Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1903-04-10
TIE IMPRESSIONS OF A WOMAN
what a woman says About western
Canada.

What Woman Says About WesteFn
Canada.
/ Although many men have written
to this paper regarding the prospects
of Western Canada, and its great pos
Eibilities, it may not be uninterest-
ling to give the experience of a won-
an settler, written to Mr.. NJ. v. Nc
innes, the agent of the Government
at Detroit, Mich. If the reader
wishes to get further information re-
Igarding Western Canada it may be
obtained by writing any of the agents
of the Government whose name is
/ attached to the advertisement ap-
pearing elsewhere in this paper.
The following is the letter referred
to:
Hilldown, Alberta, Feb'y. 5, 1908.
Dear Sir:
I have been here now nearly five
Years. and thought I would write
lyou woman's impression of West
ern Canadian Alberta. There are
several ranchers in this district
who, in addition to taking care of
their cattle, carry on farming as
well. Their herds of cattle number
from 100 to 200 or 800 heads, and live
out all winter without any shelter
than the poplar bluffs and they come
In in the spring in good order; Most
of the ranchers feed their cattle part
of the time, about this time of the
year, but 1 have seen the finest fat
cattle ever saw that never got a peck
of grain-only fattened on the grass.
You see / have learned to talk farm
since I came here-farming is the
great business here. ! know several
in this district who never worked a
day on the farm, till they came here,
and have done well and are getting
well off. %
I think this will be the garden of
the Northwest some day, and that
day not very far distant. There has
been a great change since we came
here, and there will be greater
change in the next five years. The
winters are all anyone could wish for.
We have very little snow, and the
climate is fine and healthy. Last
summer was wet, but not to an eN-
tent to damage crops, which were a
| large average yield, and the hay was
immense-and farmers wore a broad
smile accordingly.
We have good schools, the Govern
~ pei CCAO. VI Tic OK
pense of education, which Is a great
boon in a new country. OF course,
churches of different denominations
follow the settlements. Summer pic
mics and winter concerts are all well
attended, and as much, or more, en-
joyed as in the East. Who would not
prefer the pure air of this climate
with its broad acres of fine farms,
its ripping streams, its beautiful
lakes, its millions of wild flowers, its
groves OF wild fruit of exquisite
favor, its streams and lakes teem-
ing with fish and it's prairies and
bluffs with game, to the crowded
and stiff state of society in the East.
would like to go home for a visit
sometime, but not to go there to
live, even if presented with the best
farm in Michigan. Beautiful Alberta,
] will never leave it. And my verdict
Is only repetition of all who have
settled in this country. This year, 1
believe, viii add many thousands to
our population. And if the young
men, and old men also, knew how
easy they could make home free of
Sill incumbrance in this country,
thousands more would have settled
lere. 1 would sooner have $50 acres
Lere than any farm where 1 came
from in Michigan; but the people in
the East are coming to a knowledge
of this country, and as they do, they
will come West in thousands. All
winter. people have been arriving in
Alberta. and L suppose in other parts
SIS well, which is unusual. SO we .ex-
rect a great rush when the weather
gets warmer.
We have no coal famine here; coal
can be bought in the towns for s.
to SIS, according to distance from the
mines, and many haul their own coal
from the mines-getting it there for
90 cents to a dollar a ton.
Very truly yours,