Democratic Sentinel, Volume 18, Number 48, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 December 1894 — THE SALVATIONISTS’ FARM. [ARTICLE]

THE SALVATIONISTS’ FARM.

Where Men from London Slums Are Reclaimed and Tanirht. When in 1890 Gen. Booth of the Salvaiion Army, published his book, “Darkest England,” he asked for contributions that a farm might be established near London where men reclaimed from the slums might have a chance to reform and learn some useful trade. The sum of $425,60 : was raised and a farm, called H d eig , of 2,b00 acres, purchased. Buildings and dormitories were put up and the work succe-sfully started. The men working on the ierm are paid by the week from 15 cents to $2.60 and out of this sum they must purchase clothes, food, lodging and a chance to work is given them. Each man must also save a certain part of his. earnings, which is given him when he leaves the farm. The average number of men is 260 and there are besides 100 permanent oiricials, who are members of the armv. The most extensive industry at Hadleigh is the raising and picking of fine fru.t. bruit picking within reach of London is generally given over to the denizens of the slums, who are conveyed to the scenes of action in train loads, and usually convert the r iral scene into more or less of a slum during their labors. At the colony great care is exercised in the choice of pickers; the mor.d experiment, which forms a large half of the scheme, will not allow of indiscriminate association. For the same reason the colony is as complete in itself as the governor <ai make it, in order to prevent the necessity for much communication with tue village. Even a tobacco license has been obtained, lor though thoroughgoing Salvationists do not approve of tobacco, they find that some conce sion to human weakness is the highest wisdom. Permission to go beyond the colony has to be asked, but as the t act is several miles in length this is not so great a hardship as one might fancy. Games too, are provided for the men; foot-ball, cricket, quoits, tac ng, jumping, tug-01-war, are all encouraged. A visitor to the farm writing of the various industries there, says: A rabbit warren with 1,200 rabbits reared for the market and a thriving poultry farm interested me much. Vv e drove round fields of waving corn, wheat, barley, oats. The rich alluvial ground grows excellent crops. We visited the sawmills, the wheelwright’s sh p , backsmlth's shop, the brickmaking industry. This last is somewhat important. employing forty men. Excellent brick clay is found on the land, and this is wisely utilized. Nearly all the bricks used in the colony have been made at the kiln , and a large and growing market is iound for the bricks both in the immediate neighborhood and in London. The colony has been enterprising enough to build a railway connecting the wharf and brickwork s at an expense of s<o,oop. This wa; done by the advice of a noted railroad contractor, who agreed to build it without any profit to himself. Sparks from the Wires. Joseph Trasky, a tailor, who arrived at Troy, N. Y„ from Chicago a few days ago, committed suicide. Charles L. Routt, who inherited Ihe bulk of the estate of Reuben Springer, the Cincinnati millionaire, died at Jaekvil’c, 111. M. Paincarre, minister of finance, lias challenged M. Bouanet, a member of the French chamber, because of an abusive speech. ' - Mrs. Martha White, having refused to ioave Zionsville, Ind., as ordered after the killing of John Martz, a mob wrecked her home.