Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1881-06-25
A LETTER FROM TEXAS.
HAWKINS. TEXAS. June Sth.

ing q little spare time, thought
would give you few items concerning
the West, and more particularly of the
Lone Star State. To those who are
ever on the inquiry as to shows kraps?"
| would say that the recent rains,
which seem to have been generaH
throughout the entire State, have given
everybody cheerful hope and pros
pect of bountiful harvest is apparent
on every side. 1t is believed that corn
and all grain is insured against failure.
The grass crop, which is one of the
chief glories and most valuable pro-
ducts of Texas, is secured, and the out
look for cotton is more promising than
usual. The only great trouble that l
see here connected with cotton growing
is the farmers almost universally plant
too much, and when there is wet and
backward spring Qike the pasD they
cannot get labor sufficient to "chop
out" and cultivate it. The result is
great many corners and some whole
fields are left out (but not in the cold)
and still the crops will be greater than
| they can gather. There was 1486
bales Of the staple shipped from this
one station, of last years product, and
|. expect there is 100, and perhaps
more, yet to be shipped.
The corn crop is splendid, and is
now assuming its fancy garb-silk and
tassel. A great many are done work
ing their corn and are paying full and
heated respects to the Aeecy king.
The Sabine Bottom, one mile dis
tant, is now Overfowed and is there
fore the cause of large number of
men being thrown out of employment
until the Gulf of Mexico can drink
the bottom dry. This is where the ties
are made for the extension of the L.
q P. r. R., and indeed this tie bust
ness is large one, and furnishes EN-
ployment for thousands of men and at
wages that are highly remunerative.
An average man of willing mind and
"stickativeness" can realize his SO to
$3.50 per day, or $50 to $50 per month,
and many of them go beyond that. 1t
don't require very great mechanic to
to make railroad ties here. This road
pays its common laborers $1.25 to
$3.50 per day, and 10 hours is a rail
road day. This is the reason that
farmers can get no help to "get them
} out of the grass" although they are
) loud in offering S1.25, and some are
, even offering $3.50 per day. But still
their recruits are hard to muster, it be-
! ing generally understood thata farmers
5 day in Texas means about IA or II
= hours.
, l am just in receipt of a letter from
. my poor, suffering and much-to be
pitied friend and brother, B. G. Webb
] now in DeKalb county. If perchanct
: his eye should see this, then let him
t know that l have not forgotten him
r Oh, no, my friend By, my feelings anC
i, heartfelt sympathies have been with
you and for you too long to thus forge
you, but my best wishes and prayers ar
r and shall ever be yours.
e The days are hotter here than ii
e Tennessee, but we have gulf breez,
generally, and by bed time it is de
lighttul, so pleasant, and my wife say
e cold.
0 Our F. and A. brethren give a bar
g becue at Wills Point, 40 miles west o
here, on the Oath. A grand time
is anticipated. We wish we coul
h ave you with us, and above ever
other man that will be there do | wis
for Bro. Davis. That College lot speec
} of Uncle Caleb's would cap the climax
: and we need just such.
, I've had considerable sickness an
- one dea h in my family since I've bee
- in this State, and now while writing
Il look around and see my two sick chi
~ dren-my little man, Willie, has bee
=, very sick with measles, and is not we
= yet, while my little girl, Alice, is hay
20 ing very high fevers, But see in tt
II STANDARD that people sicken and di
y there as here the millionaires, ever
~ y, die too. The health of the countr
-, ~ seems to be very good, and to judge
~ from the actions and pastimes of tt
four "medicine men" we have here,
a. should be forced to say distressing
tf healthy to them, at least.
,e Texas is now using all her best e
: forts to get local option on her statu
'' books and to drive whisky entirely OF
w of the State, for which l say amer
J. and bid her hearty Godspeed.
- We have a good literary school hel
p under the charge of Prof. W. B. PleV
" lit, who was educated in Nashville III
er der the famous Tolbert Tanning, al
d. you may therefore venture a guess
i'll to his talent and worth as an educate
We have very good Sunday.schoc
but it needs a little more anlmatio
Nv Texas may at some future day enjC
y the same great privileges as to schoC
ee and churches as some of the old
ut States, but that is in the future.
ed 1 would love to say more, but fe
~, I've already been too lengthy, as V,