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Title: The North West Territories
ID1335
CollectionIrish Emigration Database
FileHardyman, Lucius F/16
Year1889
SenderHardyman, Lucius F.
Sender Gendermale
Sender Occupationlabourer?
Sender Religionunknown
OriginKutawa, Nortwest Territories, Canada (present-day Saskatchewan)
DestinationArmagh, N.Ireland
RecipientThe Editor of The Armagh Guardian
Recipient Gendermale
Relationshipreader sends letter to newspaper
SourceThe Armagh Guardian, April 26, 1889
ArchiveThe Central Library, Belfast
Doc. No.9807244
Date26/04/1889
Partial Date
Doc. TypeEMG
LogDocument added by LT, 07:07:98.
Word Count1011
Genre
Note
TranscriptTHE NORTH WEST TERRITORIES.

To the Editor of the Armagh Guardian.

Dear Sir- I have long intended to write to your columns a
little about the North West Territories, in which it has
been my lot to spend the last two years and a half, since I
left the Primatial City; and I cannot say wether [whether?]
the fact of it being St. Patrick's Day has given me special
inspiration, but although it is Sunday night- going on to
9 P.M.- I feel driven to put pen to paper, if my attempt is
poor it is my first letter to a paper. My object in
writing is to show the advantages the North-West provides for
the emigrant. I will deal first with the climate which, in
my opinion, is the first thing an intending settler should
inquire about before deciding on his destination. Now I
have no hesitation in saying that there can be no more
healthy climate than ours, and those who are in fear of the
sanitary conditions of Armagh come "right here" as the
Canadians would say. Now I might state that we have two
seasons, summer and winter, our winter commences in
November, but until after Christmas we have no cold worth
mentioning, January and February we catch it, as a rule;
March is rough but not very cold; by 10th April seeding is
generally and the reason I only mention the two seasons is
that we seem to rush into summer all at once, the frost is
hardly out of the ground when everything seems alive with
growth like one big hot-bed, May and June are lovely months,
July and August very hot, and mosquitoes troublesome. Last
year I must be honest and tell you, the brutes were numerous,
but we were told it was a sign of a good harvest by way of
consolation, which certainly prove true, the fact of the
matter being that we had more rain than usual, July is our
month for rain, but I cannot call it a rainy month as we
barely get enough. Such a thing as an umbrella, is unknown,
and I may say I never owned one until with a day or two of
my departure from the old sod, and when I got to Qu'Appelle
I found the article was a cause of merriment at a new
comer's expense, so it was quickly hid away and is still at
Qu'Appelle in its bran [brand?] new case, so if any one
should happen to come out here leave your gingham to some
of the local institutions. During the hot weather our
nights are always cool so that the weary ploughman is not
robbed of his rest. September and October are most
enjoyable, not too hot, and flies are not on hand. Our last
winter has been [a?] most marvellous one; we have only had
one rough week, when it went down to 40 below zero. Now I
hope I have given you a slight idea of our seasons. Our air
is so dry and pure, there can be no better country for chest
and asthmatic complaints. I aver this as I know people who
have told me they suffered all the time at home, who are
quite free out here. Now as regards land, the country is
divided into townships 6 miles square, comprising 36 square
miles or sections, and numbered 1 to 36 consecutively. The
odd numbers are the property of the Canadian Pacific Railway,
with two exceptions, namely, sections 19 and 29, which are
set apart for school purposes; the even numbers are the
property of the Goverment [Government?] with two exceptions,
the whole 8 1/2 of 28 belongs to the Hudson Bay Company; so
the remainder of these even numbers are given to settlers, 1
quarter section 160 acres, free with the option of securing
the right of purchasing from the Goverment [Government?] the
adjoining quarter section at the sum of 2 1/2 dollars per
acre. when I say the land is given free of course you must
understand you have to fulfil homestead duties, such as
build a house, and do a little fencing, and in three years
you get your patent for your land. The soil is rich black
loam with calcerons [calcareous?] subsoil, and is producing
wheat which is second to none in the markets of the world.
I may also tell Paddy it is a grand country for praties
[potatoes?] and all kinds of roots. Now I do not want to
give you the idea that I am living in a paradise, but as I
look around the world, I do noth think there is a better
country for a steady industrious man. I have had to fight
my own way, and being so unaccustomed to labour and knowing
no trade, it has been pretty tough at times, but now I am
just getting into the way of the country, and I think I have
got through the dirtiest work. When I set out to work I was
determined to take the first job that turned up, and that
has been my rule, and this is my advice to any one coming
out. You are sure not to like your job at first, but you
have time to look around till something better turns up.
Wages are very good, labourers get one dollar a day that is
4s. 2d; farm hands from 15 dollars to 25 dollars a month,
and any man with a trade gets from 2 1/2 dollars to 3
dollars a day. this is also the country for women servants,
who are not afraid to soil their hands; a general servant is
what is wanted, and she gets from 12 dollars to 20 dollars a
month. A good plain cook is in great demand. Now I will
close as it is getting late. I will just say if this letter
proves of interest to any one, I should be most happy to
answer any questions, and any person can get my address. I
know most of the towns in Assa.

I am, yours etc;
Lucius F. Hardyman.

Kutawa, Qu'Appelle,
March 17, 1889.