“It was generally expected that the railway would reach Athabaska in November, but the contractors have met with so many set-backs, due to the weather, shortage of labour and, lately, sickness amongst their horses, that it is extremely doubtful when the work will be completed.
“As a consequence of the coming of the railway the town of Athabaska has experienced quite a boom in real estate, and the prices for lots in the townsite and for land adjoining have become very high, lots that sold for three hundred dollars last year are now exchanging hands at three thousand dollars, and land within a mile has been sold for one hundred and seventy-five dollars per acre. A great deal of building is going on and every one predicts an important future for the place on account of its many natural advantages, and its situation making it the distribution point for the vast country to the north.”
In an interview, Hon. F. Oliver, ex-Minister of the Interior, stated, after his long trip in 1910 (See p. [27]) that along the rivers passed through proceeding from Edmonton to the delta of the Mackenzie where the banks are high the soil and climate conditions are perfectly good for agriculture. So far as McMurray, conditions are entirely good for agriculture, judging from what he saw himself and from what people told him.
The minister explained this statement by pointing out that the difference in latitude is neutralized by the great drop in altitude and the
Influence of the Warm Chinook Wind.
Indian Family arriving at McMurray for Treaty.
McMurray, while two hundred miles farther north than Edmonton, is but eight hundred and fifty feet above sea level, while Edmonton had an altitude of two thousand two hundred feet.
Mr. Oliver here made reference to conditions which are to-day recognized by men of science.
According to Mr. E. A. Preble, of the U.S. Biological Survey (See p. [22]), “The climatic conditions of the various parts of Athabaska valley vary considerably, according to location. The more open portions of the upper part of the valley, though lying at a considerable altitude, enjoy the ‘Chinook’ winds, which so temper the climate that it compares favourably with more easterly regions lying much farther south. Lack of detailed data precludes the possibility of comparing absolutely the climatic conditions of the upper and the lower Athabaska; but the effects of the ‘Chinook’ winds are felt to some extent throughout the course of the river.”