The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-01-24
MAYOR PINGREE
Will Speak in This City To-
morrow Night.
AGA;sss:s%s ::.' Of the

.srroy - 1ci .GA L1A
rSsIT ssventhV ahhhusai banquet of the
Rhods Islands Bxsiness Mems Association
Is to be held tomorrow evening at Nara
gansett Hotel. The event Is looked for
ward to with a great deal Of interest be-
cause His Honor, Mayor II. 4. Pingree Of
Detroit, is going to be the principal speak
er. 1t will be the Western May or's first
visit to this city, although there is prob
ably NO municipal executive In the coun
try 30 widely known as he, thanks to his
potato patch scheme, which resulted SO
satisfactorily to the poor and TO the
frienes Of the poor.
In this weeks Extension Department
OF Public Opinion Mayor Pingree himself
writes as follows;
"The plan OF utilizing the vacant lands
in the suburbs OF the city was first con-
ceived, by me when the hard times OF 1894
compelled so many people to be without
employment . They were standing Jolly
about the city, and as q large majority OF
the working element OF every city come
from the country and are accustomed TO
~ ~ III ~ ~ SUI pSiitfNN
that with such q vast amount Of vacant
and unused land as surrounds the city
OF Detroit, there was a:good opportunity
10 put these men in a way Of securing a
su bsistence for the ensuing winter, by
giving them a chance to cultivate II. /
requested the use of il and within a re-
msrkahly short time more lane was
placed at our disposal than could be used
on account OF the lateness OF the season
and the fact that no provision had been
made for raising money to defray the ex-
penses for blowing and purchasing seeds.
About 430 acres were accepted, piowed,
narrowed and staked of by. the commit
tee into lots Of o~ne-quarter to one-hSlf
acre each. The work was carried on I'M
der the supervision OF n committee APP
pointed for the purpose, in conjunction
with the poor co nmissfo Of the city.
Applicants were given a piece OF land TO
cultivate according to their needs. About
5000 applications were made for lots, but
owing to the lack of funds the committee
was able TO provide for only 9i5 families.
Gan applicants were carefully ~investi.
gated, and none but worthy persons with
families were helped. Seed potatoes,
beans, and other seeds were furnished by
the committee TO those unable TO provide
them, the entire expenses of the commit
tee being 5000. As 1t was the middle OF
june before the work was begun, there
was not Sufficient time to obtain in every
case the best soil, and for the same res-
son, 1t being necessary TO expedite the
blowing, the committee was obliged TO
purchase plows, harrows, etc. The crops
were planted, cultivated and harvested
by the people themselves, under the SUI
petvision of the committee, including
some 80 lots assigned to widows, whose
dependant hslf-grown boys cultivated the
land; the cost per lot to the committee
was about 80. 45.
"Ihe committee estimates that the po-
tato crop averaged about 10 bushels per
lot, which would give IA, l75 bushels OF
potatoes alone. Large quantities OF
beans, turnips, and other vegetables were
raised and daily consumed, of which the
committee is unable TO furnish q RECORD.
The estimated total value of the crops
produced was sl2, 600 to s1i. 900, at a cost
TO the committee about $4,000. This latter
sum was made up by subscriptions, n
the difficulty the committee had in ob-
tanning Ii was a matter OF astonis isl ment
to me. Over one half the amount was
contributed by city employees. Although
the plan itself was based upon the ound-
est common sento, IT was treated by some
with indifference, by Others with ridicule,
and by many as a huge joke. Criticisms
were profuse and ~caustic. But the I'M
qualified success of the exp eriment has
silenced tho croakers. Poor people almost
fought for a chance TO get a patch of
ground to til, and those who were sue
cessful used their best efforts to obtain
a full crop. Committees visited Detroit
from Boston, Buffalo and several other
places to look into H., and letters OF in
quiry were received even from Europe.
The example of Detroit has been followed
In many other places this year"
In summing up Mayor Pipgree says
that the experiment has at least demon
strated:
IN That at least % per cent. Of the
people who are in destitute circumstances,
as q result OF the hard times, are ready,
willing and anxious to work.
(2) That a large number OF these people
can be supported by utilizing vacant
land i'm the outskirts of the city.
(3) That a very small space o! ground
Is sufficient to raise onough vegetables to
support a family through the winter.
(4) That a majority of our citizens who