The association expects to number 100 families, composed of persons who will go into the Texas coast region and make their homes, their previous occupations having been fruit growers, gardeners, mechanics from the government works on the island of Rock Island, clerks, artisans, etc. While their fruit trees are developing the members of the association will raise garden truck for shipment. The officers of the association propose visiting the most advantageous sections of the Gulf coast, from Houston to Corpus Christi, and will devote about four weeks time to that purpose. The originator of the enterprise is Mr. I. E. Whistler, whose attention was directed to Texas as a fruit growing country by seeing and testing some fine specimens of peaches shipped from Tyler, Texas, last June to New York City, which rivaled the best California peaches in size, and far surpassed them in flavor. The officers of the association making this tour are I. E. Whistler, president; J. O. Logan, vice-president, and W. E. Hilton, trustee.
The Great Work of the Mobile & Ohio.
Although the Mobile & Ohio Railroad only traverses a few miles of Alabama, yet it has done probably more in the way of inducing immigration to the State since 1890 than any other line, through extensive advertising, combined with excellent folders and maps, which have been extensively distributed through Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Missouri, Iowa, Kansas, etc. They also pursue the same liberal policy with local land agents and all engaged in promoting immigration along their road, distributing their advertising matter, and granting to them courtesies which are necessary to insure local parties to endeavor to give them the benefit of their work in securing immigrants. Alabama wants 10,000 families from the North to settle within her borders in the next twelve months, and only by hard combined work of the people and railways can it be accomplished, and now is the time to organize and keep the ball rolling. Let us get a move on us in this matter, and we can accomplish our object.—The News, Birmingham, Ala.
Farmers to Organise an Immigration Society.
The farmers around Augusta, Ga., are becoming interested in a proposed plan to organize an immigration society, and many have expressed a desire to take an active part in perfecting a permanent organization of that kind.
A prominent merchant farmer from Wilkes county stated recently that the people of his section of the country were very much enthused over the organization of an immigration society in Augusta.
“You would be greatly surprised,” he said, “to know how many of our merchants and planters have taken up the idea, and how anxious they are to see such an organization established at Augusta. Our people are willing to help in every way possible, for they realize that they are to reap the benefits, and consequently are desirous of sharing the labors.
“You see, the farmers are generally land poor throughout the entire country, and what they want to do is to get some one who will work, and take some of it off their hands.”