Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1881-06-16
The UndevelOped Resources Of
Southeast Missouri.
BY THOMAS CALLAHAN.


the Ozark Mountains, on the east by
Mississippi river, and on the south by
the State of Arkansas, and contains
about one-fifth of the area of the State
of Missouri.
In respect to its physical geography,
it is composed two divisions, first, the
hilly country on the southern slope of
the mountains, which is often quite
steep and sometimes precipitous. The
remainder of the country is composed
lowlands in the southwestern part OF
the division.
The climate is ordinarily mild, but
as the countryi is being rapidly stripped
of its timber, great variations are ex-
perienced more and more. The aver
age fall of rain and melted snow is As
inches year.
In speaking of the drawbacks and
hindrances of the country which must
be remedied, it must be borne in mind
that the objective point is to bring in
greater amount of population, our coun-
try being great deal too large for the
people.
In order to do this, those who are al
ready on the ground must take hold of
the matter, and by showing what the
country is capable of doing under prop
er treatment, encourage others to
come.
1t may be admitted, without any
prejudice to truth, that at first view
our country is not very inviting, and
the people already in the country must
SO bring it out that it may be seen that
under this rugged exterior there are
concealed vast resources, with bread,
meat, and clothing rs their objective
point.
1t may be promised that as q class
immigrants are persons of limited
means, who seek a country where
that objective point can be cheaply at
tained.
1t may be admitted at the start that
this is not good country for lazy
man, and it is doubtful whether there
ever was country made for that
class.
There are some drawbacks which
affect this whole division of the State,
and there are some which are peculiar
to each section. Among those that
apply to the whole division may be
mentioned the question of land til
ties.
houtdragging the reader through
any of the vexations of litigation on
subject, it is proposed to show how a
valid title can be obtained. Ten years
occupation and cultivation under a
show of title, will make a valid claim.
AS basis for show of title there is
nothing equal to a tax deed, for that
slips all all previously existing incum-
brances, and tax sales cover a great
amount of land that can be made very
valuable.
Everything is here on the side of the
actual settler and cultivatOr of the soil.
Nonresident landowners, hich class
includes all those who hold large bod
les of land of which they make 10 use,
and especially those who are residing
at a distance and waiting until the la
bors and hardships of others have made
their lands valuable, are regarded as an
obstruction and a fraud, and every
thing, both in law and in fact, is against
them.
Another difficulty that has existed
may be noticed-namely, the feeling of
sectional animosity. Without paying
any attention to much that has been
written on both sides, the writer, who
has never concealed the fact that he is
a Republican, puts on record the re-
suits of his own experience and obser-
walton here for nearly twelve years:
1st. The sectional feeling i'm regard to
political opponents has never been
stronger here than its counterpart was
in strongly Republican communities in
the North toward Southern sympa-
thizers.
Cd. That whatever feeling may have
existed on that subject is steadily dis
appearing, so that no Republican OF
average good sense need hesitate to
come here through any fear of the OPP
Grafton of that feeling.
Attention will now be given to some
OF the drawbacks and hindrances that
belong peculiarly to each district, be-
ginning with the lowlands. This dis
| trict labors under two classes of diff
culties, nonresident landowners and
swamps, and the great problem is to
get rid of both at the same time. by
| making the one kick the other out.
Thirty years ago the writer obtained
considerable practicable knowledge of
the Black Swamp in Northwestern
Ohio, and he has to-day some knowl-
edge of the Black Swamp of Southeast
Missouri, and proposes to run q parallel