IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) ! 1.0 I.I 11.25 121 12.5 1^ Bii 02.2 m m Hi Hi u 14.0 I 2.0 Photographic Sciences Corporation 33 WIST MAIN STREET WeeSTIR.N.Y. 14S80 (716) •73-4503 I/. CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHM/ICIVIH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions / Institut Canadian de microreproductions historiquas Tachnical and Bibliographic Notat/Notas tachniquas at bibliographiquaa Tha Instituta haa attamptad to obtain tha baat original copy availabia for filming. Faaturaa of thia copy which may ba bibllographically uniqua, which may altar any of tha imagaa in tha raproduction. or which may significantly changa tha usual mathod of filming, ara chackad balow. 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Un dee aymbolea auivanta apparattra aur ia darniAre image do cheque microfiche, aelon ie caa: la aymboie ^^ aignifie "A SUIVRE", le aymboie V aignifie "FIN". re Mapa, platea, charta, etc., may be filmed at different reduction ratioa. Thoae too large to be entirely included in one expoaure ara filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, aa many framea aa required. The following diagrama illuatrate the method: Lea cartea, planchea, tableaux, etc., peuvent Atre filmto A dee taux da rMuction diff^renta. Loraqua le document eat trop grand pour Atra reproduit en un aeul clichA, 11 eat film* A partir da I'angle aupArieur gauche, de gauche i droKe, et de haut en baa, en prenant la nombra d'imagea nAceaaaire. Lea diagrammea auivanta illuatrent lu mAthode. i errata id to It ia palure, qon A i: 1 2 3 32X 1 2 3 4 5 6 A..iA^'$^ V id ^:^V #v-"i v^ *^ • f! t;'t *'i«i«^/ij- kW 'f ^-' j"*<(«'S '"' ' si's "WMmitw-Tftic > . I IT > M i 1 ^jffii its^V' ?''!?:i'I 'mf.i- i x:;^ ; ^•n. I I I ' ' I I >'( I I.I 4 A \r^' OF PART OF SHOWING SURVEYED TOWNSHIPS ALONG RX^IMV RIVELR fel Department of Crown Lands Toronto. April 1892. COMMtSS/ONER OF CrOWN LANDS. \ r ^ "^TmmMATiONAL aoc ^ ^ wsn Scale of Statute Miles I i 5 ♦ 5 10 wmmB'%'^,msmimiii^ -msam, .•*.» ^>')fi. « Pi o Eh, O H » Is g n F '\,',;^'^--/A TH] THE^ RAINY RIVER DISTRICT, PROVINCE OF ONTARIO, CANADA. AN ILLUSTEAT£D DESORIPTION OF ITS SOIL, CLIMATE, PRODUOTS, AREA, AGRICULTURAL CAPABILITIES AND TIMBER , , *) (a AND MINERAL RESOURCES. ; thence the boundary (adjoining Manitoba), is due north to the English River and along that stream to Lac Suel, or Lac St. Joseph, to the [)oint of intersection with the 91st meridian of longitude west from Greenwich. In a word, this most important section of the Province may be sai^l to lie between the height of land west of Lake Superior, and the Winnipeg river. The Canadian Pacific Railway runs through 21.') miles of its territory. It has an average breadth of about 100 miles, not including the sterile region lying north of the C. P. R. The agricultural portii)n of the District may be roughly estimated to comprise an area of (300,000 acres, cap;' ble of sustaining a farming population of thousands. How to Reach the District. Rat Portage, the chief town in the Riiu}' Hivor District, is the most accessible point of entrance to the District, it being on the main line of the Canadian Pacific Railway and at the northern e.xtieniity of the Lake of the Woods. It is ;^00 miles noith-west of Port Arthur and 1,1 'A miies from Toronto. The traveller has the choice ot three routes from Toronto to Port Arthur, from which point the Canadian Pacilic Railway is taken to Rat Portage wherd a line of steamers start for the Ruiny River. The routes and fares are as follows : Toronto to Rat Portage : (1) Via Canadian Pacific Railway, first-class fare (all rail. 1,154 miles) .S:U 00 Colonist Fare 21 00 (2) Via Canadian Pacific Railway to Owen Sound, steamer to Port Arthur, rail to Rat Portage, Hi st-class fare.. :V,i M5* Colonist fare 17 OOf (3) Via Grand Trunk Railway to Sarnia, steamer to Port Arthur, C. P. Railway to Rat Portage, fiistcla^-sfare. 29 .Sa ^ Colonist fare 10 005$ •Including meals on boat, fNo "'pivIh. triiuhidiut? uiiniIs (in boat. SNk meals. Rat Portage to Fort Francis P, 0. Fare via Steamer Shamrock, on Lake of the Woods : adults, $4 ; children, $2.50 ; cattle and horses per head, $4; colonists' outfit of house- hold goods. 88 per ton ; ordinary supplies (provisions), $10 per ton. Rat Portage to Marsh's Dock : Via Steamer Shamrock : adults, $3 ; children, $2 ; cattle and horses per head, $3 ; household goods, $4 per ton ; provisions, $5 per ton. Freight rate by Canadian Pacific Railway, Toronto to Rat Portage $4 per ton. When to go and outfit required. The settler should if possible reach Rainy River in April or May. If he has not secured a location beforehand through one of the Government free grant agents, he should, on arrival, call upon the neavest agent, get a list of the vacant lots in the township whei'e he desires to locate and then visit the locality and make a choice as soon as possible. It is somewhat difficult to state definitely the amount of capital required by the settler or immigrant who intends to make the Rainy River District his home. Having secured the Government free grant, under the conditions set forth on pages 21 and 23, and having arrived at Rainy River, the prospective settler should have enough capital to erect a small and temporary log house, or a frame one if possible, building material being for sale at different points along the river where mills are situated. The approximate price of a necessary outfit might be stated as follows : For a single man, one yoke oxen, $115 ; plough, harrow, etc., $■10 ; lumbei", doors, windows, etc., for log house $50 ; provisions, $100 ; seed, $30 ; bedding, etc., $20, or say $350 in all. This sum woulu of course be necessarily increased in the case of a i'armor with a family. For a family of five, $200 or $2 30 should be added to the former sum. Excellent general stores will be found at Fort Francis, Rainy River and other points where all the necessaries in the way of groceries, clothing, household utensils, etc., may be procured at reasonable prices. A general store will also be found on river lots 43 and 44 in the Township of Lash where settlers can land and get general information. The Quality of the Soil. As has been stated. Rainy River takes its course through a rich allu- vial valley for over eighty miles. This valley is eminently adapted to support a large and populous agricultural poi)ulation. As to the extent of the cultivatable land in the Distiict it is stated on good authority that all the land fronting on the Canadian side of the river is suitable for settlement, while the arable area reaches back to a distance varying from 10 to 20 miles, whei-e the soil is mostly clay and clay loam with very little gravel or sand. The greater part of the arable land requires but little drainage ; even the occasional swamps of spruce, cedar and taniarac are dry in summer and can be made most excellent land by drainage, and as thev are all at a considerable height above the river level, proper ditching would remove the surface water in the spring. The beds of the small creeks and streams are deep enough to provide adequate outlets, ditches and drains. The area of good land along Rainy River if also remarkably free from stones and rocks. A Wide Range of Products, The richness of the soil and the equable climate combine to produce a good range of cereals and fruits. Hay, oats, and spring and fall wheat are successfully grown ; the products of the garden include potatoes, onions, corn, carrots, turnips, tomatoes and cabbage, while the smaller fruits, such as raspberries, strawberries and plums, grow in abundance. As an instance of the length of the season, oats sown as late as the middle of June have fully ripened. The settler who makes the above statement has lived on the bank of Rainy River for thirteen years and has never had a failure of crops. During the summer of 1889, his farm yielded seventy bushels of potatoes from one bushel of seed. A practical experience such as this illustrates most forcibly the fertility of the soil. The market for all a farmer can raise is at his door, the large number of lumbermen in the district being the purchasers. Good prices for grain and produce prevail, the lumbermen purchasing all kinds of produce at the highest prices. The Climate. The climate of the district is similar to that in the region of Lake Ontario. Though the winter may be colder it is proportionately dryer and instead of the rain and slush of the eastern winter, excellent sleigh- ing continues from December to March. The climate has been proven to be very healthful by the settlers, while, as is pointed out elsewhere, it is well suited to the growth of a wide range of cereals. The whole flora of this region also indicates a climate very like that of the old .settled parts of Ontario, and the luxuriance of the vegetation shews that the soil is oi the very best quality. Throughout the whole of the region from Lake Nipissing to the Lake of the Woods, the depth of snow is generally less on an average than it is at the city of Ottawa. Only in one locality between these two points is the snow found generally as deep as at this city, namely, in the immediate neighbourhood of Lake Superior, where the lake appears to have a local influence on the humidity of the atmos- phere, and, in consequence, on the amount of snow fall. The name Rainy River (a perversion of Ren6 River) is really a mis- nomer inasmuch as the rainfall is not usually excessive. One of the set- tlers thus describes the climate : " The summer is generally moist, with clear sunshine most of the time. The fall is beautiful, and November all through about the best month of the year. The spring is similar — very dry, with bright clear sun until about the first of June. The winters are very dry. The snow is loose, yet it seldom drifts. I have not seen what I would call a snowdrift yet. A log or hump on the level land shows all through winter. Sometimes I think I will never require another over- coat. I have eo seldom worn one that apparently the one I have will last my lifetime. On the very coldest days, except for a short time at sunrise, we can chop in the woods the day through." " There is some- thing remarkable about tlie climate," writes another settler in the Toronto Globe of April 2nd, 18!)2 " " Summer is generally moist, and spring, fall and winter exceedingly dry, and so agreeable to the health of both man and beast that sickness and disease are C()m])aratively unknown. The past fall and winter so far have been beautiful. October and November were, as usual, very fine up to the last week of November, when for three or four days we had surticient frost to partially ice the river over. A couple of days and nights of rain followed, which sur- prised the oldest settlers. This month, so far, the river has been open for fully 40 miles at the upper end, and people have been travelling by boats and canoes theieon. Last week we were logging and burning a fallow. So far we have had only a very thin scattering of snow, not enough to cover the ground, and we have bare ground now almost all over." The Progress of Settlement. The great advantages of this District, especially with regard to water and wood, over a prairie country, have attracted a number of settlers from the adjacent States as well as many parts of the Dominion and Great Britain. Already there is a white population in the District of nearly 7,00U and an Indian popula- tion of 2,800 on Government R'isei'ves. Some of tie settlers have been on their lands since 1874, and have good houses ".n 1 birns, large clear- ances, good fences, and well bred stock. The Ontario Government gives a Free Grant to every bona fide settler, head of a laiuily, male or female, 160 acres of land, and if he desires will sell him an additional 80 acres adjoining, at $1 per acre, payab "n three years, while any or all of their sons over 18 years of age may have 120 acres free and may purchase 80 acres each at $1 an acre. On February 13, 1889, a proclamation was issued by the Lieuten- ant-Governor-in-Council, bringing into force on February 18, 1889, the Act respecting Fren Grants and Hom'^steads to actual settlers on Public Lands in the district of Rainy River, which was passed during the session of the L'gisiatuie held in 1886. Imm^'diately following this proclamation, the l)epi,itmerit of Crown Lands set apart twenty townships in the district as Free Grant Townships. They are situate (m the Canadian l)aak of the ivainy River and contain the choicest and most fertile land to be found in the district, eauh township having a frontage on tLj river. The surveys made in 187(i by the Dominion Government (on the one mile square section plan, the same as has been followed in the North- West), have been adopted by the Ontario Legislature, which legalized these surveys by the Act of 1886, and provided that any lands in the Rainy River District considered suitable for settlement and cultivation may, by Order in Council, be appropriated as Free Grants upon the terms specified. A few townships .will be surveyed near the mouth of Rainy River during 1892. I ^ ^ ave will time at is some- Toronto i .spring, of both nknown. )ber and ovember, ice the lich sur- een open slling by urning a now, not luiost all 1 regard ittiacted IS many a white popula- ave been ■ge clear- ent gives male or dditional hiie atjy free and Lieuten- 1M89, the itlers on il during olio wing ; twenty ituate on icost and having a I the one 3 North- legalized ids in the iltivation ipon the itiy River I I Railway Facilities. For some years the Rainy Kiver District has had the advantage of the Canadian Pacific Railway, which runs through it diagonally, stop- ing at the following stations : English River, Martin, Bonheur, Ignace, Raleigh, Toche, Wabigoon, Barclay, Eagle River, Vermillion Bay, Gilbert^ Parrywood, Hawk Lake, Rossland, Rat Portage, Keewatin, Deception, Kalmar and Ingolf. The Port Arthur and Western Railway, eighty miles of which have been subsidized by the Legislative Assembly of Ontario at the rate of $3 000 per mile, is practically completed and runs through the southern portion of the Thunder Bay District. This new line will open up large tracts of good agricultural lands, forests of the finest timber such as pine, tamarac, spruce, cedar and poplar, as well as mineral lands already proven to be rich in gold, silver and iron, the development of which only awaits f'urthur railway facilities. Navigation ard Mail Service. Rainy River being navigable for eighty miles, adequate means for transportation over its waters was provided through the enterprise of those who realized the great possibilities of this region, as soon as the tide of settlement turned to its shores. Four steamers run regularly during the season, (which lasts from April until November), from Rat Portage and Keewatin on the Canadian Pacific Railway across the Lake of the Woods to Fort Francis on the southern side of Rainy Lake, a dis- tance of 180 miles. Round trips are made weekly. There are in all thirty-five craft of different kinds, including 23 steamers, in service in the district, representing a capital of about $200,000. The gross ton- nage of the steamers is about 1,300 tons. The other lakes and rivers in the di.strict have long stretches of navigable water which will materially aid in settlement. During the winter the mail is carried on sleighs, leaving Rat Portage for Fort Francis on the first and fifteenth of every month, calling at the Hudson Bay Company's Fort Louise, at the mouth of Rainy River, at Hughes & Co.'s.saw mill in the township of Atwood, at Rapid River post office in the township of Worthington, at Rainy