Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1919-01-24
BARGAIN FARMS FOR, SOLDIERS.
Vermont to Offer Excellent Opportuni-
sG9.' IL. So ,,...-. - 41..' jay.
ties to Men Out Of Service-No Big
Tracts Are Available Is"


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Last October Gov. Graham named t.
s. brigham, state commissioner of agr;.
culture, and f. II. Bicltford. state farm
labor agent, to represent. Vermont. on
"a New England committee to present
20 Secretary Of the Interior Lane, the
opportunities which exist in New En9.'
land for returning soldiers The New
England committee arranged with the
interior department for u hearing in
Spring ield, Mass, January 4, and Will
li4 Cadv of Middlebury!. Il. n. Con,
nal of Newport. u. w. Dun klce of Yer
non and OEL.'Martim of'Plainfield were
appointed as additional delegates t6
this conference
The question of interest to the peo-
pie of Vermont is-How dees Vermont
fit into the plan of Secretary Lane :
The plan outlined in the seeretary.'s re-.
port contemplates that the federal
government and the state government
in cooperation. will purchase tracts Of
waste land in 5000 acres or more, in.
Gliding swanips which need drainage
cut-ovcr lands and arid tracts which
need reclamation; that these tracts
will I've reclaimed ana made into small
farms so that soldiers NAV be colonized
thereon. having about 100 farms in
each colony . t.r
1t was the opinion of the Vermont
committee. and so communicated to,
the" federal authorities, that this STATE
has no tracts of 1000 acres or more in
one block which would lend. themselves
readily to this plan of the secretary.
but that Vermont does offer to the re-.
turning soldier the best possible oppor,
fnnlty for acquiring Il home on the
land.
During the first wear of the war n
census was taken of two blocks of six
towns each in two sections of the state.
one being located in the Champlain:
valley and the other in a more billy
section. The question was asked of
each farmer: sis your farm for sale'"
An average of 20 per cent replied in
the Affirmative. This illustrates that we
nave in the state many farms which
are on the market
An investigation has shown that the
prices of these farms will not exceed,
in many cases. what it. would cost 20
replace the buildings now built There
FORE, the returning soldier may find in
Vermont an opportunity to acquire a,
farm ready TO occupy, with land cleared
which may be bought for less money
man 1t would cost under present con
ditons tn make but Il portion of the
improvements which have already been
made. ..a, y :~.t ts.4 ir-l
The committee believes that the best
procedure for Vermont Is to take
census of the farms which we have for
sale. preferably through lie listers next
April, and to have the agricultural de
partment investigate such farms and
ascertain such facts about them as
prospective purchasers would desire to
know. Then the publicity department |
OF the state should advertise, these
farms in such a way that they will be
brought to the attention. of the, rcturn
ing soldier and such assistance in the
way OF advice on the part, of the state
should be given to the returning. sol
hier SO that he may secure good title
10 his land and so. hat he will lie To- |
ratcd III such II way that thereswill he |
q possibility for him to succeed
Not only should this opportunity APP.
peal to the returning soldiers, but salse |
lo.fybnnG Farmers III the Vast, where
and has now reached, vciy'hieh price.
Land in Iowa now scllsa f0rs from $l50 |
!" $500 an acre. Land in Vermont ear
be bought for much less, yet in sacre