Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-04-11
A Minnesota letter for the Fsrsnsrs'
Cenventton.
PRINCETON, April 6, 1885.

PRINCETON, April D, 1850.
To the Editor of the Dispatch
On reading an article in the Dispatch
Of March 9th, entitled "A Question:"
| am induced to offer few suggestions
and perhaps criticism from the stand
point Of one who desires to move from
climate Of nine months winter and
three months cold weather" to the
land beloved Of Heaven o'er all the
earth besides"
am no stranger to the climatic at
fractions, agricultural, mineral, and
other resources Of your favored Vir-
ginia, but had ] not known the coun-
try from personal observation before
and after the late war. can truthfully
say that have not, as resident Of the
North, met with any information re-
garding the country that would induce
me to look toward the grand old State
as desirable place for farmer to emf
crate to. Here in the Northwest we look
to the legitimate press for information of
general interest. The land-holders of
all classes recognize that fact, and when
wishing to sell lands advertise them
through dailies and ether papers, and
the press devote space and talent TO the
elucidation of questions regarding the
desirability Of their respective sections
for location. For an example: In
1878 Twas journeying through Dakota;
| camped over night on small
creek in Pipe Stone county. The
only sign Of human habitation in sight
was a sod shanty standing desolate
and alone on the wide expanse of vir-
gin prairie. A railroad was in process
Of construction the survey passed near
the shanty. In 1880 read in the st.
Paul Daily Pioneer Press a full-page
advertisement Of Pipe Stone city and
surrounding country. In 1882 passed
through Pipe Stone on the railroad.
What saw was large village, and
farm-houses dotting the prairie, and
fields of golden grain on every hand.
Now, the only inducement that place
had to offer was rich land positively
nothing more.
will admit that there are perhaps
tons Of printed circulars and pamphlets
circulated by Virginia real estate agents /;
and here | will tell you that there are
large numbers Of intelligent northern
farmers who find in these same publica-
tons reasons for looking with suspicion
on the scheme Of southern migration.
These pamphlets contain long lists Of
highly -colored descriptions Of farms
for sale at ridiculouSly-low prices, and
in no instance have | seen recapitula-
ton or history Of the causes that have
cOnspired to bring on the market at low
prices good lands in an old, settled
country, positively embracing every adj
vantage for the intelligent, industrious
/ husbandman.
OF course northern men know that
Virginia was desolated by the war, and
that the abolition of slavery revolu-
tionized her agriculture but unless
they have visited the State since the
war and talked with her citizens and
seen with their eyes they cannot form
any true conception Of the state Of the
case. There are evils resulting to all
parties interested through the present
system. This is not the place to enter
into their detail.
Let the State of Virginia publish a
pamphlet showing up the unequalled ad-
yantages of that State in its true light ;
let there be kept in the State Office OF
agriculture record Of real estate for
sale, with leading descriptions of the
same given by the owner, and let this
record be open to the inspection Of the
would-be purchaser or visitor; and let
it be advertised in a few Of our leading
agricultural and other papers that the
descriptive pamphlet published by the
State will be furnished on application.
And let farmers who desire to sell their
Virginia farms advertise in local papers,
so that visitors TO the State may see by
the papers where lands are to be found,
and deal direct with the owner.
Virginians-you who have lands to
sell and who wish to build up your
State-will find that money invested in
legitimate advertising will result in a
great saving Of money to yourselves
and annoyance to the would-be pur-
chaser, and also increase very rapidly
the sales you desire to make.
Virginia cannot expect to attract any
large percentage Of the foreign immi-
grafton that comes to the United States.
Europeans come in large numbers and
with small resources, and will settle
on the cheap Government and railroad
lands in the far West and Northwest.
But there are in the northern and west
ern States enough practical and able
farmers who would like to sell their
farms and move to the more congenial
southern climates if they knew through
reliable sources the grand inducements
that can be offered. Let the State gov
ernment and the private citizen who
has interests at stake make q liberal
use Of the press, and they will find in
their hand an - Aladdin lamp" that
will work a wondrous change.