The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-04-15

of land in the lower part of the valley of
the Red River of the North, and settled
thereon number of immigrants from
Scotland and Ireland. Lord Selkerk had
magnificent hopes for the future and pre-
dicted that the time was coming when hts
concession would support 100000 peo-
pie. However, he lived only until 1920
himself. and saw no traces Of the realza-
ton of his dreams. So slowly did the
colonlsts-Who were brought in by way of
Hudson's Bay and the Nelson river-in-
crease in numbers that in 1885 there
were not more than 5000 white people in
the whole of the region controlled by the
Hudson's Bay company.
Each of Lord Selkirk's settlers was
granted 100 acres Of land at shillings an
acre, payable in produce. The Red River
colony received the full protection of the
Hudson's Bay company and Fort Garry,
now winnipeg, was made the seat of gov
eminent. The district of Kildonan, near
Fort Garry, was the first organized set
tlement.'
First Legislative Assembly.
BY 1885 the settlers felt that they were
entitled to some more democratic form of
government than the despotic rule of the
HUDSON bay company's governor, and in
that year Sir George Simpson, the then
governor, called together the first legis-
latlve COUNCIL. From that time forward
TO the day when the rule of the company
gave way altogether to popular govern
ment under the crown-in 1S70-the col
ony was peaceful and forgotten by the
great world, its inha bitants generally be-
ing regarded as poor unfortunates in the
Great Lone Land
AS early as 1857 an effort was made TO-
extend Canadian rule to the Red River
colony, and upon the surrender bv the
Huosons Bay company in 1869 Of it's SOW
erelgnty over Prince Ruperts Land to the
dominion OF Canada, Manitoba was estab-
llshed as province. At that. time the
population was only 1000. The French
settlers, led by Louis Riel resisted the
new order. rose in revolt. and gave Lord
Wolseley an opportunity TO distinguish
nlmselt by leading against them a force
OF LOGO men who made-the long Journey
from Port Arthur on:-ZLake Superior to-
winnipeg, in very good style, along what
mas since been known as the Dawson
route, This route is water route with
roads on the portages. It strikes across
from Port Arthur to the headwaters of
; the Seine river, down that into Rainy
lake, down RAINY river into Lake of the
Woods, and Shence overland to Winnipeg
1t was the route largely used by the fur
traders after the international boundary
was established on Lake Superior at
Pigeon river, Grand Portage near the
mouth of that river having formerly been
the lake port instead of Fort William. - -
In Recent Years. y
Since 1870 Manitoba has grown rapidly,
considering that it is/a part of a country
which, heretofore, by reason Of the great
losses of its population to the United
States has no where grown very rapidly.
In 1891 the populations had risen to Isl 900.
1t is now 254,000. But the PROVINCES rapid
growth has cnly just begun, it having sue
ceeded at last in attracting the American
settler. l. is estimated that the immi-
grafton now amounts to 10000 a year. 1t
is a most conservative estimate to say
that in 1911 Manitoba will have popula-
lation surprising 100000. .