The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1879-04-24
\ GEORGIA BOYS OPINION OF
TaE WEST.

as | know most of the people, and
have seen considerable Of the coun
try about here, | thought it might
be of possible interest to some OF
your readers to know something ct
this country from a Georgia boy
who has been here long enough to
see both its good and bad qualities.
There is considerable migration
up the line of this Railroad, aud a
good many people come into this
section, liking il better than any
part of the State they have seen. |
see so many letters from persons
who have come westward, and two,
writing from the same place, some>
times represent things in altogether
different aspects. This is calcula-
ted to confuse a man who is contem-
plating a removal, and he hardly
knows which to believe. My theory
is, that the disparaging letters are
generally written by men who start
out seeking their fortunes with little
or no money to keep their heads
above water until they can get prop
erIy located or those who have news
err left home before, and cant over
come their homesick feelings. Of
course, some parts OF the west are
much overdrawn and overrated, and
men who move into a country which
has been misrepl esented, are uatur
ally disappointed, even if it proves
much better than that to which they
have been used.
There is no farming country
which has not some draw oacK -
We cant expect to find a perfect
paradise on this planet, and when
seeking new homes we should ex
pect to be disappointed in some par
ticulars. There is no place like
home," is an aphorism which we all
appreciate when first separated from
old familiar scenes, and it often takes
long time to get thoroughly accli-
mated, and habituated to the people
and customs of new country.
notice very little difference be
tween the climate here, and that Of
Cobb county. 1t is little further
north, and conside, ably further west,
so it is natural that the winters
should be a little colder, although |
would never notice the difference if
it we're not that we have more ice
here, and it lasts much longer
Last winter we had good skating for
several weeks.
So far as climate and water are
concerned, | don't think native Of
Cobb County, Ga, would notice the
least change after he had resided in
Franklin county, Ark, few weeks.
found the water in Little Rock, at
fret, rather bad, but since I've been
up here it seems to me as good as
any | have been used to drinking,
and know the water in Marietta is
as good as any in the world.
NY place of residence is Mulber-
nv, in Franklin county, on the line
of the Little Rock and Fort Smith
Railway, and about lao north west
of Little Rock, in the northwestern
portion of the State 1t is about 30
miles from Fort smith and the ln>
dian Nation, and three miles off sthe
Arkansas River. Mulberry is be-
tween two creeks, which are someS
thing over a half mile apart, and
which are called respectively Big
and Little Mulberry. From these
creeks the embryo city takes it's
name Between these two creeks,
from the river to the mountains, some
fifteen miles distant, there lies some
of the best lands in the State, and a
great deal of it which is now 10 the
woods and swamps could by clear
ing and draining. be turned into fine
farms. The great trouble is, that in
bottoms it is unhealthy ths people
are subject to chills snd fever and
such things. but 10 nearl y all newly
opened countries we End The same
thing, and the only thing that will
remove the evil, is to get a section
well settled by energetic men who
will clear out the timber, drain the
swamps and bottoms, and utilize the
lands which everybody else has
passed over and considered NAVAL
able. 1t is only near the river,
however, that it is considered IN
healthy, and as we get into the
higher country, a few miles from tue
river, it is as healthy as one could
desire. A good many Georgisus
have settled in this county, and |
have heard none of them, to whom |
| have talked, complain Of i'll health
These same GeOrgians, | AN pleas
ed to say, are among the most pros
porous farmers about here. | know
of none of them who are not well
situated and well to do.
The people generally complain Of
high taxes, but this difficulty will be
removed in the course of time, when
by good management the State debt
has been reduced, and the State re
gains a solid footing. Uutil the last
/ few wears. the officials were all radi-