Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-06-25
SUNK LANDS OF THE MISSISSIPPI.
A Queer Region bordering the Banks
of the Great River.

Queer Region bordering the Banks
of the Great River.
From the Chicago Record.
]. C. Harris of Lake county is the largest
landowner in Tennessee. He has recently
undertaken the colossal scheme of drain
ing Reelfoot lake and every creek and
bayou along the Tennessee side OF the
Mississippi river. If the project proves sue
cessful it will add some hundreds of thou
sands of acres of land to his holdings. The
lands of Lake county are the richest in the
state the soil being ten and twelve feet
deep with the rich accretions of ages OF
overflow. An idea of their value is con-
viewed from the fact that the annual rent
per acre is s., and often more than bale
of cotton can be obtained to the acre.
The hundreds of fishermen who secure
their living from the fishing in the lake and
rivers have joined together and secured
an injunction restraining Mr.. Harris from
the big project of draining the lake and
an important legal battle will result. The
fishermen allese that Mr.. Harris mas no
title to the lands covered by water and
that the real owners are the Daugherty
heirs. none of whom can be found. When
the earthquake of 1911 occurred that land
where Reeifoot lake was formed belonged
to the Dausherty grant, but the heirs de-
Sponded of ever retaining it and they
have been lost sight of for many years.
Other claimants in recent years sold Their
most noted fishing and hunting resort of
Tennessee and thousands annually come
from all parts of the country to enjoy its
natural advantages. Years ago the BODY OF
water. one mile wide and eighteen miles
in length. forced passage to the Missis-
sippi and the outlet is known as Relfnot
river. Along its shores are hotels hunting
lodges of many famous sporting clubs of
America and hundreds of fishermen's huts.
Tons of fish and wild game shipped
monthly from there.
There is stretch of country more
gloomy or desolate than the vast territory
in northwestern Tennessee, southeastern
Missouri and Arkansas, known as the Sunk
lands. The bottom seemed to have dropped
out at the time of the big earthquake of
1911. To a novice in WOodcraft or swamp
navigation it is a most hazardous under
taking to penetrate far beyond the borders
of this wilderness of cypress, elbow brush
and other specimens of the lowland trees
and tangled vine thickets. 1t is compare
lively easy to move about where only the
cypress trees grow. and in the fall when
the dry season comes. There are numerous
lakes, large and small some of great depth.
Most of these areas of open water are dot
ted with islands, and in many places fallen
trees and great black stumps make hiding
places for enormous turtles, snakes and
other reptiles in summer, while in winter
the raccoon, otter, mink and muskrat perch
upon them Hundreds of men spend most
of their days in the borders or in the heart
of this watered wilderness. They hunt and
trap as the seasons come and go.
Throughout the Sunk land districts are
islands from half to twenty acres in d.
mansions. The larger ones contain oak,
hickory and smaller growths of underbrush
but most of them are covered with small
cane on which deer feed and fatten. The
most remarkable of these is Bone island,
which covers an area of six acres. This
island is a rendezvous for professional
hunters 1t is literally covered with bones
of animals and birds. Great heaps of them
can be seen at different places. The bleach
ing bones tell of merciless slaughter of
wild game for their pelts and feathers. Men
receive good pay for their plumage and
auills The birds potted in the night,
when big guns used that do deadly
work among the flocks as they rest in the
omen water.