Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1907-09-19

now make entry before the local agent
for his father or for his brother or
brothers, or for his son or SONS, or for
a sister or daughter who may be the
head of the family having minor chill
dren depending upon her for support.
A sister daughter or mother are also
entitled to make entry for any members
of the family who are permitted entry
upon a homestead The only fee re-
quired is $40 for each entry. A great
saving in railway expenses is thus
made Read what Mr.. Gerts has to
say:
Battleford, Sask., Aug. 4, 1907.
Dear Sir: Thinking a letter from us
Northwest settlers might interest you,
l write a few lines to let you know we
are progressing finely and we'll pleased
with our new home
When l think OF the many hard-work-
ing, Industrious men East with families
who are struggling for a living and do
ing the Ct"enuous, laying up practically
nothing for Sd age, and the thousands
of acres of land here yet to be plowed
and cultivated, capable of raising sixty
to eighty bushels of oats, thirty to for
ty bushels of wheat, it certainly seems
9 pity the two cannot be brought to-
gether. But l will repeat, this coun-
try is only for the Industrious and
thrifty; also l might add it requires
some capital to start.
A man should have at least team of
three good horses; better to have
mares, so as to have some colts coming
along each year. 1t is best to bring
them with him, as good work horses
are high. lie should be able to pur-
chase + W, disc and drag, harrow,
drill, binder, mower and hay rake. OF
course several taking up claims or buy
ing land near together can divide up
the purchasing of TIE above machinery
and exchange WORK This plan will
work well for a few years or until
crops will warrant each individual to
pure tas1 a full outfit.
v have $50 acres of as good farm
lane as lies in the famous Cut Knife
dist (ct. Every foot can be plowed
Last fyear our oats run sixty bushels
per acre. | sold them for so cents per
bushel on the place.
The indications are for a good crop
his year, though we were very late in
Sc ding, owing to the late spring. Last
winlNr Yas the coolest known in this
count. ), by the ol1est settlers (some
who have been here thirty-five years.,
but with a comfortable house and plen-
:. Of fire-wood, which we hauled four
miles, we passed the winter quite pleas
antly. The air is clear and dry. Some
of the days | came from work | was
surprised to find the thermometer reg
istering 40 degrees below zero. Though
we never keep fire at night. we had
nothing freeze in our cellar.
Our stock and chickens wintered
fine. l have yearling heifer, who
would hold her own in any "fat stock
show" She has never mad a drop OF
milk since she was four months old
and has never had a mouthful of grain.
A gentleman who saw her made the re-
mark "he bet that heifer had eaten her
head off with grain" but world hardly
believe she had never had any grain.
This is s great country for growing
all kinds of vegetables, and we are GER
tainly enjoying our garden. The flavor
of the green peas Is especially fine. Last
season Mrs. G. canned lot of them,
and we have enjoyed them up to the
fresh crop.
l am sorry did not have time this
past season to attend to transplanting
trees, but win keep the land l had pre-
pared worked up for next seasons
planting. l received a number of small
trees cash and maple) from the Gov
eminent Experimental Farm at Indian
Head. l put them around the edge of
the garden and they are doing fine. l
also recel quite a lot of other seeds,
oats, wheat, potatoes and rhubarb roots,
which were acceptable.
1t is useless fer us to bother with
garden flowers, as wild ones grow IN
profusion. We are located near a
fine creek, the water of which is soft
and fine for bathing and washing. We
have a well of water near the house,
80 feet deep and 81 feet of water all
tie time, though It is harder than the
Land WHICH could be bought for five
dollars per acre three years ago, is now
Worth $14 per acre, and steadily ad-
yancing each year.
All kinds of improvements are going
on Steam plows and large threshing
outfits are already In Roads are being
graded, bridges being built across riv-
ers and creeks. Last year took my
family, also wagon across the Saskat-
chewan River in a row boat, swan my
team across, and now the contract has
been let for a 100000 bridge at that
place.
The c. n. r. have run their final
survey from Battleford to Calgary.
running west about one mile north of
us. The C. P. r. have run a survey,
with runs northwest passes about 500
feet from the northeast corner of our
farm. The country will soon be COW
cred with a network of railroads, and
1t will keep them busy hauling the out
put of grain. 1t is certainly eTourag-
ing to us settlers.
Two years ago Harry, my son, and
as you know unloaded our car at Sas-
katoon and drove $50 miles TO our
claim. Last fall we had only eighteen
miles to haul our wheat to railroaS
and. as you see, the prospects are we
will have a railroad at our very door
and a town near by. This district can
support a good town, and it will be well
patronized.
Harry arrived home at u p. m. last
night after going fourteen miles to