The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-09-28
The Country West of Edmonton

l.. c. Ward. of Wild Horse Valley,
was seen by a reporter. Mr.. Ward
spoke OF the country between Edmon-
ton and the Pacific coast.
The great differences between the
country east OF Edmonton and the
country west of that CITY," said Mr..
Ward. consists in the fact that the
country east Is prairie and the coun-
try west is timbered. Almost all the
land between the capital and the Vel
lowhead Pass is covered with poplar.
spruce and tamarac timber. This
timber Is not heavy except in few
localities. and the land can readily
be cleared. The country is not rough.
even IN the foothills and there is no
better country for mixed farming"
MIR. Ward has had n favorable ol)-
portunfty to learn the nature of the
western portion of the new province
He went first to western Alberta five
years ago with survey party. Be-
coming enamOured OF the country,
he gave up his position with the par
ty and, locating in Wild Horse valley,
became a land guide for the depart
ment OF immigration and Il freighter
between Edmonton and the Rockies.
driving also into as other parts of
the country. He has great faith in
the future of the district. believing
it to be capable of sustaining a large
population.
great advantage possessed by
the western portion of our province
tween Winnipeg and Edmonton" he
lAH &c, Sv, lad
which is to be found in every part of
it. There is no lack OF water any
where. and it is all OF the finest quail
ity. Everything that man needs can
also be grown there. Potatoes and
all garden vegetables mature perfect
ly and all grains can re and some day
will be grown in unlimited quantities.
At the present time the market for all
farm produce is very much better in
western Alberta than it is in any part
of Manitoba All the potatoes. oats.
barley. ETC.. that can be raised can
be sold to surveyors, prospectors.
miners. ETC.. at exceptionally high
prices. At the present time all the
lakes are covered with ducks and
white swans and are full Of fish. On
the Pembina river there is an extern
sive limit on which there is much
valuable timber from which the set
tiers OF the district will eventually be
supplied. All the timber that new
settler would need to begin with, how
ever, can be cut either on his own
homestead or so near to it that he
would never know the difference. On
the Pembina there is also coal de-
post seven miles long. containing
great quantities OF coal. This coal
has been submitted to experts for ex-
animation and is declared to be an ex-
cellent quality of soft coal. Above
the coal on the banks of the river
there is valuable deposit of the fin
est red granite, which will no doubt
be at some time used as building ma
terial. and will be of great value.
Many of the settlers now in the
country are engaged, during part of
the year. in hunting and trapping.
large quantities of valuable furs being
also taken by the Indians, with whom
| do a considerable trading business
in the Wild Horse valley. The most
valuable furs We get are the marten
and the mink, of which large numbers
are taken. We also get some lynx and
rat and similar smaller animals.
I'm addition to the coal of which l
have spoken, there are no doubt many
varieties of valuable minerals in the
country, awaiting development. Very
recently there was made a most i'm
portant gold strike on the Peace,
north OF Dunvegan, which, if it is one
half as good as it is said to be, will
be world beater. am at the pres
ent time arranging to take a party
up into that country to investigate and
explore. There is also gold mining
country on the Mcleod river, to which
the Indians have gone to mine gold
every year for many years, and from
which they bring away quantities of
gold. The climate is much milder
than that of Manitoba, the winters are
not as cold and horses pass the cold
weather in the open without suffering
the least.
Railways Wanted.
There are already several settle
ments made in the country, such as
the Mcleod settlement on the Mcleod
river, the Lake Ste. Anne settlement
on the lake Of that name. the Wild
Horse valley settlement and the North
Paddle Prairie settlement. All that is
needed to secure the colonization of
the country is the completion of the
railways now in course of construc-
ton. The work on these lines is be-
ing pushed forward as rapidly as the
circumstances of the case will per-
nit. The Grand Trunk Pacific has
had its engineers between Edmonton
and the mountains for the past three
years, and has very large number in
the country at the present time. The