Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1922-05-30
The Sad Awakening.

AAC Odu hWdhGuluK,
"The excursionists found the
soil of the island fertile, but only
300 or 400 acres of it slashed for
clearing and only a fraction Of
this under cultivation. There
were no roads. Many crops coura
be grown, but there was no way to
market the produce and little, If
any, market. Nor are there any
kind of improvements on the is
lands. There is an old hacienda.
The most pretentious of the build
ings is adobe structure with three
other single roo adobes nearby.
There Is a school house now used
as a dwelling since there are
neither teachers nor pupils on the
island. The large colony of Cali
fornians' shown in promotion lit
erature, was found conspicuous by
its absence. Although the exploita-
tfon of the island has been under
way for 10 years, only 10 families
were found, and one of these was
leaving when the excursionfsts ar
rived, because it was broke.
"The Salemite paid $50 U. S. cy
per acre for the land. Land on
the mainland was selling at from
80 cents per acre up, and the land
as good if not better than any on
the island for $5. The entire is
land was offered for $3.50 per
acre, 1t Is claimed. and 1t is ques-
tionable whether the promoters
paid that much for it.
Title to the land is guaranteed
by trust company by some form
of trust deed that gets around this
country's constitutional provision
requiring citizenship, 1t is said.
Whether or not. it will stand is
problematical. The original title
is by crown or government grant.
More Misrepresentation.
There are no cows or milk or
or butter on the island and it is
described as being covered by
brush and forest and clearing will
be necessary for its utilization.
The water table as reported by
settlers leaving there, is IL feet
below the surface and not four, as
represented. Cocoanuts grow
just as the prospectus said-but
the promoters did not add that
they require eight years before
bearing and IA years before they
became commercially profitable.
There is a worthless scrub variety
of ebony In the forest, but neither
mahogany nor cedar as claimed.
The Other Angle.
"The following letter from one
disillusioned investor, sets forth
the other angle to the story:
"'Yeur letter came to hand a
few days ago and in reply thereto
will say that know Of no way to
repay you for the strong protec-
tfon and true statements made by
you regarding Mexican ventures.
II your letter could have reached
here some six or eight weeks ago,
many a Salem person would have
larger capital today
OF all who wrote to Mexico
to investigate the island, for my
self 1 claim the honor Of being the
only Salemite receiving an an
swer.
We. my parents and myself,
have dropped the wonder Garden
OF Eden forever. but we still have
desire to visit your country some
day. My father is a retired farm
err, not by any means wealthy, hui
'well-to-do. We travel consider
able and am a former student
Of the University Of Californli
and unlike other girls. l am dis
eontented and want a change A.
climate. scenery and life In gen
erai. therefore I thought perhaps
1 might like Mexico. but lam Soc
vain to want to live in a place
where 1 would be the only human
being, as fear 1 would be on tbs
island. But maybe I would turI