Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1913-12-25
why / EMIGRATED"
THE NOTES OF A PROMINENT
JOURNALIST WHO MADE A
TRIP THROUGH WESTERN
CANADA. 1ileriu.

VI bhO OOuuulCSS pOSolulAlllCo lhab
Canada, the virgin land, affords. In
an American Sunday newspaper he
published after his return the interest
ing account which we print as fol
lows. He writes:
Why did you emigrate from the
United States?" l asked a farmer in
Western Canada.
Il believe that for a poor man West
ern Canada is the most favorable
land" was the reply, land l have o
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
prairie and with steady industry de-
voted 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-
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
stored dwelling house, a large clean
stable, in the midst of a hamlet Of
barns, sheds and outbuildings, a use
full 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, IT
farmed on rented land, for at the price
of $100 per acre l did not possess
money enough to buy. might farm,
I might farm as I 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 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 tC
Canada, where at least l 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 pra~irie-schooner with my wife
and children. Then ] took up a home
stead of 100 acres to which l added
by purchase gradually; now Is
whole l count about 5000 acres as my
own. The whole property is free O.
debt. / do not owe a cent to anyone
/ bought my land for $3.50 per acre
now l would not give it up for $50"
"Do you to say that you pait
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, ant
at longest in 3 years each field ha,
brought in its purchase price. If yo1
doubt that land in Western Canad,
pays for itself within 8 years you cal
easily convince yourself Of the trutl
Of my assertion. Let us assume tina
a farmer buys a farm Of 100 A. at 81
per A.. for $2,400. Farm machines
. seed, ploughs, moving and threshin
might bring up the outlay to abou
$40 per acre. If the farmer sows tn
100 A. for 8 years in succession wit
wheat and harvests 20 bus. per acre
then the product Of an A. at the ave.
age price of 75c per Blu. is exactly 81
per acre. If you deduct the $40 ou'
lay, you will retain a clear return c
$500. For 100 A. the annual exces
amounts to $500, consequently tn
farm has after the third harves
brought in the purchase price
$2,400.
"Sometimes-and not rarely-th
land pays for itself by the first harvet
, Of IS bus. of wheat bring in more tina
the purchase price Of SIS per acr,
AS in some years l harvested MOI
than IS bus, you can reckon for you
. self how quickly l paid for my farm
/, Would you not prefer your ow
I farm in Iowa?" I asked.
i, NO" replied the farmer, "nevt
will l go back, in general very fe
!. American settlers return to the o.
home. In Iowa a 100 A. farm cos
$500 per A., $4,000; in Western Ca.
ada SIS, only $1,000. For the san
money that you require to buy a II
A. farm In Iowa, you can buy here
Western Canada a farm of 1000 acre
:, l have money enough to buy a farm
: Iowa, If l wished. But there my yea
ly income would be a small on
! whereas here l work for a great gal
There 1 would only be a small farme
: here l am a large landed proprietor
In a corner Of the farmyard / he
during our conversation noticed
mound Of earth overgrown vii
grasses and wild flowers. To my l
curry as to what it was, | received Il
!, reply: "That is the ruin of the woodt
shack covered with sods, which l ca
. ed my home when ] settled here fl
: years ago."
| gathered a wild aster from Il
ruin and flung it into the air. In a pu
plish-glittering line the wind drove Il
flower towards the fine, m~odern-equl
= ped farmhouse. What a contrast b
= tween the lowly earthly hut Of yestt
> day and charming palace of toda,
" This contrast says enough Of the u
bounded possibilities, which this nc
land offers to the willing worker. He
T the poor emigrant on the open prair
through energy and activity, within
> years worked his way up to being
well-to-do farmer and esteemed CT
zeni More. the farmer did not