The Port Gibson reveille. [volume] (Port Gibson, Miss.) 1890-current, 1892-08-31
Down With Fences.

Washington county contains, accord
ing to the assessment roll of 1890, ll2,-
54S acres Of cleared land. The cost Of
fencing this land with post and wire
fencing at $3.50 per mile is S332, ,0OO,or
gl75, ,296 for rails.
Three hundred and thirty-two thous-
and dollars is q tax which if directly
levied, would create a revolution. Not
one man in the county could be found
who would not uplift his voice IN indig-
nant protest; and by unanimous action
We would quickly throw off a burden
which would seem too grieyous TO be en-
dured for an instant This intolerabe
tax is LEVIED regularly, and IS actually
paid by the planters Of Washington
county at periods of about six years,and
no voice is raised against the enormity,
or the only murmur heard is half joe
ose one against what they seem to re-
gard as the inevitable According to the
assessment roll Of personal property for
the year 1891 the total number Of horn
ed cattle, sheep, goats and hogs in the
county is 3,2l7. These animals would
require say two acres each for pasturage
If confined, or total Of 6,434 acres TO
fence, which with posts and wire would
amount to $4,000 Subtract tins gl0,-
600 from the cost of fencing Of the en-
tire cleared land as at present necessa
ry,and a difference remains Of g322, 600.
A saving to the county every five or six
years Of S322, 600 is an argument more
powerful in favor of a stock law than
any words could make, no matter how
forcible and convincing; but this is not
all. 1t is well known that after the
grass is killed, about the middle Of No
vember, and from that time until
late in spring. the stock roam at
will through the fields, and indeed it is
the practice Of many tenants to deliber-
ately pull down fences IN order toenable
their cattle to prey upon their landlords
crops which remain in the field at
that time. Any planter knows that
quantities Of corn and cotton are des-
troyed annually by this system of CLEAN
ing, most Of which is not eaten, but
simply trampled and wasted The es-
innate Of several sufferers by this pillage
places the amount destroyed at ten per
cent of the whole crop, at least
The books Of the cotton tax collector
place the crop of 1891 at 81 ,524 bales.
The corn crop Of the county for that
year is about 354, ,24U bushels. Now
ten per cent Of this crop, destroyed by |
the depredations Of cattle,amounts to5,-
752 bales Of cotton and 35,425 bushels
Of corn. The yearly cost to the county
therefore from the two causes Of fence
repairs and cattle running at large is
g53, 800 cash for repairs, 5,752 bales Of
cotton and 80, 424 bushels Of corn.
This loss is borne chiefysby the ten
ant, for when he disposes Of his crop the
landlords and merchants claims come
FIRST. Their claims must be satisfied,
and when the tenant has paid off his
to them he must depend for
his own share Of the crop upon what he
can save from his own and his neigh
bors' cattle.
Again, freedom from the burden of
building and repairing fences would en-
able the landlord to rent his land at o
much lower figure than at present,
and 10 realize as much profit from an
acre rented at five as he now does from
one rented at eight. Cleaning up and
cuItivatting small bodies Of land could
be done at a much less cost The nee
essity Of fencing prevents the clearing
If many an acre which would be at once
put in cultivation we're not this heavy
expense necessary preliminary
Waste places would be utilized for the
production Of hay and forage crops.
Manure, now utterly disregardcd, would
% saved, and the time and money used
n fencing devoted 10 fertilizing and inn
proving fields, orchad~ and gardens.
This matter Is one that calls for
prompt and decided action. Let each
District circulate petitions for presenta-
ion to the Board Of Supervisors in Or
Ter that they, after learning the senti-
nent Of the county On the subject may
'rder an election. -6reenyillc Times.
Many persons
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