The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-09-23
PRINCE IF WALES FOR SHORT WHILE JAN HAVE FREEDOM
Lord RenfreW Has Modern Palace On His Ranch In
 Canada

living, 1t is not surprising that he should have voiced his pleasure, on his arrival here. with the cozy com pleteness of his new ranch home.
 Great changes have been made in the old Bedingfield homestead, which he purchased during his visit to
 Canada and the United States three years ago.
 For more than 25 dusty miles from
 High River, a little village lying 40 miles off the main line of the Cana dian Pacific railway and the nearest
 railroad station to the royal ranch, one motors through a country dotted with small frame and log dwellings and past old trading posts of pioneer
 days. This drive Is enlivened by an occasional meeting with a rickety
 wagon drawn by a couple of mangy, lean horses and filled with brightly clothed members of one of the nu- merous Indian tribes located in this vicinity.
 But the ranch home of the Prince of Wales suggests none of those features of surrounding country. Within recent weeks painters and carpenters have transformed the old red ranch house into a bright and modern home containing every com fort anl up-to date convenience. A big glass-enclosed sun parlor was added to the old home, which for years was noted for the hospitality extended by it's former owner, Mrs.
 Bedingfield. This kindly old lady was known as a sort of godmother to the cowboys of this section, and she is still remembered by them for the Christmas parties to which she invited them from far and wide, and none who sought shelter under her roof was ever turned away.
 No More Comfort In London.
 Even York House, the cheerless London residence of the prince, can boast of nothing more attractive than the white tiled baths and shower, the dainty electric lighting fixtures, the scarlet velvet draperies of the living room, giving a touch of old world royalty, and the modern and com fortable furniture of this ranch home tucked away in the wooded shelter of the Canadian Rocky foothills.
 Only one thing is missed from royal household fittings. There are no velvet bell cords or electric but tons to summon servants to royal at tendance. The prince objected to having these installed. Somehow, | idea of ranch life.
 An instance of ho the prince snatched a few hours of freedom from the watchful eyes of his aides and secret service men is cited, in the little incident that occurred dur ing his visit here three years ago.
 He had accepted the invitation of George Lane, cattle king of Alberta, to visit his huge ranch adjoining the royal estate.
 In the old fashioned, rather dreary ranch house the prince occupied & bed room on the ground floor. Being an early riser he wakened to pro- found silence. The only means of exit was through a little sitting room in the rear and then on through an old fashioned dining room.
 Prince Exits By Window.
 The prince scanned the depth of few feet from window sill to the ground After donning his tweeds, he climbed down from the narrow, highly placed window, and stole away to the woods, which cut off his view from the house. and gave him an opportunity to hike over the hills unmolested.
 Of course no one would infringe on that royal privilege to sleep as late as desired, but as the prince had eX- pressed himself the night before as wishing to breakfast early and see as much of the ranch as possible. great commotion followed the dis covery by one of his aides that he was missing when the early morning meal was announced.
 For few golden hours the prince, interruption from any of his suite or curious ranch folk, wandered about the great ranch, a free man, ,Nri- vi Ia Curtails Motor Travel.
 The arrival of the prince has cur tailed the large amount of motor travel on this lonely road. The Sun day previous to his arrival. as many royal ranch. Amng these were a of American tourists.
 Before the royal rancher arrived visitors to the ranch were permitted to have a look around and inspect much of the valuable stock for which his place is now noted throughout the northwest.
 Even veteran stock breeders have rubbed their eyes with trace of un- belief at the fabulous values placed on the stock at the royal ranch. For instance, one large white bull, im- ported recently from the Royal Eng fish farms in Cornwall, is valued by Prof. W. l.. Carlyle, manager of the Prince of Wales ranch, who brought this prize animal to this country, at s32, 900. It is nearly three years of age and weighs 2,500 pounds. Tax Man Shows No FavOrs.
 Sheep, cows and horses, all blue blooded stock, have valuations placed on them accordingly high. Their precious lives are well insured, too.
 r, ,;a ranch are shown no favors from the local government or the tax collector, The holdings of the heir to the British throne in the province of AL berta are subjected to the same rate of tax payments s those of his hum blest subject engaged in similar en- terprises throughout the Dominion.
 The considerable sum of taxes paid by the prince every year aids in the upkeep of the local institutions and no small rart of this applied to the fund for improving the roads, which all Albertians are anxious to see continued.
 The prince pays a variety of taxes. For example. he pays taxes on the owns, which comprises nearly one half of his ranch. He also pays an tax, covering the num- Der of Improvements to buildings which he has caused to be made from year to year since purchasing the property.
 On the leased land. amounting to more than two thousand acres, which adjoins his estate, he pays taxes to the government. And besides these items of taxation, he has recently paid an income tax to the
 Unlike most heavily taxed people today, His Highness is never fussy about paying his taxes. and always sees to it that they are paid promptly. government.
 - @u9 - A - -