Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1914-11-06
CARSON WELKER WRITES
FROM AUSTRALIA
Tells Of the Great Progress That Country is
Making in Agriculture, Fruit Raising, Min
ing, Etc Cities are Modern.


liza, we are indebted for the follow
ing interesting letter descriptive of
that country:
Editor Examiner am told that
a few words to your paper about
Australia would be appreciated, and
as the idea strikes me as something
which might be interesting to your
readers, I thought l would write a
few lines to you. First, let me give
you an idea of the impression had
upon reaching this country. Hav-
ing made my home on the S. S. So
noma more than nineteen days, you
may imagine that the first glympse
of land beheld, after leaving the
Somoan Islands. was very welcome.
After steering west, and west by
south from Somoa for seven days,
we reached this Southern Continent
on Nov. IL. 1912. From a great
distance we could see, rising far out
of the water it seems, vast island,
which. directly in front of the ship
was broken by what looked like a
mighty river whose enhancement
was made of solid rocks. Lowering
in perfect majesty, and about half
a mile apart, were two great lodges
Of rock, which to this opening, look,
ed like pillars placed to hold the
great embankment behind it, and
also stood as posts TO mark the ex-
act place where tis river emptied
into the sea. These were the Sgd
ney Heads. On each side of taem,
and as far can be seen, appeared a
dense foliage, broken only by mag
nificent mansions here and there.
The physical feature at first sight
was much the same as that of Ha-
waii and Somoa. We steered direct
" into the river, and on into the
beautiful harbor. Behind the tow
ering ocean wall the land slopes gen.
tly back and all along the river are
beautiful houses, surrounded by
lawns and gardens of flowers. This
is Sydney, city with a population
Of 694,86O. Naturally the beauti-
full scenes made a good impression
on me.
Sydney is the capital of New South
Wales. 1t spreads over an ares
some Is miles square, surrounding
its famous harbor. Its people arr
Of rather a thrifty class, and arr
ambitious of coping with the grea
cities of America with regards t
modern improvements. It contain
five cathedrals, and public buildings
and big public utilities, such as ex
tensiye and modern electric tran
system. New buildings are beini
erected at the rate of 800 per month
and nearly 500, ,OOO.O 900 has bee
spent in building operations in tn
last 6 years. OF the external trad
of the commonwealth last year, n
less than $4,000, 900 centred in tn
port of Sydness.
The mortality rate of the peop
of New South Wales is Cne of IL
lowest in the world. 1t is only
per thousand. The sunshine ar
fresh air Of its cities as well as !
country centers cause the death ra
among children to be exceeding
low. New South Wales is the ol
est OF Australia's States, and Il
most thickly settled. 1t has po
ulation of 1909, ,125. Sydney !
came a permanent settlement in t
year 1890 and is really the olde
settlement in Australia. The pt
pie who first came here were C
victs. banished from the over crow
ed penitentiaries of England.
first they had hard fight obtain
things to subsist upon and prote
ing themselves from the oft repe
ed attacks of native tribes. NC
however. things are different.
hostile natives mOlest the people,
fact they have become nearly exit
in all parts except the North
Territory. To subsist and accur
late wealth seems easy. ] am
that more than one third Of the
tai population of New South w
have deposits in the saving ha