Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-11

is scarcely any perceptible difference be-
tween New York and Liverpool and be-
tween Chicago and Montreal. For that
reason the merchants buy great deal
more in England than is generally sup
posed. Mr. Fisher says they bring from
the old country their mining and Dr1ck-
making machinery. their household goods
china, crockery. hosiery. fine cottons. wool
ems and other dress goods, drugs and medf-
cines, ammunition, hardware and cutlery,
and various other merchandise. but no
agricultural ma chinery-because. he says
they have not enough horses IN Alberta
to haul the English machines.
From the United States they get every
line of goods Except foodstuffs). ma
chinery and tools of all kinds. electrical
apparatus and appliances. glassware.
cheap pottery. boots and shoes. cheap cot
ton goods, and everything else they need,
although the trade in agricultural ma
chinery is the most important.
During the year 1910 the entire imports
from the United States into Canada were
valued at 1888, $40; from the British
1858, and Germany, .264. VI the
total of 1891 S52 692 imports, $241 ,961. oJ6
paid duty and $40 1871 900 came in free.
Great Increase in Trade.
The custom house at Edmonton col
lected S417, So in duties during the first
eight months of this year. as against
$219.573 during the corresponding period
of 1910, which shows an increase of 10
per cent The volume of trade for 1911
thus far is estimated at $50, 70O,O 900. which
Is 20 per cent in advance or the cor
responding period for the previous year.
The customs collections at Edmonton
for the last three years are as follows:
1908 .<S "a z.,S
1903 -..............-...'... a as, 2ss
1910 ................ 56S, aSS
1911 feStindte0b Opo,VoV
The wholesale trade. of Edmonton In
1905 did not exceed $3,OO0,tOO. This year
it will exceed S60000.O0O
In 1908 the sales OF postage stamps az
Edmonton amounted to $57 $40; in 1903.
they were $1OO63; in 1910 they were
$50, All, and in 1911 for the first eight
months they have been S6s.5o7, an in
crease OF 80 per 80 c sast y reS the cur
The bank clearings in 1908 were $SS,
1885, 496; in 1909 they were SOL, 56l ,OlS; IN
1910 they were 81. 1888. rs. and for the
first eight months OF this year they are
Last year the building permits repre-
scented an investment of $l,162,356. For
the first eight months of this year they
represent an investment Of .7O6. I'D.
The street railways of Edmonton car
ried 2,I4S. 500 passengers in the year 1909,
| and the earnings were $92.211. In 1910
they carried 1858, $50 passengers and the
earnings were $157,511. In the first eight
months Oh 1911 tucs Soiiic. 1890
passengers and their earnings were
$15s,O97.
These figures indicate the rapid growth
OF Edmonton, which has been continuous
| for several years without a boom or
lany undue excitement. Nearly ALI the
newcomers bring money with them ano
invest it in farms or homes. The popu.
lation has doubled twice during the last
six years, and 1t Is expected that the
recent enumeration, the results or wnicii
have not been announced. Will show q
population of $4,000 or $4,000 for the city.
Nearly Everybody Owns Homes.
There are no vacant houses in Edmon-
| ton. and there has not been one since
| anybody can remember. During the
year 1910 600 residences were erected.
most Of them for the use of their own
ers The others were all sold before they
were completed, and most Of them before
they were begun. Building permits have
already been issued this year for nearly
1000 houses, and they are all occupied
by the builders or purchasers as fast as
thew are completed. 1t would seem TO De
! a profitable opportunity for capitalists TO
build houses for sale or rent. Dut wnen
such a thing is suggested people explain
that they can get bigger dividends from
| their money in other ways. Some Of the
residences are quite pretentious, but
most of them are comfortable cottages
which would cost from $4,000 to $7,JOO IN
the United States. Up here they cost
about y per cent more on account OF
higher wages and higher prices for build
! ing material. There are several brick
kiins running full-biast without being able
to supply the demand. The city IL sur
| rounded by forests. and the principal In
dnstry is operating saw mills. but lumber