River post office in the township of Morley, at Emo post office in the township of Lash, at Big Forks post office in the township of Woodyatt, and at Isherwood post ofiice in the town.ship of Roddick. A new and shorter winter trail from Rat Portage to Rainy River was laid last year which will shorten the distance by about twenty-five miles. The lock at Fort Francis when completed will consist of a canal 800 feet long, cut through the solid rock, about 40 feet wide, with one lift of 24 feet 8 inches. The chamber of the lock will be 200 feet long and 38 feet wide in the clear. The completion of the lock will greatly benefit Fort Francis and the lumbermen who would use it. 8 Lake of the Woods. Of the numerous lakes in this district, the Lake of the \V oods is the most extensive. From Lac Plat, which may be regarded as its western extremity, to White Fish Lake, which is a somewhat similar extension in an opposite direction, the distance is not far short of 100 miles, and from the mouth of Rainy River, at the entrance of the lake, to its out- let at Rat Portage, in lat. 49° 47' north, and long. 94^ 44' west, the distance is about seventy miles, so that altogether it occupies an areaof about sixteen hundred square miles. This extensive sheet of water is interspersed with islands, on some of which the Indians have grown maize from time immemorial, and have never known it fail. It would be difficult to conceive anything more beautiful of its kind than the scenery of this lake. Islands rise in continuous clusters, and in every variety of form. Sometimes in passing through them the prospect seems entirely shut in ; soon again it opens out, and through lon^ vistas a glance is obtained of an ocean-like expanse, where the waters meet the horizon. ■i Schools and Churches. There ai-e good schools for white children at Fort Francis, Emo, Big Forks, Marsh's, Pine River, Rat Portage, Keevvatin and Norman. At Fort Francis Indian Reserve, at Kitchechokeyo Reserve, in the township of Woodyat, at the Indian Reserve in Barwick (Manitou Rapids) and at Rose berry (near the Long Sault Rapids) are Indian schools under able teachers. Religious privileges will no doubt be provided as population centres and villages are being formed. The Government Poor School grant of $100 a year is made to the schools already organized. Pish and Game. To the sportsman this part of Ontario is indeed a " happy hunting ground." The waters abound in fish, and wild fowl are very plentiful. The moose are unfortunately becoming very scarce in the District. Buffalo were seen by early settlers near Rainy River but have since disappeared. The common brown bear and the more rare and beautiful silver fox are among the denizens of North-western Ontario. Beaver abound in the streams and creeks, while the otter, ermine and mink are plentiful. Part- ridge, grouse and Vvater fowl of all kinds are also extremely numerous. A large fishery outfit and fish freezer has been erected at Rat Portage from which extensive shipments are annually made to outside markets. Colonization Roads and Bridges. Since the Rainy River District came under the jurisdiction of the Ontario Legislature, the Government has adopted a liberal policy resfardinir the construction of colonization roads and bridges within its )Oils is the ■jB western extension miles, and to its out- le distance Dut sixteen ersed with from time to conceive 3. Islands Sometimes t in ; soon ined of an s, Emo, Big orman. At le township Hapids) and ; under able population oor School )py hunting iiy plentiful, ict. Burtalo lisappeared. ilver fox are ound in the itiful. Part- ly numerous. Hat Portage iide markets. Pi P3 P3 s n risdiction of liberal policy fes within its borders. About $30,000 has been expended during the last six years on the leading highways, and ninety miles of roadway have been built, viz. the Rat Portage and Keewatin Road, 'which is five miles in length rnd perves the towns of Rat Portage, Keewatin and neighboring localities) and the Rainy River road which is some seventy miles in length and follows the course of Rainy River ou the Canadian bank from Fort Frances to the Lake of the Woods. The Rat Portage and Keewatin Road necessitated the building of three large bridges across the main outlet of the Winnipeg River. The estimates of 1892 contain a further vote of $6,500 for additional roads in the vicinity of Rainy River. It will thus be seen that the Government is alive to the interests of the settlers in this regard. A dock and freight shed are now being erected at a point on the river near Fort Francis for the convenience of settlers on their arrival, where their goods may be temporarily stored. The Timber Resources of the District. One of the most valuable resources in Rainy River District is its timber, extending along the entire length of Rainy River, of pine, poplar, birch, basswood, oak, elm, ash, soft maple, balm of gilead, balsam, spruce, cedar and tamarac. Between Saginiaga, Seine and Maligne rivers there are extensive forests of red and white pine. Occasional white pine appears in the beautiful valley of Rainy River and on the innumerable islands of the Lake of the Woods. Luml.t.ring operations are carried on to a considerable extent on Rainy Lake and its eastern tributaries and Lake of the Woods. There are also well-equipped saw-mills on Rainy River where the incoming settler may procure the necessary material for the erection of a home, and where he has the additional advantage of obtaining employment during the winter months at wages ranging from $25 to $30 per month, and from $2 to $2.50 per day with board for team and teamster. On the banks of the Seine and other rivers flowing into Rainy Lake, there is a very large growth of both red and white pine. The Dominion Public Works report of 1875, in dealing with the pine- growing capacities of this region, says that e.xtensive groves of red and white pine are to be found, of a size and quality well adapted to all the purposes for which such timber is usually applied, On the alluvial belt of Rainy River white pine of a large size is to be seen interspersed with other descriptions of forest trees, and on the Lake of the Woods and main- land to the north and east there are occasionally pine groves of moderate extent, which lessens in quantity as it nears Lake Winnipeg where the pine belt finally disappears. The lumber trade therefore forms the lead- ing industry in the District. Seven large saw mills are located at Rat Portage, Norman and Keewatin, having a united capacity of 100,000,000 feet, board measure, a year. There are in addition, as has been said, four other saw mills on the Rainy River and Rainy Lake. It is estimated that two million dollars are invested in plant alone in these eleven mills — their combined annual product or output reaching four million dollars; while they employ during the season over two thousand men. The Rainy River Boom Company, which employs about forty men, sort and raft all logs coming down the river from Rainy Lake and its tributaries. Emplo37inent for Settlers. Besides the results of farming, the settlers can dispose of cordwood for steamboats at $1.25 per cord and during the winter months obtain wages ranging from $25 to $30 and board per month and from $2 to $2.50 per day with board for team and teamster for work in connection with lumbering, as pointed out in the preceding paragraph. Laborers are in fair demand, men for farming purposes receiving about the same rate as for lumbering. There are openings for blacksmiths, carpenters, shoe- makers, tailors, tinsmiths and other mechanics, the demand for which will no doubt rapidly increase as the country is populated. Municipal Institutions. The municipal machinery of Ontario is said to be the most complete and the easiest worked of any known system of local self government. As soon as a township has 100 resident freeholders a township council, consisting of reeve, deputy reeve and councillors, may be chosen to administer the affairs of the organized settlement. The township of Alberton has thun far been organized, and each year will no doubt see the number added to until the whole tier of townships along the entire length of the river, will be fully equipped under the provincial municipal constitution. Once a township is thus organized, the council directs the statute labor of the settlers toward the improvement of roads and bridges, thus assisting the Government in proportion to the population, while in addition, they materially assist on other lines in the general development of the township. Administration of Justice. The Government also, in accordance with their usual policy, provide or assist in providing the necessary machinery for the proper administra- tion of justice in all the new districts. Rainy River District is attached to the district of Thunder Bay for judicial purposes, and to the Electoral District of Algoma west f '/r election purposes. The general session and district courts are held at Rat Portage, while justices of the peace residing on the Rainy River have been appointed. A Table of Distances. From Toronto to Rat Portage 1,1'oi miles From Rat Portage to llainy Lake 180 " Length ol' Rainy River 8(i " Lengthof Lakeof the Woods from north to south lOU " jordwood hs obtain > to $2.50 tion with jrs are in le rate as ers, shoe- br which PART 11. TPWNS AND VILLAGES IN RAINY RIVER DISTRICT,. complete ^eminent, township may be ent. The ach year townships inder the ,nized, the vement of Ion to the lines in y, provide rninistra- attached Electoral ssion and residing es M Rat Portage. The largest town in the Rainy River District is Rat Portage, which has a population of nearly 2,000. It is the seat of much business enterprise and is destined to grow. Being one ot the divisional points of the Cana- dian Pacific Railway adds materially to its activity, while the fact that it is the principal port on the Lake of the Woods also conduces to its prosperity. It has two well conducted weekly newspapers, the Neivs and Record, which are devoted to the interests of the whole District. It in also the Judicial seat of the District, with the offices of the Stipendiary Magistrate, Sheriff, and other officers. Extensive fisheries do a good business, shipping the products of the Lake to Chicago, Minneapolis, Bufialo and Denver. It is also the principal shipping port of the District for lumber, etc. / b the outlet, or northern arrr. or the Lake of the Woods, is a magnificent water power, enormous in extent and never failing in supply, the utilization of which will be of incalculable benefit to Rat Portage as well as Norman and Keewatin. Arrangements have neen made with the Keewatin Milling and Manufacturing Co. by the Ontario government by which the former will develop this water power at a total cost of $250,000. The fact that over two million dollars is annually paid in wages by the C. P. R. and the mill owners to men living in Rat Portage or its neighborhood ensures an extensive business town. The telephone is in extensive use as is the electric light. Many industries are also being added from tirue to time to the town. It is also destined to be the mining centre of the Lake of the Woods mineral region. Keewatin. This town on the Lake of the Woods has long been known through " the western country as the seat of extensive lumber operations. The Lake "f the Woods Milling Go's Flour Mill, having a capacity of 2,000 bbls per day, is the larijest flouring mill in Canada with its accessories in the way of a barrel factory with a capacity of 1,000 bbls per day and elevators, one of which will hold 400,000 bushels, and the output of flour scattered far and wide over Canada >ind across the sea. Thus the name Keewatin has become as familiar a household word as Rat Portage. The town possesses 4 general stores, 2 hardwaie stores, 2 bakers, 2 groceries, 1 drug store, 2 butchers, 2 saw mills, 2 planing mills, a board factory, the flour mill, a brick yard, 2 hotels, a liquor store, a tailor 12 ,*nd a doctor. The Presbyterians, Methodists and Roman Catholics all have churches of their own here. The Foresters, Masons and Royal 'Templars of Temperance have societies in active operation. The jiiagnificent new school is under able management. Population of the place is about 700. Numerous tine private residences have been built there. As a sunnner resort, Keewatin has an enviab^p reputation. Its population numbers nearly 1,500. Norman. Norman, lying in the centre of the group of towns on the Lake of the Woods, is situated midway between Keewatin and Rat Portage. The water power here is unlimited, and there are excellent openings for factories. The following are the business enterprises already established : 4 general stores, 1 grocer and coniectioner, 3 blacksmith shops, 3 saw mills, 3 planing" mills, a machine shop, 1 licensed hotel and 7 boarding houses. There is a lai'ge public hMl and services are held here regularly by the Presbyterians. The towi as a jjopulation bordering on 800. As a summer resort Norman is also one of the places of interest to tourists, many finding it a central point from which to purchase their supplies during their outing on the Lake of the Woods. Fort Francis. The principal settlement on Rainy River is Fort Frances, the approach to which is really picturesque. Nearing the outlet of Rainy Lake, and entering Rainy River, the right bank is (juite park-like, the tall trees standing far apart, and having the rounded tops peculiar to those seen in open grounds. Blue oak, balsam and Lombardy poplar, with a few ; speu.are, however, the principal forest trees. These line the bank, and for two miles after leav- ing the lake the voyageur glides downwards between walls of emerald green, until the Fort is reached. This ancient post of the Hudson's Bay Co. is beautifully situated on the right bank of the Rainy River, immedi- ately below the falls. It has a school and church, and several general stores, hotels, saw mill, etc., and is destined to be an important centre of population. It is in addition the centre for the new municipality of Alberton. A new survey of the village has recently been made by the Ontario Government. The town is situated on the strip of land lying between Rainy Lake and the head of navigation on Hainy River, a site beautiful and commanding. Its population, according to the census of 1891, was 1,339. The water power of Fort Francis will no doubt ultimately prove of great value. Municipality of Alberton. Alberton is the first organized municip'-4,lity in the Rainy River District. The boundaries of the new corporation include the territory from the Indian Reserve east of Fort Frances down the River eighteen miles and back from it ten miles, including the Townships of Orozier and Lash, where there is a considerable settlement. Mr. Charles J. Hollands was the first reeve elected, and Mr. W. Phair is his successor. iholics all id Royal on. The on of the )een built tion. Its ige. uings ake of the The for babiished : ops, 3 saw boarding regularly 800. As o tourists, r supplies pproach to d entering mding far n grounds, wever, the after leav- if emerald ison's Bay r, imniedi- al general t centre of ipality of ade by the land lying ver, a site s census of no doubt Qv District. / from the I miles and and Lash, ds was the H < H o -si ffl O •Ii "! liver. :m PART III. DESCRIPTIONS OF THE RAINY RIVER DISTRICT BY Hon. \KrHrR S. Hardy, Commissioner of Crown Lands for Ontario. Mr. AuuRKY White, Assistant Commissioner of Crown Lands for Ontario. Mr. Arihibald Blue, Director of Mines for Ontario. Mr. James Conmee, M.P.P., for Algoma West. Mr. H. B. PRorm'ooT, Provincial Land Surveyor. Mr. Tiio.MA.s O. Bolder, Provincial