Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-11-09
TO HELP THE POOR
The New Colonization Scheme of the
Salvation Army.
WILL Be TRIED IN CALIFORNIA
Zach Member VIII Have a Farm of
His Own.
Il A NC GAR BETS
RAISING SUGAR EETS

Commander Booth-Tucker. the head q,
the Salvation Army in America, is prepar-
Ing to launch a colonization scheme IN this
country similar TO that which Gen. Booth
mas put into operation in England. He
purposes removing the poverty-stricken
residents OF our great cities TO unoccupjei
tracts Of land in the west, whore tha, a.,
nave chance to win a living from the
SOIL He has given much time ana ,ho,gh,
10 the practical aspects OF the Milan and
early In the spring the first American Sal
Naoioh colony will be established I'm califor-
mia.
booth-Tucker recently visited tho site n,
'he proposed colony, and settled the final
arrangements In preparation for the COM,
ing of the pioneers.
ihis Is not charity" said the Salvation
commander, in explaining the new pro-
jet III Is intended as a practical way 70
neip the helpless. 1t will be conducted on
business principles. and we will NOT al
tempt anything that has not been tcs,ai
anu found to be practicable. There are. al
d conservative estimate, 3.opo 900 persons an
inns country who are always either in ac-
euai want or on the verge of starvation
ms Is only half the proportion that on
-. III European countries. and Vet think
n ha
same time there are millions of acras -,
lertiie iand capable of sustaining these nm
iorlunates IN a state that would he ono 81
aiiiuence compared TO their present condi-
tioh. Inc work that the Salvation ARMY
proposes to do is simply that of an ,p,ar
nieaidry, 10 bring the people to the land
anu 10 give them a chance to work out
.neir own social salvation. OF course. not
an OF those in dire need are fit for The ,vor;.
we propose to offer and not ali Will ho &c
eepted NO man Will be permitted to he
come a colonist until it has been deter
iIiheo 10 reasonable certainty that he will
fered to him. II - VA
Before L visited the west L expec.ea
tnat most of the colonists would be drawn
Iioih the great cities east of the Mississin-
Pi' nut i ind that the western cities have
developed so rapidly that each now has lis
Own surplus population. and as these cities
VIII supply the working capital for the
Ls. colohies, they naturally demand that
lneir own poor shall receive first attenttor
For example. the colony which has already
been provided for in southern California
VIII be recruited from San Francisco wher,s
mas been subscribed $4,000 to start the un-
dertaking." 1
Not to Re claim Deserts.
Inc spot where the Salvation Army
commander will locate his first colony
is In southern California. near the Gulf
OF monterey and within sight of the ia
nous Hotel Del Monte and Coronado Beach
The colonists are not to be set at the
hopeless task of retaining a desert, for
the land is most fertile and capable of
yielding forty bushels of wheat to the
acre The tract comprises 600 acres living
between the Salinas river and the Arroyo
oeco. one OF its tributaries. IL is interest
ing to note that these modern soldiers of
me cross VIII occupy the site of one of
the Oldest Jesuit missions in California
1t was known as the Soledad mission
ana the old stone house occupied by the
Jesuit fathers is still to be seen "A mic
tcresque ruin standing near the center
OF the tract. An ancient irrigating ditch
leads from the Arroyo across the land.
the work of these early settlers 1t will be
cleared out and put to use once more as
soon as the colony is in operation
My reasons for selecting this particu-
lar spot for our first attempt are three
fold, explained Commander Booth-Tucker.
as he pointed out the advantageous loca-
uon OF the spot First, is the climate.
which believe to be one of the most salu-
brious In the world. Second. are the facili-
ties for irrigation. The land slopes easiiy
away from the Salinas, and there is the
old ditch and the ancient pumping sta
ton, which can be refitted at small cost.
BESIDES there is steam pump close at
hand from which water can always be
secured. am great believer in irriga-
ton 1t enables one to possess at once
maximum of sunshine and a maximum Of
rain, the two requirements for successful
crops. and there is no doubt I'm my mind
that in time irrigated regions will possess
great advantages over those sections which
depend on rainfall. The third considera-
ton is that We shall have close at hand
a cash market for a crop to which the eli
mate and soil is adapted. and which re-
lures extensive cultivation in small tracts
for its success
To Raise Sugar Beets.
The crop to which the commander re
farr
prosperity to the colony is the sugar beet.
The Salinas valley already produces many
tons of sugar beets. and it has been Sc
lected by Claus Spreckels as the site for
his elaborate attempt to make California
a great sugar-producing state But the
promoters of the scheme prefer not to tie
their fortunes to that of any one CROP
thouGh they expect the sugar beet to be
their staple. Commander Booth-Tucker
hopes thus to benefit both the people who
go to the colony and the agricultural in
terests Of the country by aiding in the in
PRODUCTION of this new crop.
The land which the Salvationists have
secured is In rectangular block. with the
county road skfrting IL on two sides When
the first TWENTY-FIVE families go to the plac..
next spring they will find fifty ten-acre
arms laid out like the lots i'm city block.
fronting on new road. which will be put
through the middle of the piece. On each
alternate lot a small 800 cottage Will be
erected ready for occupancy, half the farms
being left vacant at first On each lot A
small plot of alfalfa will be growing and a
few vegetables will have been planted in
each garden.
The twenty-five families will all hava
some knowledge of agriculture, since ac-
cording to Booth-Tucker. 80 per cent of
those who applied to be taken into the
scheme in San Francisco had come orig
inally from the country. AS only half OF
them had any money at all, II is safe 10
surmise that they will be practically desti-
tute when they are put on the land.
Mutual Association.
I'VE will not lend to the individual set
TIERS" says Commander Booth-Tucker,
but We shall form them into a mutual as
ISOLATION like the Knyphausen societies in
Germany. and shall lend TO the whole
twenty-five on their Joint securities. They
will then lend to each other on notes of
hand. The result will be that they will
watch each other. and each man will have
to make the best use of the money he re-
ceives and live up to his agreement or he
will not long enjoy the benefits of the as
I'm time" said the commander, his eyes