The San Francisco call., 1896-08-02
GERMAN CAT HOLES
WILL COLON|zE,
Rev. George D. Heldmann's
Mission to Califor-
MIA.
TO LOOK FOR THE LAND.
About Three Hundred Families
to Come Here From the
East.
THEY WILL GROW SUGAR BEET
One of Miller & Lux'S Ranches in
Monterey County Is Fa.
vorite Site.
THEY WILL GROW SUGAR BEET

The Rev. George D. Heldmann, pastor
of st. Pauls German Catholic Church,
Chicago, is on his way to California on q
tour of inspection preparatory to estab-
fishing a large colony of German Catholics
in this State. He was expected to have
arrived in San Francisco last Friday, but
became lndisposed on the road and stopped
for rest.
The coming of Father Heldmann to Cali
fornia is regarded by the leading men
among his people here and in st. Louis
and Chicago with considerable interest, as
the enterprise of establishing a colony
with 200 to 400 families has been subject
of discussion for some time. The plan is
to bring the colonists from Chicago and
St. Louis and establish them in some feI.
tile valley of this State where they may
all live together and earn an independent
livelihood on the land.
1t is viewed as the most satisfactory So
luton of the problem of improving the
destiny of people who naturally drift
into cities under the influences of present
social and economic conditions.
To Father Heldmann will be largely left
the selection of site for the colony, the
choosing of colonists and subsequent direc-
ton of the colony, and, as much depends
on him, his people await with eagerness
any report he may make on his examina-
ton.
1t is the present intention to have the
colony produce sugar-beets on an extern
sive scale though the culture of fruits.
vegetables and cereals will also form an
important part of the work. In general a
varied class of farming is to be adopted,
while the beet is to be staple product.
afAlv a site pnrchasa0 and
the colonists begin to settle thereon, q
church and schoolhouse will be built and
priest take charge of the spiritual well
fare of the colonists. Only Germans,
members of the Catholic church, can be
admitted to the colony, the object being.
to bring together those people who other
wise might be scattered far and near with
out opportunity such as they will have in
the colony.
For two months the local agents of the
colony have been investigating various
large tracts in California, with the result
that desirable site in San Bernardino
County, large ranch belonging to Miller
in Mendocino County, will be examined
by Father HeldmaDn. The Monterey
property is said to offer The best induce
ments in regard to climate, soil, water,
facilities for transportation, etc.
The California Volksfreund, the only
German Cathollc paper on the Paclhc
Coast, has been publishing for the past six
weeks series of interesting articles on
California, and these papers had the effect
of inducing Father Heldmann to investi-
gate what the State offers for a colony for
his people.
The Jealous priest, who is working in
this direction for the best interests of
Catholic citizens of German birth or de-
scent, is enthusiastic over the project.
The idea is one that has been discussed in
magazine and review articles, and has
been the subject of books. 1t was tried
with different success in the Western
States where the natural conditions were
not nearly so favorable as those of Cali
fornia. The Catholic Slovenian colony in
Mendocino County, after which the new
one will be conducted, has been successful
so far, and the promoters of the projected
enterprise are sanguine of success.