Western Canada and its Great Resources
The Testimony of Settlers, farmer Delegates and high Authorities

26 WESTERN CANADA A Swede who has tried both countries. I , Andrew Ekman, hereby state that I am a Swede by birth. I came out to Min- nesota in 1881. I lived in that State for six years. I moved from there with my family in 1888. I passed through Dakota looking up a place to locate. I did not find a convenient properous place where I could make a start with my family. When. I reached the Canadian North-west I had no money to start in farming. I took up a homestead about four miles from Fleming station, and have remained thereon with my family since October, 1889, permanently. I am now entitled to and am getting my patent for 160 acres of land. One of my sons has also a homestead entry for 160 acres of land. I have a good comfortable house for my family worth over $350, stabling for my stock, consisting of nine head of cattle and three horses. I have also a granary and a well with an abundant supply of water. I have 90 acres ready to seed for next spring of 1893. 2 had a fair crop of wheat last year (1892) although it was a dry season. The potato crop was good. 3 consider my prospects are good and I am pleased I came to the Canadian North- west. It is a far better country than Minnesota, especially for a poor man. A man who is industrious will succeed well here. As for Dakota, what I have seen of it, I prefer Manitoba. With my stock and land in cultivation I am now in a fair way of succeeding. Farmers with small capital have still a better chance of succeeding if they are industrious and will economize during the first few years. 4 have property worth over $2,000, clear of all debts. There are five other Swedes near me doing as well and as well contented as myself. ANDREW EKMAN. Fleming, Assiniboia, January 21st, 1893. (From the Creighton, Neb., News.) The following letter from Mr. Monroe, an old resident of Antelope county, speaks for itself :— Agricola, Alberta, Canada, 14th February, 1893. Dear Sir,—I have been intending to write to you ever since I came here, but kept putting it off from time to time; now I will try and tell you all I know about this coun- try. As you have been here during the summer, you know what it looks like. I pre- sume you saw it when, it was looking its best. I arrived here about the middle of September last and helped a while in harvest and threshing, so that I have seen what the yield of grain is like. I have helped harvest some of the finest wheat, oats and barley that I ever saw, and also some that was poor, also some that was nipped by the frost; but grain that was sown early escaped the frost all right. Some wheat went as high as 40 bushels per acre, but the general average was nearer 25 bushel , I think. I looked the country over pretty well before I located. I took a trip around by Beaver Lake and from thence south to the Hay Lake country and back to Edmonton. I am very favourably impressed with the country, and from what I have seen I am convinced that all that is necessary to make this a good, prosperous country is to get it settled by the right class of people. We have all the natural advantages, good soil, good climate, but the growing season rather short, but the quickness of the growth makes up for the shortness of the season: good water and plenty of fuel. While I think this a good country, it is no Garden of Eden; people coming here must not expect too much, but those who will come with some means to make a start and who are willing to work hard and put up with the inconveniences always met with in a new country, can make a good home for themselves and be well rewarded for their trouble. I saw Mr. Owens only once since he came. I have settled in the Beaver Hills, about 24 miles north-east from