The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1903-08-22
NEW MOUNTAIN GATEWAY.
Second Pass In the Rockies Discov-
cred Last Year In the CANA
dian Range.

DR.. j. Norman Collie, distinguished
man of science and mountaineer of
Great Britain, has in the past few
years made four expeditions into the
Canadian Rocky mountains to the
north of the Canadian Pacific railroad,
wher the mountains were very little
known. With great ability and perse-
yerance he has explored this difficult
mountain region from geographical
point OF view and has assembled
lofty snow-clad peaks for the purpose
of adding to his route-maps all the top
ographical details in sight from these
high points of observation, says the
New York Sun.
He has rendered distinct service to
American geography by making these
mountains and the drainage among
them better known. His excellent
maps are helping atlas makers to inn
prove their mapping of the mountains
of this continent.
On his last expedition he found
new pass over the mountains. He
was looking for 1t, for on one of his
previous expeditions he conceived the
idea that there should be a practical
pass across the wateP-parting in this
region between the drainage systems
of the Atlantic and Pacific. This was
one of the problems before him last
summer and he solved it successfully.
He found the pass where he believed
1t to be, among the headwaters of the
northern fork of the Saskatchewan
river in about 81 degrees As minutes
north latitude and III degrees min
utes west longitude. The pass is 1900
feet above the sea. At it's east end
rises Single creek, which is fed by
the melting glaciers and empties into
the middle fork of the North Saskat-
chewan.
L At its west end is another valley
through which flows stream to the
south fork of Bush river, which emp
ties into the. Columbia river and flows
to the Pacific. He named this gateway
through the mountains Bush pass, be-
cause it leads to the Bush river.
From the top of the mountain reveal
ing to him wide area Of topography
he saw the pass leading over the valley
of the Bush river in the very position
he had thought it must occupy. 1t
remains to be seen whether this impor-
tant pass will ever be turned to eco.
nomic account as the route of a rail.
road or wagon highway across tho
mountains. At any rate another im-
portant pass has been added to those
already discovered among the Canadi-
an Rockies.
1t will be remembered that the
scheme of the Canadian Pacific rail-
road was laughed at as Impractical BILE
until the great gateway through Kick
ing Horse pass was discovered 1t was
some time before the pass through the
mighty Selkirks farther west was dis
covered, but it was there, just where
It was needed for the extension of the
railroad to the Pacific coast.
Another great pass has been discoy-
cred on the upper waters of the Peace
river, where two lakes lie practically
upon the summit of mountain range.
This pass leadsto the Skeena river, by
which travellers may reach Port Simp-
son, the finest port of the Pacific coast
OF Canada. with great shipping facili.
ties and large coal fields close at hand.
One of the railroads recently planned
in Canada is to cross this pass to reach
Port Simpson.
The great significance of these gate
ways across the mountains north of
the Canadian Pacific railroad is that
they lie directly west Of the vast north.
ern wheat belt of Canada, in which
scarcely sod has yet. been turned
The day is not far distant when MANI
thousands of square miles of this re.
gion will be devoted to wheat growing
and IT will be great advantage te
Canada to be able to ship the harvest
both across the Pacific to the orien,
and across the Atlantic to Europe.