Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1908-10-07
TRIPTHROUGHALBERT
EDITORS SPECIAL ON ITS WAY TO THE
MOUNTAINS.
Something About the Proxince Of Alberta
and Modern City Of Edmonton.

Something About the Proxince Of Alberta
and Modern City Of Edmonton.
At the close of the article on Cana.
da in the last issue Of this paper. we
bad progressed as far northwest as the
town of Lloydminster. on the line be-
tween the provinces of Saskatchewan
and Alberta.
A few facts concerning the province
of Alberta in general may be of in
terest. 1t is $50 miles from north to
south and about 400 miles in average
width, embraces an area of 161 800, 600
acres. is double the size OF Great
Britain and Ireland. and much larger
than Germany or France. Although
its population is only about 200. 600. it
is estimated that fifty millions could
be easily located here. The province
has three divisions, showing marked
distinctions in Typographical and cli-
matte conditions. The southern is
open and rolling, devoid of timber,
except along the streams and at the
foothills of the Rockies; the central
is more or less tlmbered, the belts OF
timber being broken here and there
by prairie openings, some of consider.
able extent the northern is in q class
by itself, and as vet bears little of
general interest to the prospective
settler or investor. Owing to the
prevailing chinook winds. Southern
Alberta has mild and equable cli-
mate. while in the northern part the
winter is usually much more severe.
It was formerly supposed that
Southern Alberta, owing to the lack
of moisture. would never be anything
more than ranching country. but in
recent years q commencement has been
made in raising fall wheat in that
portion of the province. and the ex-
pertinent las heen an unqualified sue
cess.
A short ride from Lloydminster
brought Us to Vermilion. prosperous
and promising young town, where we
spent the evening. It is but three
years old. has population Of LOCO.
and is beautifully situated in the valley
OF the Vermilionn river. surrounded
by q fairly good country. Wagons
drawn by OK teams. number OF In
dams who had come in from the coun.
try to the north to trade their skins
and furs for merchandise and booze,
and the evidences Of frontier life on
all sides were more noticeable here
than any place as yet visited. We
were most Hospitality entertained.
however, by the good people of the
town, with band concert. and re-
ception and dance at the town hall.
Early Friday morning we arrived at
vegreville. another typical western
town Of 1000 people quite similar to
vermilion. We stopped here only q
short time and then proceeded on
through q rough grazing country with
scrub timber, aud here
and there scattered farms settled ty
mainly Russians. living
in sod houses with thatched roofs
We passed an immigration train, filed
with Dukhobors. Indians. Cinnamon.
and . conglomerstion OF anything one
might look for in the way Of uni.
grants.
We greatly enjoyed stop Of AN hour
or 80 at Fort Saskatchewan. on the
North Saskatchewan river, and an in
spection of the barracks Of the ROYAL
Northwest Mounted Police. Here is q
prison where the criminals brought in
by the mounted police are kept. q new
prison being now erected where those
will be taken who receive sentences
for q longer period than eighteen
months. 1t is q verv crude affair. q
wooden structure. the cells lined with
galvanized iron.
At noon we arrived at the point
farthest northwest on our trip. the
splendid city of Edmonton. the me-
tropolis of northwest Canada. q city
which unquestionably has great
future before 1t. In general appear
ance it reminds one Of Winnipeg. SO
handsome are it's public buildings aud
larger stores. it's wide streets. beauti-
full residences. etc. Edmonton has
some 20. 600 people, while across the
North Saskatchewan river is Stratch-
coma. q city Of 5000. At Edmonton
the magnificent 81. $50. 600 provincial
capitol Is being arActed and at Strath'
coma the provincial university. . large
institution. From either city mag
view Of the river is obtained,
some two hundred feet below. 1t is
for light draft steamers.
and from its waters daily hundreds OF
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