Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1871-10-20
Wanderings in the West.
From the Toledo Blade.

DEAR BLADE After man has made
up his mind &c go west, tue question,
when 10 gos ie ole of TIE first that pre-
sents itself to hismipd, and l propose in
) this letter to give some advice on the
subject, as very serious mistakes have
often been made by emigrants in this
mstter--nistakes that have caused many
70 return 10 their eastern ones much
poorer than they left tnem, and com.
pletely disgusted with the west, and have
cost Others who have Iemained in the
west serious loss and trouble.
~ To the man who intends 10 engage In
some mercantile pursuit, or trade of any
kind, 1t is OF not SO much Importance at
what season Of the year he goee. And
yet even TO these, on the ground OF
health. the sp ingis generally preferable,
IS during the mild spring and early sum-
enc weather, the process of acclimatiOn
10 more Gradual than ii would be were
The change made in the fail, followed
very soon, as 1t would b., by the cold
weather of winter.
~. The mechanic should regulate the time
n his going somewhat by his business.
If his work is mostly out OF doors, ana
ne has employment during the winter IN
his present home for even part of the
time, he had better remain there until
spring, unless he has in some way, se-
cured employment for the winter in the
place TO which he expects to remove. II
often happens that this class of H. en- leave
situstions where they are receiving fair
wages, and go west in the iall with no
employment. Cold weather sets in, they
fail to find work, all the expenses OF win
ter are upon them, to meet which, they
must draw on the means with which, /,
perhape, they had expected to purchase
homes, and very naturally they become
discouraged before the revival OF busi-
meas in the spring. Had they remained
In their old homes until spriDg-even if
they had employme there but part OF
the time--they would have been better
OF by at least the expense of winters
Subsistence, to say nothing about the dis
couragement that Is almost certain 70 at
tend winter OF idleness in q strange
place. 81 tt
Mechanics whose work is indoors do
not generally meet with the same diff
culties, although their business Is gene
rally duller in winter than any other
season, and employment consequently
more difficult to secure.
To the man whose means warrant him
in spending some time in looking about
before deciding upon a location, or
whether he will locate at all or not, the
season when he goes is of little cOnse-
ALLAN MN fn
shouid always take their wives along and
colt them freely concerning the differ.
ent locations they examine. The new
home Is to be hers as, well as his, and II
always looks to me selfish and unressona.
BILE for a man of means to start of alone
prospecting for new location, and,
without consulting his wife, selecting one
where she must almost certainly be un-
happy. There is altogether too much OF
this done BY men whose abundant means
leave them no excuse for il.
II is always better tor those who can
afford the expense thus to go and make
q careful examination before they dispose
of their farms or their business. have
known cases where men have taken the
''Western fever" sold out everything,
and gone west with only vague, indeti'
mite idea OF where they would locate oI
what they would do. Such persons are
almost sure TO be discontented and tC
regret that they ever made the change.
It W. uld be far better for them, before
disposing of their homes and business u
maze trip through the west, examine
carefully the country and the business
openings, and then ii they find anything
that suits them, to secure that befor,
they sell themselves out OF home and busi
gAeese yTn~r = y
1t Is always better for the farmer to &
In the spring. II he has the means to &,
n out, az above suggested 10 examine tb,
country and select his location a year II
advance, get house built and some soG
broken, so much tie better. He is thel
y ready when he takes his family to g
,t right on with all his farming operations
lust aA he would on an improved farm
anywhere else. But large majority O
the farmers who 60 west have not tn
means 70 spare to do this. They mul
get all the information they can froI
other sources, f1x upon some State, an
perhaps county, and then with their fam
lies 90 out to stay. .ett r..
2 Oh Now suppose one OF these, with hi
family, 70 20 in the fall, He must leav
his old homp while the weather is goo
and hls services are in demand at goo
- prices, 20 that he inevitably loses muc
% valuable time in which he might hav
been earning money. He arrives at h
' new location, when Of course the fri
thing TO be done Is to provide some sol
OF house for shelter during the winte
In All probability cold weather will 81
in before this can be completed, cons
Quently they are but poorly protectet
and the probability Is that exposure wi
bring on sickness. Very little work CD
be done towards the improvement OF Il
farm during the winter, nothing whs
ever can be produced, the expenses
living 90 on, of course, and thus Il
fall and winter are wasted, and he coz
nences his spring work with depress'
spirits and crippled resources. 80.
Now suppose man OF limited mean
q, who. can not afford to go out beioTehaI
70 select his location, and have sor
Improvements made on II, TO 90 In /
b. Apring with his family and such proper
AZ Il 10 advisable for him 10 take alon
Re ShSuid go as soon a. tho winter
fsifiy hrpksp and the worst Of the eaI