Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1871-06-20

HbsEfBRooK, CHESTER Co., PENN,
q - A- 4 June 10, 1871.
Rule 4 Rieks, KnorriHc. Tennessee:
DEAR SIKs-In company with some Penn
sylsania farmers, / expect to go through South
west Virginia and East Tennessee to prospect
land, with view of settling. and as see. per
n. I. Tribune, you answer inquiry, propose
to ask few questions, which, if convenient and
agreeable to you, would be pleased to have
answered: 1st., IL Knoxville and surrounding
country subject to ferer and a9ue I'd. Is the
feeling toward Northern mon satisfactory 3D.;
Are you subject to droughts or long wet spells ?
4th. Have you gcod mar ket forgrain and pro-
ducc in Khoxvilief 5th What are your prin-
eipaI crops The average of wheat and
corn per acre. 9TH. Is it good grazing coun-
try? Sth. The average price per acre, includ,
bought onstime and what interest on deferred
myTnentsl 10th. What are your rates of State
and county taxes? 11th. Have you free schools?
18th. What denomination of religion is most
couimonf 18th. Are the titles generally good
through there? 18th. d your railroads make
any reduction in prices of transportation of
goods or fare to persons settling or coming to
purchase land1 i4th What kind of timber is
most common? 18th. Is it good fruit coun-
try2 10th: What proportion of blacks, have
you; are they civil; will they work, and what
are wages for farm hands per day, month or
year?
.,,r You must excuse my many questions and
answer such as are convenient. L shall not take
it amiss if you overlook them.
We answer the above questions as fol-
loWsss INf gftSI-lt8itl GAG
1st. East Tennessee, and especially the
country about Knoxville, is perfectly free
from fever and ague. Not case known
here, save occasionally with those who
have just come here from ague countries
and not yet been acclimated.
I'd. The feeling towards Northern men is
constantly improving here, is far better
here than in any other section of the South,
and there is in the country no prejudice
werth noting, and in this city none among
the better classes Some few who hold
themselves aloOf, and pride themselves on
representing the culture and refinement of
the city have their prejudices, but they
have IN fact but little culture, growing
fewer in numbers and less i'm influence ev-
cry day, and are really beginning to see
and realizehow contemplate and unmanlyl
their prejudices are. Northern men COM
ing here in good faith to live will be kind
ly received, and cannot fail to do well.
men in Knoxville and East Tennessee and
the number growing every day.
Sd. Our wet and dry weather is very
well proportioned. We are not subject to
either drOughts or wet seasons. Our win
tiers are open with a good deal more of wet
weather than usual in the North. Wehave
rains where you have SHOWS.
4th. We have good grain and produce
markets in Knoxville and East Tennessee,
andkgood shipping facilities to the South
where most of our produce goes.
5th. We grow cereals and grasses, pretty
much the same crops raised in Ohio and
Pennsylvania. Corn is perhaps most rails
ed.
9Th. Taking the seasons through, and
averaging our poor and rich lands, we raise
about ten bushels wheat and thirty bushels
corn per acre. We have lands Welding 80
bushels of wheat and so of corn average
seasons. We have some very good and
some very poor lands. The great trouble
here, in our judgment, is that our farmers
try to work too much land. With proper
culture we can raise about as much grain
here as in most sections North. Our lands
are run down and need work to bring them
up. But East Tennessee wheat is known
the land over as the best raised for flour.
IN 9TH. We have the best grazing country
in the South. Our farmers are paying more
attention to the grasses, and We are glad to
note 1t. Hay is worth here from fifteen to
twenty dollars per ton, and can be sold by
the car load for shipment at those rates.
Sth, This is hard question to answer.
Good lands can be bought i'm this county
with good Improvements at from twenty
to forty dollars per acre. Lands can be
bought at any price from one dollar up to
hundred per acre. Very good farming
lands at twenty dollars per acre near good
markets are offered for sale, and some fair
lands as low as ten dollars. There greatest
failing is, they have been r0, doton, but
they respcud ve'y quick to good treatment
and fertflfzing.
9th. Lands can be bought on time, with
part cash and often without any cash.
Lien is generally retained on the land for
deferred payment. Interest generally but
six per cent Our statutes now allow
special contracts for more.
10th. Our rates for State and county tax
are unfortunately pretty high. The rate for
1870 was sixty-five cents on the hundred.
1t is some higher this year.
18th. We will put in operation free
schools in this county this fall. Other
counties are following and all very soon,
we hope.
10Th. We have all religious denomina-
tions, Methodist, Presbyterian and Baptist
most common.
1Sth.z Land titles are pretty well settled
and can besmade good. - 81 ~ -
18th. Railroads have special rates for inn
migrants. -
f4th. We have pretty much same tim
bers common in Pennsylvania, and plen-
ty of it, and good quality.
18th. We consider East Tennessee one Of
the finest fruit sections on the continent.
The peach grows naturally and luxurlant-
ly and scarcely ever fails. BIackberries
grow wild and prolific. and as fine as the
LawtonI cultivated. All fruits do remarka-
| bly, well.
18th. There are very few colored people
i'm East Tennessee, compared with tne
whites. This was not much of slave see,
| ton before the war. They are civil and
work well. The wages for farm hands va
ries from So to $l2 per month and board.
East Tennessee is as peaeeable as the besl
as safe in life and property here as there
We do not believe, all things considered,
there is any part of the country that offers
so many attractions to immigrants. Oul
climate is neither too hot nor too cold
neither too dry nor too wet--in these re-