New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-03-06
An AMERICAN IDEA.

A practical man, speaking of settling IN ;he
West, lately remarked, "1he Daniel Boone busi-
"nes> is played OUT And he was right. When
we Americans take hold of affairs in earnest,
we improve on old methods, or find out better
ones. And the American People are earnestly
turning attention to the development of our
National Farm. We intend making our out
lying lands productive, and to improve on the
Daniel Boone style of doing the work, so far
rs to reduce to insigniiicance the period Of
hardship and privatiOn heretofore incident to
frontier life. We do rot change our nature
with change OF locality, nor our habits with
our habitatOns. What we want in new set
Elements is what we have in the Old-the full
complement of the comforts and conveniences
of civilization. We want the Christian COM
munily tranSplanted at once, with all its bene
iicent institutions intact. This we may call the
American Idea of Emigration; and we are
making attempt TO put this Idea to the test
of practical experiment in the organized
colony. Such attempt is hardly year old;
but achievement attends so close upon under
taking in these our days, that it may not be
too early to expect noteworthy results.
On the Sd of February, 1870. Committee
started westward from this city to locate lands
for a Union Colony, thereby taking the first
practical step in the new way. Colonies hav-
ing more or less of organization are, of course.
rs old as history; but the movement we are
now considering began, with a notice in this
journal, in December 1869; which notice re-
suited in sending ont the Locating Committee
above mentioned. The first settlers arrived on
the land selected in April following. The sue
cess of Union Colony No. / of Colorado has
been made public in these columns and else
where. We now propose to note the general
progress made during the year.
We find there are in actual operation at this
date eleven colonies mostly on the lines of the
great Pacific Roads. These eleven colonies
hold in fee and under contract $4,000 acres of
the best lands on the continent. Nor are these
vast possessions mere indefinite tracts, in I'M
known wildenesses, likely to remain dormant
for years to come. The lands have been
selected by the best experience obtainable;
have already proved rich beyond expectation
III most natural resources have brought forth
sod-crops, the first season, of almost incred-
IDLE yield, and are being developed by the
hands of the owners hemselves-representin
more than two thousand families. The value
of these estates, at the prices now ruling, is
more than three and-a-half millions of dollars:
the improvements and personally already upon
them Will amount to more than another mil
lion, giving this movement financial basis of
more than four millions OF dollars. There have
been established twelve churches. eleven
schools. two newspapers, and five hotels Fac
tories, mills. stores. and shops have been
opened; villages and towns spring up as fast
rs the hundreds of houses needed can be built
and the whole machinery of civilized life in
its best aspects has been successfully set to
work. One significant consequence is that
c0rner-lots have been sold ut from $500 to