Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1878-07-17

horses when running do not see
the wire, and very often injure
themselves. The cost is about the
same as lumber, the only saving
being in the posts. The fuel used
is principally soft coal which costs
$3.50 per ton.
Now, Mr.. Editor, / have tried to
give you a true account Of the
west, as found it in Carroll county,
Iowa, and people may judge for
themselves.
PAUL DANE.
1t will be seen that Mr.. Dane,
having resided in the country re-
ferred to, speaks from experience,
and can vouch for every word he
says. Just imagine farmer plow-
ing land, planting corn, taking care
Of it through the season, gathering,
husking and carrying it to market
in the fall, and receiving Is cents
bushel. We don't believe that
many of them would get rich at
that business very speedily. But
this is only fair specimen Of the
prices that the farmer receives for
his produce there. Butter, eggs,
/
potatoes, and in fact everything is
on the same low scale. 1t is but
few days since letter was received
in this city from parties in Iowa,
and the prices given in that letter
correspond with those given by
Mr.. Dane. Oats, also, are quoted
at Is cents per bushel.
Now if these prices are all that
a farmer can obtain in Iowa, what,
in the name of common sense must
they be in Kansas, which is hum
dreds of miles still farther off from
the markets! They cannot surely
be any better; and when hired
correspondent attempts to crowd
Kansas advantages down the
Threats of an intelligent public,
merely for the sake of receiving
little commission on lands sold to
parties from particular locality,
he is simply doing an injustice to
the community which has put him
in possession of fair amount Of
this wolll's goods, and that, too,
with vain hope that he may en-
large that amount OF capital by
means of misrepresentation OF the
basest order.
Carefully peruse the letter OF Mr..
Dane, and see for yourselves what
il costs to commence farming In
that section, for lumber, and in fact
every article that the farmer must
purchase, and we dare say that
ninety and nine men Of every hun
dred would become discouraged at
once at the prospects. For the
same amount of money that it costs
to commence farming on new land
in that country, man can buy ~
acres of improved farming land in
Michigan, where he can get at
least reasonable price for the pro-
duets of the soil, thus leaving the
advantages in favor Of Michigan by
all odds.
Two thousand dollars is the
amount Of capital needed out west
to commence farming, while in Al
pena county, a man can take up q
homestead, shoulder his AK, (which
is the extent of his capitaD go on
and build log house, clear his
land, and commence farming on
small scale and at the same time
he can find enough labor to furnish
him with the means to get in his
crops, and then the foundation Tor
future fortune is fairly begun.
There is no railroad companies here
to take away a mans lands because
he has been unable to raise crops
enough to make his payments to-
ward enrichiug railroad land
agents. but at the end of five years
he will get clear title from the
State, and the farm is his own, the
crops are not mortgaged, and he
lives in fear of no bard-hearted
spectators.
Farming lands are cheap in Al
pena county, the prices of produce
are the highest, a market is close
at hand, and crops grow abundant
". No tornadoes here, and man
can retire at night without fear OF
having his house demolished and
himself blown into eternity before
morning. We have plenty of wood,
lumber, and in fact we are In the
land of civilization and about the
only thing which Kansas excels
Alpena county in is raising erase