davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Pleasantville weekly press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1890-1911, 1896-11-11
ID. L. RISLEY.
The Founder Of the Largest Agri.
cultural Colony In the World.

The Founder of the Largest AEri-
cultural Colony i'm the World.
A lew words OF a biographical nature
about the originator and promoter
of these vast colonization projects may
be interesting to our readers because
he is a son OF Pleasantyille.
Dan. Risley is perhaps better known
throughout the United States and Eng
land than any other man who never
aspired to public life or personal publici-
ty. He was one OF the sons OF Josiah
Risley OF ancient and honorable lineage,
and was born in sight OF this office on
June 25, 1860. According to the signs
Of the Zodiac, the soothsayers tell US
that the 25th Of June is one OF the five
lucky days in June. Thus his success
was predestined at his birth
Young Dan. received common school
education in Pleasantpille and when
only Is years OF age he had finished
with his school books, mastered the
printing business and become the pro-
prietor OF q monthly publication enti-
tied everybody g Companion" Selling
his interest in this, he went into the
grocery business, 4. became postmaster
Of Pleasantville. and while thus engaged
broke his leg with q pair of runaway
horses. s5 s,-,ss,,s
Several months Cfpain followed and,
while lying in bed, unable to move, he
had ample opportunity to think what
he would do when he got well. The
surgeons held out no hone as to the
Pleasantville weekly press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1890-1911, 1896-11-11

ton from England has begun IN ear
nest. The railroad station at Milmay
has been completed, the Risley formerly
Estelle) stationis to be enlarged to cope
with the increase OF business, and Doro-
thy. the new central station, IS build
ing. The finishing touches are being
put to the new Evangelical church, IN
which Mr.. Piper, the patriarch OF the
colony, holds services and Sunday school
every Sabbath. The Baptists, who are
Just about to build on Cumberland ay-
enue on a lot exactly IA miles, by gov
ernment survey, from the ocean, are
already. holding services ,fortnigntly,
last Sunday being addressed by Rev.
Mr.. Frame, OF Mays Landing. About
so children are attending school. The
Milmay Farmers and Mechanics Pro-
tective Association has been organized
with David Mcclure, Jr., president; Mr..
a Hickman, secretary and Mr.. Schmidt,
trea asurer. The ritual OF the initiation
has not been completed, but it is like
! ly the members will have to ride the
goat" qsl
During the latter part OF October =
in the open season deer were plentiful
in Estelle. So were hunters. / was one
rofsthem. -Four antlers were CAPTURED
here. Rabbits, quail and partridges
are abundant. / stayed in the colony
week. I went all over it. Fortunately
the weather was perfect. the woods
were aglow with splendid autumnal
tints. Along the side OF the winding
road the bright scarlet leaves Of frost-
ed blackberry vines. in their beds OF
Pleasantville weekly press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1890-1911, 1896-11-11
D ,ttl lie is positively booming |

lss E sttlle is positively booming
lqiTae Presidential election campaign,
which ended SO happily last week, de-
pressed business and enterprise OF every
sort for months. Yet, when the polit-
'ical sky was darkest, the little South
Jersey colony began to take on new.
life and yigor, and what may now be
expected as the light OF new era OF
prosperity dawns? Therefore | say:
Estelle is positively booming
From population of hall dozen
two years ago, when the colony came
into existance, there are now more than
$40 inhabitants. Four births have oc-
Cured, but no Geaths-an eloquent
argument for the country's healthful-
ness. And there are no lawyers, which
are usually regarded as necess ary evils
everywhere. -----
The saw mill is saving as much build
ing material a DAY as the saws will cut.
Schmidt & Mcdonald s cane and ulnbrel-
la factory is running to its fullest ca
nacity. More new houses have been
erected during the past thirty days than
ever before during three months, and
the Estelle Building Co. has five more
under contract to-day. New settlers
are moving in-S families located last
week. and the predicted tide OF immigra-
Pleasantville weekly press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1890-1911, 1896-11-11

