The land southeast of Lethbridge was known to be fertile but
the scarcity of rain and the ever present wind made it more
conducive to feeding animals than farming. So the Galts
realized that 19th century farming techniques could not cope
with these semi-arid conditions and they planned to sell the
land to large ranching companies. Consequently they took
their land grants in alternate townships rather than the usual
sections. They soon discovered that they couldn't compete
with the generous grazing leases offered by the Dominion
Government. The A. R. & C. had to sell their lands to recover
the money spent sponsoring the large scale irrigation projects.
While alternate townships were convenient for ranching they
were imsuitable for irrigation. To make irrigation farming feasible
the A. R. & C. were permitted to consolidate most of the
company's lands into a solid block.

In 1899 the Canadian Northwest Irrigation and Coal Company
was formed to purchase land from the Alberta Railway and Coal
Co. Elliott Galt and C. A. Magrath foresightedly began to build
irrigation works. They advertised for settlers. In 1900 a pamphlet
circulated throughout Canada, U. S. and Europe extolls southern
Alberta's climate and fertile soil. The circular promised that a
two room house could be built for $150.00 and that the
government of the N.W. Territories would supply schools. The
publisher of this brochure, N. W. I. C., proposed to sell parcels
of land in the irrigated heaven at a minimum of $5.00 per acre
and rent water rights at $1.00 per acre per year.

The Galts were hard pressed for money to finance their projects.
They formed new companies, transferred and converted shares,
and merged companies in order to stay solvent. In 1904 the
Alberta Railway and Irrigation Company (A.R. & I.) was formed
by merging the Canadian Northwest Irrigation Co., the Alberta
Railway and Coal Co., the Lethbridge Land Co. and the St.
Mary's' River Railway Co. Elliott Galt was president and C. A
Magrath was land commissioner.

By 1906 the Dominion Land Agent at Lethbridge was exulting
over the fact that settlers had started to homestead the land
in his district. Moreover, he rejoiced at their calibre. Many
of these newcomers came from the prairie areas of the
United States. Besides knowing what to expect of their
new lands, they had considerable experience in dry land
farming, and some of them came with a great deal of money.
Coming in by rail or by covered wagon caravans, they brought
horses, stock and cash. Steam tractors soon followed. Having
land that needed no clearing they were able to set to work
and break up the area. Industrious, experienced and fairly
well financed, they were to mark a new era in Alberta's
agricultural history.

Agriculture was seen as the best means of attracting settlers
to Lethbridge. The dryland area was called 'The Winter Wheat
Lands' in early promotional material given to immigrants.
However irrigation was needed to bring in the settlers, and
they came in ever increasing numbers. Each year many
more acres of sod were broken and placed under crop.

Our Vacant Lands

There is but little doubt that at an early date the attention of
the Department of the Interior will have to be directed towards
the waterless vacant lands of this district. For many miles
east and south of Lethbridge it may be said that there is
no water procurable on the bench lands, and even on
the Government lands immediately above the river valley;
the time and labor lost in hauling the necessary water for
household purposes, is more than the ordinary settler can
afford. The difficulty of procuring water for household purposes
on a homestead, is now the great stumbling block in the way
of the settlement of the vacant lands in this neighborhood,
and if the difficulty could be removed or in any way aberated
(sic) there is no doubt but that a large quantity of the
Government land around Lethbridge would be placed under
cultivation.

We have before urged that the Government should experiment
as to the possibility of sinking artesian wells in somefew t
ownships in this district, but this it seems they are not inclined
to do, although the country, being the largest property owner,
would be the greatest gainers by the success of such an
experiment. If, however, nothing can at the present be done
towards finding water for the settlers in the vicinity of their
homesteads, the situation could be considerably improved
by a very slight change in the existing laws. Under the
present regulations it is sufficient if a homesteader resides
within two miles of his homestead. Unluckily, however, for
the settlers in the vicinity of Lethbridge that the lands within
this two mile radius are all owned by the N. W. C. & N. Co.,
(North West Coal and Navigation Co.) and the nearest
Government lands are three miles away from the town.
If, however, this two mile radius were by the Government
extended to five, this would open up quite a large area to
settlement by bonafide settlers, who although on account
of the lack of water they could reside with their ' families in
town and would cultivate and raise crops upon the land,
until such time should have arrived as they will be able to
afford sinking artesian wells for themselves or can procure
water in some other manner.

Miscellaneous Histories