The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1914-01-08
| EMIGRATED"
THE NOTES OF A PROMINENT
JOURNALIST WHO MADE A
TRIP THROUGH WESTERN
CANADA.

! Of the "boundless possibilities" THAI
| Canada, the virgin land, affords. In
IN 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?" / asked farmer In
Western Canada.
Il believe that for poor man West
ern Canada is the most favorable
land" was the reply. land l 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 homo 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, sunburneo
figure finds the best background in his
farm itself, which is the outcome OF
his ceaseless actiyity--a pretty TWO
stored dwelling house, large clean
stable in the midst OF a hamlet or
barns, sheds and outbuildlngs, use
full garden overlooking with products;
horses, cattle, sheep and swine on the
rich pastures, and around to the horf
zon wheat, golden wheat
'In Iowa." the farmer continued, Il
farmed on rented land, for at the price
of $500 per acre | did not possess
| money enough to buy. / 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 Inn
possible to lay by for bad times and
In spite of all trouble and work an old
| age free of care was not to DO
| thought of. My death would have
brought bitter poverty to my wife and
children.
81 decided to breakup and go to
| Canada, where at least / could fight
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 | added
! by purchase gradually; now as
whole I count about 5000 acres as my
| own. The whole property is free OK
debt. do not owe cent to anyone.
I 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.?
I 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. II yon
doubt that land in Western Canada
pays for itself within years you can
easily convince yourself Of the truth
| of my assertion. Let us assume thSt
a farmer buys farm OF 160 A. at SIS
per A. for $4,000. Farm machines,
seed ploughs, moving and threshinB
might bring up the outlay to about
| $40 per acre. If the farmer sows tho
100 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 SO
per acre. If you deduct the $40 out
lay, you will retain a 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
$4,000
"Sometimes-and not rarely--thc
land pays for itself by the first harves:
of 80 bus. of wheat bring in more than
the purchase price OF $15 per acre.
AS in some years l harvested moro
than 80 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 l go back. In general very few
American settlers return to the old
home. In Iowa 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 l6O
A. farm in Iowa, you can buy here in
Western Canada a farm Of 1000 acres.
I have money enough to buy farm in
Iowa, if wished. But there my year
w income would be a small one.
whereas here l work for great gain.
There | would only be small farmer.
here l am large landed proprietor
In a corner of the farnlyard HAD
during our conversation noticed a
mound OF earth overgrown with
grasses and wild flowers. To my In
curry as to what it was, received the
reply: "That is the run ofthe wooden
shack covered with sods, which l call
ed my home when I settled here fve
years ago."
7 gathered wild aster from the
ruin and flung it into the air. IN pur-
plish-g littering line the wind drove the
flower towards the fine, modern-equ1p-
ped farmhouse. What a 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
land offers to tho willing worker. How
the poor emigrant on the open prairie.
through energy and activity, withip o
years worked his way up to being
well-to-do farmer and esteemed citi-
zen! More, the farmer did not re-