Land Surveyor. Mr. R. Smytk, of Lindsay, Ont. Mr. John Boyd, of Thessalon, Ont. The Manitoba Colonist. Prof. Andrew C. Law.son, Canadian Geological Survey. Mr. Wm. Maugach, Crown Timber Agent, Eat Portage. HON. ARTHUR S. HARDY. The following interview with the Hon. Arthur S. Hardy, Commis- sioner of Crown Lands, appeared in the Toronto Globe of September 3, 1891 : " You have, Mr. Hardy, I believe, just returned from Rainy River 1" asked a Globe reporter of the Commissioner of Crown Lands at his office yesterday. " Ves, the Provincial Secretary and i went as far as Fort Francis and Rainy Lake," he replied. " How did the Rainy River country impress you ?" " The territory lying along the banks of Rainy River, between its* mouti) and source, was a revelation to us. There is a stretch of nearly 80 miles of farm land between Fort Francis and the mouth of Rainy River along the Canadian bank which does not, perhaps, contain two miles of broken or untillable land in the whole distance as seen from the river. It is of unparalleled fertility. I know of no stretch of 80 miles in Ontario that can compare with it in richness or fertility of soil. It is easily cleared, the timber upon it being of .second g'-owth, and the stumps are easily removed, indeed come out readilj' in about three years from the clearing. The available land varies in depth along the bank of the river from ten miles to thirty miles as wo were told, but it has not yet been fully explored, and may stretch back, as we were also informed, a good deal farther at certain points. Tt is capable of sustaining 500,000 14 m ^t: people, perhaps move. The crops are uniformly oi' the best quality, wheat running from 30 to ?5 \nd 40 bushels per acre, and other grains in pro- portion. Indian corn and tomatoes ripen, and the whole section, it is said, is free from the summer frosts that attlict Manitoba and the North- west. I have never seen early settlers more comfortable. There is a chance too for the farmer at certain periods of the year, if he chooses, to engage with the lumbermen opei'ating on Rainy I^ke and Rainy River at Vom §1.50 to $1.15 per day, and many settlers earn money in this way. A number of excellent settlers from Muskoka have gone in this year and their work of clearing has already begun. Some of them have erected houses and others are preparing to do so. They are an excellent class of men for this district, as they have been used to clearing woodland and breaking it up. I pradict a rush of settlers to this section of the country as soon as its merits are even half undei'stood. The land is free grant land, and any settler can obtain 160 acres by settling and making the necessary improvements." " Is Rainy River itself attractive or navigable throughout ?" asked the reporter. " It is one of the great rivers of the country. I had but a very im- perfect conception of it. It appears from casual observation to be from a quarter to in some places a third of a mile wide, is almost uniform in Avidth iiom tsourco to mouth, and tugs and steamers ply over its whole course. There are but two places where navigatitm is difficult, viz., two comparatively small rapids about half way up. The expenditure of a few thousand dollars would overcome all dilficulty in so far as these are concerned, and make as tine a na^''. gable river as is to be found on the continent. The volume of water is great, the current is moderate and the banks of the river beautiful throuirhout. One drawback is that the A.metican bord<^r is as yet an unbroken wilderness. The accounts vary as to the farming land on the American side, but it appeared from the steamer very similar to that on the Canadian side, except that the soil is not so rich, indeed is much lighter in some places. Wliat the Canadian section wants is road.s, more ready access to the front and to existing railways, and i'or some of the'r products a more ready market, but above all what is wanted is more settlers. For all their coarse products — hay, fodder, potatoes, etc. — a ready market is found among the lumbermen at excellent prices. The settlers are looking for the rapid prosecution of the Port Arthur Railway, which it is thought must ultimately reach them and traverse the Rainy River valley." " What about Fort Francis ? Is it a settlement of any importance ?" " I was surprised to Hnd quite a village at this point — stores, churches, schools, hotels, etc. — and I was told that at certain portions of the year business is very In'isk. The village is built on the strip of land lying between Rainy Lake and the head of navigation on Rainy River, and as a site is most commanding and beautiful. The landmarks connected with the old survey of the town plot at Fort Fi-ancis have been largely obliterateil, and at the request of the Council and citizens I have directed a new suivev." " Did you extend your visit to Rainy Lake ?" " Yes, we went out some miles upon the lake. It is a very fine body of water, comparing favorably with one of the most beautiful lakes on the continent — the Lake of tht Woods. It is in many respects very •■*, ■•*' ! A- then 15 lity, wheat ns in pro- •tion, it is the North- There is a chooses, to ainy River ey in this 3ne in this them have Lii excellent nr woodland tion of the land is free ,nd making ?" asked the t a very ira- to be from a uniform in ar its whole ult, viz., two nditure of a as these are )und on the moderate and k is that the counts vary ed from the at the soil is le Canadian 1 to existing 3t, but above oducts — hay, umbermen at ■o.secution of reach them mportance ?" L'es, churches, of the year land lying River, and as cs connected been largely lave directed ery fine body tiful lakes on respects very )f .1 similar, dotted with beautiful islands, but navigable in every direction • Some Oi the finest tracts of timber owtied by the Government in the west are to be found upon the shores of and tributary to the Lake of the Woods." " What about the lock partially built by Mr. Mackenzie at Fort Francis ?" " A comparatively small expenditure upon this lock would make navi- gation continuous from Rat Portage, across tlie Lake of the Woods, up Rainy River and through into Rainy Lake — a distance of nearly 300 miles. The lock is nearly built,and the water rushes through it, but the appliances for making it useful have not been supplied. Precisely how much it would cost I am not prepared to say, but its completion would be of great assistance to lumbermen and the lumber interests, but ultimately it is thought by the people of Fort Francis it must be completed " " What of the rest of the county in the Rainy River district ? Is there any farming land to be found ?" " It is not a farming country. Different accounts, however, are given upon this point. Generally it may be said the district is a mining and timber district, with parcels of land here and there capable of being con- verted to agricultural uses." " What kind of country does the Port Arthur & Western Railway pass thiougl ?" " I was delighted to find that the railway, quite contrary to my ex- pectations, ptt^ses through Su.ue very rich farming land. The valley of the Kau)inisti(iuia, and further west and .south the Whitefish Valley, show some as tine soil as is to be found in many of the finest counties of the Province. We saw here and there crops growing indicating great fertil- ity and productive capacity. The great want is agricultural settler.';. The railway has revealed and practically opened to the public this largo district. The road seems to have been built with skill and judgment, and ran as smoothly as many roads long completed. Messrs. Conmee and Middleton have been exceedingly energetic and are looked upon as bene- factors of the district by the people at large. As the road proceeds it reaches and runs through some of the richest iron producing districts in the Dominion and it is thought it will ultimately prove a great mineral road. Our visit to the silver mines was full of interest, as was that to Kakabeka Falls. These latter will yet become the great resort of wes- tern tourists. They are as strikinj;" in some of their features as Niagara, and it is a wonder that more has not been said and written respecting them." MR. AUBREY WHITE, ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER OP GROWN LANDS FOR ONTARIO. I had of course prior to my visit of this summer formed a very fav- orable opinion of the character of the country along the Rainy River, having heard from reliable persons glowing descriptions of its beauty and fertility; but I must say that the very high expectations which I had formed were completely dwarfed by the reality. .So far as the river itself is concerned, it is, I suppose, one of the most boautit'ul to be found on the continent. Imagine a river eighty miles in length of great width. "1 ni '!' IG and navigable for its entire distance, havinj; iipon oacl) side of it a belt of as fine agricultural land an i^ to be found anywhere — easily cleared up, with banks just high enougli to protect from danger of Hooding, and you have some idea of the scene presented as one sails up the liver. Settlement has made considerable progress on the Canadian side and there were to be seen from the deck of the steamer fields of wheat, oats, peas, and all kinds of vegetables of a most luxuriant growth, — guarantee- ing the productiveness of the soil ; while the ripening harvest supported the assurances we received nn all hands that there was no summer frost. The soil where 1 went ashore, as I did at several places, — walking some distance into the bush, was of great richness, as was evidenced by the prolific growth of wild vetches which was to be seen, inhere is scarcely any pine visible from the river, the principal tiinber being poplar, spruce, tamarac, balsam and cedar, with an occasional oak or maple. Fort Francis at the head of navigation is most beautifully situated, in fact I doubt whether it would be possible to find anywhere a finer or more picturestpie site for a town. The canal is in an unfinished state, but the immense timber wealth lying behind tlie town, — all of which will have to come out this way, will probably justify and call for its completion ere long. Settlement is as yet sparse and upon the Canadian side only, the American side of the river being a dense wilderness. This of course while it adds beauty to the scenery is a drawback to the material progress of the country. When the land on the American side is thrown open for settlement as I understand it is likely to be soon, there will no doubt be a continuous settlement on that side. And when the river on both sides is settled with as thrifty and satisfied a po|)ula- tion as is now found on the Canadian side, greater facilities *'oi' travel will be required and provided. Railway communication will surely come and once that is provided there is no equal area in the United States or Canada that will be comparable as a field' for settlement with the valley of the Rainy River. leni MR. ARCHIBALD BLUE, DIRECTOR OP MINES FOR ONTARIO. Rainy River flows through a valley which one time was cjovered by the waters of a glacial lake, and which has every indication of being an extensive deposit of silt. The hanks are low near the mouth, but rise gradually to ten, fifteen and twenty feet as the river is ascended until at Fort Francis they reach an elevation of twenty-five or thirty feet. The soil is a rich clayey loam mixed with small pebbles of limestone, and wherever I had an opportunity of examining an exposure it was found to be not less than six feet in depth. In the month of August when I went up the river, field and forest vegetation wa-' remarkably luxuriant. On the farm of Mr. R. F. Marsh, in the township of Morley, I walked through fields of spring wheat and oats which as to length of head, plumpness of grain and quality of straw were equal to the best that I have seen in the older parts of the Province. Other fields of grain as seen from the boat were equally promising. Indeed, upon such soil the failure of crops is hardly possible in a favorable season. I can only say from oDservation that the good land extends along eighty miles of river 17 :' it a belt ly cleared 3(lin<^, and the liver. . side and heat, oats, iruarantee- supported uner I'rost. kiii^ some jed l)y tlie is scarcely lar, spruce, y situated, [> a finer or shed state, II of which ;aU for its e Canadian ness. This ick to the lerican side to be soon, And when i a popula- +'oi" travel mrely come 1 States or I the valley 3S FOR ;overed by »f being an th, but rise ed until at feet. The lestone, and was found ist when I J luxurifint. \f, I walked ,h of head, best that I of grain as ch soil the ,n only say \es of river front ; but all persons having a knowledge of the country' of whom I made enquiry informed me that it goes back at least twelve or fifteen miles for a long distance up from Lake of the Woods, narrowing gradu- ally to a breadth of two or thr«e miles at Fort Francis. Rainy River itself is a magnificent stream ; the only greater ones in Lower Ontario are the St. Lawrence and the Ottawa. MR. JAMES OONMEE, M.P.P. FOR WEST ALGOMA. Rainy River is a very large, navigable stream, averaging about 500 ,^ feet in width. It is the outlet of Rainy Lake and is about ninety miles is in length ; it is in my opinion one of the most beautiful rivers in America. The banks are not more than twenty feet above the water line. The country bordering on the river is an unbroken plain of rich fertile land, well timbered and presenting a most refreshing view to the traveller who ' is fortunate enough to see it in full leaf. The belt of good land is not confined to the valley of the river, but extends north-easterly along the shore of the Lake of the Woods, and for a considerable distance along the northern shore of Rainy Lake. The land is not only easily ( leared as compared with eastern Ontario bush lands (the stumps being removable much earlier and easier), but is entirely free from loose stone, such as eastern farmers have to contend with. I estimate the agricultural belt a.s equal to an area of 140 miles in length by 40 miles in width, or 4,084,000 acres. This by no means includes all the good land in that district ; there are other valleys of excellent land, but none so large as the Rainy River valley. The valleys of the Kawawiagamog and Seine rivers emptying into Rainy Lake both contain large areas of gi od agricultural lands. The same .is true of Grassy and other rivers emptying into the Lake ol' the Woods. The means of access to this agricultural belt is by way of Rat Portage, Lake of the Woods and Rainy River. The principal drawback to the route is that but a small class of boats can be used, owing to the rapids in the river. If the rapids were improved to admit a larger class ot vessels it would be a great boon to the settlers. But the greatest drawback now felt is the want of railway communi- cation, there being no outlet except by teams from December until May, but this difficulty will be overcome as soon as the Ontario & Rainy River Railway is completed. This railway runs south-westerly from Port Arthur to a point within twenty miles of the boundary between Ontario and Minnesota, and thence westerly parbelting the said boundary at a distance from twenty to thirty miles, ci'o.Nsing the valleys of the Kawawia- gamog and Seine rivers to Rainy Lake, where it crosses the narrows of the noith arm of that lake, and pas.