The Maui news. [volume] (Wailuku, Maui, H.I.) 1900-current, 1920-12-24
Hugh Howell Returns
From Hard Trip Into
Oil Lands of Canada

From long trip into northern Can
ada Hugh Howell returned to Maui
last Saturday. On his journey he
sustained a fracture of the arm and
underwent some considerable hard
ships. The purpose of his journey
was to investigate oil lands and oil
sale lands and is convinced enough
oil to last the world 1000 years can
be derived from Cahada. From Ed
monton, Alberta, he proceeded in 800
miles, 30 miles beyond the end of
the railroad.
"The getting there wasn't bad"
said Mr.. Howell "but the return trip
was something l shall never forget.
Murray, the Hudson Bay Co.'s outpost,
by an express train, composed of a
Hudson super-six mounted on railway
wheels and drawing a trailer. On the
way up / wore one suit of B. V. DIS
two pairs of heavy woClen under
clothes, khaki suit, three pair of
woolen socks, two overcoats and
woolen cap, and the trip was the cold
est l have ever taken, in spite of my
equipment"
Has Seven Fall
After the party reached Fort Nc
Murray, the members stayed at los
cabin hotel, which they say reminded
them of nothing so much as the hotels
one sees in moving pictures of the
wild, wild west. The rooms were
s X 10 feet and it was necessary to
walk quarter of a mile in zero wealth
er to meals. While taking the leao of
the party Mr.. Howell started a long
skid down an embankment, fell twice
and ended up with broken arm.
Hardships Multiply
On the return trip the party had to
wait four days at the rail head for
a train and when it finally did start
back it broke down after a few miles
travel. The second day out it made
Sc miles. The locomotive jumped the
track several times and constant calls
for repairs were being sent ahead to
the next town, usually so to 100 miles
away. The third day, the party crept
along at a rate of a mile an hour.
Finally the premier of Alberta and the
superintendent of the road came out
on a new speedster to see what could
be done.
To make matters worse food was
growing scarce and some of the half
breed guides were sent out to shoot
rabbits and partridges. One day they
brought in a deer. The special spec l.
ster in which the party travelled was
put into good working order the day
after the arrival of the superintendent
and made fast time during the night
Shortly after dark the lighting system
failed and all night the train rushed
through the darkness at a speed Of
40 to so miles an hour.
Animals Delay Trains
The travellers were in constant dang
er of striking wild animals, but moth
ing occurred until late the next morn
ing, when a herd of cattle strolled
across the track. They were seen sew
eral hundred feet away but, due to
the icy condition of the rails, the
engineer was unable to stop and one
of the animals was struck while the
train was making about 10 miles an
hour. The 300-mile trip took five days
and nights to complete.
Mr.. Howell suffered severely from
his broken arm until he could reach a
hospital in Alberta later.
Fright now" said Mr.. Howell, 81
want to pay tribute to the efficiency of
| the doctors and nurses of Canada.
The nurses are taken from the best
families there and enter the work be-
cause they love it."