Western Canada and its Great Resources
The Testimony of Settlers, farmer Delegates and high Authorities

18 WESTERN CANADA The Report of Seven other Delegates. We visited the country north and south, east and west, of Edmonton, for miles, and found a country that could not be surpassed for grain-raising or mixed farming. There are numberless good meadows, and it would be hard to find a farm without a good grove of poplar, spruce or tamarack—in fact, all the wood necessary for building pur- poses. There is an abundance of clear, fresh water in all parts, and good building lum- ber can be bought from $15 to $18 per 1,000 feet. Finer cattle and sheep we have never seen. The climate is all that can be desired, as it is not nearly as cold there in December as it was in Dakota and Minnesota in November, when we left the Red River valley. Good coal can be had all along the banks of the Saskatchewan and Sturgeon rivers for the taking out, or can be bought at the pit for about $1.75 per ton. We have no hesitation in advising all who wish to better their condition to come to the Canadian North-west. John J. Scott, Lake City, Minnesota. Martin Nilson, Bellmont, North Dakota. Tuos. Oliver do do Aleck Asher do do Robert Ritchie, Carman, Minnesota. James Miller, Crookston do E. C. Smith do do The Report of three gentlemen from Cooperstown, N.D., who spent several WEEKS INSPECTING THE CANADIAN NORTH-WEST : On arriving at Winnipeg we found a beautiful city of 27,000 inhabitants, with large solid buildings, which not only goes to show the enterprise of the people, but also that they have every faith in the country that backs it. We then, proceeded to Portage la Prairie, where we found a large stretch of land in the vicinity, which cannot be surpassed for grain-growing on this continent. We also found a good farming country extending as far west as Broadview, which was as far west as daylight would permit our seeing the country. We then proceeded to Regina, the capital of the Great North-west Territories, and here we found a good agricultural country for miles around. We also noticed the fine substantial brick buildings in. this town, which shows that enterprising business men have faith in the town as well as the surrounding country. From here we took the “ Regina and Long Lake Railway ” to Prince Albert, and after reaching Saskatoon, and from thei’e north to Prince Albert, we found a country that cannot be excelled for mixed farming. You can scarcely find, a section without lots of hay, timber, fresh water and arable land; we were told that that same stretch of country extends as far west as the Rocky Mountains along the valleys of the Saskatchewan. We next proceeded to Calgary; there we found a beautiful town, 3,500 of a population, with buildings that would be a credit to a town three times its population, with a fine country surrounding it. Proceeding northward on the “Calgary and Edmonton ” road, we also found a country that is hard to beat. Prairie dotted with groves of spruce, poplar and pine, also numerous small lakes and creeks of fresh water; a park like country in its appearance. The soil is from one to four and a half feet in depth of black loam with a heavy subsoil—in fact, we think this and the Prince Albert district the garden of the North-west. We wish to express our appreciation of the kindness and attention shown us dur- ing our five days visit to Prince Albert, where we were well received and given, every facility to inspect the outlying districts. F. B. King, J. H. McDonald, A. T. Bowden, Cooperstown, Griggs Co., North Dakota.