-,es on to Fort Francis, and down the valley of the Rainy River. Seventy miles of this line is now completed, and it is hoped the line will within a few years lie built to the north of the Rainy Kiver, where it is expected to make connection with an Ameri- can railway. The construction of this railway through this section of country will open for settlement one of the greatest, if not the greatest, belts in the_ Pntvince, as well as afford facilities for the 2(R.R.) agncultual 18 development of the great Atic-Okan iron range, and that of the Huron- ian and other gold mines, while it will aflford an outlet for the many hundred million feet of pine which this region is known to contain. Too much cannot be said in pi'aise of this country and its resources as a home for the settler. That it will yet contain millions of people, I have not the slightest doubt. MR. H. B. PROUDFOOT, P.L.S. During the summer of 1891 Mr. H. B. Proudfoot, Provincial Land Surveyor, completed a survey of about 4,000 square miles of territory intA^. the Rainy River District. He describes the country as follows in his official report ; — TowNSHir OF Carpenter. — I have the honor to submit the following report of lie survey of the township of Carpenter — Rainy Diver District, made under instructions from the Crown Lands Department, dated 23rd of June, 1891. The township of Carpenter lies immediatly north of the township of Lash, which fronts on the Rainy River, and is bounded on the west by the township of Dobie and on the east and north by unsur- veyed lands of the Crown. A large portion of this township's surface is what is miscalled " muskeg," but which differs from the true muskeg in having a g "^d °'^Vi clay bottom at a very small distance from the surface and admittii''g oi oasy drainage. From an examination of the plan of the township it will oe noticed that there is a large number of creeks flowing away from and running in all directions from this swamp. These creeks are all good large running st- eams, with good falls and capable by the expenditure of a sma'l amount of money on each of being converted into drains sutticiently large and deep to carry away all the water fron this swamp and convert it into good arable land. The timber on this land is generally very small spruce and tamarac and when drained will be exceedingly easily cleaned. The remaining portion of the township is first-class farming land and as has been demonstrated by Mr. Arch. Reid (lot 10, Con. 1), whc has been three years settled in this township, capa- ble of bearing first-class crops of iDoth roots and grain. The soil is a good quality good rich clay with a large amount of vegetable matter overlying, and timbered principally with light woods — poplar, spruce, balm of gilead, tamarac, birch and balsam. There is considerable pine of in small patches scattered throughout the township. The ease with which the township is reached from the railroad at Rat Portage — by steamboat up the Rainy River, which is only two miles dis- tant from the south-west angle of the township, and the encouragement intending settlers will receive on seeing improvements already made by actual settlers, will, I am sure, conduce to the early and permanent set- tling of this district. Township of Dobie. — 1 have the honor to submit the following report of the survey of the township of Dobie — District of Rainy River, made under instructions from your De[)artment, dated the 23rd day of June, 1891. The township of Dobie lies immediately north of the town- ship of Barwick which fronts on Rainy River, and is bounded on the west by the township of Shenston and on the east by the township of Carpen- Jr. The « the Cro\ jserve nui ["he greate id capabl covered J|wamp," w "le most di lount of Jing popU As yet 1 mil clear Jttled now bs boundar st summt e district UOnfidently plied for loi During i vincial Lane aioner of Cr lying north report are a Sir,— I tions dated ttirveyed to Bainy Lakt necessary si l^pimp, etc., a Aore of Sa ||ock River, ||arallel, ant ind of Sabas |hore of the itretching ii nature of th Iund lying n dlescription Indian Resti poplar and »J)e point Of-the-Wooa the lake a cc every di recti one and two l*rge porcer Ascription w 19 the Huron- )r the many lontain. Too ;es as a home , I have not vincial Land if territory inir amount of profit to the settler. About two miles back it commences to ri.se gradually and is quite dry. This is known as the burnt land and is easily cleared, being only covered -yith small underbrush. The burnt land can be cleared and made ready for seeding for $5 an acre, while it costs $15 or $20 to clear the timber. There is but one opinion about the productive qualities of the soil, and that is it cannot be excelled. It is a dark, loamy, calcareous clay, entirely free from stone, and so deep that it is almost inexhaustible. So far as I could learn from settlers the climate resembles our own, except the winter, which is clear and frosty with light, dry snow, — no thaws. Sumi jr storms and frosts are rare. I did not hear of a single instance of damage to wheat or vegetables by frost. Clover and timothy are sure crops when sown, which I believe is not the case in prairie lands. In the townships I have selected for settlement two new schools have been started this year and so far entirely sustained by special govern- ment grant. There are no churches yet except the Indian missions, but both Catholic and Protestant clergy visit the settlers occasionally. There are two good sawmills, a shingle mill and a blacksmith •hop in this sec- tion. The first threshing machine came to the settlement this fall and now only a flour mill is needed to complete the immediate wants of set- tlers, and it is expected before next fall. Steamers running daily daring summer between Rat Portai^e on the C. P. R. and Fort Francis afford most of the privileges of older settlements, and if the same ratio of immigration continues, postal, telegraph and telephone ser/ice will be in the immediate future. From the impression formed of the future of the country T I'ad no hesitation In deciding my course — I located a quarter section in the township of Morley, in the burnt land section, about three miles back from the river, and arranged to have five acres cleared and a summer cottage erected, where I expect to make my abode about the end of May next. MR. JOHN BOYD, OF THESSALON, ONTARIO, a widely known and reliable gentleman, has written as follows regard- ing the Uainy River District : I started from Rat Portage on the 12th of August last (1800) to cross the Lake of the Woods, a distance of about eighty miles. The scenery 24 among the islands of the lake is really magnificent. These islands are very numerous, there being hundreds of them, and for the most part covered with luxuriant foliage, making the whole view a perfect picture. After having crossed the lake we steamed up the Rainy River for another eighty miles to Fort Francis , the Rainy River beijig the boundary be- tween Ontario and Minnesota. The fields of ripe grain and the fine gardens sloping back from the banks of the river were simply beautiful to look upon. The river is on the average about 800 feet in width, with deep water right up under the banks, so that without dock or wharf the steamer can load or unload her cargo at almost any point along the river. I found Fort Francis a very tine place, nature having been boun- tiful to her, furnishing her with everything that tends to make a delight- ful site for a large town. There are already there two stores, one hotel and several boarding houses, the Hudson Bay Co.'s stores and a number of comforta'ile private residences. . . . The Ontario Goverument has chopped out a road on a surveyed line between what is known as the river lots and the township lots and running down the river from Fort Francis for a distance of seventy miles and this season the Govern- ment have commenced to grade this road and when completed it will be a boon to the settlers of that country. They will then have a good road through the district. For the better information of myself and in order the better to see what was necessary to be done, I travelled over this road on foot, and do not regret having done so as I was enabled to see for myself personally the finest tract of land that I ever travelled through. The settlers are all comfortable and well-to-do. Proceeding down the road I passed many fine farms, not being able in my own mind to decide which was really the best one of them, until I reached Archibald Reid's, about thirty miles from Fort Francis, and near Emo post-office. Here I found him i-esiding with his wife, two daughters and three sons on a very beautiful farm on which he has erected a good .substantial house. He has tiiirty acres in crop and is clearing this season a fallow of twenty acres. He has also a good yoke of cattle^ six cows and other stock with pigs and poultry in abundance. Judge Lyon has a very fine farm near Mr. Reid's and has it stocked with thoroughbred cattle and sheep, and in fact everything else belonging to the farm appear to thrive splendidly in the Rainy River country. Proceeding down the river about ten miles further I came to the saw mill of Mr. Fotheringham. This mill is a good one, having all the latest improvements and being able to cut about 80,000 feet of lumber daily. The mill is of coarse a great convenience to the settlers, this more particularly so as Mr. Fotheringham accommodates them with work, giving them lum- ber m exchange for their labour. Still further down the river there is another fine saw mill, to which a planing mill has been added and every accommodation which is usually found abt)ut a mill. The Government are cutting a road from the first-mentioned saw mill to Gras.sy River, a dis- tance of thirty miles. Tiiis will open up a fine section of country. I went along the road for some distance and found every farm taken up which speaks well for the land. It is, of course, pretty well known that there is a great deal of timber taken out yearly on the Rainy River, there being no less than seven large saw mills at Rat Portage and Keewatin which depend for their 25 supply of logs upon the Rainy River District. This makes it all the bet- ter for the settlers as they can not only procure work in the winter if they wish to work out, but it also affords them a good ready market for all their surplus crop. There is a flour mill at Keewatm having a capacity of 1,200 barrels per day. The settlers are thus enabled to send their wheat bv the boat to the mill and get their flour by return boat. Rainy River wheat is considered A 1 and in fact all the crops I saw up there were as fine crops as I have ever seen in the older parts of the Province of Ontario. I met men there from Manitoba and Dakota and also from St. Mary's, Owen Sound and Pembroke, all of whom had taken up land in the district. And I would say to any man who wants a good bush farm (and I know something about a bush farm for I was brought up on one) go to Rainy River and you will And just what you want. PROM THE "MANITOBA COLONIST." A correspondent of the Manitoba Colonist, under the signature of " Settler " contributed the following to the issue of that journal of Feb- ruary, 1891 : — Tne agricultural portion of this district is 900 square miles or some- thing like 600,000 acres. A district like this, with its many rich and fertile homesteads lying dormant in their wild and natural state, awaits only those who are able and willing to cultivate them and turn them into independent and comfortable homes. Young, able-bodied men, who have been raised on farms, used to the woods, and are not afraid of hard work, and have some little money saved from their own industry, but not enough to buy and run a farm in older settlements without going coiisiderably into debt, should take up a good homestead here and work and improve it for the summer six months or all the year round if you can. If not, go the winter six months to the lumber companies, who will gladly give you employment, at the best of board and wages. Since last writing you the hay crop of the district has been secured in good condition, I never saw a heavier crop. All who required hay seem to have made plenty and to spare, and the settlers have left con- siderable uncut in the several meadows. We ourselves put up in stacks about 25 tons. The fruit crop is likewise a most abundant one. The. a will be thousands of bushels of choice fruit go to waste here this year, such as plums, high and low bush cranberries, huckleberries, currants and gooseberries, straw, rasp and Saskatoon berries, etc., etc. The grain crop of the river is all that should be expected. We have one of the best crops of spring wheat I ever harvested for over 20 years. Grain j)lump, straw tall, stiff and bright. The Italian, Fife and Red Fern varieties, sown April 21 and May 10, but all harvested the same week, from August 14 to 20. I have several stools, two of which contain respectively 54 and 52 heads ; over 45 in each of these are good and perfect. Also oats and barley over 40 each. Grain stools most remarkable here. All garden vegetables are extra good. We never grew such beets, carrots, cabbages, parsnips and especially onions as we have this year. Windsor beans, stalks four to Ave feet high ; beans similar in size to those grown in Eog- land. 26 I never had anything to do with better sheep than what ours each fall got to be with little trouble. They simply run the woods all sum- mer, fed on the wild vetches, peas ani other abundant herbage. In winter they pick up hay scattered from feeding other stock, go to brouse in the woods, etc., and keep all the time in fine condition, producing heavy fleeces. Our flock now numbers seventeen, and I would be glad if it was 100. Timothy and clover do well here. Stock of all kinds doubt- less will succeed. As to timothy, we have threshed over 200 pounds of fine seed from a piece reserved, the seed of which was sown in oats two feet high the last week of July, 1889, The purity of our water is shown by the following fact : This spring I sowed watercress along a stream running by the house, and have had as tine, crisp cress ^"i use the past two -aonths as we ever had, and it is all I know of in the district. Game is plentiful, and shooting is pretty general. REPORT OP ANDREW O. LAW SON, MA., Ph. D. The following is an extract from the report of Mr. Andrew C. Lawson, M.A., Ph. D. of the Geological and Natural History Survey of Canada, on " The Geology of the Rainy Lake Region," published in 1888 : " The wooded plain which extends from the south-west corner of Rainy Lake to the Lake of the Woods is on a slight but distinctly lower level than that of the ' rocky lake country.' Its slope is apparently the continuation of that of the rocky plateau just described. The highest part of the plain, so far as I was able to observe, is where the scarped face of the bedded clays which underlie it overlook Rainy Lake near Couchiching, with an elevation of 10 or 12 feet above the surface of the lake. Down the Rainy River to the Lake of the Woods the plain has practically the same slope as the river * * * occasionally, as to the north-west of the Indian Reserve at the Longue Sault or Rainy River, the country is rolling or undulating. * * * Drainage is effected by th« numerous creeks and rivers which flow into the Rainy River. These all cut channels down through the clayey strata and afford excellent sec- tions of a thickness varying from 10 to 30 feet. MR. WILLIAM MARGAOH OP RAT PORTAGE, ONT. Having been a resident of the County of Victoria for twenty years and being thus acquainted with the quality of the land in that locality, I am in a position to compare it with the land on the Rainy River. Excepting the Townships of Mariposa, Ops and Einily, there are no other townships to be compared with the land on the river. The soil is »ood