East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1906-08-29


gained on an average Of $500 each
week, a large percentage of which
immigration was of English speaking
peoples. What is the explanation of
this wonderful influx of settlers for
there must be reason for the ever
swelling tide which is flowing north
from across the border, as well as
from the long settled portions OF
Canada in the east, and from the
European countries. The reason Is
not far to seek. England's popula-
ton is 55S to the square mile; that
of the United States is only 81 to the
square mile, while that or Canada Is
only LIS to the square mile. Think
of It, A vast domain, rich and fer
tile lying unfenced and unpossessed!
As long as there is frontier, as long
a.. there is a country where there is
elbow room, the hardy and adventur-
Gus will press on to possess 1t. That
is what has happened here. Those
who came first prospered and as the
years rolled by the fame OF the grass
clad prairies of Alberta, Manitoba
and Saskatchewan spread, and yet,
though the old settlers sigh for the
time when they could ride all day
across the prairie and never see a
fence and though they repine at see
in gthe country filling up to show
how little cause they yet have for
complaint. It is only necessary to say
that of Canada's estimated wheat
growing area of III million acres,
less than three per cent is under cul-
tivation. You may see "A wheat field
perhaps quarter section, while the
wild prairie grass rolls up on all sides
untouched of man. Think of IT.
Three per cent of her wheat growing
area in cultivation and from that
small area 63.3Sl, 9O9 bushels were
marketed during the year 1905 at
Canadian Pi&ific railroad points,
which does not include the wheat
used as seed nor used locally; 1t only
means the wheat deposited for ship
ment What will IT be when so per
cent of her wheat growing area Is
producing grain? And it will not be
many years till her wheat yield rs
multiplied many times, for each sea-
son sees thousands of new settlers
afield with their plows, while the
black. loamy sod turns under the
ploughshare's insistance. A year or
two ago level, wind-swept prairie
with herds of cattle browsing con-
tentedly on the succulent and 1uxuri-
ant grass; now-fences, new cabins
wheat fields, school houses and new
villages. The sleeping peauty Is
waking to life at the magic touch OF
Prince Charming. For the past two
weeks | have been riding by train
by buggy, by wheat wagon and going
afoot over the heart of the wheat
belt of southern Alberta and it has
been revelation to me. I have stop
ped at High River, Cayley. Nanton
Claresholm. Lethbridge, Red Deer
Innsfell, Edmonton and Medicine
Hat and other points, so tnat l know
whereof | write. for l have made II
my purpose to talk to the farmers
both the old settlers and the new
comers, and | am going to give, 81
nearly as am able, an accurate re-
port Of The conditions here, not eX
aggerating the good features moi
CLOSING over the bad ones, for 1t ha'
both as have all countries else were
we to find a country with no draw
backs surely we would have dis
covered the lost Garden of Eden.
But now to my description. First
you are struck by its greenness, fal
as the eye can see there is n thcl
carpet of grass, broken here and ther,
by stacks of hay. where the gild grass
has been cut and stacked. Next yor
are struck by the prairie nature o.
the country. You can see for miles
and miles, long level stretches ol
slightly rolling hills. Next you notice
IT is land of lakes,-dozens ant
scores of them, and on the lakes are
ducks and water fowl beyond the
power of mans computation. This II
their breeding ground and here yor
viii see the downy little things like
balls of puff, a week or 10 days old
skurrying after their mother on the
water or in the grass at the edge OF
the lake. You cannot go far without
seeing how fat and prosperous-lCok
ing are the cattle. The next thing tc
impress you is the newness of every
thing-new cabins, new villages. new
fences and barns, in fact, It is so new
that you will often see a freight car
sidetracked while n new settler is un.
loading his household goods and farm
ing gear to move in and take posses
sion OF his homestead. While wa.
at Claresholm I ran across a young
man named Armstrong, tailor
"My two brothers and myself came
here three years ago." he said. "Botf
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