Medicine Hat, Alberta; facts concerning the city and surrounding country

F

5797

M4M4

Medicine Hat, Alta. Board
of Trade

Medicine Hat, Alberta

to

of

of

by

Herbert Otto Frind, Esq.

-

HAT

I 12

"The town that wasfeorn lucky." — Kipling

*/N>X\ J

Blowing off a Gas Well at Medicine Hat, the worlifs
greatest natural gas field ; Western Canada's
manufacturing centre ; Canada's richest agricul-
tural area.

'ACTS CONCERNINQ THE CITY AND
SURRQUN0INQ COUNTRY

ssued by the Board of Trade 1918

T
£777

M4M4

Municipally Owned Utilities

Natural Gas — the Cheapest Fuel and
Light in Canada

EleHric Power at AttraElwe Rates that
will stand comparison

tVater which for Cheapness and Purity
is unsurpassed

Greatest Mill Centre in West — Six Million

Bushels of Wheat turned into

Flour per year

WHERE AND WHY

EDICINE HAT is a city of over eleven
thousand population, beautifully situ-
ated on the banks of the Saskatche-
wan River, and in the heart of the
rich prairie country known as "Sunny
Southern Alberta."

The city possesses several special
features which tend to make it a thriving and pros-
perous centre. On account of the cheap fuel obtain-
ed from its natural gas field, Medicine Hat boasts
of being the chief manufacturing centre of the West-
ern Provinces. It is located about midway between
Calgary and Moose Jaw, and hence is the distribut-
ing centre for a large and rich area of country. The
school system of the city is one of the very best.
The health of the city is good; much credit for
which is due to the excellent water system and to
the fine climate of this part of Western Canada.

NATUJJAL GAS— No kindling wood, no order-
ing of coal, no coal bin, no waiting for fires to
burn up or die down, no smoke, no dust, no
ashes, no trouble when wind or weather change
suddenly : : NO HEATLESS BAYS.
Clean Safe Cheap Efficient

'I never imagined you had so many trees — and so
many automobiles," is a frequent remark made
by visitors to "The Gas City."

NATURAL GAS

MEDICINE HAT'S greatest asset, its natural
gas, immediately attracts the attention of
the visitor, and the following questions
come to his mind in regard to it: What
is the composition of this gas? What is its origin9
And of what use is it?

Medicine Hat's natural gas is noted for its pur-
ity. It is composed principally of Methane, other-
wise known as Marsh Gas, Fire Damp, or Light Car-
buretted Hydrogen. In most localities of its occur-
rence, natural gas contains 80 to 90 per cent. Meth-
ane, the remainder of the gas being made up of
heavier hydrocarbons and air constituents. In many
cases the heavier hydrocarbons are capable of con-
densation as "natural gas gasoline." Medicine Hat
natural gas, however, contains 92 to 95 per cent.
Methane, and is known as a "dry gas," having in-
sufficient moisture or heavier hydrocarbons to cause
any trouble in the pipes, from condensation and
freezing.

Methane is composed" of the chemical elements
carbon and hydrogen in proportion by weight of
three of carbon to one of hydrogen. Hydrogen is
our lightest known gas, and is noted for the heat of
its flame. Next to pure hydrogen Methane has the
highest power of all common gases. Householders
find that at 20c per thousand cubic feet (the price
charged in Medicine Hat) a house can be heated for
half what it would cost to heat with anthracite coal
at $7.00 per ton. Since manufacturers secure a rate
of five cents per thousand cubic feet, it is little to
be wondered that Medicine Hat is becoming the
manufacturing centre of the West.

The origin of natural gas is a matter upon which
scientists disagree. Some claim that the gas has~
been driven off by the interior heat of the earth from
strata of rock containing animal and vegetable mat-
ter deposited in ocean, lake or swamp, subsequent
upheaval by drainage making the area dry land.
Others claim that the gas has been formed by the
action of water at considerable depths upon materi-
als somewhat resembling calcium carbide, much
after the manner of the preparation of acetylene.
In any case the Medicine Hat gas field occurs in a
huge anticline. Owing possibly to earth shrinkage
the crust of the earth has become folded, and the gas
has worked into the upper portions of these folds
through crevices in the rock below. At Medicine Hat
the gas occurs in a sandstone layer known as the
Niobrara formation, where it is reached by boring
to a depth of 1100 feet. Elsewhere in Alberta natural
gas is obtained from the Dakota sands, which prob-
ably would be reached at Medicine Hat by boring to
a depth of 2,100 feet.