and free /rom stone, while the timber is light. I have seen more timber in a birch tree in the Township of Snowdon than you will find in an acre on the Rainy River. As to getting employment in the camps in the winter, the wages are good for Aen and horses. The good land is not confined to Rainy River however. From the outlet of the river north to Grassey River, a distance of 2.5 miles, is very fine land and the land on Big and Little Grassey Rivers is equal to that on Rainy River and is within 60 miles of Rat Portage. PART IV. THE ACT SETTING APART AND FORMING • THE DISTRICT OF RAINY RIVER. AN ACT RESPECTING THE DISTRICT OF RAINY RIVER. [The folloiving is the Act setting apart the District of Rainy River as a territorial district which was assented to 30th March, ISa/).] CHAPTER 20, STATUTES OF ONTARIO, 1886. WHEREAS the Lieutenant-Governor in Council, on the Preambla. third day of October, in the year of our Lord, 1884, by virtue of an Act passed by the Legislature of Ontario, in the session thereof held in the 47th year of Her Majesty's reign, entitled An Act respecting the District ofAlgoma and Thunder Bay, issued a proclamation naming the 11th day of the said month of October, as the day upon which the said Act respect- ing the District of Algoma and Thunder Bay should go into force ; and whereas the Lieutenant-Governor in Council, on the 18th day of January, in the year of our Lord, 1885, in pur- suance of the powers in the said Act contained, did proclaim and declare that, from and after the loth day of February then next, all that part of the Provincial .iudicial District of Thunder Bay lying west of a line drawn due north and south through the m()>t easterly point of Hunter's Island should, for the purposes (except registry purposes) mentioned in the Revised Statute Respecting the Territoricd Districts of MiLskoka, Parry Sound and Thunder Bay, be detached from the said Provisional Judicial District of Thunder Bay, and should form a separate Territoii il District by the name of The District of Rainy River ; and whereas it is expedient to make provision in respect of the matters hereinafter mentioned; Therefore Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, enacts as follows : — 1. The said Territorial District of Rainy River, being all Districtof that portion of the Province lying west of the said line, shall, separated'^' from and after the first day of July next, also be separated, ffom District for registry purposes, from the District of Thunder Bay, and g^y for regis- shall form a separate registry division. tration pur- poses. 28 Appoil of Deputy Clerk. Vacancy in the otfice of PowerB and duties of Deputy Cleik, Oftpias. 2. — (1) The Lieutenant-Governor may, from time to time appoint, under the great seal, an officer for the District Court of the Provincial Judicial District of Thunder Bay, to be called the Deputy Clerk for Rainy River, who shall hold office duiing pleasure, and shall keep his office at Rat Portage. (2) In case after an appointment has been made a vacancy DepuTy cieik. occwYH in such office, the Clerk of the Division Court at Rat Portage shall, ex-ojficio, be Deputy Clerk until another appoint- ment is made. (3) The said Deputy Clerk shall issue writs for the com- mencement of actions in the said District Court, and shall, in respect of actions so commenced and of proceedings therein, perform the like duties and have the like powers and rights as are performed or possessed by the Clerk of the District Court at Port Arthur in respect of actions commenced by writs issued out of his office, and of proceedings therein ; and the said Deputy Clerk shall also issue such writs and process as may be required in such actions as may in like cases be issued by the said Clerk of the District Court, and may renew any such writs as by law may be renewed. (4) No writ of capias issued under the next preceding sub- section shall be executed outside of the District of Rainy River ; and every writ of capias so issued shall be marked by the Clerk as follows : " Only to be executed within the District of Rainy River," but this shall not prevent a copy of such writ of capias being served at any place within Ontario. (i) The Deputy Clerk of the said District Court shall have the custody of a seal similar in design to the seal of the court in the custody of the Clerk at Port Arthur, and the said Deputy Clerk shall seal with the said seal all writs, process and pro- ceedings requiring the seal of the said court ; and every writ, process or proceeding sealed with such seal shall be held to be duly sealed with the seal of the said court. 3. In any actions in which the venue is local the writ shall be issued out of the office of the said Deputy Clerk, and the venue shall be laid in the District of Rainy River in the same manner as if the said district was a separate county ; but the judge may, if he sees fit, change the venue in any action. Deputy Oerk 4.— (2) The Deputy Clerk for the Rainy River District of if SuSfgale*' the District Court of Thunder Bay shall, ex officio, be Deputy Court. Registrar for Rainy River of the Surrogate Court of Thunder Bay ; and he shall keep his office of Deputy Registrar at the same place as he is required by law to keep his office of Deputy Clerk. R. S. 0.,c.46, (2) Sections 10, 11, 12 and 13 of the Revised Statute, chap- iTpp^y to' *° ter 46 (The Surrogate Courts Act), shall apply as nearly as Deputy Regis- may be to the Deputy Registrar for Rainy River; and he shall *'*'• observe and conform to the provisions thereof; and shall per- SOAI. Venue, 29 form the like duties, and shall have the like powers and rights, under and by virtue of the said Revised Statute, within the District of Rainy River, as are performed or possessed by the Registrar of the Surrogate Court for Thunder Bay at Port Arthur; and the latter shall, after the passing of this Act, cease to exercise the powers and rights of Registrar of the Surrogate Court for Thunder Bay, in regard to applications for probate, or letters of administration, in respect of the will, or estate, of any person who had at the time of hio death his fixed place of abode in the District of Rainy River, or of any person who having no fixed place of abode within Ontario had, at the time of his death, real or personal estate in such District, which but for this Act would have been exercised by him as Registrar of the Surrogate Court for Thunder Bay. (3) The said Deputy Registrar of Surrogate shall have the Surrogate custody of a seal similar in design to the seal of the court in ^"^^ " the custody of the Registrar, and such seal shall be the seal of the court for the purpose of sealing all grants, letters, writs, certificates, papers or proceedings in connection with any matter or thing in the office of the said Deputy Registrar requiring to be sealed. 5. The Surrogate Court for Thunder Baj' shall, at Rat Sittings of Portage, in the District of Rainy River in respect of matters courtf **^ arising within the District of Rainy River and at Port Arthur in respect of matters arising within the rest of the Provisional Judicial District of Thunder Bay, hold such sittings as the Judffe cf the Surrogate Court of the Provisional Judicial District of Thunder Bay may think proper and necessary, but the said Judge may, when he deems it more convenient for the parties interested, perform any judicial or magisterial act affecting either of the said Surrogate divisions in the other of such divisions. 6. — (1) The Lieutenant-Governor may also appoint a Sheriff' "^^'^^'^g^'g of the said District of Rainy River, who .shall keep his office at Rat Portage. (2) All writs and other process requiring to be directed to a Sheriff' and intended to be executed within the said District of Rainy River shall be directed to the said Sheriff. (3) Nothing herein conoaiued shall prevent the Sheriff of Thunder Bay from proceeding upon and completing the execu- tion or service within the said District of Rainy River, of any writ of mesne or final process in his hands at the time this Act takes effect, or any renewal thereof, or any subsequent or stip- plenientary writ in the same cause ; or in the case of executions against lanvls, from executing all necessary deeds and convey- ances relating to the same ; and the acts of the said Sheriff of Thunder Bay in respect of these matters shall be valid in the same manner and to the same extent as if this Act had not been passed, and no further. ntment 30 (4) Sub-sections 5, 6, 7 and 8 of section 12 of the Act passed in the 43rd year of the reign of Her Majesty, entitled An Act respecting the Administration of Justice in the District of Algoma, Thunder Bay and Nipisaing, shall apply to the Dis- trict of Rainy River and to the Sheriff thereof. Application of 7. Unless where inconsistent with this Act and as nearly as ^ Distriof of *"*^y ^^' *^® ^'^^^ mentioned in schedule A appended to this Act Rainy River, shall, to the extent shown in the third column of the said schedule, apply to the District of Rainy River, and all other Acts, or parts of Acts, applying in general terms to Territorial Districts, shall also apply to the said district. Returns of Oonvictiona. 8. All returns of convictions required by law to be made by any Justice or Justices of the Peace shall, for the District of Rainy River, be made to the Clerk of the Peace of the District of Thunder Bay. Sitting of Dis- 9. — (1) Besides the sittings at the district town, the District trict Court, q^^^^. ^^ Thunder Bay shall hold sittings on the first Tuesday of the month of June and the fourth Tuesday of the month of November of each year, at Rat Portage, for trials and assess- ments by jury in cases in which the venue is laid in Rainy River, and sittings of the General Sessions of the Peace of Thunder Bay shall be held on the same days. (2) The said General Sessions of the Peace shall be for the trial of causes within the jurisdictions of the General Sessions where the offence to be tried was committed within the Dis- trict of Rainy River, and fortheti'ial of appeals to the General Sessions from a decision, order or conviction made by a Justice of the Peace within such district. Sitting of General Ses- sions. Trial of ap- peals. Gaols and Lock-ups. Gaol at Bat Portage. 10. — (1) Any gaol or lock-up erected in the said District of Rainy River under the authority of the Lieutenant-Governor, or any building so declared by Order in Council, shall be a common gaol of such district, for the safe custody of per- sons charged with the commission, within the said District, of crimes, or with the commission therein of offences against any statute of this Province, or against any municipal by-law, who may not have been finally committed for trial, or for the safe custody of persons finally committed for trial, charged as aforesaid, who are to be tried within the said District of Rainy River ; or for the confinement of persons sentenced within the said district for crimes or for offences as aforesaid, for ])eriods not exceeding six months ; or for the confinement of persons sentenced as aforesaid for periods exceeding six months until such persons can be conveniently removed to the gaol at Rat Portage, or other lawful prison to which they are sentenced. (2) The gaol at Rat Portage shall be the chief common gaol of the District, and, besides being for the detention of persons held for safe custody as mentioned in this section, shall also be 31 for the confinement of persons sentenced within the said Dis- trict for crimes or offences as aforesaid for periods less than two years. 11. The Third and Fourth Division Courts of the District Division of Thur der Bay, the limits of which are now within the Dis- *'""""• trict of Rainy River, shall, after the first day of April, 1885, be respectively known as the First and Second Division Courts of the District of Rainy Ri\er, subject to the authority of the Lieutenant-do vernoi in Council to alter the numbers, limits and extent of the divisions. 18. Whereas the dispute witli respect to the Boundary be- '♦^ v.. c. 2, tween this Province and the Province of Manitoba has been cppraH*\o*bec- determined in the manner contemplated by the Act passed at tions 27, 28, the last session of the Ontario Legislature, chapter two, entit- ^^" led An Act respecting the territory in dispute between this Province and the Province of Manitoba, the said Act is there- fore hereby repealed except the 27th, 28th and 29th sections thereof ; and whereas the report in that behalf of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council bears date the 22nd day of July last, and the Order of Her Majesty in Council confirming the same bears date the 11th August following, but the deter- mination of the dispute was not immediately known in the disputed territory, it is hereby declared and enacted that the said Act shall be de nied to have been in force notwithstand- ing anything therein contained, until the 26th day of October last, but no longer ; and the authority of the council at Rat Portage which was suspended by the said Act is hereby declared to have been revived from the 26th day of October aforesaid, and the by-laws, rules and regulations theretofore passed or enacted by the Municipal Board of Rat Portage shall, except so far as they have been since varied by the said council, be held to be as valid and effectual as the same would have been had the authority of the said council not been suspended, and had such by-laws, rules and regulations been passed or enacted bv the said council. PART V. THE RAINY RIVER FREE GRANTS ACT. ALSO LIST OF FREE GRANT TOWNSHIPS AND DIRECTIONS AS TO HOW TO OBTAIN FREE GRANTS AND PUBLIC LANDS. THE RAINY RIVER FREE GRANTS AND HOMESTEADS ACT. CHAPTER 26, REVISED STATUTES OF ONTARIO, 1887. An Act respecting Free Grants and Homesteads to Actual Settlers on Public Lands in the District of Rainy River. WHEREAS under instructions from the Department of the Preamble. Interior of Canada, certain townships have been sur- veyed in the Rainy River District, ihe lots immediately upon the bank of Rainy River having a width of ten chains front- ing the river and a varying depth, and the remaining land so surveyed being subdivided into sections of one milo square, and quarter .sections of one hundred and sixty acres, with road allowances around each section ; and whereas a number of settlers have gone into occupation of the lands so surveyed, and it is expedient to adopt said surveys and otherwise pro- vide for the settlement of the lands in question ; Therefore Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, enacts as follows : — 1. This Act may be cited as "The Rainy River Free Grants short title. and Homesteads Act." 49 V. c. 7, s. 1. Ji. The said surveys are lievoby adopted and legalized, and Former sur- the Department of Crown Lanls is authorized to continue such ""^y*" adopted, system of .survey within the District of Rainy River, .so far as may be deemed ex[)jilicnt. 49 V. c. 7, s. 2. 3. The Lieutonnnt-Covernor in Council may appropriate Aiipropriation any lands in the Rainy River District considered suitable for ",^tf'f",f,^^'^'' .settlement and cultivation, and not being mineral lands or pine timber lands, as free grants to actiuxl settlers, under such regulations as shall from time to time be made by Order in Council not inconsistent with the provisitms of this Act. 49 V. (!. 7, s. 3. 3(IM{.) 34 Application of R. S. O. c. 25, (o this Act. Free grants to heads of families. Free grants to males 18 years of age. Purchase of locations for children. 