Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1900-06-14
MISSISSIPPI SUNK LANDS.
Of the Great River in Lake
= County, Tenn.

He has recently undertaken the col
ossal scheme of draining Reelfoot lake
and every creek and bayou along the
Tennessee side Of the Mississippi river.
If the project proves successful, says
the Chicago. Record, it will add some
hundreds of thousands of acres 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 accretionssof ages Of
overflow. An idea of their value is
conveyed from the fact that the annual.
rent per acre is SIS, and often more than
q bale of cotton can be obtained to the
acre.
The hundreds of fishermen who Sc
cure their livings from the fishing in
the lake and rivers have joined togeth-
er and secured an injunction restrain
ing Mr.. Harris from the big project
Of draining the lake and an important
legal battle will result. The fisher
men allege that Mr.. Harris has 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 Reelfoot lake was
formed belonged to the Daugherty
grant, but the heirs Responded of ever
retaining it and they have been lost
to sight for many years. Other claim
ants in recent years sold their title to
Mr.. Harris. Reelfoot lake is the most
noted fishing and hunting reserve of
Tennessee and thousands come annual
ly from all parts of the country to en-
joy it's natural advantages. Years ago
the body of water, one mile wide and
IS miles in length, forced a passage to
the Mississippi, and the outlet is known
as Reelfoot river. Along it's shores are
hotels, hunting lodges of many famous
sporting clubs of the cities of Amer
lea; and hundreds of fishermen's huts.
Tons Of fish and wild game are shipped
monthly from here. j..
There is. no stretch of country more
gloomy or Sdesolate than the vast ter
ritory in northwestern Tennessee,
southeastern Missouri and Arkansas,
known as the Sunk lands. The bottom
seemed to have dropped out atthe time
of the big earthquake of 1911. To a
novice in woodcraft or swamp naviga-'
ton it is a most hazardous undertake
ing to penetrate far beyond the bor-
ders. of this wilderness of cypress, ell
bow brush and other specimens of the
lowland trees and tangled vine thick
cts. 1t is comparatively easy to- move
about where only the cypress trees
grow and in the fall when the dry sea-
son comes. There are numerous lakes,
large and small, some OF great depth.
Most of these areas of open water are
dotted with islands, and in many places
fallen trees and great black stumps
make hiding places for enormous tur-
ties, snakes and other reptiles in sum
mer, while in winter the raccoon, otter,
mink and muskrat perch.tup 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 a half to 20 acres in
| dimensions. The larger ones contain
oak, hickory and smaller growths of
underbrush, but most of them are COW
cred 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.
| It IS literally covered with bones Of
animals and birds Great heaps Of
them can be seen at different places.
The bleaching bones. tell Of merciless
slaughter Of wild game for their pelts
and feathers. Men receive good pay
for their plumage and quilts. The
birds are potted in the night, when big
guns are used that do deadly work
among the focks as they rest in the
open water.
Russians Armies.
Russia has three armies, with differ
| ent terms of service. In Europe her
men are five years in the active army,
| 10 in the reserve and five in the second
reserve; in Asia they are seven years
in the active army and six in the re-
u