The Cecil Whig., 1875-03-06
MISSISSIPPI.
LETTER 8.

PAsCAGoULA BAY-oYsTER BREEDING.
There is no more delightful place on this
or any other sea-coast than East Pasca-
goula and its surroundings. Its location is
beautiful, and the salt water bathing per-
feet. 1t is renowned for it's oysters-for
flavor, fatness and size they are equal to
any in the country. The bayous and creeks
here seem to be specially adapted to the
growth of tirst-class oysters, and the bed
ding and breeding of them might be made a
lemunerative enterprise. 1t is wonder it
has not attracted attention and capital, when
we know how successfully and extensively
the business is followed in Europe and at
the North in localities, and under circum-
stances not near so favorable. In this view,
there are many lagoons and bayous between
Pascagoula and Mobile that would become
valuable. The production would be i'm
mense, but there is no limit to the demand.
The whole Northwest might oe supplied
with oysters Of a higher grade than they
can find there, and the shipment in the
shell, in cans, and in pickle, would give
employment to many hands and bring a
great deal of money into the country.
This section of the State is filling up
with intelligent and educated men. The
lumber trade has drawn here both capital
and enterprise. 1t only needs the fostering
hand of the Government to make this point
great commercial mart, whose exports
IL, ,nl, ,,,ta ,I,o.
imports from foreign countries would con-
tribute materially to the national treasury.
1t is hoped that Congress and the Legisla-
ture will adopt liberal and enlightened
policy, and convert the great natural ad-
vantages of Pascagoula and the vast re-
sources of our pine woods into a national
blessing.
STATE LANDS.
These lands are subject to entry under
an Act of the Legislature, from which l
will quote Section 8, to-wit: Be it further
enacted, That there shall be sold, bargain
ed and conveyed to every head Of a family
who may settle on the public lands belong
ing to the State of Mississippi, who shall
reside upon and cultivate said lands for two
consecutive years, and shall otherwise con-
form to the provisions of this Act, not
more than one hundred and sixty acres of
said public lands Of the State of Missis-
sippi; in the payment of five cents per
acre, at or before the termination of the
fourth year residence for said lands TO the
Auditor of Public Accounts: Provided,
That all applications for titles under the
provisions of this Act, the sale shall en-
brace the actually occupied and cultivated
by the settler thereon
UNITED STATES LANDS.
There are quite 1000, 900 acres Of these
lands, located principally in the Southern
part of the State, in what is known as the
pine Timbcred Region" These lands
are valuable, and can be secured at very
small cost.
HEALTH-CHURCHES- ETC.
We may say, in general terms, that in
the vicinity of our water courses-in the
alluvial valley of the Father of Waters,
and in the prairie counties, at certain sea-
sons of the year, many of the people have
Intermittent and remittent fevers, and other
diseases common to malarial districts; but,
as rule, these are easily controlled, and
with proper precautions, may, to great
extent, e avoided The uplands and table
lands are as exempt from disease as the
most favored portion of the United States.