4. The Free Grants and Homesteads Act, saving and except- ing as is hereafter provided, and so far as the same is not inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, shall apply to lands opened for settlement under this Act. 1. The male, or sole female, head of a family with children under eighteen years of age residing with him or her, may be located for a free grant to the extent of one hundred and sixty acres, or a quarter section. 2. A male of the age of eighteen years, without children may be located for a free grant to the extent of one hundred and twenty acres, or a half quarter section, together with an adjoining quarter quarter section. 3. In addition to location every head of a family having children under eighteen years of age residing with him, or her, may purchase at the time of location an adjoining half quarter section, or eighty acres, at $1 per acre, payable one-fourth cash and the balance in three equal annual instalments with in- terest. Purchase of 4. A male of the age of eighteen years, without children, maiesTs years entitled to locate, may purchase at the time of location an of age. adjoining half quarter section, or eighty acres, <*o $1 per acre, payable one-fourth cash, and the balance in three equal annual instalments with interest. 5. Patents for lands located and purchased under this Act may issue at the expiration of three years from the date of location and purchase. 6. Where a person has, previous to the passing of this Act, made substantial improvements on two or more adjoining lots, and the lots contain more land than the person is entitled under this Act to locate and purchase, the Commissioner of Crown Lands may sell to such person such additional quantity of land at $1 per acre as may, under the circumstances, seem just and equitable. 7. In case a person has occupied and made the required improvements upon one or more lots of land before the passing of this Act, the Commissioner of Crown Lands, may, after loca- tion and purchase as hereinbefore provided, issue the patent therefor without waitiner for the expiration of three years. 8. Pine trees growing or being upon any lands located or purchased under this Act, and ^old, silvor, copper, lead, iron or other mines, or minerals, shall be considered as reserved from the location or purchase, and shall be the property of Her Majesty, except that the locatee, or those claiming under him, may cut and use such trees as may be necessary for the pur- pose of building, fencing and fuel, on the land so located or purchased, and may also cut and dispose of all trees re(i'.iired to be removed, in actually clearing the land for cultivation, but no pine trees (except for the necessary building, fencing, and fuel as aforesaid) shall be cut beyond the limit of the Issue of patents. Sale to person who has made improve- ments. Issue of patents to persons hav- ing made improve- ments. Reservation of pine trees, mines and minerals. 35 id except- me is not i apply to h. children ;r, may be ndred and t children e hundred jr with an actual clearing before the issuing of the patent ; and pine trees so cut and disposed of (except for the necessary building, fencing and fuel as aforesaid) shall be subject to the payment of the same dues as are at the time payable by the holders of licenses to cut timber or saw loss. 9. Trees remaining on the land at the time the patent issues Trees to pass shall pass to the patentee. 49 V. c. 7, s. 4. '" patentee. 5. This Act shall not go into force until a day to be named Commence- hy the Lieutenant-Governor by his proclamation. 49 V. c. 7, s. 6. ""^°* °^ ^'^^ ily having lim, or her, alf quarter ourth cash s with in- t children, ocation an :l per acre, [ual annual er this Act ihe date of f this Act, lining lots, is entitled issioner of quantity inces, seem e required le passing after loca- ihe patent years. located or lead, iron reserved rty of Her under him, ar the pur- located or 3s reci'-iired ultivation, g, fencing, uiit of the AN ACT TO AMEND THE FREE GRANTS AND HOMESTEADS ACT. The following atnendments to the Free Grants and Home- stead Act, «knd whioh apply also t o t he Rainy River Free Q rants and Homesteads Act , loas passed by the Ontario Legislature during the i^ession of 1890 • HElv MAJESTY, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, enacts as follows : — 1. Section 12 of Tlie Free Grants and Homesteads Act is Rev. Stat. c. repealed, and the following is substituted therefor ; — repealed 12. From and after the 30th day of April, 1889, the Payment by patentee, his heirs or assigns, of land located or sold under this ^''?*^*° , f Act, after the Sth day of March, 1880, shall be entitled to be part of dues. paid out of the Consolidated Revenue of the province, on all pine trees cut on such land subsequent to the 13th day of April next, after the date of the patent, and upon which dues have been collected by the Crown, the sum of thirty-three cents on each one thousand feet, board measure of saw-logs, and four dollars on each one thousand cubic feet of square or waney timber, and the Lieutenant-Governor in Council may make regulations for ascertaining and determining the persons from time to time to receive the payments and the sums to be paid. 13. In case a person who has complied with all the settle- CommiBsioner ment duties under the said Act and obtained a patent for only niay disp-jnae one lot, is entitled to and desires to obtain another 100 acres Znd settle-^ to make up his full quantity, or having obtained his full ment duiies in quantity as a free grant has purchased an additional 100 acres under the orders and regulations under the said Act, and such additional location or purchase is adjacent to his patented lot, the Commissioner of Crown Lands upon being satisfied that such lot or lots are not chiefly valuable for their pine timber, and are suited only or principally for grazing purposes or as a 36 cases. fuel reserve, may dispense with residence and settlement duties upon them provided there are 30 acres cleared upon the patented lot, and may issue the patent at the expiration of the time required by the said Act. Commissioner 3, jn cEse the person is bona fide the owner and occupant of wiiL clearing land in a free grant district acquired otherwise than as a free in certain grant under the said Act and is entitled and desires to obtain a free grant location and such location is adjacent to the land which he owns and occupies, the Commissioner of Crown Lands upon being satisfied by inspection or evidence that the lands are not chiefly valuable for their pine timber, and are suited only or principally for grazing purposes, or as a fuel reserve, and that there are 30 acres cleared upon the land which he owns and resides upon, may dispense with clearing and residence upon such free grant location and issue the patent at the expiration of the time required by the said Act, Where occu- pant for six years not regularly located through inad- vertance patent uiiy issue before five years. 4. In case a person entitled to obtain a location under the provisions of the said Free Qnnts and Homesteads Act has, without objection by the Crown, for a period of six or more years occupied or made the required improvements upon one or more lots (not exceeding the quantity which may be granted under the said Act) of land prior to the said land being brought under the operation of the said Act, or if the land be open for location, in case he has so occupied but has not, either through inadvertence or oversight, been regularly located, the Commissioner of Crown Lands, subject to such regulations as may be provided in that behalf, may after location as by said Act is pi'ovided, issue the patent upon proof of the perform- ance of the required settlement duties and without awaiting for the expiration of five years from the date of location. But this section shall not apply where it appears to the Commis- sioner that the lot has been selected chiefly on account of the pine timber thereon. 5. Section 10 of TJtc Free Grants and Homesteads Act is amended by adding thereto the following sub-section : — 2. Where the land allotted to a locatee or purchaser under this Act, is composed of two or more lots, or parcels of lots, the said locatee or purchaser, or those claiming under him may cut such pine trees as may be necessary for the purpose of building and fencing as hereinbefore provided, or any one or more of the said lots or parcels of lots so located or purchased, and may use the said pine trees on the same lot or any of the other lots or parcels of lots held by him as a free grant or by purchase under this Act, whether located at the same time or otherwise. Bev. Stat. c. 6. Sub-sections 3 and 4- of section 22 of The Free Grants 88 '3 and 4"^ rtwrf Homesteads Act, are hereby repealed and the patents for repealed. t.lie lands in said snb-scctions mentioned or referred to may Rev. Stat. c. 25, s. 10, amended. Locatee of two or more lots may cut pine for build- mg and fencing. ben Out! ST t duties on the tion of pant of ,s a free ) obtain ;he land Crown that the and are a fuel he land clearing isue the laiH Act, ider the Act has, or more I pen one granted d being land be it, either ited, the ations as i by said perform- awaiting on. But Commis- nt of the Is Act is or under i of lots, him may irpose of ly one or urchased, \y of the mt or by e time or e Grants ttents for d to may issue notwithstanding any arrears of payments of the expenses of clearing, fencing and erection of buildings thereon, and all sums due Her Majesty in respect r ;. such clearing, fencing and RemUgion of building by locatees in the townships of Ryerson and Spence, settlers in in the district of Parry Sound, amounting to $7,304 principal Ryeraon and together with any interest thereon, are hereby remitted. ' p^""**" 7. That all sums due to the Crown for seed-grain supplied S««>8 due to to the settlers in the free grant territory or any part thereof, geed grain amounting to $5,306, together with any interest thereon, are remitted. hereby remitted. 8 , This Act shall be read with and as part of Tlie ^ree Act incorpor- . J TT . 1 A ± ated With Rev Grants and Homesteads Act. Stat. c. 25. ev( Rainy River Free Grant Townships. The following townships are now open for location under the Rainy River Free Grants and Homesteads Act ; — Township of — Curran Township 3 Range 22 Atwood •' 4 " 22 Blue " 3 " 23 Worthington " 4 " 23 Nelles " 3 " 24 Dilke " 4 " 24 Pattullo " 3 " 25 Morley " 4 " 25 S. ofMorley '• 5 " 25 Tait " 3 " 26 Shenston •' 4 ^| 26 Roseberry " ^ " 26 Barwick " 5 " 27 Lash " 5 " 28 Aylsworth " 6 " • 28 Devlin " 5 " 29 . Woodyatt ;' 6 " 29 Crozier " 5 " 30 Roddick " 6 " 30 Mclrvine " ^ " '^1 Agents for the Sale and Location of Grown Lands. T J. F. Marsh, Rainy River P. O., agent for the Townships of Rose- berry, Shenston. Tait. Pattullo, Morley, Dilke, Nelles, Blue, Worthington, Ourran and Atwood. 'TWrt*liMWNttM» 38 Wm. Wilson, Fort Francis P. 0., agent for the Towrnships of Barwick» Lash, Aylsworth, Devlin, Woodyatt, Crozier, Roddick and Mclrvine. Archibald Campbell, Rat Portage, who will furnish intending settlers with the number of lots open for location, as well as valuable general information regarding the district. How to Obtain Free Q-rants and Homesteads in the Rainy River District. Public lands which have been surveyed, and are considered suitable for settlement and cultivation, and not valuable chiefly for minerals or pine timber, may be appropriated as Free Grants, To obtain a Free Grant, the applicant must make application to the local Crown Land agent, in whose agency the land desired is situated,, and deposit with him the necessary affidavit (see Forms Nos. 1, 2 and 3,, in Appendix). Although no fees are charged by the Department, or allowed to the land agents for locating, yet if required to prepare the necessary affidavits, the agent may make a reasonable charge for so doing. One hundred and sixty acres is the limit of the Eainy River Free Grants and Homesteads Act. No individual, therefore, can ibtain more than that quantity as a Free Grant, and if the land selected exceeds 160 acres, the applicant must pay for the overplus at the price fixed by the: regulations, viz., $1 pe/ acre. The male head of a Jamily, or the sole female head of a family, having a child or children under eighteen years of age residing with him or her, may be located for 160 acres as a Free Grant ; and may also purchase an additional 80 acres at the rate of one dollar per acre. Upon receipt of the necessary affidavits, the agent will, if the land selected be open for location, and there be no adverse claim thereto, enter the locatee for it on the records of his office, and at the end of the current month he will return the location to the Department of Crown Land'/. In case a party has settled on Government land before the township has been surveyed, or appropriated under the Free Grants Act, he should, immediately after it is opened for location, apply to the local agent and get located, as he will have no recognized title, and his occupation of the land will not»count until this action has been taken. Upon completion of his location, the locatee may enter upon and occupy his land, and may commence his improvements ; and the Regula- tions require him to do so within one month. The locatee will not be entitled to his patent until the expiration of three years from the date of location, and he must then make proof that the settlement duties have been fully completed. The settlement duties required on each location are as follows, viz. : — (1) To, have at least fifteen acres cleared and had under cultivation, of which two acres at least are to he cleared and cultivated annually during the three years ; (^) To have built a habitable house, at least 16 by W feet in size ; (3) And to have actually and continuously resided upon and culti~ vated the land for three years after location. 