Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-09-19
BIG PUBLIC DOMAIN
Natural Resources and Forest
Reserves of Canada.
SYSTEM OF CONSERVATION
Dominion Government Follows Ex
ample Set by United States.
LAKES. MOUNTAINS AND RIVERS
Bodies of Water Miles in Extent.
Recreation Places Monopolized
by Americans.
SYSTEM OF CONSERVATION
LAKES, MOUNTAINS AND RIVERS
BI WILLIAM T.. CURTIS.

t.
Special Correspondence Of Tho Star and the
/ Chicago Record Herald.
ALGONQUIN PARK. September is, 1911
/ The Canadian government has been
| following the example of the United
States in the conservation of natural re-
sources. in making forest resources and
national parks, and protecting the timber
| on the public domain from destruction
by fire and thieves. During the admins
tration of Sir Wilfrid Laurier a large
section of the province Of Ontario, north
OF line drawn from Ottawa cross from
| Lake Huron, has been preserved as parks
| and Fairgrounds. which are being utilized
| by thousands of Americans every sum-
mer. although the Canadians seem to 20
elsewhere. The province of Ontario ex-
| tends from the lake Of that name north
ward to Hudson bay. There is very little
| agricultural land and very little that is
| fit for grazing. but it is covered with in
| terminable forests and innumera BILE lakes
| of different sizes, some mere ponds
others covering many square miles of
area.
When / asked the number OF lakes of
Canada | was shown a map and was
| told to count them for myself, and then
multiply the number l found by ten. in
order to get in those for which there is
no room on the map The topographers of
the Dominion government have charted
| between twelve and thirteen thousand
| lakes that are more than ten miles square
and there are probably ten times as
| many of smaller size. One authority
estimates that 30 per cent of the area
of the Dominion north of the forty-sixth
parallel is water. There are 3S 400 islands
marked on the chart of the Georgian
bay, which indicates that nature is a
tSp<< II 1,
Monopolized by Americans.
Americans from New York, Ohio, Penn
almost monopolizinS the hunting and
fishing preserves in Canada. The lakes
/ have described are generally we'll
stocked with fish, and in the spring and
| fall the ducks. wild geese and other birds
| There Is no such game preserve in the
world as may be found in northern On
| tario. although hunting is not allowed
| within the national park moundaries. and
/ the carrying of firearms, with the ex-
ception of revolvers. is prohibited The
| woods filled with deer. which may
be seen on the banks of every lake and
| river. feeding upon the lily pads
| or coming down to the waters edge
to drink Moose. although not SO plenti-
| full as the deer. arc increasing in numbers
and are go tame that they can be touched
| by the hand. A friend of mine declares
| that once he stroked-t the head of a moose
swimming in little lake as he passed j.
| in his canoe.
| There are many fr-bearing animals
| also Beavers are particularly numerous
| and every lake and stream bears witness
| to their genius as builders and their busy
| industry. Near Algonquin Park station
! is a beaver dam nearly a half mile in
length. upon which those curious animals
| may be seen daily making repairs. and
| that only nights ride from Toronto.
! Canada is the only part of North Amer
lea in these DAYS where such things can
be seen. but Ontario. Anly few hours
| ride from Ottawa. is an untrammeed
| wilderness of forest, mountains. rivers,
| lakes and streams, which are as com
pletely natural as they were the day
| after creation. The Indians are gone
i! practically all of them but YOU will be
| reminded of the aboriginal occupants of
| these romantic regions by the nomen-
| clature which has been preserved.
! Names of Many Syllables.
| Fine old musical names are attached to
| the lakes, rivers and the mountains which
are much more appropriate than Skunk
hollow. Bitter creek or Burke crossing.
One of the lakes is called kaeweambel-
wagamot Another is Waubaushene and
you can find all of the following: Nip
| pising Timiskaming. Magatawa, Pogo
masing, Maniwaki, kipiwawa, Peta
wawa Wahawi, kawpakwakog Muskoka.
/ Kenissis and Omenee.
A sweet Canadian poet has woven the
musical tones of these tongue twisters
| into verse:
| Back to the wild again. show me the way,
WonIrous Temagami. Wasacsinagama:
Low waves that wash up the shado'vy shore
North OF the Nippising. up the Temiskamng.
| We will back and sing to you enchore
| Chrystal Tcmagami. Wasacsingama.
| Swift running rivers and skies thar are bine;
l Out ho ieena rp n,
| Rock me to sleep in my-litue canoe
| The most convenient of the summer re-
treats Is the National Algonquin Park, |
about 2OOO,OO0 acres and 100 lakes. with |
| an average altitude of 1,I0o feet, 200
miles north Of Toronto and 10 miles west
| of Ottawa. The Ottawa division of the
| Grand Trunk railroad traverses the park
| for twenty-seven miles and has several
| stations. the most convenient being Joe
| Lake and Algonquin Park. At the latter
| station is plain but comfortable hotel, |
| accommodating d hundred people or more.
which is kept open the year around. for
in the winter skating. skeeing, snow shoe
| climbing and tobogSans are as popular as
fishing and canoeing in the summer. AL
though Americans seldom come here In
the winter time, they fill the house in the
summer and have cottages on the banks
of the lake in every direction Many of
| them are hay fever sufferers: others are
troubled with asthma, for which this at
mosphere is a specific.
Cottages Owned by Visitors.
Many families come every year and
have their own cottages, cabins or camps.
which may be erected by permission of
Mr.. Bartlett, the superintendent, and
under his supervision on the payment of
an annual fee of 81. Everybody is ex-
pected to pay 81 contribution to-
ward the upkeep of the park. Some of
the cottages are quite elaborate. One of
them sold for 81 500 last spring. Most of
them, however, are very primitive, for it
is Wild rough life that is sought