The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1889-10-24
The Banner.
vERMoNT,s VACANT FARMS.

The Boston Journal correspondent,
who ACCOMPANIED the commissioner on
his trip last week, writes that paper I'M
der date of the 18th: "a public meet
ing was held at Vershire to-day for the
purpose of considering the matter OF es
iablishing colony OF Swedes on the I'M
occupied farms in the town. Stale Com
missioner A. B. Valentine was present
and addressed the meeting, which was
composed of the leading citizens OF the
place, including the town ofnclals'
Judge S. B, Darling presided and miro
dueed Commissioner Valentine, who
presented his colonization plan and sub
mitted proposition for the location OF
colony of Swedes in this community
on the same basis as the terms offered
to the citizens of Wilmington and Yves
ton. After a,fullldiscussion OF the sub
iect it was unanimously resolved TO
accept the proposition made by the Com
missioner OF immigration, and COM
mittee of citizens was appointed TO make
the necessary arrangements for securing
the requisite number OF farms and locat-
ing the colonists thereon.
"Commissioner Valentine subsequent
ly inspected a large number OF farms
which are offered for sale for colonial
ton purposes. The list Of unoccupled
lands made up by the Town Clerk, b. +.
Fuller, and the listers, include AZ farms,
ranging in area from so to $50 acres. All
of these farms have good houses and
buildings thereon, and some OF them
boast of brick buildings and pretty cot
tages, The lands are uniformly rich ana
productive, and the farms, including
buildings, can be bought at from 80 TO 20
an acre, These farms will be sold to
any parties applying therefor. and al
ready the Town Clerk has received over
100 letters from native Vermonters and
others living in all parts OF the United
States asking for information concern
ing these abandoned farms. The town
authorities of Wilmington have also re-
ceived numerous letters on the same
subjects, Commissioner Valentine has
replied to over 400 letters sent him on
the subject of unoccupied farms, and Is
daily in receipt of letters of inquiry in re-
gard to these lands.
mSeveral of these abandoned farms in
Orange county have already been SOLO
at the low prices named to natives OF
Vermont, and boom in Vermont farm
lands has fairly been inaugurated. YER
shire and Wilmington are typical Yer
mont farming towns, where lands are
good and cheap, and there are scores OF
other towns in the State where excellent
land for farming purposes can be hao az
as low figures. Commissioner valentine
expressed himself as much pleased with
the farms available for colonization pur-
poser in Vershire. and 1t is bis intention
to locate a colony of Swedes IN this town.
From 10 to 10 families will constitute
the colony, and each family will be
loaned $25 and be furnished COW and
a work team, The settlers will have
term of years to pay for their lands, pay
ing the interest the first year on the pur-
chase price, and 500 a year on the
principal thereafter. The Commissioner
has engaged Mr.. Nordgren, the Nebraska
Swedish agent, to go to Sweden to ad-
yertise Vermont farmsand make the nee
essary arrangements for bringing the
natives to this State next spring, Mr.
Nordpren will sail for Europe on his
mission about Dec. l.,
Concerning all such statements as to
contracts and dates, it is proper to Keep
in mind, that while the agreements in
many instances are made, yet until the
papers are signed there will remain the
element of ordinary business uncertain
ty, On the other hand it is no t expected
that anything will occur TO "block the
wheels" of this important enterprise. or
to POSTPONE the dates named for putting
the machinery in motion to secure the
Swedish colony next spring.