Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1904-09-07
MANY ACRES BEING SETTLED

VIII Occupy The Tract In Lexington;
County And VIII Start Truck Farms,
Columbia State, Tuesday: 5ss
The work Of bringing tolonists to
South Carolina has been launched; s'1
Monday night papers were signed and
delivereds to an agent who will pro.
ceed at once to populate and to build
up 10000 acres Of land in Lexington;
county which have never been culti-
waited. The amount involved In the
transaction ,is something like s125, ,ooo.
The agent Of this colonization COM
pany prefers for very good reasons
that his name should not be used, but
it is enough to say that he has been
one of the greatest promoters OF the
upbuilding of the great northwest, that
he is carried. away in his enthusiasm
over the prospects here and that before
the end Of the week he may purchase
1000 acres additional for the purpose
of bringing to South Carolina sturdy
Scandinavian settlers who will engage
in agricultural pursuits.
This transaction, which it Is hoped is
but the first of the closing of half a
dozen large options, was brought about
through the commissioner of commerce
and immigration, Mr.. E. j. Watson,
who will leave the city to perfect the
arrangements Yor locating colonies in
other parts of the State. The Body
OF land which was sold is said to be
the very kind for truck farms, is we'll
timbered and is cut up by several
water courses. The Southern's trunk
line from New Y ork to Florida passes
through this tract lnd it will be an
easy matter to ship the produce on
the farms.
The owner Of the tract in Lexington
county visited the northwest to see
how this matter of colonization is con-
Quoted and he was so well pleased that
he closed the trade when the agent OF
the company met him at the Office OF
Mr.. Watson. It seems to be a very sat.
isfactory arrangement all around, for
the representative from the west is
satisfied that the colonists will be
contented and will prosper here.
The manner in which homesteads
will be located Is very interesting. The
tract will be divided into sections of
800 acres each with roadway running
alongside the several sections. Each
section will be divided into eight trian-
gular parts of equal size. This will be
done by drawing line from each cor
ner to the corner diagonally opposite
and by dropping perpendicular line
from the middle Of each side to the
middle point of the opposite side. This
will give eight divisions in the shape
of right angle trangles, and at the
point Of intersection in the centre OF
the tract the homes will be built.
In this way the colonists on each OF
the sections Of 800 acres will be near
neighbors and will form little com
munity Of eight families. BY dividing
the section into squares and by locat'
ing the homes in the centre of these 40
acre squares the colonists would not
be near each other, and for conven-
ience for school purposes and for other
reasons the triangular division is re.
garded as the very best way to locate
the homes.
The tract will not be built up by the
colonization company and rented out,
but the immigrants, principally Scan:
dlnavians, many Of whom can speak
English and want to move from the
northwest to escape the rigors of win.
ters on the prairies, will buy their
homesteads on easy terms and will be.
gin to improve the property at once.
The agent whom Mr.. Watson has in
terested in these improvements is one
whom he met on his trip to New York
shortly after the bureau was estab.
lished. Mr.. Watson at that time gave
the State such a favorable advertise.
nlent at the metropolis that the eyes OF
the colonization companies were turned
this way, and this is the fruition Of
plans that have been maturing for
weeks.
Mr.. E. ]. Watson, commissioner, re-
Gently received notice that some Scotch
immigrants had sailed for South Caro-
lima and would arrive via New York
and Charleston.