The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1900-05-19
WOMEN USED AS HORSES.
Hitched Up and Plow
the Fields.

| ulOSt uculdl tOil, dut tniS III the
heart of a country populated by civ.
ilized white men.
| Far back from the international
boundary line, on the bleak prairie OF
the great Canadian northwest, is a
colony of Russian settlers who, driven
from home by an exacting monarch,
were given an abiding place by the
Canadian government. 1t is little
more than three years since the col
ony landed at Winnipeg and was
sent forth to earn living by farm
ing. The colonists numbered nearly
1000 families and were divided into
three lots for purposes of distribu-
ton. One was sent to western Mani
toba, another to the province of Al
berta and third to the banks of the
Saskatchewan, about the center of
the province of Assiniboia. They
were in condition of great poverty.
Their transportation to Canada is
said to have been paid by the Cana
dian Pacific railway.
AT any event, that line took care
Of the party after its arrival. The
immigrant trains to points of disem-
barkation were furnished with food.
The journey inland was made in wag-
ons and there the colonists are to-
day, interesting in their habits and
customs. a curious sight to visitors
who may find the time to look their
way.
The Russian colonies and their con-
ditions are interesting at the present
day, more particularly on account of
the fact that the Canadian Pacific
railway is now engaged in an effort
to locate in these same provinces
horde of Finlanders, variously esti-
mated at from 10000 to $4,000 per-
sons, who are expected to arrive in
this country about July. Advance
agents are now in British Columbia,
where they are being royalty enter
tanned by the Canadian government
through the Canadian Pacific rail-
way.
The land on which the Saskatche-
wan colony is located stretches
southwark from the Cree Indian
reservation toward the main line of
the Canadian Pacific railway 1t is
fertile, so far as land goes, but in the
hands of poyerty-stricken people,
unaccustomed to modern methods of
farming, it has to the present made
but little showing. An effort is to be
made during the coming summer to
better the condition of the colonists.
The Sanadian government will send
to each of the colonies an experienced
farmer, and it is understood has ap-
propriated large sum of money for
their welfare.
The lands had been prepared for
the colonists months before their ar
rival and when their location ( was
made each head of family was given
a pillow and small store of provikions.
with instructions to go ahead and
earn living. To-day, according to
visitors who have but recently re-
turned from the colony, the colonists
are little. if any, better off than on
the day they began work.
Flowing both spring and fail is
done by bees" The head of the FAM
lily issues call for pillow bee at his
homestead on a certain date. The
women gather in large numbers.
They are buxom-looking women and
ready to work. They arrive early In
the morning and are first placed at a
table and fed. The food is coarse. but
substantial. At the conclusion of the
meal preparations for the field are
begun.
The party is divided into three re-
hefs. To the beam of the pillow is at
tashed long rope, into which are
tied stout sticks equal to half the
number of women in each relief. AS
drought animals the women go to
their places, dividing on either side
OF the rope, and the days work is be-
gun.
The owner of the land. holding the
handles of the pillow, gives grunt. |
The women bend forward to the yoke.
The piowshare enters the ground, and |
ut rapid rate the first furrow is |
turned over. For four hours each re-
lief works. AS fast as returned the
women are privileged to go home.
During working hours not word is
spoken. The women are as dumb as
the animals they represent.
Spring and fall this is the lot of
the women of the Canadian Russian
colonies. During seeding time the
women do al the planting and at har-
vest use the sickle.
Last year the Canadian mounted
police, in order to assist the impover-
shed settlers, gave them several small
contracts for hay. In the execution
II these contracts the women again
played prominent part. Harnessed
% small wooden sulky rakes, they
could be seen daily during the sum-
ner toiling up and down the prairie
meadows harvesting the hay. The
men did the loading into the police