The Hickman courier., 1872-08-17
correspondence Mckenzie Times. !
Madrid Rend.
MADRID Benz. Ky Jnlv % 1s79

-sc booked as an occasional
corresponaent, and remembering that |
some tllne ago promised to furnish line
once III while for the columns of your
P"peF' WIZ now attempt to comply with
'h"t promise; and as | know of no 9th
CT SUBJECT that would likely be of so
genefai Interest to the mass of your read
ers' WIN attempt brief description of
Maorlu Bend" it's extent, capacities,
ere. Ihe.name is derived from the tow u
OF New Madrid, in Missouri, town
winch was hrst built by the Spaniards
whist Span held the territory of Lou
lsiana, and named in honor of the capi
tai OF old Spain. Old residents here say
mat the old site of the town of New
Maorld was sunk during the terrible
earthquakes of 1911, which seem to have
changed the topography of this section
very materially, by the upheaval of the
ear'h' Fendlpg mighty hills in twain aud
ming up fhe channel of Reeifoot Creek,
Lherea:--~. Saipg the lake of that name
II Is even said that so great were the
convuisions OF nature that the water in
the Mississippi river ran up stream for
three days Your readers can believe
his last tradition or not, as they choose
But to return. The present town of
New Madrid is a thriving village Of
about one thousand inhabitants, with an
extensive trade, and making annually
very heavy shipments of corn, with some
cotton.
The territory known as Madrid
Bend is rather an extensive one, equal
in extent TO good sized county. will
dedue it. as follows Beginning on the
east bank Of the Mississippi river few
miles above Island No. 10, Cot historic
fame), running thence south to Reelfoot
Lake, down the lake to ils Southern
limit. thence west to the Mississippi river,
thence up said river past the town of Tip
tonvils, in Tennessee, and Point Pleas
ant and New Madrid, in Missouri, to the
beginning
The country lying within these limits
is scarcely equsled in fertility in any
quarter of the world, being we'll adapted
for the production Of cotton, corn, wheat.
oats, peas, potatoes, castor beans, melons,
clover, grass, etc. Prodigious crops are
sometimes gathered under very favorable
circumstances, 1000 pounds Of seed cot
ton. 75 bushels of corn, 40 bushels OF
wheat oud 800 bushels of potatoes are
not uncommon crops. OF course there
are instances where the WELD falls far
below these figures, owing to bad cult
yation or, as is more often the case, to
too long succession of the same crop
on the land l know, for instance, land
here that has been cultivated in corn
every year for from thirty to forty years
On such lands as these from 80 to so
bushels is regarded as an average crop
Another feature of the soil here which
will appear marvellous to some of your
readers, is the comparative ease with
which it may be cultivated Iu ilius,ra.
ton OF this, | will here state that a
neighbor Of mine has this year cultivated
a farm of $50 acres with four hands, aud
rs.'7.s as1-.-- La.x.--.al!.-ia soFa- lie has
good crop which he estimates at so
bushels per acre He estimates the nett
profit this year on his crop at IS 600 j;
after deducti0g interest on investment
81 600 and the entire expense of pro
duction aud keeping the farm in repair.
There is another feature of the coun-
try OF which | wish to speak and yet
hesitate 10 do so, knowing that what |
shall write will be in direct conflict with
the almost universal opinion Cor perhaps
l should say prejudice,) of your section
allude to its comparative healthfuluess
I have no doubt OF the truth of the pro-
position that there is in no section of
country of equal extent between the
Tennessee and Mississippi rivers that is
so free from miasmatic or malarial dis
eases as Madrid Bend. Nor do we have
more OF other fatal or dangerous diseas-
es. In support OF what have written,
| will state that during the seven months
that have resided in this civil district
which is large one-there has, l be
lieve, but four deaths occurred in the
district, and three of those were from
small pox, imported from Cairo. Where
| ask, can district be found which can
make so good health report? The
health of my own family has been much
better since we came here than it was at
Mckenzie.
There is a great demand for labor
here. Good. reliable farm hands can
easily procure employment at from SIS
to $50 usr month the year round. with
board aud washing furnished, whilst day
laborers can earn from one to three dol !
lars per day.
A good blacksmith is much needed |
in this neighborhood. If you know of
any Que that is in search Of a situation,
just refer him to me.
There is also a splended opening for
steam grist aud saw mill Lumber
sells hereat $50 per thousand feet, aud
hard TO get at that, whilst there is an
abundauce of good timber which might
be had fol- a trife.
The timbered land is being rapidly
cleared np and put in cultivation, aud
already the people are agitating the sub
iect Of memorializing the Legislature of
K entucky to pass a law for the special
benefit of that part of the State lying
in the Bend, to compel the owners OF
stock to keep 1t upon their own premises
This done, 1t will open to cultivation at
once thousands of acres of the most pro
ductiye land iu the world, which would /
long since have been done. but for the |
of keeping fencing from
washing away.
This overfiowed land is the most pro
1uctlye that We have; and it is only on
an average one year in eight or ten that
crops fail to be grown on account of the
overflow. Apropos to this, l will state
hat have piece of ground which Is
subject to overflow. part of which /
,leared up last spring, and after break
pg, planted in corn the first of June.
since which it had one plowing of two
'urrows to the row, and without further
cultivation will. | am confident, yield
80 bushels per acre.
Land is worth from SO to 500 per
,cre. the price depending upon the state
If improvement, pearness to the river
md liability to overflow.