The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-12-22
A COFFEE IDEA.
Young Men to Form a
Colony.
GOING TO GUATEMALA.
They Will Cooperate and
Buy Land.
A PLAN THAT WILL PAY.
They Are Ready to Roll Up Their
Sleeves and Roll Up
Fortune.
GOING TO GUATEMALA
A PLAN THAT WILL PAY.

Any one taking the trouble to inquire at
the Young Mems Christian Association
Labor Bureau would be surprised to find
the large number of young men who are out
of employment.
Many of them have come from the East
where they had been able to save few
hundred dollars, and are therefore in q
position TO keep themselves from starving
Not having sufficient capital to start in
business on their own account, and not
being able 10 obtain employment, the ques-
tion naturally arose, "What are we to 90 p"
A few Of the more enterprsng have
answered the question In practical way.
In few days a meeting will be held in
the hall of the Young Mems Christian As
ISOLATION on Suffer street for the purpose OF
perfecting new scheme.
The plan originated in the fact that large
profits could be made from the cultivation
Of coffee in Central America.
These y0ung men, therefore. propose to
create for themselves an occupation or
business for mutual profits in coffee culture
in Guatemala.
With this object in view a colony of 500
will be formed with a subscribed capital of
S1.0OO.0Oo.
One thousand shares will he issued to be
dred shares of $1,000 each, Of which only
500 per share is TO be paid in cash, the
balance to be paid for in labor by the colo
nists proper, who form the colony and are
to conduct the business themselves. This
would aggregate $4,000
Second issue-Five hundred shares Of
$1,000 each for investors. 10 be paid for in
four installments Of $3.50 per share per
aDnum.
The object Is TO purchase 10000 acres Of
coffee lands at So per acre, 5000 acres 10 be
paid for by the colonists and 5000 acres by
the sale of investors shares. payable In
four equal ANNUAL instailments.
Under this plan there would be paid in 10
the treasury the first year to start with
$4,000. but out of this would have 10 be
paid on land S3l,250. for transportation
$1,000, maintenance Of colony for one year
S90,000 leaving balance on hand OF S4S 100
The cost Of living Is arrived at upon the
basis OF SIS per month each, or $500 for
the colony Of 500.
With the balance on hand of S48, $50
buildings would be erected, i'm plem ents, sup
piles and coffee plants purchased and other
incidentals met.
A reporter of THE CALL yesterday saw
Fred Ward at 2l6 Sansome street and other
projectors Of the enterprise. all active and
energetic young men, and full OF enthusi-
asm over the bright prospects Of success
| fully starting the colony.
I'VE have carefully thought out the
scheme" said Mr.. Ward, land see no rea-
son why it should not prove a success We
have been working quietly. and had no de-
sire 10 say anything about 1t until We saw
our way clear.
we have already received q number Of
signatures on the subscription list, and In
few days tie whole plan will be made
public at a meeting in the Young Mems
Christian Association Hall.
ITO give you an idea OF the profits IL is
well known that coffee lands pay about
5000 an acre. A full crop may be had at
the end of the fourth year, although a small
crop can be got the third year alter planting
Not counting on anything. however. for
the first crop aud figuring on only $500 an
acre for the fourth year 10000 acres would
produce S3.0Oo.OoO.
1T being understood that the colony shall
have the cultivating and harvesting If the
crops for those holding investors shares for
one-half of the product, the result would
be: Colonists on their 800 acres, s., 900. 900.
and $4,000 for labor performed in cult
waiting and harvesting 5000 acres repre-
senied by investors shares, and these would
be credited with the other $4,000.
THUS the investor would get back at the
end of the fourth year. provided the entire
lands were in cultivation. all the money he
invests and the colony would then be in
prosperous condition.
Now then. supposng the property would
pay $500 per acre instead OF $500, the colony
would receive So. 750.000 and tile investors
S., pc. GOO. so that the investors shares NAV
pay $50 per cent per annum upon the origI-
nal Investment CT $1,000, or $500 upon each
ten acres. according TO allotment, equal TO
10 per cent upon $685. eco after the whole
tract is in bearing. The colonists who cul-
tivate their own would each receive $1,000
en- his ten acres.
Assuming that the colony would use all
1t made the fourth year for improvements
each colonist would be handsomely paid for
his services, with his land and improve
ments in addition and permanent business.
"This estimate OF probable profits is only
given to show what the 10000 acres may
produce after the land is all under culiiya-
ton.
while these results may be obtained
under favorable circumstances we do not
make our calculations on so great profit.
They are merely to show the possibilities.
"But taking the smallest minimum, that
Oh setting the trees II feet apart, or 295
trees to the acre, and assuming that a tree
will not bear more than three pounds of
coffee, and that the market value is no more
than 10 cents per pound, ten acres would
produce 1897 so per annum.
This reduced by half. as previously ex.
planned. would net the investor S663 10. or
66b per cent per annum upon his original
investment OF $1,000, while the colony would
receive S995,625. and after deducting. saw
100000 for cost Of living, would net $685.
625 per year.
This divided among 800 would ne, each
about $500 year. although far below the
average.
but 1t Is not probable that the COLONY
would undertake to put more than half of
the land under cultivation the first wear.