The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1880-02-25

OK FallCth Ill the Ditch.
A Land of Deserts and of Pits.-.A
Land Of Drought and of the
Shadow Of Death.
south Cardinals wayward Sons
Long to Leave the Inhos-
pitablc Cline.
Editors Press and Banner:
The frequent inquiries made of me
since nv return, as to what I think oil
Texas has induced mo to ask space
enough in your columns to give my OBJ
seryations and impressions of that State,
hoping that my report may be of service
to any who are afflicted with q spirit OF
restlessness and dissatisfaction, and are
inclined TO flee from their present evils to
those they know not of: Being familiar
with the troubles and difficulties with
which we have to contend here, and not
altogether content myself, I determined
to seeIthings in the West just rs they were,
and to receive such impressions only as
were the legitimate result of my observa-
tions. On my arrival at Atlanta, appro-
priately termed
THE GATE CITY
I was forcibly reminded that I was get
ting away from home. That city is real
ly the gate through which passes
from the comparatively quiet and order.
ly department of the people of the old
States into that peculiar type of society
which characterizes the people Of the
West. On his arrival here the stranger is
piled with a number of the most imperti-
nent inquiries, by Il troupe Of agents rep
~resenting the different routes, each oil
whom points out to him, whether inclin-
ed to listen or not, tho special advant-
ages of his own line, and the dangers and
delays attending that Of his rival. To
the u%ninitiated, this is a great source OF
annoyance and car only be avoided by q
modest rejoinder that you are Of age and
will assume the responsibility of decid-
ing fol yourself in the matter. From this
point also
THE TIDE OF EMIGRATION
begins to flow and gradually swells as
YOU proceed westward, receiving acces.
sions at almost every station. II is COM
posed Of men, women and children o.
all ages, conditions and tenpers, who are
huddled together indiscriminately, with
insufficient space for comfort; add to this
tho crying Of children, the heaving Of
the sick, tho PROSTATE posture OF the
sleeping, and you have a fair picture Of
a western emigrant train. The emigrants
are bound for Kansas and Nebraska ~ Il
general rule. The tide has ceased, to flow
into Texas, as it once did. On the con-
trary
THOUSANDS ARE LEAVING TEXAS,
not for political purposes, u from other
States, but from dire necessity, with
view of reaching a place where they car
procure at least the necessaries OF life
The negroes are going into Kansas, but
the whites arc moving in every direction
coming East RS we'll as North and West
A spirit Of restlessness %pervades tie en-
tire population, which Is not O matter OF
surprise when their condition Is taken ir
view. An old Texas farmer said to tnt
that they could do we'll in that State If II
was notsfor the
DRY DRoUTHs"
to which they were subjected. and re-
marked that they had not had u thor
ough season since May two years ago
In travelling a distance of five hundred
miles on the International and Grea
| Northern Railroad, which runs throngl
the centre of Texas, there Is not q run
ming stream, except those that are ordi'
narily navigable, and they are so low a.
to be fordable at the points where cross
ed. The channels of less size are as dry a.
the uplands, and present the aspect of {
country having channels without streams
The effect Of the 'dry drouth" is not sc
disastrous in Eastern and North Eastern
Texas. which are tirnbered and the sol,
has little lime, as it is III the prairies II
Middle and Western Texas where the
soil abounds in lime in great excess, anc
is almost destitute Of timber. In the
timbered regions better crops have beer
made, though by no means equal to tht
demand. This is owing to the increased
moisture attending the existence Of for
ests, and is an argument in favor OF thell
preservation. Agreat
SCARCITY OF WATER
however exists in every section. 1t ]:
not unfrequent that water has to be haul
| ed ten to fifteen miles, and then Of the mos
inferior quality. I had supposed that all
and water were two essential elements II
nature which were free and abundant ano
would continue 10 !; hence my surprise
when I saw an advertisement
mo WATER FOR SALE dEhE,
posted in unmistakable characters on the
highway leading through the prairies
The trains on the Railroads have to car
nv with them their supplies of water fol
their engines. The effect Of the droutf
on the black prairies is most remarkable
I was credibly informed that
THE GROUND Is RENT
into deep ~crevices in which a ten foot pole
could be hid and that 1t was exceedingly
dangerous to ride over the p~rairies or
that account. l saw satisfactory evidenct
of it myself but saw none to the exten'
above mentioned. Cattle and horses arc
often injured by stepping into them
There are however, in the interior O.
Texas now
VERY FEW CATTLE.
There is nothing there for them to sub
sist ON. The prniries are " destitute o
grass as are the old folds of this county,
and the cattle have been driven far ou'
for hundreds Of miles, On the frontier
long ago, where they are tended by thu
primitive character known as
THE TEXAS COW BOY,
whose adventures upon the plains, annie
MS LQOuSauQS VI VIII Cdttio, ohlia
and lightning, and other attending Incl
dents, he can relate with great interest
Under such conditions as those above re
lated your readers will not be surprised
to hear Of the
FAILURE OF THE CROPS
in Texas. That wheat which had beer
sown four months, as I was informed
was as sound and as dry as tie day i
was sown. The average corn stalks were
the size of the finger, and cotton stalks
from six to eighteen inches, and yielded
little or nothing on lands that would pro
duce under favorable conditions from
forty to sixty bushels of corn or a bale o
cotton per acre.
THE CONDITION CT THE STOCK
reminded me of the average condition o
those usually brought into our villages
by the freedmen. The total supply o
corn has to be imported at high prices
with no money to buy with. Upon thu
whole the people of Texas may DO said tt
be
IN A BAL BOX
generally. 1t Is not to be denied that tn.
average quality Of their lands is good
but what does that avail If it will no
yield a support, it matters not from
what cause. We cannot do worse here. l
IL also true of Texas as of other States
that she has much land that Is as poor a!