Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-12-31
NEW CITY OF THE PACIFIC
Prince Rupert, The Grand Trunks
Western Terminus.

Victoria, Il. c. Dec Gothic new city
which the GrandTrunk PacifcRai,wav
Company proposes establishing at il !;
western terminus on kaien Island is
already taking shape. The CITY has
been named Prince Rupert after tho
cousin of King Charles II. of England.
who was first Governor Of the
Hudson's Bay Company.
A trip to Prince Rupert fills tho
visitor with the enthusiasm and
optimism which the head officials Of
the road are displaying. Imagine a
wide channel leading into a land
locked harbor mile in width. whose
waters extend far inland beyond the
expansive basin which forms the har-
Dor itself. and some idea can be- formed
OF the great port which. il may be said
without eXaggcrati0n, will be capabl,.
OF accommodating al! the fleets of the
Pacific. The spacious harnOr Of
Vancouver is frequently referred to as
one Of the finest on the Pacific coast.
1t might b" lost in that of Prince
Rupert
bringing III" shores of this great
bay. kaicn Island and the adjacent
mainland present 4 panorama of al
most unbrok"n forest, while Digby
Island stretches Itself across the on
trance to the city to protect it from the
swells Of the Pacific Mountains to-
wcring two thousand feet above the
water perform n similar office in
shielding the town from the winds
blowing off land. The green mass Of
fire and cedar is SCARED here and
there by the location camps of the
survey parties, While a small wharf
provides landing accommodation for
the coasting steamers. Apart from
these all is as yet virgin Wilderness,
The site is picturesque. The land
slopes back gently for distances rang
ing from half a mile to two or three
miles. Here and there the ground
rises abruptly, providing the necessary
1all for drainage and sewerage, Whine
a shore line five or six miles in extent
sweeps around the front of the future
city. The view from these elevated
stations and from the beach is charm
ing. On the opposite shore mountains
slope down to the water.
To the northwest. through a channel
studded with islands, is to be seen the
famous Indian village of Metlakhatla,
Known on the coast as THE Holy
City" This village was laid out by
the missionary Duncan Here he
taught his copper colored disciples to
embrace the arts and trades of the
white man and founded what was
intended to be a model settlement
Ia hot,
and his Bishop and the Indians
migrated to settlement on the
Alaskan coast. Opposite Prince Ru-
pert rises Mount Hays, named after
the President of the line. 1t is more
than three thousand feet high.
The railway men are proceeding up
on somewhat novel lines i'm founding
the city. Before an acre of land is nut
on the market the best expert advice
IS TO be obtained in planning the city
on the most up-to-datc lines. When
the official party of the railroad were
last on the Coast they saw in Seattle
houses, hotels and business blocks be-
ing torn down in order TO permit of
lowering the street grades and correct
ing other defects i'll the laying out of
that city. This is to be obviated in
Prince Rupert, which is intended to be
the city beautiful of the coast. Five
parties are now engaged in a careful!
Typographical survey of the whole
townsite. When this is complete their
plans will 20 before board of
engineers and landscape gardeners. and
they will decide upon the best lines to
adopt in building the city proper
The city itself is in a trade sense
born to the purple. Not only will it be
the Pacific terminus of the shortest
system in America
with the lowest grades Of any line
trav"rsing North America, but through
its gates will pour the vast westbound
trade of that line to the opulent Orient.
Immediately behind it lies q virgin
territory of immense potentiality. oui,e
equal in coal. gold. timber and
agricultural land TO the southern por
ton of the province. Already prcpara-
tons are being made to open IN the
great coal deposits of the Teloua. on
the main line of the railway.
Immediately in front of the civ n