The Washington herald., 1909-03-28
HAPPY AT 40 BELOW
The Many Delights of February Month in the Far
Canadian West.

Edmonton, Alberta, stands about 5s.A
north latitude 1t is in tbs midst OF q
region Of deep, black prairie loan, whlef
grows excellent wheat Of both spring
and fall sown varieties Bituminous Goa
/ lies all around. is extensively mined. and
is good domestic and stationary engine
fuel Great areas Of petroleum and nat
ural gas are not very far distant. says
z. ". Thomson IN the Boston Trans
cript. The railway service is about to be
pushed from here away I'D into the re-
gions usually allotted, BY American fancy
70 the musk OK and that white purist
the polar bear II fact. those regions OF
the Athabasca and the Peace Rivers
hsye long produced the best hard wheat
These items are specified now simply n
indicate that Alberta would be q most
desirable province for adventurous people
TO settle in it II II were not so far north.
The only possible objection 20 il. for
such people. is It's climate This is usual
I ly presumed 10 be 80 uncomfortabiy cold
that life there would not be worth living
/ though the endurance might yield wealth
and health. Now, I am OF he opinion
that the climate Is one OF the chief rner-
its OF this region To deny that il is cold
in midwinter would be absurd Yes. and
often very cold. But 70 me, a. least. the
cold Is not distressing. bar enjoyable
| February is midWinter here II IS. 10 nay
taste, a Far less unpleasant midwinter
( than that OF Boston or New York Much
depends on whether enc prefers clear
pure afr. while austerities OF scenery
brilliant blue skies. hard snow walking
and driving. 10 slush. mud. murk. land
scapes Patchy, with earth appearing
| through grinay snow. As for sensing cold
Il Is far more uncomf0rtably felt on the
seacoast al ten or fifteen degrees below,
zero than here at forty degrees below,
II one be appropriately cla1. which goes
as a matter OF course. This IS but a
7, matter OF some heavier or extra outer
! clothing
Wears Light UndercIothiBE.
Your correspondent Is wearing the same
light Underclothing here that he wears ali
the year round. save his usual winter aa-
dition OF long pair OF heavy uoolen
stockings, coming above he knees. He
wears a suit OF ordinary tweed. fan
weight A fur-Ined overcast is the only
garment assumed in difference 10 The
/ thermometers reading.
Though It was thawlnE in the sun here
yesterday, and it Is mild now. last week
the temperature was never higher than
ls degrees below zero. mostly lower than
> below. and nearly % below Tor two
days and nights 7 never put in a week
[ an rtra.s=- .
ally. Yet IL was comfortable. OF course
one had TO protect ears. chin and nos
IN walking about az % or 40 below. But
that was only a matter OF turning m =
high fur-lined collar. which all ae-s and
sexes wear here. even II the collar he but
sheepslin- II one wears oyercoae. sleeves
that fall TO the knuckles one does not
need gloves or mittens. The body Is not
cold IN walking IN those low terpara-
lures, but merely aware that cold Is fend-
ed on. Il does not seem 10 me thar this
curious and pleasant sensation is wholly
due 20 the fur-hned outer clothing Al
low temperatures the atmosphere seems
surcharged with electricity, which ap-
pears 70 aid inexplicabIy IN dimlnishine
rigOr. This is matter into which
science might perhaps peer with eoasoIa-
tory effects.
Every tine ones fingers touches a metal
object. such as g match box OF radiator
there Is a distinct crackle Of electricity
II this happens In darkness. one sees the
spark II Two persons clasp hands after
a little walking. the effect IS similar
People might thus ind a hundred or more
''afhnities' in a day. which is too many
except, possibly. for the MormOns. VINO
. have. approximately. a large settlement
IN the province. This surcharginE with
electricity may account for The sense o.
activity and well-being which strangers
notice IN themselves Eyes surely sparkle
here more brilliantly than in southerly
regions Firemen may be said 10 fairly
shine They had 20 deal last week with
a large FIRE which the Thermometer de-
clared twenty-eight degrees below. The
task did not "fazez" them a bit They
saved half the block, and no hrenen were
frozen. much The ruins stand to-day
covered with large ridges Of ice. and
adorned with innumerable stalaCtites Of
tbs same. al very chaste- Perhaps Il =
advantageous 20 have pumped fluid freeze
promptly to the walls, Here IS an idea
gratuitously placed at the disposal o.
Boston hre-fghters-
Beauties OF the Sky.
That night your correspondent walked
a mile and quarter without gloves. car
rying a cane Hands not cold. To set
the display OF sky all inlaid with pa.
tines OF bright eol4" was worth comins
2500 miles for An incredible number a
stars. All the larger ones thrilling an5
as II much dilated. The wide valley N
the Saskatchewan, here running through
bottom lands 200 feet below the prafris
level showed immensely n a silver sr,.
sterity. Absolute silence, save for The
cTisping OF one pair OF rubbers on hard
snow until turn OF long. wide Jaspe-
avenue brought ears within range OF q
megaphone steadfsstly delivering the es-
scrance OF a Hot time IN the old tovr
tonight" Nothing more incredible shsT
one ever hear The music seemed echo
ing from hoary antiquity when the
paleocrystallic ice began.
A bedroom. OF which the window had
been open all day and evening. awaited
the walker Of the snow The room was
not uncomfortably cold, so hot was the
radiator That window stayed open All
night though the heater was promptly
put out OF business Now for anotber
mystery Unless wind be blowing into
the window the room never gets very
low IN temperature. though both sashes
be wide open. It seems as.if the dry
air could not enter rapidly enough "a
bring the rooms temperature below ten
or fifteen degrees above freezing point.
This Is degree in which sleep that IS
sleep can be slept. Can Il be that the
electrical conditions are such that the