The Pensacola journal., 1909-12-22
Railroads Colony
Project Is Good.

Project Is Good.
The Southern railway is wise rali-
way and Mr.. William w. Finley Is d
wise railway president. We doubt
whether there is in this country To-Day
a man at the head of an extensive
transportation system who devotes
more valuable time to personal con
tact with his territory and its people
than does William W. Finley.
His travels and his talks to busi-
ness men and farmers in all the
states, We might say in all the coun-
ties. that his road and its allied lines
touches, have brought him very close
to thousands of men whom he can
help and who, in turn. can render
much sound assistance to him.
The Southern, following the policy
that various Western and Northwest
ern roads have found eminently profit
able, is assisting in the settlement OF
lands tributary to its lines. It has
started a good work over in Mobile
county, for instance, where the land
and industrial department Of the road
has established a model colony and is
keeping a watchful though by no
means an OfficiOus eye on the pros
poets of the people that are now
getting ready 20 realize on those fer
tile acres across the line in Alabama.
Taken purely as a selfish business
proposition-and Mt. Finley, We note,
is man enough in his newspaper inter
views and in his talks in Southern
cities o frankly describe it as such
these cOlonizations are beneficial to
the people colonized and to the states
and counties of which they become a
part Not all of them are men and
families whose agricultural horizon
has been limited to the cotton beIt OF
the South. Many of them are from
the Lake States, from the Missouri
and Red river valleys Of the North
west, where farming has been reduced
to an exceedingly scientific and svs-
tematic basis these 20 years. Others
from the fruit belt Of New York and
New Jersey and the Lake Erie sec
tion, have come South to a land of
richer soil, more Ienient climate and
amplified opportunities.
Nearly all of these new settlers. as
We understand it. are practical not
theoretical men of the plow and chi
tivatOr. They VIII make a good living
and a satisfactory cash profit for
themselves; and some of them will
prove a source of new ideas and fresh
inspiration to neighbors Who. through
lack of chance to observe for them
selves the conditions in other farminr
districts. may have been WORKING in
a little bit of a rut.
There are thousands of acres Of Dc
sirable and idle land all through rb.
Southern states and. while much Of II
IS being taken I'D and more settler
are coming into Alabama and Geargia
and Florida than at any previous tim.
-he fact remains that there Is roor.
Tor more settlements ana that an m
1ortunity Is waiting for the fellow w6o
wants 20 set healthy Uyiag-aDd an
Independent iiviug-iu the section
which a no less competent autho-it,
IN Twentieth century earning chances
han the secretary og agriJu.ur. HIu.-
self is now steadily describing rs ~.bs
doorway Of promise to the man UT,
.ims to set his living or a fara.~
The further progress o. Mr.. FfrI.v.z
hus far decidedly successful pIanrfus
4 Southern colonies viii be sns-rI-
by people who believe r.ev
re 10 play generous part III lus
of the South. So. too. VIII
he same people wait Tor his visit to
he Mobile colony and for the advice
IS settlers are shortly 20 receive in
.ersOu from the man at the head ot
he Southern road.
Santa Rosa wants the Escambia
iver bridge. al BoEia's Station or
ONE convenient pOint. and has asked