The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-09-08
Japanese Current Has Benign
Effect on Western Canada
Provinces.
IMMENSE COAL FIELDS
Lack Of Railroads All That Is
Holding Back Develop
ment Of Country.
BY q stor oor..po.den. o, TIE Sun.

citys is 500 miles north of Chicago. the
climate is more equable than in the lake
region. both winter and summer. Stu
ated 500 miles inland from the Pacific
Edmonton and the entire Province OF
Alberta are subject TO the benign in
fiuences of the Japanese current that
counterpart of the Gulf Stream of the
Atlantic.
The wide influence of this ocean cur
rent is shown by the fact that wheat
has been successfully grown at Yer
million. which Dc just 645 miles north OF
the international boundary, the forty
ninth parallel. Wheat production is the
accepted test of climate and soil. 1t is
therefore proved proposition that the
Alberta wheat growing area Is $50 miles
wide from north to south. Vermilion is
in the same latitude as the northern
shires of Scotland, south of Petrograd,
Finland, Norway and Sweden.
Edmonton is in line with Omsk, the
temporary capital of the Kolchak Gov
eminent Latitude does not always
govern climate. It is not possible to
grow wheat along the line of latitude
SIS, the Vermilion line, in the Provinces
Of Ontario or Quebec. The Pacific cur
rents make the difference: the Chinook
winds tell the tale.
People are going into the Peace River
district this year in large numbers. Pros
pectors for OIL coal, other minerals and
plain land seekers and stock men are
going In by every train. The Edmonton.
Dunvegan and British Columbia Rail
way runs right up into the district. 1t
is 406 miles in extent, and is proving to
be genuine colonization line. 1t was
built and Is operated by private enter
prise, under the patronage of the pro-
vincial government. 1t would not be
surprising II the Canadian Pacific took
1t over. for the prospects are good.
Government Loses Chance.
The Federal Government has lost an
opportunity to do really substantial
things for the settlers by helping this
road onto Its feet, so as to handle the
business that is pressing forward. But
IT preferred to pass the buck to the
provincial government, which finds 1t
rather inconvenient to finance the affair.
1t is proposed to extend the line up to
Vermilion, and run a line through the
Pine Pass, joining with the Pacific and
Great Eastern at Fort George, on the
road to Vancouver.
The Federal Government is being
urged to take over the P. and G. z.
and undertake the new lines. But the
financial outlook of the Canadian Ma
tional Railways already looks sufficiently
dark for the directors, and there Is hest
tation to take on any more lame ducks.
The c.. P. r. has systematically kept
out OF the far north country from the
very first. preferring the south line in
1885,. to get whatever trade would be
available from the American side. But
II transpires that to-day the largest de-
velopment is in the areas along the C.
n. r. Whether the C. p. r. will Ven
ture up into the northland remains TO
be seen.
The province of Alberta has guar
anteed the colonization lines to the ex-
tent of eight million, and loaned the
z. D. and b. c. line two million. Under
the accepted railway policy of the Do
minion the $50 miles of railway is en-
titled to subsidy of $1,000 a mile. But
II has not been heard to be forthcoming
yet. There is a million dollar steel
bridge across the Peace River. which is
safe and secure. but the entire road
needs betterment attention, and only
help from Ottawa or a sale to the C.
p. r. will meet the case. Two fifty mile
lines are urgently wanted now, one from
north of the Peace River and one to
Pouce Coupee Prairie.
Alberta is a great coal province, hold
ing within its borders about one-fifth
of the entire coal deposits OF the world.
These great coal fields are as yet
scarcely touched. In 1918 the Alberta
output was 6.14S.620 tons of coal, made
up OF 1912 tons OF anthracite, 1885,
334 tons Of bituminous and 8,o35, o6l
tons of domestic or Ignite coal. There
are three coal bearing horizons in Al
berta. the Kootenay. Belly River and
Edmonton formations. The coal from
the various horizons differs In grade and
quality. Seams from the Kootenay, or
Oldest formation. are exposed only in
the mountains and are very low in pres
sure. In December. 1918. there were
10,209 men employed In the coal min
ing industry in Alberta.
Recent decisive action on the part of
the executive of the United Mine Work.
ers to set aside all agitstors will, 1t is
believed. tend to settlement of present
unrest.
May Yield Petroleum,