New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-09-17
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
THE GREELEY COLONY.

casSln Sy A S.s GH soy TS g. soLGx
uns Press.
IL WAS not necessary for Mr. Boyd to apologize
Tor the time and space he has devoted to this history
Of Greeley and the Union Colony and he is too modest
In supposing that it will be read only BY such as nave
been directly indirectly interested in the colony
Any honestly and carefully written chronicle OF tle
founding and growth Of a community must Dc lul Oh
interest and instruction and in this case CIRCUMSTANCES
contributed to give nssee than common sshihcah'o
70 tho events described. Moreover this is the history
Of successful cooniIins enterprise and one winch
won its success in the facc Of dsCOuracemcnts ana
misu Understandings such az have repeatedly wrecked
similar experiments. The enthusiasm which the pre-
iiminary discussions by Horace Greeley ana ~ L.
Noeker had created I'm the minds Of nearly all VINO
ioned in the enterprise carried the cOlOnists over
many painful obstacles. The want OF guiding cI
pcrencc was felt. Colorado required kind Of sgr
cultural knowledge which the Eastern States could not
supply. 1t WAS a land Of artificial irrigation and
vast amount OF information this widely ramihed
subject at once demanded.
Now, while there is no for doubt Us to the
value Of irrigation in such regions as Colorado and
Southern California. the framing Of systems 10 utilize
tho available water the largest scale without waste
and without monopoly, is task which has proved too
hard for hundreds OF veteran lawmakers and Jur1s,S
The Greeley cOlOn,ts not long in realizing the
cxtcnt Of the irrigation difficulties. IN the first place
Of canals had little understanding Of the subject
that the canals they made proposed were Wholly
INADEQUATE the work. Hence trouble arose almost
OF the outset and expenses were incurred IN do'ng
over again work which should have been we'll and
thoroughly done at the beginning. One wise principe
adopted at the out.ct perhaps saved the COLONY. It's
founders saw clearly that II would mpcrl the under
TAXING IL thew admitted to it People wholly without
funds Some few men Of moderate capital there must
be- and the rest must be at least supplied WIN enough
money TO carry them we'll over the first year. INA.
was an cminently sound provision. and II Nshenea
tho &C neral burden In the end Greeley was aVo"e"y
, Temperance colony. but sOmehow-Mr. boyo up
parently does not know exactly In what way-drnRins
men found their way into the settlement after ch'e
and OF course made trouble In regard 70 dehoHl'""
tonslism tho colony showed the diversity OF views
common 70 nearly all American oomnnntes' anu sue
engravines in this volume Of the many places OK
worship at present existing do not secm 10 lhoica.c
thu MA, apnroach of that unity American Churoh
Universal which Is tho dream of some enthusiasts ana
the hope OF Others.
Mr. Boyd's conscientious and minute recoru ne.e,,"
rtIy brings into mercilcss prominence the various us
scnsions chickering's and Observation-Disclosures WHO" a'o
unhappily but too certain TO arise even IN the most
carefully ordered young community ENper'eh'c' Nv"
ever had 10 be paid for. and II 1t was often expensive
at the time Its lessons proved profitable enough Inv
Greeley Tribune the colony newspaper was Vi wy
Rrest help and enabled the colODiste to mature scpe""
of improvement with the rapdity obta'aD'e on! o'
oraanization and discipline. Mr. Boyds lhus""''on>
taken from various points in the town. and SHOWING
the most important buildings. public and private arc
IN themselves the striking evidence OF the extent
and importance of the development achieved IN icsS
than twenty years
Thc history Of Greeley will OF be most priced
nv the colopt, and their friends. and In years IN come
their descendants and students OF American nation
making generally will be thankful and grateful 10 MI
Boyd for the very fitness and detail which ne IS a"
VII initiate against the value OF his book Mt.
novd dives nearly all Horace Grceley's correspondence
about Greeley together with portraits of the men who
xere most concerned either in founding or developing
the colony. The author has some av"r>ons, ana now
and then airs them rather too pcrsstcnty but rs
'1,,a he tells his story ,iraigiiy. with cautious
minutencss and clear sense OF his rcSron~b ly The
record while rxtcnusting nothing j. greatly 10 the
credit Of the colony which has plainly earned It's pros
perity By hard work. good judgment ana sehcontrd'
and which has not only been wel"dviSed. but has
had tho wisdom recognize and follow good counsel