282 Our North Land. 



the countries beyond the Pacific over the waters of Hudson's Bay 

 and the proposed railway in question. 



The region of the Athabaska and Peace Rivers, embracing a 

 territory of over 200,000 square miles of exceedingly fertile soil, yet 

 unpopulated, must, in the progress of events, become the home of 

 millions of producing inhabitants. Such a population will be nearer 

 the markets of Europe than are the farmers of western Ontario, and 

 will by this route be able to maintain a direct exchange of products 

 with the merchants and manufacturers of Great Britain, independent 

 of all other countries in the world. Looking at this proposed line 

 of railway in connection with the Hudson's Bay route, with a con- 

 sideration of the great productive areas that it traverses, one is 

 overcome with the magnitude of the future prospects of our country. 



But there is another railway line projected on the map before us, 

 called the Calgary, Prince Albert and Hudson's Bay Railway, 

 traversing the entire Saskatchewan Valley — a stretch of fertile lands 

 containing more than 300,000 square miles, portions of which are 

 being already rapidly settled. These areas will also become one day 

 the abodes of a mighty industrial population. The great Saskatche- 

 wan Rivers and their tributaries, flowing toward Hudson's Bay, 

 point out the direction of the future commerce of these territories ; 

 and the proposed transportation line of which we are speaking must 

 become the highway over which the immense tonnage of bread and 

 beef and pork, and other products of that region, will find its way 

 to the natural outlet over the waters of this inter-ocean. And why ? 

 Because the route projected before us is immeasurably shorter than 

 any other by which this future population will be able to reach the 

 great markets of the world. 



This map also shows a line running from Winnipeg to the shores 

 of Hudson's Bay. It is projected on both the east and west sides 

 of Lake Winnipeg. Already the people of that city have taken 

 active steps to secure the construction of this road. The Canadian 

 Parliament has granted an immense land subsidy, and some effort 

 has been made towards the organization of a company with sufficient 

 means to undertake so great an enterprise. There are many diffi- 

 culties in the way at present ; but not many years will elapse before 



