The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-05-08
FARMS FOR POOR.
Experiment of Booth-Tueker
at Holly, Colorado.
W. e. Curtis Visits the Saliva
tion Army Colony.
AN ENTIRE SUCCESS.
Started With TWenty-siX Fam
lilies From Chicago.
Solving a Great Problem in a
Small Way.
AN ENTIRE SUCCESS.

In his latest letter to the Chicago Rec
ord, Mr.. w. f Curtis happily describes
life in the Salvation army colony at
Holly, Col, just across the Kansas line
He says:
out on the arid plains of Colorado, on
the Santa Fe railroad. just across the
Kansas line. Commander Booth-Tucker
OF the Salvation army in a small way
is solving the great problem that will
perplex the next century even more
than il has the last, and his efforts de-
serve the admiration and support of
everybody who is interested in the well
fare of his felIowmen- Three millions
of poor people, according to Commander
BOOth-Tucker. ARE TOtting and Tester
ing in the tenements of our great cities
They constitute our israel IN Egypt
Their numbers increase with a rapidity
that threatens to make the disease OF
pauUerdOm as chronic and severe in
our land in the oldest civilization OF
the western world.
"A year ago I formulated the theory
of deliverance as follows" he says
place the waste labor on the waste
land by means of waste capital, and
thereby convert this trinity of modern
waste into a trinity of production.
pointed out that the centripetal forces
OF our great centerS of civilization
which are absorbing the masses OF our
population must be cOunteracted by
centrifugal forces of equal strength 1
argued that II the $50 GOO, 200 now spent
annually by our nation in merely af-
fOrding temporary relief to this social
sore should be devoted to the planting
OF the 5000. coo of cur surplus population
upon say 6.O0O, 900 acres of fertile soil,
the following results among others.
would be obtained: Their labor would
produce annually from the land at least
S12O 0OO. 900 worth Of food for the con-
sumption Of their families The value
Of the land would increase from 50 to
100 per cent. thereby afTOrding an album
dant security for the investment of the
capital which would be repaid within a
period of ten years with interest The
tax-cOnsumers would be converted into
tax-prOducers, and an enormously in
creased demand would be created for
the produce of our city manufactures,
while the dead weight of their taxes
would be simultaneously Hghtened by
the removal Of the terrible incubus Of
a vast pauper population"
In seeking a practical experiment Of
his theory. Commander BOOth-Tucker
laid his plans before Paul Morton. one
Of the vice presidents of the Santa Fe
railroad, who promptly recognized its
value and offered whatever encourage
ment and assistance that railway could
give. James A Davis, Industrial COM
missioner of the Santa Fe company,
took Commander BoOth-Tucker and a
party Of officials of the Salvation army
over the line of that road in Mr.. Nor
tons private car as far west as Wins
low, AriZ-. visiting nearly all OF the
many sections where irrigation systems
are in operation A few weeks later
committee composed of two officials of
the Salvation army who are exper-
fenced farmers and two irrigation ex-
Derts visited several of the lOca lions
that had been reported upon favOrably
by the commanders party They de-
cided that a little spot in the Arkansas
valley near the boundary line between
Colorado and Kansas, upon the lands
of the Great Plains Water company.
he m 2
Booth Tucker made a favorable contract
with that company, upon which he OBJ
tanned an option upon all of the land
that might be needed for a colony at
the rate of S22 50 an acre, with a per
petuaI water right and a contract to
furnish all the water needed for an an
nual assessment of % cents an acre
This is a reduction of about 20 per cent
from the ordinary price of lands. and
eleven years time was allowed for pay
ment.
On these terms the Salvation army
people took one section, or $40 acres Of
land which has since been increased
by half a section. making total of $50
acres, a few rods from the track of the
Santa Fe railroad They call it Fort
Arnity. and a station will be built there
as soon as the business will justify it.
Then came the great question as to
whether people who were failures in
great city could be induced to do the work
and endure the hardShipS required OF sue
of disheartened souls were willing 70 try.
and when an advertisement was inserted
in the War Cry at Chicago more than 800