“A few miles west of the Athabaska the sand rock, still saturated with tar, passes below the higher divisions of the Cretaceous, and its extension in this direction can only be ascertained by boring. It was not recognized on Peace river nor on the lower part of Red river, and must disappear somewhere in the intervening region. “In ascending the Athabaska the tar-sands, after an exposure of over twenty miles, pass below the surface at Boiler rapid and are not seen again.” COMMERCIAL VALUE OF THE TAR SANDS. As to the actual value of these deposits, Mr. McConnell has this to say in his report:—“The commercial value of the tar sands themselves, as exposed at the surface, is at present uncertain, but the abundance of the material, and the high percentage of bitumen which it contains, make it probable that it may, in the future, be profitably utilized for various purposes, when this region is reached by railways. Among the uses to which it is adapted, may be mentioned roofing, paving, insulating electric wires, and it might also be mixed with the lignite which occurs in the neighbourhood, and pressed into briquettes for fuel.” Before the Senate committee of 1907 Mr. von Hamerstein was examined at length regarding these beds of tar sands, or “asphaltum,” as he called it, and as it is generally called in the district. He described these beds as occurring where petroleum seemed to have broken through the surface and soaked the ground for miles around. This substance, Mr. von Hamerstein remarked, could scarcely be termed asphaltum. It is oil gum—something the nature of tar. He produced a piece of this material which he had taken out himself. He also produced a bottle containing liquid taken from springs in the ground. He described it as nothing else but a heavy petroleum, which comes out of the ground. There are inexhaustible quantities of that. It has formed pools over the land which are of considerable size in some places. In summer time it comes out in large quantities, but it hardens in the winter, and of course the springs take time to get started again. It is not flowing continuously, but flows whenever it has a chance. The cold seems to draw it together and bake it. This is the largest quantity of petroleum witness had ever seen in the world. This area extends from McMurray for fifty miles along the road. Mr. von Hamerstein said he thought there was NOTHING LIKE IT IN THE WORLD.