118 REPORT OF THE Xo. 3 



up twelve new townships in wliicli there is a large percentage of good agricultural 

 land in which there are as yet few settlers and few existing roads. 



I estimate that $100,000 would be required in opening up 100 miles of new 

 road, and repairing and grading 50 miles of old road. 



These roads, when constructed, will allow the settlers to reach the different 

 stations along the Canadian Northern Railway passing through the Valley. 



District of Kenora. 



Leaving Uie Rainy River Valley, I proceeded to the District of Kenora, and 

 drove through the townships north-east, north and west of the town of Kenora 

 and Keewatin. In these townships I found a fair percentage of agricultural land; 

 although, speaking generally, the country is not well adapted for that purpose. 

 Where the land is free from stone the soil is fairly good, and farming is at present 

 being carried on in places with apparently some success. The difficulty at present, 

 Iiowever, is that the farmers cannot get to Kenora and Keewatin with their pro- 

 duce, except during the winter season or during the dry seasons. 



After examining the different roads which have already been opened up, I 

 engaged a small exploration party, with a view to determining what agricultural 

 land might be opened up by the continuation of the present colonization road west 

 through the township of Pellatt and west towards the Manitoba Boundary; and, 

 if possible, locate a branch road northerly to the Grrand Trunk Pacific Railway; 

 as it has been found almost impracticable, owing to the rough character of the 

 country north or north-east of Kenora, to tap the Transcontinental Railway in 

 that direction. I am glad to report that fair success has been met with, and my 

 explorer reports having been able to locate a good line of road, passing through, in 

 places, sections of good agricultural land, which will be tributary to Keewatin or 

 Kenora. The length of the road from Kenora to the boundary is 34 miles. Of 

 this distance, 12 miles were partly constructed last season by the Department of 

 Public Works, and now requires to be graded. The 22 miles of proposed new 

 road, besides opening up agricultural land, will pass through a section of country 

 on which there are considerable quantities of tie and other timber, which at present 

 cannot be reached. 



I also found good agricultural land along the Canadian Pacific Railway, east 

 of Dryden, which has been partly settled upon. The construction of a good trunk 

 road along the right of way for 10 miles would greatly assist in promoting settle- 

 ment in these sections, and enable the settlers to get their produce to a market. 



$75,000 would be required to cover the cost of these roads. 



District of lliunder Bay. 



In the District of Thunder Bay, in the sections tributary to Fort William 

 and Port Arthur, roads have been constructed in different directions leading into 

 the agricultural sections. After these roads reach a few miles beyond the limits of 

 the cities it is difficult to travel over them during several months in the summer 

 season. Many of them have never been graded or ditched, and settlers in the out- 

 lying districts find it difficult to get their produce to a market. There is a con- 

 siderable area of good agricultural land in small sections between Fort William 

 and Pigeon River, but as yet few settlers have located on the land, owing to the 

 fact that it is difficult or almost impossible to reach this land for want of roads. 

 A road has been partly constructed through the Slate River Valley and extending 



