The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1916-08-16
COLONY FOR NEGROES ONLY.
PROMOTER AND TWO OF DIIlEC.
TORS IN CHARLESTON.
In Quest OF Good Site-Project Said
to Have $1,6OO,OOO Behind it-An
Outline Of the Project,
News and Courier.

News and Courier.
The small steamer Attaquin, Capt.
Jas. II. HaynswOrtn, tied up last night
at the Consumers coal pier, having
aboard her the promoter and two of
the board Of directors of corporation
which intends to establish somewhere
in the South a cooperative industrial
community for negroes exclusively.
The party came here from Savannah
In order to look over some of the sea-
islands nearby as possible sites for
their experiment. They expressed
themselves as delighted with the
country, and said that there was a
good chance of their locating near
Charleston If the people of this sec
| ton favored the plan.
The party aboard the Attaquin in
cludcs Mr.. John Il. Patrick, promi-
nent citizen of North Carolina, who
built the well known winter resort,
White Pines. and the president of the
board of directors; DR.. CIV. Roman,
professor Of diseases of the eye at the
Meharry Medical College, Nashville,
Tenn, and it's secretary and treas
urer; DR.. John Patrick Turner, medi-
cal inspector of the public schools of
Philadelphia. The last two are ne
grocs.
Some time ago an agitation was
started among the negroes them
selves for the establishment of COM
munity where no white men should
be allowed. and where the negroes
might have an opportunity Of meet
ing and coping with every phase of
modern life. Leaders of the move
ment approached Mr.. Patrick, who
readily promised his aid, and suc-
ceeded in enlisting the support of a
person, whose name is not divulged,
but who has agreed to back the pro-
ject to the extent Of $1,6OO,0OO. This,
with funds raised by various negro
societies and churches afford ample
funds for putting the plan into prac-
lttce as soon as q site is selected.
Ihes idaa II IN pnrchase mawhere
q fertile tract OF between three and
Ave thousand acres. Forty acres of
this will be set aside as space for
the erection Of public buildings,
churches. etc. Around this will be a
grove of trees. and the town will be
laid out in squares on all sides, the
ones nearer the centre being given
over to stores, and those farther out
being reserved for residences. A
stock company will be formed, and
the settlement Incorporated as an in
dustrial community Stock will be
sold to negroes only, and no one will
be allowed to. own more than one
share With each share a four-acre
plot for house will be given. The
community will have authority to
regulate it's own affairs, and to have
a police system.
The town Is to be planned in a most
thorough and modern way, so as to
De model from the sanitary stand
point. silk factory, printing shop,
sanitarium, a seed farm, an indus
trial school. and hotels for negroes
and one for white persons exclusive
ly are to be built. 1t is expected that
the entire project will be self-sup-
porting from the first. The plan is
simply to build a community for ne
groes only. in which they can be
trained under skilled instructors i'm
various Industrial branches, enjoy
modern comforts, and learn how to
manage their affairs all by them
selves. 1t is emphatically stated that
no entrance of outside politics, or ag-
itation Of sex-cquality, will be toler-
ated in the town. which, by the way,
Is to be called Cooperation
Pupils in the industrial school will
pay tuition, but laborers in the other
plants will work their way, until
competent, at reduced rates on a sort
of apprentice system. A superin-
tendent is already being trained es-
pecially in Cincinnati mill to take
charge of the silk mill, which will be
established. In Corporation the ne
gro will have an opportunity to learn
scientific farming, the silk trade. an
industrial craft, or the printing bust =
ness At the same time the women
will also have various advantages.
one of which is that they can become
trained nurses in the sanitarium. ANY
family of negroes who may wish to
live in the town will, Of course be
allowed to do so, but it is expected
that churches and other organizations
will send particularly intelligent fam