The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1882-11-10
Letter from Texas.

lluSrsvILLE, TEXAS, Oct. 1G, 1882
- IN. EDITOR: 81 have intended ever since
80 here 2 write leltessfor the Times, and as
it woGid ispded principally. for tho poor
farmer 1 thods htl1s xunaaAb be best nesty write
until ! had some experience EARNING in Texas
I LEFT Union County on q 17,h ofpscember
1880 hereand arEiys Ter three days and four
nights travel, without anything very interesting
happening The trip cost me about $32 for
each whole ticket. mention this only to show
1.-THE poor men, who wish to come here that it doe.
not require q fortune to bring man here
When got here found groceries selling about
as in Union, except "hog aud hominy.' Hog,
dressed, was bringing cts. per lb, hominy a.
bout As to so cts. a bushel.
Last year the drought, which will ever be re-
membered, did not miss Texas, consequently
everything has been very high this year but
high prices will be compelled to go down now,
as The crops arc very fine indeed. and there will
be mast enough to fatten all of the meat with
| out using any corn.
Notwithstanding the severe drought last year
the cotton crop as better than the crops back
there, with 200 lbs of fertilizer to the acre,
| with favorable searons. l. would just do the
guaro farmers good to see the crop of this year,
with drought of about weeks, comm mcncing
the last of May. This is considered one of the
very poorest counties in the State, but there is
| made on plenty o land this year bale of cot.
ton to the acre, and from 40 to 60 bushe of
corn. do not speak from hearsay, but from
actual experience and observation. Ihave trav-
eled over the county great deal and therefore
| know. do not speak of the river bottoms,
which must be better, but of the average culti-
| waited uplands. The soil here is varied-white
| sand, black sand, and real sticky black land.
The black sticky land is the best and surest for
a crop. Ii is pretty hard to break in the Spring.
but when once broken it pulverizes and is Ell sier
to work if possible than your Santuc Lands.
If q man will cultivate black land he will be sure
of reward. The greatest advantage l find in
farming here is that man can make his corn
crop and have it off his hands before his cotton
is ready to chop out. know that this will
seem strange to the readers of the Times, but
it is fact.
Land rent here is higher than the price ofland
for sale. Unimproved land rents here for from
So to So per and sells for from 81 to So
per acre. Inc neaitn oil tniS county ma as
good rs had in South Carolina. 1t is generally
expected that auy one just coming here would
be sick more than the natives, but I have not
had n case Of chlls and fever in my family, IN |
we have been here nearly two years. | have
had some bilious fever, brought on by exposure
to the very hot sun. We have every variety of
water that you can think of-lron, Copper, Lime,
Sulphur, Salt in fact almost every mineral you
can think Of The people are generally law.
abiding, kind and hospitable. Churches and
Schools are numerous. Tie 'Sam Houston
Normal School is located here with about i so
scholars. Fearing that my letter is already too
long will have to close by saying that Texas is
the very place for ho:d working, energetic and
deserving poor men to get a start in the world
and my advice to all poor men who can come,
and who intend coming at nll, is to come this
winter, while everything is cheap and abundant
l hope you will publish this, and. if acceptable,
will give you another after "a while Wishing
You and all the good democrats of Union much
success.
EUGENE TRAP.