Union and American. [volume] (Greeneville, Tenn.) 1875-1877, 1876-02-24
TEXAS.
More About Texas by One who
Knows Whereof he Speaks.
BROWNSVILLE, Tenn,
Feb'y 15tn, 1876.

..
Editors Union and american:
was glad to see my former com.
munication sent forth to the hun
dreds of readers of the AMERICAN,
and will send you some views of
mine as to Texas, not that 1 am in
the least capable of doing the sub
ject justice, but with a hope that I
may save many young men of e.
Tenn. the sad experience which /
met with in the West. Not only
Texas is an awful failure, but
Kansas, Colorado and the entire
West is absolutely no place for q
young nan at the present day.
In the first place, every man who
goes to Texas or Kansas is looked
upon as q rogue and a villain who
has fled his home on account of
some crime and, indeed, the peo-
pie of the West have grounds for
such belief, since Texas has become
the place of refuge for all classes of
villains, who stand ready to fleece
the emigrant on his arrival, and the
morals of the people are so bad
that all kinds of crime is tolerated,
and even contenanced by legal au.
thority, to an alarming extent. 1
will give an instance of Texas JUS
tice to an unfortunate young man
who happened to incur the dis
pleasure of the natives. A youth
from Ky. came into Cleaborn, in
johnson Co., riding a horse, which
he wished to sell to get means to
go home. He was arrested on sus-
picion of stealing the horse. After
a hearing be was dismissed, and
started for Dallas. Three promi.
nent citizens of johnson Go, started
in pursuit of the fated young man.
Next morning his body was found
in an old well near Cleaborn, rid
died with bullets. The parties
were arrested and tried in Cleaborn,
in May, rs, and acquitted on the
ground that the boy was q horse
thief. Subsequent events proved
the innocence of the young man.
This is not an isolated case, but
one hat represents the character
of the people of Texas. ,s
The poor young man arrives in
Texas and is compelled to 60 to
work at from Sc to $40 per month.
His diet is bacon, bread and coffee.
Milk? no indeed. "We can't keep
milk here" said the wife of q rich
fnrmer to the writer. But / asked
for n vessel and vas handed a large
dish.pan. After milking IL cows
the pan was full. | bore it trium-
phantly to the house and at dinner
a quart cup was placed beside my
plate-unstrained, unwashed and
undrank. Vegetables and fruit are
unknown in northwest Texas, and
water becomes as precious in sum
mer as old wine.
Corn in the fall is not worth
more than 25cts. per busbel, and
wheat at threshing time could not
be sold for Scots. per bushel The
farmer buys his bacon at 25cts. per
ID. and groceries proportionately
high.
Thousands of young men who
left comfortable homes in Tenn. are
now ont on the bleak prairles, liv-
Jog, God orly knows how, who
would gladly return home if they
were able. / met q young man in
Texas who taught the primary de-
partment at Tusculum in $50, or
ihereabouts, Qorget his pame) who
was in destitute circumstances and
wished TO get back to his native
soil. "Go West, young man, 60
West" but be sure you have plenty
of money to come hack on before
you start. Perhaps my story will
not be believed by the young men
of Il. Tenn, but experience is a
profound instructor, and those
who would go West, will do we'll
to profit hy the experience Of others.
Yours, a.,