Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1911-01-19
THE GROWTH OF TOWNS
IN WESTERN CANADA
A BAROMETER OF THE GROWTH
OF THE AGRICULTURAL
DISTRICTS.

The traveller passing through
country is impressed favorabIy or 9th
erwise by the appearance of the towns
along the line Of railways. AS they
appear prosperous and Of healthy
growth he at once assures himself
that there is either a local industrial
factor to cause It, or a splendidly
developed agricultural area from
which is drawn the resources that
contribute or make for the growth
that is SO readily apparent. On the
other hand, If evidence of impover-
ished streets, badly appearing resi-
dences and business places and leth-
argic citizens, there Is an absence Of
local industry and surrounding agri-
cultural prosperity. There is no line
Of railway, whether main or branch,
throughout western Canada, that
through the towns or cities that are
built along the ribs Of steel do not
convey the most favorable impression
The cause is not always apparent, but
the facts are there and easily seen.
In most cases the growth and the sta
bility of these towns are caused by
the excellent agricultural districts
that are tributary; In some cases.
manufacturing enterprises have
sprung up, caused By the agricultural
demands and needs The Winnipeg
Free Press and the Edmonton BulIe-
TN have recently sent corps of cor
respondents through the provinces to
secure data concerning the growth of
the two or three hundred towns that
have come into existence during the
past two or three years. The partic-
ulars make interesting reading, and as
one reads of the station house, the
blacksmith shop, the boarding house
and the store of April, being dWarfed
in August by a hundred or more dwell
ings, by large hotels, by splendid
stores, and q half dozen implement
warehouses, not forgetting the two or
three churches and the excellent pub
tic school buildings, it causes one to
stop and think if they ever heard of
such marvellous changes. Certainly
not often. These are facts, though, as
related of western Canada Then,
too, there are now cities-yes, cities
of from ten TO fifteen thousand people
where five OF six years ago there
was but the bare prairie and the iDne
section post. The changes in the Ca
madam West during the past eight
or ten years have been marvellous
and 1T is no idle tale to say that the
development in number and gps9fth of
the cities, towns and villages there
in the past decade has ecIipsed any
thing H. the history of the building of
a new country. Agriculture 3GfB been
the basis, and it is agriculture oof the
kind cz31at is lasting. The ease with
which an excellent productive farm
capable of yielding q splendid living
and aarge profit to the operator, is
slch that it has encouraged thousands
to follow that pursuit, and ALSO Jother
thousands on the limited and oexpen-
siTe farms throughout the Central
Western States as well as some of the
Coast States, to enlarge their field of
enterprise. The climate rs excellent,
anE Just the climate that Fa desirable
for the healthy growth az man and
the products of the field. All lVarie-
tieE nof the smaller and bel9er paying
grains are raised, and generally with
every assurance of good fslEs. With
government supervision OF railway
rates, splendid markets are rcentain,
aN& the highest prices realized The
Dominion Government, that has been
carrying on a propaganda of securing
settlers for the vacant lands, issues
literature descriptive OF Those avail
able in the provinces, and On request
OF your nearest Canadian government
agent, copies win be forwarded free.