The Lafayette advertiser. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], La.) 1865-19??, 1895-05-04
The Drift of Population Southward

~
From the N. o. Picayunc.
The Picayune. some days ago, contain
ed an account of project to colonlZe
large numbers of people from Northern
States in Georgia, on contiguous tracts of
land
1t is natural that persons emigrating
from one country to another would wish
TO 60 in groups or companies, and to set
tie near together, so as to establish their
own circles of society and preserve as
much as possible their social customs and
pecularities This sort Of thing has been
put in practice in the large communities
of settlers who have come from the
Northern and Western States TO South
west Louisiana, and to the truck farm
regions along the Illinois Central Rail
road. People who were friends and
neighbors in other states have come here
together, and, settling near each other,
still preserve in their new homes the re-
lations of friends and neighhors. This
is as it should be for such association
prevents the lonesome and forlorn feeling
which is SO apt to beset persons who find
themselves in, to them, a new country,
far away from cherished friends and
familiar associations.
Within few years past thousands of
Northern and Western people have come
to Louisiana and found homes under
conditions that are so satisfactory that
their statements have done more than
anything else to attract immigration to
this State and particularly to those sec
tions where the Northern people have
settled The Georgia colony of North
err people is according to accounts, to
embrace some 40 900 souls who are to
settle on lands about 140 miles southeast
of Atlanta, on the route of Sherman's de-
yastating march to the sea in the closing
months of the civil war. MANY veterans
of the Northern army are said to be in
the colony. and they will now devote
themselves to rebuilding and enriching
the country they once devoted their ener-
gies to laying waste with fire and sword.
This is truly one of the victories Of peace.
1t is given out that the colony has been
organized upon regular system. Large
bodies of contiguous and connected lands.
to the extent Of some 200, 900 acres. have
been secured. The financial arrange
ment is for the formation of stock COM
pany, with shares placed ut $40 each.
stockholders being allowed to mold no
more than ten shares each, so as to make
the plan available for people with small
means. The colony will reserve 1000
acres about the center for city, and
about June will begin the division OF
the lands by survey into city lots and
farms The farm lands nearest the city
will be divided into fye-acre lots, the
next adjacent will contain ten acres, thus
gradually increasing until the 100-acre
farm is reached. The members of the
colony will be located by drawing under
the most approved methods. Inferior city
.ots and inferior or Objectionable farm:
will be thrown ont of the drawing and be
made part of the common stock. Such
lots and farms will be reserved for ad
vance in value after improvements Of lots
and farms sold. The sale of these pro
perties at advanced prices will make the
returns to come from the investment.
1t is stated that, in addition to the
above, .here will be other such settle
ments in Georgia. One of these is s
Pennsylvania colony, which has purchas
ed Is, 900 acres in Twiggs county. on thu
Ocmulgee River. about twenty-five miles
from Macon.
There is, as announced by the Balti
more Manufacturers Record. what il
| known as the Home Combination Com
pany, of Redfield, S. D., which has ar
ranged to place about 5000 families from
the Dakotas on O,0OO acres of land lying
along the St! Louis. Iron Mountain ,anl
Southern Railroad. in Hampstead county
Ark, where they will engage not only
in farming. but in stock raising on an ex
tensive scale, as much of the territory i!
especially adapted to that purpose. Thi'
company reports that great many peo
pie in the Northwest are preparing tt
move South.
| This is the advanced guard Of move
ment of population which will grow t
enormous proportions. During half cen
tury of violent sectional agitation ane
/ prejudice the movement of population
in the United States was westward. Thi!
movement was continued until the bes
lands Of the West were occupied Still
the flow of population went on until th'
blizzard-swept and drought parchet
plains of the Northwest was reached
Even they have been to certain exten
Ipeopled with hardy settlers. but the coun
try has few charms, and now all eyes ar,
tnrning southwark. Prejudice and sec
tiOnal hostilities are passing away, ant
the genial climate and fertile lands of th,
South are attracting attention Peopl,
from the North are coming hither, ant