Democratic enquirer. [volume] (M'arthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1867-1873, 1868-03-19
4 Gc,m,n Colony in Rrszil.

In 1862, a physician by the name of
Blumenau conceived the idea of founding
q German colony on the banks of the Ita-
guahi river, in Brazil. The district select
ed was In the province of st. Catherine; a
province which possesses as fertile q soil
as any In Brazil, and a climate resembling
that Of Spain and Italy. A Rio de Janeiro
newspaper tells rs the result of DR.. Blume-
nau's experiment:
The growth Of the colony has been very
rapid. In 1851 there were 1881 colonlsts,
divided into 349 families; in 1865 the num-
Der had increased to 2,625. Nearly every
family has a comfortable house. The land
Is thoroughly titled. The chief crops are
tobacco, sugar cane, coffee, arrowroOt,
cassava, sweet and Irish potatoes, corn
and kidney beans. Several farms are given
up to cotton, and it has been ascertained
that grapes and hops can be probably cul-
tlvated. Thus far the tobacco crop has
proved the most lucrative, but the farmers
whe have chosen TO plant coffee have no
reason TO complain, Besides feeding them
selves, the colOnists exported produce in
1855 to the value Of $4,000 francs, or 49,
200. They were also represented in the
Paris Exhibition.
The colony is not, however. entirely
given uplo agriculture. In 1885 1t con-
tanned within its bounds fifty-three sugar
refineries, siXty-one stills, forty-thiee grist
mills, besides cider, vinegar and oil mills,
and several breweFies To German col
ony these last are indispensable.
The success Of this colony Is not entirely
explained by the richness OF the soil or the
proyerbial thrift Of Germrn emigrants. A
part of the credit Is due 70 DR.. Blumenau
and his coadjutors. Their management ol
the colony has been marked from the first
by sterling good sense. They have moi
paid any immigrants passage;money un.
less he was plainly unable to pay 1t fol
himself. In such cases the money Is ad.
vanced, to be repaid at latter time to the
fund of the colony. They have inns at
Rio de Janeiro, and at the village of The
colony, where Immigrants are lodged and
fed until they have selected their farms, OF
plots of ground, and builG temporary
houses. The land is never given away, but
Is sold at very low rates. Il was been sur
veyed, 90 that the purchaser need have no
fears about the soundness of his title. He
has five years for the payment of the pur'
chase money.
After the colonist has cleared his ground
and dug drains, some little time elapses
before it becomes fit for cultivation.
During this interval he Is employed by the
colony, at good wages, on the roads, OF
at other works of general utility. When
his ground becomes dry, the colony sup.
plies him with seeds and farming imple.
ments, for which he is expected to pay
when he has money ofhis own.
d During the first six months of his resi-
dence in the colony he is entitled to the
gratituous service of physician speaking
bis own language. This gentleman is the
Board Of Health of the colony, and dis
charges his duties In so efficient a manner
that the general health is invariably pre-
served. I'M
Under this system the colonist Is helped
at every step, and yet left to depend upon
himself. He receives no aims. Loans are
made to him out Of the common fund,
which he Is to repay whenever he be-
comes able. His success depends upon
his diligence and economy. Nearly all
who have Joined the colony have possessed
these properties, and are now thrifty
farmers, owning their own land. A few
have proved lazy or vicious. These ex-
ceptional drones have nothing to expect
from the colony. They sell their titles, live
awhile on day wages, and leave some fine
morning for Rio de Janelro,-MO York
Post.