Colonia Mauricio

Spellings: Colonia Mauricio, Mauricio, Carlos Casares

Coordinates: 35° 32' S 61° 26' W

Mauricio, near Carlos Casares, in the province of Buenos Aires, comprises an area of about 62,000 acres (25,000 hectares). There are 164 colonists in Mauricio, representing 211 families, and a total of 1,045 persons. The soil is not so rich as that of other colonies in Argentina. The only way in which this inferiority can be overcome is by variation of crops, which system requires larger areas than are at the disposal of the colonists. As very high prices are asked for land adjacent to the colony, the administrators have met the difficulty by acquiring some not in its immediate vicinity, to which some of the families at Mauricio are to be transferred. This would permit of the allocation of more land to those that remain, thus enabling them to vary their crops. In 1898 the following crops were sown: wheat, 13,427 acres; maize, 6,952; lucerne, 1,475; flax, 7; barley, 12; rye, 71; oats, 7; tobacco, 2½; vegetables, 136; making a total of 22,089 acres, or about 9,000 hectares. Cattle-breeding being considered one of the most important forms of industry by the settlers, it has been necessary to form large lucerne fields at considerable expense, as natural pasturage is insufficient. Upward of 2,500 head of cattle have been placed at the disposal of the colonists by the Jewish Colonization Association, of which about 800 are plowoxen. A butter and cheese factory is about to be established. Mauricio has a hospital, a steam flourmill, a slaughter-house, and a bath. The principal centers of the colony are Algarrobo and Alice. At each of these places there is a school, attended by 63 boys and 30 girls and 65 boys and 28 girls respectively. A third school has been opened in Mauricio, and is attended by 24 boys and 8 girls. The sanitary condition of the colony is good.

Source: www.jewishencyclopedia.com

Pictures / Documents:
Administration building
Colonists 1
Colonists 2