New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-12-19
FORMING A NEGRO COLONY.

W
A DECISIVE scHhME FOR COLONY IN NEw-M' N'-
Co-TnE SELECTION OF u SITE not HArPf
oNE--INvEsIIGATIoNs OF THE HON. GEoEGA W.
WILLIAMS. or TIE OHIO LEGISLATURE.
George W. Williams, colored, q member OF the
present Ohio Legislature is now staying at the
Hoffman House. Yesterday he related to iRIB-
UNE reporter who called on him, the main features
of scheme to COLOMBO large tract of land IN New
Mexico by means OF the negro exodus from the
South.
"On November q" he said, General t. w. Con-
way visited me here. and called 10Y attention 10 the
fact that a company of New-York capitalists had
purchased large tract Of land in New Mexico upon
which they intended to settle the coored people
from the Sonth. The Office was at No. us Broad
way. ! called there later and learned from j. NJ
Woodward president and A. y Mellick, secretary.
that the land comprised 100000 acres. They asked
me 10 VISIT it but said coud not 90 earher than
December On my way home, stopped at General
Garfeld's house. referred to his New-York COM
pany and stated as best could ts claims aud plans.
When told the General that the company had
100000 acres of land Ia NewMexico, he imme-
diatelv asked from whom the company purchased
It, the railroads or the Government and seemed
anxious 30 have some lite information upon TINS
point. When arrived at Cincinnati, saw tina.
the press of he country hal Meanfied me very
prominently with the movement.
THE pointed inquiry Of &c cral Garfield led me to
learn something more definite about the scheme
Iwrote letter to General Conway IN which re-
quested frank statement of the whole affair, add
lrg that was perfectly wiling to GO to New.
Mexico and spy out the land providing the company
paid my expenses. | waited two weeks for an an
swcr. but none came In the meantime wrote
Mr. Woodward q letter and received no rcpy
10 tor had mis- rIspl. 1
telegIaphcd General Conway. and instead of get
ring a reply By telegraph received a brief note
from Mr. Woodward. lie stated thar Genera Con
way had received my telegram ard would write IN
a few days; that he had delayed answering my let
ter in order to gel report from his engineer, who
was at that time in NewMexico. and until he got
the report he coulG not advse me OF future plans
/ wrote another letter to Mr.Woodward stating that
if went to New Mexico for the company. must 90
soon, before the Legislature convened. and that l
could not, under aIN circumstances give the scheme
nay indor-emcnt as he had requested, without
first looking AT the land, examining the deed, etc.
that no amount of money could induce me 10 jcOp-
ard ~ my good name aud shake public co ftence
in my honor 10y being party - scheme mat wonid
turn out to be nmca TO tne of the coiored
people 1 told him Tins letter that unless l re-
ccived u reply by December G, would proceed inn
ncdiately to New-Aiex,cO upon my own response
billy.
Not receiving reply to this, I decided to start
az NY Own expense Just ~ | WAS getting Out OF
my carriage al the depot take the tram for Santa
Fc, New-Nrxico .ltssenger boy handed me the
following telegram:
NEW York Do. 6. 1850.
10 Hon. Gru RGE ". wMLIAAa. Couaibu- Oslo:
We are 40. trTay. Make no movements Oh orr re-
count YET. 5g"ed, A - MELLlcR' 7ecictiiy'
But wen: on Al Santa F., the morning after
my ARRIVAL, while l wa, in BARRIERS shop. man
app cached me AID sud U5L pardon; - TINS MI
Williams 2 aud | replied that It was. He ked 40
then if | had ever noarI Of the New-Y5rk Land
League. | tod Inn believed had. and he said ne
vas rho sufvcyo7 Of that company. ut the limo
banding ne a card Oh when was written, kaphaeI
il. Zue-etu' VITA tic request That HloiId cnll on
h, nj tb,. 5lsnoti hoil.c. then called ou Genera,
Wallace to ask IT lie knew or the NeW-iprh Land
Lratuc lie replied thai ho did not. ana seemed
much surprsod that there WAS one, Next called
on the surveyor aud was noSpliaoiy received
was presented 10 SIR: Fleming, y9uhg nan aura
son OF a SIR. Fleming had Mot at 30. 10 Broad,
way. On the Table s,w - surveyors drawing ana
sSe,as.lan Il rrl,, Grant said: IL tins tie map
OF rne 700 900 acres wmch see by the papcrs your
company has purchas"dP They assented. and |
asked now uucn they bad suryeycdl About
= 600 acres tncy replied. / then inquired now
maly acres there we're aitoFei her III me GTahti
iuay SAN there we're about lOOO,OOp
NJ. HaaaeIiicli, editor 0f the daily paper OF
Santa ie later assured ne thar tie suot covered by
Tia" grant was the poorest IN AL N"W--oNtc"; tlat
$40 hInL could - had tuc-6 upon when 10 sUb-'s',
IN that il Il colony We're s-Ht there nothing DuJ
ere. salt .rnk and dcath Woud awIlt u. rae
Land Surveyor AiSuspn s.nd there Wri' ohiy
81 3s7 SO acres in thc Whole grant. lie invited me
20 ca.l at he iald otcs did So, ana III looking
Owe! th- lrAI, fjuut that the mp or dtscTIp. ION
of iris grant hat mad seen p the lodgings OF tAe
surveyor Of the NewY0rl; COMPANY was tracing 81
jhe saw ayol-Gun RATS oilc.d iaap before ZIG.
tyu .otes uV pcrmis,toL 81 t'enefl Atkinson from
las OH ....i rccJId, as iOllowS
sebastian Martin Grant.
-pini-h Grdpi ~ lc IA III.
L.. =.