EDMONTON, Canada. The city of Edmon ton, capital of the province of Alberta, stands at an altitude of 2,158 feet, and is situated on both banks of the North Saskatchewan River about 800 miles west by north of Winnipeg and 946 miles east of Prince Rupert. It is approximately 300 miles north of the interna tional boundary and lies a few miles south of the middle of the province. The site is pictur esque, as the Saskatchewan at this point flows between banks 200 feet high and densely wooded. The name Edmonton is derived from the little town near London, England, to which John Gilpin took his famous ride. Throughout the 19th century the place was an important trading-post of the Hudson's Bay Company and it was only in 1916 that the moldering tim bers of the old fort were finally demolished. With the advent of railway communication with Calgary in the early nineties, the town began to develop, and this development has proceeded steadily ever since.
On account of its strategic position at the old cross roads of north and south and east and west trade, Edmonton has become a re markable railway centre. Thirteen lines of railway, operated by the Canadian Pacific, Grand Trunk Pacific, Canadian Northern, Ed monton, Dunvegan and British Columbia and Alberta and Great Waterways enter the city. Two of these are the transcontinental lines of the Grand Trunk Pacific and the Canadian Northern. The new northern railways leading to the Peace River country and to the Mc Murray district, celebrated for its tar sands, have already made Edmonton the distributing point for the rapidly growing commerce of the northern section of Alberta. Communi cation between the north and south sides of the city is provided by four steel bridges, the most important of which is an imposing structure crossing the river at a height of 200 feet. The legislative assembly is housed in a fine stone building.
The city government is com posed of an elective mayor and council and a board of appointed commissioners. Munici pally, Edmonton has become known as the ex ponent of the single tax and public ownership of all municipal utilities. The city owns and operates its own street car service, telephones, hospitals and waterworks. Whilst distributing
and selling its own light and power, the city has recently surrendered to a private corpo ration the manufacture of power.
Religion and All the better known religious bodies are represented by sub stantial edifices. Edmonton is the seat of a Roman Catholic archbishop and an Anglican bishop.
The schools are managed by an elected board of trustees, and education is free and com pulsory. There are two high schools, one on each side of the river, and a flourishing tech nical school. Higher education is provided by the Provincial University, a handsome build ing occupying a beautiful site of some 250 acres on the south side of the river. Commo dious residential buildings for students and staff have also been provided. Robertson Col lege and Alberta College, occupying its own building on the university grounds, are re the theological seminaries of the Presbyterian and Methodist churches and are in close affiliation with the University of Alberta. Edmonton is the site of an important meteoro logical station.
Industrial The most important industry is perhaps coal mining. Lignite coal of a good quality is mined within the city limits and in the adjoining country. This sup plies the local coal market, and a large trade is being developed in shipments to remoter centres. Stock-raising provides raw material for three extensive packing establishments, and in connection with these stock-yards have been established. The milling of cereals grown in the rich surrounding country is also a flourishing business and sure of healthful growth. Amongst other industries that have made a good start are brick-making, for which the local clays offer excellent material; dairy products, the manufacture and export of which are assuming large proportions; clothing, soap and biscuits. Natural gas has been found at Viking in territory close to Edmonton and the city will at an early date be furnished with this commodity. Cheap power is soon to be supplied from an extensive hydro-electric plant situ ated on the Saskatchewan west of the city Pop. (1911) 24,900; estimate in 1916. 51,000.
Wri.umd A. R. ICEnn, Dean of the University of Alberta.