SETTLEMENT AND COLONIZATION IN GREAT LAKES STATES 75 
are typical or because they illustrate some particular phase of the 
land settlement problem. Records were taken from settlers on only 
a few of these projects. 
PROJECTED COLONIZATION ENTERPRISES NOT CARRIED TO COMPLETION BY THE 
PROMOTING CONCERNS 
In the undeveloped portion of the Lakes States a number of enter- 
prises have been projected by promoters whose enthusiasm was 
greater than their judgment and ability in execution. 
One interesting case was that of a concern which had planted a 
colony of 225 Polish farmers, mostly on 20-acre or 40-acre tracts. 
The company had built two-story houses and cleared land in advance 
of settlement, but took all of the settlers’ money in initial payments 
and even then nearly went bankrupt. A local bank and the paper 
mills saved the situation for the settlers, and consequently only about 
10 per cent let their contracts lapse. ‘The land was laid out in nar- 
row strips back from the road and the clearing was done next to the 
road, giving the impression of a community in an advanced stage of 
development. 
Another dealer tried colonizing 150 Poles, selling them the land 
on five-year contracts calling for annual payments. The Poles did 
not make their payments, and the financial burden became too great 
for the dealer. He solved his problem by writing two to five-year 
mortgages against the holdings and selling these on the market. 
The Poles objected, but capitulated after he had closed out a few of 
their contracts. 
Still another case of somewhat excessive optimism is illustrated 
by a promoter who, with insuflicient capital, had established one 
colony and projected another intended as a part of a series or chain 
of colonies. As a means of economizing capital, the tracts in ques- 
tion had been bought on an option which required an earnest-money 
payment at the start and a certain amount in addition each year. 
Whenever a sale was made, the landholder made a deed to the colon- 
ization company, which in turn made a contract for a deed with the 
settler. ' 
The special features of this project were: (1) Houses being erected 
in advance were costing $720; (2) effort was being made to attract 
two different types of settlers, one’ the kind ordinarily attracted to 
such projects, and the other, farmers on a larger scale wanting 160 
acres or more of land; and (8) a special feature was made of giving 
the settler the alternative of buying a farm with both land and 
buildings or with land only. 
AGENCIES PROMOTING THE SALE OF LANDS FOR SPECIAL USES 
Characterized by a somewhat similar tendency toward undue 
optimism were a number of concerns promoted with a view to the 
development of a specialized type of farming. Throughout the 
United States there have been numerous concerns engaged in pushing 
land for such uses, most commonly for highly intensive crops capable 
of being raised on sandy soils. Some concerns of this character have 
operated in the Lakes States, but not always on sandy soils. 
One instance is that of an operator who attempted to develop a 
potato colony some years ago in northern Minnesota. In this case 
