Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-10-10
FINEST IN THE WORLD.
Mountain Scenery Of the
Canadian Rockies.
COVERED WITH SNOW
ADEQUATE PREPARATIONS MADE
FOR THE TOURIST.
Calgary, the Metropolis Of the Plains
Largely Peopled From the United
States-Its Great Growth.

BY WILLIAM E. CURTIS.
Special Correspondence OF The Star and the Chicago
Record Herald.
BANF'F, Canada, October 2, 1905.
There has been an unusual amount of
tourist travel via the Canadian Pacific rail-
way this summer, chiefly Americans. Extra
trains have been put on daily both ways to
accommodate them. which will be taken off
October 10. This has been largely due to
the Portland exposition, and also to the un-
usual interest that has been excited In
Canadian affairs by the enormous immigra-
ton which Is crossing the northern Dor
der of the United States. Passing through
here at this time of year you see land
seekers excursions from Iowa. Minnesota
and the Dakotas sde-tracked at nearly all
of the large towns on the prairies. and the
passengers are very enthusiastic. To hear
them talk one woulu think the entire
United States was in danger of being de-
populated.
Although the Canadian Pacific does not
reach the altitude of any of the American
roads in crossing the backbone of the hemi-
sphere. the scenery in the Canadian
Rockies is holder and grander than any
that may be seen from the trains on our
trans-continental lines This is particularly
true of a small section between Banff and
Revelstoke.
Equal to Fifty Switzerlands.
In that section of the road you can see
some of the finest mountain scenery in the
world. and Whymper the famous Alpine
climber, declares that it is equivalent to
fifty or sixty Switzerlands rolled into one.
That is very good description. This Part
of the country is very much Like Switzer-
land at this time of year, with it's maze Of
mountains covered with snow. 1t is so far
north that it gets cold extraordinarily
earlier than in the mountain passes O. the
United States. There is a good deal of rain
In September, and whenever it rains in the
valleys 1t SHOWS on the mountains, and
adds so much of interest and beauty to the
scenery. Then, again, we have up here a
glacier lying almost directly beside the
Canadian Pacific tracks. 1t is more easily
reached and can be seen to better advan-
tage than any other glacier in existence
The railroad company has built a beautiful
MOTEL at its very feet, and in half hours
walk one can reach the eternal ice and 90
as far as he likes towards the top; all
though, IT you are tenderfoot 1t would
be well to take along with you one of the
Alpine guides, which the Canadian Pacific
Company has imported from Switzerland,
The glacier is gradually melting we are
told, and, like all other earthly thinRS 80
passing away, so that those who wlsn to
see 1t before 1t becomes extinct better make
their plans accordingly. There is no i'm
mediate hurry, however, because it only
loses about thirty-five inches a year, and at
that rate will last about 1900 years longer.
L shall not be able to tell you all the
wonderful things, or to describe all of the
beautiful scenery that are offered for the
entertainment of travellers on the Cana
dian Pacific: but the road crosses four great
tot
Selkirks, the Gold Range and the Coast
Range-all of which are well fitted out with
canyons, snow-capped peaks, waterfalls
and all kinds of attractions that usually
go with mountain ranges.
Prepared for Tourists.
This part of the world is much better pre-
pared for tourists than similar regions in
the United States. They can reach the
places of attraction much more comforta-
bly,, and, in Switzerland, Norway and
other places where people go for scenery,
fishing or climbing, all the ia
clities necessary have been provided
wish the Yosemite Valley and similar re-
sorts IN the United States could have the
benefit of these preparations. The domn-
ion government has done some of 1t and the
Canadian Pacific company has done more
The latter has built a string of sixteen no.
tells, just as good as anybody wants, at diff
ferent points along its line. They are bet
ter than can be found any transconti-
mental line in the United States except the
Santa Fe. and three times as numer-
GUS as may be found on the road I
have never been in any country except
Bosnia where there are such good noun
tain hotels, or where the hotels are so
prosperous, where they have exercised
so great influence in attracting capital
and emigration to their section. The rail-
road hotels are kept open from the middle
of June to the middle of October
The railroad DeODe and Canadians
orally brag more about the Banff Hotel
than any other. 1t is a beautiful, large 0nd
luxurious house, accommodating three hun
dred people, situated in one of the most t,ic-
turesque spots in the Canadian Rockies.
The air is pure and exhilarating; the seen
cry is sublime and here, five hundred miles
from any city of size, the Canadian Pacific
company has provided as good accommodate
lions and as many attractions as are 20 be
found anywhere in Switzerland. 1t is a
health as well as d pleasure resort, for
there are hot sulphur springs. pouring out
of natural cave in the rocks. BY very
little labor the government has transform
ed this cave into a bathing pool and has
surrounded 1t by well-appointed dressing
rooms and other accommodations. 1t is
quite novelty to battle in natural basin
full of hot mineral water forty per cent
sulphur and twenty-five per cent lime.
Water Full Of Lime.
All the water about Banff is loaded with
place. 1t is impossible to use soap when
bathing, and the sheets and pillow cases
on the beds. and the towels at your wash
stand are filled with powdered lime and
magnesia. II you shake them two or three
times you will have to open window to let
out the dust. and when you crawl into bed
the sheets and pillows have sticky, creepy
feeling that is decidedly uncomforta ble
This lime powder Is deposited in the cloth
between the threads while In the laundry
and 1t cannot be shaken out. The railroad
company, which owns the hotel. has had
SO many complaints. that 1t proposes to
abandon the present water-works (Which
cost $50,OOO and seek a supply from the
Bow river, which Is not so strongly i'm
pregnated with minerals.
Banff is in the center of government res
eryation seventy-five miles In one direction
and sixty in the other, and there Is a Gus
todian, with rangers. in charge. The gov
errment has made the roads and has done
almost everything but build the hotel for