South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1875-05-14
Letter from Missouri.

LEXINGTON, Mo-, April 20, 1875.
MAJOR HARrER-Dear Sir I'm nv
letter Of the 10th inst, gave YOU only
a mere outline Of the things / should
have told you, for, you see it was a first
effort on my part. But hope in the fu-
tnre not to be so greatly embarrassed as
IN the past. will begin with the river.
Our city and county border right on the
Missouri River, about $50 miles from its
mouth, IT is navigable to about one
thousand miles above this point and is
extremely deep and rapid. Unlike the
cool and placid waters of the "Old Do
mln'on, they are very muddy and n
bound with large fish. 1t changes its
channel every year, and every year from
the first of June until late in July, we
have what is called the "June-rise." II
IL caused by the immense amount of
snow melting in the mountains, and they
are borne TO the Missouri river. In
Hampshire county (Na.) we always con-
sidered that land which bordered on the
South Branch to be the best; and so il
was, But along the banks of the Mis-.
souri, river the land is the meanest to be
found anywhere. 1t is very sandy and
this, as matter of course, renders it
unfit for cultivating purposes. 1t is ex-
pected this year, that we will have the
largest overflow we have had for 81
years. II, the river, has risen Is feet i'm
two weeks and is still rising at the rate
of an inch in an hour.
In regard TO schools, we have three or
four good male colleges in the whole
State, IL young man here wishes to
have n liberal education, he goes to one
of the colleges in his own State; but, if
he wishes TO make = gerry fine scholar of
himself, he goes to such colleges as Yale,
Lexington Washington q Lee) Univer-
sity or the celebrated University of Va. at
Charlottesville. This last is considered
the very best OF all Every we'll educa.
ted man here, has come from one of these
schools. The population exclusive Of
Germans, Irish and negroes). is compos-
cd principally of Virginians and Ken.
tHckians. SO you see those who came
from Virginia, were educated there
There are great many Germans here.
They form about one.fourth Of the popu.
lation. This, according TO my Judgment,
i very large proportion for an Ameri.
can territory. The German language is
spoken by great many Americans and
il one has had good drilling i'm that
language he has no difficulty whatever
III obtaining employment in mercantile
establishments.
The grasshoppers are Matching very
rapidly and the people think that there
is no chance Of escape from the terrible
devastation which they will render.
should they begin TO eat up all the crops.
IL seems that rs soon as they can hop
they commence their work Of destruction.
But the grasshoppers are in no way con.
nected with the immense railroad debt
which presses upon the commonwealth
Of the county. There is railroad debt
OF nearly one million dollars 10 he paid !;
but the people believe that this debt was
forced upon them by some hellish men
who care not whether n railroad is built
or not so they get the money voted for
such purposes in their own hands and
a1scJnd with all Of il in their own peck.
cts. Thus it was and is with our own
county to-day. When tho No. Pacific
Railroad was contemplated on being
built, these "lcoIres R hceys clOfbiBg'
went TO work and had a very large hotel
built. and ! suppose they told the peo-
pie that 10 Sb0"'d bc built and phil fur,
But they built it and ucpar paid for II.
10 cost nearly one hundred thousand
dollars, and il has stood SO lone IL is
nothing but magnificent pig-pen -
Furthermore. 7 would advise ann man
who has good property and a good bust
ness in Virginia. not 90 come 10 Nilsson
ri, for times are three times worse here
than there. and times arc, indeed. gloo-
my. Farmers and everybody despair Of
crops and business and farmers are
greatly discouraged OH account Of the
gras5hoppcrs, for they, in their fight,
leave nothing behind them.
Major, / suppose you are tired Of my
hsrangue. so ] must close. Only one
more word your paper here Is one OF
i.c greatest privileges which ! eEjoy.
May its sun never set and always grow
brighter ! remain as ever. your devo-
cod friend, J.. VI. $.