The manufacturing possibilities of Medicine Hat
natural gas are exceptional, not only from a fuel
standpoint, but also when we consider what can be
made from the gas itself. Some interesting experi-
ments have been conducted in the city showing how
carbon-black, chloroform and other products can be
obtained from the gas. Owing to its purity the gas
can be used in manufacturing processes not possible
in the majority of natural gas localities.

ALBERTA FOUNDRY AND MACHINE CO.

Natural gas melts the steel and dries the cores for
the steel foundry ; 'also provides steam for power
and heating the plant.

ALBERTA CLAY PRODUCTS CO.

Natural gas turns the huge kilns and furnishes
power for running the machinery and for steam
drying.

ALBERTA ROLLING MILLS

Natural gas heats, to 2800 degrees, three furnaces in
which scrap iron is brought to a welding heat; it
runs the power plant, consisting of 'a 500 h. p.
Corliss engine and a 25 h. p. Bessemer gas engine;
it also heats the mills.

HEAT, POWER AND LIGHT

THE following rates for Heat, Light and
Power, obtaining in Medicine Hat, will
enable one to judge of the practical value
of the natural gas.

It is municipally owned and is the only fuel used
in the city for domestic use. The citizen is charged
20 cents per thousand cubic feet, while the rates for
manufacturers are 5 cents per thousand cubic feet.
The gas again is used for the production of
electric current in the city's up-to-date power plant.
This electric current for lighting and power is sup-
plied at rates varying from 1 cent to 6 cents per k.w.
hour, according to the consumption.

MUNICIPAL POWER PLANT

Combined electric power and water pumping plant.
Natural gas is burned in the furnace of water tube
boilers. Steam turbines are used for prime movers.
Two steam turbines 700 k. w. each, and one of
1,500 k. w. capacity comprise the generator units.

A HIVE OF INDUSTRY

Below is a list of the larger industries in oper-
ation in Medicine Hat. These plants represent an
investment of approximately $3,500,000 and the total
of their monthly tonnage exceeds 33,000. They
employ 1,500 hands, whose monthly payroll is about
$125,000.

Alberta Clay Products, Alberta Foundry and Ma-
chine Co., Alberta Linseed Oil Mills, Alberta Rolling
Mills, Canada Western Manufacturing and Supply
Co., Gas City Brick Co., Gas City Planing Mills, Hed-
ley Shaw Milling Co., Lake of the Woods Milling Co.,
Medalta Stoneware Co., Medicine Hat Brewery, Med-
icine Hat Planing Mills, Medicine Hat Pump and
Brass Manufacturing Co., Ogilvie Flour Mills, Pres-
ton Planing Mills, Rosery Flower Company, Tabor
Candy Company.

TRANSPORTATION

M

system.

EDICINE HAT is at the junction of the
CANADIAN PACIFIC main line with the
C.P.R. Crow's Nest line, and has connec-
tion also with the Soo Line of the same
One hundred train and engine crews operate
from the city, and a pay roll upwards of $50,000 is
distributed in the city each month.

THE CANADIAN NORTHERN has a line surveyed
from Hanna to Medicine Hat and has bought land in
this city for its station, yards and shops. As this
booklet goes to press, work is about to start on this
line which will serve a prosperous farming country.

THE GRAND TRUNK PACIFIC also has a sur-
veyed route into Medicine Hat.

THE ANSLEY COAL MINE

This mine is close to Medicine Hat and is estimated
to contain 77,000,000 tons of good lignite.

UNLIMITED COAL

Within a few miles of the city limits are vast
quantities of high grade lignite coal, which is being
mined and distributed to the surrounding country at
an exceptionally low cost to the consumer.

One of these mines hitherto known as the
"Ansley Mine" has lately been purchased by an
American firm and will soon be producing 1,000 tons
of coal per day.

Seams of good lignite coal are also found in
many places throughout the country, furnishing
valuable fuel conveniently situated to the settler.

WHOLESALE CENTRE

Situated as Medicine Hat is in the centre of a
large farming and stock-raising area, the city must
of necessity become the headquarters of numerous
wholesale houses, several being already located here.