expectations before they left homes that.
was natural If they hadn't they would
not have come. But realization in
this case at least exceeds anticipation,
for the simple reason that none OF the
circulars, booklets, letters or other lit
erature emanating from Founder Risley e
Offices are florid in tone. None Of his
printed or written statements try to.
paint the colony with too bright hue.
He is always. conservative, never gush-
/. ing, never effusive. As. a. Californian
remarked ia trur western sty!e " m
/ met on the road; "Risley told the truth,
but lie didn't make it as strong as ne
could have done without lying" This
man had come all the way from Califor.
MIA as a representative OF twenty
Others who sent him East to see ii the
claims Risley made in his advertise
ments were true. This man bought u
acres, and wired his friends advising
them to at once buy farms he had select
ed for them.
Only Jew months ago, L am told,
a clergyman OF the Episcopal Church,
Rev. s. Pritchard, OF Duluth, Mimi,
was sent here on a similar errand. He
was so well satisfied with what he saw
that he wrote over his signature a long
Pleasantville weekly press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1890-1911, 1896-11-11

children will very likely attend the Rich
land school for thepresent.
About 15 loads OF hay pass up South
Jersey avenue every day on the way
to Vineland and vicinity, where it ID
sold for 81 to 81 a load.
The other day your correspondent
came across a small grave yard just
beyond First avenue outside OF Eetelle
There were four tombstones in row
and this is the tale they told OF the per.
iod of the Revolution
Judith Coneley, Died 1880, Aged 40.
Ephriam Sayrs, ,Jr., Died 1772, Aged "a
Bertha Sayrs, Died 1880, Aged ~.
Ephriam Syrs, Died 1773, Aged Sc.
During the first year OF r. L. Barring.
er s residence here, which has Just ended,
he cleared 4 per cent on his investment
from truck and poultry.
D.. L. Risley has given instructions
for the church building on Cumberland
avenue to be finished Immediately at
his cost.
The postmaster at Risley says Dusl.
ness shows gratifying Increase.
New York and Philadelphia papers
are now received at Mr.. Bennett q store,-
opposite Risley station every morning.
A. H. hincey OF Liverpool, Eng, has
his house built and has made many i'm.
proyements on his farm.
H. Medlicot, OF Liverpool, Eng, has
had his residence completed on tract
z.
Walter J. Knox, a well known builder
and contractor, OF London has purchas-
ed ten acres on tract II.
John lllingWorth formerly grocer,
butcher and provision dealer OF Rick
amnsworth, Eng, has arrived with
four othas and given the contract for
the erection of his house which is now
nearly finished. He is iovial old gent.
leman and is going into farming on a
large scale. One OF his sons, J.. Hing
worth, Jr., a veil known business man
OF Il st. Mary Axe, London, Eng, also
has ten acres on tract 8. Mr.. Hing
worth is well pleased with his purchase
and is ore OF the most contented and
happy inhabits nts OF this new and enter
prising district.
William Page, wife and two children,
OF London, Eng, have arrived. Mr..
Page will probably open a store in the
district in addition to cultiyating his
fifteen acres.
John Ward a famous lawyer OF Folk
estone, Eng, has bought two iarms
on tract II.
Hiram Dyre of Philadelphia bought
lot No. 924 on tract s last week.
Mr.. Cemensou of Brooklyn, writes to
say that he will go down about Christ
mas to stay.
George l.. Walker of kensington,
PHILADELPHIA, bought lots Nos. 1857,
1868, 99S aud 1924 last week.
Messrs. Boyse, Hook and Gill have
purchased three farms on South Jersey
avenue, near Eighth, and started iifia- ififaa--
provements. They will engage in the
poultry business on large scale, both
in raising and buying and selling. Our
settlers will now have market for all
they have to sell, whether in large or
small lots, aud it will pay them to in
crease their stock. One of these gentle
men will conduct store in Philadelphia
to dispose of the stuff and the other two
will remain on the ground and raise it
and ship it.
Pleasantville weekly press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1890-1911, 1896-11-11

