Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1860-09-13
An Appeal from Kansas Colony TO CIeve-
land for Help.

An Appeal ON n AAuusuA NOlOuy 10 AltNe=
land for Help.
The Rev. Daniel Foster, of Kansas, has
called upon US, and we publish at his request
the following appeal:
am sent forth on a mission Of mercy by
the people of Centralia, Nemaha county,
Kansas, and appeal to the people of Cleve-
land for help on the following facts: l. Our
destitute condition. An unbroken drouth
has prevailed for a year, in consequence of
which we have no harvest this Fall We
planted in corn, potatoes, wheat and other
grains and vegetables, last Spring, over 1900
acres. We shall not reap the seed. We are
left destitute.
2. The important promise Of our plan
Two years ago a township of land was Sc
lected near the centre of Nemaha county,
Just south of the great travelled highway be-
tween st. Joseph and Denver City, 80 miles
west from St. Joseph, for the settlement of a
colony. We secured charter, or act of in
corporation, from the Territorial Legislature,
under the name of the " Home Association, :"
and called our town " CeAtralia." Our OBJ
ject is to secure for our colony the religious
and educational advantages which we leave
behind in going to the far West, and to Sc
cure our farms without the enormous ex-
pense Of fencing around each one. To do
this, we reserve the central section (64O acres)
and divide it into 40 village shares, of from
One-quarter acre to an acre each, in the CEN
| tire Of said sectiSn, which are sold at prices
ranging from $25 to $50 each, and 60 me-
| chanic's shares of 10 acres each, which are
sold at prices ranging from 500 to $50 each,
according to location. This gives us a fund
Of 81, 900 for a central Seminary. The Sem
mary building, or one of the wings, 80 by SO
feet, two stories high, is just erected and
covered.
| The 40 quarter sections called " Farm
Shares" are assessed $75, each to build
around the township a substantial board
| fence which will keep outside stock from our
| growing crops. We herd our own stock,
while hedge-rows can be planted and grown
| sufficient TO fence our farms and ten acre
shares.
We have now 60 houses erected and occu-
pied, and over 200 people in Home Town.
We have no whisky or beer saloon in Cen
tralia, and do not mean to allow any such
| poverty and crime producing influence to
come into our midst. We have a regular
Sabbath meeting, which is attended by all
our people, and a Union Sabbath School
which is full of promise.
We have been industrious and economical
and have cheerfully borne great privations
for two years, IN the confident nope of com
fort and plenty this Autumn. Last year we
raised corn and potatoes, from the newly
plowed sod, enough to give US food for a
year. This spring we planted over 1900
acres, and should have had abundance for all
our wants if we had been blessed with the
early and latter rains. As it is,we are utter
ly destitute, and must have help or break
up our colony.
We cannot bear to do this, nor do I believe
the generous Christian communities of the
Free States will be willing to see an enter
prise, promising so much as ours, fail fol
want Of the aid we need to carry us through
till another harvest comes in.
This drouth does not frighten us. It is an
exception, and can hardly come again fol
many years. Help us now and we will re-
pay the aid afforded by the grand results we
bring out of our efforts.
DR.. Akin and his colleague the Rev. W
H. Goodrich, S. Williamson, Esq, NJ. B
Scott, Esq, T. P. Handy, Esq, and J. A
Foot, Esq; also the proprietor of the LEADEH
and Rev. W. H. Brewster, of University
Heights, will receive any contributions that
may be handed in, and the Rev. W. H Brew
ster will forward the whole to the Commit.
tee at Centralia, appointed to receive anC
distribute such funds. l should have called
on all the elergymen of Cleveland and Sc
cured their personal interest and co-opera
ton, but for want of time. must hurry OF
to central New York in order to get few
land warrants, needed by the 1st of Oct. t
save the farm shares of a few of our colo
nists. DANIEL Foster,
President of the Home Association anC
Pastor of the Free Church.