The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1895-08-06
THE s0UrH's GREAT oPP0RTUnuTY
rALK WITH AN IMMIGRATION

.f ---
TALK WITH AN IsImIaRATIoN
The South Needs Capital ard Inn
migraiion--W the southern
ttahTay 10 Doing to Deyeiopand
Advertise our Resources.
One of the busiest men in this busy
and bustling world of ours is Mr. M.
VI Richards. land and immigration
agent of the Southern Railway. Mr..
Richards is in Western parIance a
g hustlsrp with all that the void i'm
plies. He has had large experience in
laud and Immigration matters, having
been bred to the business. from q boy
and his opinion based on a personal
knowledge and actual experience,
carries with it weight that entities
it to respect and consideration. He
has been successful i'm all what he has
undertaken and his work therefore
speaks for itself. While he is always
chuck full of business he is eminent
for his good nature and courtesy and
always receives a newspaper man, in
ear of an item, or Information in
his line of work, with the greatest
Kindness and ~cheerfully answers his
questions IL possible to do So.
The reporter caught him on the
wing" as it were, the other day and
1hN0INloWSu III III ECSdTu W LIB WOTh
in his @ field of operations. In reply
as to what he was doing to develop
the resources of the South he said
I'VE are trying to advertise the re-
sources of the South by distributing
literature especially prepared for this
purpose in many portions of the North
as well as at our home office, also by
liberal correspondence which coLLes to
us from all sections of the country ask
ing for specific and definite informa-
tion in regard to the South and by
personal visits to various sections
where we have the time for such pur-
poses. All this keeps us pretty busy,
as you may imagine"
When the reporter saw The piles of
printed matter and the stacks of let
ters, covering almost every square
inch OF space in the office, he ceased
to wonder that the genial aud courteous
agent did have his hands pretty full
and he had about as much as the
ordinary nan could attend to.
"You are doubtless aware" con-
tinued MIR. Richards, that the great
Southern Railway rups through ne
less thar eight States, having "a mile
age of about 1000 miles, traverses the
Oest section of our country and extends
from Washington, the Nations capital,
to Greenville, on the Mississippi River.
Some idea of this vast territory may
be suggested by the fact that in these
eight States there were. according to
the census of 1880, %, 1853, 900 acres Of
improved land. This land if divided
up into 100 acre tracts would make
574, TAG farms. All this as a rule is
workable land, we'll located and pro-
ductive and ranges IN price from $l.0O
per acre upward, according to location,
quality and improvements.
do o wonder that our leading
corporation of the South takes hold ot
this Immigration movement? Tue
same lands in tho South today nave
been here ages n despite the great
attractive features Of the South people
have been going West in droves for a
quarter OF u century. Fifteen years
ago / sold farm lands in DAKOTA twenty
miles from u settlsnlent for 81 per
acre, while at the same time the pur-
chaser could have gOne within less
distance OF many of our Sout ern cities
and purchased Us good land for less
money. This, of course, they did not
know at the time aud even at this late
date the people of the North little
realize the opportunities which exist
in the South. Hence, we should anti
cipate the wants and necessities of the
immigrant and do al we can to educate
4 ohASAAA ~ ooeAph thA mp UtSii
get located after they come among us.
Zone OF the greatest drawbacks of
the South is that much OF the land
has been and still Is in many cases
held inlarge tracts. These old planta-
tions comprise hundreds and in many
places even thousands Of acres. These
ought to be cut up into tracts for
suitably-sized farms, and offered for
sale in quantities to suit purchasers
- ALL IN t,, ~, - AL ~, "a .l--
large ones, and IL they are properly
managed they become profitable AS
safe investments. The country in the
last analysis is the great backbone of
all enduring prosperity, and SO town
and country must grow up and keep
pace with each Other'if the best results
are to be secured. Why not let us
start in now and so to FORK Let the
land owners, real estate men, citiZ Ems
and the railways combine, get these
lands in practical shape and settle
thereon people. 1t eau be done, if we
all go at 1T and with the pusn and
energy that our competitors employ
we will get our proportion of the
business. We have met and resolved
from time to time INK accomplished
some things, but let us now get right
out after the game get our advantages
In shape to present to these people
and we will succeed far more than in
the past.
ut takes time and we'll directed
effort to sell land and locate new
settlers and here is whcre the work OF
the real estate agents becomes u
potent factor. This class of people
have done much to build up the West
and If they are given proper en-
couragement they will rendera similar
service for the South. am r. firm
believer in Il reliable real estate
agency ever since | was old enough
to remember have been in close touch
With the real estate fraternity and APP
preciate what they can do for IL com
munity.
All the natural advantages are in
the South ant every branch of indus
try that can be carried on anywhere
can be done under favorable conditions,
better there than in any other section
OF h country. There are cheap lands
suitable for all agricultural purposes:
vast mineral deposits no end of good
timber for all wood nrkin indnS.