Hyder weekly herald., 1931-09-02
STEWART ITS PRESENT
 AND FUTURE By H. w. M. ROLSToN Editor Stewart News

] one of the large mineral belts or l the Continent, has not been left un- touched by the present worldwide depression, but the retardation, if it is such, has been more imaginary | than real
 1 Unquestionably the difficulty in se- curing development capital for new CT properties has reduced activity and postponed for the time being the development of number of prom ising prospects. However, Impressions such as the world is now experiencing bring in their wake readjustments es- sential to greater progress. Realign- ments, consultations and savings that makes for greater economic strength and stability are affected, and human society benefits accordingly. So it Is with Stewart
 While it may be said that mining development in the Stewart district has been retarded, there is room to doubt if this is the case. Rather it can be asserted that the district has just paused to catch it's breath as I preliminary to still greater things, for which the foundations are being well and solidly laid
 In the first place the Premier Gold Mining Co. is continuing to operate, paying high rate of dividend, with ont any cut in wages.
 The Consolidated Mining and Smelt ing Go. has a situation on Big Mis- souri of sufficient interest to war rant the installation last year of a 100-ton pilot concentrating plant and if as can be anticipated future de- velopment proves that this mill was t,., ,.r,1l other large producer.
 Prospecting has continued in spite of the depression, and new discover ies have been made, thus adding to the possibility of more mines when metal prices and financial conditions improve From the standpoint of min ing development, Stewart has no cause for pessimism.
 A few years ago the strongest hydro power group in Canada, the Power Corporation of Canada, enter ed the district and in spite of the slump, has not curtailed in any way it's persistent policy of extension, ex- pansion, examination and surveys of the Canadian area. AS mark of still greater confidence in the future of the district, an American power group | dSuull fCIJ fdtddbIO "otIA waters on the Davis River, a stream emptying into the Portland Canal from the west some 12 miles south of Hyder, and have since made ex- tensive surveys which have demon strated the possibility of developing a large power project.
 Some three years ago the c. P. R.. through it's subsidiary, the Consolidat- | a6 n Smalt inc Snanrpd charter for line of railway from Stewart to Fort Graham on the Fin lay River, a tributary of the Peace River. In addition to this the same company secured very valuable water frontage at Stewart. Since that time the company has made extensive reconnaissance surveys between Stew art and the Peace River which have disclosed the fact that no engineer ing difficulties exist for the building of a line of railway from tidewater to the famed Peace River agricultural areas. The Bear River Pass through the Coast Range of mountains has an elevation of between 1900 and 1900 feet and. once through it, any one of several routes across B. c. to the Peace River are available. Sev- eral of these would pass through the only anthracite coal fields in Canada, known as the Grounding Coal area, covering something over 2000 square miles of territory. situated by air line 90 miles behind Stewart.
 Stewart is the most northerly port in Canada, that is free of ice the year round and is destined to play an important part ill the development of northwestern Canada. This is easily verified by glance at a map. Situat- ed just south of the 56th parallel. Stewart is no farther north than many great cities such as Edinburgh, Copen- hagen and Moscow. Many great and prosperous cities in Europe are sit uated still farther north.
 At the moment we have lying east and north of Stewart vast expanse of undeveloped country, rich in nat ural resources awaiting only labor, capital and ingenuity to convert to human use. This area comprises a total area of S75,437 square miles and embraces as great a variety of natural resources possibly as any other known similar area of the worlds surface; including millions of acres of rich agricultural lands, water powers, oil. natural gas, salt. asphalt beds, gypsum. every variety of coal from Ignite to anthracite, timber, fish, radium, platinum gold, silver. lead, zinc, copper, and wide variety of other minerals. This schedule Of natural resources is hard to equal Stewart is so situated geograph- ically as to be the natural seaport for all this great country.
 With the development of this hint erland Stewart will grow from vil- lage to a great and thriving port.
 The foregoing may seem to some like a fantastic dream; but is it? Let us take a look at Europe. Swed- en, Norway and Finland. comprising ATTIC square miles, with many cities. towns and industries but without the same variety of resources, sustain a