The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-04-18
UNIQUE Movement to Aid Those
Who Are Deserving.
PLACED in KANSAS.
Arrangements Are Made to BE-
come Owners.
Other Items of Interest in
Railway Circles.

mas started new sociological HioNe-
ment which is attracting wide atten-
ton among commercial bodies and or
CARNATIONS that are interested in the
problem of how to take the deserving
poor of the great cities and place them
upon the farm. BY an entirely new
method of colonization, the company
has during the last sixty Gays placed
nearly 100 families upon farms IN
Kansas, and the majority of them did
not have the car fare to get to their
new homes, much less the money
necessary to buy machinery and get
started in their new life.
These families were selected from
stranded immigrants in Chicago, Kan
sas City, Pittsburg and other large
cities, and have been rescued from de-
spair and placed upon such pinnacle
of hope as they never expected again
to attain. The majority of the fami-
lies selected were deserving Germans,
Lithuanians and Ruthenians who had
come to this country and VINO mad
been stranded by the unexpected hnan-
cial stringency
On Kansas Farms.
The families in question are now on
farms near Plains, KAN, and prepara-
tions are being made by the company
to put the scheme into operation on
an extensive scale. The plan, in a few
words, is to select the right kind Of
material and then lend the prospective
farms are excellent wheat lands and a
easy rates to pay for all things neces-
sary to tide him over his first or second
crop, or further if necessary.
1t is expected to work entirely
among the class which was on farms in
the old country but which, through
lack of funds, has drifted into the fac
tories and into other lines of work in
the large centers. For the purpose
of trying the new method a tract of
$4,000 acres near Plains was selected.
Out of this tract was first cut 100
farms of $50 acres each. All Of these
Arms are excellent wheat lands and a
great deal of the land was already I'M
der cultivation. Before any settlers
were sought the 100 farms were pro-
vided with dwellings and barns and
wells operated by windmills. In short,
they were made into tnhabitable and
desirable farms. ready for the tenant.
All Land at Low Price.
An extremely low price was placed
upon the land and then the tenants
were sought. Whenever a tenant is
selected by the railroad company the
ing animals he needs and what farm
implements and then lends him the
money upon easy terms and to be re-
paid out of the crops. If the tenant is
a renter. the owner of the land retains
two-fifths of the crop as his rental.
Arrangeme nts, however, are made with
any tenant who so desires. which will
enable him to become the owner Of the
farm.
BY making a payment of one-tenth
of the purchase price of the land and
the balance in nine equal payments,
with per cent interest, the tenant
may became an owner. This oppor-
tunity is offered him at the start or it
may be deferred until he is financially
able to change his status from that Of
a tenant to that of an owner of the
farm upon which he has located. His
option to buy at the original price
however expires in one year from the
time he becomes a tenant. After that
the owner of the land is at liberty to
fix new purchase price If he chooses
Both Interests Aided.
This enables the tenant to secure the
first payment out of the first years
crop, and also protects the owner
against losing the increased value of
his land after twelve months have
expired.
1t is stated that within two weeks
after the date when the farms were
ready for tenants, fifty families and
single men had been secured from
Chicago and Pittsburg and placed
upon as many farms. The settlement
near Plains has been visited recently
by several prominent workers along
the line OF relieving congested condi-
tions in large cities, and it is under
stood that they are at work in connec-
ton with the railroad company for the
promotion and extension of the plan
Philanthropy, however, is not the mo-
tive of the two companies which have
launched the scheme, for with them IL
was only shrewd plan to hasten the
work of colonization, which In turn
brings added traffic to a railroad