The Benson signal., 1920-03-06
A GRANDPARENTS STORY
From $143 to a Competence in
Three Years.


1916 to make living. 1t was hard
work. He had so many ''ups and
downs" that he became dispirited be-
fore he learned of the success of for
mer neighbOrs of his who were doing
well up in Canada. He sold his hold
ings for song, and had sale of what
effects he had. When he Strengthened
up with his stOrekeeper and paid a
few debts he found that he had $143
in cash, a good constitution, wife
and five children. He had saved some
few things from the sale. These he
put into car with the effects of a
couple of others, who like him were
going to Canada. He went into the
Gem Colony in Alberta in 1916, bought
a piece of land and commenced opera
tiOns. The money he placed in the
bank, and started one of his boys out
to earn enough money to supply the
table. The older boy used his wages
to break up the sod on the 100 acres.
But let Mr.. Chamberlain tell the rest
OF the story, which he has signed over
his own signature. He says: 81 rented
~ acres and hired it put into wheat
thrashed % wagon loads for my share.
We lived in the granary two years.
The first Of December, 1918, l laid
the concrete foundation for twenty
five hundred dollar house and com
pleted it the last of January. have
nine head of horses and mules, five
head of cattle, fifteen pieces of ma
chinery. seven outbuildings paid for
and half interest in thrashing ma
chine. This is an old grandfather's
story, as my son-in-law came with four
children from Idaho last March and
bought 32O acres G. P. r. irrigated
land and we helped him develop 200
acres Of it. They can't say around
here, Everybody works but father"
Increased His Wealth Six Hundred
Fold.
There are more stories Of success
in Western Canada. There's that of
Allan Nicholson of Hazelbridge, Mani
toba. In speaking Of it he says: I
shall never regret coming to Mani
tcba. came here seventeen years ago.
| think 1t was in the spring of 1903
My old home was at LIE Mars, Plym-
Outh county, Washington township
Iowa, where had been farming for
good many years. / had a farm of
248 acres, Of which I owned 80 acres
and rented 100. When I left in 1903
| sold my equity in the farm for $500
per acre. The nearest station to my
place was Dalton, and my old neigh
bOrs there will remember me very we'll
"When / came to Canada 7 rented
three-quarters of section at South
Plympton, near Springfield Manitoba
After year or two's experience at
renting I bought my present farm of
800 acres, and am now engaged in
mixed farming. / have always had
good crops since 1 came here, and
some of them have been bumper
crops.
eff | went back to the United States
today could take back $500 or $500
to every $1.O0 that I brought into
the country. My land today is worth
from $500 to $500 an acre, and in
addition to my grain growing have
made speciality Of high-grade Per
cheron horses, purebred Shorthorn
cattle and purebred Berkshire hogs,
have had uniform good luck in con-
nectiOn with my stock, and today |
would not sell my farm for cent less
than $4,000.
'"The older settlers of lie Mar, Iowa
will remember me very well. was
greatly impressed with the country
when made my first visit here in
1908, and that impression has been
strengthened all the time 1 have been
here.
''The climate agrees with us all. Be
fore came here my Doctors bills
were something awful. 1 had no
sooner got one paid than I was due
for another one Since we have been
in Manitoba $1,000 would pay all our
doctors bills for the last seventeen
years.
II think I am doing my old friends a
kindness in letting them know how
we'll I have done since 1 came here
This is certainly country of opportu-
mites. l have had no more good luck
than falls to the fortune of any ordi-
nary person, and / am satisfied l could
meyer have done as well had l re-
mained in the old home. I shall be
pleased at any time to give informa-
ton to old friends who care to write
me about my experiences in this
country"
w. V. Bennett, Canadian govern
ment agent, Room 4, Bee Building,
Omaha, Neb., can give information con-
corning all districts in Western Can
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