Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1913-12-31
WHY | EMIGRATED"
-,e NOTES OF A PROMINENT
ln IoouRNALisT WHO MADE A
Trip THROUGH WESTERN
CANADA.

through CANADA oDIdIhlh6 q thoiouSA
, .-'Tr of the land and people and
~. tba @boundless possibilities" that
C,noda the virgin land, affords. In
American Sunday newspaper he
anbIisbed after his return the interest
20 account which we print as fol-
laws. He writes:
WHY did you emigrate from the
roitad Cfates?" l asked farmer in
western Canada.
TbelfeFe that for poor man West
,.n Canada is the most favorable
and" was the reply, "and have now
found that it is the Paradise of the
Poor
The farmer, a pioneer Of the west,
had five years earlier left Iowa for
canada TO secure a new home there.
After traversing the country for some
time he started his home on the open
nrairie and with steady industry de-
roted himself to the working of the
virgin soil. Now he is the well-to-do
owner Of that endless sea of waving
wheat ears that goes on for miles be-
FIRE my eyes. His strong, sunburned
fpure finds the best background in his
fasn itself, which is the outcome of
his ceaseless activity-a pretty two
storied dwelling house, a large clean
stable. in the midst of a hamlet of
harms, sheds and outbuildings, use
ml garden overlooking with products;
horses, cattle, sheep and swine on the
rich pastures, and around to the hori-
zon wheat, golden wheat.
IN Iowa?" the farmer continued, 81
farmed on rented land, for at the price,
Of 500 per acre 1 did not possess
money enough to buy. 1 might farm,
Knight farm as | could, more than the
living for myself and family, l could
not attain. Sometimes the harvest
turned out good, sometimes bad, but
the grand total was bitter combat to
keep want from the door. 1t was i'm.
possible to lay by for bad times and
in spite of all trouble and work an old
age free Of care was not to be
thought Of My death would have
brought bitter poverty to my wife and
children.
q decided to breakup and go to
Canada, where at least 1 could fight
out the struggle for existence on my
own land. l started out with a mule
team, all my earthly possessions were
in the prairie-schooner with my wife
and children. Then I took up a home
stead of 100 acres to which added
By purchase gradually; now as a
whole count about 5000 acres as my
own. The whole property is free OF
debt do not owe a cent to anyone.
bought my land for $3.50 per acre.
now I would not give it up for $50"
DO you mean to say that you paid
for the whole land in the five years?"
interrupted.
In a much shorter time" replied
the farmer. The land paid for itself.
some already by the first harvest, and
at longest in 3 years each field had
brought in its purchase price. If you
doubt that land in Western Canada
pays for itself within years you can
easily convince yourself of the truth
Of ny assertion. Let us assume that
farmer buys a farm of leo A. at SIS
per A. for $4,000. Farm machines,
seed ploughs, moving and threshing
might bring up the outlay to about
$40 per acre If the farmer sows the
$50 A. for years in succession with
wheat and harvests 20 bus. per acre.
then the product of an A. at the aver
age price of 75c per bu. is exactly SIS
per acre. If you deduct the $40 out
lay you viii retain a clear return of
$500. Fer 100 A. the annual excess
amounts to $500, consequently the
farm has after the third harvest
brought in the purchase price OF
&,4OO.
'Sometimes-and not rarely-the
land pays for itself by the first harvest
OF 80 bus. Of wheat bring in more than
he purchase price of SIS per acre.
as IN some years l harvested more
man 30 bus, you can reckon for your
self how quickly I paid for my farm"
Would you not prefer your own
iarm in lOwa?" I asked.
No" replied the farmer. never
VIII ! 90 back. in general very few
american settlers return to the old
nome. In Iowa 100 A. farm costs
'iOO per a, $4,000; in Western Can
aaa SIS, only $2,400. For the same
money that you require to buy $50
a. farm in Iowa, you can buy here in
western Canada a farm of 900 acres.
nave money enough to buy farm in
IOWA If wished. But there my year
income would be a small one,
n9ereas here I work for a great gain.
mere ! would only be a small farmer,
leIe l am large landed proprietor.
IN a corner of the farmyard l had
U1lng our conversation noticed
1Ouhd of earth overgrown with
S'asSes and wild flowers. To my in
YllIy as TO what it was, received the
'Spy' That is the ruin of the wooden
'.aeh covered with sods. which l call
y ny home when 1 settled here five
Years ago"
l gathered a WILD oStor from fhe