STOCK RAISING

SINCE the first settlement of the Great West
country stock raising has always been an
important industry in Southern Alberta.
The wide expanse of grassy plains, broken
only by streams of pure water from the hills, made
it a veritable paradise for the big rancher and his
fearless cowboy riders.

The last decade has seen large areas of this
range land thrown open to the homesteader, and the
grain grower now occupies much of the land on
which roamed the big herds of horses and cattle. The
grain grower is giving attention to stock-raising and
it will always continue to be a very important, if not
the most important, industry in a country so well
adapted for it.

A GREAT MILLING CENTRE

On the opposite page is a striking example of
what natural gas means to Medicine Hat. Those
three huge plants mill almost one-seventh of Alber-
ta's great crop of wheat, making this city the West's
greatest milling centre.

Below is a picture of the Alberta Linseed Oil
Mills, the product of which has found a market as far
awav as Australia.

Following is the analysis of Medicine Hat's
natural gas: Methane, 99.49 per cent.; hydrogen, .51
per cent.; a trace of oxygen and absolutely no mois-
ture. Medicine Hat gas never freezes, on account
of its freedom from moisture. It contains 1,140
B.T.U.'s per cubic foot — meaning that its heating
power is over 50 per cent, greater than that of arti-
ficial gas.

THE ALBERTA LINSEED OIL MILLS

Natural gas generates the steam for cooking the
linseed meal and heating the plant. N'atural gas
runs three engines, generating about 130 horse
power.

OGILVIE FLOUR MILLS

HEDLEY SHAW FLOUR MILLS

LAKE OF THE WOODS FLOUR MILLS

A GOOD PLACE TO LIVE IN

When all is said, no greater praise can be given
to any place than to state that it is a city of homes,
and such is Medicine Hat. Moreover, Nature has
dealt generously with her. The stream scenes here
shown are an invitation to picnic, and equally pleas-
ing are the pictures of roadway, garden and park.
The big pumpkin and cabbage rather monopolize
attention in the photograph of a display at the Hor-
ticultural Society's exhibition but they do not alter
the fact that vegetables, flowers and fruit of the high-
est quality grow abundantly in this city.

At the bottom of the group of scenes is a photo-
graph of part of the plant of the Rosery Flower Com-
pany— three and one-half acres under glass— made
possible by the cheapness of the only kind of fuel
used in Medicine Hat.

In many homes in Medicine Hat, for {several
months of the year, the monthly bill for cooking,
lighting and heating is one dollar. Natural gas heats
every building in the city.

GREAT IRRIGATION SYSTEM

THE Canada Land and Irrigation Company,
one of the largest irrigation companies on
the American continent, has its headquar-
ters at Medicine Hat, and its project con-
taining 530,000 acres of dry and irrigable lands lies
west of the city. Over 200,000 acres of Cnis tract
will be irrigated by an extensive system of irrigation
works now being completed by this company.

With sufficient moisture by rains or by irriga-
tion, an excellent loam soil, abundance of sunshine,
and climatic conditions in the growing season equal
to those of Southern Montana, no better agricultural
possibilities can be found in Canada. This has been'

HARVESTING

Binders at work in a great field of wheat near
Medicine Hat.

demonstrated by the large yield of grain per acre
which has been grown in the project, and profitable
results under irrigation in growing alfalfa, corn,
sugar beets, and various root crops.

Medicine Hat is so situated as to be the logical
commercial headquarters for this large area of farm-
ing lands.

GAS WELLS ON FARMS

In very recent years some of the ranchers and
farmers who own bottom lands on the Saskatchewan
River have developed gas wells on their property
and are using the gas not only to light and heat their
buildings but to develop power to pump water with
for irrigation purposes. This idea is capable of con-
siderable extension and the almost nominal cost of
this valuable fuel will probably lead to the irrigation
of extensive tracts of land by this means that are
not located so that a gravity system could be applied.

At top of this page is the plant of the Medicine Hat
Pump 'and Brass Manufacturing Co. The motive
power, about 200 h. p., is supplied by natural gas,
which also melts the brass in half the time — and
with less loss — than any other heat would do.
Natural gas also starts the cupolas and heats the
plant.

Next are the Preston Planing Mills; natural gas
generates the steam in a 75 h. p. boiler which runs
the machinery and heats the plant.

