The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-09-04
THE RUSKlN COLONY DEAD.
Curtain Falls Upon the Last Scene il
the Drama.

the Drama.
Waycross, Ca, Sept. 3.-The RUS
kin colony of Ware county. is no more.
The last chapter in the drama started
last Saturday as has been stated in
the Morning News, when the Coming
Nation printing outfit was sold at pub
lie auction to satisfy mortgage for
$500 and "finis" was added to-day,
when the land and buildings were sold
by the sheriff OF Ware county.
About a year ago a lady from one
of the Western states came to join
the fortunes Of the colonists. The
price for share in the commonwealth
was only $500 She was granted the
usual privilege of deposting this
amount, and spending a few months
there before becoming a member. This
she did in order 10 see whether she
would like it or not.
During her stay at the colony note
for $500 came due, and the president
used Mrs. McKean's money TO take II
up, thinking that more cash would
come in soon. In the meantime, Mrs.
Mexican decided that she would not
become a member of the colony, and
demanded her deposit money. The
treasury contained but $780, This
amount was given TO her. together with
mortgage on the Coming Nation
printing Office for $500
But Mrs. Mexican desired to go to
California and in order to enable her
10 do so. Mr.. j. G.. Steffes, a MEM
Der of the colony, bought her claim.
The Ruskin commonwealth was on its
last legs at this time. 1t was deeply
in debt. Old members were leaving
and no new ones We're tax
ing their places, The time
for cancelling the mortgage passed, but
there was no money in the treasury
and the Coming Nation had to so at .
sacrifice to meet the claim.
This morning at the Court House
door in this city, the last chapter was
ended in the story of the Ruskin COM
monweaith, when Sheriff I j. Me-
Elellan sold the land and buildings. The
tract consists OF about 766 acres OF
land, upon which is built the town of
Ruskin. There are in Ruskin about 10
nice little cottages. half a dozen small
er houses, two large dwelling houses.
a hotel, planning mill blacksmith shop,
cereal coffee factory, shoe shop, sus-
pender factory, etc. The entire property
sold for $2,050.
1t was bid in by Messrs. J G.. Steffes,
David B. stanton and Joseph Sher-
win, all members of the colony They
VIII clear up great part of the land,
and win conduct a modern farm Only
& small portion is in cultivation now.
Next year the new owners will plant
fifty acres in sugar cane, which they
will make into syrup, and after put
ting II up in quart, half-gallon and gall
lor cans, ship to the Northern mar
kets. They will also plant ten acres in
broom corn and manufacture bFooms.
Besides this they will have a large
acreage in cassaYa, potatoes, pease and
hay 8F@ ~
The colony, which two years ago con-
tanned nearly 300 souls, now numbers
only about twenty, not counting the
new owners, all the others having de-
parted. Those now remaining will seek
homes elsewhere.
The yearly meet of the Hardshelis
viii occur on the second Sunday in
October. This will be a most interesting
occasion, as the regular foot washing
service will be observed. People will
be present from all points within a
radius OF fifty miles. The meeting will
begin the Friday before the second
Sunday and wiz last three days.
Judge Williams settled a number OF
cases yesterday afternoon E. S. Paine
on the Gem Fhafmacy, entered a plea
OF guilty to the charge of selling LIQUOR
without license. He was fined $3.50
and costs. Max Isaac, the tailor,
pleaded guilty to the charge of gamb-
ling, and was fined 500, Including costs.
Oscar Merritt, colored. for gambling,
was fined $40 or three months, and
Henry Johnson, colored, for carrying
concealed weapons, was given the same
sentence.
Sheriff Mcclellan this morning sold
at public auction a three-eighths in
terest in ninety lots of land belonging
TO the estate of James H. Porter. The
sale was under an execution issued
from the City Court of Atlanta. The
property brought $500, and was bid In
by w. b. Ellington, for one of the Por-
tiers. The sheriff also sold three acres
OF land, the property of Editor j. NJ.
Milton, colored, on a tax execution by
r. M. Lanier. 1t was bid in by J. L.
Crawley for S35