The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-02-13
THE EDMONTON ROUTE
Facts About It From a Man
Who Knows.
THERE is PLENTY OF FEED
There Is No Reason Why the Overland
Route Should Not Be Practicable.
The Trail From the Lake to
Peace River.

Great Falls, Feb I'm the discus
City and the gold fields there has al
ways been one difficulty. There is usu-
ally no report of any one who has fol-
lowed the trail continuously. The fol-
lowing letter from a gentleman at Dun
vegan will settle the feasibility of the
route for the greater part of the way.
The gentleman writes as follows: In
speaking of the country north of this
Dunyegan l will give you what |
know about it, and / have lived here
for some IL or II years. There is no
white mans trail from here over to the
Lizard, although perfectly practicable,
but there has hitherto been no incen-
tive to travel there. Right here at
Dunvegan there are Indians and half
breeds who have gone within sight of
the Lard's banks with horses. They
did not follow any trail, but pitched
about hunting. Jack Graham was seen
across the Nelson and presumably he
got there or else he would have re-
turned. Ogilves pack trail is a myth
as far as horse trail is concerned. OF
course, Ogilvfe did see trails, but they
We're man and dog trails The horse
trail starts from Hudson's Hope. The
party sent out to explore the route to
the Pelly Inspector Noodles police ex-
Halfway river to a point at which the
aforementioned Hudson's Hope trail
crosses the river. You must know,
however, that from st. John to this
point on Halfway river there is a prac-
ticable trail for pack horses. l have
never heard of any cause why this oV-
erland route should not be perfectly
practicable. Once at the foot hills there
is plenty of feed for horses, but in the
middle pass there is very little for a
day or two. In going by the middle
pass you would not go by the Lizard
river unless you crossed it on the west
side beyond it's junction with the
Dease. The route deviateS from the
air line set down by Gardner & Harri-
sons map, but in my opinion will be
the route used. Inspector Noodle and
party went by this pass, and when last
heard from they were on the summit,
Dec. %. and with the probability of be-
ing at Fort Graham by the 1st of jan
uary. and from there a good trail eX-
lists to Sylvester.
Il Will mention route which does
not seem to be receiving any attention.
This is one from Lesser Slave lake to
Peace river crossing and then over
land on the north side of Peace river.
This country is fine prairie land for 60
miles, terminating Is miles north of
Dunvegan, and then on to a point
where Inspector Noodle left the ice on
Halfway river, not touching Fort st.
John at ALL which would be fully 20
miles south. There is no reason why
Fort st. John should be touched at
all. By the route from Lake St Ann
to Fort st. John you have the Little
and Big Smoky, the Bear, the Clear
water the Pine and then the Peace
river to cross. All of these have banks,
compared to which the Saskatchewan
is a mere rut. On the north route
that is, north of the Peace-there is
not one river with the banks more for
midabe than the Sturgeon at St AL
bert, and then there are only two You
do not cross the north Pine river at all
unless you turn from your direct
course and go to st. John. After leav-
ing the Peace the North Pine runs
then seems to run parallel with the
Peace toward the Halfway river, but
it soon comes TO a head. This is the
pack trail now used by the Indians
on the north side, but they always go
into Fort st. John because they want
to- although they say the direct route
is to go across country and II is much
shorter to Halfway river. In the win
ter time by ice to Fort St. John is the
best, but you must travel before the
Sth or 10th of April, possibly before, say
the last week in March. Hay and beef
are for sale here by Bremner & Co
There is plenty of hay to be purchased
at Peace river crossing and Lesser
Slave lake This winter has been mild
with very little snow