New-York tribune., 1879-05-19
LOCAL MISCELLANY.
COBONIEsINTIlE WEST.

COBONIESIN THE WEST.
onJyc1s AND WORK oRpTHE AID SOCIETY YINiIHIs
CTIY..
The Colonization Aid Society formed this citv
a few weeks r 20 is now fully organized and fcaSy
TO begin its work. A lady we-known for her llb-
eraI and iudicious benevoence. bas Furnished
the means to defrty the expenses or an
office and of the preliminary work OF
gathering aud distributing information. and a room
for the Headquarters of the society will be taken Ill
Cooper Institute Among the members OF the efeGu-
tive committee are John Wheeler. Joseph Sehgnlan,
the Rev Dr. Deems, the Rev. Dr. Newton. Professor
helix Adler, Charles +. Wingate, Cortland Palmer
md L. V. Smaley,
The general purpose of fhe society is TO encourage
Emigration To the West of the industrious, deSerN-
ing poor of the city who cannot find sufficient en-
bloyment in their present homes to enable them to
Support themselves. In other words, II aiuis 10
transfer portion OF the surplus iauqr-
Ing population of the lnetIopohs 10 tI,n'' ,no
soil where by" their own enorts ihey
Fan earn for themselves homes ana lead llvss
bf usefulness and comfort. 10 tins END the soeiet
tesgus to employ the summer and an III coIlcct-
ING information about desirable parts Tor emlgrants
to 70 to, and holding conferences OF w0IkIngineh
who may desire TO Organize c0ioDy bg gneAtSPl,ngg
il is expected that,a colony OF from % ioa IVo
families can be established at some favorable local
ity on lands owned by the society. 1he detlnls OF
the colony plan ara not yet hEttuteu', hlh
1t is desired that. the colonists themselves
shall help TO shape theln Inc eeheIal
idea ia that the association should give the new
settlers start providing them WIN houses ani-
mails and implements, and giving them the 10 Ie7
pay the aotual outlay with low rate )I Interest,".
The viIlage plan of settlement is tho one most
favored the settlers living in village III the centre
of the tract where they can nave the ol
school, a church. machine snOps, anu sOcl"l iit0i
IL will thus be seen that there are two classes of
people the society aims 30 benefit-iTst those VINO
desire to emIgrae and have the means 10 90 so put
do not know where to 20 and are III need OF dlsln-
terested advice and trustworthy information (;
and second, those WhO, though WllllhG
and Industrious. lack the means for moving ana
establishing themselves i'll new homes, lhe ala
given the latter class will not be put IN the for OF
charity but of a loan which they VIII De expected
10 repay. The successor the hrst coIony VIII Tau
TO the formation OF Others.
AHAUNTED HOUSE On STATEN ISLAND.
THE GHosTLY CHAMBER IN WHICH MUsCULA'
SPIRITS PLAY FRANKS WITH THE FURNITURE
AT MIDNIGHT.
The quiet little village of Graniteville 5. l., Is
excited over the discovery of a haunted house.
The house. which until lately occupied by the
family of David Decker, is situated on the left side
of the road leading to Granitevile Corners. just
above the grounds of Isaac Van Name. 1t IS hne
three-story mansion, and stands alone. The room
over the kitchen, which was occupied by Nir'
Deckers daughters Is the room in which the super
natural manifestations are sad to have occurred.
The family had occupied the house only a
short time when the young ladies complained
of queer noises and strange movements IN their
room beginning about midnight and continuing
until about O'clock in the morning. Dr. Decker
LAUGHED at the statements, and told ils daughters
thatit was merely imagination. A lew days atter-
ward they again appealed 10 Their tatheT declaring
that thew would not enter the room again az night
They said they could not sleep, as the furniture
was moved abOut the room, and even thelr bed was
lifted from the floor.
Decker to satisfy his daughters resol we'd to in
yestigate the matter and in company with Captain
George Wood and several other neighb0rs, all mem-
bers of the old Baptist church in the village, spent
n night in the mysterious room. They reported
that they had witnesses enough TO substantlate
the statements made. Mr.. Decker soon after
left the hOuse. Captain Wood, in speaking
of bis nights experience in the room,
declared that the iron bedstead on which the seven
men were seated was raised repeatedly about FIVE
inches from the floor. The other members OF the
party confirmed the Captains statement.
CAPTAIN "Abep Tyson, an old resident OF the vii
lage stated that about fifty years ago he and Captain
John Mersereau, now dead, slept in the same room
one night and heard strange noises during most OF the
night The family of the Rev. Mr.. Young, while
occupying the premises, is SAID to have been an
moved in a similar way. The house. which stands
only short distance from the site OF the residence
of '"Polly" BOdIne, who was tried about thirty
wears ago for murder and for burning her house,
has remained closed since Mr.. DeckeTs family re-
moved from 1T.