The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1871-06-21
WAvERLY, TENN, June II, III.

quenty notlceu IN your paper
a call for subscribers to send for pub
location any item of interest occurring
in the county, I thought it might not
be amiss to send you a few lines and
my impressions of Tennessee. I left
Ashland on the Both of May, and had
a pleasant trip as far as Nashville, no
incidents transpiring of particular
interest, except such as are common
to railway travelling. AT Nashville, 1
missed the connection, and had to lay
over from s A. NJ. till 8 in the eve
ming, which gave me an opportunity
to visit some of the most interesting
points. The State House is a very
imposing building, from which, one
can obtain a splendid view of the city
and surroundings. The most pleas
ant and interesting place that 1 visit
ed, was the Southern Military Insti-
tute, situated in the southeast part of
the city The buildings and grounds
occupy a lot of about twenty acres,
donated by General Bell, on condition
that the State would maintain a mill
tary school there. The Institute is
under the control of Generals Kirby
Smith, and Bushrod johnson. In
the Military department there is an
attendance, at present, of between 80
and 80 students, and in the other de-
partments, something owe two hun
dred. The school closes in q few days
for the summer vacation. While I
was there the Rotations were prompt
and thorough, showing talent and
hard study Oh the part Of the students,
and energy and efficiency in the Off
cers of the school. At five o'clock
those in the military department are
called out to drill, which is continued
until six. I was well pleased with
their evolutions, and the promptness
with which they were performed. in
dicated that they were in earnest. I
had quite a chat with Generals Smith
and johnson, who are gentlemen Of
the first class, polite, intelligent and
happy to contribute any information
in their power. 7-
Waverly, the place where / nm at
present stopping, is ~sixty-seven miles
west of Nashville, on the N. & N. w.
railway, and is the county seat of
Humphreys county, al good a county
as one could wish to find anywhere
1t is well watered. with plenty of good
timber-Hickory, Beech, Sugar, black
and white Walnut /; white, red, black,
post and chestnut Oaks; Chestnut,
Sassafras, Dogwood and as fine Pop
lar as any in the world, running up
60 or 20 feet without a limb or a knot,
and five and six feet across the stump.
We have as fine a climate as can be
found anywhere in the hottest days
there is always a cool breeze, which
tempers the heat, and makes it pleas,
ant; we have none of those bot and
sultry days that we have at the North
when the heat almost stiles a person,
and not a breath Of air stirring.
The wheat harvest is overall cut
AMI saved in good condition. The
yield will not quite reach the average,
account of the rust striking before
in was quite filed, but still, the crop
is a good one. Corn is looking fine
ly-as high as a mans head, coming
out in tassel and promising q good
yield. Potatoes are splendid; early
ones have their full growth and are
particularly well Favored. Oats, 1
never saw better. Fruit of all kinds
without limit. Blackberries are ripe
and the largest I ever saw, many of
them as large as a mans thumb.
The facilities for water-poXer can
not be surpassed but capital to put
up mills and operate them, is lacking.
The people here r contemplating
building a railroad from Columbia to
interseet the Nashville and North
Western at Waverly, and there is not
the least doubt but that it will be ac-
ccmplished /; it is intended to open up
the Duck river valley, which is one of
the richest and most productive val
leys in the United States, while in the
neighbcring hills can be found mex
haustable stores of iron and coal ofthe
best quality. I find that the lands in
this county compare fayerably with
the best in your section, and with our
ordinary cultivation can be made to
produce more and better crops than
we ever raise in the North with twice
the amount of the labor. The soil is
rich and Deep. Since-aI have been
here I have examined the lands in all
directions, and have had a good op-
portunity of seeing the crops and
Judging of the quality of the lands,
and am well satisfied that / am not
mistaken in my judgment.
The people are very anxious for
northern men to come here and buy
lands among them and help improve
the country, and are holding out ev-
ery inducement to them; They are