Not being able to buy any more ad-
joining land he went further inland and
when the South Jersey railroad ran its
first train through to Cape May, Dan.
Risley was aboard. He saw en- route
Just what he was looking fora large
tract OF high, fertile land. Only few
days had passed before negotiations
had been closed for the purchase OF ten
thousand acres which he soon had plot
ted out into 5-acre farms. He called
the place Estelle. When these were sold
he assumed the sole agency for the South
Jersey Land and Transportation Co.,
which owned 10000 acres Immediately
north Of and adjoining Estelle. These
were named Milmay. The farms there
were opened for sale on Thanksgiving
day, 1885. Very few are now unsold.
Then an addition OF 3100 acres (traot
Id was made to Estelle, and this is
now nearly all gone.
Mr.. Risley is tall, weighs 184 pounds
and has an attractive personality. The
first thing you notice about him is his
kindly, straightforward blue eye, and
when you know him you discover he
is as generous as he is genial, and as
honest as he is hearty. OF a sanguine
Temperament, he is diifident OF his own
abilities, firm and inilexible in his de-
terminations characteristic OF the
whole Risley family and is universally
liked and admired by all with whom
he has dealings, commercially or social
ly.
In May, 1884, he married Annie 7.
English, sister OF the then proprietor
OF the Atlantic City Daily Review.
1 Mr.. Risley has always been a firm
believer in printers ink. His bills for
advertising, besides maps, agreements,
deeds, circulars and Office stationary,
run into the thousands monthly. Some
times he is advertising in as many as
800 or 400 papers at once. Besides he
deals in all sorts of improved properties,
selling farms and dwellings, all over the
country. Aeg sal7u
The little Sixth street office in Phil
adelphia soon proved 90 small and then
he moved to 221 South Tenth, which
last year had to be vacated for lack
OF room. Now he does business at 211
South Tenth street, where dozens OF
clerks and stenographers are employed.
He also has branch offices in New York
City and London. besides agencies in
various towns throughout the country.
About a year ago Mr.. Risley owned
this paper, iron. whom the present pro-
prietor bought il last Spring. ff
In the past few years Mr. Rlsley has
had numerous imitators OF his style
OF business, but it is sale to say ne still
heads the list.
Pleasantville weekly press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1890-1911, 1896-11-11
ABSECON.

The NJ. Z. Church cleared $65 at their
festival.
Several new improvements may be
seen in the town.
A family moved from Elwood, to this
place one day last week.
Mr.. Dit has moved from Judge Dough-
ty's tenant house to. widow Showells
North Absecon.
Extra meetings will begin in the M.
E. Church next Sunday night. Different
speakers every evening next week.
A bag of ground corn was struck by
the Engine Of the midnight freight on
Saturday, scattering the corn all over
the track,
Late arrivals at Dougbty's c. ID. Ross,
Malaga; o. NJ Fox, Norristown; II. ID.
VsnHorn, Camden: W. M. Mudgett,
Camden; Jos. Evans. Kirkwood; Miss
Lorter, Mrs. G. W. Fox, HI. w. Clark
and wife, Chas. H. Cramer and wife,
Jesse Larker, HI. G. Mulock, Atlantic
City; Mrs. Kibat and daughter, Egg
Harbor City.
Pleasantville weekly press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1890-1911, 1896-11-11
BAKERSVILLE.

On Saturday night Mr.. and Mrs. Isaac
Gouldey gave O masquerade party to q
number Of their friends. Games were
INDUCED in until the hostess invited her
guests into the dining room, where the
tables were daintily spread with all the
delicacies of the season. Among those
partaking of the host and hostess invi7
tations were: Mr. and Mrs Dave Davies,
Mr.. and Mrs. James Yates, Mrs. and Mrs!
Samuel Sanders, Mr.. and Mrs. Geo. WI
Adams, Mr.. and Mrs. J. E. Adams, Mr..
and Mrs. Johnathan Martin, Mr.. and
Mrs. job Risley, Mr.. end Mrs. Elwood
Adams, Mr. and Mrs. Edward Ingersoll,
Mr.. and Mrs. Mark Sanders, Mr.. ana
Mrs. William q. d8ms, Mr. and Mira
Samuel Ireland. Mr.. and Mrs. S,a T.
Collins, ME: and Mrs. Dave Myers, 4! Nj: "A
and Mrs. Charlie Greasy. n 81 g. II
v- Sf' sg gD: w V4
l<jounty Mem o. ION 4ff Rorn. i
Pleasantville weekly press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1890-1911, 1896-11-11
Mr., John Themas paid his parents /,

