Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 39, Number 91, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 July 1907 — ONE MAN’S EXPERIENCE IN WESTERN CANADA [ARTICLE]

ONE MAN’S EXPERIENCE IN WESTERN CANADA

Th eye Are Thousands of Opportunities ifl,' ‘l'hls Laud of OJtportunity. To theTSdltor-—Dear Sir: The following experience .of an 1111nni« man g|m went to Western Canada ■ix yeara ago . is~but one. of thethousands of letters that could be repro* duced showing how prosperity follows the settler on the fertile lands of Western Canada. This letter was written to the Chicago agent of the Government of the Dominion of Canada and is dated at Evarts, Alberta, Apr” 8, 1907: It is six years the s’a of this month ■lnce I and family landed In Red Deer, family sick and only $75.00 in my pocket Bought a sl2 lot, built a 12x14 ■hack and went to work as a carpenter? Next May >fidld for S4OO (had added 16x18 building to shack). Purchased two lots at S7O each and built a 28x28 two-story building and sold for $950. Filed on a quarter section 33 miles northwest of Red Deer and have spent three years on It, and am well pjeased. Quarter all fenced and cross fenced, wire and rail, 2% miles of fence. House 29x31 feet on stone foundation. Last year was my first attempt to raise grain, 1% acres of fall wheat, yield grand, but was frosted Aug. 2, was cut , Aug, 16 and made good pig feed. Had 1% acres fall rye that I think cduld not be beat A farmer from Dakota cut It for me; he said he never saw such heavy grain anywhere. Straw was 7 feet high, I had 4 acres of 2 rowed barley on fail breaking that did not do so well, yet it ripened and gave me all the feed I need for stock and seed for this spring. I did not have grain threshed, so can’t give yield, but the wheat would have gone at least 25 bu. to the acre. Have a log stable 81x35 feet, broad roof and two smaller buildings for pigs and chlckeqp. I have lived In Harvey, 111., and knpw something about it I have been hungry there, and though able and willing to work could get none to do. ” One Saturday evening found me without any ■upper or a cent to get it with. A friend, surmising my situation, gave me a dollar, which was thankfully accepted and later paid back. Wife and I are thankful we came here. We were living near Mt Vernon, 111., as perhaps you remember visiting me there and getting me headed for the Canadian Northwest and a happy day it has proved for me. I have not grown rich, but I am prospering. I would not take $3,000 for my quarter now. The past winter has been a hard one, but I worked outside the coldest day (52 below) all day and did not suffer. We are getting a school started now that Is badly needed. Our P. 0., Everts, is about 15 miles; there is another ofllce 6 miles, but it is not convenient to us. Wife and J would not exchange our home here for anything Illinois has to offer. Yours truly,

(Signed)

E. EMBERLEY.