THE FUTURE PRINCE RUPERT AS CONCEIVED
BY THE LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS

The following article by Mr. Geo. D. Hall, of the firm of
Messrs. Brett & Hall, Boston, the landscape architects
who made the plan of Prince Rupert, will be of interest as
describing the different problems which are encountered in
laying out a city:

Even to those who have kept in touch with the rapid development of the
Northwest, and are familiar with the mushroom birth of western towns, as
well as the phenomenal growth of Seattle and Vancouver, for a city to
suddenly spring into being, from what was three years ago a glorious wilder-
ness, is, to say the least, remarkable; and yet this is what will take place on
Kaien Island, British Columbia, before the close of the present year.

This city will be called Prince Rupert. The expression ‘“‘Terminal City to
a great Transcontinental Railway”’ is of itself a limelight thrown on the
proposition, and when it is realized that this railway has been most carefully
conceived, is being most substantially built with the hearty co-operation of
the Dominion Government, and with the assistance of their credit, because of
their desire to open up the vast resources of Canada, and is now rapidly
pushing westward as well as eastward with a remarkable growth of popula-
tion along its route, there is small wonder that even before the rail is con-
tinuous, Prince Rupert, the terminus, will be a sizable city.

It is not the purpose of this article to discuss the low rate of grade which
will put the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway in a class alone as an economical
freight carrier, nor shall we more than state that it is estimated the trip from
Liverpool to Yokohama, via Prince Rupert, will be almost 800 miles shorter
than via New York and San Francisco; while the ocean trip from Prince Ru-
pert to Yokohama is 400 miles shorter than from Vancouver, and 600 miles
shorter than from San Francisco. The Grand Trunk Pacific through its ter-
minus, Prince Rupert, will furnish the shortest and most direct land and
water route to the Yukon and Alaska, that storehouse of mineral wealth.
These factors are significant and speak plainly for the future success of Prince
Rupert, which is so closely associated with the railroad in being the open
door to the vast Canadian Northwest.

There are many other potent reasons for predicting a rapid growth of
population and industry in and about Prince Rupert. For a year past in-
quiries about Prince Rupert have been made in great numbers from far and
near, and the suppressed enthusiasm that awaited the sale of the first install-
ment of lots this May was evinced abroad as well as in America. The com-
mercial advantages of this new coast city, with her superb harbor and ship-
ping facilities, is expressed by all who have been there. Already large fish
concerns are established on the Skeena River only twelve miles away, and
the world-renowned halibut fisheries, as well as salmon canneries, are eagerly
anticipating the completion of the railway, when Prince Rupert will become