The Edmonton Bulletin November 14, 1907
Down from Lesser Slave Lake
Sydney Smith, an independent trader from Lesser Slave Lake, is in the city and is a guest at the Imperial Hotel. Mr. Smith arrived in this country at the time of the Klondyke Rush, a year after the first contingent went through, many of them whom he met coming back. For some time he was in the service of Revillion Freses, and later was with James Cornwall in the trading business. A year ago he started as an independent trader. When interviewed by a Bulletin reporter this morning he stated that the crops in the North country were good this year but light.
“There are three men at least in the vicinity of Lesser Slave Lake.” said Mr. Smith “who have broken and raised crops on 100 acres in four years. Another man, Mr. Adair, has taken in 300 head of horses with the intention of starting a ranch. They went in in splendid condition and are flourishing. It is a grand country for ranching, horses particularly, for they can forage for themselves in the winter. Stock has to be fed. But that is not hard to do as the wild fodder can be easily cut and stacked.
“Although Lesser Slave Lake is about 300 miles from Edmonton,” continued Mr. Smith, “neither man nor horse should find it necessary to camp out on the trail. There are always stopping places for both man and beast. There is an ever-present spirit of hospitality in every house and a man almost feels like getting home when he arrives at a house.
The people already in the country are satisfied and in fact I have never hear a complaint. They get up in the morning and go through their hard day’s toil and go home feeling that they have accomplished something. It is no colder there than in Edmonton. If anything it is warmer. The government wagon trail down to Athabasca Landing is being improved and next year we hope to have a first class road.
“There are prospects for a first class fur catch this winter and although the credit has been shortened on the Indians they will not suffer. They can go to a lake, catch a couple of fish and live in what is a princely style to them. I saw in the paper the other day that freight into Grand Prairie was quoted at $12 per ton. This is an error. It is $12 per cwt.”
Mr. Smith made the down trip in about ten days and purposes going back shortly with a new lot of supplies.
(Courtese of Peel Prairie Provines, University of Alberta)