The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1881-04-08
The Close Colony.


-cciony of Eng;ishmen who have under
taken, with moderate capital and infin-
ne pluck, to build up their fortunes in
this country Their enterprise is new
lRst old enough, however, to furnish
satisfactory evideace that agriculture is,
when properly undertaken, one of the
'AOst profitable industries in this coun-
try. Their number at present is about
three hundred, and many additional
members are expected this spring.
This colony, often called the Close
COLONY, owes its origin to three enter
! prisiug brothers, respectively James,
William and Fred Close. One of these
came out here in 1876 to row in the
Cambridge boat crew at the Centennial
Regatta. Some of the crew fell sick,
however, and they were forced to leave
Philadelphia and retire to Cape May to
srecuperare. There the young English
man met his destiny, and closed his
boating career by an engagement to
marry. About this time the young
slady's father advised young Close to
take q trip West before returning to
England, assuring him that if he should
do so he would be satisfied that this
country afforded stronger inducements
TO young man than any across the
water. Accordingly, he went West, and
made up his mind to 60 into farming.
He Immediately drew his two brothers
into the enterprise, and together they
began on large scale. At the same
time they took steps to induce their
friends in England to join them. Though
the enterprise is not three years old,
they control at present some 100000
acres of land.
The Young men who make up this
community are, for the most part,
graduates of Oxford or Cambridge. On
one farm met two tall and handsome
young farmers whose uncle had been a
distinguished member of Parliament.
The last time had seen them was in a
London drawing-room. This time they
tramped me through the mud and
manure of the barn yard to show me
some newly-bought stock. They were
boarding with Dutch farmer at three
dollars per week in order to learn prac.
dcal farming. Both were thoroughly
: contented, and looking forward to the
future with pleasure.
Another young farmer whom noticed
on horseback, with top-boots, flannel
shirt, sombrero and ltknife, was
pointed out to me as the grandson of
the author of Paley's Theology. He
was attending cattle auction at La
smars, Iowa.
There, too, was son of Thomas Bay
: ley Potter, the distinguished honorary
secretary of the Golden Club, and NJ.
p for ROchdale, who had come out only
to take a look at the place, but who so
fell in love with the life that he decided
to invest One had been an Admiral in
the Royal Navy, another had been con-
nected with Shanghai bank. There
was brother to Lord Ducie, not to
speak of future Baronets, Viscounts and
Honorables. These young men had all
been attracted here by their love of
free, active life, and the knowledge that
they would enter society congenial to
their tastes and'early associations.
Although differing widely from
~s@Tom,,' Hughes's Tennessee colony, this
Iowa community has accompanied
(wlthout any special agreement between
;he membersl an undertaking which
combines the profits of farming with the
out door sports SO dear to an English
man.
They have the very best ground for
fox hunting in the world-a rolling
prairie with creek here and there.
Every colonist makes it his chief care,
sitter buying his farm, to breed a good
hunter for the steeple-chases. They
have regular meets for fox or 'paper"
hunts, as the case may be. The last
year opened a racing track, and wound
up the races with a grand ball. The
event was grand success, and partners
were brought even from St. Paul. 27O
miles to the north, to grace the occasion.
Their relations with the Close Broth
>ers are very simple, and entirely of
business nature. After desire has
been expressed to join the colony, and
the fi,m have decided that they are wor-
r thy to be admitted, they are required to
pay $3.50 as species of initiation fee.
This is about five per cent. on the first
5 inve .tment, and is commission charged
T to each new colonist. In return they
: contract for putting up houses, building
wells, purchasing land and implements,
etc. and furnishing advice whenever
called Ypon.. 1t is something in the ma
ure ola lawyers fee for future consul
tations. The tax is saved over and over
again in the security the stranger OBJ
tains against all manner of eXhOrbtant
charges. Sharp as downeasters are
reputed to be, they are mere beginners
compared to Western land agent.
Thus we have an example of cooper
alton on large scale that works per-
fectiy, and has grown up from the con-
4 itions of the colony without any pre-
vious theorizing on the subject. The
head of the colony buys for all at whole
sale with large discount. He sells at
retail without charging the colonists
anything but a nominal commission for
his services. Herein lies one secret of
the power and prosperity of this colony.
They can combine together for pur-
chase; they can combine for con-
tracts in working their estates on a large
scale; they can combine for special
rates in the shipment of their produce
? to Chicago, st. Paul, or St. Louis. The
single colonist has not these advantages
20 pronounced, and above all does not
enjoy the social advantage of being