The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1897-12-27
THE EDMONTON ROUTE
w. G.. Conrad Tells of It's Many
Advantages.
GOOD THING FOR MONTANA
a Large Proportion of the Klondyke
Travel Can Be Diverted If the
Proper Steps Are Taken-Cat-
tie, Horses and Goods.

Great Falls. Dec. 26.-Probably no
one in the state and certainly no one in
Northern Montana is better posted on
Alberta and the country in the Brit
ish possessions to the north and north
west Of that province than w. G. Con-
rad of the firm of Conrad Bros, bank
ers, merchants and stockmen. This
morning the Standard reporter called
upon him in search of some information
regarding the possibilities of establish
ing communication with Dawson City
through Edmonton. The first question
asked by the reporter was:
What portion of the travel from the
United States do you think Montana
will be able to secure for the proposed
Edmonton route?"
"Well,' said he, I'VE ought to get our
share of the people who go from the
territory tributary to the Union Pa
cific, the Burlington and the other great
roads which pass through the states Of
Kansas, Nebraska, Indian Territory,
Oklahoma, Texas, Wyoming, Colorado,
New Mexico and to less extent, Utah,
to say nothing of those who are going
from our own state. If we could Sc
cure the latter alone to try the route it
would be a great thing in itself, Tor
there are without any doubt an i'm
mense number of people going to the
klondyke from Montana alone. Then
the other territory of which / spoke is
the best in the United States. as more
people are likely to so from it than
will go from the rest of the country.
The people of the Western states are
more enterprising in the way of maxi
ing ventures in new countries than are
those in the older states and hence
more of them will go to Alaska
do you think that practicable
route can be made from Edmonton
"Of course ] do. Why, look at the
4, l,x lad t1,o
to the government map hanging on the
wall of the office. Now, we used TIC
sit in our office at Fort Benton and
transact business all through this coun-
try. from Rat Portage on the east to
Edmonton ON the west or still further
and as far north as Saddle lake, which
is 600 miles north of Edmonton. On the
south we followed the course of the
yellowstone. That was so years ago
too When we started to increase the
range of our business, men in Benton
would go to the top of Government hill
and think that they could see great
deal further than they could travel and
were sure that if they tried to go be-
yond that point the Indians would get
them, while a trip to Jim McDeaYltt
ranch would be suicide Havre and
Chinook and Glasgow We're not known
But when goods had to be sent out we
always found that they could be got
there in some manner and SO l believe
that there will be no trouble in making
the Edmonton trail a success.
Wont any such movement have a
tendency to benefit Manitoba more than
it will Montana? In other words Won't
Manitoba furnish the beef cattle
wheat and other supplies, being on the
line of the Canadian Pacific and hay
ing the advantage of being in the
same country?" was the next ques-
ton asked
manitoba is not cattle raising
country at all. The country to the
west of Manitoba, Alberta beats it il
that line. There is where our cattle
range. We have the larger part of tht
land in the triangle formed by the rail
ways and having Lethbridge, Calgary
and Dunmore for its three points. Las
year we leased $4,000 acres there and
have our cattle in two bands on 1t
Manitoba right at the present time, gets
large amount of what are known az
United States goods from Minneapolis
Now. why should not Great Falls ac
in a similar capacity for Alberta? Their,
are other things than wheat and cat
tie to be supplied and we will have
that market and in addition We Woult
do something with them in the way o
cattle too. Horses would be another
marketable article"
Mr. Conrad in closing the interview
said that he was pleased to see thu
Standard devote SO much space to tn.
project. as he believed it could do NOR
toward arousing the attention of tin
people of the state to the advantage
of the Edmonton route than any othe
paper.