Jasper County Democrat, Volume 2, Number 44, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 February 1900 — WESTERN CANADA [ARTICLE]

WESTERN CANADA

Ona off the Choice Spate on the Conti* neat for Settlement. The following extracts from as interesting letter to the Mason City (lawa) Republican, written by Mrs. S. A. Brigham, late of that place, but now of Ross Creek, Alberta, Canada, so nearly describes most of the districts of Western Canada that we take pleasure in presenting same to the attention of our readers: Ross Creek, Alberta, N. W. T„ Canada, Aug. 7, 18HU. Editor Mason City Republican: Dear Sir--We are located in the Beaver Hills, thirty miles from Fort Saskatchewan and fifty miles from Edmonton. To the east of these is an immense area of bottom lands, which furnishes abundance of hay for the settler*. It is dotted with small lakes, the largest of which is called Beaver Lake, sixteen miles in length. There is fine shelter for the cattle and horses now feeding there. The Beaver Hills are covered with small green willows which are easily gotten rid of before breaking up the land. Here and there poplar, birch and tamarack trees abound. Small meadows are numerous: The soil in these hills is much richer than the bottom lands, being a kind of black leaf mold. There is no tough sod to break, and it is very productive. Wheat, oats and barley do finely, and vegetables are the finest that can be grown. Potatoes especially are large and solid, easily producing from 200 to 300 bushels per acre, and best of all, never a “taty bug” to wrestle with. Wild fruit, strawberries, gooseberries, saskatoons tor pine berries), raspberries and cranberries are found in the hills. Small tame fruit does finely, the red and white currants in my garden being as large again as common sized ones. We have long days during the months of June and July, one can see to read many evenings until 10 o’clock in the twilight. Some nights less than three hours of darkness, and the birds are singing at 2 o’clock. Then again, it rains so easily. You look toward the west and see a little cloud coming up, a gentle shower follows, the sun shines forth again, and in a little while you forget it has rained. Cyclones are unknown here and the thunder and lightning is very light. We had two storms this summer accompanied with wind and hail, but nothing to lodge the grain. The average heat is about 78 degrees. IV e had three or four days in July at 90. The nights are always cool. The winter season is one of great activity. Ail the fencing Is gotten out then and logs for the farm buildings. By paying 25 cents you are granted a permit at the land office to cut logs upon vacant lands. The roads are good and smooth, for the snow never drifts, not even around the buildings, and this is a great saving of time to the farmer. Hay is hauled from the bottom lands all winter long, and a man can work outside every day as far as the weather is concerned. There are cold snaps when it reaches 40 and 48 below zero, but the lack of wind prevents one realizing it and the mountains 150 prf’es west of us are a great protection. Our neighbors are mostly Canadian, Scotch. Swede, and we have a n'ce sprinkling of people from the State?* The creek abounds in small fish. We are now in the midst of haymSxing (Aug. 7). Wheat will not be cCt until early September, this being a little later season than common, but the crop will be immense. I send you ». sample of wheat and barley. Its height Is almost even with my shoulders, aver age 50 inches. Newcomers lacking landers can hire their grain cut for 75 rents per aere. Prairie chickens are here by the thousands. The water is good. We have a fine ! well fifteen feet deep. In the creeks the water is soft and of a yellowish color. Then again we are surrounded with bac. -dors; we have no less than eighteen single men in this neighborhood, on matrimony bent. When a feminine gender of any age between 14 and 40 visits these hills we pi'v her, so great is the demand for her company. Can you aid us? In conclusion, if the remainder of our loved ones were here with us, 'we should better enjoy life on Ross Creek, and unless the unexpected develops, consider this will be a pretty fair place to end our days.

MRS. S. A. BRIGHAM.