Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-12-25
]. Fewson Smith, the Civil Engi-
neer, Makes Report.
THE BIG CANAL ENTERPRISE
4 Thriving Young Community with
splendid Agricultural aud Graz
Ina Lands-1nssressiug Data.


onisation business, has returned home.
Mr.. Smith makes the following report OF
bis lnbors:
Some twelve or more years ago the
first decentralization cs,ab-
llshed IN Alberta. Canada. II Il aitunt-
cd some II miles north OF the interna-
tlonal boundary line between the U. 8.
and the British possessions. near the
eastern base OF the Rocky Mountains,
and lies between the seth and s7th de-
gress Of longitude west from Washing
ton. or the 18th ana iltth degrees west
from Greenwich. II now has popula-
dion OF fully 1000 people. and IL the
principal settlement thus far cstab-
llshed.
within q radius OF ten Or twelve
miles of Cardaton ure the thriving
towns OF Etna. Leavitt, Mountain View
and colwell. The settlements eHtab-
llshed during this year are Stirling and
Magrath, and the total number OF col
onlsts or permanent settlers now In
Canada amount TO some 1900 souls. The
last two named settlements are situated
on the irrigablc lands along the line OF
the Alberta canal. which has been I'M
der construction since the latter part
OF the year 1895. II viii be remembered
that year. entered Into contract with the
Alberta Irrigation company 10 do work
10 the amount OF 100000 In the con-
strlctlon OF the canal. The time set for
the completion Of the work contracted
for was the 3ist day Of December. 1889.
When the agreement was. entered into
II was presumed by the Irrigation COM
pany that the entire main line OF the
canal could be completed within the
time, and for the sum above named, but
the extraordinary character OF the ma
tefial encountered In excavnting has
demonstrated the utter impasslblll,y OF
this assumption. Indeed II II very prob
Sble the sum will reach $4,000 or $780,
600 to full complete the main water
course However, the Church contract
OF 100000 has already been reached and
passed and there In no doubt the Prcsl-
dency VIII complete the whole Job next
spring as soon as winter breaks up.
FIRST IN THE DOMINION.
80 far as known this Is the first lrrl-
cation scheme OF any magnitude at
tempted In the Dominion. and the Utah
colonlsts. by reason OF their experience.
are considered the very best people to
handle the matter OF Irrigation success
fully. hence their selection.
As q brief description OF the country
and the works may be OF interest ref
orencc IL here made to them. on pass
ing the border line the traveller Is at
once Impressed with the vastncas OF the
country lying before him. for az far as
the eye can reach and even extending
hundreds OF miles beyond. the country
n an open undulating plain. and espec-
lally In this the case to the north and
east; while of to the west some sixty
miles the peaks and bold cscapments OF
the Rocky Mountains. which extend
northward are seen. and as their base "
hAA hss hggnneA hlHh4F
more unduiatlng and rldgy.
A vERITABLE PARADISE.
This vast plain IL verilable para
disc Tor cattle and sheepmen. for II Is
thickly covered with nutritious grasses.
The blue Joint grass being everywhere
abundant. Cattle are always In excel
lent condition and consequently realize
good prices. Three and four year old
steers sold on the spot bring $50 a head;
cows ta5 to s3S head. while sheep. hogs
ind farm products realize correspond
ingly favorable prices, Apart from the
farming done by the Mormon" colon
lists. but little has been accomplished In
this direction by the few original set
tiers who have ycntured west beyond
the line Of general settlement, ana these
have confined their operations mainly
70 cattle raising. for which the country
10 pre-eminontly adapted. Ilut from all
ly well suited TO farming operations. At
the office OF the Irrigation company at
Lethbrldge may be seen specimen OF
wheat raised during the past summer,
by n colonist at or near Mngrath. The
heads are remarkably large and full OF
inc plump kernels OF grain. And II IL
understood that this was grown with
out the aid OF irrigation water. the
canal, as yet. being unfinished.
FARMING SUCCESSFUL.
In the vicinity Of cardston farming
operations are carried on with great
success. Wheat. oats and barley are
raised abundantly and vegetables OF
every kind. The experiment OF raising
sugar beets was tried last summer and
proved complete success. While the
quantity raised was small II was, In
point OF quality. decidedly superior to
the Utah product. When once the irri-
CATION scheme Is completed and water
- available. the region settled by the
Mormons' VIII undergo complete
transformation. A sugar factory al
ready looms up us a probability OF the
near future,
Returning to the Irrigation enter
Prise. the company'a headquarters are
at l.ethbridge, point on the Canadian
faoiic Railway. and junction OF the
Alherta and Crows Nest railways. Mr..
~ L. Gait one OF the board OF directors,
also general manager OF the enter
prise assisted by Mr.. Magrrth. Presl-
ueht George q, Cannon OF Salt Lake II
another OF the board OF directors, and
Mr. George Anderson. g. t., OF Denver,
Colorado In the chief engineer Of the
company.
Tho contractors have been especially
represented by President A. o. Card. OF
oardston. and Mr.. NJ. ID. Hammond, of
cache Valley. Utah.
ENTERPRISE OF MAGNITUDE.
As before stated. the enterprise IL
vhe OF considerable magnitude, involv-
ms great expenditure and engineering
ptoolemh OF more than ordinary char
Nler, hui these havg bean handled
"nh kood judgment and engineering
Ml The source OF water supply'is the
~, Mary river. which takes Its rice In
,ne Rocky Mountain range. south OF the
International boundary line and flows
~ General northeasterly direction to
~ confluence with Belly River, an
,nhuent OF the Saskatchewan. From
NJ mead gate AT the 81. Mary to stirling
eie total distance IN 81 3 miles. Thirty
Nv Nv miles of this distance ~
,tsered by the excavated por-
ION OF the canal, while the
,nalhing ~ miles of the route are
NV nv natural channels OF creeks and
utilized.
hut for the use OF these natural
her courses the scheme would have
sv en quite impracticable owing TO the
,el difference In elevation between
NV intake md tho aastarn end delivery.