. 
18 TOMS EXPERIENCE 
spent three weeks in examining the country. I took 
a homestead of 160 acres, and adjoiming it a tree 
claim of 160 more. 
LAND AGENTS. - 
T do not give my exact location nor my real name, 
because I know that I should be overrun with letters 
of inquiry, which I have not the time to answer [| 
am-not in the real estate business, further than to 
cultivate that which I possess to the best of my abil- 
ity, and that takes all my time. There are plenty 
of good men in every town and village who will be 
glad to give inquirers any information they may 
want. They are generally well posted and trust- 
worthy. There are some * land sharks ”’ in the busi- 
ness, it is true, but not so many as is generally sup- 
posed. 
As arule, it is better to see your land, if possible, 
or have some reliable friend see it for you, before 
buying a deeded tract or locating a claim on govern- 
ment land. If this is not practicable, you need not 
have any difficulty in getting the address of a reliable 
man, to whom you can entrust the business. 
I may add, that, at that time the nearest railroad 
station was twenty-three miles distant. I could not 
get government land any nearer the railroad than 
that. There was ‘“ talk,’ however, of a road being 
built, which would run within a couple of miles of 
my claims. This has since been done, and I am now 
three miles from a railroad station and good village. 
