Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1925-09-23


self and his family in his bleak en-
vironment. Civilizations chief con-
tributions to him have been firearms
and steel traps.
The climate of Hudson bay is very
cold in winter. Due to its high tides,
hoWever-about - feet on the average
the bay does not freeze over sOlidly,
but has large fields of broken ice, with
rough ice barriers along the shores.
In summer the days become long and
hot, and most of the ice has melted
by August. Local navigation is pos
sible much earlier. The bay is shall
low and heats up rapidly, so that the
summer water temperature is higher
than that of Lake Superior.
There is good soil around James
bay, especially on the east side. 1t is
not improbable that when a railroad
penetrates to the southern end of the
bay, settlers move in and necessary
machinery becomes available, the
James bay country may become an
agricultural and dairy region. Excel
lent gardens are grown at Moose Fac
"
and Fort George. The vegetables that
thrive in these plots are potatoes and
practically all root crops, cabbage, let
tuce, rhubarb and berries. Oats have
been grown successfully at several
posts, maturing perfectly. There are
no facilities in the region, however,
for threshing grain. Grass grows lux
uriantly near James bay and in valleys
even farther north, and at several of
the posts cows and horses are kept
Under the sun of July and August
flowers spring up everywhere. 1t is
no uncommon thing to see acres of
wild roses, wild sweet peas, violets
and other blossoms The one domf-
nantly important factor in agriculture
in this region seems to be to drain
the soil adequately.
Whites Live Comfortably.
The white residents at the little fur
trading posts of Hudson bay do not
live in the rough way that might be
supposed. Thanks to transportation
through Hudson strait in summer,
many Of the factors have well-built
houses that would not be out of place
architecturally in American or Cana
dian towns. Within are pianos, Ameri-
can and European furniture, we'll
filled bookcases, paintings, china, sill
yer and linen. Besides canned and
bottled goods of every description, the
post families have fresh vegetables
summer and winter (frOm their root
cellars in the latter case) while fish
and wild game are abundant.
Christianity has taken a strong hold
on the Indians and some of the Es-
kimos of Hudson bay. There is a
modest little cathedral" at Moose
Factory, the see Of a bishop of the
Anglican church; and at all of the
posts are churches or missions Not
every church edifice has a pastor, but
there are several ministers in the re
gion who go from place to place, and
in their absence services are con-
Quoted by the lay readers. In these
posts on the edge Of the wilderness
Sundays are scrupulously observed.
The post store is closed, no journeys
are started or work done. and the en-
tire population goes to church. In the
south the services are conducted in
the local Indian tongue, farther north,
in Eskimo. The summer visits of the
bishop are events that share impor-
lance with the arrival of the annual
ship.
So far Hudson bay has played the
role of furrier to the world In the
years to come it may add other parts
to its repertory. Agriculture, ii has
been seen, is not out of the question
in the south. Three hundred miles
north of James bay on the east coast
a large river plunges 10 feet almost
at the shore line. Undoubtedly there
is much water power going to waste
behind the great cliffs Of the north
eastern coast. Some day it may be
feasible to harness this power to fur
nish light and heat and power to the
southern settlements Reconnaissance
has disclosed considerable quantities
of iron ore and other minerals along
the east coast that it may some time
be profitable to work-perhaps with
NHS "Au " hCdlD Wy wafer power.
Hudson bays greatest opportunity
for future service however, seems to
be as a short salt water route to
Europe for the grain of the western
Canadian provinces. Port Nelson and
Fort Churchill, both at the mouths of
rivers on the west coast, have been
urged as the future great port Of the
bay. Shortly before the World war
this project was being rushed through,
and railway, connecting with the ex-
listing system near Lake Winnipeg,
was pushing toward Port Nelson. 1t
actually reached within 90 miles of it's
destination when work was abandoned
because of the war. Since peace came
funds have been unavailable to resume
work, and the track, through northern
plain and muskeg, is FALLING into dis