ROYAL ALBERTA RANCH

Hokitika Guardian, 22 September 1923, Page 1

ROYAL ALBERTA RANCH

PRINCE OF WALES’S CATTLE FARM.

Picture rolling uplands and wide plateaux whose green is slowly turning to gold as the July sun cures the standing hunch grass. Picture bush-clad .stretches flanking a swift river, clear as crystal in the shallows, and jadcgreen at depth. Picture fields of grain and herds of cattle, sleek on the rich pasture lands, and in the western distance the jagged rides of the Rockies capped betimes with snining snow. Such is a panorama of the Prince of Wales’ ranch in Alberta foothills. FISH AND GAME APLENTY.

A snug little bungalow nestling liner balm of Gilcads will be spick and span to welcome the young heir to the throne. And when he arrives on route, in, Calgary, the manager of his flocks and herds, Professor AY. L. Carlyle, a graduate of Toronto S.P.S., will be there to carry him off ranch wards in a Rolls-Royce car over the historic Maeleoil Trail. No finer, month than that of September could the Prince select for a holiday at the ranch. Fishing season still being open, he will be able to easta fly in the waten* of the adjacent Highwooil river, which teems with cutthroat and hull trout. The prairie sloughs will be filled with fat wild duck—mallards, spoonbills, pintails, teal. And on the hills the prairie chicken will be at their best. The Prince will almost surely have a- taste of coyote hunting on horseback with a pack of half-breed hounds. And if ho lingers on into October ho will amble oif some day with Indians and a pack train to seek deer and mountain sheep and goats and bear in the forested fastnesses of those mountains which are an eternal lure to any man who loves the out-of doors. It is a pleasant- prospect that the Prince has before him in that western land where, as Owen Wister declared, the sun-clear air is like the elixir of overlasting youth. THE “E.P” CATTLE BRAND.

Bang up against the famous Bar-U. is the 4000-acre tract purchased by the Prince of AA’alcs in 1919. If is known to-day as the E.P. ranch. These two letters branded on the flanks of his cattle and horses apprise other ranchers that such animals wandering off on other ranges are royal property. They say that a joyous day spent on the Bar--17 with its genial proprietor, George Lane, decided the King’s son to locate in that country. Fagged out with speechifying and .shaking hands, tho Prince whs carried off one day by a pioneer cattleman for a complete restami relaxation. All formality was dispensed with, 'and for twenty-four hours a royal young man chummed with the cowboys, learned how it felt to ride in a Mexican sadle, practised throwing » lariat, and thoroughly enjoyed himself, just pottering about the place. On saying gooy-byc to his hosts, the Prince fold Airs Lane- that, if lie had liis wav, he would spend a whole fortnight with them, and that it was one of the most delightful experiences lie had had in his varied life.

GEORGE LANE’S- NEIGHBOUR. It was then and there that he decided to become George Lane’s neighbour, and to buy out, if possible, the adjoining property. Some day lie might he able to spend a portion of each year on it. Tints the heir to the throne began negotiations to become an Alberta rancher. The ranch in question had long been the property of the Bedingfichl family. Away hack in 1883, Colonel and Mrs Uediiigliekl, very well connected English people, among the pioneer settlers in Alberta, had located in this choice spot. When the Prince visited Canada, Mrs Bedingfiold, a charming old lady, and her son

Frank, had long been running the ranch. Though they had refused many former offers, they accepted that of the Prince, and retired to their old home in England. Frank Bedingfield who served overseas, though no longer young, died several years ago. Bcdingfiehl and his partner, “Seven U” Brown, were typical western cattlemen in appearance and pioneers of a stamp that is last disappearing. PRINCE AND CATTLE KING.

One could scarcely imagaine greater contrasts in looks than those of the Prince and his stalwart neighbour, George Lane, a cowman, whose big frame and rugged countenance tell of struggles faced anil overcome. Though (58. he is more active than many men of 35. This man with the ruddy hair, big moustache, keen grey eyes and alert movements is, for all his strength of body and brain and the aggressiveness necessary for success, a kindly man beloved of his employees. Less than forty years ago he was a foreman for the Allans, of Montreal, on the Bar-U, getting 40 dollars a month. To-day he is a cattle king, a mounted monarch, living in the midst of his herds and keeping a watchful eye. on the stock of his young neighbour, the

future King of Kngland, whom ho hopes to meet on tho fall round-up.