The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-04-14
FROM MOTHER EARTH.
Where the Pingree Plan Gets
Aid For the Poor.
HOW IT WORKED IN DETROIT.
COMMITTEES Pushing Plans For Seattle
Many Families Were Made Self
Supporting by 1t.


commence the cultivation OF land from
which they shall reap the profits. thus
earning living for themselves and their
IaTnaAes. The first and only applicant
Who appeared during the day was a we'll
known mechanic Of the city, who has re-
sided here for a long time and who at
present finds himself out OF work with
no means of supporting. himself and fam
lily. he lives IN the southern part of the
CITY. and told one of the members OF the
committee that he would be only too glad
10 cultivate a piece OF land II ne were
furnished the implements and some seeds
The committee has decided not TO give
out the names of those who apply tor
land. and wishes IL further unders. pod
that the present work Is not that of char
ity. we are simply giving those Who
desire 70 earn q living and who have no
means OF doing 80 a chance TO raise for
themselves the necessaries OF iife," said
one OF the committee yesterday. They
must work. and therefore we do not wish
~ understood that they are the subjects
of charity"
As stated yesterday. the committee
feels satisfied that the Pingree plan will
prove success In this city IL those who
wish 10 earn living viii take advantage
OF the offers made them and go 10 work
cuittvattng the land. The directors Of the
Bureau OF Associated Charities, which
giving the poor people an honest cnarce
to show whether they desire 10 GO TO
work, and II they refuse to take adSan-
tage OF the offer made them during the
summer. they will be treated accordingly
when they apply for assistance during the
winter months. The land which they VIII
be given to cultivate can be readily
worked. The committee has announced
that 1t does not desire offers OF land
which cannot be cultivated during the
summer. Land which Is partially COW
cred with stumps and timber Will not Ce
accepted. for the reason that II VIII De
difficult 20 work it, and for the further
reason that IL is thought that plenty OF
clear land will be secured. AT present
the committee has the old Denny farm
near Lake Union. and Is negotiating Tor
the Hill and Bond tracts beyond Ntsier
avenue. II these can be secured. there
viii be ample land to supply the early
applicants. and then efforts will be made
TO secure some small parcels of land in
and about the city which are not In use
at the present time.
Contributions I'm Cash or Kind.
James N. Colman has allowed the Oom-
mtttee the use of warehouse at 30S Rail-
road avenue, and 1t is proposed 20 store
all implements and seeds there until they
are removed to the land to be cultivated.
The committee desires contributions of
SEEDS ana implements anu Will re siai ~
accept any cash subscription to further
the movement Tomorrow night the COM
mittee will send several OF it's members
before the city council to solicit financial
aid from the city. The headquarters or
the committee are in room c of the Bailey
building and applicants for land aIe re-
quested TO call there.
How IL Worked I'm Detroit.
The Detroit agricultural committee, in
q report sent to Mayor Pingree In De-
cernher last. gives many interesting facts
concerning the movement In Detroit. me
committee says:
1.-The plan as first suggested by you. In
view OF the fact that there were lying
idle and unoccupied thousands OF acres
within the city limits and adjacent there
to- and thousands of unemployed and
poor persons dependent more or less upon
charity. who IL given opportunity. would
gladly cultivate some of these lands. was
10 give such people an opportunity TO
each for himself cultivate a small por-
ton and thereby materially assist In pro-
vldlng for his family. To this end you
appointed a committee 10 which they
could apply and which was TO act as
agents 10 bring the land and people to-
gether Some 5000 applica lions were made
for iand-the majority through the city
poor commission-and some direct TO the
committee A considerable proportion of
these applications were from persons who
had never been assisted by charity. who,
due TO the hard times, were out OF work
and deserving Owing TO the want of
funds the committee was able TO provide
for but a45 families.
The Method of Operation.
"AIl cases were carefully investigated
and none but worthy persons with fam
lies were helped Among these there
were some thirty widows who. having de-
pendent boys. were able properly 10 Gull
tivate the land given them.
Lands for this purpose were offered
by charitable persons in almost all parts
OF the city and It's environs; about $50
acres were accepted and located. The
land was plowed. narrowed. staked of by
committee into parcels from one-quarter
10 one-half acre each. After being staked
of each applicant was assigned a lot upon
a piece OF land near his home. In many
instances this was not practicable and
persons were assigned occasionally 10
pieces two miles from their homes. Seed
potatoes. cabbage plants. beans and other
seeds were furnished by the committee
70 such as were unable 20 provide them
all this az cost Of about ss.eo0.
The ground was planted under the
direction Of the committees foremen. the
potatoes and seeds being delivered on the
ground aud Immediately planted. Some
persons spaded the lots assigned them
and furnished their own seeds and plants.
while large numbers bought seeds addi-
tfonal so those furnished Following the
example Of the city quite a number az
persons gave pieces OF land upon private
sanlieatien 10 poor people for purposes
Of cultivation. OF these the committee
has no record II being very late IN the
season before work was heCun-Eo-w wit:
the middle OF June. Il was not until then
that YOU first called attention 70 this
manner OF assisting the poor-there was
no time 20 obtain In every case the best
soil and for the same reason. being that
A. was necessary 10 expedite the piowing,
the commi;tee wss obliged 70 purchase
plows. harrows. etc, 20 the value % 1858.
which are now on hand This fact some
what enhanced the cost of preparing the
ground some small portions In the vari-
ms tracts plowed were. due 20 extreme
d~vness Of the soil. unsuitable for plant
ing az the time. these we're kept by the
committee and later OF sown In turnIps,
:. being then TOO late for anything else.
or these there were about twenty-five
About tyvo-thtrds Of these pieces were
afterwards given 20 poor people 10 bar
Us, and the product Of the remainder.
about 90 bushels OF turnips, Was turned
over 20 the city poor commission Cost
81 plowinE and seeding these Is included
~ the total Whenever occupants proper
i, .nok care Of their pieces they were net
.r.fn interfered with They were a.
loved "a harvest Whist they raised
what the People Raised.
.-r,..rlssnr pseeSs Sown by The commit
"a a0A as-ssfcfing value % ploSs. etc
,,,x on h4aa. the coSt 60 rae psesoe vas
e. A. After shs crop was fairly o4g OF
tae gronud there followed = Esegsod %