38 The Peace River District

The Pouce Coupé country is an excellent place for ranching. It isan elevated
plateau of about 2,400 feet above sea-level, lying immediately to the east of the
Rocky mountains and foothills. The soil is very rich, and wild hay and peavine
grow abundantly. The influence of the warm Chinook winds is very marked.
They sweep through the mountain passes and flood the entire district, from time
to time, during the winter, sometimes removing the snow and giving pleasant
respites from the cold. Even aside from these warm waves, the winters are
short. Stock have been known to pasture out the year round, and the summers
are particularly clear and fine. Wheat and all ordinary grains, grasses, and
vegetables yield abundantly. The seasons are particularly free from severe
storms and hail, and the climate generally is very pleasant.

Fort St. John -

Fort St. John is on the north bank of Peace river, on a small flat at the foot of
steep rugged banks some 800 feet high. It is 178 miles by river above Dunvegan,
and lies in the Peace River block in the province of British Columbia. A wagon
road from Dunvegan to Hudson Hope passes through it, and there is also a pack
trail from Pouce Coupé. It was established decades ago as a Hudson’s
Bay post. Later, another trading post was opened which is now operated by
Revillon Fréres. The provincial police of British Columbia have established
a station here, and the Dominion Government a telegraph office. There are
usually a number of Indians encamped about the post, as this is a rich fur
district, and extensive trading is done.

The Fort St. John district which is attracting farmers and ranchers lies north
of the river on a high plateau. The land is level, and mostly open or very lightly
wooded. The soil is good, and vegetation very luxuriant. Wild grasses and
peavine grow in great profusion. The North Pine river lies to the north and
east, and enters the Peace about 20 miles below the Fort. Its valleys are deep,
and its many tributaries, with their deep ravines, tend to break up much of the
country and make it too rough for grain growing. These valleys and hillsides
afford good grazing. Taken on the whole, this district is well adapted to mixed
farming and ranching. The snowfall is light, and the Chinook winds often keep
the hillsides bare nearly all winter.

The district is still remote from markets and civilization, but several families
have recently located there, being attracted by the bracing climate and the
fertility of the soil. Cattle in large numbers are now being taken in. With the
extension of railways and development of the many resources of the upper Peace
river regions, this section may be expected to be rapidly settled.

Hudson Hope

Hudson Hope is located on Peace river near the westerly limit of the Peace
River block. It is the gateway from the great plains to the mountain regions,
being at the foot of the Rocky Mountain canyon, where the river bursts through
from the foothills to pursue its placid course beyond. In early days, a trading