Birmingham age-herald., 1895-08-21
THOSE KANSAS COMMITTEES Delighted With Lands in North Alabama Along the Line of the Queen and Cres-
 cent System.

There will be a large exodus rom north Kansas into the south this fall.
 Two committees from Clay county, rep resenting over 400 families. have lately been Investigating lands in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama with view of finding location for their people. They have examined lands along the Illinios Central, Southern Pacific, Mobile and Ohio and are now examining lands along the line of the Queen and Crescent sys- tenn in Alabama. Maj. Frank Y. Anderson, land commits sioner of the Queen and Crescent system. is just in receipt of the following reports, which speak for themselves:
 Valley Head, Aug g. 1S95 Frank Y. Anderson, Esq, Land Commits sioner queen and Crescent System, Birmingham, Ala
 Dear Sir Our committee reached here at D. m. today and have just completed hearty supper at the residence of MT. w. O. w. Paine, equal to any supplied by the best hotels of sone of the large cities. and all home grown except the coffee.
 The nights here in this high altitude are cool and pleasant and we all slept well last night. We started yesterday morning from Collinsville and in two days covered seventy-hve miles. The roads were the best we ever saw, with numerous sofe water springs of clear, cool water scattered all over the country. In the fruit line we did not find any peaches except seedlings. Apples were plentiful; in fact the trees were burdened down with them, but our committee en- Joyed themselves more picking black berries than anything else. We must have passed 100 miles of them counting both sides of the road. The corn was both good and bad, but every man who planted m .hqNn of them from twenty 10 thirty bushels per acre, and few patches will make from thirty-fve to forty bushels per acre-no fertilizer used.
 Cotton looks well; in fact, compared very favorably with that we have seen elsewhere in the south, except in the delta region.
 We found the people intelligent, gen. erous and kind. though we think they are many years behind in their machinery and methods of farming. We were very much surprised that people so well posted as to the outside world should persist in using crude, old-fashioned implements We found one gang working the road, and they were actually using spades and hoes and a little thing they called blow, which was being drawn by three or four boys, while near by there were seven or eight fine mules hitched to rail fence with saddles on.
 Taking that region of the Sand moun- tain country investigated by us which is contiguous to the Alabama Great Southern railroad We think it the best unoccupied country in the United States taking health. contentment and hap piness into consideration
 This reminds me of another thing We observed that at every house there were from four to eight big. fat chubby healthy children. We passed over 100 houses and in every instance this state of affairs prevailed.
 Tt is certainly wonderful country and great wonder to us that so much of it should have remained uncultvated until now.
 Its days of rest are surely numbered "AS it is, the farmers now scattered over the mountain all have plenty to eat, dress well, have fine dwellings and good outbuildings; could have money to lend if they would only improve their style of machinery and their live stock-- especially hogs and cattle.
 As we have several other letters to write tonight we must leave many other things that came under our observation for another time. Very respectfully,
 "W. F. CARTER, Chairman"
 August 8, 1895.
 Report of Kansas Committee No. 3. "F. Y Anderson, Esq, Land Commits sioner Queen and Crescent System, Bir- mingham, Ala.-
 Dear Sir: In making this our first re- port as regards our investigation of the land along the line of the Alabama Great Southern railroad in North Alabama, we desire to say that We reached Collinsville, DeKalb county, Monday evening, the 9th instant, at D. In., and spent some time that afternoon looking at the crops in the immediate vicinity of that place.
 We found good red clover and were told that it was sown last April with oates. This clover was really fine for any country and was the first we had seen in Alabama.
 "The corn also was far beyond our ex- pectationS, the stalking being large and thrifty and the color good, and in most fields there were two large ears to each stalk. The largest man in our party stood on the third plank of fence and could hardly reach the top of the small est stalk with a 3-foot walking cane.
 The cotton was also fine.
 Tuesday morning we left Collinsylle in two large double hacks and drove straight to sand mountain, where we spent a day and half and one night on that wonderful plateau. The weather was exceedingly pleasant; nights cool and refreshing. While We were in De- Kalb county the thermometer did not reach 90
 We saw much to impress us and were astounded to find such beautiful, broad stretches of level land, large fields, good fences. and above all fine crops of corn and cotton.
 "In the unsettled districts we saw any quantity of excellent grass growing wild, and throughout this whole country fine pasturage can be found; and all the cat tie that were running on the ranges were fat. sleek and in fine condition.
 "Of all the places We have vet seen in the south we like this country the best.
 U. w. SMITH,
 "A. BOUGHEN,
 "GEO. PFEIFLEY,
 'W. B. STAHL,
 IS. MOON
 "A. DOWN,
 "SAML THORNTON JR..
 ''All of Green, Clay County, Ks"
 Heat will rise to the boiling point many a time yet before