The morning call., 1892-12-30
COFFEE COLONY.
A Crowded Preliminary
Meeting.
THE OBJECTS EXPLAINED.
A Large Number Sign the Subscription
List-A Rush for Copies of
The CalI.''

evidently fascinated large number of
people.
A meeting for the purpose of fully ex-
planning the objects of the scheme 10 those
interested was held at Drnids' Hall, Sutter
street, last night.
The hall was iammed full and the entrance
was packed by those unable TO obtain seats.
Among those present were several ladies,
who appeared to take as keen an interest in
the proposition as the sterner sex.
e. Men OF all ages were represented, but the
majority was composed of young men OF the
best type for making good col0nists. -.
The speakers were listened TO with quiet
and absorbed attention. There were no inter-
| ruptions and every point was made as clear
| as possible, so that there could be no misun-
derstanding afterward. -.
~ W. FL. Pettis. manager of the Inves tment
Union Of New York. was appointed chair
nan otthe meeting. =.
/ w. G. Davis. one Of the prom tiers of the
plan, read the articles in THE CALL of the
22d inst. and yesterday referring to the
proposition 10 start the colony.
Fred Ward, another of the promoters,
| then answered several questions that had
been putto him by some of those Nho had
| called for urtherInformation at his office.
| 2i6 Sansome street.
| The questions had been chiefly in regard
| TO: the probable profits. as published in The
| CALL.
Suppose" said MIR. Ward, 1--WE didn't
| make any profits for year or two, but only
made enough to keep us in provisions aud
clothing, would that not be better than
loafng In San Francisco?
New, in regard TO funds. you are not
putting anything into our hands and we
have no fake lands to dispose of in Guate-
mala, We shall put our Si00 in with the
rest Of you and stand simply as share
holder in the colony.
mo salaries will be paid to trustees or
officers. The funds will be deposited in a
bank here to be designated by the subscrfb-
ers- The treasurer will be q responsible
person and Will hays to give suitable bonds.
1T Will. however. be necessary to appoint
committee after the subscription list is
| closed to go to Guatemala to make pre-
liminaTy: arrangements and to select land
and get all possible concessions =:
Lands can be got frem 80 cents to 600
| per acre. but Tor So per acre we can get the
land we want. Bv a committee going there
suitable land might be got cheaper than SIS
per acre.
"But before tho committee leaves for
Guatemala 1t will be necessary To- show that
the subscriptions arc genuine. 1t is, there
tore, suggested that as soon as the listis
closed an assessment of 10 per cent shall be
levied to be deposited in q bank and to form
portion OF the fund TO be applied in the
''0f course every guarantee will have to
be taken for the safe custody or the money
so deposited, and that will rest with the
subscribers themselves.
Another suggestion is about labor, II
Is presumed that among the eolonists all
sorts of trades Will be represented and a
man Will be given the work which. is best
adapted for him, and while thus EMPLOYED
bis land will be cultivated by the Others"
Mr.. Ward then showed branch of the
coffee-plant in its different stages,
Mr.. Davis read letter from William
Newell, United States Consul at Nicaragua,
giving the terms on which lands are sold: to
c0lonists there. Colonists must become nat
ursllZed citizens; TO each married man 24O
acres are given, and to unmarried meu 100
acres. A subsidy of 5 cents is given ON
every ceffee-tree planted. C0ffee-trees cost
SIS per thousand. Land could be obtained
for from 50 cents to 81 80 for one and three
quarters English acres. The Consul ad-
vised all who were willing to work TO 90 10
Nicaragua. and in three years at coffee
planting they would begin to earn an in
come that would bring them competency
for theit old age.
NOW" continued Mr. Ward, "the objec-
ton to Nicaragua Is, that we must become
naturalizsd citizens. In Guatemala that is
not required OF us.
Another suggestion is that the eolonists
should obtain the refusal of $1,000 acres of
land adjacent to the coffee lands. which
could be paid Tor out of our surplus profits.
We don't want 10 Increase the value of ad-
jacent lands for the benefit OF other people.
Each cOlonist would be entitled to 100
acres of these additional lands. which he
could either retain or sell himself.
III we had had any desire 70 enrich our
selves at the expense of the colony we could
have said nothing about these 80, 900 acres
and purchased. them ourselves But. we
want the COLONY TO get all the benefits
possible.
..'whe our crops are in we can 90 In for
railroad construction and get a subsidy
from the Government. The constructors Of
one of the railways get a subsidy OF SIO0. 600
per year for twenty-five years.
Then In course of time as the colony
prospered we could establish line of steam
SHIPS 10 take our products to San Fran
cisco.
1--WE have been urged to start the colony.
as soon as possible. Some of the subscri6-
ers want 10 start right away. Bat it will at
least take sixty days before start could be
made.
''It would take the committee twenty-five
days to go and return, and allowing thirty
days 80 thoroughly examine the land and
get concessions from the Government would
make fifty-two days.
LET it be distinctly understood that the
committee Will not go until the genuineness
of the subscriptions has been tested"
A draft OF The articles of INCORPORATION
was read.
| No questions having been asked suSscrip.
| tion sheets were handed round and a large
number signed their names.
The chairman remar K ed that as Mr.. Ward
and MI Davis had borne all the expenses
hitherto be thought subscribers should bear
| q proportion.
A collection was accordingly taken up.
The reason we have taken up this col.
lection. said MIR. Davis. rs that each one
participating should bear an equal propor-
tiOn Of the preliminary expenses We are
working in the interests of ALL We ask
nothing for our labor, but only that any
| cash outlay Tor advertising, cost of the hall
and other things should be reimbursed u.s. 4"
ANY one wanting copy of The CALL
| of the 22d," said Mr.. Ward, "can have it-
as we got all the spare copies obtajnabIe
there was such demand for them Lam
sorry some thousands more were not
| printed"
Immediately there was a general move.
meDt toward the platform and copies of the
paper were eagerly grabbed up till no, one
remained.
Mr. Ward intimated that he expected to
have the subscription list closed this week
as there were quite number in the coup,
try districts who had asked TO have share
reserved for them, and then another meet
ing would De called to take some definite
steps.
Mr.. Davis said that the Consul. General
| OF Guatemala was to have been present.
| uteIther he had not been able to get in
| through the crowd at the door or Something
unforeseen had happened to prevent MIN
| from coming
| The large gathering then quietly dis
| persed, tho chairman having declared tbs
| meeting closed.
Numbers of young men have been calling
| at the rooms OF the Young Mems Christian
Association under the impression that they
could OBTAIN information there. The Young
| Mems Christian Association has nothing
| whatever to do with the scheme. The pro-
moters were anxious to get the ASSOCIATION
hall in which to hold the first meeting. and
| from that the impression seemed to have
| arisen In some peoples minds that the as
sociation had somathing To do with tha