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In
1881 a census was taken. This census told that of the 19,000 people
in Saskatchewan only 615 were landowners. These statistics were
less than promising. But despite a less than promising start; an
inrush of poeple to the prairies was about to develope due to the
construction of new railway lines across the prairies.
In
1879 transportation fees were high: the cost of a passenger ticket
from Fort Garry to Prince Albert was $230, and 14.5 cents a pound
for freight. In 1880, the Government contracted the Canadian Pacific
Railway Company. The CPR would construct a transcontinental line
with the aid of $25,000,000 and land grant of 25,000,000 acres.
A route was chosen that was economic, it went straight through the
province instead of along the "Fertile Belt" like originally
intended. In 1882, W. C. Van Horne was the one given the responsiblity
of constructing line on the prairies. Within one year Van Horne
had constructed 417 miles (667.2 km) of main line and 160 km (100
miles) of branch line. The line between Winnipeg and Calgary was
functioning by mis-1883. With the aid of the Northwest rebellion
Van Horne was able to compete the national line in 1885, paving
the way with steel for the settlers to come. By this time the frontier
in the United States had filled up, the Candian West was the last
good place to start a homestead.
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