The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1877-06-06

I
the land Office of the two doliar'
which spiitlrS the purchaser in twelve
months aiier his thirty days actua
residence in which to pay the sl-2F
per acre ln this class Of entries the
/ patent is obtained upon the payment
of the money, and the purchaser i:
not required to live upon it as ia tue
classes first above named
The vacant lads are for the
most part ia the msnutaius, aud are
chiefly valuable for The natural past
ursge which they produce and theiI
forests Of timber aud their min
eraI wealth. Coal aud iron
abouud in inexhaus,ible quaushies
and Of 9 good quality. Gold. silver,
lead and copper have been found. but
not in paying quantities except in two
or three places. Water powers are
numerous. ,t'lear Creek Fails. ia
Winston county, have scarcely an
equal on the continent There are
two Of the falls quarter Of mile
apart with a rapid all the way
between and for shors distance be-
low the lower one with sufficient
natural current to turn machinery
Ga the falls the flow is 15C
feet wide, :; fee. deep and has per
pendicular descent of about 40 feet
They are on the South Slope and
near the top Of the mountain, never
freeze over and never. food to endan
ger machinery. They are thirty
miles from the nearest present rail.
road bat there are two surveys oi
roads crossing each other near them
They are on the market with tract
of 400 acres Of land at about s., 900.
They are in the mids. of a virgin for
est of the 6nest timber, chiefly vel.
low pine.
1t seems to me that company might
end 1t profitable to establish manu-.
factory of cotton cloth, prints. etc.
They would save freight on raw cot
ton and manufactured goods both,
and thus could undersell Northern
firms and control the entire Southern
trade. Woolen mills could also do
well here.
Near these falls is the famous Jug
gers coal 6eld which produces coal
so rich and pure that ton will burn
all up in the open air, leaving bat a
handful of ashes All this mountain
region is well adapted by nature to
wool growing and stock raising of all
kinds. The natural pasturage con
tinues for nine months 10 the wear
and sometimes the year round
Fruits, and especially the apple aud
peach, ripen 10 q wealth OF juice not
excelled elsewhere The grape grows
to perfection. A German colony al
Cullman, of four years standing, has
proven to be success, with Europe.
an grapes On tbreee-fourths of az
acre last year, from two year cut
tings, they realized. 10 wine, after all
I expenses, $3.50 Springs of pure
taud lasting water everywhere
abound, and the creeks and spring,
furnish water for stock all the veal
round. Wells of good soft water are
got at from Is to 20 feet. The
health in this mountain region has nc
equal anywhere. High above all
malarial poisons, no marshes, no 10
/ cal causes for sickness in q pure hipt
atmosphere
| Nearly all this mountain region
with its wealth of timber and miner
ais is yet in the interior, remote from
river or railroad transportation. The
South and North Alabama Railroad
crosses about the centre of the State
from north to south. and the Ala
ma and Chattanooga and the Selma
and Rome roads cross the eastern
portion and run through the coal ant
iron fields as does also the North anG
South road. But the whole region
is crossed 10 every direction by sur
veys and on some Of them work ha:
been commenced.
Decatur is not as vet q beautifu
city, but / think it viii be, as it ha:
every advantage. 1t is on the bank:
of the Tennessee which is very lovely
at this point. The streets are wei
laid out and it has live look. 1t i;
the centre of tie railroad connections
i shall be able to speak more fully
in my next letter
To start to work a farm here re
quires an outlay of about $50. Cows
are very cheap but not of extra fine
breed. Pigs run loose everywhere,
they make the best of bacon and ham.
Horses are comparatively dear, bu,
Of fgood quality. Up near Valhermo.
so Springs, where | intend to settle,
lives Mr. Boynton, from Ohio. He
! has some of the finest stock out, one
Of them being the famous Hambile,o.
nian, Iron Duke, that was stolen and
afterwards recovered. 1t IL valued
at $4,000 He has 400 acre farm
planted in cotton, corn, etc He has
also brought down some Cotswold
sheep. He is charmed with the
country, and so am l. He is one OF
an intelligent, manly aud industrious
class, and has come down here to
settle, with bis charming wife aud
sweet little daughter. 1t is that sort
of people that is needed here now to
develop this beautiful country again,
that was SO devastated by the war.
Next week hope to give fuller de-
tails on the resources of this part of
the country, etc. Where ! shall To-
cate is at Yalbermoso Springs in
Morgan county, on Mrs. Gier s famed
plantation. This was before the
war the most fashionable place of re-
sort in the entire South or account
of its natural besuty and its Mineral
Springs Of Sulphur and Iodine.
There is settlement OF near two
hundred families, q school, church,
store. etc, and the old Springs Ho,
tel. This is situated in tie midst Of
the most hesutiful scenery possible to
imagine, under the shade of great
mulberry trees. The Hotel is spacious
and cool, and is pleasant retreat
The proprietress ia a lady Of extreme
refinement and culture, aud abe loves
the place with an intense affection
and well she might She has passed all
| the bsppiest years OF her life here,
and here hAs rearec her family She