The Sumter watchman. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1855-1881, 1870-08-17
LETTER FROM TExAS.
BRENNAN, TEXAS, July 25, 1871


BRENNAN, TEXAS, July 25, 1870.
MR. EDITOR You will no doubt be
surprised when you receive this letter,
but the sincere desire I have to see all
my friends prosperous and happy indu-
ces me to send you this communica-
tion.
My theme will be Texas, as a promise
land, for laborers Of all classes, and es-
peoially the farmer. Any one who
knows anything of the vast resources
and advantages Of Texas will not deny
that it offers the means of affluence and
wealth, with less labor, and more GER
tainly to the poor man, than any other
State in the Union. / will assert that
there are fresh and untouched cotton
lands in Texas that would make as
much cotton as all the other cotton States.
Her thousands Of cattle, winter and
summer, keep fat without having food
or shelter provided for them.
To the poor man who desires COM
potency for his family, without such in-
cessant toll, and the opportunity for
mental improvement for himself and
family, l would say Texas is the couu.
try to bring about such desirable re-
suit.
Let any one contemplate the condi-
tion of Thousands Of emigrants, who
land annually, poverty-stricken, upon
our shores, aud compare their condition
with that of those who preceded them to
Texas, ten or fifteen years ago, who
were equally destitute. What a con-
'trast is presented Such comparison
amounts to a demon stration of the adj
vantages of this State, and cannot fail
to convince the most ncredulous.
Germans who nave been here ten or
fifteen years (and landed without a
dollar in their pockcts) are now land
owners to considerable extent, with
fair prospect of becoming wealthy in
few years.
The farmer can work every month
in the year, without Interruption from
heat or cold. Lands should be broken
up thoroughly in January and Decem.
Der, February being considered the time
to plant corn and many other seeds.
Corn is sometimes cut down by the
the frost, aud sometimes has to be re-
planted. Cotton il generally planted
in March.
Texas is subject to fower extremes
Of heat and cold than the Northern
States, and great many of the South
ern States. We have good breeze
from the Gulf all through the summer,
and I don't think you can find a more
healthy aud delightful climate upon the
globe. The superior salubrity of our
climate aud the mild and uniform tenn.
perature does not supcrinduce disease,
as it does in more Northern Iatitudes.
1t would be we'll to notice here what arc
called Texas "northers." These geno.
rally spring up after warm and sultry
weather, and the change is so sudden,
the cold is more sens:bly and disagreca-
bly, felt. They are never unhealthy,
being only unpleasant while they last,
(Which is seldom longer than two or
three days. We have the same winds
in South Carolina, only they come up
more suddenly and blow more violently
in Texas.
Manurcs and fertilizers are not re-
quired and not even thought of. Some
OF the lands have been under cuI.iya
tion at least thirty or thirty.fvo years,
and we are assured by old farmers that
they have not shown the least sign Of
exhaustion, but produce as we'll as at
first. The scarcity of timber for fencing
and building purposes is one reason
why our farmers confne themselves to
bottom lands near water sources.
l will not deny that there are exten.
sisc regions Of unproductive lands in
Texas. Aud how could it be expected
to be otherwise in country embracing
so many degrees Of latitude and longi.
tulc. The seasons here are almost
twice as long as those Of the Northern
States, and crops generally mature
shgut six weeks earlier. This gives
great advantages in the p,arkcts.
Mr. Editor, If man does not have
oinfortable home after few years labor
In. Texas, IL IS his own .fauA.
Truly Yours,
SAMUEL II. FRASER.