Rocky Ford enterprise., 1905-10-27
o. ). Baxter. Southern Trip.
Blackvilie. s. c.. Oct. Il

Blackville. 3. c. OCT 10.
Thinking that letter TO my friends
and neighbors in Rocky Ford. describ-
ing our journey and my first visit 10
the Southland. might be appreciated
and interesting. ! will through the
Kindness OF my home papers make
one letter answer for all.
Our journey from Rocky Ford TO
Kansas City was uneyentful. nave Q lit
tie argument now and then about pro-
hibition in Kansas. and II one IL to
Judge by the sentiments expressed by
the people that he chances to meet on
a train. Kansas will lack moisture for
several years.
! saw many things In Arkansas that
were both new and novel. The things
that amused me most was the man
ner and methods Of farming. The land
being hilly and full of stumps and
trees. and using one mule to plow their
land. some places being so sharply
Inclined that the fellow holding the
plow Is compelled to hold to the mules
tall to overcome the attraction the
other way. Don't ask me anything
about the mule. He In an expert at
climbing. has been at IL since before
the civil war.
Here forage for stock seemed to be
limited in quantity. where the people
are Obliged to save It carefully. so they
strip the corn stalks OF every blade
tie IL up In bundles as large as your
two wrists and place IL on the ends OF
sticks stuck In the ground or on the
ends OF cornstalks. II seemed to me
that where Il was so precious IL should
have been carried home and put in the
bureau drawer. At first was afraid
to mention Il TO Mr.. Mathis. fearing
that he might take offence and think
that was trying to poke fun At the
Southern methods of saving feed. but
soon found that II was Just as amusing
In hlVv, tn
After reaching Arkansas the quaran-
tine regulations commenced to get
quite rigid. Memphis is quite an In
t.resting place. but did not have time
to see much Of II.
birmingham is q hne city Of 10000
population and deserves the name of
The PittsburH Of the South"
Our route through Arkansas. Ten
nesse-. Mississippi. Alabama. North
Carolina. South Carolina and North
ern Georgia. was through the rough
and mountainous portions. not much
farming being done. but In Northern
Alabama many mines are being work
ed. We passed through Atlantis. which
destroyed by Sherman on his march
to the sea: saw keensaw mountain.
where n battle was fought: followed
shcrman's route for the most part
to IaurenburK. ". c.
Here In where I really came In con.
tact for the nr-s time with genuine
Southern hospitality. This II \ melon
shipping point where ~. Mathis has
a host Of friends and relatives On
Monday Walter McEaehin. who is an
aHabi- gentleman ns well as a planter
Of cotton and melons. showed US over
his and other plantations. ON Mon
day we visited the home Of Mrs.
Mathews. mother Of Sam Mathews.
whom many OF you known. was
sorry indeed when the time came TO
Ax.- ssslI
wonder. when ! say that she reminds
me more OF my own mother than any
lady tina, Il has ever been my pleasure
TO meet.
Tuesday We dined at dinner with
Walter MeEaehen and family on the
old plantation where Sherman and his
army canned for four days TO rest his
troops. The marks Of that march
arr no, yet all obii,sra;ei.
Tuesday We i-f, Laurrnburs for
niarkyiiie. =, G.. the home OF G. ".
Mathis. mus; confess that ] don't
POSSESS language adequate 90 portray
to you the scenes and saiuia,ions which
followed Mr. Mathis arrival First.
his dog was glad that IL woke up
every one abou; the place with Its
loud ear-ssSs OF risdness-
Mr. Mathis has lived In this eofn'nun-
i,y for number of years.
We have been driving around over
the country every day In different d.
r-ctions and every one he meets sccfn
to know him. Everybody seems TO be
glad to see him back home. especially
the eolorrd people. n one II TO judge
by them. Here are few samples'
-De Lord Brcss you Mr. Mathis. rse
glad to sec yer. whar's yer been
xwincv-' Land Ole Masse. rs glad TO
hcv yu back Law. law. Capin'. I
hain't been so glad TO s.s.r anybody
a -.
man yu's got Wild you--. That says
Atr. Mathis. ''is a baidheadcd yankee
from Colorado Land ure.s my soul
IL dat sog' We have driven from one
plantation 20 another day after day
and some such expressions do I hear
on every hand from the coiorsd pco-
pie. yet they are courteous and man
neriy and are capable Of setting a
wholesome example for many Of US
In Rocky Ford. The white people OF
the South go far a. I am capable Of
Judging are studiously courteous
among themselves and especially to
strangers. a qualification which I am
nearly so proficient.
As VIC drive through the country and
witness the vast field. Of cotton I can
fathoin the expression cotton IL king
The cotton crops vary. but the best
farmers produce a bale to bale and
n half to the acre. and the yield IL as
low as three acres 10 n bale. 4 bale
weighs 500 pounds and II quoted at
sL cents. Labor II cheap and ricn-
tifvi. Fifty TO IS cents a day being
the average wages.
Asparagus ls grown very successful
~. Mr.. Mathis has 30 acres. This
brings him 500 per acre. VIM. John
son has n very nice farm on which
he has ten acres Of asparagus. Mr.
Mathis also has n field Of crowns
ready for planting estimated at 5oo.-
900 plants. most of which arc already
contracted for.
Land In this par, OF the South IL
changing hands rapidly. Prices vary
ing all the way from SO to $3.50 per
acre. We made n trip to Augusta.
| Georgia. which is a beautiful city.
The city has many beautiful monu-
ments erected To the rnnrnnry Of its