The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1892-02-19
The Gentleman from CuerO, Texas,
Hits Back.

EDITOR HERALD:-Since my last
we have had some vlsl-
tors to our Lone Star. Notably among
them is old Winter, who with mis- frlgld
breath sailed into US about the ~ OF
January and sent the mercury TO "A
degrees above zero, which was the
coolest weather experienced here Tor
several years. Cattle and horses are
looking badly, and many are dying.
The grip has put IN its appearance IN
ALI of its intensity, and has carried oil
MANY of our best citizens, and smiling
many others with dangerous compIica-
tiOns N disease that may send them to
premature graves.
An extensive acreage Will be planted,
but there will be Il perceptable decrease
in the amount of cotton planted TINS
wear. Six and seven cents pound for
cotton is below the cost of production,
and such poor encouragement u the
farmer will soon drive That heretofore
staple article from our fertile fields.
We are still receiving visitors from
Northern and Northwestern Texas.
Mr.. u. Lewis, formerly from Tennessee,
but more recently from Bell county,
reached here a few days ago and ex-
presses himself highly pleased Win
our County, rs Indeed we nave the DeSt
poor mans country III the State. L was
amused a. YOUR Coleman correspondent;
his little scheme was 50 transparent;
he wanted an opportunity TO send III a
lew blasts i'll favor OF MS county
Leshia gave such IA glowing descrip ton
of his territory, with It's cdyOteS, WHO
cats, mountaintious etc, and but one
house built with human hands, and the
rain bow in the clouds to remind MIN
that God had not swept man from on
the face of the earth; anu TINS Dieak
territory lying in juNtaposltlon to Cole
man no doubt made the gentleman
anxious to disOwn its relationship; anu
particularly 80 when the fact dawns on
rs that all that country has had hne
railroad facilities for years. agree
with the gentleman that Dallas and
Denton, a I'D in. fact all That group oi
counties embracing a territory OF sever
al hundred square miles, cannot Oe eX-
ceIled in agricultural lands; ana Chelr
OUTPUT of cereals and cotton, as shown
in the agricultural statistics, Is simply
But what does that signify to the
Door man who reaches the State with
out adoIlar in his pocket? The thrifty
farmers he spoke OF came out perhaps
when he did, when lands could be had
for "A mere song, so to speak; now these
lands range in the market from Slo to
$50 per acre; and the lands being all un-
Ter fence, confines the renter to the
land he cultivates; and a free range to a
renter means everything that is to his
advantage. | don't believe any OF these
crowded counties want any more elnml-
prants-especially of the poor classes.
is that portions Of this State present
better opportunities to the poor classes
wnen they reach here; and as South
west Texas is comparatively new
country (I did not cOnfine myself to
Dewitt county, why 1 merely suggested
t. my friends in Tennessee, where L was
born and grew up to manhood, that
they had better g. to localities where
they could get free range for stock OF
ali kinds. And i'll such localities 1 can
assure them they can find as fine lands
as this State affords, with the advan-
tage of plenty of wood and water.
Your correspondent says the renter is
not dependent on the land lord, but
sells himself to the merchant. l would
lust like to know If any merchant In
Texas, or any other country, Is fool
enough to allow renters or any other
class of men who are strangers in a
strange land to trade with them at ran
dom on a credit, without some assur-
ance from some party whom they know
TO recommend them. And that the
renter coming all the way from the
States would likely need ION credlt)
everything necessary to farm with and
subsist on, is fact too patient to elab-
crate on. Your correspondent turther
endeaVors to make point by saying
this country has not developed as rapid
Iy as northern Texas. If the gentle
man had been as familiar with the
history of this country as he pretends to
be with the Topography OF Dewitt
County, ne WOulu huO" Iuo IedSOu.
This country for wears had no railroad
facilities except a line about so miles III
length from the ill fated town of Indi-
nola to this place; that former town be-
ling a Port OF entry on the coast; ana
! persons coming here from the States
| had to come by private conveyance or
| circumnavigdte the globe to get here.
Now something about gravel roads.
[ say positively the road leading from
this place to Hnchheim is very nearly
all sand and gravel; and Intact nearly
| all roads leading from Cuero for many
miles are sand and gravel, and men tell
me who live near HOchheim that hogs
are running at large there. But there
| are many hills and rocky ridges on the
| beds of the creeks you mentioned, and
! evidently these places are only mt for
the habitatiOns of wild animals. AS
| YOUR correspondent seems so familiar
with every nook and Granny of our
| county, and AS our oldest citizens of
whom have enquiIed never heard OF
| him. our Assessor, Mr.. Grafton, sug-
! pes;ed that it was likely he resided
there, or made it head quarters while
| getting up the history and census OF
our COUNTY. Don't you think his sug-
| gestion that "any one attempting a
description of this great State, whose
! area exceeds six times that of Tonnes
| see and whose resources are so great,
applies to himself? Or does he write by
| proxy? l am inclined to think he OBJ
| tained his information concerning this
county that way.
| | hope L will hear from your cores
pendent from Napier and Newburg
often through the HERALD. Wishing
you and the mother country success,
| | am yours, Il. Il. ii.