The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1907-11-01

81. Helena, the thriving Italian co..
eny started about two a ago by
the Carolina Trucking Development
Company OF this city, which Is stu
ated on the Wilmington and weldon
railroad about twenty miles north OF
the city and two miles south OF Bur
gaw, has shown marked development.
in that time and the progress made
by the coloniSts there has convinced
the c. T. D.. people that the Italians
are by far the most desirable imui-
grants for the farms OF the south The
class OF people of which St Helena
colony is formed came from the north
ern section Of Italy. where they were
employed all their lives on the farms,
as tenants, and the condition OF sol.
and climate in their native land Is
said TO be almost exactly like that of
this section.
The motive for the farming class
bong willing TO come 10 a foreign
land is found in the fact that they
have here the chance TO own their
farms, to save money, n to be-
come prosperous, while in their native
country they worked on the farm and
in the field at starvation wages, with
never a chance to rise. They arc a
Woodworking, moral class Of people,
who will undoubtedly eventually make
good citizens.
A Messenger reporter. who visited
the colony on Sunday asst in company
with c. T. D. Co. officials and others.
marvelled at the wonderful develop
ment that is revealed.
Two years ago, when the 6rst seven
colonists arrived. there was nothing
but a vast expanse of woods. They
were put at work opening up a wide
avenue extending from the railroad
track to the county road, ~three-quar-
tiers of a mile away, and this wide.
clay road, with bitches on either side,
will some day be the principal street
of the town of st. Helena. On either
side of this road are scattered the
small, but comfortable homes Or the
cOlOnists, the general cleanliness and
order of the yards and homes being
very noticeable. The St. Helena tract
is divided into hundreds Of ten-aCrc
farms and already some of the col
oniSts have spread beyond the original
ten to twenty and one to thirty acres.
The Italians have cleared their own
soon be ready for the planting Ot
crops, is a tribute to interchangeable en-
ergy and labor.
Near the railroad, or the south side
Of the main road, is a 81 800 church
building, which will be ready for Oc-
curancy within two or three weeks.
All the co1Onists are Catholics and
services will be held there frequently
During the week the church will be
used as a school and later it is the
ambition of the Italians to use it per-
manently for school purposes and to
erect a larger and more handsome
church edifice.
When the party from Wilmington
alighted from the train they were
met by practically the entire male
population of st. Helena, and an Ital-
ian band of six pieces, was rendering
in fine style, a snappy Italian air.
Later the band played my Old Ken
lucky Home" and Dixie" Four
more band instruments have been Or
dered and this increase in the num-
Der of musicians means greater pleas
ure for the colonists, for the band
practices and concerts form their chief
amusement.
Each visitor as he alighted was
grasped by the hand by n Of the
italians and he went along the lire
shaking hands and bowling TO every
one Of those assembled ct he station
E2ch co'onIst han a troad smile on
his face and vel one was heau,cd
forth in every feature During the
several hours stay at st. Helera each
time the visitors were seen the Ital-
ians bowed, or shook hands, and al
ways there was the genial smile.
On the main road at st. Helena
thre are 10 houses besides the church
building. From the original sever the
colony has grown to number more
than eighty persons and a party of
thirty is expected to arrive from italy
in a few days to go TO st. Helena.
When Mr.. Fisher showed the list Of