The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-07-28
ITALIAN WORKERS
in NORTH CAROLINA
More About the Waldcnsian
Colony at Naldese, in the
Carolina Foothills.
HISTORY OF THE COLONY
Success Comes After Many Set
backs-Religious Views.
Ways OF the People.
By W. i. L.ttck.

The colony o: North italian general
farmers at valdesc. North Carolina.
affords valuable illustration of how
unimnroved land may be successfuIl,,
brought under cultivation bv small,
communities of thrifty inmirrsnts
Naldese is located on the Ashevi,,A
division of the Southern Railroad ,as-
the towns OF Hickory. Morgantou an.,
conelly Springs
4 Waldesisn minister. while travel
ing through the United states in 1so3
met an agent OF the Mor-an,on rsr,d
Improvement Company. a cornorstior
controlling large tracts Of mountain
lands III the vicinity OF Vald.sc A.
i"'s tlme all the land where the COLONY
- now located was uninprovod 90
heavily timbered. The mInister ,Sor ~.
ms region was particularly adantad
20 co!onizat!on. especially with neonI.
rom MS province, who were accus-
toned to farming on the mountai,
ia"os OF Northern Italy Tentative
arr seHents were made with tha 1ara
company by the minister WIN. he ws 9
IN ms country; on returning TO 1.alv
ne TOOK the matter up in church con.
ierences. and It was decided daer,,,I.,
to undertake the venture. In MoH.
1873 tho FIRST part of the colonv >
tth'iiies-came over. and in Oetober ~
me same year about 40 more families
arrived The colonists paid their wav
10 New York city, and were furnished
transportation from that point nv rh,
southern Railway Company.
pehnite arrangements for the mr..
chase OF 10000 acres had been made
before they arrived. at purchase
price OF $500 Per acre. with twenty
years In which TO pay The COLONY
was started as corporation. win
members OF the land company already
mentioned as officers
Early Trials and Failure.
y seawmill was installed by the cor
poration for tho double n,,r,os.
utilizing all the marletabla tins ~
me tract and furnishing the colonists
win employment while the land v,s
being improved. At the end of sbout
Two years OF strenuous existence di,r-
ing which all the colonists received
tor the labor was a scant living The
corporation became lnsolvent After
ms venture ana the dissolution az ma
,o'onS as corporate enterprise. it was
decided to let each colonist set out
on his own responsibility About 1000
acres OF tho best land was selected
ana divided among the families who
remained.
There has been no community or
ganization in the colony since tho as.
solution OF the corporation bur mo
minister is usually recognized as the
leader When the colonists found
themselves in financial straits after
the corporations failure they did NOT
seek charity bur the head of each
household selected what land he
thought he was able TO pay for and
Immediately began to make provision
for establishing a home.
The land was Wild and extremely
rough geographically. covered IN soma
spots with loose stones. and henvil,.
forcsted with timber Of FIRST and second
growth. This land had to he cleared
Of trees and loose stones Houses and
barns had To he built The coIonists
had absolutely nothing when they be-
gan to clear their Individual farms.
although practically all. had brought
money TO this country. In most In
stances. however. the amounts were
CONTINUED on Second Pagoj