The Washington herald., 1910-06-05
TENTS IN CANADA
COVER SETTLERS
Rush of HOmeseekers to AL.
berta Swamps Hotels.
10000 HAVE CROSSED THE LINE
TrainIoads OF Household Goods
NoFthbound Meet TrainIOads OF
Canadian Grain SOuthbound-Ex-
odus from Northwestern States
Across Border Sets New Record.

Tents have been called into requisitIon
TO care for the settlers pouring into Al
berta. At Bassano, the Dominion depart
ment OF the interior has provided canvas
shelters; also at various points along the
route travelled toward the Red Deer
River.
Never IN the settlement OF Alberta has
there been such demand for accommoda-
tions. Night after night scores OF people
have had TO sleep on hotel floors. Even
in Calgary tents may be required, for the
boom in building has produced a brick
famine.
The population OF the Western prov
fnees has been increased by 10000 people
within thirty days. Six thousand OF
these were from Europe and 1000 from
the United States. Passenger officials Of
the 800" road, owned by the Canadian
Pacific Railway. estimate that fully $1,000
people have crossed the line from the
United States this spring. The record
for the year will far surpass that OF any
=
loads Of Canadian wheat are going South
Heavy freights pass al sidings with cars
loaded with settlers goods going North,
and cars loaded with grain going South.
weather Conditions Mild.
Tho appearance OF tents at Bassano
typlhes the condition that prevails
throughout Alberta The weather has
imposed no hardships upon the settlers.
men. women and children, who have been
living in tents The temperatures have
been mild and spring farm work has
progressed rapidly. Crop conditions arc
in advance Of normal seasons, and disc
ing has been in progress for weeks.
The influx Of settlers, including the
English colOnists for the ''Teady-made
farms Of the Irricana tract. has so far
| exceeded expectations that prospective
purchasers who have been unable TO 60
in person have sent agents with certified
checks % make the selection OF their
land Many Of Ontario have done this,
one agent from there arrived with checks
and authority to buy 1000 worth OF
land
Many from United States.
One picturesque feature OF the move
ment from the United States rs that from
| the States OF Idaho, Washington and
Montana. One Spokane agent last year
/ purchased for American clients Alberta
land aggregating in value over S1.5eo.ooo
/ These American neighbors are coming IN
/ special cars IN such numbers that the
| difficulty Is not in making sales, but ir
| finding land for them TO buy. Two rail-
way land agents operating in Washing
/ ton declare their sales will total 100 sec.
/ tions each this year.
Arrivals at Strathmore, according TO the
reports. have increased each week. and
/ that town is said TO have the unique dis
| tinction of welcoming the largest mum
Der of colonists OF any town OF Ike size
/ on the continent Merchants are finding
/ it difficult 10 keep up the stocks of dry
| goods and groceries necessary TO mee'
| the demand, and the implement dealer:
are overwhelmed with customers. Prob.
ably nothing like this situation ever waI
seen during the building Of the West.
An American spectator of the drama a
Bassano enacted after q trainload o.
settlers from the United states had ar
rived. over the Canadian Pacific railway
writes:
Pitch Small Tents.
Across the track. In the deepening
| twilight, the settlers busted themselve.
preparing for the night. From the boz
cars from the States they tumbled theii
| effects in great stacks on the prairie
Covering them with huge canvas sheets
OF loaded them directly into prairi,
schooners which they backed up agains
the car doors for the purpose.
"Others pitched dlminutive tent shelters
into which mother and father and chfl
dren retired for the night, with the COW
tho horse. and the pig and the chickens
tethered nearby A regular village o.
tents they formed. What a slgnifean
link they made in the chain Of settlers
so steadily streaming northward int
the far Red Deer country. Day afte
day, IN a cloud of dust, they disappeared
over the rising prairie in their grea
numbering wagons, children, dogs, poul
| try, utensils, lumber to build the home
seed for the farm. hay for the horses an'
implements for operations, all packeC
promiscuously together into the carts; 81
characteristic OF the hegira that is TAX
Ing place back to the land. on the par
OF our neighbors from across the line.
'As a whole. a fine looking lot o
people; people with fine faces. full o
character: splendid physiqsles. evidentl.
filed with optimism and ambition. happ,
in anticipation of the fact that the.
themselves would soon take possession
of farms OF their own. Three THOUSAND
Of these people have already trailet
North this year from Bassano and ont
or two other points In tho block ant
still they come-never ceasing. And the.
bring capital, most Of them experience
and all OF them determination, courage
and zeal"
The stock OF American cotton In Liver
pool is $4,000 bales less than at this tim'
last year.