Greene County herald., 1906-02-16

thompson, vlce-presldenf Oh tne 1lsh-
land Colony Co., the writer and SEN
ator Franklin of Pontotoc, had the
pleasure of spending the day recent
ly driving over and inspecting this re-
maTkable colony situated at Ridge
land, and extending for distance of
nearly sixteen miles along the Illinois
Central railroad and nearly so far
in the other directions. Hundreds Of
families from various sections of the
country find pleasant homes here and
produce from the soil a competence
that is exceedingly liberal, and that
from land that was considered poor
and hardly worth the cultivation.
Highland Colony was founded some
ten years ago by number of gentle
men from the north who had visited
almost every section of the South in
quest of location for. such an enter
prise, realizing the great possibility
of inducing people from the crowded
districts Of the north and east to
come and live upon farm, spending
their days amid peace and plenty.
Mississippi offered the best induce
ments for the location of such an en-
terprise and Ridgland was selected.
At that time it was nothing more than
a flag stop for local freight trains,
without depot or other facilities.
The land was plotted in ten and twen-
ty acre blocks and the work Of colon
ization begun. Only the very best
white people were solicited to come !;
those who were willing to work and
assist in the development Of the coun-
try. Various difficulties were met and
overcome, and today, the Highland
Colony is one Of, il not the most pros
porous sections of the state of Miss
issippi. The land is cut into blocks
Of few acres and is furnishing a
liberal support to happy and con-
tented families that own their homes
and sup under their own vine and
fig tree in every sense of the word.
The people who have been induced
to come and buy this land and place
it sin a high state Of cultivation, are
largely foreigners, being from the
north and east more recently where
they had been engaged in various avo-
cations. Some of them had never
been upon farm day in their lives
and it may seem strange to some when
it is stated that they are as success
full as their more fortunate fellows
who have had experience. They are
laboring people who have become
tired Of working in the mines, mills,
yard, upon railroads and other avo-
cations Of life, and desired to settle
down amid the healthful and favor
able environments Of farm life and
more especially in the delightful eli
mate of Mississippi. A happier, more
contented and prosperous people
could not be found within the bor-
ders Of the United States to-day. Ev-
cry man owns his little farm of from
FIVE to 100 acres; most of them are
out of debt and many have comfort
able bank accounts; they have good
schools, churches and all modern con-
veniences. They are good citizens and
just such as the State of Mississippi
needs and should seek.
While these coionists raise cotton
and corn as do our other citizens, their
principal crops are vegetables, ber-
ries and fruit. This plat of ground
sixteen miles long by some eight OF
ten miles wide is veritable orchard
and vegetable garden. Splendid
peach, pear and occasional apple or
chards are to be seen almost upon ev-
cry division. Berry patches ranging
in size from one to thirty acres are
interspersed with the orchards and
vegetable fields. The homes are neat
roomy and almost all nicely painted
while the premises are kept clean and
inviting. The fields are perfectly cul-
tivated and kept clear Of all trash
weeds and rubbish. The yield pei
acre varies largely, being controlled
by the crop planted, the season and
price realized, although it IS not at all
uncommon for an acre of cabbages
to net considerably more than $10C
and acres Of strawberries have gone
as high as $500. When the colony
was planted ten years ago there was
not "a white person living upon the
gronnd included in the first survey
while at present there are very few
negroes left. The town of Ridgeland
is a progressive and nicely built lit
tie city of several hundred people
Madison and Tougaloo are now with
in the territory embraced, and the
new colony especially for German i'm
migrants and chrictened Gluckstadt
is upon the spot where Calhoun once
stood.
The impression should not be toler-