39 A locatee is not bound to remain on the land all the time during the three years ; but may be absent on business or at work for, in all, not more than six months in any one year. He must, however, make it his home, and clear and cultivate the quantity of land required (two acres at least) each year. Where a locatee holds two lots he ma)'^ make the requisite improve- ments on either one or both, as he finds it most convenient. A locatee who purchases an additional 80 acres under the Regulations must, within three years from the date of sale, clear fifteen acres thereon, and cultivate the same, before he will be entitled to the patent ; but he is not required to build a house or reside on the purchased lot, where he holds it in connection with a Free Grant. The proof of the performance of the settlement duties must be : the aflSdavit of the locatee himself, supported by the testimony of at least two disinterested parties, which affidavits are to be filed with the local agent — who, if satisfied as to the correctness of the statements contained therein, recommends the issue of the patent, and transmits the application to the Department. In case a locatee has, after the issue of his patent, absolutely and in good faith parted with the land patented to him as a Free Grant, he may take up another location by applying to the local agent, and making affidavit setting out the facts. In case the locatee fails to perform '^e settlement duties required by law, his location is liable to forfeiture, *ind may be cancelled by the Commissioner of Crown Lands. Applications for cancellation must be made through the local agent, and be supported by the affidavits of the applicant and at least two credible witnesses, who will show what the present position of the lot is ; whether the locatee ever occupied or im- proved, and, if so, to what extent and the value of the improvements ; when he ceased to occupy ; and his address, if known. Upon receipt of this evidence the agent will, if he can ascertain the address of the locatee, notify him of the application, and call upon him to disprove the allega- tions, or show cause why his location should not be cancelled within thirty days. At the expiration of that time the agent will transmit the evidence, with anything he may have received from the locatee in reply, and his own report to the Department. (See Form No. 5.) The assignment or mortgage of a homestead from a locatee to another party before the issue of his patent is invalid, and cannot bo recognized by the Department. This does not, however, apply to the devise of a Free Grant lot by will, nor to transfers of land by a locatee for church, cemetery or school purposes, or the right of way of railroads. All pine trees and minerals on land located or sold under the Free Grants Act are reserved from the location or sale, and are the property of the Crown ; and the Commissioner of Crown Lands may at any time issue a license to cut the pine on such land. The locatee may, however, cut and use such pine trees as he requires for building and fencing on his land, and may also cut and dispose of any pine ti-ees he meets within the actual process of clearing his land for cultivation ; but any trees so disposed of are subject to the payment of the same dues as are payable by license- holders. Holders of timber licenses have the right to haul their timber over the uncleared portion of any land located or sold, and to make such roads 40 as may be necessary for the purpose, and to use all slides, portages and roads, and to have free access to all streams and lakes. The Crown reserves the right to construct on any land located or sold, any Colonization Road, or deviation from the Government allowance for road ; and to take from such land, without compensation, any timber, gravel or material required for the construction or improvement of any such road. Any conveyance, movtgf4;e or alienation (except a will) of the land located, by a locatee after the issue of a patent and within twenty years fiom location, wUl be in 'alid unless it be by deed in which his wife is one of the gran -, a' i.nless it be duly executed by her. The land wL.:;; ;r!:»d by the locatee, his widow or heirs, shall be exempt from liabi? tv debt during twenty years from the date of location. This ext OiOn Hc-s not, however, extend to a sale for taxes legally imposed. 1^ When a Free Grant locatee dies before the completion of his title, his representatives may continue the settlement duties and obtain a patent at the proper time upon filing the requisite proof If he died be- fore the Ast July, 1886, intestate, evidence is required of the date of death and Kcal he died intestate, giving the name of his widow, and the number and names of all his children, and if he left no wife or children, the name of his heir must be given ; if he made a will, it must be sent in with proper proof of due execution according to law. If he died after the 1st July, 1886, probate or letter^ of administration to the real and personal estate, as the case may be, must be sent. Where a locatee dies, whether before or after issue of patent, leaving a widow, she is entitled to the land during her widowhood in lieu of dower, unless she prefers to take her dower instead. In making application for land, and in filing proof in support of ap- plications for cancellation of a location, or for issue of patent, the applicant will save time and unnecessary trouble by tiling his papers with, or mailing them to, the Crown Land Agent in whose agency the land is situated, as on account of the agent's local knowledge of the lands he has to deal with, the Department requires that his certificate be attached to all such applications. Lands located or sold under the Rainy River Free Grants and Home- steads Act, or the regulations made thereunder, are liable to taxation from the date of such location or sale, and where taxes assessed on such land are in arrears for three years, the interest of the locatee or purchaser may be sold in the manner prescribed by law. When the tax-purchaser receives his deed, unless legal proceedings be taken to question it by some person interested within two years from the date of sale, he ac- quires the right and interest of the locatee or purchaser, and may ob- tain a patent on completion of the original conditions of location or sale. In order to have his claim recognized, a tax-purchaser should file his deed in the Department, and two years after the date of the sale for taxes, should file evidence showing that no action has been taken to question his title, that there is no adverse claim on the ground of occu- pation or improvements, and that all arrears of taxes have been paid since he purchased. (See Revised Statutes 1887), Cap. 193, sections 159, 360 and 171, and Cap. 24, section 18). And in order to obtain a patent for the land, as a free grant, the tax-purchaser must also show that he and 41 has performed the setfcleinent duties required by the Rainy River Free Grants and Homesteads Act, and that he has not ah'eady received the benefit of the said Act, or if he has received a grant of all the land which it allows him, that he has bona fide and absolutely parted with the same. land HOW TO PURCHASE PUBLIC LANDS. In case a party should desire to purchase public land which has been surveyed, but is not within the jurisdiction of any Crown Land agent, he should make his application direct to the Department, and support it by the affidavit^? of at lea^t two credible and disinterestei parsons. These affidavits should set out all facts in connec^" n with the land which he sDeks to purchase, and especially whether it la? ^ver been occupied, whether occupied at the time the application xs i de, and, if so, by whom, and when such occupation commenced whether any improve- ments have been made on said land, and, if so the nature and extent of the same, and by whom and when they were rrade ; and also, whether there is any claim made thereto adverse to that of the applicant, and based on the ground of occupation or impi cements. If the applicant has acquired the interest or claim of some ^,-evious occupant, he should show the fact and file an assignment. • FORMS OF AFFIDAVITS USED IN APPLTCATfONS AND OTHER CROWN LANDS. FOR FREE GRANT No. I. — Affidavit from a Single Man for 100 Acres. of the in the make Set out the name, ^• last place of resi- oath and say : dence, and oocu- 1. That I have not heretofore bsen located for any land ander pation in full. the "Free Grants and Homesteads Act," (except ) ; nor have I obtained a Patent for any land as a Free Grant or any benefit under that Section of the said Act which provides for the remission of arrears due t > the Crown by settlers who purchased in Free Grant Townships {except for lot number but that I have absolutely and in good faith parted with the si'd land, so f/a'ented to vnt, and I am entitled to and desire to obtain another location.) 2. That I am of the age of years. 3. That I desire to be located for lot number in the concession of the township of 4. That I believe the said land is suitel for settlement and cultivation and is not valuable chiefly for its mines, minerals or pine timber ; and thit such location is desired for my benefit, and for the purpose of uctuil settlemjnt and cultivation of such land, and not either directly or indirectly for the use or benefit of any other person or persons whatsoever, nor for the purpose of obtaining, possessing or dispos* ing of any of the pine trees, growing or bemg on the said land, or any benefit or ad- vantage therefrom, or any gold, silver, copper, lead, iron, or other mines or minerals, or any quarry or bed of stone, marble or gyp«iim theron. 6. And that the said lot is wholly unoccupied and unimproved (except Sworn before me, at this day of 18. i '"TtKMtMMiirK 42 No. 2. — Affidavits where Applicant is the A Family. Male or Sole Female, Head or Rei out the nnme, last place of resi- dence, and occu- pation in full. I. of the ia the makfr oath and say : 1. That I have not heretofore been located for any land under thr "Free Grants and Homesteads Act." (except ) ; nor have I obtained a Patent for any land as a Free Grant or any benefit under that Suction of the said Act which provides for the remission of arrears due to the Grown, by settlers who purchased in Free Grant Townships (except for lot number but that I have absolutely and in good faith paHed iviih the said land so patented to me, and I am entitled to and desire to obtain another location.) 2. That I am the male (or) sole female head of a family, having children under eighteen years of age, residing with me, consisting of son and daughter. 3. That I desire to be located under the said Act, and the Regulations made there- under for lot number in the concession, and lot number in the concession of the township of 4. That I believe the said lands are suited for settlement and] cultivation, and are not valuable chiefly for their mines, minerals, or pine timber. 6. That such location is desired for my benefit, and for the purpose of actual set- tlement and cultivation of such lands, and not either directly or indirectly for the use or benefit of any other person or persons whatsoever, nor for the purpose of obtaining, possessing or disposing of any of the pine trees growing or being on the said lands, or any benefit or advantage therefrom, or any gold, silver, copper, lead, iron, or other mines or minerals, or any quarry or bed of stone, marble or gypsum thereon. 6. And that the said lots are wholly unoccupied and unimproved (except Sworn before me, at this day of 18 We, of the • in the and of the in the each for himself, make oath and say : that I am well acquainted with named in the above affidavit, and that he is the head of a family and has children, under eighteen years of age, (consisting of con and daughter ,) residing with him ; and I further make oath and say that I know lots number , in the concession of the township of referred to above, that I am not aware of any claim to th« said lots on the grounds of occupation, improvements or otherwise, adverse to that of the applicant, and that the said lots are wholly unoccupied and unimproved (extept Sworn before me, at this day of 18 No. 4. — Application for Patent under the Provisions of "The Free Grants AND Homesteads Act." To the Croivn Lands Agent : Sir, — 1 have the honour to apply, under the provisions of " The Free Grants and Homesteads Act," for a Patent from the Crown for my Homestead, upon the grounds set forth in the following affidavits, and have to request that the sai I Patent, whea issued, be mailed to the following address, viz : Dated this 18 . 48 AJjklamt •( ApplUant. Ontario, of To Wit : > in the ; make oath and say : — of of the I "S s s s 1. That I desire to obtain my Patent under the provisiona of the Eighth' Section of ''The Free Grants and Homesteads Act," for lot of the township of for which lot I was located on the day of 18 2. That since then I have been an actual resident upon, and have culti- vated the said lot continuously for years, and that I am still residing upon and cultivating the same. 3. That 1 have cleared upon the said lot, and had under cultivation last season acres at least, and that I have erected buildings thereon of the following descriptions and dimensions, viz ; A house tit for habitation X feet at least, 4. That I have not been located for any other land (except ) nor have I obtained Patent for any land, as a Free Grant, or by remission of arrears, under the provisions of the said Act ; and that I am well entitled to the Patent for the said lot, and am not aware of any adverse claim thereto on the grounds of occupation, improvements or otherwise. Sworn before me, at this day of 18 .! Affidavit in Support of Application. Ontario, ^ We, of the township of in the of > of and of the same place, yeoman, each for To Wit : J himself, make oath and say : — That I know lot in the concession of the township of described in the affidavit of the Applicant for Patent ; that the said affidavit lias been read over to me, and that all the dtatements made therein respecting the residence of the said on the said lot, and the cultivation and improve- ments made by him thereon are true in substance and in fact, and that I am npfc aware of any adverse claim thereto. Sworn before me, at ) this day of 18 . ( No. 5. — Application for Canckllation of a Locatiok. Affidavit of Applicant. Ontario, ) I, of the township of in the district District of > of , yeoman, njake oath and say : — To Wit : 1 1. That I desire to be located for lot number in the concession of the township of 2. That I am informed that the said lot located on the day ot A.D. 18 , to one 3. That I know the said lot, and personally visited and examined on the ; and that there was no person at that time residing thereon ; and that I did not discover any improvements whatever on the said lot ; and that from ' fm^mviMn, 44 said examination, and from information which I have received, I verily believe that the said locateo has never occupied or improved the said lot ; If looatee has occui)ied «r improved at any time set out when he ceased to occupy, what im- provements he made, when they were made, and in what position the lots are at time of application. 4. That so far as I am aware the said locatee is not occupying or improving any «ther land in the said township, and resides at present at 5. And that I have not, neither has any person for me, eitlier directly or indirectly by purchase or otherwise from the said looatee, or any other person, acquired any interest ia the said lot. Sworn before me, at in the of 4l»7 of A.D. this 18 ) Ontario, District of To Wit : } Affidavit in Support of Application. We, of the township of in the district of and of the same place, yeomen, each for himself, make oath and say : — 1. That I know Ico number in the concession of the township «f which located to and that I personally visited and examined the said lot on the , that there was no person then residing thereon, nor were there any improvements whatever ; and that from said examination and from information which I have received, I verily believe that the said locatee has never occupied or improved the said lot ; If locatee has occupied or improved at any time ''f set out when he ceased to occupy, what im- provements he rasule, when they were made, and in what fmsition the lots are at time of application. 2. That the said locatee is not, as far as I am aware, occupying or improving any other land in the said township, and that he resides at Sworn before me, at ^ in the of this > i&j of A.D. 18 . ) I hereby certify that I have no reason to doubt the statements contained in the foregoing affidavits ; and also that I did on the day of mail to the locatee of said lots at Post Office, a letter notifying him of the application for cancellation, and calling upon him to show cause why it should not be allowed, and since then I have not received any reply to the said notice, except Crotwi Land Agent, Mo. 6. — Affidavit in Support of Application for Land under the Mining Act. in the District Ontario, District of To Wit : 1. That on the examined Jintl of the township of and I, of the township of the District of do solemnly swear : — day of 1 personally visited and carefully lot number in the concession of the 46 township of and at that time there was no person residing on said lot, and there were no improvements thereon. 2. That there was no visible trace nor indioHtion of work having been done on said lot by any person or persons f jr mining or other purposes. 