Franklin's paper the Denver star., 1912-12-07
A SECOND
NEGRO
COLONY

EuD4It. W 70. NV -, 49,.
The Denver Star:
According to my promise when in
your good city last month, l now take
pleasure in sending you few items
from our settlement. knowing that
as leader and molder of public
thought. you are interested in all
things that tend to better the condi-
tion of this people. | want to let the
| people know something of what we
are doing here, and of the opportun-
/ ities existing here for any who are
I looking for a place TO establish a
home. and at the same ume so ar
range as TO have a competent income
| for life. Such an opportunity is Of
fered here on this free government
land in wyoming.
The settlement here was begun
early in 1905 when the heirs of Moses
Speese traded the homestead of their
! father for part OF the c. y. Cunning
ham ranch. consisting of 500 acres of
rich valley land. This was decided
/ land in the states of Wyoming and
Nebraska. The settlement at Empire
/ is on the line that divides these TWO
! states.
Since that time other families have
come and taken up homesteads until
now there are eight families. for
school and builded an excellent school
house.
The years 1910 and 1911 were very
| trying ones upon the settlers. These
were years of drought here as in
many other parts of the United
States. But the homesteaders pulled
through. They lived. and now, since
the three year law has become effect
i've. they are ready to prove up and
receive patent to a 320-acre tract of
land. worth at time of proof no less
than SO per acre. or n total of $500
Is there any other way one can live
and at the same time realize as much
in such a short time? thousand
dollars a year is not easily picked up
by many who are competent business
men.
But TO return to the colony: In the
fall of 1871. at the urgent solicitation
| of the Home Mission committee of the
! Cheyenne Presbytery of the Presby-
terian church. L. s A.. the writer
came out from Tennessee and took
charge of the school and organized
the Grace Presbyterian church II
now has 30 members. Last year on
! Thanksgiving day, at the invitation of
the pastor. all the families joined in
a general Thanksgiving dinner at the
| school house. To have seen the over
| burdened tables, one would not have
dreamed that it was year of
drought So well pleased were the
people with this that the fete was re
peated this year. At that dinner
among the things said giving expires
sions of thanks. were these words of
! Mr.. j, Speese: Il was born in the
state OF North Carolina. have lived
in good many states and farmed in
many. | am thankful to say today
that have sold more produce-hogs.
cattle. potatoes, beans. etr.-thnn |
have ever sold before in my life. and
have handled more money accruing
from the sale of the same" | only
wish to add that this same Mr.. Speese
took Il prizes at the annual fair in
Tocringtcn this fall. and this IL CON
petition with the irrigated products.
Others here have done proportionate-
ly as well as Mr.. Speese. This is a
fine valley country. The amount of
rainfall is increasing every year. The
land is here now awaiting settlers: il
will not be here long. Settlers are
coming in daily. Why not you?
Russell TAYLOR.