Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-11-13
TO HIRING SETTLERS HERE.
4 PcrsopaIiy-Conduc Excursion
TO lie Run to Virginia Next Week.

Colonel Thomas whitehead. Commits
sioner Of Agriculture of Virginia has re-
ceived a letter from y. L. Risley. large
roal-estato agent. with Offices at No. loJ
Nassau street. Philadelphia, explaining
a plan TO establish colony at Reigate'
Va. Accompanying the communication
was a quantity of literature upon similar
movements. elsewhere. and copy OF an
advertisement announcing the opening OF
a 20.OO-acre colony at Reigate which is
"a small place. prettily situated in Greehes-
Vile county, and stating that personal
ly-conducted excursion will be run from
New York to Virginia. via the old Do
minion steamship Line. and the Atlantic
and Danviile railroad, leaving New YORK
on the 18th instant.
In his letter to Colonel whitehead Mt.
Risley says:
1t has been more than a year since
received your handbook on Virginia, the
reading Of which started me 10 thinking
of colonization I'm the Old Dominion on
the same plans | have followed In New
Jersey. The idea gradually developed re-
ceiyiug additional sustenance from articles
IN Richmond newspapers. expressing the
wish that large quantities Of desirable SCI
tiers can be secured. Finally decided 10
try the experiment, and only within tho
last few days have my plans been per
fected for opening up 2O.OOO-acre block
i'm Grcenesville and Brunswick counties, IN
Southside Virginia. This land is well To-
Gated near Lawrencevillo.f eighty miles
west Of Norfolk and sixty miles south OF
your city. Some of the farms are i'm
proved. and the balance of the land rs
covered with wood.
"My method of procedure is 10 ac-
quire a tract. have II surveyed. blocked
into farms Of five, ten. and twenty acres,
streets and lines cut through. From tho
engineers tracings / have maps engraved,
and sell from the maps. / also have con
ductors, who take visitors TO the land and
show il. Then ! advertise and sell on IN
stalments Of s. or $40 down. and 81 or
more per acre. There is also a provision
in my agreement with buyers, by which.
If at any time they cannot keep up their
weekly payments. they can hold on to
their land by paying interest on the bal
ance due until able to resume ON the
principal. 1 have found my plan of work
uccessful-thoroughly so. The best proof
is that last year / sold i.747 farms. This
year l will. perhaps. do az well. in despite
of the recent depression Of business.
"My colonies I'm South Jersey are
thriving and growing more popu-
lous week by week. Thousands of
acres which two years ago were totally
uninhablted are now occupied by thrifty
truckers and poulterers. Railroad facili-
ties are at their door. public schools have
been established churches built, stores
opened. mills erected-all 10y the settlers
and there is abundant promise for the
future.
Il believe results quite as satisfactory
can be obtained IN Virginia Vhe trend in
future emigration will undoubtedly be
southwa-1.
"Advices from my London Office lead me
10 believe that its domination Of English
settlers for the Virginia colony viii be
quite rs large as the contributions from
the New York branch, or the home Office
I'm PHILADELPHIA"