Stories of Paraná - Mass for George Smith

Stories of Paraná - Mass for George Smith

Mass for George Smith
Olympio Luiz Westphalen

Started the colonization of Londrina, with the arrival of the first caravan colonizing open clearing in the woods, raised the first ranches palm and built the Hotel Campestre, George Craig Smith, son of Brazilian English, was as office manager and advisor bookies land, while the Eng
Carlos Rottman, who was already official Land Company Northern Paraná, was named manager of the local operations.
In 1930 was built the highroad between Jatai Heritage and Londrina.
Due to the political situation of the country and the Revolution of 1930, sales of land were fraquíssimas, so that Arthur Thomas, Director-Ge-close and Director General of Lands Company, based in São Paulo, ordered the strictest economy and reduced activities to a minimum. The first group of land buyers arrived in December 1929, was composed of eight Japanese who arrived accompanied by remarkable pioneer and land agent for the Company, Hikoma Udihara.

In 1932 was inaugurated the railway station Jatai and installed the first telephone line, which was a great benefit, bringing the ci-viüzação closer to the brave pioneers of Londrina.
In the same year, in May, came to Londrina Dr. Willie Davids Brabazon of Fonseca, as Technical Director of Lands Cia.
When the Revolution broke out Paulista 1932, Londrina already had about 150 houses and, as reported by pioneer Oswald Nixdorf, the book published by the Dean of journalists Londrina, Humberto Puigari Coutinho, the inhabitants of the Shareholders were completely isolated from civilization, for the road iron, whose end point was in Jatai, stopped on the first day of the revolution.
Then started missing everything, salt, flour, sugar, rice, beans, tobacco, cigarettes and even matches. Dr. Willie Davids, with his experience as an engineer, administrator and farmer, felt a personal responsibility for people and then took several steps to alleviate the situation.
Sent buy molasses and rice paddy in the village of Sertanópolis, manufactured a primitive rice hulling machine and built a water mill.
The village women were admirable and not lagged behind in their efforts and did miracles in the preparation of food, using the palm as a base - baked, boiled, roasted, raw, etc ... The fire could not clear, because there was no match to relight it.
In July 1932, the young Paulista George Craig Smith enlisted as a volunteer in the Forces Constitutionalists of São Paulo, as a soldier, having fought in front of Buri, without a single day of rest, until he was arrested and sent to Flores Island in Rio de Janeiro.
Returning to Londrina in October 1932, after the Revolution, was received with great joy by Dr. Willie Davids, and his wife, Dona
Carlota Mello Peixoto Davids, mainly because they thought Smith had died in combat, so that they managed to send say Mass for his soul.

Olympio Luiz Westphalen, a university professor in Londrina


Source: Stories of Paraná, Brasil.