Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1949-05-13

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dewfoundland's Future
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TN CHICAGO there lived, within
a block of my home, family
that owned a Newfoundland dog.
He was big and black, with a thick
coat of curly hair, characteristic Of
all Newfoundland. He was a beau
tiful animal, and dignified, cour-
teous gentleman.
Twice each day he walked around
the block in which he lived. He paid
no attention to other dogs, or to
people he met. passed him many
times before I detected a friendly
CLINT in his eye, and a wave Of his
magnificent tail. After we had
struck up an acquaintance we
walked together on many occasions,
and I appreciated his company so
much that I wished to know more
of his kind. 1t was not long after
wards that I arranged to visit
Newfoundland, which I presumed
was his native habitat.
arranged with two friends,
fishing companions of many sum-
mer pilgrimages into the northern
bush, to accompany me. They were
interested in the gamey, hard fight
ing land locked salmon, repeatedly
denizens of Newfoundland lakes.
From Sydney, Nova Scotia,
we crossed Cabot Strait, and
landed at Port au Bias. On the
dock, as stepped ashore, I
asked a native about Newfound-
land dogs. He had never heard
of such an animal. "In fact"
he said, "there not only are no
Newfoundland dogs, but there
are no dogs of any breed on
this island" l found that to be
literally true, and have never
discovered the homeland of my
Newfoundland dog friend. He
may be dog without a coun-
try"
Neither I nor my friends caught,
or saw any one catch, land locked
salmon. That trip was a total loss
except that saw at first-hand what
is today a new province of the
Dominion of Canada, and, because
of that, is still in the limelight
today.
From Port au Bias, on the south
west coast of the island of St. John
on the northeast coast we rode the
narrow, narrow-gauge railroad, that,
in 48 hours, traversed the $40 miles
between the two island ports.
Throughout more than 500 of those
miles there was but one town. It
is inland, some $50 miles from the
north coast. Its one industry,
paper mill, produced print stock
for the London Daily Times. New
foundland forests provide the raw
material.
Aside from that, there are no
towns, no farms, no houses in
the interior of the island. There
are only forests and great herds
Of elk. 1t is elk meat and fish
principally cod, not salmon
that form the main food sup
ply of the people, and fish, pulp
wood and paper constitute the
islands chief exports.
Newfoundland is, or was in the
mid-20s when I visited it, pioneer
crude, but it was attractive and
interesting in wild way. The fish
ing villages that line the coast are
scrupulously clean, but all much
alike with the exception of color.
Each village had it's particular
color scheme, with all houses and
the one church faithfully following
the village colors, but no two vii
lagos were alike. The range is all
the way from white, with green
trimmings, to combination of red
and brown, and every color be-
tween the two. The fisher folk are
largely of Irish descent, with those
of each village representing some
one town, one county or small Sec
ton of the old Sod Each village has
but one church.
The transportation was provided
by that narrow, narrow, gauge rail-
road across the island, or boats
around its coast line Aside from the
streets and roads in St. John, and
a few miles beyond that town,
there were no highways, and but
few trails.
At the time 1 visited New
fOundland the man who Occu-
pied the big white house on the
top of the hill was named Reid.
He owned the railroad and the
bathtub-siZed little steamers
that served the fishing villages.
He was the 'pooh-bah" of New
foundland.
Such, briefly, is Newfoundland
as saw it, and I presume it is
much the same today. It was the
first English colony on the North
American continent. To large ex-
tent it is as primitive today as it
was when the English sea captain,
John Cabot, landed on its shores,
and took possession in the name of
King Henry VII in 1897. Nearly
500 years, and still a primitive
frontier. Will it 60 forward under
Canadian rule?
The money the government pays
out, We, the people, must pay in.
When Joe Doak gets pension from
| the county. state or federal oo,,.