The Forrest City times., 1909-01-29
EVERYTHING WAS FAVORABLE
SORRY HE DIDN'T MOVE TO WEST.
 ERIN CANADA BEFORE.

Mir. Austin was a man who had never had any previous experience in farming. but Western Canada had al lurements. and he profted. He got a low-rate certificate from a Canadian Government agent. and then moved What he says is interesting:
 "Ranfurly. Alberta, May i0'0S.
 U. \. Grieve. Esqr., Spokane. Wash ington.-Dear Sir: After a dozen or more years Of unsuccessful effort in the mercantile business in Western Washington, in August, 1908. decided tot come to Alberta with gentleman who was shipping two cars live stock to Edmonton l assisted this man with the stock over one hundred miles out in the Birch Lake Country, East Of EdmortoH. Indeed. how sur. prised. how favorably everything com. pared with my dream of what l want. ed to see in a new country.
 Had never had any experience in farming but I was immediately con. verted into a farmer. And from that moment 1 have prospered. Selecting a homestead near Birch Lake. I re= turned for wife and three small chi dren and freighted out from Edmonton in March following year We shoveled a spot clear of snow and pitched onr tent and commenced operations al that time We had no neishbogs. Fsuf years have passed. the locality is well settled. two miles from railway sta. tion, with churches and schools. tele phone and good road accommodations
 We are enjoying the privileges granted to any rural district in Washington. The Birch Lake CoHn. try is 10 exception. this great trans formation is rapidly going oH in every district in Western Canada
 T estimate that every quarter sec ton in every direction is capable ot producing a comfortable living for I family of ten forever. AaeF paying for two horses and a COW. had just $1000 to go on Did my first plough ing in ny life. I Was very awkward h my work. but nature was glad and was abundanuy paid for my efforts. Our cattle has increased 10 about fifty head, which was very profitable on ae count of the abundance Of forage. To farm was compelled to buy about four hundred dollars worth of farm ma. chinery on time, and the payments fell due last fall, and you may wonder how l expected to pay for them when We had such a bad year Twas little bad for Western Canada or for Ms. sourian. But Is not 5 or 40 bushels oats a pretty good yield per acre in many States? Then the price Of grain went out of sight, co when had sold my crop I found l was able te make my payments nicely. besides We had lots of feed. No one has any busi ness raising cattle without growing grain, or vice versa. As to the winters. did not feed my cattle, excepting the calves. fork of hay until in March Have found the winters much more pleasant than we did in Western Wash ington. This is strange and hard to explain, but 'tis true. nevertheless, at 10 degrees below zero we have more comfort than you would al 20 degrees above, so still and dry-with bright. sunny days. My wife says that the only regret she has is that We did not come here ten years ago. as We would now certainly have been in a position to retire from hard work. Most wom. en soon become satisfied as neigh bors begin to come round them Have 9S acres in crop this year besides two acres potatoes. which nave always brought me a faii price. We find ready market for everything we produce To the Pooi Man-Here is a chance 10 establish yourself To the Rich Mau-Here is 2 chance 10 buy land fo- s1Qo0 10 $l5e9 per acre which will produce more crops than a half dozen acres of yeur 5000 to s75.00 per acre land And if not very much mistaken. this year will prove an eye opener to those who are a little scepical The trouble with ne is that I have so much 10 say so favorable 10 Alberta lis hard 10 he brief Respectfully.
 (Signedl p. S. AUSTIN"