The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1908-08-19
ENAMORED WITH EDMONTON.
Our Correspondent Attracted by This
Beautiful City of the Far North.
Cor. Gazette Concluded.l

our outward Journey was Edmonton
and think the most of US completely
lost our hearts there. We had been
more and more astonished as we
proceeded on our way, at the beau
tiful country through which we were
passing. One cannot obtain even a
faint idea of the greatness Of west
ern Canada without making trip
through it. Its rolling prairies,
patches of timber, valleys, hillsides,
here and there lake or river, all
combine to make most picturesque
country. And combined with this
the thriving appearance of all of the
towns and villages, the magnificent
crops on all sides, and the energetic,
courteous people we meet at every
place. Edmonton completely capti-
waited us. 1t is perhaps the farthest
north of any place we visited 1905
miles from Winnipeg and 200 miles
from Calgary a population of
10000. 1t is beautifully located on
the south bank of the Saskatchewan
river. has wide streets and fine pub
lie buildings. 1t has grown so fast
that the streets have not kept up
with the building, but time will i'm
prove that. Several lines of rail-
road are there and more are prom
Used. They claim it will be the Chi
cago OF the northwest, and it GER
tainly gives great promise.
1t is the capital of Alberta. A fine
Parliament building is being erected
at a cost of 81 ,250,OOO. On the OPP
posite side of the Saskatchewan is
another city of 5000 Strathcona,
called the university city as the uni
versity Of Alberta is located there.
These two cities are called the Twin
Cities of the north. We were espe-
cially struck with the fine flowers
growing in the parks and residence
grounds in Edmonton. Also noticed
fine vegetable gardens. We were
told that the season is not long
enough to ripen cucumbers and to-
matoes, as these vegetables have
to be grown under glass. But they
are successfully grown in that way,
for we saw one green house there in
which we were told one ton of to-
matoes had been picked already this
season. One of the larger industrial
plants shown here was a very
large packing establishment that has
recently been sold to the Swift COM
pany.
On returning to our train, after a
dinner at one of the five hotels there,
and afterwards an automobile ride
all over the city, many expressions
of delight were heard. and many
there were who declared their read
mess to move there at once.
Calgary is perhaps better known
than most of the cities in western
Canada. 1t has a population of g.
600 and is the largest city we visited
outside of Winnipeg. 1t is situated
on the banks of the Bow river, a
swiftly flowing stream of water,
having it's source in the Rocky
Mountains, the stream being the
source of the city's water supply.
Canadians do not favor the system
of enriching corporations by giving
civic franchises on their public utili-
ties, so like most of the Canadian
cities. Calgary owns it's own water
works system, electric light plant,
crematory and street car system. 1t
has II public school buildings, a fine
ly equipt high school, beautiful
Normal school built of Calgary sand
stonewhich stoneis largely used in the
erection of the public buildings and
business blocks here and does much
towards giving the city beautiful
an substantial appearance. We
were shown here fine Y. M. C. A.
building which cost 100000. How
ever, the one thing that made the
most lasting impression we received
of Calgary was the magnificent view
we got of the city from the
opposite bank of the Bow.
We were driven about the city and
finally just at sunset taken to the
high bluff for the view. It would
be impossible to describe it. It was
soul stirring" 1t was our first
sight of the mountains, 60 miles
awav