Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1896-04-02
The G. 4. R. Colony in Georgia Not an
Ideal Dwelling Place.
SHALLOW soL--:sAo DRAINAGE,
Frequent Changes in Regulations by
the Fitzgerald Directors...
Co1onists Get No Deeds.

According to reports brought bac1
from Fitzgerald, Ca, where the new G
A.. r. colony is situated, that localit
does not offer to intending settlers al
which should be looked for in seekin,
a new home. OF the Minneapolis PEG
pie who have been to Fitzgerald, tw'
have just returned, and With one of III,
twain, Charles Bartsch, living at tn
corner OF Twenty-fith avenue NE an,
Taylor street, a Journal man had an in
terview this morning. Mr.. Bartscl
was ve.y frank in his statements. bu
he appeared to be dispassionate ant
free from prejudice. While there wer,
many things TO be said against the col
ony, there we're others to be judged il
its favor, and he declared that he would
neither deny o conceal any of them
Mr.. Bartsch will not return to Fitzger
aid, at least for the present, but h,
says thai he likes the place and tina
after next winter he may move there.
The colony, at present, has a popula
ton of about 5000. and the deaths Sd
far have numbered but -. according t
Mr.. Bartsch. 'FrOm the seni,ary con
dition of the place, however, it will b.
a miracle il this rate is not alarmingl,
increased and an endemic experience
ed, said he, this morning. There i.
no water in al that region except sur
face water, and SO far no artesian we'll.
have been put down, although one i.
O under way. When the colony wal
first established, the officers made the
mistake of not cleaning out all the run
ways and creeks OF the neigh borhOod
aud as a result they r just as they
have always been, full OF snags and
branches. These distributions kill the
current of the streams and invite
grawth of water plants. The waite,
thus becomes stagnant and unhealthy
But that is not all. by any means
There are no health officers in the
colony and not only is all refuse thrown
in the side streets and alleys, but al
the outhouses and closets are built with
pits under them. In these the surface
water collects and then filters into the
wells of the neighborhood. The whole
colony is located on a sandstone ledge
about 400 feet in thickness and bur
about Is or Is feet of eartn on top of it
SO the deadly poison easily find it,
way into the little wells which the set
tiers have sunk"
Mr.. BArtsch further says that a mis-
take was made in not locating a colony
where q deeper soil was to be had
The top soil, he says, is very rich-s
sort of a sandy loam-but it is onl,
from four TO seven inches deep. I'm
mediately below it is q stratum of small
gravel and clay, reaching down to the
sandstone. In the black soil on tor
small fruits and vegetables will grow
luxuriantly, but fertilization is requir
ed for all plants whose roots reach
down into the subsoil. In blowing i
will not do to 60 any deeper than the
top layer of dirt, al the yellow clay ant
gravel destroys the fertility II they ar.
mixed with the top soil. The farmel
thus cannot pillow deeper than eigh'
inches at most.
OF the people who have gone TO tn,
new colony during the last few month";
many have been lily prepared to max,
q start on new lands and on a strang,
soil, and consequently rom time {.
time there have been q good many de
pArtures
Those who are sta, ing are just nov
devoting their time to vegetables an,
poultry, while Il few are attempting t,
start peach orchards. Mr.. Bart,ch nd
vises intending c~olonists not TO max,