> Mr., John Themas paid his parents a
yisit.E - ~
Communion at st. Johns next Sunday
morning. gsi3isE8.f #ss af55 4si
Bosrders- wanted-Mrs.zL-- Carton,
Pleasant avenue. 9-29-96-tf.
Leader for G. E. at.St Johu's nextSun-
day evening, Mr.. WaltersN Naylor. ~
Mrs. j. W. Marshall, nee Barrett, of
Linwood, is prepared to do any kind of
plain sewing. k
Our telephone interview, with thelocal
politicians, is unavoidably crowded out
/ this week for want of room.
Mrs. Margaret English died Tuesday
at O'Clock after long and lingering
iIlluess.0 She was 81 years old. fetfs
For Sale.-One good young horse 2
fresh cows. new and second hand buegie
at Warmers Livery Stable. I1-4.96
At the five and ten cent store-A lot
fof. tin pans. only 3 cents each. Also a
large lot of plated knives at cents each.
A great bargain.
Allthe members of the PIeasantville
Fire Company e.reauesfed tomeetnext
Saturday, the I4th without fail, busi-
ness OF importance gf
Efn.# HOB EEI I FRsihar, Chief
! Many people are Using the Reading ex-
press for Philadelphia leaving Pleasant
vile at 900 O.. Ip, daily, except Sunday,
returning leave Philadelphia b. m. ar
irving at PIeasantyille at 325 p. m.
Numerous advantages are derived from
this service.
Brother "Dave,D MaFtz will entertain
the people who attend the Baptist festi-
val at Seaview, next Friday evening,
Nov. 13, with some of his witty sayings
and funny representations. s'Dave" can
give some Of the other bretheren points
when it comes down to case of clean
fun that will make them laugh.
Mr.. and Mrs. Hugh Collins entertained
the following guests p dinner on Sun
day: Mr. and Ms SNurr Collins and efil
dren, Mr.. and Mis-. Daniel Collins, Mr..
and Airs. John Andrews and Mr.. and Mrs.
William Stone of Atlantic City; Mr.. and
Mrs. Isaac Collins, Mr.. and Mrs John
Ryon and son, Mr.. aud Mrs, V Y HaaIaI2
SsNII| & {sHf ma II! sB3 sIE1
and son, Of Pleasantyil1
Pleasantville weekly press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1890-1911, 1896-11-11

known all thu facts concerning the. land shall
at once send him a long list Of the names OF pur-
chasers. ,.,ss4- ..1s.zs sss.t
They tell me that this part. of New
jersey ranges from so to lis feet above
the sea and that in this part of the State
frost appears in the latter end OF Octo4
ber or the beginning OF November. but
very cold weather rarely comes till Christ
mas. Hence the saying "as the day leng
thens, the cold strengthens" 1t is never
bitterly cold. The thermometer seldom
goes below 10 degrees above zero AID
vegetation has been observed in all thu
winter months. Enough snow TO lracKI
a rabbit seldom falls. Garlic has been
tasted in butter in January; the leaves.
OF the willow, the blossoms OF the pexch
and the flowers OF the dandelion have
been seen in l'ebruary, and the apple
orchards have been seen in full bloom
in December. Vegetation in the Spring
is from four to eix weeks earlier than
in the Northern and ln6untai1
of the State 81 Pennsylvania
eives TIE South Jersey trucker
t p re - xslaali
Pleasantville weekly press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1890-1911, 1896-11-11
THE .REAPER-DEATH.
SIr: VIM. f. L-ippincott Called to
u HIS Final Home-HiS Noble
Life and Character. -ogi

