Los Angeles herald., 1892-02-21
WASTE LAND ON LONG ISLAND.
Hundreds of Thousands of Acres of Un
developed Territory.


developed Territory.
1t is perhaps needless to remind the
reader that there are some 447. 900 acres
of waste lands in Suffolk county. Long
Island. They are now covered with
stunted pines. scrub oak and underbrush.
If tillable these barren acres are advan-
tageously situated for the experiment Of
colonization. The question us to their
possible fertility has been answered both
ways, and it is rapidly appearing, if not
already demonstrated, that those who
denied their productiveness underproper
cultivation have been in error. Years
ago Governor John A. Dix called the
attention Of the New York State Agri-
cultural society to these lands.
Since Governor Dix wrote many sue
cessful experiments in cultivation of
these lands have confirmed his judg-
ment. None Of these can have more in
terest for the sociologist than that of
the Bohemian colony, situated midway
between Ronkonkoma and Sayville, in
what is now a fertile garden spot that
bursts unexpectedly on the view-an
oasis in a dense and dreary wilderness of
dwarfed oaks and prolific underbrush.
This community was formed a score of
years ago under circumstances the most
unpromising. Near the picturesque lit
tie round lake called Ronkonkoma, so
deep that local legend pronounces it un-
fathomable and whose outlet has never
been discovered, lies Lakeland hither-
to wild tract of scrub and furze, on
which it was proposed to establish a
colony. Among those who were in
duced to purchase land there in the, days
when romantically worded advertise
ments described it as an Eden, were
three Bohemian families who had ar
rived in this country but short time
before.
The heads of these families were John
Kertochvil, Joshua Wavra and Joseph
Houla. They were honest, credulous
folk, unfamiliar with the wiles of the
'sboomer," and they purchased their
land unseen on his representations. But
when in the waning autumn they and
their wives and little ones beheld Lake
land, its only harvest frost tinted, sun
dried, crinkiing leaves, their hopes sick
ened and they would have returned to
New York if they could. But they were
without means to support themselves in
the city. Hence, Indifferent where it
might be found, they sought more prom
ising territory toward the south, and
after wandering a distance of three miles
they knelt in the woods to implore di-
vine direction. By common impulse
they were moved to choose the spot
where they thus knelt as the center of
their settlement.
The men plodded back to Lakeland,
and thence laboriously brought their
personal effects, the more important of
which were canvas tent and a cooking
stove. When shelter was thus secured
and an attempt made to kindle a fire it
was sorrowfully discovered that there
was not match in the colony; and all
Bohemia laughs to this day when the
story is told of John Kertochvil seizing
his musket and firing the charge into
the CRATE, thus providentially kindling
the fire while running the risk of blow
ing the precious stove to pieces.
The men found work on the Great
South bay near by, or on the farms of
the southside gentry; and before long
each family dwelt in its primitive hut,
and men and women unitedly labored to
clear the land and prepare it for crop.
The narrative of their struggle would be
monotonous: Enough that it was sue
cessful Gradually their numbers were
REINFORCED by other families of their
countrymen, until there are now fifty
two houses and 250 settlers in the colony.
Pretty little dwellings they are, too, sur
rounded by trim gardens and patches of
land yielding crops of corn, potatoes and
other vegetables as bountiful as can be
found anywhere.
The area of Boheiniaville is 300 acres,
300 of which are under cultivation. A
commodious school building and public
hall evidence the progressive spirit of the
villagers, some of whom are old Catho-
lies and others Hussites. Both sects have
neat chapels, the Hussite element es-
pousing the forms of episcopacy under
the superintendent of the Rev. John H
Prescott, rector of st. AIMS Episcopa.
church, Sayville. Although English il
alone taught in their school, they cling
to their mother tongue and to the GUS
toms of fatherland, while all ardently
cherish the memory of John Huss.-
Harper's Weekly.