The enterprise. [volume] (Harlem, Mont.) 1899-1926, 1913-12-25
The NOTES OF A PROMINENT
0URNAll9T WHO MADE A
TRIP THROUGH WESTERN
CANADA. e''

found that it Is the Paradise Of tn
Poor"
The farmer, q pioneer Of the west
-. five years earlier left Iowa TO
1 raa to secure a new home there
A 'versing the country for SOM
.Iter IA arted his home on the opel
s nme ne a with steady industry de
pra1r1e ana to the working of tn
vo'ea n1n1sen he is the well-to-d'
virgin SOL. NA 1less sea Of waving
owner OF that GA on for miles be
wheat ears that go 'vong. sunburne,
tore my eyes. His n kground in hi
figure finds the best baA outcome O
farm itself, which is t1ea retty two
his ceaseless activity-a } .ge clea,
stored dwelling house, a IAN, nlet o
stable in the midst Of nsA use
barns, sheds and outbuild1Ags; cts
full garden overlooking with prodsA h,
horses, cattle, sheep and swine on Il
rich pastures, and around to the horo
.zon wheat, golden wheat.
I'm Iowa?" the farmer confirmed, II
EARNED on rented land, for at the price /
Of 500 per acre l did not possess
money enough to buy. might farm,
! might 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
80
thought of. My death would have
brought bitter poverty to my wife and
children.
'I decided to breakup and go to
Canada, where at least could night
out the struggle for existence on my
own land. / started out with mule
team, all my earthly possessions were
in the prairie-schooner with my wife
and children. Then / took up home
stead of 100 acres to which l added
by purchase gradually; now as
whole count about 5000 acres as my
own. The whole property is free OF
debt. l do not owe cent to anyone.
I bought my land for $3.50 per acre,
now l would not give it up for $780,"
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 years each field had
brought in it's purchase price. II you
doubt that land in Western Canada
pays for itself within years you can
easily convince yourself of the truth
j., of nv assertion. Let us assume that
a farmer buys farm of 100 A. at $15
per A. for $4,000. Farm machines
. seed ploughs, moving and threshine
might bring up the outlay to about
SO per acre. If the farmer sows the
100 A. for 8 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 sic
per acre. If you deduct the $40 out
lay, you will retain a clear return o.
$500. For 100 A. the annual excess
amounts to $500, consequently thu
farm has after the third harves
brought in the purchase price O
$4,000.
"Sometimes-and not rarely-th
land pays for itself by the first harves
of IS bus. of wheat bring in more thai
the purchase price of SIS per acre
AS in some years I harvested NOR
ythan IS bus, YOU can reckon for your
self how quickly paid for my farm:
Would you not prrvssee1r your owl
farm in Iowa" 1 asked.
NO" replied the farmer uneve
"lli go back. In general verv &es
American settlers return to tho nj.
~, nUne' IN Iowa 100 A. farm cost.
lvo per A. 10000: in Western Cam
ada $16, only $780, For the sauna
money that you require to buy 1Go
"A. 1arm IN Iowa, you can buy here in
western Canada farm Of | 900 acres
l nave money enough to buy a farm ~
iowa, If l wished. But there NV ve.r
~ income would be q small ma
whereas here I work for sreat eair
IneNe would only be a s1na,1, farmer
nefeaA' am large landed proprietor"
IN AZ corner of the farmyard: = had
turing our conversation notices.
mound OF earth overgrown wtth
. grasses, and wild flowers To NV IN
Jury as to- what it was, received tha
leply: Fhat is the run of the wooden
: snack covered with sods, which I cali. I
"a my nome when settled here five
years ago.. "'9
l. gathered g. wild aster from the
rum ana flung it into the air. In a mr..
'plisn-gllttering line the wind drove tho
mower towards the, fine, modern-eo,,in.
peo farmhouse. What contrast he.
a"een the lowly earthly hut of yester.
,ra and charming palace of TO-DAY,
MS contrast says enough Of tho IN.
'". uuuea possibilities, which this new
"a offers to the willing worker How
.ne poor emigrant on the open nrairio s
Trough energy and activity within : 1
EARS worked his way up to being a d
'el!-to-do farmer and esteemed e,+, n