Last in above group is the pottery of the Medalta
Stoneware Limited; natural gas burns the kilns,
dries the pottery and heats the plant.

Below is the plant of the Canadian Western Foundry
and Supply Co. Natural gas heats the core oven,
starts the cupolas and heats the plant; it also runs
three 25 h. p. gas engines and generates steam for
a 1,200-lb. steam hammer and for drilling purposes.

MEDICINE HAT'S SCHOOL SYSTEM

THE most remarkable feature of Medicine
Hat's development from town to city pro-
portions is the way in which good and
sufficient organization in every depart-
ment of community life has kept pace with the rapid
growth. The evidence of this fact is most impressive
when reference is made to the local educational sys-
tem. In 1911 the total enrolment of pupils numbered
1205; in 1917, 2741; this is an increase of over 100
per cent, in six years. During the same period the
number of High School pupils increased from 76 to
361. These years saw the formation of an educa-
tional system making ample provision for all that is
modern in the way of the education of children — for
special form of Primary education, the establish-
ment of an Introductory or Kindergarten grade; for
Elementary and Advanced Manual Training; for Do-
mestic Science; for Drawing and Art Work; for
Music; for Medical Inspection and Physical Train-
ing; for Elementary and Advanced Evening Class
Extension Work. Even in 1914 the residents of
Medicine Hat had good reason to be proud of an edu-
cational system that possessed all the features of an
up-to-date, efficient, city school system. Today it is
in a class by itself in the advantages which it offers
along the line of Primary education and training
given in Art study, and it- well abreast of the times
in all advances made in ordinary work of the grades.
School accommodation is provided in large, perman-
ent school buildings having a pleasing architecture
and good location, well planned and well equipped
for all phases of modern education.

A well chosen staff of 65 teachers meets the
educational requirements of a progressive manage-
ment. Those in charge of the more important de-
partments of school work, as in the Primary, Public

CONNAUGHT PUBLIC SCHOOL

The several recently erected school buildings of
Medicine Hat are handsome structures, embody-
ing the best features in the construction of edu-
cational institutions.

School Leaving and High School classes, are excep-
tionally well qualified teachers, capable of giving
superior service in the class room. The administra-
tion of school affairs is thoroughly systematized.
Efficiency has been proved in the capable manner
in which a rapidly growing school population has
been received, accommodated, well graded and in
all respects well provided for.

The lively interest which the citizens of Medicine
Hat take in school matters is made strikingly man-
fest in the willingness of many of the most capable,
and consequently busiest of their number, to serve in
the interests of education as members of the Board
of Public School Trustees.

ST. THERESA'S ACADEMY

A building which is at once substantial, of ple'asing
appearance and splendidly appointed.

MEDICINE HAT GENERAL HOSPITAL

This is an institution of which many cities much
larger in population might well be proud. It serves
a large area of country as well as the city, and is
noted for its high standard of efficiency in every de-
partment.

Started in a very modest way by the efforts of
the late C.P.R. Superintendent Niblock nearly thirty
years ago, it has grown till now it has, coupled
with the maternity home, one hundred and twenty-
five beds, and a staff of forty-five nurses and other
employees, but is still hardly of sufficient capacity to
cater to all the needs of the district; and the board
of directors are devoting a lot of time and study to
the problem of enlargement. At the maternity home
there were 308 births in the year 1917 while the hos-
pital days averaged around 2,500 per month in the
General hospital. There is also a pupil nurses
training school in connection with the hospital and
the services of Medicine Hat's trained nurses are
everywhere greatly appreciated.

THE CHURCHES

We are proud 'of the commercial and educational
institutions of our city, and the religious needs of-
the community have not been neglected. All Chris-
tian denominations are well represented and the city
possesses several imposing church edifices. Among
the denominations are Anglican, Presbyterian,
Roman Catholic, Methodist, Baptist, Christian Sci-
ence and Lutheran.

WATER SUPPLY

OF great importance for the welfare of a
community is a pure and adequate supply
of water. This Medicine Hat can lay
claim to. The water is taken from the
Saskatchewan river at a point three miles above the
city by a plant having a capacity of eight million
gallons in twenty-four hours. Its pumping units
are two-thirds electrical and one-third steam turbine
driven, thereby being prepared to meet eventualities.
Its filtration system is of the rapid--Band or mechan-
ical gravity type and has a capacity, of six million
gallons per twenty-four hours at natural rating.
The suspended matter carried by the river water is
take i care of by the addition of sulphate of alum
to the raw water before it enters the sedimentation
basin, where a coagulum is precipitated, carrying
with it the suspended matter. Leaving these basins
the water is passed through the filters to the clear-
' well, where it is chlorinated and is then ready to
be taken by the high lift pumps to the two million
gallon reservoir situated on one of the highest points
of land near the city and giving a pressure of one
hundred and twenty pounds per square inch on the
high pressure main.

