New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-04-16
soUrTER LIFc IN TIE WEsE.

.sorS,d 10 many struggling family among our
w.,tern pioneers who, at this moment, iso'y neeo
a. Surely. IN the hArdships and prisations Which
a,,e ,ettlers undergo, they pay for their iano I'VE
su,s over, without having to be obliged TO p'y Tor
!, ava, .s,in at the Land Office, and perhsp' IN
IL, 70 do thst TO put themselves ia TIE hands oil
,,,rers who, ard not they, become By that process
n,oxuers Of the land for which the5 have 'tr1g-
LA and l.bOred in vain. In this business OF
.c,,t.ips on the public lsnd'' there is deal oil
sa,,,;on The settlers are too apt 70 think tha''
,,v;,s cot claim to 100 acres oil iano, tney nave
-, f.,n. whereas ali they have got ia q part OF
material out Of which, with labor aud e1-
-. nst;ent wsitiog and the investment oil capi'al,
~. NAV be made. We give below private
49,, which describes the pOstion we fear but too
,rOly rot of one family only but OF many thousand,
mat left the East four or FIVE years ago under the
Isu.ive idea that farm might be had In the fertile
U.t n.rsly by ,auatting upon it This letter is
item from Minnesota and from the best part OF
a. State too. There are different ideas about
1T constitutes distress In the West, as some
...snt discussions in our columns have shown. We
Al not ouote the letter below as going to show dig
trea
,hs xbole West ia not the perfect paradise which
,1o.s who have land 10 sell there are apt 70 repre-
ant Il. but merely as the account eoDhdenslaiy
s;v.n b, al intelligent and bsrdw orting emi8rant
from Eev.EnQland, of bis own position and e.
pey;encs and the estimate which he has formed OF
~. .ondition of his neighbOrs. 1t may, perhaps,
.s,ve a. useful Lesson to others who may be dis
,n..5 N start as farmers in the West, az 30 many
40 without sny capital TO ,tsrt upon. But, TO the
letter:
"I,m row. Ike Mr.. Micswbsr, waiting for some-
thing 10 turn up fully assured that II something does
not turn ND soop, must turn down or round. nave
farm slmo,t-I only lack little TO it. Perhaps the
United States Senate may take pity on me and vote
the Homestead bill. In that cete, should get title
and ave farm in reality but not the means to work
il. II is now nearly five years since left the East
fearing myself from home, relatives and friends
hoping in few years Of patient industry to earn
home for my family. had my choice in claims in a
circle Of Eve miles, there being but two taken 10
town when came; nor my selection bad
one. The land around has fnce all been taken, aud
come of il changed hands two three times. Farms
in this place are or rather were valued at from two
10 three thousand dollars. Having selected my land
commenced bulilDg Lighthouse, where passed the
long, dresry Winter like hermit, that ! might com.
ply with the very letter Of the law and be the better
prepared TO receive my wife and children in the Spring
Their arrival made happy, for hoped to be able,
from the proceeds of my crop, at least to feed and
clotbe them respectfully. One who has never e1pe-
riepctd hfe in a rev settlement can form no idea of
the trials and hsrdships that must be encountered,
even with all the aid that money can purchases bat
to commence farm with large family Of small chill
drsn without tesm other stock or even the most
common tools 10 work farm with, it is struggle for
dear life Such was my commencement By paying
my last $50 toward yoke of oxen, they trusted me
for tbs umsiring $50. When the children came on
Dough. two COWS credit, and, by fattening one
and selling both calves aId some hay, paid the note
and saved one of the COWS. j have managed to get
seventeen acres b. oke which cost eight dollars the acre
beside clearing some Of the woods without blowing;
but we have had discoursging crops ever since We
came here taken as whole, though the fault was not
in the quality Of the soil but other accidental causes
such a. crows blsckbirds, squirrels hogs, unruly cat
tie, &c The last season, as whole wa the best for
n crop Of any since we have been here, yet II Is the
hardest to get along, as the abundance has reduced
the prices 80 much that the amount it will bring 10
lees than that Of smaller crops the previous
years. We are scsntily clothed and poorly fed
With the assistance of a welfnrnished wardrobe
when we came and Msrgaret's skill in making over,
we got along very well for year or two but che has
made over and patched as lorg SIS the old clothes aud
patches lasted and now the children nearly ont of
clothes and ragged withal. | bought pair of shoes
for each Of them in September but have been unable
ios.t any since and they nearly all barefoot now
My log bouse, which built for temporary hsbita-
ton, expecting to build better one in two years at
meet we have lived in siICe and may be obliged TO it
for shelter for some time TO come. Before the last
crop came in, we were without meat for Ave months,
and without bread for with only the garden vegsa
bles to live upon Since my corn was ripe have lived
principally on csnmeal food with Just pork enough
to grease il, and few potatoes for variety Butter
Ne have not seen for four months. Last Spring. had
stssm sufficient to plow my land. My oxen were
taken from me last Fall because could not pay $l09
in addition to as that paid when gave my note.
They have since been offered, hear, for $40 cash.
STICK Of all kinds lie third lower than it WIS., Mine
consists Of pair Of steers about two thirds large
enough TO pillow with an old cow that go.. dry four
months in the year, two yeaI-old heifer SOW only
nine months old. pair Of pigs and twenty-one hens
We cannot afford TO eat eggs although they bring
but eight cents per dozen. We have some Twelve
dozen saved up, and intend to Try the market to-
morrow,
Times ere ss hard here as ever and no prospect of
Their berg any better for she present There are
great many starting for Pixies Peak in search of gold.
and many more would 90 if they could get away.
Speculation has nearly ruined Minnesota for the pres.
sni; but we are in hopes there viii be sometime left
OF IT after all. 1t has many real advantages. which
vii make it a great State some time The land specu