Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1898-01-01
10 COLOMBO THE POOR.
A REMARKABLE SCHEME 6Y THE
SALVATION ARMY LEADER.

ony wfl Be In Southern California.
Commander Booth Tucker. the head |
Of the Salvation Army in America. is
preparing to launch colonization |
scheme in this country similar to that |
which General Booth has put into |
operation in England. He proposes
removing the poverty stricken resi-
dents of our great cities TO unoccupied
tracts of land in the West, where they
can have a chance to 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 colony will be es-
tablished in California.
Booth Tucker recently visited the
site OF the proposed colony. aud settled
the final arrangements in preparation
for the coming OF the pioneers.
This is not charity" said the
Salvation commander, in explaining
the new project. 1T is intended as
practical way to help the helpless. IL
will be conducted on business princi-
Piles. and we will not attempt anything
that has not been tested and found TO
be practicable. There are, at a con-
servative estimate, 5000, 600 persons
in this country who are always either
in actual want or on the verge of star
! vation This is only half the proper
ton that obtains in European coun-
tries, and vet think what an army OF
: the poor il Is. At the same time there
are millions of acres of fertile land cap
able of sustaining these unfortunates
/ in state that would be one of afiu
/ ence compared TO their present condi-
ton. The work that the Salvation
Army proposes 70 do Is simply that of
an intermediary, 20 bring the people
: 10 the land and 70 give them n chance
10 work out their own social salvation
OF course. not ell OF those in dire need
are ut sor the work we propose 70 offer,
and not all viii be accepted. No man
Will be permitted 10 become n colonist
until il has been determined 20 a rea-
sonable certainty that he will make
the most of his chances when it is Of
fered 20 him.
Before l visited the West I ex
pected that most of the colonist.
would be drawn from the great cite,
east Of the Mississippi, but / find thai
the Western cities have developed s,
surplus population, and as thes'
cities viii supply the working capita
for the first colonies, they NATURAL,
demand that their own poor shall re
ceivc first attention. For example
the colony which has already beer
provided for in Southern Californi
will be recruited from San Francisco
where has been Subscribed $1,000 (
start the undertaking.
The spot where the Salvation Arm.
commander will locate his first colon.
Is IN Southern California, near tia
Calf of Monterey. The colonists ar
not 90 be set al the hopeless tasl, q
retaining a desert, for the land
most fertile aud capable of yieldin
forty bushels OF wheat TO the acr,
! The tract comprises 500 acres lyin
] between the Salinas River and the Al
roso Seco. one OF is tributaries. tn
land which the Salvationists have s.,
cured is in rectangular block Wi;
{ the country roal skirting it on tv
sides. When the first twenty-h'
= families GO 70 the place next sprir
+, they will finl ten-acre farms laid oil
. like the lots in city block, frontir
:. on a new road, which will be p
= through the middle of the piece c
: each alternate lot a small 500 &C
= tage will be erected ready for occ
pancy, half the farms being left vaca
at first. On each lot a small plot
alfalfa will be growing and a few veg
tables Will have been planted in ca,
garden.
The twenty-five families will
have some knowledge of agricultul
since, according 10 Boo.h-Tuck,
min sty per cent. OF those who appli
70 be taken into the scheme in S
Francisco had come originally fro
the country. As only half of the
had any money at all. is safe to 81
mise that they VIII still be practical
destitute when they are put on I
land.
1--WE viii not lend TO the individI
settlers" says Commander Boot
Tucker, "but we shall form them il
a mutual association like the Knyphs
sen societies in Germany, aud sh
: lend to the whole twenty-five on TIA
Joint securities. They will then lie
: TO each other on notes of hand. I
l. 4