The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1904-02-19
w. E. Barker Writes an Interesting
Letter From tennessee.
He Says Life Down There Is One
Round of Pleasure.
The South Needs Northern Farmers to
Develop the Country.
No One Has to Worry Over the Condi.
ton of Coal Bins.

read The Daily Free Press L notice that
you are having great deal of cold
weather. AS came south this winter to
look the country over and enjoy the sun
nv south, 1 wish to say few words for
this fine country SO many, who come
south and do not stay long enough to see
the ups and downs of the south, misrep-
resent. The south does not compare
with the north in regard to agriculture,
but take things as they come in regard
to farm life for growing all kinds of
grain, fruit and vegetables, it cannot be
beaten Farming has not been carried
Oh very extensively of late years on ac-
count of so much work the small farmer
could get to do in getting out timber
to sell, and they have neglected their
farms for that kind of work, only rails
ing such crops as they need, such as
corn, potatoes and the COW pea for hay.
There have been great number of
northern men located here this winter
Those from the north who have been
here for the last few years are doing
we'll as they all adopt the northern way
of farming and the southern class of
farmers are very quick to pattern after
them, after they once see that they are
successful in their undertaking.
I have been east, north, south and
west of here for one hundred miles and
have seen men that have travelled all
over the southern states looking for
homes and business opportunities, and
they all say they have not seen place
in all of their travel where there are
such opportunities as right here. The
land is fine, easily worked, gives quick
returns for proper cultivating; the sea-
son is long and healthful, gives plenty
of time to do all classes of work and
you do not have to work and scramble
as in the north. You can sell anything
you raise All this country needs is a
good lot of northern farmers to come
in and show the southern people how to
farm and what can be done in the way of
agricultural farming. There is not an
other state where there are such oppor
tunities for the working man who wants
to start a home for himself as here in
the south where land is cheap and can be
bought all the way from 81 to SIS per
acre for unimproved land, that with
little work and push one can make a
fine home, and you will not have to fight
the cold nor keep a lock on your coal
house door. You can buy the best cord
of wood at your door for $l.l0 cord,
or you can take your team and get all
the wood you want for the hauling; that
is down wood in the timber. If you
northern folks who are counting the coal
as it goes in the stove could just step
down here and enjoy this fine climate
you would forget that there was such
thing as the cold north or zero wea-
ther. The coolest weather we have had
here was six above zero and that was
only for a few hours time.
We are in the highest part of the
state; what they call the highlands of
middle Tennessee Six hundred and two
feet above the capital, which is only
fifty miles from here and a good market
for all kinds of produce.
At this writing l am comfortably seat
ed on the hotel porch in the shade with
the thermometer at siXtyfour degrees
above zero. I have seen great many
days of this weather since I landed here
the Doth of last November. 1 have kept
an account of the weather each day at
s a. m. and 5 p. m. and never saw such
nice weather for winter. While my
brother farmers and business men are
spending great deal of their profits
keeping warm, we are enjoying the sun
ny south.
wish to say to those looking for
change of climate, where it is healthful
and land in reach of all, I should advise
you to correspond with Mr.. Levi E. Lati-
mer, the land agent of Tennessee City,
Tennessee. He will send you printed
matter, telling you all about the land,
unimproved and improved, upon which
anyone that is willing to work can make
a fine living and store away something
for old age.
As regards society, there is as good
class of people here as you wish to
meet, and northerner is as welcome
here as in his own state. Take things