The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1878-07-10
THE LONE STIR STATE"
TIE land OF PROMISE FOR EAST
TENNES8EANS -
To the Editor of the MOrristown Gazette:

Business of an important nature haV-
ing called me to this State, (Texas) l
have made good use of my time in ex-
aiming into the character of its lands,
their productive capacity, their price,
together withsits commerce, It's climate,
its schools, its society, and the advanta-
ges which it offers to- capital, to indus
try and to enterprise. II will be hard
| for me, in brief article like this, to
cover even one-half what would like
to say. Hundreds Of your people are ex-
tremely anxious to know all about Tex
as, not only because of its intrinsi c
worth, but because they have numerous
kindred ana acquaintances there. /
verify believe that nearly ene-half OF its
population is made up of Tennesseeans.
Ask every other man where he is frem,
and lie will say, ''from Tennessee -
From Texarkana, which you know is
partly in Texas and partly in Arkansas,
took down the eastern slope of the
State, touching Palestine and going di-
rect to Austin, its capital. This entire
slope, clean on down to Galveston, is a
wooded country, noted for its immense
pine forests and its extensive lumber in
terests. Hundreds of saw-mills I found
in full blast, and millions Of fest as the
| finest lumber are sent out upon all the
railroads into the interior of the State.
Of course, your readers will at once IN
derstand that this is not a farming sec
ton, but none the less important On this
account, when you consider the great
demand for lumber on the vast prairie
districts of the middle and western por-
lions of the State.
Upon nearing Austin, I passed through
a magnificent farming country. The
county of Williamson can't be beaten.
in my judgment. 1t is destined to be
one of the foremost counties in the State,
on account of its immense breadth OF
inexhaustible prairie lands, gently roll
ing, the soil from five 80 sen feet deep,
producing from twenty-five to forty
bushels of wheat to the acre, from forty
to seventy-fve of corn, sixty to one hun
dred of oats, and one bale of cotton.
am safe in saying that it brings more
revenue into the hands of the people,
even in IFS partially settled condition
than any five of the best counties in East
Tennessee. Land is cheap-indeed very
cheap. PLENTY of stock water, drinking
water, good and sufficiency of timber.
was pleased with the city of Austin,
but will not worry you with a descrip-
ton. Here found yoqr cid friend, AZ,
thur IL. OrozieP, the same kind-hearted
and genial gentleman, and Tom Murali,
the old express agent of Knoxville. NJ.
is in the real estate business, and is dc.
ing Well He Informed me that r. r.
Bearlen AMI family were settled at Lu-
ling, near San Antoni1
| From Austin I returned TO Palestine
which lisa place of considerable impor-
tancc. naturally on account of its pleas
cellent society, also its railroad conncc-
| tions. Mere Is the headquarters or the
international and Great Northern Rail
way, enc of the best and most extensive
| roads in Texas. 1t is managed by an
able corps of officials, gentlemen of tbs
highest intelligence and of the strictest
! integrity. Their road travcrses an i'm
mense portion of Texas, one branch
running from Longview to Austin and
the other from Palestine to Houston.
was most favorably impressed with
Palestine. 1t is a lovely place. An ex.
tenslFe fruit and vegetable trade is car,
ried on here. Early peaches, tomatoes
&c. are shipped in great quantities to St
Louis and Chicago.
[ only tarried short time in Dallas,
which, as you know, is a growing city.
Il is surrounded by one of the finest ag-
ricultural regions on the continent and
commands, fabulous trade. Here
| met with Page, the shoe merchant,
| Will Hazcn, Dr. Morton, &C. | called
at the Com aserctG office to see Mr.. Hall,
but he was not in, He is now the bust
ness manager OF that old journal and Is
making 1t success. 1 found it on all
the railroads Hall, you know, was
raised in Knox county and is the cousin
of Judge E T. & M. L. Hail. Your old
friend Kimbrough who once kept the
Franklin House lives near Dallas and
owna . splendid farm. He is a success
full wheat raiser and is getting rich.
From here / took flying trip to Fort
| Worth, thirty miles due west and the
end OF the Texas and Pacific road. It Is
a robust place and growing rapidly.
Fine prairie lands all around it, produc-
tive and cheap Here met the two
TatQm boys, Chris. and George, Dick
ChIldress, Schooier, and others. All do
ing well. and determined to stick to
Texas. l forgot to mention Hugh Nor
row, whom, no doubt, you remember
He WAS the son of John Morrow, and
learned the saddleris trade in EnoxFille
He is now at the head of a large busi-
ness, ewns a fine farm. and isunderstoed
To be wealthy. You remember William
Turk. of course. He has son at Fort
Worth, bold, dashing fellow, and des-
tined to figure pretty largely in business
circles / haye not yet found an East
FennesseaH dissatisfied With Texas and
who is not prospecting.
From Fort Worth made my way
back to Dallas. and from thence to Sher-
man, passing through what the natives
call Gods country the grandest sec
ton of country, perhaps, on the globe.
| have neither the space nor the time to
describe il. Such lands and such enor.
NOUS pFodnetionsl The ''hill eeg4tFYl,
of East Tennessee sinks into Insignia
.cance compared with it, | could give
your readers some startling statistics,
with reg I'd TO the productions In tho
midst of this marvellous region, sher-