Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-01-08
WONDERFUL GROWTH OF
The CANADIAN WEST
The Cities of Western Canada
Reflect the Growth of the
Country.

AS one passes through Western
Canada, taking the City of Winnipeg
as starting point, and then keeping
tab on the various cities and towns
that line the network of railways that
cover the provinces of Manitoba.
Saskatchewan and Alberta. and cover
Ing the eyes as the gaze is bent on
these it is felt that there must be
something of country behind it all
Then gaze any direction you like and
the same view is presented Field
after field of waving grain thousands
and hundreds of thousands of them
Farm hands and laborers are at work
converting the virgin prairie with
more fields. Pasture land in every di-
rection on which cattle are feeding.
thriving and fattenng on the grasses
that are rich in both milk and beef
properties but it is unfortunate that
more cattle are not seen. That. how
ever. is correcting itself. Here we
have in a large measure, the evidence
of the wealth that helps to bald up
the cities. and it should not be forgot
ten that the cities themselves have az
citizens. young men who have come
from other parts, and brought with
them the experience that has taught
them to avoid the mistakes or eastern
and southern cities. They also are
imbued with the western spirit OF en-
terprise. energy and push, and so
Western Canada has its cities At a
banquet recently given in Chicago,
number of prominent citizens of Win
nipeg were guests. Among the speak
ers was Mayor Deacon of Winnipeg.
In speaking of the remarkable growth
of that city, which in thirty years has
risen from population of 1000 TO one
of 100000, he spoke OF it as being the
gateway of commerce and continued;
Now. how great that tide OF com
merce is you will have some concep-
ton OF when | tell you that the wheat
alone grown in the three prairie prov
inces this year is sufficient to keep a
steady stream of one thousand bush
els per minute continuously night and
day going to the head of the lakes for
three and one-half months, and in ad
dition to that the oats and barley
would supply this stream for another
four months.
The value of the grain crop alone
grown in the three prairie provinces
would be sufficient to build any OF our
great transcontinental railroads and
all their equipment, everything con
nected with them, from ocean to
ocean.
Now, if we are able to do this
with only ten per cent. of our arabic
land under cultivation what will our
possibilities be when 2SS,000.99D OF
acres of the best land that the sun
shines on is brought under the piow?
Do you not see the potent OF a great,
vigorous, populous nation living under
those sunny skies north OF the 4ath
parallel? And il with our present de
velopment we are able to do as We
are doing now, to purchase million
dollars worth of goods from you every
day OF the year, what will our trade
be worth when we have fully develop
ed the country?
''Now, who shall assist us to deVel
OPP this great empire that is there?
Shall it be the alien races OF southern
Europe or shall it be men of our own
blood and language? In the last three
fiscal years no less than 35S,0G0 Amer
lean farmers have come into Western
Canada, bringil with them goods and
cash to the value of $3.50. 100000 And
want to say here that no man who
sets foot on our shores is more en-
tirely and heartily welcome than the
agriculturist from the south.
so long as these conditions remain
| consider that this is the best guar
anty that the sword will never again
be drawn in anger between the two
great branches Of the Anglo-Saxon
race. The grain crops Of Western
Canada in 1913 have well upheld the
reputation that country has for aban-
dant yields Iof all small grains d-
vertiSement.