The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-05-24
The Times-D Dispatch Bureau,
1417 G Street, n. W.,
Washington. D. c., May 2sd.

Washington, D. c., May 23d.
There is decided flow OF German emil
grants, both from the Fatherland and
from other portions OF the United States.
to Virginia. They are forming German
colonies in various counties throughout
the State and are developing, into thrifty
farmers They are for the most part
practical farmers, and will do great
deal toward developing the sections In
which they locate. They have found the
soil to be exceedingly responsive to cul-
tivation, and by buying rundown farms
and improving them they get as good
farms as can be bought In the fertile
Shenandoah Valley for from $50 to 500
per acre, at figures ranging from $40 to
s2l per acre, Speaking of this movement
OF Germans to Virginia. Mr.. NJ. Y. Rich
ards, of the Southern Railway, said to
The Times Dispatch correspondent:
II recently made trip through Vir-
ginia to visit the various German settle
ments. / found them all to be prosper
Gus settlements. and the people to be as
good class OF law-abiding American
citizens as you viii find anywhere"
THE NEHERRIN SETTLEMENT.
The first point I visited was Meher-
rim where I met quite number OF Ger
man farmers and had most interesting
talks with many of them There are
now approximately one hundred and
twenty families settled within radius
of eight miles OF A1eherrin. and new
Corners are constantly arriving. Among
those who in the last few weeks have
settled in that section are Mr.. F. Flsch-
or. formerly Of Minnesota. who purchased
a farm OF 1G0 acres. This place Is adj
iointne. the 1872 acres recently bought by
Mr.. Louis SiegeL of Minnesota. to which
Mr.. Slegel has Just added another piece OF
IA acres Mr.. Henry Haase. also of
Minnesota and former neighbor OF Mr..
%,,yr>H rryfn n mr. r.
chased farm of seventy acres. Mr..
Hnase is an experienced fruit-grower and
intends to go into that business quite
extensively Another German farmer,
Mr. Rasch. has just arrived from Wiscon-
sin and concluded to rent farm con-
tanning 40 acres, with view OF pur-
chasing It later.
Mr. Louis Slegel has on his property
a large deposit of clay. which he thinks
Is well suited for the manufacture of
brick and he has In contemplation the
erection OF such n plant.
also visited the German Lutheran
minister. Rev. D. Fl. Schooff. His SER
vices, which are being held once month,
are, on an average. attended by fifty or
sixty people. He as well as Mr.. c. j.
Oehlschlager the German travelling mis-
slonary, are almost daily In receipt of let
tiers from Germans all over the country
inquiring about Virginia lands. l was
we'll as at Appomattox. several German
families had recently located, At the lat
ter place they expect to be followed by
quite a number of families direct from
the old country. AS a general rule, 1t
is found that the German farmers To-
Gated in that neighborhood are we'll sat
isfied with their section. They realize
that with energy and proper manage
ment they can In few years make good.
productive farms out OF their present
worn-out fields and prefer n beautiful
home In a fine climate to the long and
severe winters of the Northwest, The
main crops raised in that section are
corn. wheat. oats-in short. everything
that is usually raised In the Northwest.
Tobacco Is also raised by most of the
German farmers, Most all settlers keep
stock to greater or less extent. Several
farmers from Nebraska who purchased
large farms last year. have gone exclu-
sively into the stock-raising business
movement has been on foot for the es-
Establishment of a creamery. but not all OF
the farmers have given this question the
interest 1t deserves, and so far nothing
has been done, There is no doubt that
this settlement will keep on growing;
there is room for many more families.
1t is remarkable that prices for farming
land. have advanced about fifty per cent.
In the last three years. Prices now
range from six to fifteen dollars an
acre,
IN HALIFAX
'The next place | visited was Wolf
Trap, Halifax county. There are Ger.
man families In that immediate neighbour
hood and several times as many more
In the whole county. One of the Oldest
German settlers Is Mr.. Henry Cramer,
He came from the Platte Valley In Me-
braska. where he sold his LAIRD for $40 per
acre and purchased a farm near Wolf
Trap for sl5 per acre. This was eight
years ago. His farm only contains 95
acres. all of which he now has under
cultivation except 10 acres which he
keeps in wood and nine acres which he
uses for pasture, His farm was con-
sidered a rather poor place when he first
bought 1t. Al valuation of SIN an acre
he realized last year ten per cent. on the
investment outside of all running ex-
nanses and after a certain amount had