Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1907-03-08
We have in our section good class


neglected land; numerous creeks ana
streams are edged by fertile bottom
lands well adapted for trunk farming
and hay. TIE adjoining hills SAND slopes
consisting Of soap stone, and red shale
are offering The best locations Tor or
! ehards and vineyards. In the young
orchards potatoes will bring rich crops
with surer results than in lower lana'
giving TO the you trees at The same
the benefit of cultivation. 1t Is true
the land section have in mind are
not fit TO yield large crops OF wheat
and corn, that we must leave to the
West where large level tracts OF land
can be operated by modern machinery
We have to depend on fruit, berries,
grapes, potatoes, vegetables, also on
poultry, sheep, hogs and cattle; ana
these branches of agriculture are more
profitable, less expensive to develop
aud exactly fitted for new settlers ane
co. operative work. The mentioned pro
duets are also re presenting an inereas
ing demand, with increasing market
prices.
Before explai ming the way for realiz-
ing the COLOMBIA ton i beg to under
tsand that the new settlers do not rep
resent an undesirable competition, Tor
that we have too much undeveloped
land. The new and the old settlers will
assimilate in very short time and the
result will be Americans, clean cut,
well bred, proud Americans, true to
the country and true to the flag.
1t would be mistake to sell or rent
ten or twenty acre lots to an immigrant
family, and to let them do as they
please. German people are used to dis
cipline and to accept and to respect
practical rules.
They know that there has to be system
in carrying out and accomplishing re-
suits. i am advocating colonies built
up by an incorporated company, which
will represent the head quarters for the
colony. The headquarters clear and
improve the land aud the roads, and
sell to Immigrants twenty acre lot on
the installment plan. Each lot con-
sisting of some bottom land, and some
hill land. A practical basis for paying
the instalIment and the interest OF
Der cent, is the amount of 81 per week
and since the headquarters will be
able to give plenty of work to the new
Corners, lthe payments can be mace
out of the wages Such an employment
would leave to the settlers enough time
for putting up the first simple build
Jugs and also to take care of the hrst
crops. The settlers will receive the
strict orders what 10 raise, ahd how to-
saise il, and have TO deliver ali the'r
products TO the head quarters, paying
/ the installmont and interest with their
products. The headquarters are dis
posing of the products ami are bank !
ing for the farmer the surplus due TO
them, Such system ecalla healthy
one. /,
| 1t would not do for the small farm
ers to dispose of small crops directly
To ship box of eggs per week would
not pay, but it pays well 10 ship car
! load of eggs as headquarters could do,
under the circumstances. Fruit, berries
Vegetables, and poultry obtain the best
prices y hen properly graded and pack
ed and the headquarters knowing pre-
ty nearly what products toexpect, cant
dispose of them in advance, eau make
contracts with big hotels or large deal
ers, A cold storage would make it pos
( sible for headquarters . bold products
until best prlees can be obtained.
A eannery and preserving plant
would enable the head quarters 10
make the most cut Of the Vegetables. (
{ The by product of such au industry
would enable them to raise hogs on
+ large scale with very little expense.
/ Electric power could beeasily furnished
+ by the creeks, could be used profitable
in saw mills, in box and crate manu-
factory. and all kinds Of agricultural
machinery.
{ Since il is proved that the hills in
1 Back Creek Valley are unusually well
adapted for the raising of potatoes and
nee tie ttnsiG "a ltti'tss : STEAD
lly increasing, and the manufacturing
of starch and technical alcohol from
potatoes has bright futur {, there will
be s geod reason for the eolonisls 10 de
pend TO large extent on the eultivat-
ins of potatoes This crop will also en-
sble the colonies 10 close the first year
with nice profit.
AS said the headquarters will also
do the banking for The settlers, aud
many settlers will ind il profitable to
invest their sayings in the com pany
thus becoming stockholders in the
- ...I,...ls.a 1881