The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-04-14
ITALIAN FARMER
OUT IN ARKANSAS
Continued From First Page,

CONTINUED From First Page
pie. pear and peach orchards. Many
acres of vineyards have been SGT out.
The grapes arc made into wine, both
for home and commercial uaes. The
orchards are In bearing. bringing in
valuable returns. The Italians raise
annually quantities OF early vegetables
that are consumed locally or shippeJ
to Northern cities
The houses are neat frame buildings
and all tho surroundings present an
appearance of prosperity and thrift. a
decided contrast TO hundreds OF neigh.
boring acres OF good land throughout
the Ozarks that are waiting the com
Ing OF hhrd- working pioneers 70 trans.
form them from waste into fertile
farms.
Origin of the Settlement
Father Pietro Bandini. the resident
priest and the founder OF the colony.
Travelled through Arkansas In 1886. Al
thiH time italian laborers were being
sousnt for in large numbers 10 work
on the cotton plantations OF the Mis-
elssippi Delta region. The Italian
consul was interested. and decided 10
investigate the conditions In America
so he sent Father Bandini TO inyezti-
gate. While passing through Arkansas
he was struck with the possibilities
OF the ozarks as a fruit-growing re-
sion, and the idea occurred 10 him
that II might be an ideal locality for
italians.
In 1895. while in Now York, Father
Bandini had called on Mr. Corbin. then
owner OF the Sunnysidc plantation, in
Arkansas. to talk of the possibilities
of replacing the negroes on his plan
1ation with Italian laborers. Mr.. Cor
bin received the frst group OF 100
families OF North Italians on his plan
tatton on December 4. 1895. The fol-
lowing year Mr. Corbin died and his
death together with the excessive
mortality among the Italians. due 10
malaria. and the low. damp condition
OF the land at Sunnyside. caused a
great deal OF dissatisfaction, and many
decided TO move away as soon as they
We're able.
After this partial failure of the col
ony at Smnnyslde the colonists were
al loss to know what TO do. Fol
lowing much discussion and an in
vestiGation OF several localities. part
OF them decided 10 remain at sunny
side. some went TO knobvicw, Mo. and
a third party. under the leadership OF
Father Eandini, determined to try
their fortunes in the fruit section OF
Arkansas
\ suitable site with SUFFICIENT avair-
ablc land WAS found near SprinEdsle
Ark athcr Bandini secured options
on some OF the land for SO per acre,
making the frst payment out OF his
own pocket. lie then returned To
Sunnyside. collected fifteen families
and brought them back with him to
the new land In the spring OF 1888.
Before they were settled forty more
families came from Sunnyside. No pro
vision had been made for this second
colony, who arrived penniless. all their
money having been spent in paying
their fare from Sunnysde TO Spring
dale. The first fifteen families had
10 submit to crowding In order TO make
room for tho newcomers.
After building a few rough cabins
OF poles and logs 10 protect the wo-
men and children from the cold, the
men and older boys went into the coal
mines of Kansas and Missouri to earn
enough money during the winter
months to make their next payment
on tho land. In spite of the cold and
the billiards. that partly filled their
poorly constructed cabins with snow,