I'll y NJ
LAST Thursday morning, shortly after
J o'clock, Mr. Wm. e. Isippincott passed
quietly away, surrounded by his devoted
cian, DR.. Eva Lake, and the mpmb srs
OF the Scull household. His death was
peaceful and pan1less, though his previ
was conscious to the last moment Of
his lifn.ia1f ai & ataM 8GsNsfi,
For the last threesor four weeks Mr.
Lippiacott had been filling rapidly and
those who were nearest to him realized
that the tide of his Life. was fist ebbiDg
away. All that medical skill aud the
most tender and careful nursing could
do had been accomplished. d The most
powerful remedies known to medical sci
enee had been applied. Nothing had
been left undone which by any possibility
could bring back the bloom Of health TO
the wasted form OF the once healthy and
robust man who had so much in life
worth living for But the hand of death
had been laid upon him and Is the morn
ing hours of Thursday approached the
faithful watchers at his bedside knew
that the end was very near With a
last stl'Ning word to- the devoted wife
who had nnrsed him so tenderly he fell
hr,,t,S si.,, -, l;f.s IT, xye arc hroten -
IN ,pba f,,norai ar sar,;ces rvera.b hold at +be
noon ~ hour ,o ~ on Snndov {.vs John w
Ier Eerarson' son nastor Of tbe Preshx terian
cbnrcb M ~, sifi.;33sT aid sdel;Va,Sa faa clo.
onent AMI tonching tr;hnta fo the stor-
i ,,er ,. ,,n,.th e and n0hla character 'of tbe
da,s,r,ad lass ., annr@nr;,,ts'' HYMNS were
s,,s,g Nv ,, :, trio c,,mT,osed Of Mrs i;soro,.
Era,,, h',s M;sss EIara,,ca Tbnm,ur md
NJ so,hroSa Ua,nmeIl will, N,ssCorena
n n,,as f. ~ tha oFgan. Tha REMAINS
,vara fban hnrna to their LAST resting
,nllaea IN PIeasantville Cemetery md. 2.
tha 9;rec+;on If Ifnderf,lyer I p Wrioht Z
of Atlantic f'itv and cousigned TO the
tornh .,ft1r 4 tr,ef ceremony hv tbe mem.
h 1rs tof Atlantic Lodge No, 3. + o. M.
IN the death of Mr. Lipn,neott Pleas
an+y;lla iosss an esteetned and valn4d
citi1an and m.aa1tv of it's nponle . stannch
and sip,eare friend. Ha was a. man Of
high moral. nurnosee. aes,erous TO afanlt.
ga,,ial,and kind in his intarconrse with
6is associates. and those who knew him
haat thorouol,lv annreciated his sterling
nnai;ties of Character aud disnosition
aud l,;ohly valued his loyal friendship.
I
Pleasantville weekly press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1890-1911, 1896-11-11


green moss, cleaned in the sunshine,
as they crouched beneath the golden
grasses and towering oaks. Persim-
mons,. turnips and chinquapins were
ripening and acorns were beginning
to fall. Stretches OF cleared land cut
the forests into irregular blocks. The
trees kept one from seeing the extent
OF the colonization, unless. the whole
colony had been traversed, and that
is several days travel with good team.
Everybody seems to be busy. There
are no unemployed. Tie mill, in addi-
ton to the men it employs inside. also
has teams ahdi teamsters cutting and
hauling lumber the cane and umbrella
factory gives work to skilled artisans
indoors, and sma II army outside bring
in sticks and roots from which canes
and ~an6le5 Eafe asade. z For thesesthe
proprietQrs of the factory nay from 50
to 81 q thousand, s.ssssS
E.;.,ts,,x -, y, ~ 6aro, u ;3ol;srhf-
Pleasantville weekly press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1890-1911, 1896-11-11
Largest AGRICULTURAL COLONY
q. ....... ... .IH[ UNITED STATES
Heu. Jersey Truck hands Being Eagerly Bought by
isi' 5ss 5.ss'sa ..s ssa + q. E Prospective Settlers
IK CQONER 4 WELL KNOWN AND H0NORED SON OF REASAN7VNLE