TABOR CANDY CO- FACTORY

Natural gas runs a 50 h. p. steam boiler which sup-
plies all the steam required for cooking and heat-
ing, except for hard candy which is cooked over
two open natural gas fires. Natural gas also runs
• a Ij5 h. p. gas engine which supplies all the power;
and 'the lighting system is chiefly natural gas.

CENTRAL FIRE HALL

Medicine Hat has one of the most modern and best
equipped fire departments in Canada.

OPPORTUNITIES IN FARMING

The Medicine Hat district includes some of the
best farm land on the continent. Good farming
brings a paying crop in every year, and in the best
years the yield of wheat is as high as 60 bushels per
acre, oats 120 bushels, and other grains in propor-
tion. The district is still a great cattle country but
an ^immense amount of new land has recently been
brought under cultivation. Farm land values are
increasing, but excellent land can be bought at com-
paratively very low prices and on reasonable terms.
If you plan on going farming, you are interested.

ABOUT THE WEATHER

For many years Medicine Hat has been unjustly
known as "the place where the weather comes from."
The fact is that this city enjoys better weather than
almost any other place in Canada's great Western
piairies. The dryness of the air makes the coldest
winter day less unpleasant than much of the winter
weather endured in districts about the great lakes,
ar.d also makes summer much more pleasant than
in districts where the humidity is high. Medicine
Hat seldom has a summer night which is not pleas-
antly cool for sleeping. Following are the official
government figures of Medicine Hat's average tem-
perature, by months, for the period 1914 to 1917,
both inclusive:

Jan... 10 | Feb.... 15 Mar.... 30 \ Apr... 47
May.. 55.5| June.. 61.5 July... 69.5| Aug... 67
Sept.. 56 I Oct.... 45.5 Nov... 37 I Dec... 15.

'

AT THE SUMMER EXHIBITION
A strip of track and crowd at Medicine Hat's Exhi-
bition grounds, which are such as would be a
credit to much larger cities.

BANKS AND BANK CLEARINGS

Branches of the following leading banks of
Canada are established in Medicine Hat: Canadian
Bank of Commerce, Dominion Bank, Merchants Bank
of Canada, Bank of Montreal, Royal Bank of Canada
and Union Bank of Canada.

The bank clearings for the past three years were
as follows:

1915 $13,503,194

1916 21,617,502

1917' 29,716,159

MARKET DAY

Farmers from many miles around drive to this mar-
ket. In the background is St. Barnabas Church.

FACTS ABOUT

MEDICINE HAT

Its factories all use natural gas.

Its factory sites are on trackage.

It has six miles of industrial railway spurs.

It has a never failing and pure water supply.

Its public utilities are all municipally owned.

It has many openings for factories and industries.

It sells natural gas for manufacturing at 5c per M.

It is the greatest milling centre in Western Canada.

It sells natural gas for domestic use at 20c net per M.

Its factories manufacture more than 60 kinds of ar.

; tides.
It has a trade territory of over 1,500,000 people for a
market.
It has one of the best public markets in Western
Canada.
It can offer manufacturers excellent sites at reason-
able cost.

It has a high-speed, motor-driven, modern fire de-
partment-

ft has a supply of natural gas estimated to outlast
this century.

It has a monthly payroll for over 1,500 employes of
about $150,000.

It has abundance of electrical energy, generated from

I its own natural gas.
t has a central location in Western Canada- — midway
between Winnipeg and Vancouver.

t has a developed coal mine within a few miles of
city limits with 77,000,000 tons of good lignite.

Further particulars concerning Medicine
and District will be glct$y furnished by
Secretary of the Board of Trade.

Print

F

Medicine Hat, Alta. Board
of Trade

Medicine Hat, Alberta

PLEASE DO NOT REMOVE
CARDS OR SLIPS FROM THIS POCKET

UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO LIBRARY