The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1905-05-11
BACK TO THE SOIL %

The Rev. Bradley Gilman, who, ten
or twelve years ago, was pastor in
Concord, N. H., is to have the novel
pleasure of seeing one of his stories
put into practice at Goode City. Texas,
where the principles of Mr: Gilman's
book, "Back to the Soil, will be carried
out. Peter H. Goldsmith makes the
announcement in the Boston Tran
script, saying that MI. Gllman's book
CHANGED to fall this winter into the
hands of one of the editors OF the
American Farmer, who was SO struck
by it that he wrote an editorial which
furnished ammunition for MI Scion L..
Goode, the president OF the company
which publishes the paper.
Mr.. Gilman's purpose IN the book
was to demonstrate ''the hopeful posi-
bilities of country life" the object be-
ing to overcome the loneliness and iso-
lation. "a company" so the story
hundred and fifty thousand dollars is
site is chosen, several unremunerative,
but sufficiently fertile farms are bought
at moderate price, and thrown to-
begun. The four square miles of ter
ritory is laid out in one hundred farms,
radiating from circular center, which
is to contain the common, the public
buildings, music stand, promenade, etc.
The houses are built at the apices of
the farms or lots, facing the circular
square, The farms vary in form and
size according to their uses and the
nature of the soil which they contain.
Each house-lot has frontage OF sixty
feet, the houses being twenty feet
wide, and costing somewhat more than
eight hundred dollars each. The lots
are alike for about hundred yards
back from the street on which they
face, each one thus having about a
third of an acre for yard and garden.
The company erected thu houses, paved
the streets, and constructed the roads,
installed waterworks, electric and gas
lighting and sewage systems, and sup.
piled and managed the school, church,
lyceum, etc. Later line of electric
cars is built.
1 Nevertheless, in spite of the fact
that Back to the Soil is work of fic
ton, the enterprise seems feasible tt
men who have already made success
in life, and are given to weighing mat
tiers thoroughly The plan in genera
has teen adopted without importantly
on the part of its creator. 1t supplies
what they seek: scheme for urbaniZ
ing country life, for furnishing fresf
air, sunshine, varied industry, indie
pendence, a simple and normal exist
ence, with all the advantages of socia
contact and cooperation. Stress will
be laid upon the proximity of residences
and ease of access. The town spirit O.
solidarity is to be developed. The mali
difference between Mr.. Gilman's Circl'
City and the Goode City project lies il
the simplifcation of the general archi
tectural scheme, fewer houses being
grouped together around one center
and the number of centers being multi
piled in the latter. Everything is il
favor of the success of the Texas en-
terprise. The climate is mild, the sol
rich and inexpensive, lumber is cheal
and near at hand, the houses are to b.
comfortable and attractive, there are tt
be abundant trees and flowers, artesial
wells will give plentiful supplies of wa
ter, and the company which is back O.
the colony has sufficient resources tt
carry it through to happy issue. Thu
farms are to be of about fifty acre
each, and diversified agriculture, will
numerous other industries, will be fos
tered