The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1857-09-05

III ~
SCENERY, SC.
trGm or OGn Tor7ryy ladeM.
Eir~ Fails. u .~., -lnpn.t 20ih. 1857.
My DEAR S.:-You have doubtless been
surprised that my promise of furnishing YOU
with an occasional letter from the West has
been so long untulllcd. But since | have
known something of the West. have come
TO suspect the candor and clear Judgment ct
those very sanguinc and enthusiastic letter
writer's. who send to their Eastern friends
such glowing pictures of life and living i'll the
far West. It has often pleased me to notice
in an Eastern paper. an editorial article III
%ing the Young men to stay on the "patcrn'l
acres. and predicting sure ruin if they ven
turcd beyond the Hudson: while alongside
of it. was a column of Western Correspond
cncc" from some ardent, promising Young
fellow, painting in rainbow colors the "splcn
did opportunities he had found in new
State to grow suddenly rich After ScVcra
months residence and observation here. near
" on the Verge of civilization. and only thir
tv miles from st. Paul, that hot-houSc of spec
ulation, extravaganza. and excitement. ! an
forced to conclude that neither view is strict
" true. The West is not. on the one HAND
a monster that threatens disaster to the com
try, absorbing its wealth and Youthful yigcr
It is rather vast workshop wherein capital
and skill. and labor. and enterprise, ard
energy. work out splendid results
which benefit alike every part Of tn,
country. Even now it returns four-toll al
the money and labor spent in its develop
msnt. and its enormous resources will 500!
enable !, to greatly augment its proluctiv,
power.
But, on the other hand. the West is not
Garden of Eden. There is no more certainty
of finding bags Of dollars at the end Of rain
bows here. than elsewhere The soil. though
rich. will not pass As coin until it has beer
mintcd Ivy hard blows and patient, lahorion>
industry. 1t is necessary to toll hard. and
fare harder. Those who really yet alorS ii
the West mus, be prepared by hard knocks
and be ready at all times to fight their way
against any obstacle.
That what have said may hcmo,r clear
~ understood. let me illustrate hv reference
to the actual state Of things in this County
With",.r doubt Pierce County is onc o. h.
most fertile, beautiful, and healthy sections %
the grya, Northwest. T. !, bounded ON Nv,
SIDE, ~ n->i-ab!c ri>cr>-.hc Mississippi
and the =. Croix-and has a heavy :orc>, O
i'3,rd timber lying directly across its in,or:,,
honndary It is We'll va'crcd T., numyrou.
brooks an! small rivers, which atirr, afuuI
an' facilities for mills and manufactures of al
Kinds. and is J., no nca,:s destitute # ,.:
hcr. Stone. in accessible Guarr.c> !, has ::
gre, abundance. both for lime AMI builI.r.
purposes. Nov. suppose 4 man has quar
.,r-,...,., ,,f.,,:. i,,.I 1911,
CONVEX, into = farm, a,.l = bo,... y, 49,,
suppose. because it is prairie for ,hr mos
part. that iAcrc is hY. little hard work to J..
d.ur3 /. : true that thor, az, no larsy for
81 trees t. cu' down. and c!,ar away bu, !;
takes from FIVE to seven yohc> of cattle :.
pillow il. AT a COS, Of about seven dollars p.l
acre. II then has to be fenced. the material
:or which must be drawn several mills. I'M
less lou are remarkably fortunate. luu VII,
need of course hou>v to live in. which vii
COS: orc-,hird more than the same coull I,
built tor in New England. Add e. ,ncsc ~,
barns SHEDS. &C.. r,ccs>ary On a t;,i1n. and
ven Viii perceive that it requires great deal
OF hard labor. and involves larSc cNpcul;-
tnrc before tn proceeds Of Tie land can I12-
come available. \ farm under good cul,i,Y-
ton II Caledonia County. with convenient
ana cohl!oI(ab!t DN!!,llC> can be bought lbr
less money than the same improvements can
be hire5 d":t- here on land that costs five dcl-
lars per acre. What, then. do people Come
West for, do Yen say
Ore reason lies here One acre Of our soil
will Weld Il, much clear prof, as four acres Of
Vermont soil. SO that, while the cos, NAV be
nearly the same. the producing power j,