The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1880-12-23

1t is significant OF the drift OF
thought of late that we have received
within a week letters from W lsconsln,
Nebraska. Canada, Iowa, and
Indiana inquiring for information
concerning homes for immigrants.
The villianous Northern climate
is driving men to think o
the South. We observe that an Irish
colony in Iowa Is reported TO be in a
state of starvation tthe crops having
failed, and of ~freeZation, there being
no wood in the vicinity. Even worse
reports come from Western Kansas, the
Chrome paradise Of the Exoduster.
We believe the time has nov come for
North Carolina to advertise her advan-
tages. And though a poor man, driven
night and day by business, We are doing
what we can by answering the letters
that come to us, and by writing letters
TO Northern papers. We also print all
items likely TO interest home Seekers.
No paper in the State has printed so
much of this kind Of advertising matter
as the FdrHler and WechGHjc; and
/ particularly In regard to Piedmont, and
Western. Carolina. Yet We have fewer
readers in that region than III any other
quarter of the State-a not very en-
couraging circumstance
/ In this connection we deem 1t proper
to mention an unfortunate make up OF
the Official Bulletin of the State De
partment of Agriculture. \ gentle
man, who writes himself Secretary oil
n .-. I1.lan,-'' ui1bJpr 70 lat
. tie in North Carolina, having called
upon Us for information IN respect 70
immigration, we started to send him
the Report referred to which had just
come to hand thanks to the courtesy
of Director Dabney, Of the Analytical
Station,) but to u regret the circular
while containing letters from Commits
! sioner McGehee and Secretary Wilson
on the subject Of Immigration, contain
ed also the analysis Of sixty wells and
springs in Eastern and Middle North
| Carolina, showing that only about one
nth were fit for drinking. Out Of 80
samples from Wilmington we find as
follows-'Dangerous,' very suspi-
%cious,' mot safe, suspected OF sew.
age contamination, e cases., very
bad" ''abominable water, "susplc-
ious," & cases. not good" & cases
bad" ETC.. etc. From GolGsboIo
were five samples marked-''Nery sus-
picious," absolutely unfit for drink
ing" hardly good" "a little suspi-
cious." From Durham came eleven
samples marked-"suspected of con
t~amination, very bad quite sus-
picious," hardly good" none toe
good" rather suspicious, etc. Two
samples were good water, and one
rather good" Salisbury seGt two
samples which are marked-"suspi
%cious," and dangerous" Charlotte
sent three, one good" the others
bad" Raleigh sent one sample (the
well at Federal cemetery which is pro.
nounced unusually pure"
Now, be it understood, we deny
neither the correctness, nor the desira-
bility of these analyses. They are d
good thing in their place, and we should
like to see every public well in Raleigh
called to account. The point we make
is that such reports widely scatter
ed Ask thousand copies) are liable
to damage part cular lOca tiles
. and also to drive immigrants away from
our borders; since strangers will be IN
aware that these were selected sample:
from suspected wells. The appareD.
unanimity in vileness of the sample:
from widely diverse sections will be &C
cepted a. proof of the prevailing opin.
ion at the North that our State is a low
swampy country, with bad water anC
bad health, instead of being second tC
/, no State in the South except West Nir
ginia in those very items. We suggesr
that analyses be printed in small sheet:
for local circulation, where they will dc
most good.