The Springfield herald., 1897-09-24
THE RESCUE COLONY.
FIVE HUNDRED FAMILIES CON-
ING.
Colorado Selected As the Most Desirable
Location In the Entire Country.

Denver, Sept 19.-The determination
of Booth-Tucker to establish the first
of the Salvation Army rescue colonies
In Colorado is looked upon by friends
of the organization ns strong point
for this state, says the Denver News.
The original plan Of the head of the Sal
walton Army in America was to locate
the first colony in California. The
terms on which subscriptions have
been made to the movement require
that California shall not be overlooked
in making land selections for colonies,
but after the commander visited the
valley of the Arkansas and was shown
the natural advantages possessed by
the region, Its unriyaled climate and
the nearness of the markets for such
products as colonists would raise in the
early years Of their experience. he de-
cided in favor of the Colorado PROPOSE
ton. Ii was Colorado against Califor-
mia, and Colorado won.
]. a. Davis. industrial commissioner
of the Santa Fe railway, is one of The
persons who has been largely instru-
mental in influencing BoothTucker in
his decision. Mr.. Davis will visit The
state with Mrs Tucker next week.
leaving Chicago next Monday evening.
Ii is the intention 10 spend several days
y
der Tucker will join the party to make
one more trip through the valley before
the site is finally named. A special
committee of experts in agriculture
will assist In making the selection.
State Representative ]. II. Crowley of
Rocky Ford is one of the members of
the committee. No man in southern
Colorado is better acquainted with the
advantages of the valley Of the Arkan-
sas than Mr.. Crowley. He carried off
second prize at the State Fair this week
for the best collection of fruits.
The committee will begin its journey
OF inspection at the state line and will
travel as far as Pueblo, stopping at the
principal points and making a visit 10
the different tracts offered for the col
ony. 1t is proposed to begin the move
ment with colony of 800 families
from the crowded tenement districts of
New York City. Many of the colonis;s
will know nothing of farming, and a
superintendent will have general
charge, who is fully Informed as to
the possibilities of agriculture in the
valley. He is to be n practical man
and will be assisted by subordinates.
who will teach the colonists the use of
farm implements and the details OF
farming. 1t has been decided to To-
cate each family upon ten acres Of land
and no more. \ total of 5000 acres
will be required for the colony. II the
land is in the form of parallelogram
the entire tract may be one mile wide
and eight miles long. the total area be-
ing about eight square miles. The
money for the cash purchase Of the land
has been subscribed and the head of
each family will be expected to pay for
the ten acres allotted to himself and
family as promptly as circumstances
will permit. Colonists will be charged
interest on deferred payments at the
rate of three per cent, and they will be
encouraged to make small payments at
short intervals of tine. payments being
received as low as fifty cents or 81 n
week. The Salvation Army assumes
the responsibility of returning 10 the per-
sons advancing the money to establish
the colony, the principal with interest
at the rate named.
Colonists will be encouraged to be
self-reliant. although at the outset 1t
may be necessary to advance even the
food and clothes for many of the fami-
lies. 1t is the intention TO select fami-
lies willing to work and ambitious TO
advance from the condition of the
slums. Lumber will he supplied for
houses and an effort will be made to
have the colonists all comfortably
housed before cold weather sets in. The
men will be expected TO do most of The
work in erecting the houses.
The Arkansas valley colony is re-
garded by philan,hropists as one of the
most important steps toward the amel-
ioration of the ills of the unfortunate
classes of society that the nineteenth
century has brought forth. The extent
to which the movement may be carried
depends entirely upon the success of
the Booth-Tucker plan, which has re-
ceived the Endorsement of some of the
deepest thinkers of this continent and
Europe. Commander Booth-Tucker is
this week in California looking into
several offers of colony sites. He leaves
for this state next Monday and is en-
pected to speak in Coliseum hall next
Thursday evening. 1t is reported that
he will endeavor to introduce what is
known as the Railfelsen loan system
in the colony. This is system Of CO.
operative borrowing by the association.
Troops for Alaska.