The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1895-03-20
NO PLACE LIKE HOME,
Georqia Negroes Who Went TO Mexico
are Thoroughly Disguised.
atlanta Constitution.

Ellis, local colored politician Of con-
siderable note, recently colonized at
Tiahualilo, in the State of Durango,
Mexico, arrived here to-day walking
back to Georgia and Alabama.
Twenty-Five of these discontented
colonists passed through here few
days ago. They were footing their
way back to their old plantation homes
in Alabama and Georgia.
They came into San Antonio from
Eagle pass over the Southern Pacific
railroad track, which they had follow,
ed from the border for the reason that
they found walking better on the ties
than through the cacti of the prairie
country. The correspondent of the
Constitution came across five members
of the party at the Southern Pacific
depot. The negroes were soliciting
aid from whomsoever they Glanced to
meet, and they did not hesitate to tell
their woes.
The leader of the party was a large
well-built man named John Washburn.
He stated in response to the inquiry
Of the correspondent that his old home
was on farm about twenty miles out
from Birmingham. He related his
experiences as follows:
ri had a comfortable home back in
Alabama and wished [ had remained
| there. But all the 'niggers' got ex-
cited about the wonderful country
down in Mexico where We would all
get rich in few years. We were told
| that we would be we'll provided for
and that the country to which we we're
going was a land of sunshine, and
flowing in milk and honey, as the
Bible says. We all left our homes
expecting to better ourselves. We
were we'll treated on the journey and
I have no fault to find with Mr.. Will
liams or Ellis. We reached Mapima,
the nearest railroad station to the land
upon which we were to settle, all right
and we're taken to the land next day.
We found that no houses had been
provided for us, and, as the weather
turned very cold few days after we
arrived, all of us suffered severely.
We had to camp out through all Of
that cold spell in February:
"The land is barren and it will be
some time before any crops can be
raised. Nothing can be grown except
by irrigation, and the negroes do not
know anything about that method Of
agriculture. The colonists must build
their own houses, and from what [
could learn, the prospect is good for
the colonization company keeping the
colonists in debt to them for some
time to come, even if good crops are
raised and things 60 ever so smoothly.
Another thing that we did not like
was the customs and manners OF the
natives. Their peculiar dress and the
way in which they treated US was
strange to US and it will be long time
time before the negroes learn the Ian
guage of the native people. 1t is a
different kind of country entirely from
what any of US had ever been used to
and I do not believe any Of the colon
ist will ever be satisfied. [ and those
who are with me remained as long as
we could stand it. We decided to
start back to our old homes, and as we
did not have any families there was
nothing to hinder us from making the
break. We have had a rough trip so
far. We got few short rides on the
Mexican International railroad freight
trains and have managed to get
enough to eat from the colored people
along the road since striking Texas.
The second lot of negroes had not ar
rived when we left. All of the first
lot were homesick and would return to
their homes in a minute if they could
get away with their families. I don't
think Mexico is the place for the
colored man. It is zoo lonesome down
there to suit me. I would advise all
the colored men Of Georgia, Alabama
and the other Southern States to stay
where they are, if they have any home.
If they have no home they can make
one for themselves just as quickly and
with as little work in Alabama as in
Mexico.
Washburn is unusually intelligent
for a plantation negro and is very en-
phatic in his statements concerning
the disappointment and dissatisfaction
among the colonists. His statements
were substantiated by the other desert
ers who were with him. The remain
der Of the party had arrived in the
city few hours earlier and had
already resumed their journey towards
their old homes. The party we're foot
sore and presented very dilapidated
appearance. They all asserted that it
would be only short time until all OF
the colonists would return to their
former homes, as they are all exceed
ingly homesick and anxious to get
back.
The Constitution correspondent has
talked with number of persons who
are familiar with the country upon
which the negro colony has been es-
tablished. The land is located in the
valley of the Nazas river, in what is
known as the Laguna district. The
district is one Of the richest agricul.
tural sections in northern Mexico and
| is famous for it's cotton production.
Cotton and all other crops there can
not be produced without irrigation.
The native methods of farming are
entirely different from those with
which the Southern negro is acquaint-
cd. Cotton is planted but OF every
ten or fifteen years, it being III the
nature Of a shrub. 1t requires but
little cultivation and gives an immense
yield. There is much opposition to
the negro colonists among the natives
of that section, and some Of the lead
ing newspapers of the country. The
enterprise has the support OF the
Federal government so long as the
terms under which the concession was
obtained are complied with and the
laws of the country are respected by
the colonists.
w. H. Ellis, of this city, who is at
the head of the movement, has been
working on the scheme for several
years and is very much gratifed with
the success of the undertaking. 1t is
reported that he has contract with