Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1884-04-24
Flatwoods.

| Ed. Register-Having never seen any
part of Iron county, ] take the liberty te
write few lines regarding it. The valley
! of Flatwoods is about six miles southeast OF
Ironton, and must say that, for the size oil
the valley, it is the loyeliest ever saw: it Is
almost circular in form, and about two miles
in width is surrounded by high, rough, and
very steep mountains, with but one outlet,
without crossing one of the mountains; that
is through the pass on Rock Greek, which
empties into the St.Francois river above the
Silver Mines.
Flatwoods, as the name implies, is very
fiat and level, with the finest hard wood for
ests in this county of Iron. ! saw thousands
of very large, tall, straight oak, hickory and
ash trees, that would make glad the heart OF
any lumberman.
The soil is heavy clay, which, when
brought under cultivation, produces fine
crops of corn, oats and hay: If you have any
doubts of the fertility of the soil, just call
on my friend, Thompson Blanton, and he
will show you his cribs of corn and stacks OF
hay, and if you stay to dinner his good wife
and her sister will get you a meal that will
make your heart glad, and in love with your
self and all mankind besides.
There is quite large settlement in the val
ley, OF good, honest, industrious people, and
kind neighbors. But large portion of the
valley remains yet uncultiyated, waiting for
improvement. This valley is capable of sup
porting quite a large populations: it, no
doubt would have been cleared up long ago,
but is owned by non-residents, who l pre-
sumo, are waiting for high prices, at the eX-
pense Of the real residents; for you know,
Mr.. Editor, that if one man makes valuable
improvements on his land, all lands adjoin-
ing are enhanced in value. These non-resi-
dents think it hard to pay taxes for wild
land' because some man has seen fit to make
improvements on adjoining lands. Now, my
idea is, if own a tract of land and make
good Improvements, and you own one ad-
joining me and by nature just as good, you
should pay as much tax as I, foryou neither
improve yours nor let any one else who
would. l consider non resident land holders
a drawback to any country.
The hills surrounding this valley make the
finest range for all kinds of stock; hogs keep
fat the year around on the roots and mast.
On their tops is fine land for wheat. rye and
root crops. Although South East Missouri
is in its infancy, so far as farming and stock
raising is concerned, some day these same
mountains viii be covered with beautiful
farms and vineyards, orchards, and fruits of
all kinds.
Now, after all that nature and natures God
has done for Southeast Missouri, to see so
many of her sons leaving the tilling of the soil
to go to the mines and the railroad. and SEEM
ing to want to get away from their native
heath, it does seem strange. How many of
these boys that leave the land to go to work
for wages ever get any higher than hirclings:
and they are subject at any hour to be thrown
out of employment. No, Mr.. Editor; give
me Il little spot Of earth that | can call my
own and make it my home; however humble
it may be, ''there's no place like Home,
Sweet Home" II. 7. L.