Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1914-01-16
"WHY | EMIGRATED"
THE NOTES OF A PROMINENT
JOURNALIST WHO MADE A
TRIP THROUGH WESTERN
CANADA.

through Canada obtaining thorough
knowledge of the land and people and
OF the "boundless possibilities that
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 StatesT' l asked farmer In
Western Canada.
81 believe that for poor man West
ern Canada is the most favorable
land" was the reply, "and have now
found that 1t is the Paradise of the
Poor"
The farmer, a pioneer Of the west,
had FIVE years earlier left Iowa for
Canada to secure 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
storied dwelling house, large clean
stable, in the midst OF a 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.
/ Tn, fha o.,
farmed on rented land. for at the price
of 800 per acre l did not possess
money enough to buy. might farm.
l 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
age free of care was not to be
thought of. My death would have
brought bitter poverty to my wife and
children.
II decided to breakup and go to
Canada, where at least ] could fight
out the struggle for existence on my
| u
team, all my earthly possessions were
in the prairie-schooner with my wife
and children. Then took up a home
stead of 100 acres to which l added
by purchase gradually; now as a
whole count about 1000 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 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 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. If you
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 that
a farmer buys farm of 160 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
100 A. for 3 years in succession with
/ wheat and harvests 20 bus. per acre.
l then the product of an A. at the aver
1 age price of 75c per bu. Is exactly $16
1 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
n farm has after the third harvest
brought in the purchase price of
e $2,4O0.
"Sometimes-an not rarely-the
land pays for itself by the first harvest
d of 35 bus. of wheat bring in more than
A the purchase price of SIS per acre.
l. AS In some years / harvested more
, than 35 bus, you can reckon for your
self how quickly paid for my farm
would you not prefer your own
3 farm in Iowa?" / asked.
e NO" replied the farmer, never
q will l go back, in general very few
10 American settlers return to the ole
=. home. In IoVa 160 A. farm costs
s100 per A, $4,000; in Western Can
4, ada SIS, only $2,40O. For the same
J. money that you require to buy 16t
n A. farm in Iowa, you can buy here II
,r Western Canada farm of 1000 acres
ID have money enough to buy farm IL
Iowa, IL / wished. But there my year
ly income would be small one
Is whereas here work for great gain
II There would only be small farmer
10 here am large landed proprietor.
1t In corner of the farmyard I hat
,e during our conversation noticed
mound of earth overgrown witt
grasses and wild flowers. To my In
" quiry as to what 1t was, received tn
y reply: "That is the ruin of the woode
n shack covered with sods, which cal
at ed my home when I settled here fiv
O. years ago."
In I gathered wild aster from tn
ruin and flung 1t into the air. In pul
plish-glittering line the wind drove tn
,a flower towards the fine, modern-equil