SOLON ROBINSON, 1842 327 



capital situations in this county, only 40 miles from Chi- 

 cago. The cost of stocking such a business would be 

 about thus : — 



Forty acres of land, $50 



A comfortable log cabin, two rooms, 50 

 A fence, ten rails high, around the land, (which 

 will keep out prairie wolves,) 6,400 rails — 3,600 

 rails for yards, &c. making 10,000, delivered in 



fence, 100 



A small stable for cow and horse, 25 



Another small building for storehouse, &c. 25 



A well of first rate water and pump, 30 



1,000 sheep, delivered on the spot, at $1 each, 1,000 



Any quantity of hay required at $1,50 a ton, delivered 

 in the stack, and oats at 121/2 cts. a bushel, or corn 16 

 cents. Board and wages about the same as mentioned by 

 Mr. Murray, 1 though I think that item would be a trifle 

 lower, say $10 a month for wages, and board in a family 

 on the premises would not cost over $1 a week. The 

 item of salt costs $1,25 to $1,50 a barrel in Chicago, and 

 50 cents transportation: hauling the wool to Chicago 

 25 cts. a hundred pounds. 



No doubt about the hogs destroying the snakes — if 

 they do not eat them, as some doubt, they certainly eat 

 the eggs. You give a wrong impression to those not well 

 versed in the subject, when you say "land can be had 

 for government price, say $1,25 to $4 an acre*" &c. 

 Government land is always $1,25 an acre. Improved land 

 can be bought of individuals from 3 to 10 dollars an 

 acre, according to location and value of improvements; 

 often it can be had for less than the improvements cost ; 

 such is the condition of those now in debt. 



*$4, was intended to express the price of improved land, which 

 would save several of the items of building and fencing enumerated 

 above. — Ed's. 



1 Murray estimated the cost of board and wages of a shepherd 

 at $16 a month. 



23—60109 



