Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1892-03-31
A WARNING.
Homeseekers Are Being Beguiled Into
the Cold. Bleak and Unproductive
Canadian Northwest.
Emigration Agents Using Every Dis.
honorable Means to Secure Victims
In Minnesota and the DakOtas.
The Population of that Far or Land De.
creasing Regardless OF Efforts Of
the Canadian Government.

creas1ng Regardless OF E1OrtS OF
the Canadian Government.
A large sum of money has recently |
been appropriated by the Canadian
government for special emigration
work in Minnesota and the Dakotas.
Agents are already busy trying to en-
tice our settlers to emlgrate to Mani. |
soba, Alberta, and other districts in
the far Northland.
The object OF the Canadians is two.
fold, viz: to induce as many settlers as
possible to leave American territory,
and by circulating reports that farm
srs are emieratlng from our states into |
the British northwest to lead outsid-
srs astray as to the true merits OF
what are unquestionably the most
aourishing states in the northwest.
The unexampled prosperity OF Min
1esota and the Dakotas is shown by
their rapid increase in population and
wealth. The marvellous agricultural
productiveness OF the two states up
lift them beyond all comparison. In
wheat alone they lead every other
state; their combined output in 1881
being about one.fourth Of the entire
crop OF the United States. Not only
10 they outrank every other state in
The union in the quantity annually
produced, but the grain is unexcelled
n quality, and commands tbs top
price in the markets OF America and
europe.
1t would indeed be a veritahle Ell
Dorado if every Individual settler was
alike prosperous. 1t can be averre6,
however, without fear ofcontradition,
that as q rule all SETTLERS in Mluneso.
"a and the Dakotas who havedisplay-
I'd ordinary intelligence in selecting
land, and in management thereof,
nave been successful beyond their most
sangulne anticipations. A few men
nave undertaken too much without
capital Some have selected and crop
ped land better adapted for grazing
chan for tiltb; but comparatively few
have failed to realize n generous return
FOR their labors, aud some who were
disappointed, owing to such blunders
at the start, succeeded at last, aud are
among our most prosperous and
wealthy citizens.
Many farmers, who acquired their
lands under the free homestead regula-
lions, tempted by the prevailing good
prices, haverecently sold their improv.
ments and stock, and finding them
selves possessed OF considerably ready
money, may be attracted by the glow.
ing accounts OF cheap lands so insid-
jously circulated by the agents OF
'John Bull" To all such these
WORDS or WARMING
are especially addressed.
Long before Minnesota, or the Da-
kotas, were organized even as separate
territories, several unsuccessful at
-empts were made by Great Britain
80 establish agricultural settlements
N the region north OF the United
States boundary line, first styled "Ku
oerts Land" afterwards "The Sci.
Kirk Settlement" and latterlY "Meni.
5oba." The early colonists entered
the country by way OF Hudsou's Bay.
Every such attempt proved disas
5rous to the settlers, who had then,
% now, to contend against long win.
GERS, short summers and early frosts,
which destroyed the grain and other
tarm products. Those early settlers
IN the Manitoba country, faced all
the hardships OF rigorous climate,
and for years mantully struggled
against thsnatural d, fficu!ties imposed
by the climate, which at last they
found were insurmountable, and aban
doning their homesteads, and bidding
farewell to the bells OF St. BonifAce,
and leaving the graves OF departed
dear ones, IN the dreary kNorthland,
wendell their weary pilgrimage south.
ward to a more copgenial climate.
Some OF these expatrlated Britons
settled in the neiehborhood OF Grand
Forks, North Dakota, and Brainerd,
Minnesota, forming the nucleous of
what afterwards became hourlshing
settlements. Within the last eight
years. history has repeated .itselt III
5his respect on 8 much larger scale;
thousands of settlers in Manit O a and
the British northwest, having been lit.
orally frozen out OF the country, seek
ing "tresh fields and pastures new"
and realizing all they desired on the
sunny plains OF North and South Da-
kota, and among the Park openings
Ind rich valleys OF Minnesota.
A reference to the proceedings OF the
Canadian parliament, and the debates
Of the last few sessions. amply verify
these statements and show tnat the
British northwest ID only kept from
absolute depopulation by enormous
annual outlay, and an army OF immi-
grafton agents, whose utmost efforts
for the last eight years have not pre-
vented the population decreasing.
Had the climate of the British north
west been as represented, the state.
ment made by the Canadian boomers
and 80 extensively published some
years ago, (see "Our Northland," page
1867, that before this year of grace
1892 there would be in Manitoba