The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1884-10-29
An Interview with Senator George.
N. rnrr rHaoUeH SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI

sentative Of The CLARION asked him il
he was willing to be interviewed in ref
erencs to his trip.
He answered certainly" as he had
something to say in relation to that por-
tion of the State which he thought
might be of interest to the public:
REpoETER-I suppose you had pleas
ant trip in that section?
SENATOR GEoRGE-The trip was pleas
ant enough in some of its incidents, and
would have been entirely so but Tor the
dust and excessive hot weather which con-
tinued throughout the entire trip nearly. |
The trip was not undertaken for pleasure |
merely, but designed more for nay own IN
formation as to the resources OF that sec
ton OF the State, the condition Of the peo- |
pie residing there, and its probable future. |
OF course, canvassing for the Democratic
candidates was also principal object.
Reporter-Well, what do you think OF
Southeast Mississippi as to soil, climate,
resources, etc?
S. G.-I was greatly and agreeably dis
appointed as to the resources OF that sec
ton of the State. found the people were
TIE Al COth pa 0tAhO NO--@Ao--
and Independence. The farmers raise
most of what they consume. They raise
corn and oats in abundance, also rice and
Louisiana sugar cane, sweet potatoes,
pecans and fruits, and all the vegetables
usually raised in that latitude. Cotton
our great staple-also grows there timely.
The corn crop this year is fine; the other
crows are considerably injured by thesevere
and long confined drouth.
Many cattle, sheep and horses are also
raised. l believe a sufhciency OF horses
and mules are raised; very few, If any, are
brought from abroad.
The soil is not, as general rule, OF the
best quality, though saw some and heard
of a great deal more land in that section
Of very fine quality, very fertile and pro-
ductive.
The common opinion that this section OF
the State has only very sterile lands is
A GREAT MISTAKE.
More than one-half of the area between
Pearl river and the Alabama line, and
between the V. and NJ. Road, and the
northern line of the three Sea-codst coun-
ties being the section l visited is fit for
cultivation and profitable cultivation, too.
Most of these lands have a clay subsoil
and all these are susceptible of fertilization
[ made special inquiries on this subject
and was surprised to learn with what gen
crosby the lands responded to fertilizing.
The meanest of these clay subsoil landr
will yield half bale of cotton and twenty
bushels of corn per acre, with an expen-
diture of g for commercial fertilizer.
With higher fertilizing they will produce
full bale of cotton per acre. There are
in each of the counties fine lands which
need no fertilizing. There is a tract of
oak lands in Covington and Lawrence
cornties, about twenty miles long and
about five mile broad, that is of very ex-
cellent quality, producing as well as any
hill lands in the State. There is also il |
Lawrence county fine district around |
Hebron Of the greatest fertility The |
Pearl river bottom in Lawrence, Simpson |
and Marion counties furnishes fine land |
I saw near Monticello, land
CULTIVATED FOR NEARLY A CENTURY,
which had on it crop this year of a bale
of cotton per acre, and this without ferlil-
izing. | mention this to show the staying
quality of these lands. In Lawrence
county, outside of the river bottom, | saw
a field which had been continuously
cultivated for seventy years, and on it was
a corn crop of twenty bushels per acre. In
Wayne, Clarke, Jasper and Smith, there
are prairie and lime lands of the best quail
ity, producing equal to the best prairie
lands in the State. The quantity of the
land is considerable in each of these coun-
ties.
In the lower part Of Rankin, especially
in the neighborhood of Stems Creek, and
on Purvis Creek, and on Richland Creek
the lands lie well, have good subsoil, and
are exceedingly productive. [ saw 10
other part of Rankin. In the
LOWER TIER OF COUNTIES,
Marion, Perry and Greene, | was disap-
pointed in the fertility of the creek bot
oms They we're generally sandy, but in
he other counties the creek bottoms were
excellent Take this section of
he State all together, and l would say,
hat it presents to the enterprising and
hrifty farmer fine field for his labor 1t
s far more fertile than Massachusetts,, anc {
parts of South Carolina, North Carolina
md Georgia, where farming is successful I
y carried on.
The range is simply inexhaustible
Cattle and sheep are raised with little ex-
oense or attention. The
TIMBER SUPPLY
8 simply immense. 1t will remain as a | !
ource of wealth for many years. The /
rant of means of transportation to mar !
let will keep in reserve for the future :
many acres Of fine timber. As our
orests are being destroyed and timber
f transportation, new railroads, will be
uilt Settlement will follow the cutting 0
own of the timber, and as the latter dis
ppears new farms, orchards and vineyards
ill be opened. a
What most surprised me, however, is
THE WATER POWER =
q these counties. In every one of them =
re the finest creeks, clear as crystal, swift
INNING, and with abundant water. These
.reams, besides their evident usefulness.
re objects of great beauty. was always n
elighted in crossing them, and nearly =
ways tempted to stop and drink from :,
leir pure waters. One of these creeks in :;
oyington county, the Ocahoma, has =
lpids or falls of over a half mile in y =
myth with rocky bottom and rock banks. II
mother, the Chunky, has large falls near Is
5 mouth. All of these many creeks have "
Efficient fall to furnish splendid water OF
over. II
/ do not hesitate to say that there is m
Tough of the finest water power in these 81
unties to manufacture all the cotton d
Used in the South. In no long time this lei
,wer must attrsct TIE attention of capital ev
=, and when fully appropriated viii m
axe this section very populous and rich. in
am sure there is and can be no part of be
e Union where manufacturing viii be
pre- prosperous, If only the present high RI
election tariff shall be so reduced and
,diied as to cause manufacturers to seek !,
: most profitable fields in which to carry IN
their business. gu
There is also, in Jasper county, tn
QUARRY OF FINE STONE, pu
t and easily worked, when first quar- ~
d, and growing hard and harder, BY ex- 'ie
sure to the air. This stone extends for =.
least twenty miles and viii at no distant -, az
: be quarried in immense quantities.
IS now being quarried probably. It is az
4 that this is the finest building stone in na
wersd. The ease with which it is Iot
rked when first taken out, and the sub me
uent hardening after exposure, will Tn
se it to be used very extensively. me
THE HEALTH OF THIS SECTION WI
all that can be desired. / heard Of lne
sickness anywhere. The people looked TIL
ing and healthy. There is no ground
malarial disease. / met many old peo-
who were strong and vigorous, and / BY
sciaIIy remember one old man, Mr..
d. who had been in that section from of |
hood. He was Sc years old, strong in pen
d and body. He told me many inter- upo
az incidehts connected with the early too
cement Of that part Of Mississippi. / Sou
Ia not detect il his conversation the 10
htest evidence Of seniiity OF garrulity. cha
conseq uence ct tbs saiubrity, u strong kn0
and women, ana large families. be I
ne people are giving great attentson % the
EDUCATION. bon
-. IL .s.1 l.,..,l --.8.-.l., -. 80, $50.