Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1871-01-04
Correspondence,


! encroach upon your we'll filled columns with
continued sketch OF :he CONDITION. and
| prospects OF our growing little Southern
| city, together with that OF the South II
| general.
! | wrote YOU once or twice, after having
| been here bur short time. and again on the
| l>t OF June last 1t is now over a year since
| | cut loose from the associations and busi
ness connections OF my old adopted county
of Cleartied. After having spent thirty
years there. witness TO the rapid march oil
improvement which marked that period, it
is not strange that there should be some ties
not easily severed; but | sought change
% climate which would DC uiore congenial tc
my health, and that of my family.
In my former letters | could or y speak foi
the time which had then elapsed; | now
speak for the balance OF the year | dc
| thss at the request Of number of your
readers with whom | held converse while III
your county last spring.
10 begin, then, where | left of IN my
| last, l may say that very esrly was ushered
IN one Of the hottest summers that has been
known for many wears, followed 10y an unu.
sual amount OF sickness: principally, how
ever, Of the Bilious, Intermittent or Re
mittent type, and not very fatal though
quite annoying and evious to be bornc.
| Cd residents say that it was the most sick
ly season Inorn here for over forty years,
YET, with over $50 Northern settlers in this
vicinity. there were but three fatal cases
Que adult and two small children. Ii is but
taiv to state that during two or three months
tof this season, at lcastl the heat was too
oppressive, tor persons not accustomed To
the climate, to endure out door labor tho
the mercury at no time reached 100 degrees
| in the shade. But with approaching autumn,
followed 10y the autumnal frostS, Gang not
only our former wonted delightful weather
and pleasant breezes, but what was more
| welcome still, the banishment OF those ma
| larious diseases which had SO extensively
prevailed. so that We now once more arc
| blessed with 4 general health not surpassed,
perhaps, IN any location The question here
| arises, were we Of Eastern North Carolina
or OF the South alone thus afflicted? In the
newspaper reports from the North and West
the answer comes, Mo- In all sections OF
the land where ague and fever, or bilious
fever, was ever known. not excepting some
parts of the New ESland states, 1t has pre-
vailed during the past season IN an unusual
d.grec, many places assuming more ma
lignant or typhoid character, and proving
| much more fatal than here.
While 1t Is generally supposed that this
unusual visitation will, to sons extent al
| least, check the tide OF emigration South
ward fer Il time | have still faith To believe
| that as the people come 10 realize the fact
;hat-niany other -ectIous of the country were
alike visited, and that no place Is exempt
from disease, they will once more pour into
aud build up the waste places OF this future
garden of America. that AT no distant period
it vii! be developed. until by the aid OF
capital and unyieldIng energy, it will yet
shine forth in all the elements Of greatness
with which Nature has SO beautifully provi-
ied it,
To be convinced that the whole Southern
country is destined to be improved until it
will raak side by side with It's hitherto more
favored Northern sister states.w we need only
to acauain, ourselves with its soil. its Gil
mate, its magnificent forests of valuable
timber, its minerals, its water power and the
facilities tor watcr communication, and com
pare it's vast plantations and sparse ropu!a
ton. with the small, we'll improved and well
TILED farms os the North aud Eat. Let
Railroads be built. ttle2raphS ected, man
ufactores estab ished, waste lands BE- bro t
into cultivation. forests felled and made sub
servient TO the demands Of the markets OF
the world let the large plantations he di
vided and subdivided. until no one will oc-
CnDS more Ianu ltllh ne can cOHitnl 10 az
vantage; let a general system OF education
be instituted, by which the humhIest citizen
,nay 1t least acquire the rudinents OF learn
ing necessary for the transaction Of the ordi
nary business of life, and soon will follow
all the blessings and comforts of great and
prosperous nation. every vestige OF apparent
sec,ionalism viii disappear, our great coun
try will be truly natinnalzed, every portion
being bound together as only nations
are whose interests being one, have one
common destiny Nar,hern men with cap
iial and brains sufficient for the emergency,
can aone bring ahcut so desirable result
The low price of lanls. and :lIc vast anoun;
OF labor waiting To be employed still afford
strong Inducements to such to conc and
cast their 10; with us.
In Il former letter referred to the cause
of the present undeye!oped con 3ition of this
portion Of our country, that cluSe Is forever
removed and although in some sections un
scrupulous men refuse to forget the past.
but continue to foster It's evils, there arc on
" Ietardng their own best interests by dri
wing emigration in!o parts where cordial
welcome is extended TO AL, and the imp. ove-
mants already manifest are the best eviden-
ces of the wisdom oi their course which
j. especially the case in this portion of North
Carolina. Respectfully, &c, J.R.