The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1910-04-15
Would Find Greater AdVant-
age In The West
Than That Offered In Canada
And Mexico

of our good citizens to Canada is
steadily increasing, and another wave
of emigration from the United States
to Mexico has set in. II is estimat-
ed that not less than fifty thousand
heads of families, most Of them sue
cessful farmers, expatrated them
selves in 1909 and took up homes un-
der the British flag. All of them had
money, PROBABLY none had less than
$1,000, SO that at least $4,000, 900 of
good American coin was taken from
this country and invested in Canad-
ian property. The lure of cheap land
is strong and as long as the Canad-
ian Northwest offers its virgin prair-
les to homeseekers at low prices, the
rush of settlers is likely to contin.
ue. Land values, however, have stead.
lily risen, and with the passing of Can
adian lands selling at So to SIS per
acre it is probable that the opportuni-
ties for homeseekers in our own West
may prove sufficiently attractive to
stem the Northwest tide.
A complaint often made by home
seekers is that there is lack of in
formation concerning the available
public domain in the several western
states. Our remaining public lands
exclusive of Alaska and our Island
possessions, consist of about 370,000,-
900 acres. Much of this is mountain
GUS and a good deal of it is arid and
worthless without irrigation. There
are, however, several millions of acres
of sem ?iarid land open to settlers
in tracts of 800 acres each, located
where new methods of cultivation and
scientific planting have enabled the
skilled and energetic farmers to ov-
ercome the deficient rainfall. These
are being rapidly taken up.
The completion of successive units on
number of the large irrigation works
of the government is making available
choice farms in several states. To
meet the demand for information con-
cerning these lands, the Reclamation
Service has issued descriptive pamph-
lets which are mailed upon request
by the Statistician, U. s. Reclamation
Service, Washington, d. C. At the
present time excellent opportunities
exist on a number of projects. The
, number and size of farms open to
!, entry, cost of water-right, and the
|, cash payment required are given here
with
On the Belle Fourche project, South
Dakota, there are sixty farms con-
tanning from forty to eighty acres
each. The water-right charge is only
$50 per acre and the first payment re-
quired in advance is $3.40 per acre,
and the balance being payable in nine
annual instalments without interest.
The Huntley project, Montana, Of
fers to homestead entry 224 farms,
averaging forty acres each of irrigable
land The cost of water-right is $50
per acre, in addition to which $4 per
acre must be paid for the land. The
initial payment is $460 per acre, the
balance being payable in nine equal
annual instalments without interest.
The Shoshone project, Wyoming,
has available 257 farms averaging for
ty to eighty acres each of irrigable
land; water-right charge, SAC per acre,
payable one-tenth down, balance in
nine equal annual instalments.
Sun River project, Montana: Eighty
five farms vacant, averaging eighty
, acres each of irrigable land, water
: right charge $50 per acre, mainte-
, nance and operation, so cents per
, acre; first payment $3.50, balance in
nine quail annual instalments without
interest
Umatilla project, Oregon: Seventy
farms not yet taken, averaging twenty
to forty acres each of irrigable land;
water-right charge of $50 per acre,
maintenance and operation, $1.30 per
acre. First payment, $3.50 per acre;
. balance in seven equal annual install
3 ments without interest.
The above farms are located in set
tied agricultural districts. Neighbors
are plentiful, transportation facilities
are good, towns are near with stores
o schools and churches. On several OF
. these projects, eight farm-houses are
located along each mile of the main
, highways, giving the county more of a
suburban than a rural appearance. Or
: all of these projects, the crops last
year were satisfactory. The fruit
. farmer, stock man, general farmer and
d truck grower will find what he is look
g ing for on one or more of these pro
l. jects. No more capital is required tt
l. make success on one of these farms
e than on wheat farm in Canada, ant
4Io odd;tiopoI advontoua nf nj