Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-11
Room for 10000, 900 People.

There is room for 100000 people in
Alberta province, for it is double the
size Of the United Kingdom, which has
45OOO,OOO Of the 1OO.COO0oO acres of
farm land that is Immediately available,
only per cent has ever seen a pillow.
The cultivated farms are assessed an
average of SO 46 per acre. and the wild
land from 81 an acre upward. The SOIL
is a rich, black vegetable loan, varying
from twelve to thirty inches in depth.
with a sub-soil of clay. In other places
there Is a light. sandy soil of cOmpara-
lively low fertility, covered with a thick
growth of underbrush. 1t would be con-
sidered very good land in most cOun-
tries, but here it is worthless except for
pastures.
The climate in central Alberta is about
the same as that of Winnipeg and north
ern Minnesota and Dakota. The snow
fall is less than i'm any other part of the
Dominion east of the Rocky mountains.
1t never exceeds twelve inches. and fire.
quently will be not more than three or
four inches. No railroad has ever been
stalled by snow in the province. and
snow plows have never been needed.
The Thermometer varies 80 degrees dur
ing the year. In the middle of July and
August the mercury often runs up to
% and 100 degrees and in the winter
it will curl up down in the bulb fifty and
sixty below zero.
Alberta need not be one-crop coun-
try. although grain is most profitable
and the easiest of cultivation. DIVERSE
fed farming is beginning to be practiced.
and potatoes. turnips. carrots, cabbages.
hay and alfalfa grow as abundantly as
wheat or oats. Potatoes yield from 40
to 100 bushels an acre. and are Of fine
quality.
The Dominion census of 1906 showed a
population of 273.e59 for this enormous
area. but 1t was an increase from 73,O22
in 1901: and from 22,227 in 1891. while
N 40 TOR nv1xr
90 people in the entire province. A
census was taken last August, but the
returns are not In. The disappointment
will be universal If they do not show
at least 100000 population, and the boost
ers are claiming 10000.
Probably 40 per cent are OF Canadian
birth. 30 per cent are natives of the
United States, Ii per cent are British, >
per cent are Scotch and the rest are
Swedes. Norwegians. Russians and other
races.
The Americans are nearly all farmers,
although there are a few In every town
and city in the mercantile business and
specializing in real estate. There is a
good deal of complaint from the British
ers because the Americans want to get
rich quick, and do not contribute to the
development of the natural resources of
the country. They do not open coal
mines or drill gas wells or build flour
mills. but buy and sell real estate.
River Encircles the City.
The river Saskatchewan, wide. swift,
tawny stream with mud banks which
will remind you of the Missouri, en-.
i circles the city Of Edmonton and used
| to be Of great Importance for commerce
but the railroads have taken it's place
! The Saskatchewan is the largest river
| in Canada. except the St. Lawrence, be.
ing Loo miles long. There are two
branches, which come together $50 miles
east OF Edmonton. near the town OF
Prince Albert, and empty into Lake Win
nipeg. 1t Is navigable for light-draft
stern wheel steamers for more than SOC
miles. but the swift current and many
rapids make upstream work very slow.
Formerly the Hudson Bay Company had
fleet Of steamers engaged in carrying
furs and merchandise. and Edmonton was
the most important distributing point. but
the traf1c Is now reduced to q few small
boats and barges. hauling coal, bricks,
stone and other building material and
two or three excursion steamers. The
government is making a survey to ascer-
tam wnetner II VIII pay to deepen the
channel and keep 1t open.
s. F. Fisher. the energetic secretary of
the Edmonton Board of Trade, explained
the commercial situation to me. and said
that the river makes no difference In
freight. Edmonton has two railroads, the
Grand Trunk Pacific and the Canadian
| Northern. and the Canadian Pacific has a
branch running from Calgary to Strath-
| coma, the twin town Of Edmonton. on the
other side OF the river. To get into this
city IT Ii building a bridge that will cost
| a million and quarter of dollars, across
/ the Saskatchewan
Mr.. Fisher says that the freight from
| Liverpool IL only few cents more per
hundredweight than from New York. Al
present the carload rate for fourth-class
/ merchandise from New York Is $1.62
while from Liverpool II is $40. Rates
from Chicago are a little lower. but are
about the same as those from Montreal.
In a large consignment OF freight there