All the rivers and lakes could produce good timber. There are millions of cords of spruce for pulpwood.
Mr. Conroy, in a report to the Superintendent of Forestry, January 17, 1910, wrote:—“That part of Athabaska river north from McMurray to Smith landing is fringed with a heavy growth of spruce and black bark poplar. The spruce is quite large, and from an economical standpoint will be of great value in the future. A considerable part of this country is also excellent for agricultural purposes. From McMurray southwest to Athabaska there is quite a quantity of valuable spruce and poplar which has been saved by the watchfulness of the guardian, William Biggs, who makes his trips up and down that section of the river. He is one of the most useful men in the north.
During the summer of 1910 Mr. W. Hayes, a capitalist and manufacturer of Duluth, Minnesota, made an exploratory trip through the Athabaska country with A. Violette. Mr. Hayes stated in an interview on his return to Edmonton that there was timber enough in Athabaska district to supply western Canada for the next half century. Agricultural prospects, he declared, could not be better, while copper, iron and gold had been found, and also petroleum, asphalt, limestone and oil. Fishing could be developed into quite an industry.
Interviewed in Edmonton after his long trip in 1910 (See p. 27) the Hon. Frank Oliver, Minister of the Interior, stated:—“All the way from Edmonton to Fort Macpherson the country, along the rivers at least, is level and forested. There is no prairie. On the upper part of Athabaska river the banks are from one hundred to two hundred feet in length, and the country is well wooded. There is a considerable amount of spruce of good size, but the timber is chiefly poplar. The country has at one time been altogether under spruce, but fires have wrought havoc in it. The explanation of these fires is that all freight for the north country goes down Athabaska river and the men who steer the scows down walk back along the banks. They are careless with their camp fires and the result is a continual danger of further destruction by fire.”
With such knowledge as we now possess it is safe to say that within a few years the water powers of the section of country under review will constitute one of its most important natural assets.
