Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-04-15
URGING THE BLACKS TO MOVE.
A Boston Emigration Association at
Work. Homes for the COIOred
People In Texas.

The Boston Advertiser publishes
some information regarding the work
OF Northern associations in the
South, among the colored people, to
induce them to emigrate from the
South to the Western States and
Territories. According to the Ad.
vertisers S statement, which is doubt
less somewhat oyerdrawn, this move
ment began shortly after the Presi-
dental struggle The popularity of
the Liberian movement among the
South Carolina blacks led the exc
dus magnates to open correspon-
dence with Western land and railway
agencies, and just as they were about
ready to talk up the advantages
OF the chosen Western paradise the
railway land negotiators themselves
rushed in their glowing prospectuses
and precipitated a stampede. The
dissatisfied eolored people, rushing
into the current, landed at st. Louis,
the official rendezvous, took breath
and began to realize their improvident
haste; but, having started, pushed on.
The locality in which these new set
tiers were to have been collected was
Texas, in that unoccupied northerly
part lying between New Mexico and
the Indian Territory. Here, starting
with about 100000 men, one third of
them with families, it was anticipated
that in time the territory might be set
off by itself as State, to be called
Lincoln. In the furtherance of this
scheme there was formed, some months
ago, in Boston, the National Farmers
Association. This association engaged
from the Dallasand Wachita railroad, a
Texas corporation, sixty-tive alternate
sections Of land, which was to be paid
for at the rate of Sl.50 an acre. The
association issued lots Of 200 shares
of stock, each share at 800. These
are sold to the colored people and are
accepted by the railroad corporation
as cash in their purchase of lands.
When each lot Of stock is issued
$4,000 is paid to the railroad, the
$1,000 retained GOO shares at 500
making $2O,0OO) being used in the
work of canyassing among the color
ed people and OF removing them.
This land comes to the railway com
pany as a subsidy from the State
of Texas, The sections between
the railway lands belong to the
State, and these are to be pre- -empted
at $l.50 an acre, the State being paid
in tenths, yearly, and without inter
est 1t is understood that there are
now about 1900 families ready to start,
who have stood out against the tempt
ing offers of competing W estern agents.
1t is supposed that these people will
start about April Decentralization
day. 1t is understood, says the Ad-
yertiser, that the association has
issued and sold stock covering 20 Sec
tions in Texas, in all 1880 acres.
More than four times as much State
land will be pre-empted under the
same patronage. This organization
has been in existence about five
months, and is one of several in the
North, their formation being preceded
by the circulation of political docu-
ments among the colored people dur
ing the past two years.
Apart from the above it is known
that agents from the Kansas railways
have circulated extensively through
Louisiana and Mississippi, holding
out inducements for the colOred labor
ers to go to Kansas, with promises Of
steady work and liberal wages on the
railroads in that State.