The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1881-10-26
LETTER FROM PROF.. WILSON.
DoDD CRY, Texas, Oct. Is, 81.
To the Editor OF ME MO-ristown Gazstte
WHAT TEyAS Il

DoDD CRY, Texas, Oct. Is, 81.
To the Editor o; flfe Ioeristown Gazstte
WHAT TEXAS Is.
1t is told of some Bishop of the Meth
odist Church, when asked what he
thought of Texas, that he replied ::
'' Texas is the coolest country 1 ever
saw; the hottest country ever saw; the
driest country 1 ever saw; the wettest
country ever saw; preachers are plen-
tier and religion scarceT than any coun-
try ever heard Of"
l have not been here long enough and
have not seen enough of the people to
verify the above statement. It is very
hot country, and can be very dry; but
as yet have not felt any cold weather.
THE SOIL.
Northern Texas consists Of two kinds
of soil-the black lands and The sandy.
The black prcdominates. In this cOun-
ty there il but little sand. The surface
is not very level. but there are no hills
1t is slightly rolling. A large portion
of the county is prairie. Here and there
are clumps of timber, consisting princi-
pally of. JOis dare, blackberry and oak
The 6OaS d'GFc is the principal timber,
and, like the Indians rabbit, is good for
almost everything. The land is won
derfully rich. Farms which were open
ed forty years ago are as rich to-day as
when the prairie was first broken.
WATER
To a Tenuessean the absence of
springs and running water is great pri-
Walton. Especially is this true to one
coming here in the heated term. But
in this section of the country the water
question is solved. This summer, wells
have been bored in the town that furn-
ish an abundance of ice cold water.
INTELLIGENCE.
The people of Texas are far beyond
what | expected to fad in point of in
telligence. have not found a grown
man who cannot read aud write. learn
that this is Generally true. There is no
poverty here, o., ut least, the type Of it
found in Tennessee. There is work at
remunerative prices for all; man must
work or get somewhere else.
sCuOoL INTERESTS.
The school interests are well develop
ed. There are in this county fourteen
we'll established high. schools, with an
average annual attendance Of one hun
dred and twenty five pupils each. Be-
sides these, there are public schools
from four six months a year in every
community This year the public
schools have appropriated for their
maintairAace four dollars per scholar.
Ia a few years the public school fund
Of Texas will be larger than any other
State,
RELIGION.
We have all shades of religious belief
and some belief without any shade Of re-
ligion. The Cumberland Presbyterian
and CampbeIlite or Christian Churches
are strongest in this county The Meth
odigts, Baptists and Presbyterian
churches have a solid foothold.
LOCAL OPTION.
One pleasing feature of our town and
the entire district of Fannin county is
the entire absence of whisky. Texas
has "'local option" law. These dis
tricts voted prohibition. Texas law is
no myth. The law is not evaded as is
the flour mile law" in Tennessee Fine
and imprisonment follow so surely and
swiftly the violation Of law that no one
dares trausgress. The result is, not &
quart of whisky has been sold in the
eastern portion Of the county since the
election in July, except by druggists
under the most rigid regulations. La
mar county, just east Of Us, has Foted
prohibition in the entire county. This
county will vote on the question in De-
cembep Win it not be strange if Tex
as, one of the newest STATES, viii be one
of the first practically to eradicate the
evil of intemperanoe
MUD.
Several friends, writing us from home,
ask, Chow are you pleased p 1t Is too
soon to answer the question yet. an.
ticipGted many difficulties, many we
have not yet encountered. but | cannot
tell how long it will be until something
may occur to make the country unpleas-
ant. I hope this may no be the case.
We are very busy. The school is much
better really than we anticipated II
some plan could he adopted to get
around the mud when it rains, life
would be much pleasanter. But Texas
mud is awful Take Morristown red
mud and pour a few car loads of tar
into it, you will get g fair specimen of
mud in the black lands Lest I get mud |
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