The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1868-01-10
Nese England, and the West.


nen. l,udi,orv Of the West MANY of then,
contain a yery truthful statement of facts
We, az there arc many facts In relation to
the west. not usually mentioned In these
articles. I ,bourb, possibly some uneasy,
needl..,lv d;.con,en,.d Maine or New
ENGLAND man. who. like the disconten,ed
,ouirrel in the fable. were getting tired OF
their own ouiet houses, nigh, thereby have
strengthened their wandering symptoms,
and get n ra,her TOO fayouble impression
of the west. in comparison to their own
New En,,,nd homes In 1857 made a
,our ve,,-o,..inp through illinois and
Wisconsin, into Iowa and Minnesota. I,
was n few months prior TO the financial
crisis of that time, when the "wes,ern fever
was "rcyeling in It's glory" Men were
wild with excitement us to speculation in
western land, building cities, and sudden
fortunes. Money was worth almos, any
per cent. in promissory notes, and YET
! was worth more in real estate investments
But tornado was gathering to chase away
all these yapory, phantasmigorel air castles,
to give place to the tanner. sober, genuine
realities of business life. Very many men
were caught, and 10 day would no doubt be
clad to sell their lands at cost with six per
cent, and throw in the taxes. However. |
found it beautiful, charming country to
,I,e tourist. The face of tho country is so
diGcren, from onrs-everythng SO novel.
The green prairies stretching out, ocean.
like, covered with flowers and waving
grass as far as the eye could reach, inter.
spersed with an occasional grove of stately
oaks. All this natural splcndor is all very
good, yet It does not fill our gnnaries with
corn and wheat, or support our families.
And presume that a person raised on a
western prnirie, travelling over New Eng.
land, would be filled with the same emo.
tons of natural beauty and lovlincss, as the
eastern man going west. think there is
some danger that young man. ambitious
and enthusiastic, ius, entering the business
world for himself. NAV form very erroneous
conclusions rs TO the relative advantages OF
,,;aeren, sec,iops of country. They often
h..r b;cb colorcd rcnrcscn,u,;ons Of the
s,ner;or characteristics Of this or that nor.
,;on of tho world. generally far AWAY. All
such del,nea,ions should bc scanned by the
man = most sober and candid judgement |;
always remembering that tho facilities for
money. d making are much more evenly dis.
,s,sed n nj, nor,;ons of IN, country ,h,n
,oo, ,h,,,h, hv ,hs dre,,,v enthusiast.
II ,ssa and 1854 I .nen, , vear md n
h,,r ~ M;r,s.o,, md con.eoucn,Iv m,
.h,o ~ ;,uIro som.,b;,u of,bo relative nd.
v,n,,,.,o NJ mi, and ,h., scc,;on or coun,rv.
m;,,o.,,, h,. +, .,;,,,,. vorv b..I,bv in.
dood F.vor ,,I ,c,,e nrc scorcclv known
,hor. rho ,;r !. ve,v 1rv and nur,. ond
..ro.;,,Iy :, winter - very .xh;,o,o,;nc IN.
v;roro,inu The sys,em. giving health TO the
lungs and steadiness to the nerves, and as u
place of resort to the eastern invalid labor.
inp under pulmonary and nervous Difficult.
ties, should he sought before quack medi.
cines, or even cold water infrmaries.
I'm, while Minnesota il n valuable place
of resort for the New England invalid, we
beIieve New England and even Maine, n
prof,able and desimbIe place of rc.or, for
the aclima,ed western invalid. Where
could bo found for the sick person, born
for instance In Minnesota, more life giving
influences. than can bc derived from the
refreshing, heal,hihl sea breeues, pure and
yi,oli,inp. which. from his exbaustless
storehouse, Old Neptune is constantly send.
inc forth TO greet the way.worn traveller
who will visit our splendid beaches with
which our eastern coasts abound 7 And
then our mountains, rivers and forests,
would inspire them with the same hcaIthiul
novelty, that their prairies do us.
N,,, f., III. ,,o,or,v ;,.,r With mi.
~. oh;sc, IN v;.,v 0r,, rho G,ciI,,ss ror mon.
~ m.I;nr rr.0,.r in Wisconsin, lawn or
s,;nncso,, Than m Maine, IA !, ,r,e ms
!, ven,rnll, supposed, ,ln, a man can re, a
farm there easier thun here? Raw pruirie
can he bought for IS to $40 per acre.
One hundred and sixty acres will cost, n,
SIS the lowest estimate. $500. TO fence
this with posts and boards, land !, mus, be |
fenced to save the crops) will cos, 81 per
rod, making for fencing s64O. Thcnit will
cost as much or more, to build house and
barn there rs here, say Sl5O0-making the |
whole cost s294O.OO. And tha, sum will
buy vsry good hay farm in Maine and
any eastern man who has had experience in |