Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1879-03-06
[ From the Atlanta Daily Constitution. ]
Homeward Turning.
The OLD RED HILLS OF GEORGIA.

The OLD RED HILLS OF GEORGIA.
''I believe that 20 900 people have emf
grated from Georgia aud the Curolinas to
Texus 10 the last five years!" THUS spoke
prominent gentleman to Constitution
reporter on yesterday Before the reporter
had recovered from tho shock produced by
this statement, the gentleman went on to
say: "And | believe thut 10000 OF this
number are anxious to get buck houc--and
would come if they could get back on the
same terms they we're taken out" These
remarks caused US to think the thing over,
But before we had made up our mind, the
gentleman went on to soy: 'Now see what
it would do for the State if these men aud
wouen we're brought back. In Tie first
place, it would I'll! up many waste place
und put many new hand to the plow, and
put many an acre under cultivation by
bringing these people back. Their mere
muscle would be power in regeperatng
the old State But, aside from this, they
would check utterly and absolutely the tide
of emigration 10 Texas. You put one or
two of these people who have tried Texas
and have failed in each county, and you
could never start anybody else to Texas.
Well, Texas is all that Georgia has to fear.
Break down that fever, aud our people will
stay at home The greutcst benefit that
will come of ull this is that it will soothc
che feeling oil uncasiness and restlessness
among our people. 1t will nuke them
contentcd and hopeful and cosy. AS sure
as you are born, young man''--and the old
veteran tapped US atfectionately on the
oh ho
gia is how to get the peop'a who have
been mislcd into Texas, back at home once
more"
After hearing this conversation we put
off at once to see Col. w. j. Houston,
the efficient General Passenger and Ticket
Agent of the Charlotte g. Richmond Air
Line, to see what his line, which had been
foremost in this good work, had done 10
the way of getting low rates for return tick.
cts. We found Col Houston in that earnest
and agreeable humor for which he is dis
tinguished, aud he stated that the late
convention had done moro than many of
those at work expected it to do Il was
very full convention and harmonious
one. Col. Houston gave us circular CON
tanning the full action Of tho convention,
which we condense into the following gene.
raj terms:
The tickets from Georgia to Texas for
emigrents are now held aud have been tor
years at S24. There are no omigrant tick
cts from Texas to Georgia, and the price of
q regular ticket is about $36. BY com
bination of the roads at interest in the late
convention, the rate of passage from Hous-
ton, Texas, to Atlanta, Georgia, and inter
no1I M ipfo a.
This makes the price of ticket from Texas
to Atlanta, Sl6.25--muoh less than the
rate from Georgia to Texes. This rate has
not only been established but
THE MOST EARNEST EFFORTS
will be made to carry tho news to the ears
Of the people for whom it was intended.
| To show that the road was 10 earnest thew
| agreed to establish an agency for the can.
vass and sale of omigrant tickets, and to
allow the general agents to appoint assis-
tants. The allowance of 5000 per month
was mado for the expenses of this canvass
and agency. The Mcssrs. G. A. whitney
& Co., of the Louisiana and Texas Railroad
and Steamship Company, werc authorized
to appoint this general agent. Thoy an
pointed Col. w. j. Houston, of this city,
as the general agent--a most admirable
appointment. This arrangement is made
for one year. Upon this subject Col. Hous.
ton says:
81 received my appointment, and de-
termiped to 90 to work in earnest and see
that evory Georgian 10 Texas who wished
to come home should be canvassed person
ally upon tho subject. I had already de-
termined to appoint Mr. j. NJ. Means os
my agent 10 Southern Texas. He is from
this section originally, and some years ago
was very active in carrying people out to
Texas. He had some landed interests there
[ believe, and says he carried out about
200 families from Georgia. He says that
he can hsrdly stand the pressure made upon