| Title: | The North West Territories |
|---|---|
| ID | 1335 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Hardyman, Lucius F/16 |
| Year | 1889 |
| Sender | Hardyman, Lucius F. |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | labourer? |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Kutawa, Nortwest Territories, Canada (present-day Saskatchewan) |
| Destination | Armagh, N.Ireland |
| Recipient | The Editor of The Armagh Guardian |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | reader sends letter to newspaper |
| Source | The Armagh Guardian, April 26, 1889 |
| Archive | The Central Library, Belfast |
| Doc. No. | 9807244 |
| Date | 26/04/1889 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Document added by LT, 07:07:98. |
| Word Count | 1011 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | THE 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. |
