Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1900-05-21
The LETTER WAS GENUINE AND
CONTAINED FACTS.

"A Former American Settled in Vest
ern Canada Flooded with Inquiries.
A short time since a letter appeared
in these columns signed by Mr.. w. 81.
Iinkade, Of Alameda, Assiniboia, West
Elm Canada, which caused that gentle
man to receive a great many inquiries,
most of them anxious to know if the
letter was genuine. To large number
of the inquiries answers were sent, but
it was impossible to reply to all. We
take pleasure in submitting to our read
ers a specimen of replies sent by Mr..
Kinkade:
Yes, the letter dated Dee. %, 1899,
supposed to have been written by me,
which you saw in your local papers,
was genuine and contained facts. / will
say Of the information received from
the Canadian Government agents prior
to coming here | did not find single
u.true statement. The Canadian Gov
eminent is honorable, and it's agents
care not misrepresent this country, or
they would lose their jobs. There is
quite bit of land for demonstrating
yet, a very little close to market, but
mainly from six to twenty miles from
stations. The country hereabouts is a
p.a.rie, nearly level, slightly rolling;
not q Tough country by any means
Homestead entries cost $40; on land
that has been cancelled there is a So
cancellation fee extra, and in some
cases an inspection fee of So; and
where the former occupant has made
any substantial improvements there
ale small amounts to pay for improve
E2eGts. This is poor place for a poor
man, unless he has brains and muscle
and git and grit but with these
requisites he can succeed. The popula-
ton of this part Of Assiniboia has dou-
bled during the past two years. There
has been as much prairie broken the
past two years as was already broken
previous to 1898. G. P. r. land (odd
sections) joining homestead land sells
at So per acre. Improved quarters
within four to five miles of town sell
at 81 900 this spring. This is not gar
den of Eden at all. No man need think
he can come here and get rich in
short time without much labor; but if
he will work and be saving he can soon
be an independent farmer tilling his
owl soil and getting good returns for
his labor.
"We burn coal, which costs US $1.S5
per load at the mines, which are TWEEN
ty miles southwest of us.
people with stock and machinery
should come in May, so as to have all
June to break in. Those who expect
to work for wages for the first year or
two should come by the end of July to
work through harvest and threshing,
and then go to the coal fields and work
all winter, and by the spring he could
be ready to improve homestead.
"a quarter section of railway land
sells at So per acre. The interest is all
figured up, and a man has about 81 to
pay cash, and if he breaks at least ten
acres first breaking season his $21 inter
est for the first year is thrown off, and
the second fall following purchase he
has $50 to pay, and then $50 to pay for
eight more falls, which makes a total
of SOL the quarter costs him. includ-
ing all interest. Paying for quarter
of land that way is like keeping a life
insurance policy paid, only it does not
take so long to do it. By man home
staad'ng one quarter and buying an
other quarter gives him a chance to
have a 320-acre farm all his own and
have it paid for in ten years. and after
that he is sure of an easy living if he is
any good at all.
C'Signed) W III. KINKADE."