Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1905-10-13
FROM THE JEWISH COLONY

these families of prosecuted people,
| fleeing from oppression in their cative
lands, came gladly to the proposed
colony here and began with praise and
thanksgiving to hew for themselves
and their families homes and fortunes
in the thick timber lands, purchased
at this place for them by the Milwau-
kee Agricultural association. 1t was
in mid-winter that these hopeful
refugees waded through deep SHOWS
and began cutting timber on the
farms which they know will in time
be theirs. Today satisfactory results
are apparent, and the colonists are
happy and sincere in their work.
Good Land and Fine Country.
When it became known, through
references in the press, that the Mil
waukee society wished to purchase a
large tract Of Wisconsin land for this
purpose, President Rich received
thirty glowing propositions from land
agents and owners from every quarter
OF the state. Anxious to start right,
he went to the head of the Wisconsin
agricultural experimental station for
advice. There the various sections,
from absolute knowledge, were gone
over with him.
-Four OF the propositions remained.
one of which was that from Arpin.
Further investigation resulted in a
decision in favor of this county, and
720 acres were bought at once, in No
veInber last. The entire tract was
covered with large second growth of
timber, of which hard maple and
birch predominant. The soil is rich
loan, with clay subsoil. Results
already prove that everything that
can be grown in Wisconsin, can be pro-
duced in abundance on the land. At
the recent state fair Wood county
took first premium on her agricultural
products. The settlement tract was
divided into 40-acre farms, and these
are being allotted to the refugees as
they come. They are to pay the
original cost to the society within ten
years. at per cent, interest, from the
second year, no interest being charged
during the first. Until the people be-
come self-supporting, each family re-
ceiveS, as loan. the sum Of IS per
week. for year at least.
While the men and older boys work
every day upon their farms, clearing,
cutting cordwood and preparing for
crops, the women take cleanly care of
their little homes, and the younger
children attend the public school in
the village. Their teacher, Miss Car
rie Evans, informed the correspondent
that the children learn readily; that
they are easily managed, bright and
anxious to learn. Many of these
children, with their peculiarly clear
olive skin, dark brown, luminous eyes
and brown or light hair, are as hand
some as any to be seen in tie state.
They are clean, neatly dressed, in per-
feet health and evidently happy.
Some Of the Needs Here.
While the future of these earnest
people seems unquestionably settled
right, and in due time their farms will
be as productive and valuable as any
in Wood county, and while the So
called Rich plan. as being worked out
here, seems certain to succeed, even
beyond the most sanguine expecta-
tiOns Of its enthusiastic head, there
can be suggested something which
would certainly add to the prosperity
and contentment, ii carried out even
on a small scale. That is something
in the way of manufacturing indus
tries suitable to the conditions. for
instance, the establishment by the as
ISOLATION, or by outside enterprise, of
a creamery or two; cheese factory,
pickle factory, or canning factory.
With one or more of this class of in
dustries, the girls and women of these
families could have. employment that
they would be capable of performing
to advantage during the season, and
if an all-the-year concern, the men,
after their farms are cleared, could
find employment during the winter
months. The settlement has already
the unquestioned advantage of being
reached by three lines of railroads,
the Milwaukee, the North Western
and the Wisconsin Central roads hav-
ing good main Or branch lines passing
through Arpin. The freight rate
question is consequently settled in
advance.
The Present Result.
With an actual effort of but eight
months, and beginning in the dead
of winter, these refugees have now in
stock nearly 200 cords of hard wood,
cut and piled for the market, besides
supplying their own needs for fuel,
wood alone being used; they have
raised sufficient vegetables for their
own use, including potatoes, cabbage.
beets, pumpkins, beans, onions, some
corn, ETC., jointly they have cleared
something about ten acres On each
farm and made it ready for crop, and
by spring, it Is believed, they will have
ten acres entirely cleared on each
forty, thus insuriag a paying crop,
under favorable weather conditions,
tho oov, pr uoor