The Denver star., 1913-06-07
By wILLIAr1 ANTHONY AERY.

By WILLIAM ANTHONY AERY.
William V. Chambliss, graduate of
Tuskegee institute, has managed very
successfully for twelve years the South
ern Improvement company. which was
started by Alexander Purves, a white
business man Of Philadelphia, who, as
the treasurer of Hampton institute.
gave his life for the advancement of
colored Americans. Mr.. Purves' aim
was TO give the colored people in Ma
con county, Ala. the opportunity of
buying land and owning homes on the
most favorable terms.
Mr.. Chambliss says Of the struggles
Of the company that after great
deal Of travel we had to decide upon
land that was so poor that no one else
wanted it We succeeded finally in Sc
curing about 1000 acres a few miles
west OF Tuskegee in a community
known as big hungry beat
The Southern Improvement compa-
ny was organized under the laws Of
the state of New York. Its object has
been to help poor people who had no
home to buy one.
"At the same time it has given them
the opportunity of improving their gen.
eral condition. The whole plan was a
philanthropic idea conceived by Mr.
Purves. The company has been con-
Quoted strictly on business principles.
After the land had been surveyed and
laid off in twenty, forty, sixty and
eighty acre plots attention was given
to the building Of houses. the securing
Of tenants and the clearing Of land for
farming
''To keep down the expense Of the
company we sawed our own lumber.
made shingles and manufactured
bricks. 1t was a very hard task at
first TO convince the people that the
Southern improvement company was
their friend and meant to help them.
tried to get some men on the place
who had some live stock. some tools
and some food for themselves and for
their animals. Men We're advised by
their friends. white and black. that the
land which we offered them was too
posakan make living on and was not
worth buying.
The first year we succeeded in get
ting fourteen men to try the expert
ment Only one man had a mule and
few tools. To the others we had to
furnish everything. After the first
year we had no trouble in getting all
the men we wanted. Occasionally.
however. we have had some difficulty
getting rid of few we did not want
Seventy odd cottages. none Of them
with less than two rooms and most of
them with three. four and five rooms.
are now occupied on the Southern I'm
provement company land by about 500
happy and contented colored people.
Under our form of lease contract
tenant Is allowed seven years in which
to pay for his land and dwelling. We
have had some men go on their tract
OF land with nothing behind them ex-
cept few debts.
They have literally made a start in
the woods-have cleared their farms,
have cared for their fan.fies and have
paid for forty acres. a cottage. = mule,
wagon and SONG tools-an In five
years. One tenant With q large family
came to us wter be owed a TuskeSee
merchant $34,t ~ paid the debt for
him and move ,.:sa c2s into the woods
where there ~ Des nz scTe cleared
Within four nr. 10 wiped cys!; ~ ITS
indebtedne mi r.rNrsv,d 2s1S ie o..
from the 7p-r s,hss casa'ss ~
bought ar - ~ q - '.e'
1T has s.. ,i.a, '..-c =
a landov q sssc 50 - v
would m ,'-.hc,N
better citizen. - II Sc
The tenants have lest
Southern Improvement con..
meant all II said y Al hss done -.
them great de =, more than It has
ever promised Na community OF
big hungry beat -ow has better
Churches. better sch, houses. se.ter
preachers and better te hers.
''On the company land Nerr hice
brick schoolhouse. built cost OF
about 81 500. The building is well
equipped. The sohoo! has two good
teachers. Local farmers conferences.
mothers meetings and other social
gatherings are held in the Purves
school. A steam gin and gristmill
serve the co,npany's tenants and the
general public"
Mr.. Robert c. Ogden of New York
has said: "The removal Of Mr.. Purves
gave to our company staggering
blow from which our plans can never
recover. The moral and material re-
suits anticipated by him will not be
realized. but nevertheless we have not
failed. and the measure OF success at
tnined IL due to the loyalty and tideli-
ty OF the responsible people associated
with him in the active service OF the
company"
Edward smyth Jones Winning Success.
Edward Smyth Jones. author of The
Siivan Cabin" and other poems Of rare
merit n meeting with much success In