Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1900-02-03
WESTERN CANADA.
One Of the Choice Is.,sss ! on the conti-

One of the. Choice sltta ON the Conti-
i4Mt feF tIivnt.
The fol{ ling & structs from an In
terestIng ieyler 10 The Mason City
Qowa) Republican, written by Mrs. y.
low of Ross Creek, Alberta, Canada;
so nearly describes most Of the districts
)f Western Canada that We take pleas
are In presenting same to the attention
If our readers:
Ross Creek, Alberta, n. w. T.,
Canada, Aug. Z, 1899.
editor Mason City Republican,:
Dear Sir--We are located IN the
Beaver Hills, thirty miles from Fort
saskatchewan and fifty miles from ED.
monton. To the east of these Is an ima
mense area of bettem lands, which fur
uislies abundance or hay for the set
Tiers. 1t is dotted with small lakes, the
largest of which is called Beaver Lake,
sixteen miles in length.
There Is fine shelter for the cattle
and horses now feeding there.
The Beaver Hills are covered with
small green willows which are easily
gotten rid of before breaking tip the
land. Here and there poplar, birch
and tamarack trees abound. Small
meadows are numerous. The soil In
these hills is much richer than the bot
tom lands, being kind of black leaf
mold. There is no tough sod to break,
and it Is very productive. Wheat, oats
ana barley do finely, and vegetables
are the finest that can be grown. Po-
tatoes especially are large and solid,
ct tl,, a. httS IL
els per acre. and best OF all, never a
"taty bug" TO wrestle with. Wild
fruit, Strawberries. gposeberrles, saska-
toons tor pine beriies), raspberries atid
cranberries are found in the hills.
Small tame fruit does finely, the red
and white currants In my garden being
as large again rs common sized ones.
We have long days during the
months of June and July; one can see
to read many evenings until 10 O'Clock
I'm the twilight. Some nights less than
three hours of darkness, and the birds
are singing at = o'clock. Then again.
It rains SO easily. You look toward the
west and see little cloud coming up, a
gentle shower follows, the sun shines
forth again, and in little while you
forget ii has rained.
Cyclones are unknown here and the
thunder and lightning is very light We
had two storms this summer accom-
panied with wind and hail, but nothing
| to lodge the grain. The average heat
is about TS degrees. We had three oil
four days in July ut 30. The nights are
always cool
The winter season is one Of great ac
tvity. All the fencing Is gotten ou
| then and logs for the farm buildings
| BY paying - cents you are granted {
permit at the land Office to cut logs up
on vacant lands. The roads are goot
and smooth, for the snow never drifts
not even around the buildings, and this
| Is a great saving Of time to the farmer
| Hay is hauled from the bottom land,
| all winter long, and man can worl
| outside every day as far as the wealth
| er Is concerned. There are cold snap,
| when 1t reaches 40 and AZ below zero
| but the lack Of wind prevents one real
| iZing ii and the mountains 100 miles
west Of us are great protection.
Our nelghbors are mostly Canadian
| Scotch, SWede, and we have iiicj
| sprinkling Of people from the States.
The creek abounds in small fish.
We are now in the midst Of haymak
ing (Aug. ~. Wheat will not be Gu
until early September, this being lit
tie later season than common, but tn
crop will be immense. | send you
sample Of wheat and barley. Its heigh
is almost even with my shoulders, aver
! age 80 inches. Newcomers lackin
binders can hire their grain cut for Il
cents per acre. Prairie chickens ar
here by the thousands.
The water is good. We have n fin
well fifteen feet deep. In the creek
the water is soft and Of yellowis
| color.
Then again we are surrounded wit
| bachelors; we have no less than eight
cen single men in this neighborhooC
OH matrimony bent. When a feminin
gender of any age between II and 4
visits these hills we pity her, so greu
is the demand for her company. Ca
you aid us?
In conclusion, If the remainder c
our loved ones were here with us, w
should better enjoy life on Ross Creel
and unless the unexpected develop
consider this Will be pretty fair plaC
to end our days.
| AgnS "a nDJnIIkNf