Plateau gazette and east Tennessee news. (Rugby, Tenn.) 1883-1884, 1884-02-21
MORGAN COUNTY.
SOME DESCRIPTIVE PARTICULARS.

and the other hY the presentinsumbent,
Hon. A. J. eiMcWhirter, we, find very
many items 'relatingitotMorgaliC County,
which may be of interest and use to
eur readers, end outside eaquirers.
To these we have added such particu-
lars as occurred to us in the course OF
compilation, and not included in the
handbooks. The statistics are from the
Census returns of 1880.
Morgan County, organized in 1917,
is one Of the twenty counties wholly
or. partly upon the tabe-land, and lies
to the northeast of the Cumberland
Plateau, with an elevation Of about
i 800 feet above sea level Much of
the land of the County is broken, but
there are many fine stretches and val
leys and hill sides admirably adapted
to cultivation. The, soil while gener-
ally thin is a sandy loan with a clay
subsoil, very retentive of manures, and
capable of high tillage. There is con-
siderable and valuable timber, princl-
|pally white, and other varieties of, oak,
pine, hickory, chestnut, etc. Coal is
known to underlie the whole of the
County. Within the last few weeks
Professor Cotton, late State Geologist,
has discovered very extensive field at
Crooked Fork, about eight miles from
| Kismet Station, which Nashville
company he represents will shortly de-
velop. The coal is said to he the finest
vet found in Tennessee The County
is well watered by innnmerable small
streams. but the larger courses are the
rivers Emory, Crooked Fork, Obed,
Clear Fork and White Oak. ''iI- -. 'ss
The climate is that generally Of Ten
nessee. The county's high position,
however, gives summer and winter adj
; vantages more healthful and agreeable
5 than are the temperature and condi-
+ tions of the valleys ard lower lands.
Malaria is absolutely unknown, while
; lang complaints. are surprisingly bene-
fitted by. the plateau air. From obser-
vations made at Rugby during 1883
e the highest heat registered was 81 de
: grees, and the lowest cold, for few
$ hours upon one occasion, two degrees
, below zero. So low a temperature il
!, quite unusual upon the Plateau. The
nlean temperature for the year was 81
degrees. Rain fell on llS days, with /
rainfall of Sc inches during the year
There was very little snow. The las
}. frost in Spring was on April 9Th, ant
l. the first frost in the Fall on Novembe
i, LIST. Reckoning the growing season FL
(; the various crops by the number 0
J, days which elapse between the last an
ls~a frost of-.he year we find the seasoi
,'Posed of lS7 days.
fnrSGHRg dhea s ce S9{At5ffr}h the RSs SdSy
{ aud is connected with the more outl,
d ing districts by good roads. There i
y every reason for knowing that one O
l. two short feeders will connect with tn
main line before long, and much proba
= hility that the county will he intersect
n ed by line running from Knoxville t.
= Nashville
. The population of Morgan county il
1860 was 1888, falling off during tn
war years to 1900 in 1870 In 1885,
e the people numbered 5,l56. At til
II present date the number, is probabl
IN 1000 or 1900 more. The colored pop
e nmtion numbered 2S9. There are 259,
!, 900 acres in the county, of which abou
!, l24 600 acres are improved. The mum
% Der Of farms GIG. OF stock we fin
y horses and mules 400, cattle 4,7lC
'. sheep 5,490, and hogs 1865. Ofcor
y ll5,327 bushels were raised, whea
d. 1892 bushels, oats 9,490 bushels, rye
1880 bushels, tobacco 6,537 pounds
Irish potatoes 1925 bushels, swee
en-, potatoes lO,750 bushels, hay 672 tons
It, and cotton one bale The orchard pre-
he ducts were valued at SO, 100. The tots
~ value OF property assessed for taxatio
!. was $3.50, lbs The taxes per $40
were: for schools 10 cents; roads
IL cents; county purposes, 30 cents. A
"a the foregoing figures are from the n
to turns Of 1880, and serve only as ger
v. eral guide to the state of affairs. Dul
~ ing the last three years there has bee
s a large Immigration to the county, an
- q very great increase of wealth adde
q. to the community. " a'''''i " s'
or The following are the principal villa
By yes and settlements: Wartburg, tn
'al County seat, an old German colon,
ed beautifully situated among the moal
KIT tains, and famous for its orchards an
~ grapes; Rugby, an Anglo American Sc
b tlement, with every promise Of being
favorite summer resort and education,
he center. 1t has made good progress !,
-. late. Sunbright, neat and very risir
J., vllD,ge on the railroad; Kis,net, or La
:" sing,anotEer station on the line; Glade
'eu promising agricultural settlement
he Crooked Fork, the seat of Mr.. Cotton
ITS recent important coal discovery; a,
ex. Annadel and Memo, busy lumber st
in tions. Coalfed, Honeycnt, Islar
- Ford and Mill Creek are in lumberir
"" aud farming districts. fs W
NE Taken, Thea, altogether, Morgs
he county is doing well. Its citizens a
vas peaceable, and order loving. and indr