The Bowbells tribune. [volume] (Bowbells, Ward Co., N.D.) 1899-1969, 1906-04-13
VALUABLE AND ENTERTAINING.
Information Concerning the Canadian Northwest
r. W. Purdy, Who Recently Made an Extended Tour
of That Country

SASKATOON, SAsK., CAM, April 6, '06
EDITOR BowBELLs TRIBUNE:
Dear Sir:-According to promise ]
inclose a few lines giving you my i'm.
.pressions about this country, as seen by
me. Soon after crossing the boundary
line we moved through some rough
country, broken and stoney. From Es-
tevan to Moose Jaw the country COM
pares favorably with our country
around Bowbells. The towns seem to
be thriving and many new buildings are
already under way. Our first lay-over
was at Moose Jaw. fine, well-built
town with two main streets or thorough
fares one hundred feet wide. The
buildings are mostly stone or brick on
the business streets. Depot, hotels,
court house, school buildings, churches,
etc., will compare favorably with the
same class of buildings in Fargo. The
country seemingly in every direction is
as fine as could be seen anywhere. This
town draws trade for nearly one hundred
miles from the north and southwest.
We stepped into grocery store one
block off Main street and upon telling
the owner where we were from, he be-
came very courteous and told us he
came from the province of Quebec
about one and half years ago and that
he was very much pleased with the
country. "Why, SIR" said he, Eyes
terday Saturday our cash sales were
over seven hundred dollars, and we
could have done more, but could not
take care of all our customers" This
town has population of about 10, 900.
Our next call was at Medicine Hat,
Alberta, which place is beautifully sit
uated in valley, with the river on the
west, and high hills and bluffs back of
the town overlooking the river, withits
high bluffs winding through the coun-
try in the distance. The town has many
fine buildings, in fact it is generally
well built, and is called the natural
gas town. The town owns two natural
gas wells, each 1000 feet deep. One
of these wells is under perfect control,
with rock pressure of over 600 pounds,
and from it the streets, shops and
dwellings, are both heated and lighted
by gas, besides furnishing power for
the water-works, woolen mills and other
machinery, and the town can furnish
gas power for manufacturing purposes
at the rate Of five cents per 1000 feet.
It is cheaper to let the gas burn through
the day than to hire a man to put it
out and re-light. The country is most
ly used for ranching and would not be
an inviting country for farmers with a
view to raising wheat.
The country from Medicine Hat to
Maple Creek is very rough and SEEM
ingly unfit for farming purposes. Ma
pie Creek is thriving little town, but
the land is not frst-class, and is given
to sand. Swift Current is thriving
town, with many new buildings in
course Of construction. There is a good
farming country to the north of the
town and great many settlers are 60
ing in there. The country from Medi-
cine Hat to Moose Jaw, until within
some twenty miles of Moose Jaw, would
not induce many North Dakota farmers
across the boundary line.
The country from Moose Jaw to Re-
gina is mostly rich prairie, we'll set
tied. Regina has many fine buildings
that would be credit to much larger
cities. It is soon to be the capital of
the province of Saskatchewan and is a
booming town just now. Hotels, of
which there are many and spacious,
are all crowded.
Our next stop was at Hanly. After
leaving Regina we passed over some
very poor and stoney country, unless
beyond our vision. Before reaching
Davidson we were in a beautiful rolling
prairie country, with booming towns
and settlers going in from all directions.
Hanly is not what would be called a
boom town, yet it is growing fast,
many new buildings going up, and beds
scarce at any price. Lots on the street
fronting the railroad are from 81, 900 to
$1,000 each. This town is about half
the size of Bowbells, with splendid
rolling prairie in every direction.
Our journey ended at Saskatoon, a
city of some 1000 people. This town
has at least seven or eight hotels, one a
new one, built of brick and will COM
pare favorably with the Leland at Mi
not, with some 200 rooms. Two of the
others are Of frame, three stories high,
with at least 100 or more rooms each
and all full to overaowing, twoin a bed,
or cot, is the rule in nearly all. This
town has big aspirations. As one
business man remarked, "What is
to hinder US from having a second Chi
cago here?" We only hope his dream
may be realized. We felt rich for a
moment and asked the value of a lot
opposite the depot on Main street, with
an old hotel on same, and were not a
little surprised at the reply that $685.
600 had been refused for the corner.
Saskatoon is a hummer and they claim
L. - L. L