The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1890-01-16
CORRESPONDENCE.
Yernnnt. the Mecca.

notice in number OF your last lssue'
much is said about the vacant and un
occupied farms in Vermont. When
read the different articles on this sub
ject. it puts me in mind of what Ger
tain gentleman remarked, THAT IT tht
Pilgrim Fathers had landed anywhere
on our western shores the New England
states would have never been settled.
There may be much truth in this, still
lhiuk the advantages of the New Eng
land states is far superior TO all of tn,
Western States, only in one respect, tina
Is in raising grain. lspeak now com
pairing the number of acres. knew IN
Vermont of 100 rushels of corn b i'm
raised on one acre, and this was at ,
late planting. One may say this NIGH
be, but take the State as a whole, what
IS the average of corn raised on an acr'
OF course, this l know nothing OF IL
late years; but this do know, that tn
West has been built up from wind, :
constant gale has been blowing from thu
Pacific to the Atlantic; come Wes'
young man, for here are no rocks nor
stones, no eide hills nor valleys, but ont
vast stretch of level land, easy of tillage
A large amount can produced from al
acre. wi h scarce,y an labor. The
trumpet blowed through to the olu
world, Come to America, you Cal,
pick up nuggets of gold in the streets
beautiful climate, no winter, scarcely
any SNOW" and l will not pretend T.
enumerate all that has been said abou'
our Western States, but enough TO slari
immigration till we are flooded with al
the natiOnalities of the world. Nov
what is the financial status of all this
Have they all got rich? They have Sc
tied on these western prairies Till mor'
than nine tenth of them have become
beggars. What l mean by begRars l.
this, they started on very Unite CAPT
tai, crops failed one upon another TIL
they began to cry for help from then
old homes in the New England states.
for there is where they knew the none!
was, and for more than ten years past
money has been poured into some OF thu
western states to keep thousands Of
families from starvation, and where they
possibly could, thousands have moved
back to where they born and lived
The writer of this letter was an agent OF
Kansas lands in 1878 In that year
hundreds and thousands of iamllies
would have been glad TO have gone back
had they the means am knowing OF
number of fami les who settled in
E lis cou"ty, from Pennsylvania ana
Ohio, who ltfC everything and went
back. Sill the state is filling up; buI
hundreds in these states would be glad
to get back to the green hills of New
England. have not one word to say
,g1Iust the roll of most of our western
states, no better Can be found between
he two oceans. but the climate is
treacherous. Give them the rains and
climate of the E tst and no better crops
could be produced. | notice in some Of
he last issues of the BANNER 1t has beer
question what foreign born inhablt-
ants would he preferable to come
amongst the Yank people. We hav'
found IN the West that the Swedes ART
the best class that come among us
rney make peaceful citizens, and are
good neighbours, and are industrious
This city has large class, and less dis
turbance from them than any other
For my own part, l would rather have
en- acres in my native state in gooC
locality, than one quarter section in th'
State of Kansas or Nebraska.
But su Jpose it is all right that W,
are not all alike and do not think alike
[ know that prices for general produc'
are very cheap in the West, and | di,
know, while living in Vermont, that w
lad good market for all that could b.
produced from most any source at hom'
n the New England states, plenty o
imber, plenty of water all the year
while IN the West scarcely any water
scarcely any rain. no timber worth men
iODing, hot, dry climate, especially IL
K insas. To be safe it is very necessary
ne should have dugout, for he doe
not know when he goes to bed at nigh
where he will be the next morning
While in Kansas IN the year above men
nnnsd, became very well acquainted
with doctor and his family, who ha'
moved into Kansas from Michigan
The doctor bought farm in a count.
adj lining Ellis, built house on an ele
vated piece of ground, settled dow
with his family, thinking all was happl
ness. After few weeks he happene,
over to Hays City, Ellis county.
called upon the doctor, eonversiDg wit
MIN about matters in general. l said
l. d Jctor, how ia everything over 4
your county ?" "Why, we have moved
is that possible p Eyes; one night W
closed windows and doors and retire
all in peace and quiet, hut before morn
ing found my house off from Its founda
tlon." remarked, Did you build upnI
a rock or the ssndW The doctor re
piled, Il think the foundation was no
very deep" think the doctor move
back to Michigan, Tor things IN genert
we're not very safe in Kansas. Their
are constant winds, and IN the winte
months they are very piercing. I
speak my feelings, would not liv
there if Ihey would give me one who
county. In Vermont you can max
sugar, in Vermont water runs down bill
IN Vermont the water is soft and pur
and sweet. in YermOnt there is plenty {
timber, plenty of fruit. and does not fa
3 " year; in fact, no state can boast {
= better adyInt g's in butter making, sh
stands first in this article, as the pr
4 MUM was given 10 her in Paris at II
g great exposition. The pastures in We
g mont scarcely ever fail in giving plenI
: Of feed and rich grass which make
= good butter. One acre IN Vermont wi
g produce more fe, d than five in most
= the western states. This IS on accouT
= If so much dry, hot weather, On Il
: mountain pastures IN Vermont there a
d springs that never fail, and the soil eve
y At the highest, seems to be moi
e through the summer months. Too mut
t can not be said of the advantages 4
e stock raising. elc. have some expe
: atoms vet of making Vermont n
G home. | love it's hills and its valleys.
Q CORP w 4. SHELDON.