Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1898-12-22
THE HOPE or THE CONTINENT
Western Canada the "Bread Basket
of the Empiress

of the Empire
The attention directed to the wheat
fields Of Western Canada during the
past year has caused thousands of set
tiers from different parts of the United
states to make their homes there during
the past few months. They report that
their experience corroborates what had
been told them Of that wonderful coun-
try, and they are sending back to their
friends most favorable reports During
the past summer number of Wiscon-
sin and Michigan and Minnesota editors
visited Western Canada, and the follow
ing extracts are from very flattering
letter written by the Germania of Mil
Waukee by it's able contributor, Prof
Sheridan.
The numerous elevators along the
line, towering so far above the sur
rounding country that they may be seen
for many miles distant, sufficiently in
dicate that the chief industry is the
growing of wheat. At the village Of
indian Head more than a million BUSH
els of wheat was marketed last year.
This was but fraction of the amount
OF the same product marketed at the
larger cities of Brandon and Regina.
AT Indian Head the representative Of
he was about to harvest his third crop
of wheat from the farm upon one
blowing given it the fall of 1895; the
crops of the current year and of last
year having been sown upon the stubble
of the preceding crop. This farmer ex-
pected a yield of not less than forty
bushels to the acre. The farms are very
large. The absence of hills and rocks
contributes to making farming on a
large scale an easy matter There was
an abundance of evidence that the coun-
try surrounding the cities named above
is an extensive region of fertile lands
furnishing as great an opportunity for
cattle raising and dairying as for the
growing Of wheat"
'We were surprised to find here a
rich growth of nearly every species Of
cultivable plant known in Wisconsin.
Various species Of trees were growing
showing that it's soil and it's climate are
favorable to the growth Of forests. The
writer had never seen more promising
growth of wheat, oats and garden vege-
tables than was observed here. The
Experimental Farm of Wisconsin, To-
Gated at Madison, produces nothing bet
ter"
'The people along the line of the rail
road, however, assured us that we were
still far distant from the northern limit
of the wheat-growing belt, and that five
hundred miles farther north wheat and
other agricultural products were cult
waited with success. The Inhabitants
do not depend solely upon the growing
of wheat, but utilize vast acres in rails
ing cattle. The growing grain and veg
etables showed that plentiful supply
of rain had fallen during the current
year."
"From this city Calgary our party
was taken north 200 miles to Edmon-
ton, town of 5000 people, situated on
the north Saskatchewan river. The
country at this point is beautiful pre-
! senting very much the appearance of
many sections in central and southern
Wisconsin. The people are engaged in
mining for gold, and in raising wheat,
potatoes and cattle. Dairying is also
followed This valley seems to be fav
ored with sufficient rain fall to produce
luxuriant growth Of grain and vege-
tables. The soil is very fertile and tim
Der is abundant Fields of wheat were
observed that promise yield of forty
bushels per acre. The many good
farm houses seen from the railway are
eFlueHce Ol lue prosperity VI Tie Set-
tiers. Edmonton is the terminus of the
road and the place where the overland
expeditions start from for the Yukon,
| it being about 800 miles from Dawson
City"
'The members of the association
! made the acquaintance of the Cana
dams of the Northwest and learned
something of the vast extent OF their
! territory and of its great resources,
which are destined to make it our most
formidable commercial competitor in
| the worlds markets for the sale of ag-
ricultlral products. We learned that
the Northwest Territory of Canada, in
stead of being barren waste as taught
by our biographies of a quarter of
century ago, is capable of sustaining an
| empire of fifty millions Of people"