Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1873-12-23
LAKE COUNTY.
One OF the Besf Counties in West Ten
nessee-Just abe Place for Emf
grants so Locate.


From the Rural SUM-
SeveR years ago paid a short and dismal
visit 20 thst then obscure portion Of ObiOn
county lying west Of Reelfoot lake-the ex-
treme north western corner of the state. A re-
cent trip % the same point, now erected into
the nsw county OF Lake, has led me 70 doubt
whether any portion Of our State can show an
equal i'm prOvement since the war, or offers
greater attrac tlOns 70 immigrants. To the sur
peTStitlOn that iHe5 pa 90 ;'sr north 10 grow
cotton, the soil AMI .l.iHstlr lave proved re-
Tnark2bly " eli suited 90 that S-aple, the pro-
ductiOu Of which is rapidly increasing IN the
county saw about two hundred fields. most
Il which viii yield fully bale TO the acre this
season. and was IN ormed that whereas last
year there were but two gins in the county,
there are fifteen now, all fully emplOyed--Sev-
eral cf them run by steam. Most Of the cot
ton saw was grown by white labor, and the
people looked Iglly as healthy as the average
u West Tennessee. They claim, indeed, 10
have better climate than the adjoining
county OF Obion. Lands are cheap Al pro-
portion 10 their fertility. saw much cleared
land G Cffered for sale at reasonable prices. bn-
der the Ole system nothing but corn " as grown,
and The same number OF hands could tend a
much larger area indu now cODSeQ uenllys al
though the amount OF labor has actually IN
creased, a. IS relatively scarcer than ever. A
good deal of land IS unoccupied, and wages
are very high. Twenty dollars and board is
tue usual rate for a good iaTIn hand, by the
wear Tie usual price for picking cotton IS
one dollar AID quarter per hundred pounds.
Cleared land can De bought Tor twenty -nNe 70
thirty dollars per acre-iand in the woods for
i've 10 ten dDliars-Un time. There Is no poor
land ~ the county. A statement luxe that
doesn't sOuud like the truth. But 10 is all Al is
atssl ppi river bottom, level, alluVial IN us
character, snd conseQ uently adapted to grow
cotton Tor years with little injury TO the soil.
The county still xpOTts considerable quanu-
ties OF corn and hogs, grows its own horses
and mules and is altogether pregly
iudependenL Its chief market is Mem pbis,
one hundred and ffty miles distant by water.
From Hickman, Kentucky, 10 the county
seat, Zap Ouvllle, Is only tour hours run. Tho
best I can say for Upton Vile is That IL was
worse seven years ago, and 1 hOpeit may con-
tlnue TO improve. Fgrners ana 9th Is wish
lng 10 move 10 " est tennessee will stand in
their own light IL they do not visit Lake
county. II is easily reached by private con-
Yeyance irOI- Dyersburg or Troy, and by
steamer frOln Hickman or Memphis. The
n 8de independent, and claim that they have
the richest soil of any county in the state In
order 10 keep me quiet they acknowledged
MaUry 70 be second best. Not TO abuse your
patience, ! close, with an appeal 20 those o.
our people who think OF enlgrating 10 other
states, a-d particularly to Texas, 10 "lOok be-
lore they leap" 50 far, and see wheth-
er there Is not in sOne corner of
Tennessee (m0st likely the northwesD
what they are going 50 much farther 70 seek,
] have planted cotton several years in the
Mississippi valley, IN one Of the richest and
Ei5st desirable portions, and never saw "a
region that seemed 10 me 20 combine 50 many
advantages Us this 10 is in a state well gov
crned aud moderately taxed, free fuOn The
exloriions and baleful Influences Of carpet
nag rule, is far enough north to be safe nom
the worm, the great terror OF southern plant
eTs, and 20 be out OF that deadly climate
where The white man cannot work in the
field with safety, yet the seasons are long
enough and warm enough 70 insure good
crops The SOL Is quite equal 70 any ever
saw in tie bottom; In other words, about as
productive as any in the world. the state
I'd eds al her citizens, and they should not
abandon her until thoroughly satisfied that
In is against their interest 20 stay. believe a
pogr man can work himself rich as fast in
lake county as in Texas, or anywhere else,
STEAMSHIP arrivals reported yesterday !;
AT New SorE-Gsorgla, from 1iasgoWi Ceit4o
.,,sd tIfv IN a. ester rom Liverpool. At Liv-
.-rrool-Franse. CITY Of Brussels, Wes pha 8,
non New York. Ohio, Siederiaud, from Phil
adeIphis.