The Columbus journal., 1909-01-27
EVERYTHING WAS FAVORABLE
SORRY He DENT iaoyE TO WEST
ERN CANADA BEFORE.


Mr.. Austin was man who had
never had any previous experience in
farming, but Western Canada had al
lurAments, and he proiited. He got q
low-rate certificate from Canadian
Government agent, anu then moved.
What he says is interesting:
',Ranfurly. Alberta. May 1O'0S.
y. N. GTieye, EsGr., Spokane. Wash
tngton.-Dear Sir: After q dozen or
more years of unsuccessful Effort In
= the mercantile business in Western
Washington, in August, 1903, decided
to come to Alberta with gentleman
whoJwas shipping Two cars live stock
toeEdn:onson l assisted this mar
with the stock over enc hundred
miles GU: IN the Birch Lake Country.
East OF Edmonton. Indeed. how sur.
prised. how favorab.y everything COM
pared with my dream %: what l want
ed to see in new country.
Had never lad any experience In
farming, but l was Immediately con-
verted into farmer. And from that
moment have prosi,cred. Selecting
q homestead Ecar Birch Lake, l re-
turned for wife and three small chit
Gren and freigh:ed out from Edmonton
in March following year we shoveled
q spot clear Of SHOW and pitched our
tent and commenced operations. at
that time We had no neighbOrs Four
years have Gessed, the locality is WEE
settled. two miles from railway sta
ton, with churches AID schools. tele-
phone and good road accommodations.
I'VE are enjoying the privileges
granted to any rural district IN
Washington. The Birch Lake COun-
try Is no exception. this great trans
formation is rapidly going On IN every
district in Western Canada.
Il estimate that every quarter sec
tion in every direction is capable OF
producing comfortable living for a
family of ten forever After paying
for two horses and :. COW. had Ist
$1,000 10 go Oh Did my first ;'.oish-
Ing in my life. vas very awkwaru in
thy work. but nature was glad and was
abundantly paid for ny efforts. Our
cattle has increased 10 about fifty
head, which was very profitable on &C
count of the abundance of forage. TO
farm wss 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
no. haI
bad for Western Canada Or for a Mis-
sourian. But is not 3 Or 40 bushels
oats a pretty good yield per acre in
many States? Then the price of
grain went ont of sight. so when had
sold my crop | fo,-ad l was able 10
make my payments nicely. besides We
had lots of feed. No o2e ..a: :-s:y bnsi-
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 il Wes ern Wash
ingtOn. This is strange and hard to
explain hut It's true, nevertheless. at
40 degrees below zero We have more
comfort than you world al 20 .'eSrees
above, so still and dry--it'. bright.
sunny days. My wife says that the
only regret she has is that We did not
come here ten years ago. IS We would
now certainly have been n a position
to retire from hard work. alost wccl-
en- soon become satisfied rs neigh
bors begin to come round them.
Have IS acres in crop this year,
besides two acres potatoes, which
have always brought me a fair
price. We find ready market for
everything We produce. To the Poor
Man-Here is a chance to establish
yourself To the Rich MaE-Here is 4
chance to buy land for $1,000 to $500
per acre which Will produce more crops
than a half dozen acres CT your $4,000
to $500 per acre land. And ii not
very much mistaken. this year Will
prove an eye opener 10 those who are
little sceptical The trouble with
me is that have 50 aluc!, to say SO
I favorable to Alberta lis hard TO be
brief Respectfully. ....-..
(Signed) .. .P. S. AUSTIN