The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-03-20

port must be obtained before an en-
trance could be made upon the princips
object of the association (the cultivation
of the vine) we have, In many instances
been obliged to neglect the performance
of our contract and yield to the more
immediate and pressing demands upon
our industry for a bare competency asld
support. Many of the grantees, unfor-
tunately for themselves, came prema-
turely TO their lands; they came to the
trackless desert country, almost i'm
pervious to the approach of man, with
out a road or passway; consequently, the
means of transportation to their partc-
uar allotment was so impracticabe and
expensive that many persons, upon their
arrival, were compelled to settle on their
small lots around the town of Aigle-
vile, where their funds were exhausted
and they became unable to make a sec
ond settlement upon their large allot-
ments. The surveyors report of these
lands will exhibit the difficulty of pass
ing through the country their notes
showing that for many days they could
not proceed more than two or three
miles per day. Many of us were COM
PEELED to pay as much as 81 or S. per
bushel for corn. and proportioaate prices
for many other articles of provisions,
which prices were very frequently dou-
bled by the difficulties of transportation
to their residences. Forty or fifty dol
lars have often been paid for COW and
calf which now can be purchased for
IS or $40. Thus commenced our settle
ment, and possessing little knowledge of
agriculture, strangers to the language,
the manners and habits of the people of
this country, we have been greatly re-
tarded from making that rapid progress
which, perhaps, the citizens of the
United States would have made. In
addition to those natural difficulties I'M
der which We labored, we had other and
more serious ones to encounter for upon
almost all of that part of our grant
which was the most easy to settle and
cultivate, the squatter, who Is the pioneer
of all new countries, had fixed himself
He, just having experienced the difficult
ties of settling a new country. at once
became hostile to our claims, and sternly
refused possession to the grantees. in
some instances denying the right OF the
emigrant, and in many others threaten
ing the most violent and determined ven
geance upon any person who would in
terfere with their settlement. From
these circumstances many were deferred
from coming to their lands and in many
instances those difficulties exist until this
day, there having been as yet but one
judicial decision upon this subject which
was in 1895, which adjudged 20 the
grantee the right of possession and en-
try; but mary still continue to hold our
lands and refuse possession Again, many
of the alotments being in a prairie coun-
try admit of no allotments, because of
the difficulties of procuring water, many
having dug to a great depth, unsuc-
cessfully: these still remain unsettled and
un.mproved ] further will remark that
for several years the colony was re-
markedly unhealthy, scarcely family
escaped sickness. and numbers of the
grantees died. These. sir are some of the
reasons why failures have occurred In
regard to the conditions Of the settle
ment, etc
'You will permit me to mention some
of the causes which have produced fall
ures in the conditions relative to the
cultivation of the vine; and here some OF
the reasons present themselves that have
been previously stated-the necessity of
first acquiring the means of subsistence:
and the difficulty and the length of time
required In preparing and clearing land