Industrial freedom. [volume] (Edison, Wash.) 1898-1???, 1898-11-12

Comrade Christian Tuttle had signi-
fed his willingness to invest $50 acres,
together with considerable stock, but
found his better-half had objections
to transferring the title.
Defeated again I struck out for
Castle Rock from which point we had
had some interesting correspondence
with Comrade M. D. L. Cunningham.
Found it a desirable location, but was
unable to make the deal.
More Pilgrims Progress La
Centre Clarke County, now claims
my attention and as forlorn hope |
proceeded thither. AS usual l found
an opening, provided the B. G. G. had
possessed sufficient amount of filthy
lucre. DR.. w. l.. Freeman, of that
place, generously offered to purchase
and donate site for shoe and also
a canning factory provided the asso-
citation would construct the two estab-
liShments of a reasonable size
Same old story. The proposition
was too big as was also another offer
we received if we would builo the
town.
Build town We gods ! And not
even capital enough to construct one
good house.
A visit to Portland, Ore, to investi-
gate some land he'd by party in that
town accomplished US lal results. l
made my way back to Seattle wonder
ing what the devil was going to be-
come of the pioneers whom l occas
ionally heard were on their wav.
In Seattle called or Comrade j. B.
Fowler and found letter awaiting me
from headquarters stating that $500
in checks and drafts had been sent to
Edison care of Carey Lewis and d.
recting me to secure options on some
of the rich land of this vicinity. I
secured the $500. though at loss to
know how to use it in the establish
ment OF "hOmes for the homeless, " the
amount being so small.
Finally desperate resolve came
stealing DER me and decided that it
was desperate time; that desperate
chances must be taken, and that it
would be infinitely better to break
rule than to break the whole move
ment.
So, although the rules of the order
forbade running in debt concluded to
ignore that for the present, and pur-
chased the famous 2S0 tract on three
months time, beginning October Is,
1897, paying 500. down, $4,000
November End and the balance on or
before January Is, 1898, receiving a
contract for deed and paying 10 per
cent on the balance remaining due.
So great was the prejudice against
the word Socialist at that time in this
section that I deemed it inadvisable to
attempt purchasing land in the name
of the B. G. c., and first bought in
my own name, afterwards transferring
title to the Association. That preju-
dice is about dead now.
Now began the real tug of war. With
only three months to raise the am
cunt (S2, 10000 with interest added
and the scattered condition of our
forces, some af them 5000 or 1000
miles from the scene of operations,
made it prOblematical as to whether
the amount would be forthcoming on
time. But happily our misgivings
were groundless. Our comrades came
nObly to the rescue.
November LIST Equality colony was
organized as colony No. 1 of the B.
Q. G.
December Both the site was paid for
and $4,000 left in the treasury in adj
dition to supplying the colony mean
time and a small amount left at head
quarters at Thomaston, Maine.
Now, having brought the movement
down to the time when the first colony
established, l will leave it's subsequent
career to some future time or better
historian, except that will state the
important fact that the national head
quarters have been, since March 9,
1898, at the front where they belong.
G. E. PELTEN.
Continued from page two