The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-11-18
RAILROAD NEWS.
Ouakers Buy 5000 Acres of
Sugar Beet Land.
VIII Establish a Quaker Colony
in Colorado.
COMMITTEES REPORT.
Chas. L. Seagraves Returns
From Escorting Delegates.
Kansas Man Manager OF the
Colonization Company.
COMMITTEES REPORT

The national committee representlns
the Ouakers of the United States have
decided to purchase 1900 acres OF iano
in the Arkansas river valley, ProWers
county. Colorado. A colony OF 1'oVo
Quaker families will be located on the
newly acquired land
Prowers county, watered by the
Amity canal, is being doomed by the
Santa Fe extensively. The Santa re Is
the only road which opens up TINS Wn '1i
territory, and the settlement OF tne
country by a substantial class OF GU
Gems means a great deal to the road
Chas. /. Seagraves, travelling pas
wenger agent of the Santa F'e, has Just
returned from Colorado, where ne Welt
Friends society. The committee Is
composed of John l. Thomas, Pendle-
ton Ind, Edward Coale, Bloomington
Ill. and Morris A. Wilson, Magnolia
III A colonial ton company has been
organized TO take charge of the emil
grafton. OF this company Daniel CREST
a Quaker living at Hays, Kas-, is the
general manager, and Will De IN acllNe
charge of the work
For many years the Quakers living in
various parts of the country have Deen
locating colonies in suitable places Inc
Quakers like to be congregated IN large
Bodies, in order that they may nave
schools and local government to SUIT
themselves. Efforts have been made TO
establish colonies in several western
states, some of which have been sue
ceSsful, and some otherwise
The QuakerS appear to be greatly de-
lighted with the sugar beet country,
where they propose to locate their new
colony. The plan of purchase IS 10
simply pay a small portion of the
agreed price in cash. and then pay up
the balance due as fast as Quakers
move in and settle This puts it in the
power of the company to admit none
to the 5000 acres except Quakers-
It is thought that most of the Quak-
ers win come from Indiana, Ohio and
Illinois. though a few may move from
kansas
The following report will be made by
the national committee to Quaker So
cieties all over the United States:
Report of delegates of the Society of
Friends on the Arkansas valley of Colo
''On the morning of the 9Th of the tenth
the Society of Friends Investigated the
possibilities of the Arkansas valley from
longing to the Arkansas Valley Sugar
Beet and Irrigated Land company
The general plan was first to examine
the lands as to general results, which
Were satisfactory beyond anything
could possibly anticipate. Sugar beets
and cantaloupes are very profitable crops
for the farmers
THE sugar factory at Rocky Ford is in
successful operation, handling a thousand
tons of beets a day and turning out ESQ.,
900 bounds of granulated sugar ready for
the market The factory employs 400 men
and runs day and night. We followed the
course of the beets from the time they
were unloaded from the farmers wagon
into the beet sheds until the finished pro-
duct was loaded the cars.
The price paid for sugar beets is "a
per ton for beets testing Is per cent SUI
gar and 30 lib cents for each additional
per cent above that amount. The beetS
average about Is per cent. or IS per ton
THE cost of raising beets, including all
expenses for labor, seed, cts. is about
SO per acre We interviewed many farm
erS and they were all we'll pleased with
the crops and the returns Some of the
farmers who were marketing their first
crop had beets running Is tons to the
acre. while others who had grown beetS
before raised from Is to p tons to the
This is the district of the famous
Rocky Ford cantaloupe, which yields the
farmer about the same as sugar beets.
Alfalfa is extensively grown from
three to four crops being cut a season and
making as high as seven tons per acre.
There is a good market for alfalfa much
of it being baled and shipped. while con
siderable is fed to sheep and cattle lots
OF stock being wintered in this valley.
Fruits of all varieties do we'll Small
grain does very we'll Celery ranks with
equal those raised in Michigan.
tricu range from SIS to 500 per acre de-
These lands are very productive and
much of it not for sale at all
After completing our Investigations in