Rocky Ford enterprise., 1897-11-25
BuOTH-TUCKER'sPLAN
HIS NEW CALIFORNIA COLONY

HIS NEW CALIFORNIA COLONY
The ColonIsts VIII Raise Sugar Bcets-Mu
tual Loan Association ON which Each
Can Drsw-Colonies to BE Started in
Colorado.
Commander Booth Tucker, the head
of the Salvation Army in America, Ia
preparing to launch a colonization
scheme in this country similar to that
which General Booth has put into 0per-
alton in England. He purposes remov-
, ing the poverty-stricken residents of
our great cities to unoccupied tracts OF
land in the West, where they can have
chance 10 win a living from the soil.
He has given much time and thought to
the practical aspects of the plan, and
early in the spring the first American
Salvation Army colony will be estab-
lished in California.
Booth-Tucker recently visited the site
of the proposed colony and settled the
final arrangements in preparation for
the coming of the pioneers.
'.rhis is not charity" said the Sal
walton commander in explaining the
new project. "1t Is intended as a prac-
tical way to help the helpless. 1t will
be conducted ON business principles,
and we will not attempt anything that
has not been tested and found to be
practicable. There are, at conserva-
tive estimate, 100000 persons In this
country who are always either In act
ual want or on the verge Of starvation.
This is only half the proportion that
obtains In European countries, and yet
think what an army Of the poor 1t Is!
At the same time there nre millions Of
acres of fertile land capable Of sustain
ing these unfortunates in a state that
would be one Of affluence compared to
their present condition.
The work that the Salvation Army
proposes to do Is simply that of an in
termediary, to bring the people to the
land and give them a chance to work
out their own social salvation. or
course, not all Of those in dire need are
f1t for the work we propose to offer, and
not all will be accepted. No man will
be permitted to become a colonist until
1t has been determined to reasonable
certainty that he will make the most Of
his chance when It Ia offered to him.
Before visited the West I expect
ed that most of the colonists would he
drawn from the great cities east Of the
/ Mississippi, but find that the western
cities have developed 80 rapidly that
each now has Its own surplus p0pula-
tion, and as these cities will supply the
working capital for the first colonies,
they naturally demand that their own
poor shall receive first attention. For
example. the colony which has already
been provided for In southern Califor-
MIA will be recruited from San Fran
cisco, where has been subscribed $25,
600 to start the undertaking."
The spot where the Salvation Army
n DO, ca Avok 1nnx
Is In southern California, near the Gulf
OF Monterey and within sight Of the ia.
nous hotel Del Monte and Coronado
beach. The colony will be within a
rife shot Of Paraiesas Springs and is
a veritable paradise. 80 far as climate
and surroundings are concerned.
4 The colonists nre not to be set at the
hopeless task OF reclnimlng a desert.
for the land Is most fertile and capn-
BILE Of yielding forty bushels Of wheat
to the acre.
The tract comprises 500 acres, lying
between the Salinas river and the Ar
roqo Seco, one Of Its tributaries. 1t Is
Interesting to note that these modern
soldiers OF the cross will occupy the
site OF one of the oldes; Jesuit missions
In California. 1t was known rs the
| Soledad mission, and the old stone
house occupied by the Jesuit fathers Is
still to be seen, n picturesque ruin
standing near the center OF the tract.
MY reasons for selecting this par
| tIculnr spot for our first attempt are
threefold," explained Commander
Booth-Tucker ns he pointed out the ad-
van,ageous location Of the spot. First,
is the climate. which believe to be
one Of the most salubrious In the world.
| Second are the facilities for irrigation.
The land slopes easily from the Salinas
and there Is the old ditch and the m.
cicnt pumping station. which can Ike re-
fitted Mt small cost. Besides there Is
n steam pump close at hand from which
water can always be secured. I am u
great believer In Irrigation. 1t enables
one to possess Mt once n maximum Of
| sunshine and maximum Of rain, the
two requirements for successful crops,
and there Is no doubt In my mind that
In time irrigated regions will possess
| great advantages over those sections
which depend upon rainfall. The third
consideration is that we shall have
close nt hand cash market for n cror
to which the climate and soil Is adapt
ed. and which requires extensive cul
tivation in small tracts for Its success
The land which the Snlvn,lonisis hav,
secured is in n rectangular block, with
|
When the first twenty-five families &c
TO the place next spring they will find
fifty ten-ncre farms laid out like the
lots In city block. fronting on new
road. which will bc put through the
middle of the piece. On each alternat,
lot small 800 cottage will be erected
ready for occupancy. half the farm,
being left vacant Mt first. On encl
lot n small plot of alfalfa will be grow
ing and few vegetables will hav,
been planted In each garden.
The twenty-five families will all hav,
some knowledge OF agriculture, since
according to Booth-Tuckcr. ninety pei
cent. of those who applied TO be takcr
into the scheme In San Francisco knt
cnme originally from the country. 4,
only hnlf of them had any money n, nj
1t is safe to surmisc that they will b,
practically destitute when they ar,
put on the land.
1--WE will no, lend to the individual
settlers" says Commander Booth-Tucli
or. "but will form them into mutua
association like the Knyphauscn socic
ties in Germany. and shall lend til,
whole twenty-five on their joint securi
ties. They will then lend TO each o;he
on notes of hand. The result will b,
that they will watch each other, ant
each. man will have to make the bcs