The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-10-14
GEoRGIES COMING COLONY.
,. o. CURRY TALKS ABOUT THE
PROGRESS BEING MADE WITH 1T.

I The Surveyors Are at Present Laying
on the Town of Fitzgerald, which
VIII he Near the North Line of
Irwin Countrywide Surveying TO BE
Completed About Nov. 1, when the
CoiORists VIII Begin TO Move In.
From 5000 to 10000 of Them VIII
BE There This Fall.
Mr. J. O. Curry of Chicago. land agent
of the American Tribune Soldiers Colony
Company, is in the city stopping at the De
Soto. This is the company at the head
Of which is Mr.. p. II. Fitzgerald Of In
dianapolis Ind, and which is just now
engaged in making arrangements for
bringing about 1900 people into Wilcox
and Irwin counties, where It has Sc
cured about 10000 acres Of land for the
purpose.
Mr. Curry talked in an interesting man
ner of the work of the company and the
progress that is now being made in de-
veloping the colony and getting ready
for the reception of those who are 10
compose it. Mr.. Fitzgerald, the presi-
dent of the company. is now at the camp,
where the surveyors are located, and
where they are at work laying out the
town or city for the colony, which will
be called Fitzgerald. after the originator
of the plan.
This movement Mr.. Curry said. is
perhaps the most important for the devei-
opment of the state that Georgia has
known In years. The state and its prod
ucts and facilities have been advertised
all over the country. and the people who
will compose this colony will come from
every section, all the way from Maine
TO Oregon, though the greater portion of
them will be from the north and north
west. The plan has been advertised thor
oughly in the American Tribune, the pa
per published by Mr.. Fitzgerald, of which
there have been $4,000 copies circulated
weekly throughout the country for the
last year. and in each of these there has
been something upon the state and its
products. consider that the advertising
that Georgia will get out of this move
ment will be worth millions to the state.
The surveyors are now engaged in lay
ing of the town or city of the colony,
and have made considerable progress on
this work. Fitzgerald will be about in the
center OF the property, and is to be To-
Gated near the northern line of Irwin coun-
ty. The surveyors begin their work there
and Will work out in a circle. / think they
VIII haVe TIE property pretty well laid
or by Nov. ], or at any rate the work
will be far enough advanced by that time
t T. the ne reception Of the ,eol9nists, ana
about then. There are now about 300
Of the colonists there, but they arrived a
MT to9 early aIN Tor the present they
are living in temporary houses and
tents. The town of Fitzgerald will COM
prise about 1000 acres.
There are about $1,000 people in all VINO
will come as members of the colony com
pany, and from 5000 to 10000 of these will
move in this fall. About one-third of the
naA
plan will be worked is this The coioniss
Will decide himself whether he wishes ~
90 INTO the town lot class or the farm lot
class, and the different sites in the two
classes Will be apportioned out by draw
ing lots. The colonists only pay the com
pany Ior the land and they build or make
homes. After the colonist takes posses
sion the colony or the company has
hhtGtn III 5 Lurther to do with his land it IS
This is the beginning of good deal of
movement TO this section from the north
ana northwest. The country has been
thoroughly advertised all over the United
States, and II has been read about in
every state and almost every county. The
though II has been a great task to get the
land together in solid body, and has
taken longer time to do 1t than was ex-
great many owners of property to deal
with, and II had to be purchased in lots
OF one acre up to 500 or more though
small as an acre: There were a good
many. however, which contained fifty or
100 acres, and quite a number in which
there were 400 to 500 acres. Everything is
working tremendously now, however and
success is fully assured. The company
has had three or four customers for To-
600 acres each. These parties will cut up
their tracts and sell them to other peo-
pie. The colonists will all be a good class
of people thrifty and intelligent and thew
come mostly from the country rather than
from cities.
They will all be equipped to take care
or themselves until harvest. time comes
around, and If there are any who are
not they have made mistakes. They are
very Few, however, If any at all. Among
them are people who are comparatfvelv
poor all the way up to money lenders
There are quite a number who are very
well on and have money to spare Ar
rangements have already been made for
stores, schools a bank, hotel and Other
necessary institutions. There has already
been stock company organized among
the colonists for the purpose of building
hotel, and the work upon It will be
| begun within a short time There is a
! saw-mill there now which Is saving IN
! the timber into lumber as fast as ii Is
! cut The property is on the line OF the
/ AbbeVille and Waycross railroad which
| connects with the Georgia and Alabama
Mr.. Curry says the movement will no
| a great thing for Georgia in a financial
| way, and that the present colony NAV oniy
| be considered as the beginning of what
viii be a still bigger movement