The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-07-08
Wheat Belt.

reach a figure which will embarrass the
company in the years which are to
come, when land will be occupied and
the work of gathering furs and trading
with the Indians confined to a small
area. They want to keep as. much Of
their land as possible in reserve for this
day, in order that the dividends of that
time may be up to a satisfactory fig
ure.' -..:r..
This may be good business from the
viewpoint of the Hudson Bay man
agement, but it meets with no response
from the settlers Of this new country.
The men who represent this company in
Canada are very popular, but they have
pany's policy, which is directed from
London, by men many Of whom have
never seen Canada and know nothing
of Canadian institutions and needs.
Beautiful Farm Region.
The railroad over which we came to
Battleford from Portage la Prairie, the
Cana dian Northern, is the youngest of
section Of it between Warman junction
and Battleford has only been open since
now thirty miles beyond this point,
heading straight for Edmonton. We
Travelled all day long thru a most beau
tlful agricultural country, with evil
Genfes on aa all g sides Of aggressive colon
There Were towns at intervals of five
or six miles, some of them not vet a
week old and the oldest Of them not
three months old. In towns of the for
mer class there were the Station build
ing, and perhaps two or three other
houses, one OF them the necessary gen.
eral store, while ground was being brok.
en- for streets. and foundations BY the
score were being dug for houses of ali
description. In towns of the latter
class there were perhaps two score
houses, with more foundations and per.
haps several blocks Of pine sidewalks
IN all these towns real estate deals
were W. going forward after the fashion
OF inc american boom town, and men
were figuring their profits in liberal
amOu UNITS. -
The Wild Country. -
Between these stations, any of them
destined In the not distant future to
pc, centers Of considerable commercial
influence; was the wild country, with
mere ana ana there the settler. but for the
the pillow. The lakes and ponds along
IIthe TRACK Were swarming with water
FOWL Several prairie wolves came ont
OF the tai grass at one place and ran
along with the train for almost a mile
and Just below the South Saskatchewan
T1lVer we saw a fine specimen of ante.
lope quietly grazing on a smiling upland
not more tEan seventy-fve yards from
the railroad track. = 80
At half a dozen places between War.
man junction and this place we saw
settlers blowing with OK teams in the
virgin prairies, making ready for the
crop OF next year. Their homes were in
tentS, and there were evidences of plans
TOR building houses and barns before
the coming, of winter At other places
we saw other settlers who had moved
IN earlier and had put up homes and the
necessary outhouses and had planted
thelr hrst crop. The sharp contrast be.
tween We the wilderness, with its wild ami
NAL inhabitants, and the civilization fol.
lowing hard upon the railway construc.
ton gangs, was seen here at it's best
One farmer had plowed field Of Der.
maps ten acres, and there were hun.
dreds of gophers and ground squirrels
scampering over the black loan and oc.
cas1onally standing on their hind feet
to see the train as it went by.