Weekly journal-miner. [volume] (Prescott, Ariz.) 1908-1929, 1912-01-31
LIVING ON ONE ACRE

Down near the Mexican line Is a
two. year.old colony of people known
locally ss "Thc Little IandersD from
tho circumstance that the average
farm Of the colony il not larger than
one acre in extent. One hundred and
forty people are grouped together,
living in tents, shacks. bungalows and
what not else, and are solving the
problem of the high cost Of living by
cutting OFF the "high" end of the
program aud getting back 30 the sim.
pie life with its limited needs.
These enterprising people raise
chickens. garden crops. berries and
other produce adapted To- small areas.
Most of them get along without a
horse, and very few of them buy
much except sugar. flour and raw
material for clothing. Al these pur.
chnses are made comparatively at low
est Wholesale prices. and products of
the colony are marketed directly with
no middlcman's rakc.off. San Diego
people have found the Little Land.
er's' produce 10 be Of superior quail.
ity and are ready to pay n good price
for H.
One interesting feature of the ease
Is the fact that these people are able
TO pay for their land Mt the rate Of
800 per acre, neat price for unim.
proved Southern California dirt. This
$500 includes water, and certain so.
cial values, such Us the right 70 walk
in the colony park and 90 TO lectures
in the little town hall. Presumably
the right 10 gave nj the mountains
near by il also thrown in without
extra toll.
Now scheme that will make raw
land worth $500 per acre in the desert
south Of San Diego ought to he worth
something mp here where we have real
soil that will grow something worth
while. Mr.. William T.. Smythe. the
founder Of the colony believes that he
has hit upon the solution Of several
of the problems Of the ovcrcrowded
life Of present times. and IL cntbusi.
astic over the project Of establishing
similar colonies all over the country.
II IL said that there is not n family
in San Ysidro that wants 10 change
It's manner Of living. That state.
mcnt has n peculiar Southern Cali.
fornia twang, and may be taken with
a liberal allowance OF sodium chloride.
Some allowance may be made for the
rarefying efforts Of that wonderful
Southern atmosphere. but even, 80,
there In something in the scheme
worth looking into. .t
These "Littls Landers" 1--WE most
~ close together in the village at the
center Of the tract, though some of
them live on their acres Of land. In
any ease II is only few minutes'
walk 10 their growing cabbages and
the isolation Of life on big farms Is
entirely done away with. Every Non.
day night there Is town meeting,
with discussion Of matters of general
interest. Clubs, library, reading room,
paved streets. park system. water
supply, telephone system, all bring
tho coloni-ts into the heart Of the
world.
There IL no doubt but that some
such scheme Ms this will do much 10
solve the problems Of eongested pop.
Nations, and that we have only be-
gun In fragmentary way to take pos.
session Of the vast resources Of this
Western country. There are locations
in yavapai county where thousands of
people could make a living by inten.
sive farming st the'rate Of two acres
to family. The abundant natural
water supply OF tho hills, the rich
soil, the invigorating climate, the
nearby market, all make conditions
here ideal for the colonizing of mum.
erous small tracts TO be cultivated on
the intensive plan. The day win
come when vast population of cul.
tured people will thrive In tho val.
leys Of this county and the citizens
Of that day will wonder how we kept
from getting lonesome in the pioneer
days Of 1919.
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