3. And that to the best of my knowledge and belief there is no claim to said lot bj any person or persons adverse to that of the applicant on the ground of priority of discovery of mineral thereon, or otherwise. Sworn before me, at *) in the district of this > day of A.D. 18 . ) No. 7.— Affidavit to bb taken by a Male or Femalb Head of a Family wh*' Desires to Purchase Land, Subject to Settlement in North NiPISSING AND AlqOMA DI3TR1CT.S. Canada, Province of Ontario, District of To Wit : 1. That I am the I) of being the head of a family, and desirous of purchasing lot number in the concession of the township of Mak* oath and say : — head of a family 2. That the said land is wholly unoccupied and unimproved, and I believe the sane to be suited for settlement and cultivation. 3. That I desire to purchase the said land for the purpose of settling thereon and for cultivation, and not for speculative purposes or for the cutting or disposing of any timber there may be thereon. Sworn before me, at this (.lay of 18 No .8.— Affidavit to be taken by a Male Person above the age ok Euih™»k Vears, and not the Head of a Family, who Desires to 1'ur- chase Land and Become a Settler in same Districts. Canada, iProvince of Ontario, (district of To VVic : I, of oath and say : — 1. That I am of the full age of eighteen years. 2. That I fim desirous of purchasing lot number wake in the concession of the township of in the district of and that the said land is wholly unoccupied and unimproved, and I believe the same is suited tor settlement and cultivation. 3. That I desire to purchase the said land for the purpose ot settling thereon and for cultivation, and not for speculative purposes or for the cutting or disposii , of any timber there may be thereon . Sworn before me at this d'y of 18 46 No. 9. — Affidavit in Support of Application for Patent for Lands Sold Subject to Settlement. Ontario, Diatrict of To Wit : lo, We, of the township of in the and of the same place, yeomen, each for J himself, make oath and say : — concession of the town* « 1. That I know lot number in the -< S ship of "g t;; 2. That there are acres cleared and had under cultivation and crop "IS on the said lot. ^ e ,^ . House nt tor naoitation x S 4. That said lot is occupied by *7j *"* 1^ 3. That the following buildings have been erected thereon, namely — A p , house fit for habitation feet. "I jS occupied by and has been continuously for years, and the improvements made thereon were made by 5. That I do not know of any claim to or occupation of said lot adverse to that of Sworn before me, at this day of 18 PART VI. THE RAINY RIVER FIRE DISTRICT. AN ACT TO PRESERVE THE FORESTS FROM DESTRUCTION BY FIRE. THE RAINY RIVER FIRE DISTRICT. The Rainy River District is included in the Fire District No. 2 (See Cap. 22, R.S.O.,) the latter being described as follows :— District No. i3. — All that part of the said Province lying west of Provincial Land Surveyor Albert P. Salter's meridian line between ranges twenty-one and twenty-two west, near Bruce Mines, in the District of Algoma, and west of the said meridian line produced, to the northern boundary of the Province, the said meridian line being the western boundary of the'Fire District established by the Proclamation of March 27th,^1878. 48 AN ACT TO PRESERVE THE FORESTS FROM DESTRUCTION BY FIRE. CHAPTER 213, REVISED STATUTES OF ONTARIO, 1887. PROCtAMATION OF FiRE DISTRICT, SS. 1-3. Restrictions as to starting fires, s. 4. Precautions as to fires for clear- ing LAND, s. 5. Fire for cooking, s. 6. Matches, cigars, firearms, s. 7. Act to be read to employees by SURVtY'ORS, etc., S. 8. Locomotive engines, managbmbnt OF, SS. 9, 10. Penalty, s. 11. Limitation of actions, s. 12. Disposal of fines, h. 13. Enforcing act, s. 14. Right to damages not affected, s. 15. HER MAJESTY, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, enacts as follows : — Lt. -Governor 1. The Lieutenant-Governor may, by proclamation to be "fi"*^ d''°t^'^'t' "^^^^^ ^y '^"" from time to time, issued by and with the advice ' and consent of the Executive Council, declare any portion or part of the Province of Ontario, to be a lire district. 41 V. c. 23, s. 1. Publication of 2. Every proclamation under this Act shall be published in fire district. ^]^g Ontario Gazette ; and such poition or part of the Province as is mentioned and declared to be a fire district in and by the said proclamation, shall, from and after the said publication, become a tire district within the moaning and for the purposes of this Act. 41 V. c. 23. s. 2. Revocation. 3. Every portion or part of the Province mentioned in the proclanuition shall cease to be a tire district upon the revoca- tion by the Lieutenant-Governor in Council of the proclamation by which it was created. 41 V. c. 23, s. 3. Fires not to be 4. It shall not be lawful for any person to set out, or cause started except to be Set out or started, any tire in or near the woods within jjurpoleHand ^"W ^^'^ dlstiict between the 1st day of April and the 1st day in curtain of November in any year, except for the purpose of clearing ^*'"" *■ land, cooking, obtaining warmth, or for some indrstrial pui-- pose ; and in cases of starting fires for any of the above ptr- poses, the obligations and j)recautions imposed by the follow- insi sections shall be observed. 41 V. c. 23, s. 4. 49 6. Every person who shall, between the 1st day of April Precautions to and the 1st day of November, make or start a fire within a cfge^of* clear- fire district for the purpose of clearing land, shall exercise and ing land, observe every reasonable care and precaution in the making and starting of such fire, and in the managing of and caring for the same after it has been made and started, in order to prevent the fire from spreading and burning up the timber and forests surrounding the place where it has been so made and started. 41 V. c. 23, s. 5. 6. Every person who shall, between the Ist day of April Precaution in and the 1st day of November, make or start within s'v" '^f^^etcr" district a fire in the forest, or at a distance of less than helf-a- mile therefrom, or upon any island, for cooking, obtaining warmth, or for any industrial purpose, shall — 1. Select a locality in the neighbourhood in which there is the smallest quantity of vegetable matter, dead wood, branches, brushwood, dry leaves, or resinous trees ; . 2. Clear the place in which he is about to light the fire by removing all vegetable matter, dead trees, branches, brush- wood, and dry leaves from the soil within a radius of ten feet from the fire ; . 3. Exercise and observe every reasonable care and precau- tion to prevent such tire from spreading, and carefully ex- tinguish the same before quitting the place. 41 V. c. 23, s. 6. 7. Any person who shall throw or dro[) any burning match. Precautions in ashes of a pipe, lighted cigar or any other burning substance, "a^es "f or who shall discharge any firearm within such fire district, burr-ing'sub- shall be subject to the pains and penalties imposed by this Act stances, etc. if he neglect completely to extinguish before leaving the spot the fire of such match, ashes of a pipe, cigar, wadding of the firearm or other burning subst&nce. 41 V. c. 23, s. 7. 8. Every person in charge of any drive of timber, surveyor Art to be read exploring party, or of any other party requiring camp-firos for ?"_ '^'mpWees cooking or other purposes, within a fire district, shall provide surveys, lum- himself with a copy of this Act, and shall call his men to- berers, etc. o-ether and cause the Act to be read in their hearing, and explained to them at least once in each week during the con- tinuance of such work or service 41 V. c. 23, s. 8. 9. All locomotive engines used on a railway which passes Precautions aa through any fire district or any part of a tire district, shall, by *" locomotive. the company using the same, be provided with and have in use all the moat approved and c'^cient means u«ed to prevent the escape of fire from the furnace or ash-pan of such engines, and the smoke-stack of each locomotive engine so used shall be provided with a bonnet or screen of iron or steel wire netting, the size of the wire used in making the netting to be not less 4,(ll.R.) 60 Duty of en- gine drivers. than number nineteen of the Birmingham wire gauge, or ;,liree sixty-fourth parts of" an inch in diameter, and shall contain in each inch square at least eleven wires each way at right angles to each other, that is in all twenty-two wires to the inch square. 41 V. c. 23, s. 9. 10. It shall be the dut}' of every engine driver in charge of a locomotive engine passing over a railway Vt^ithin the limits of any fire district, to see that all such appliances as are above mentioned are properly used and applied, so as to prevent the unnecessary escape of the fire from any such engine as far as it is reasonably possible to do so. 41 V. c. 23, s. 10. . 11. Whosoever unlawfully neglects or refuses to comply with the requirements of this Act in any manner whatsoever, shall be liable, upon a conviction before any Justice of the Peace, to a penalty not exceeding $50 over and above the costs of prosecution, and in default of payment of such fine and costs the offender shall be imprisoned in the common gaol for a period not exceeding three months ; and any railway com- pany permitting a locomotive engine to be run in violation of the provisions of section 9 of this Act shall be iable to a penalty of SlOO for each ofience, to be recovered with costs in any Court of competent jurisdiction. 41 V. c. 23, s. 11. Limitation of 13. Every action for any contravention of this Ace shall actions. \^Q commenced within t! ree months immediately following Penalty. 1 :" such contravention. 41 V. c. 2 •', 12. Disposal of tines. 13. All fines urd penalties ir* losed and collected under this Act shall be paid one-half in tne prosecutor and the other half to Her Majesty for the public use of the Province. 41 V. c. 23, s. 13. Grvernment ^^- ^^ •^^*''^1 ^^ ^^^ Special duty of every Crown Land agents to en- agent, woods and forest agent, fi'ee grant agent and bush toree tnm Aci. j.^^ugg^. ^q enforce the provisions and requirements of this Act, and in all cases coming within the knowledge of any such agent or bush ranger to prosecute every person guilty of a breach of any of the provisions and requirements of the same. , 41 V. c. 23, 8. 14. Act not to in- '■^- Nothing in this Act contained shall be held to limit or terfere with interfere with the right of any party to bring and maintain a fo •'damak^'"" ^'^^^ action for d \mages occasioned by fire, and such right '-hall 1^ uiain r.nci exist as though this Act had not been passed. 41 V. c 23, s. 15. ji^; PART VIk THE RAINY RIVER MINERAL LANDS. ii Mineral Lands. Crown Lands in the District of Rainy River may be purchased or lea-^ed for mining purposes under the provisions of the Mines Act, 1892. For a purchase, the price varies from two and a half to three and a half dollars per acre, according to distance from a railway, and whether the land is in surveyed or unsurveyed territory. Under the leasing system, the rental is at the rate of one dollar per acre for the first year, and twenty-five cents per acre for subsequent years. A lease may be at any time converted into a purchase, in which case the first year's rental is applied as part payment for the land. Patent or lease is issued upon payment, and contains a reservation of all pine trees standing or being upon the land. The pine continues to be the property of the C nvn, who may at anytime issue a license to cut it, and the party holding Lht license is empowered to enter at all times upon the land, cut and i mi., ye it, and make all necessary roads for that purpose. Applications to purchase or lease land under the Mines Act si">uld be made direct to the Crown Lands Dopartment at Toronto, and sli/uld be accompanied by the purchase money or tir.st year's rental, together with affidavits of at least two credible and disinter sted parties, showing that the land is unoccupied and unimproved (except by or on behalf of tho applicant) and that there is no claim adverse to his on the ground of occupation, improvements or otherwise. After seven years from the date of patent or lease the output of ore is subject to a royalty rot exceeding 2 [)er cent, for iron, or 3 per cent, for silver, nickel or copper. Mining in the Thunder Bay and Rainy River Districts. The mining interests of a country are no less important and valuable as an asset than the timber interests, and in this respect the Province of Ontario is exceptionally rich. The extent and variety of our mineral resources ar<^ fully set forth in the " Report of tb. Royal (■omniission on the Mineral Resources of Ontario" from which the following para<^raphs are compiled. North of Lake Superior locations of gold, silver, copper, iron, galena, plumbago and zinc ores have been taken up, besides which tht re are inexhaustible supplies of granite, marble, serpentine and .sandstone. West 62 of Port Arthur is a silver district, which is an argentiferous region of great richness. Beyond this district to the north-west, are found veins of gold bearing quartz and extensive ranges of magnetic iron ore, while to the southwest is believed to be a continuation of the Vermillion iron range of northern Minnesota. Considerable activity has recently been shown in the iron bearing area of the Atic-Okan River as well as in the silver-bearing Animikie series to the south. The completion of the Port Arthur and Western Railway through the silver districts will afford the necessary outlet for the product of these mines. Silver ore has also been discovered in the township o{ Paipoonge, ten miles west of Port Arthur, while numerous silver and native copper lodes and deposits have been found in the township of Crooks, twenty miles from Fort William. The islands in the Lake of the Woods, especially Sultana Island, have also revealed gold-bearing veins of good promise and have been developed and capital has recently come in for the further development of the pos- sible mineral resources of this district. The mineral wealth of the Rainy River district, although less easily estimated, bids fair to be even greater than that of the timber wealth. The results thus far of prospecting establish the existence of gold, silver, copper and iron, and it is more than probable that the valuable veins discovered in Algoma will be found to extend through the Rainy River district. That the geological forniatioi; is indicative of valuable mineral deposits is verified by Professor Bell's geological surveys. A band of rocks running south-west from Ln\e Scbebandowan (in neighbourhood of which gold has been found in considerable quantities) to the inter- national boundary, and thence to Lake Vermillion in Minnesota, is also said to be rich in auriferous deposits. The Public Works Report of the Dominion (1875"), says that, "The Indians, both of Rainy Lake and Lake of the Woods have among them specimens of native gold and silver ore, which they affirm is to be found in places known to them in abundance, and the rock formation is such as to corroborate their statement. Iron oie is plentiful in many sections, and charcoal for smelting easily obtain- able. Granite, which report says is equal in texture and fitness to the best importeil specimens, is to bo found at the Lake of the Woods, and the stoai/j-ie, oi 'vhich the Indians make pipes, a very valuable article for the c:>u it ruction of furnaces, is (juite abundant at Rainy Lake and Sabasi^'n." 'i^ "^^ijK JL .Wuijoi/ J^'-^,^.^ T --/■"