The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1881-04-28
ANSWER.


ANSWER.
RALEIGH, n. c., April II, 1881.
{. 5. BrotrH, Esq.
DEAR SIR:-Although l am not EN-
ployed by the State, nor by any one,
have no property to sell, nor am inter
ested in any, nor in any way likely to
profit by my gratuitous labors IN behalf
of immigration, and although, III
frank fact, too poor TO afford the con.
tinual call upon me for time, trouble,
stationery and postage stamps, yet
when | see hat persons are really de-
sirous of coming to settle among us, |
feel almost forced to respond to their
inquiries. Yours, | have decided to
answer through my paper, because |
have had at least half dozen similar in
quiries during the past month. First,
then, let NE say-Come, by all means ];
without hesitation or delay. You will
be welcome, and as we'll received asyou,
or any entire stranger, would be IN Hin
uois, or New York. Politics are quieter
with us at present than at any period
since the war; but there was at no time
any real difficulty on that score. North
Carolina is SO nearly evenly divided be
tween the Democrats and the Republi-
cans that 5000 votes IN a total OF 24O,
900 will turn the scale either way. so
that the new conner could always find a
plenty of men of his own way Of think
ing. Vote as you please, act as you
please, but be gentlemanly aud courte-
Gus to your neighbors. and you will find
them as ''neighborly" as if you had al
ways resided here. The fact that Judge
Tourgee, author of the foots Erroud,
is building a new house at Greensboro,
to make his permanent home IN North
Carolina. shows that lie does not fear
molestatIon or annoyance; although
surely one who has done SO much to
make the world believe that we are a
race of fiends and assassins might well
feel shy OF settling among us-y he be-
Leced has Ol0A tale.
End. The Thermal Belt" is found
along nearly all Of our mountain ranges
that have a Southern or Eastern slope.
1t can best be described by comparison.
Mexican mountains are often seen with
tops perpetually glistening with ice aGd
snow. A little lower may be seen a belt
of stunted grasses and shrubs. Still
lower is a stretch of dark cedars. Still
lower are hardy oaks and hickories.
Then begins a stretch of magnificent
verdure, blooming flowers, golden fruits,
etc., etc. of tropical luxurIance.
Our Western North Carolina noun
tains are rarely covered with snow, but
there are broad belts beginning near the
top, and extending far down into the
valleys. hat enjoy a tropical eyemp-
ton froa blighting frosts. Scientists
differ in their explanations. Some
think the earth is warmed by chemical
or volcanic heat, and that the frost is
dissipated before it can do damage.
Others think there are wind currents
produced by angles in the mountains
that drive away the frost as it falls. At
any rate there is little loss from that
cause. | know points in Rutherford,
Cleveland, and Polk counties that have
produced cherries, peaches, and grapes,
uninterruptedly for n hundred years
or longer.
3rd. Your inquiry for ''feas and
mu.quetoes' would be amusing if it
were o apparent hat you have been
deceived by some one. There is no sec
ton of the Union more free of these
pests than two-thirds of North Caro-
lima. The country around Raleigh (the
State Capital is about coo feet above
tide level. Thence westward for 400
miles the State rises steadily toward the
tops of the mountains, 1000 feet high.
OF course if one were to make his
home in a negro cabin, or a hog pen,
he might find vermin; and if one we're
to pitch his tent on the bank Of a dirty
mill pond, he might be annoyed. But
no well-kept place is thus troubled.
There were towns in North Carolina
that never saw a musqueto, until the
cars, or grain sacks, brought them.
As for health, there are sections of
Western Carolina where lung troubles
are rarely heard of. There are several
Sanitariums, built especially for such
sufferers from the North, who find the
high, dry, fresh, yet mid climate, the
best possible wintering field.
As for a home, you may easily suit
yourself, if you can pay s., 1000. But
there are excellent homesteads that
may be bought for half that sum. An
handsome, S-room residence, with 81
acres Of land, recently sold at Marion,
within cannon shot Of the railroad, for
1900.
In such matters, however, you must
see for yourself. [ cannot sp ire the
time to particularize. | trust the dav
Is coming when our wealthy landholders
will make up a large sum to be expend
ed in advertising, or writing up"
their lands since they must be-in to
see, after awhile that every para
graph that helps TO keep the State in
the notice of Northern aud Western
capitalists and home seekers is worth
real cash to them, aud to all others in
business.
In conclusion let me assure you North
Carolina Is a good State 20 settle In.
We are advancing with an rapidity that
astonishes all who knew us as we were
ten years ago. And | give you my pre-
dlctlon-thus publicly expressed-that
any n buying a good homestead at
reasonable price to-day may sell it for
nearly, if not fully, double the money,
six years hence.
In haste, yours very truly,
K. A. SHOTWELL,
III