LARGE ADDITIONS TO THE POPULATION OF ATLANTIC AND
shs CUMBERLAND COUNTIES IN THIS STATE BEING +
. FEcTED THROUGH THE NOBLE EFFORTS OF ID. III
R1sLEY-SKETcH OF THE NEW SETTLEMENT xe y, ~
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1896-10-09

reduce prices in the exact proportion OF
the increase, for increased demand
comes in and very frequently offsets
all the gain in production. For con-
venionces sake l will state in the brief
est possible form what silverites believe
on this subject We maintain:
|. That there is not enough gold in
the world and cannot be enough pro-
duced to maintain the present level OF
prices. If monometallism prevails, there
must be still further shrinkage l
dare not conjecture how far it will go,
but l am certain that it will not stop
short of 40 cent wheat and cent cotton
and other things in proportion. Gold
will then be u far more "honest money"
than now, for it will buy much more.
You see how neat and complete this
honest money argument is and how it
rapidly grows stronger as prices go
down, for, if dollar which will buy 2
bushels of wheat and 10 pounds of cot
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1896-10-09

such misleading documents as the AL
drlch report, about which SO much has
been said. Examine that report careful.
ly and you will find that the working
men in all the trades mentioned in it
do not together number quite one-fourth
as many as the farmers Of the country.
And their method Of treating this
subject accounts for a very large part
of the i'll humor among farmers In
spite Of the census and common sense,
our alleged statesmen and economists
insist on treating the subject as if the
farmer were not laboring man. A con-
gressional committee is appointed to go
out and prove that wages have risen,
and of course they prove it. But how?
They take the highest wages paid to the
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1896-10-09

ton is more honest .han dollar which
will buy bushel of wheat and 8
pounds Of cotton, then dollar which
will buy 4 bushels of wheat or 80
pounds of cotton will be twice as hon
est as the one we now have.
2. That there is not enough of both
gold and silver to restore the prices Of
1903 or of lSS0-8.
A Real Gold Basis.
8. That in consequence Of the much
greater increase Of population and pro-
duction than of the metals, if there had
been no decentralization, both gold and
silver would have gained greatly in val
ne since 1878. The villainy Of mono
metallism lies in the fact that all the
gain has been concentrated in gold. BY
way Of general conclusion, believe that
monometallisin for the world is impos-
sible, and that Europe only maintains
it on the condition that other nations do
not In fact, if it is to be maintained
in this country and Europe, we must
prepare for another shrinkage so great
that the people will not endure it. There
is spirit abroad in the country now
that is not very pleasant to think Of
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1896-10-09

most skillful la
borers in the
h i 6 h est priced
cities at the bust
est season of the
year. AS a rule
they take only
ose laborers
who are i'll well
organized trades
unions, although
they are but a
tenth of the Ia
bOrers of the
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1896-10-09

and if there is
another turn of
the screw-and
there must be
several turns be-
fore we get down
to Il real gold
basis-it is much
to be feared that
t ere will be
something like
general ban k
ruptcy and repu-
diation. Just con-
slider this fact:
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1896-10-09

figure out to a
cent, but l think
we can com o
much nearer to
it than the mono
metallists admit.
All past expert
ence has shown
t h at increased
production Of the
necessaries of life
does not of itself
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1896-10-09

men, growers of all kinds of live stock
for food, and many others that cannot
detail. One of the worst errors of the
monometallist is in assuming that the
great mass of our workers are hired Ia
borers, and they get that impression from
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1896-10-09

[NSENSlBLY WORE OFF UNDER
THE INFLUENCE OF THAT PRO-
DIGlOUS INCREASE.
The Wages of Labor.
He might have added. and this point
seems to worry our monometalllst
friends, that the wages of laborers rose
considerably faster than the prices Of
pecessaries. Even so did they in l84S.
Ga And why not again? In truth the
wages of more than half our laborers
have got to rise before there can be a
rise In necessaries. Monomeuallists have
conveniently overlooked the fact that 60
per cent Of the laborers in the United
States do not work for fixed money
wages they produce, and what they sell
the products for constitutes their wages.
1t is self evident, therefore, that rise
in the price of the product is itself a
rise in wages This class includes all
the farmers, cotton, sugar and tobac-
co growers, vegetable gardeners, fisher