Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1894-04-10


10 se'iciss-i. Aaire-. al es~munioasiess ..
,ss.,sd Coz tnl. der..s@ss. ~ nss.. y. ia.
.c.p. Assseuhsrai ksiiser osfesd pssssrsl
CHEAP HOMES.
The all absorbing topic which occu
pics the mind allke of lahorer and states
man is "lIow shall I earn my dali,
bready' Hack Of all this hue and cry 10
more work aud higher wages lea tn
apparently insurmountshle obstacle d
the homeless pcor. Those who hsv'
made this question study are con, lnce,
that . proper spirit of pride, indepcnd
ence, nestness, cleanliness, order. thrifI
aud econcmy eau never be experiences
by thcse ~bo are too poor or too indc'
Lent to at least make an effort to be ths
possessor of the house that shelters
them aud the little plot Of ground where
on " stands. Not until every family ol
laborvrs owns its home will this vexet
problem of labor ys. capital be solved,
There are hundreds 81 plans suggesfed
by which such relief might To limited
exteut be obtained, and no arrangement
could possibly be made that would ap-
ply To all sections or all classes Of work
ers. Those Who are living In the coun-
try and perhsp. working rented land,
naturally turn towards farming, hort'-
culture or raising stock s the be.,
mesns-for them-of making their own
living. Farming has hren recommended
BY enthusiasts q. q sovervigu balm Tor
every wound incurred while hghting the
battle % life. The poor sewing-~omsn
starving In q gsrret, the beggar on the
street corner, aud the honest mechanic
out of bob are one and all advised to
.buy a farm" n this advice should be
followed BY even one In ten of those
Who want work the result would IL a
far worse state of affairs among the poor
thsn at present. For the great majority
some other plan must be devised 10 help
them 20 help themselves-ss the truest
charity IL that which aids the reciplen,
To be self-supporting.
Scattered here and there In city, VII
lage and country may be found men of
small mean. Who would make a grand
success OF farming. fruit growing or
market gardening, and are only de-
terred from such an undertaking by the
high price Of land. \ man With goo or
ESQ canno, buy much cf a farm where
land IA from go TO slco per acre and
where lumber aud other building ma
terials ~. proportionately dear. The
fAr-iistant government lands Of the
West are all goue. or are Ia too cold a
climate 20 be desirable. SIX months
ago one could scarcely pick up a news
paper which did not contain an item
saving that Uncle sans domain j. all
oecupIed.~ Those Who did not Rad or
Investigate for themselves supposed that
Oklahoms aud th. 'Strip" we're the last
of the government lands open To home
stead entry. There were q lev who,
falling 20 quite swallow this statement,
b.ysn to search the land offices of
various states, and learned that In the
state. of Missouri and Arkansas alone
ther, arr over s,Oco, 90 acres of land be-
longing 20 Uncle samuel, which he IL
ready 10 give away to actual settlers.
This land IL covered With growth oi
ok, hickory aud other woods, u well
waiered and very hllly. The soil Is Ter
tile, being brownish clay mixed With
gravel and underlsid BY dark red sub
/ soIl having many of the constituents of
mari. This subson IL from ten To forty
feet deep and of remsrksble fertility.
Peaches grown on this virgin -oh With
cut fertilization ~crc the largest on en-.
hIbltlon al the worlds fair, some of
them measuring eleven inches In clrcum-
ference, of beautiful color and most de-
licious favor.
The best fruit lands of this section lie
/ ON the south slope of the Ozark hills,
/ and all Kind. of fruit known "a temper
ate climates flourish her. to perfection.
Ihe country l. rough, hllly and rocky,
although there IL some land compara-
lively smooth and free from rocks. In
fact the rocks are the most objectionable
feature % this section, and are the main
/ reason why our hills have remained un-
l settled until is9l. The old natives of
thi. country thought that land covered
with f'lnt rocks MAS worthless, aud could
not BE induced "a undertake the task Of
eultiyaiing these rocky hills. Some of
their descendants live here Yet, aud are
A. much afraid Of the hills aud rocks ss
their grandfAthers we're. Hut northern
and eastern men Who know how Ia
..hustIe" came In here and demonstrated
that one acre of fruit on these flint hills,
well taken care %, Will bring the owner
more money than twenty acre. planted
/ Ia ordinary farm crops. only last year
Mr.. =. ". Gilbert Of Thsyer, Oregon
County. Mo, sold go. 80 worth OF
STRAW wbsrrie- from thrce-fourths of an
acre, aud ss2l.32 worth Of rsspberries
from a little less than slx acres. This
| gentleman's fruit farm u located on one
| of IN. nintiest Of these fllut hills, aud u
a .,apdlng object lesson % What may be
accomplished here with pluck, energy
and n determination Ia succccd.
Land ssll. here from s5 10 slO per
acr, for improved farms, and Mild land
hack from the railroad for from si 80 10
/ Al psr acre. The climate I. delightful
aud healthful, with very little winter,
the mercury seldom going down To zero,
with but little snow and almost no mud
or slu.h. There l. widespread move
ment smoug the better class Of laborers
10 obtain homes of their own. There is
.I.o a desire among those Who live Ia
the cold northern states To emigrste 10
some section where the winters are
mllder aud the climate more healthful.
The amateur fruit grower longs for a
country suited 10 his needs and the
depth OF his pocketbook. The poor
widow with big family % boys wants
Il
farm. these and others have written
me from almost every state In the Union
and all want homes. ! have always en-
deavorc,i To reply promptly, and have
done so with pleaslfe--especially when
stamps are sent. I do not own land
here, aud so have none To sell. There
are, however, abundant opportunities
here 20 suit all desires aud purses. MY
most earnest hope IL 20 see every acre OF
thee rocky hills fenced, cleared, eulti-
yated and set 10 fruit trees; and having
more time than any one else ! stu ofier
20 reply to the inquiries OF those In
.~.rrh of . home. IL the elephant
proses too large for me 10 carry. Will
reverse the order and make the elephant
carry it.-Missoari Cor. Mirror.
INCREASING THE SUPPLY OF MA