The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-08-04
RAILROADS RACING
 FUR SUPREMACY Canadian Pacific Will Outhank
 Dominion Rivals TO TAP WHEAT COUNTRY Railroad War Is On In Western and Northwestern Canada to Reach
 Rich Grain Fields In
 That Section.
TO TAP WHEAT COUNTRY

Calgary, Alberta, August S.-The Cana dian Pacific railway has announced that it will meet the proposed invasion of it's territory by the Grand Trunk and the Canadian Northern, by running an exten- sion of it's own north from Lethbridge into the heart of the rich wheat country that the other roads are preparing to cross. This means that four railroads have begun the most exciting railroad building race in the history of Canada, with the territo<y east of this city as the goal
 The increasing importance of the south ern Alberta winter wheat crop, which is largely grown by American farmers. who have emgrated from the states, is re- sponslble for this sudden activity, and the story of the chain of events leading up to the Canadian Pacifics announce ment forms a vivid chapter in the TO- nance of railroad map-making.
 First In the Field.
 The Canadian Pacific railway was the first in the field and for years handled the entire grain crop of southern Alberta, then worth less than a million dollars, When the Grand Trunk decided to build west to the coast it's officers saw that it would have to have some of this traffic so the Grand Trunk announced that 1t would build branch line from the north Saskatchewan river to Calgary This was followed by rumorS that the Cana dian Northern intended running an eXten- sion down to Calgary, sowewhat west of the Grand Trunk route. Then Jim Hill set every one by the ears with the an nouncement that he was going to join the contest by bringing the rails of the Great Northern from Montana right up into the heart of the disputed territory.
 The total crop of Western Canada vas then worth $l00000,0 GOO. and Sir Thomas Shaughnessy president of the Canadian Pacific, signihed his purpose of holding control of it's transportation by issuing hs famous pronunciamento that he would build two miles of railroad in the United States for every mile Hill built in Canada, Since then the crop has increased still more in size and value, in the face of q shortage south of the International line, and the Canadian Pacific has at last taken active steps to meet the competition of its rivals by building ahead of them and directly across their proposed routes.
 Exact Course.
 The exact course of the extension from Lethbridge has not yet been announced, but it will strike north through the fertile lands cast of this city, and will probably cross the main line of the railroad d a point between Cheadle and Strathnlore. This will open up a new section of the companys 300000O acre tract of farm land which it is bringing under irrigation l This is the largest irrigation project on the continent and Is the principal reason for the desire of the Canadian Pacific | to build ahead of it's rivals. The terri tory affected is larger than the combined l states of Delaware and Rhode Island, l and neds only the assurance of water to render it the finest kind of farming couh- try, says pr. Elwood Mead, a United States government engineer, who recently i investigated It.