Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1876-08-15
KERRVILLE.
One of the Most Thriving OF all the
Towns on the Paducah Railroad
The Country and the Crops.

A correspondent writes us, under date
of the twelfth instant, as follows Of q
thriving town and thriving country
only twenty miles from Memphis:
The town of Kerrville is in the north
western portion Of Shelby county, Sec
ond civil district, and on the line OF the
Paducah and Memphis railroad, distant
from Memphis twenty miles, and from
the Mississippi river twelve miles-Ran-
dOlph beipg about the nearest point.
1t is less than four years since the first
house was built here. It is of this viii
lage, the nejghborhood surrounding it,
and the inhabitants thereof that wish
to write. This is the house of A. II.
Kerr, D. D., who is widely known and
much esteemed, both at home and
abroad, for his liberal views and benev-
olent acts. DR.. Kerr is extensively en-
gagged in merchandising and planting,
being the owner of several thousand acres
Of rich land adjoining the town. Be-
sides DR.. Carr's store, there are four
Others, all keeping q general variety of
merchandise, such as the requirements
Of the country demand. And think
the merchants here enjoy the benefit, as
well as the reputation, OF selling goods
at reasonable prices. Their combined
sales will not fall short Of one hundred
Thousand dollars annually. There are
two steam-mills in This place, one Of
them grinds corn and has q cotton-gin
attached, the other grinds both corn and
wheat and has cottOr gin attached slso.
The WheaJ-mil Is busily engaged grind.
ing the present years croDs--W -hAs~-
80 Iis.oI.SssItn shops, one Of them hav-
ing wOOd-woIks connected with 1t,
which turns out as good wagons, bug
gies, farming implements, ETC., as are
made anywhere in the country. The
population of the village Is not as large
as the business done here would inui-
cate, for the reason that several persons
doing Business here still reside some dis
tance away. 1t is with regret I must
say there is neither church nor school
house Immediately in the place; how.
ever, there are several of both near by.
The reason thst one or more churches
have not been built here before this, is
that the people are reluctant to abandon
their old places Of worship, and SUBJ
scribe to building new and more expen.
sive ones these hard times. had al
most forgotten to mention the railroad
depot, a substantial brick, and probably
the handsomest one on the line.
The country surrounding US is well set
tied, or what is called well settled for
West Tenneesee-that Is to say, about
one-half the face Of the country is in
cultivation; whereas, all the lands are
wsll adapted to cultivation, scarcely
spot or an acre excepted. 1t is encour.
aging to behold the wide fields almost
grosning beneath their abundant and
luxurisnt crops of corn and cotton at
this date. This is called the Big Creek
country, which Is widely known for IFS
wealth Of soil and general productive
ness. II Is a high and naturally WELL
drained country, being many hundred
feet above the encroachments Of the
baekwater from the Mississippi river or
any Of its tributaries. The health Of
this neighbOrhood is as good as any part
Of West Tennessee, but we are not ex-
empt from bilious complaints which pre-
vail throughout this latitude, especially
where the soil is rich and the forests
dense; yet, with s better system of
drainage than we now have, and say
two-thirds Of the forests cleared
away, 1t would be reasonable to expect
ss good health here as they enjoy In
any part Of Kentucky or Virginia. And
there may be millions Of dollars made
out OF this timber, for Notwithstanding
the great amount which has been taken
off since the railroad passed through,
there still remain large bodies of un-
broken t1mbered lands. The timber is
Of the best quaIity-osk, poplar, hickory
and ash being the principal growth. l
would especially call the attention Of all
within our borders who contemplate
emigrating to distant parts Of the eoun-
try. They will certainly commit an er'
ror by leaving or overlooking country
like this. 1t is new enough, for your
children will not live to see its re-
sources fully developed, no matter
how rapid its improvement may be.
II you want to farm, here Is improved
and wild lands at reasonable prices. II
you are a fancier of stock and its cul-
ture, examine this section before 10
eating. II you are inclined to deal or
work in timber, here 1t is. And if per-
chance you are merchant or manu-
factuIer, come here, for the country Is
already settled with q class of citizens
who will welcome and encourage all
men Of enterprise and industry who
wish to abide with us. The Inhabitants
here are disposed to offer that same gen.
eIous hospitality which characterized
the south before the cruel war made us
so selfish. Even the colored citizens
with us (snd we have q great many are
noted for their polite behavior and in.
dustIiOus habits. Beside our bibles and
agricultural papers, we all read the Men,
phis APPEAL, and sre solid for Tflden
and Hendricks