The Bowbells tribune. [volume] (Bowbells, Ward Co., N.D.) 1899-1969, 1906-04-13

some place little south of Edmonton
Alta. Forty miles of this line is al.
ready built and it is presumed will be
finished this season, opening up the
richest wheat lands in the Northwest.
One remarkable thing we noticed was,
that all seemed satisfied that they are
in the best country on earth to grow
large crops. We met men from south
ern Texas, Indiana, Iowa, or where you
choose. Ask a farmer where you will:
"Well, sir, you seem to like this coun-
try; how many bushels of wheat per
acre did you raise last year," The
answer will seldom be less than 80 BUSH
els, and many times 81 to 40. and never
less than Is. Farmers will tell you
their oats run from 80 to 100 bushels
per acre. The climate is as mild as
that of Ontario, Cam, and warmer than
that of North Dakota A Mr.. Might
of Moose Jaw, told US that he came to
that town % years ago with very small
means and went to farming about six
miles northwest of town, and that his
crops for the whole period averaged him
over Is bushels for wheat This man
sold out for $4,000 and now intends
buying land in the Goose Lake country,
or west of there.
We had the pleasure of making ac-
quaintance of Mr.. Moon, from the vi
cinity of Minot, an old North Dakota
man. He has visited this country sey-
eral times and has taken land in west
of Goose Lake. He has purchased a
35-hp. engine and ten plows and is 60
ing to break this season. We met an
old English gentleman on the train, on
his way from Calgary to Duluth, where
few years ago he was in the banking
business and lost everything he had in
the panic of '96. Five years ago he
went to Calgary with a few household
effects, most Of which he had to sell in
order to get money to buy. He began
handling secondhand goods and auc-
tioneering. Since eoing there he has
spent one summer in England, carries
gold nuggets in his pockets, very valu-
liable gold watch, wears diamonds and
says he is worth over $50, 900, and owes
no man dollar. Solid comfort at 54.
This gentleman says "there are no poCg
men in our town." Another gentle,
man from Iowa, who has land at Olds,
on the Edmonton branch of the c.. P.
R., says they have the finest climate
in the world and raise the biggest
crops. Really, there seems to be no
discomfort among these people, and may
they continue to prosper, for, like the
Isrealites of old, they are a Goodly peo-
pie.
Before closing this letter I feel that
it might be well to call attention of
people intending to take Canada lands
to new ruling or change that has just
been promulgated from the Depart
ment of the Interior at Ottawa, Can.,
whereby thousands of acres that have
been covered up by fraudulent filings
will after the 18th of this month be
again given over to settlers and the
former filings be set aside. Squads of
mounted police are now traversing the
country in which these filings haye
been made, and where actual settle
ment and improvement is not in evil
dence, report Of all such tracts will be
made at the local land Offices of the do
minion and filings on the descriptions so
reported will at once be cancelled and
the lands posted at the various district
Offices as open to settlers. There is be-
lieved to be at least 10, 900 acres in the
Regina district alone that will thus be
restored to the public domain. An
other change by virtue of this order is
that settlers will henceforth be COM
PEELED to appear in person to make
their filings, the former practice of
making filings through agents having
been done away with. It is not neces-
sary, however, that the homesteader
should have been on the land before
making filing, and by inquiry of the
government official in charge he can
find out to certainty the nature of
the land on which he desires to file
the quality of the soil, whether it be
stoney, level or rolling prairie, if there
be timber on the tract, in fact all about
it, to the minutest detail, the agent be-
ing enabled to give this information
from maps of the country filed in his
office and from which he is enabled to
give thorough description Of every
feature of the particular tract about
which inquiry may be made.
Hoping that through the publication
of this letter in the columns of The
Tribune l may have been able to dis
seminate some information among in
tending settlers that may be of some
use to them in their quest for homes in
the Canadian northwest, am
Yours truly,
R. w. PURDY.