268 HOW TO GET A FARM, 



apprehension. A very neat little house, sixteen by 

 twenty-four feet, a story and a half high, containing 

 five rooms, is furnished and delivered on the cars for 

 about $200. When within one hundred and fifty 

 miles of Chicago, it is put up, plastered, painted, 

 and made ready for occupancy for $350. There are 

 regular manufactories of these portable houses, at 

 which they can be purchased ready made, and the 

 settler fitted out without delay. 



But the great West is full of instances like the 

 foregoing. It is true that there have been disastrous 

 failures. Whoever goes there must make up his 

 mind to dispense with some of the comforts and 

 conveniences to which he may have been accus 

 tomed. If without capital, he should avoid hanging 

 round the towns, but strike directly for the country, 

 where labor is in demand at paying rates. When 

 able to buy a team, to fence his farm, and pay for a 

 cheap dwelling, then he may safely purchase land. 

 Let him avoid grasping after too many acres at first. 

 The great rock on which many have split is that of 

 seeking to own greater tracts than they can either 

 manage or pay for. Three years of working out 

 will enable a man to save money enough to make a 

 safe beginning. His first crop of sod corn, with a 

 little money, will carry him through the first year, 

 and the second year his land will be mellow enough 

 to bring him a crop of double value. 



The Central Railroad Company have given no 

 encouragement to speculators, few of whom are 

 either permanent or improving owners. Their effort 

 has been to secure the actual settler by offering him 



