The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1910-01-13
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Best Place for Young
Men of Maine
why Can't The Same rhing be Ae.
eemplished In Somerset Ceunty.

'Aroostook county 10 the place for
the young man OF Maine to go II he
wants to get ahead and secure Gem
petence for himself within few
years. There 10 no place that | know
of In the west or anywhere which
equals the opportunities afforded in
Aroostook."
This Is what Thomas II. Phair of
Pressure Isle, the starch king, says.
Mr.. Phair Is a man approaching so
years of age. with hair sprinkled
with gray, keen. dark eyes and ener-
getic appearance He owns more
starch factories than any other in
dividual In the United States and is
the pioneer of this industry in Maine
In this business and In other lines
In which he is interested he has ac-
quired a fortune and he thoroughly
believes that Aroostook has a great
future before it.
Il moved to Pressure Isle when
was a boy. l was born in New York
state and my mother and her chill
dren journeyed up to what was then
regarded as wilderness when l was
small boy. We went to st. John
where my mother had brother liv-
ing and from there took small
steamboat up the ST. John river, and
then journeyed across the country on
corduroy roads through the woods to
Pressure Isle. 1t was then only a
frontier hamlet. Today, it is thriv-
ing, busting town and 1t is growing
rapidly.
IF there Is young man in this
part of the State with capital enough
to secure farm in Aroostook county
and who is willing to work, Aroostook
is the place for him to CO. Land on
the new extension of the Bangor q
Aroostook railroad can be bought for
right around $40 an acre from the
proprietors. The new section from
Stockholm to Squawpan where the
new branch of the railroad has been
built is to be the garden spot of
Aroostook and will in my opinion
rival all the rest of this great coun-
ty in its production of potatoes in a
few years to come For $500 man
can acquire there farm large enough
to make him independent for life in
few years. We consider a yield of
potatoes which falls below 80 barrels
to the acre to be a very poor crop.
Last year was the best potato year
Aroostook ever knew. There wasn't
farmer who did't salt away from
$500 to $4,000 as result of his
years work and this was all velvet
There were many who made much
more than this from their farms but
| am speaking of the average man.
1.-THE average farmer has from 20
to so acres planted with potatoes.
With an average yield of 100 bushels
to the acre you can easily figure out
what the income of the farmer will be
year. The time to take advantage
of this new territory is right now
while the country Is being developed
In a few years the land which may
now be obtained for farms will all be
taken up and 1t will advance rapidly
in price.
1T seems absurd to me for young
men to strike off into the west to
seek their fortunes when there are
such grand opportunities in this State
Here a man will be living
among his own people, near his
own relatives and his children car
grow up in the best State In the
Union and have all the educational
advantages which our State affords.
Many people are moving into
Aroostock county from all parts OF
the country but the most of our peo.
pie are coming from New Brunswick
Whole families are moving across the
border to take ND lands in the
Aroostouk valley and in the new
country now being opened up. The
New Brunswick farmer is selling his
farm and coming over to live in the
United States. They make excellent