Prospective Settlers Arrive Here and Must Almost Board Next Returning
Train
On
several occasions complaints have been received from Americans seeking homes
in Canada, especially those from Arkansas and the states adjoining, in regard
to certain homeseekers’ excursions run by American railways, notably the New
York Central Railway and the Wabash line.
It is the practice of the American railways to run homeseekers’
excursions and to issue round trip tickets which are good for twenty-five days
only. The purchaser of the ticket must board a train on his return journey
twenty-five days after the ticket is issued, for after that date the return
half is worthless.
No Use for Extended Trip
This
excursion ticket is very satisfactory for homeseekers who only desire to go to
neighboring states to look for land, but it is practically of no value to a
man who intends to seek land in the Canadian West, as the time limit is
obviously too short. Notwithstanding this, American railway companies are
advertising these homeseekers’ excursions as suitable for Americans wishing
to locate on land in Canada. Most of the southern settlers who come to Canada
from Arkansas are manifestly unacquainted with the condition existing in the
Canadian west today, and do not in the least realize the extent of country
which they will have to look over before locating on land, or the lack of
railway transportation to homestead lands, which are usually some days’
travel from a railroad.
