Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1886-07-31
AN INTERESTING LETTER.
The Americans Correspondent Relates
Some Interesting Local Items.

dressed colored man. II guess you
don't know me, Mr.. Marr?" observed
the man. no." replied Mr.. Mari.
Don't you remember BivenY" asked
the colored man. "Biven, Biven; why
yes; Is that Biven2" inquired Mr.. Mari;
and being assured OF the fact, then fol-
lowed most cordial greeting and long
interview, recounting the events Of
over thirty years.
The stranger proved to be the Hon.
Biven Gardner, OF Assumption Parish,
La, who has regularly represented his
parish in the Louisiana Legislature
since 1869. He is a polite, sensible
man, and has favorably impressed every
one. In 1854, Mr.. MARI, who was then
negro trader, bought Biven from Mr..
Ned Carney, DIR. Bailey's father-in-law,
who raised him, and was about that
time embarrassed and obliged to sell.
He was then boy Is years Of age, Mr..
MARI very soon sold him to Col. Nolen
Stewart, a wealthy planter at Baton
Rouge. Biven told Mr.. Mari. he found
good home at Mr.. Stewards; that he
had never struck anything hard in
louisiana before nor since the war. Mr..
Stewart was SO pleased with his pur-
chase that he made Biven his house boy
and cook. After the war he assumed
the name of his father, Gardner. He
had prospered, was very independent,
had vile, but no children and was
looking up kin folks, thinking he might
be able to do them some good. Mr..
MARI went with him to hunt up rela-
tives. He called on DIR. and Mrs. Bal
ley, who showed him every kindness
possible. This is striking instance OF
the kindly feelings between old slaves
and their former owners. Gardner
came here stranger, forgotten, but
not soured against the people who once
owned and sold him "away down Dixie
land" but hunting up those very peo-
pie, making himself known, and find
ing them, meets with all that generous
hospitality known to southern chivalry,
bearing the distinction OF races.
Mr.. Sam Seat, who is an enterprising,
practical man, is giving much study and
attention to fruit growing. He owns a
profitable young orange grove in Flor
ida, and has planted large orchards OF
Lacont pears both in Florida and on
his GAINESVILLE place, and now, after
thorough investigation, has determined
| to plant one thousand pecan trees, and
| has given his order for the terminated
Ipecans, to be planted on his river farm
below Nashville, and also on the Clarks-
vile place and Florida lands. Pecans
will grow anywhere that the hickory
thrives, but do best on rich bottom
lands. They can be probably cultiva.
ted on poor, rocky, hill land, by proper
use of fertilizer. A grove taken care Of
will come in bearing at s years old
The tree has large tap root, grows
to be very large, spreading we'll, form
ing beautiful shade tree. 1t is long
life tree, known to be 80 to 100 years
old, and liberal bearer. Trees at IL
years old will bear from eight to ten
bushels Of nuts. They weigh forty-foul
pounds to the bushel, and sell for six
cents per pound as readily as tobacco
cotton or any other commodity on the
market. About forty trees are planted
to an acre, and this gives profit of $500
Iper acre. The pecan tree is native o.
Texas, and those who turned their at
tention to this industry some years ago,
planting groves are now reaping fortunes
The building boom goes on lively
Prof. Parker is about completing his
fourth cottage, all on new style. Mr.
Kincannon has put up two new houses
on Public Square. Messrs. Atwood anC
Jarrel, two handsome cottages on MAR
street. Mr.. George Cooke has com
menced three neat residences on Seventh
and Madison streets. A new residence
is going up on Madison street, between
Seventh and Eighth. Mr.. Mike North
ington has broken dirt for fine resi-
dence on Madison street, and Mr.. Ear
nest Beach is building fine brick resi-
dence on Franklin. The building O
the Indiana, Alabama & Texas Railroad
: started this prosperity, but the tobacc'
interest promises to outstrip all else il
the building boom. In addition to tn
mammoth warehouse spoken OF tn
other day, the Peoples House, Han
: cock, Frazier & Ely, is to be greatly en-
Iarged. Messrs. Parrish, Buckner
Co. speak of building on the lot recent
ly purchased of the Henry estate.
But the highest thing of all is tn
e swinging warehouse to be erected b
i T. P. Major the popular book-keepe
!, of the Grange Warehouse Company
Mr.. Major came here poor boy iron
= Csdiz, having experimental with th
plant from the worm up, and KNOWN
d Just when and where to take hold of th
;, weed and exactly how much to bite o.
ievery time, he has in short time accu
mulated quite competency. He
6 also man of inventive genius and ha
= worked out plan which he calls th
IS "swinging warehouse" for a mode
! building that will overcome difficult
Is which has given every warehousema
$ in town the delirium tremens this sef
son. 1t is this They have a storag
% system here which is very accommoda
ing to the buyer, and through this sy'
d tenn tobacco accumulates. Buyers bi
{. off tobacco ON the breaks, and then o.
,e der the warehouseman, who sells,
store that tobacco until called for, an
, knowing that it is for the Reggie trad
. the warehousemen proceed to roll thl
le hogshead back to the fartherest corne
D. putting 100 or more hogsheads in fror
of it, and then rider with another row
lavneetinU IL will stav there yea