Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1878-11-27
The Work of immigration.

Mr.. EDITOR: | can bear testi-
mony to the fidelity and zeal with
which you have endeavored TO en-
courage immigration into East
Tennessee. Who of all your readers
have forgotten your weekly contri-
buttons of Facts About East Tens
nessee 2" For one whole year or
more the scolumns of the CHRONICLE
contained these "facts, and must
have done something towards en-
tightening those who were DESTROYS
of knowing more of our section
and of inducing many to come
hither, so if our "highly-favored
section" has not attracted that
attention it deserved, the fault can't
lie at your door.
Why have we not had more i'm
migration? There must be some
fatal cause for it; some eounteract-
ing influence that has kept the tide
back. Thousands upon thousands
60 every year to Texas, Kansas
and other western States, and even
our own population are pouring out
by the thousand. 1t is estimated
that more than two hundred thou
sand people from other States settle
in Kansas annually. How many have,
in the meantime, come to East
Tennessee? Very few; SO few, in
deed, that we could count them on
the ends of our fingers, and many
who did come became dissatisfied,
pulled up stakes and returned either
to their old homes or sought homes
in the Far West" sWhat is the
matter? What underlying cause is
thus interfering with the flow ofim-
migration into our midst? Perhaps
[ can suggest one or more reasons
for this state Of things.
"New corners" have been un-
fairly dealt with in two ways. First,
by those having farms to sell, by
putting an enormous price on them,
more than they would command in
the market and more than they
could get from any source. In
some instances they have been
known to make sudden advances
upon them after getting hereto
ask even more than they had been
holding them at.
Second, by real estate agents, not,
perhaps, by all, but, at any rate, by
some. These, in a few instances
coming under my own observation, or
as communicated to me, have done
two things, if no more First, Civ
ing an exaggerated description of
lands in their hands for sale; and,
second, instead Of charging a fair
commission for their services, putt
ting an additional price upon them,
price above that asked by the
owners, which they propose to
pocket themselves. I once knew
a real estate agent who asked just
double what the owner asked for his
farm. The gentleman wanting to
buy it was q New Yorker, who was
so disguised at the "trick about
to be played off on him that he i'm
mediately left the country. He
told the writer that between the
owner and his agent he came very
nearly being EEswamped." Such con-
duct is reprehensible, if not villain
Gus.
Third, by bad roads. Persons
from the New England States, and
from Ohio and other Northern
States, are accustomed to good
roads. When they reach this sec
ton they find them SO bad, so far
inferior to their own, that they can
not stand them. How can they !
Who ever heard of meaner roads
than We have in East Tennessee ?
You elaborated two questions in
your editorial-better schools and o
shorter way Of collecting debts
which | shall not discuss. If we
really desire an increase of popula-
ton we must deal on the square in
the sale of our lands, have one
price, and that not too high. We
must have real estate agents who
viii not oYer~color our section, nor
exaggerate the value of lands II
their hands for sale, and stick tC
uniform commissions for theil
services. Strangers coming into
our midst for the purpose of buying
lands should not be Quilted. They
should feel that they are dealing
with honorable men, who woulC
scorn to take advantage Of them
The fact is, when they come here
they ought to wait at least one yeal
before buying. They could rem
for that length of time and thus
have time to look around and sui
themselves better.