The Ely miner., 1913-12-26
"WHY | EMlGRATED''
THE NOTES OF A PROMINENT
JOURNALIST WHO MADE A
TRIP THROUGH WESTERN
CANADA.

through Canada obtaining q thoroug
knowledge of the land and people an
of the ''boundless possibilities" tina
Canada, the virgin land, affords. l.
an American Sunday newspaper b
published after his return the interes,
ing account which we print as 70
lows. He writes:
why did you emigrate from tn
United States?" / asked q farmer Il
Western Canada.
Il believe that for a poor man Wes'
ern Canada is the most favorable
land" was the reply, and have nov
found that it is the Paradise of ths
Poor"
The farmer. pioneer Of the west
had five years earlier left Iowa FOL
Canada to secure a new home there
After traversing the country for somt
time he started his home on the open
prairie and with steady industry de
voted himself to the working Of tht
virgin soil. Now he is the well-to-dt
owner of that endless sea Of waving
wheat ears that goes on for miles be
fore my eyes. His strong, sunburned
figure finds the best background in his
farm itself, which is the outcome OF
his ceaseless actiVity-a pretty two
storied dwelling house, a large clean
stable in the midst Of hamlet of
barns, sheds and outbuildings, a use,
full garden overfowing with products;
horses, cattle, sheep and swine on the
rich pastures, and around to the hori
zon wheat. golden wheat,
I'm Iowa?" the farmer continued, u
farmed on rented land, for at the price
of 500 per acre l did not possess
money enough to buy. I might farm
] might farm as | could more than the
living for myself and family, could
not attain. Sometimes the harvest
turned out good, sometimes bad, but
the grand total was a 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.
Il decided to breakup and go to
Canada, where at least I 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 / took up home
stead of 160 acres to which 1 added
by purchase gradually; now as a
whole l count about 1900 acres as my
own. The whole property is free of
debt. l do not owe a cent to anyone.
1 bought my land for $3.50 per acre,
now | 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 it's purchase price. If you
doubt that land in Western Canada
pays for itself within 3 years you can
easily convince yourself of the truth
of my assertion. Let us assume that
a farmer buys a farm of 160 A. at Sc
per A for $2,400. Farm machirsS
seed ploughs, moving and threshins
might bring up the outlay to about
SO per acre. If the farmer sows the
16O A. for 3 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 will retain clear return OF
$500. For 160 A. the annual excess
amounts to $500, consequently the
farm has after the third harvest
brought in the purchase price Of
$2400
"Sometimes-and not rarely-the
land pays for itself by the first harvest
of 35 bus. of wheat bring in more than
the purchase price of SIS per acre.
AS in some years i harvested more
than 50 bus, you can reckon for your.
self how quickly paid for my farm" :"
Would you not prefer your own
farm in Iowa." | asked.
No" replied the farmer, never
will | go back. In general very few
American settlers return to the old
home In Iowa a 160 A. farm costs
100 per A, $4,000; in Western Can
ada SIS, only $4,000. For the same
money that you require to buy 1G0
A farm in Iowa, you can buy here in
Western Canada a farm of 1000 acres
have money enough to buy farm in
Iowa, if | wished. But there my year
ly income would be a small one.
whereas here l work for great gain.
There would only be small farmer,
here | am a large landed proprietor"
In a corner of the farmyard l had
during our conversation noticed a
mound Of earth overgrown with
grasses and wild flowers. To my in
quiry as to what it was, received the
reply: THAT is the run of the wooden
shack covered with sods, which l call
ed my home when l settled here five
years ago."
gathered a wild aster from the
ruin and flung it into the air. IN pur
plish- -glittering line the wind drove the
flower towards the fine, modern-equip-
ped farmhouse. What n contrast be-
tween the lowly earthly hut of yester
day and charming palace of today!
This contrast says enough of the un.
bounded possibilities, which this new