The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1877-05-05
Go West, Young Men.

Thomas Mast, who gets up some
Nasty eugraviugs for Harper's. once
represented the young editor Of the
tower as giving this advice to Horace
Greedy after his unsuccessful campaign,
repeating to the great editor bis of.
repeated advice to the young men Of
the nation, ITO 60 WOs, ond grow up
with tho country" But why the
young men Of West Virginia should
follow .ha, advice am unable 10 see.
Free homes" "chcap lund," "salub.
riOus climate" free transportation, +"
and numerous other advantages offered
by flaming railroad circulars throw .
glamour over the West. and distance
lending cnchantment to tho view, in.
duce hundreds Of cur young men to
leave, and the tide Of emigration 10
roll over our State without ever oBee
stopping 10 examine the facts. Let
young man buy 100 acres Of railroad
land, or take a homestead To erect
fence Of post and plank to the rod
around it; two posts to the rod. !. ESQ
posts. which will cost at least 12a
cents each, making $3.50. The plank,
l6 feet to tho rod, making 10, $40 feet
at $40 per 1000. cost 1854 80; to
break 40 acres, at So so per acre,
$40; to erect q very Indifferent
house. $500; making. before ho Is
ready to farm at all, on outlay Of
1904 so, and then not counting his
labor for erecting fence, costs Of haul.
Jog, &c.. and then hc must be there
one year before he can expect to reap 4
crop. DO exposed to the sweep Of the
wind. 500 miles from tho Rocky |
mountains without anything to break
it; dig well at cost Of $40 or $40,
and suffer from malarial diseases.
"Bu.," says thu circulars. "tbsre is
no ague," Well, that is true. but it
is because there is nobody to have i.
As soon as settlement commences ugue
makes its appearance. Be subject 10
numerous insect pests besides the grass.
hoppers; bis family suffers from neu.
ralgia. and long Tor the running
brOok' and bubhliDg springs Of their
native State. For young man to
attempt to take family to a western
homestead with less than 81 600 cash.
besides what will take them there, is
cruel. No fuel. perhaps. within ten
or twelve miles, The above is no
faney sketch, bat actual facts. Now
what are the facts in regard to West
Virginia In Gilmcr, CALHOUN. Roane
md many oth4r counties. are thous-
andH Of acres Of lunl. much Of which If |
moi so level. is eqnrlly productive as
tho plains Of Kansas or Nebraska,
which can he purchased at from So to
s. per ucre. and on as long time and
low rates Of interest as any railroad
company will give The cost of clear.
ing is only about double what it costs
for breaking prairie, or 81 por acre
and have been informed that in some
places they only ask IS per acre to
mike i. ready for the plow. The fen.
cling material i, on the ground. and
the labor Of preparing and erecting a
substantial fence is mot moro than that
Of hauling and erecting on the prairie.
saving the expense Of the nails. Ma.
tCrinl for "rrrfins good house is .alao
m his land. aud "nly thu outlay Of Ia.
Dor is required The climate 10 al |
that could be desired; greater variety |
Of crops can b. produced =; fruit in |
abundance eau DO raised q clever,
whole souled people. with whose man.
nor aud mode Of though. he is ac-
quainted from his youth; pure water;
soil adopted TO grapes, which is not the
case on tho prairies. With $500 a
young man can, ia West Virginia's
lack counties, have more comforta.
bic home, with fewer priv,,ions.
sooner than he can with $1,000 on a
western prairie. Correspondence Of
tho ClarkSbHrg telegram.