, 1892-06-28
FROM T0P0L0BAMPO
A Number of the Colony Has
Something to Say.
A Wonderfully Fertile Country,
With a Magnificent Climate and
only Three Months of Rain.
What Can be Raised in Mexico.

what Can be Raised in Mexico.
At the Unitarian church last evening a
group Of people interested to lean about
the Topolobanibo colony and the natural
resources of the county, adjacent, gathered
to question Mr.. E. E. Thornton who is a
member of the colony, has recently come
from there.
"What kind Of soil have your"
''Red clay"
"How deep2"
"Twenty-five feet, and l do not know how
much deeper. as far as we have yet dug
down." was the reply.
"What can you raise 2''
"Corn, wheat, potatoes, oats, barley,
rye and all topical fruits; oranges, ban
nanas, dates, figs and many that are too
delicate for purposes ofcommerce, and con
sequently are never seen farther north. {"
"Do you raise strawberries Pr
"a year ago last January we had ripe
berries, and from that on until the first of
June, when the drouth killed them. The
plants were full of blossoms then.p
Doyou raise grapes ~
1.-The best IN the Mafld." /"
When is your harvest time 2''
with water on the ground every month
inthe year"
"How about sugar?"
Last year man wished to sell us
a field Of about twenty acres. The
cane was about twelve feet high and as big
as ones wrist. The owner said he had har-
vested a crop from the field for eighteen
consecutive years, from the same root
stocks. The quality of the cane for sugar
purposes is said by experienced manufac-
turers to be unexcelled elsewhere"
"Do you have to irrigate 2''
"Yes. We have just taken out a ditch
from the Feurte river 1t is seven miles
long where it comes to the surface, six feet
wide at bottom, and in places twenty-five
feet deep and sixty feet wide atthe tops"
"How much did itcost2"
"About $350,0O0."
chow was the money raised ?"
at was borrowed from friends and stock
holders and is payable in water uses with
out limit of time"
"Must one lose his citizenship by becom-
ing a member of the colony 2''
mo. Afte: ten years, however. residents
are regarded as citizens of Mexico"
"How about the individual holding of
land?"
members are given a life lease, the com
pany retaining the title"
"How about taxes ?"
"They are paid by the company, but the
]
for ten years. The company owns
10O, 900 acres outside this limit. The taxes
on this tract Of 100000 acres was six dollars
last year"
Suppose Mr.. Owen, the leader, should
die. What provision is there for the hold
| ing of the land he now controls2"
at is held in trust by him and two
others for the Credit Foncier company,
which is the legal title of the colony"
"In case the colony fails, what becomes
of the lands ?"
"They revert to the Mexican government.
| This is to prevent speculation and monop-
/ oily and to make it to the interest of all
members to support and continue the col
ony."
"What does it cost to become member2"
"Ten dollars is the price at present of
one share of stock. This entities
one to membership"
"How many members are there 2''
about six thousand"
"How many are in the colOny2"
about four hundred and fifty"
"How long has the colony been in
operation ?"
tColonists have been on the ground for
about six years, though not much active
work was done till about year and halt
ago."
"How about the weather2 Is it not
exceedingly warmP"
"I have seen it warmer in the states
than there. The climate is warm the year
round. There is seldom any frost in the
winter but it seems quite cool enough
frequently for it. The summer weather is
not as oppressive as the same season in
our own interior states"
"Does it rain there ?"
"Oh yes-August, September and Octo
Der is our rainy season. But it comes in
sudden showers and soon clears up.
have not seen day of cloudy weather, OF
scarcely a half day when the sun did not
shine, since l have been in Mexico"
care not the natives lazy ?"
"No, they are the most industrious
people ever saw They work for a mere
pittance and virtually are slaves to the
Dons."