Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-10
CALGARY CAPITAL OF THE CANADIAN CATTLE COUNTRY

walton at its foot caused It to crack. and
some millions OF tons of earth slid of,
covering the railroad track and changing
the whole face OF the country. The earth
continued to rumble for days, and people
from all parts of the country came to see
the great convulsfon OF nature. It was
just after the disaster that Peter Nafsmith
went up to take look at the ruins. AS
he stood in the midst OF them great
grooming came from below him. and It
looked as though a second slide was about
to occur. All of the party ran for their
lives, and Naismith faster than any. I
asked him If he were frightened He re-
piled:
81 should say I was. I ran down that
mountain as though all the furfes were
after me. Indeed. I ran fast that one of
the local papers said that on the way
overlook Jack rabbit going at full speed.
and gave him kick, -exclaiming as did
so:
Get out OF the way, blank you; and
let somebody run who can run.
When It is remembered that a jack rab-
bit can outdistance the ordinary horse the
strength Of this remark will be apparent.
A Gold Brick Story.
AS a rule order is good in the ranch
country and confidence men comparatively
scarce. The old stagers here are on the
outlook for swindlers, but nevertheless
some of the best Of them are badly taken
in. A recent story Is told concerning the
selling of gold brick to a bank manager
and newspaper editor of Calgary for the
sum of S12 600. The Canadian bankers
are the shrewdest of their kind, and the
manager Of this branch at Calgary has
been long in the business. Nevertheless
when an old man came into the pank
few months ago and told how he had dis
covered a gold mine in the Rockies and
taken therefrom enough dust to form two
large bricks he listened. He also men
toned the fact to the editor, and the two
again heard the story
1t was so full OF details that they con-
Guided it was true, and they went with the
old miner to his shack, far away from the
railroad Ia the wilds of the foot hills w men
they reached there they found an indian
with a rife guarding the cabin and saw UNI
earthed two big bars of gold. They were
made to believe that the Indian meant basi-
ness, and that IL the gold was not taken as
per contract their lives would probably De
lost The result was that they paid over
the S12O and took the bricks back to Cal
gary Before describing their find they car
ried the gold to an assayer, who reported
upon 1t as pure. They then announced their
discovery but others suspected that there
might be- a trick, and at their suggestion
the gold was tested again. The second as
say, by a new scientist, showed that the
bricks were nothing but copper with thin
wash of gold on the outside. The first as
sayer had Eeen fixed, and the supposed In
dian was merely one of the swinalers+ dress
ed up for the occasion As a result the
manager of the bank lost his job, and L
have been warned not to mention the words
gold brick in the editors hearing.
Parson Barr and His Colony.
1t is wonderful that there are not more
swindIes perpetrated upon the new colo
nists. Those coming in from England are
the greenest of the green, and it is only due
to the government emigration bureau that
they are taken care Of. Take for instance
the Barr colony. This consisted Of 200
English men, women and children, brought
In by Canadian Episcopal minister. who
wanted to esta blish community which
should contain nothing but Britishers. The
people arrived here in M1dwinter, and they
were somewhat taken In at Saskatoon,
where they left the railroad and began their
1To-miIe trek to their homes In the wilder
ness. Later on some became disguised and
flocked to the cities. Others remained and
are gradually being ground UP into sood
citizens.
Speaking of the ignorance of these colon
lists numerous stories are told OF their
antics One poor hooligan was instructed
by the immigration agent how to handle
the oxen, which were to carry his goods
from Saskatoon across the prairie. He was
told to hobble them at night so that they
could Craze freely; but also in such q way
that they could not get far from the camp
before morning. He was also told to lock
his rear wagon wheels upon starting down
a steep hill and was shown just how to do
both. The immigrant said he understood,
and started off. The first hill he came to he
carefully hobbled his oxen and started
down. AS a result the wagon ran over
them; his wife and children and provisions