of the
best class to join them.
' J. E. RICHMOND.
MTICICAI NOTES.