The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-12-17
LAND PRICES IN BALDWIN
 RESULT OF IMMIGRATION

sands of acres of virgin timber Tn baio- win County, but the total is very small when compared to the vast fields over which the lumber men have Workeo. This Is the sort of land the northern l immigrant finds when he comes Soutn to settle upon the farm that he has bought in Baldwin County Tor $2o or $25 an acre, The situation, however, has not been misrepresented to him. He knows that he Is coming 10 Wooo- ed land. The climate has, however, been painted in glowing colors. The climate deserves all the fulsome things that are said of 1t in the eloquent CIT culars sent out by the land companies.
 It is about as near perfect as a climate gets to be.
 FIoridian Climate.
 It is not to be forgotten the south ern portion of Baldwin County Is far below the northern line of the State or Florida. The territory around Mag
 nolia Springs and Foley is very nearly
 in the same latitude as that or the
 section around Tallahassee, Florida.
 And emphasis Is to be laid upon the
 fact that vegetables can be produced
 in Baldwin County as early as they
 can be raised in Florida. In fact some
 of the earliest Irish potatoes that were
 sold in Chicago were sent out Of this |
 tables to the markets.
 After the departure of the big fum-
 Der companies the land companies were
 organized, mostly by wide-awake
 northern men who saw ahead the pos
 abilities of the big county. Much of
 the land had been homesteaded, much
 of 1t had belonged for years to private
 parties and much of 1t was owned by
 the lumber men who had no use for 1t
 xhA,~ bod rrrt ,H
 These companies secured vast tracts at
 a small price. It is said that most of
 the lands which are now selling for $20 an acre was bought for $1.25 an acre and some of 1t at even cheaper figure. True enough the land com panies have made money, but the set- tiers are satisfied. The climate Is all that was represented to them, and the land Is as fertile as it was represented. The county has been built up, good citi- zens have been brought In and the gem eral prosperity of the State has been augmented. Where Is the complaint to come in? The active companies. the companies which own the big tracts and the com panies which have brought the imml- grants to Baldwin are the Southern Plantation and Development Company. the South Alabama Land Company, the Magnolia Springs Land Company, the Baldwin County Colonization Company and the Svea Colonization Company. The Magnolia Land Company is owned by pr. J. H. Foley. of pine, honey and tar fame. The Svea Colony Company Is owned by wealthy Swedes and the buyers of its lands are Swedes from Chicago and Minnesota. The largest land owner in the county is the South | ern Plantation Company of which T. P. Hamm Is president This company has also brought more immigrants to Baldwin County than any other com pany. And 1t Is said that the company
 has really just entered upon It's most active business era.
 What of the methods of these com
 panies. in successfully bringing inn migrants to Alabama?
 This question naturally rises in the
 mind of the upstate man. All Ala bama is just now interested in immi- grafton. In immigration that will bring industrious farmers and truckers, who will build up the industrial prosperity
 of the State. How the thing Is done in Baldwin County will interest every body who is interested in the we'll fare of the State.
 In the first place the land companies put energy and intelligence in their business. They map out a plan of campaign and keep everlastingly at 1t. They start out with immense holdings and can afford to spend great sums in advertising and judiciously pushing the advantages of the land upon the
 men who may become prospective buy CTS.
 The companies have branch offices in Chicago in charge of a shrewd and in- telligent agent. The agent Is there to answer question and furnish printed and verbal information. He is also to keep his eyes open, is on the alert to pick out promising missionary fields | The names of men who may possibly | be induced to go South. come into the possession of this agent. He has cir | culars and papers already printed in l his Chicago office which treat of the l Baldwin County lands and of the eli | mate of that section. The circulars | give the printed experience of some of 1.-the men who moved from the north
 and went to truck farming in Bald
 win County. Te details of the crops. | the methods of cultivation and the re-
 turns that have been secured are all
 set forth. | The svea Colony Company prints in | Chicago a paper in the Swedish lam
 guage. It is called the Silverhill Nyde- | her and 1t is filled with matter that
 relates to the Swedish Colony at Sil-
 verhill and the possibilities of farming | in that section. Other of the land com
 panies send out circulars and other
 publications in both German and Eng
 fish. These publications never fail to
 enlarge upon the delights of the Bald | win County climate.
 Want Only. Good People. l The circulars are not sent out to
 Tom. Dick and Harry That would
 he a waste of ammunition and the | shrewd business men in the land com | panies are not given to wasting am
 intuition. The reading matter goes out l 10 grocery keepers, truck farmers and men who are making a good salary. | Only men of of industry and men of | some capital are wanted.
 l ITO tell the truth" said a leading of | ficial in one of the land companies. we | do not want a man unless he has a
 capital of $1.0OO."
 | It Is not as difficult matter as it ] would at first seem to interest this | sort of men of the north in good farm 1 ing lands in the South. Once interes-
 ted 1t Is easy toNpursuade the prospec- tive land buyer to take a homeseek- | CTS trip to the South and look over the | fields. In most cases when they get | to Baldwin County they are favorably
 impressed win the existing conditions. The prospect is pleasing. The cIl- | mate is excellent. The established i'm ] migrants tell the visitor that the fer tility of the soil and its possibilities have not been colored or over paint | cd.
 The usual terms are half cash paid | down nd he If hn ha Ga