Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1906-10-04
Homeseeker Will Soon
Be On the Wing.
REGULAR FALL MIGRATION
WILL BE ON AS USUAL.
LIKE BIRDS OF PASSAGE MANY
WILL RETURN.
East Tennessee MoUntaineers Never Sat-
lsfed Until They Pave investigated the
Possibilities of the West-How the Land
Agents Conduct Their Business.

Agents COnuuCt ! HeiT DuSihtSS.
During the next few weeks the trav-
cling passenger agents of lines west
of the Mississippi will be corralling
home seekers from the mountains of
East Tennessee and Western North
Carolina
AS soon as the crops are gathered in
the little mountain coves and creek
bottoms the regular fall movement to
the great country of fabulous opportun-
tiles will begin. This movement is as
inevitable as that of birds of passage
from northern to southern climes.
But like birds of passage many of
these homeseekers will return. The
capital stock of many is represented by
the proceeds from the crops of the cur
rent year, for the class commonly
afflicted with the western fever is com
posed for the most part of tenants and
owners of small farms. A large per
cent. of those who journey westward
return before spring content to contin-
ue to exc out an existence from their
native soil.
But one trip to the west often does
not suffice The western fever is in
termittent in its attacks.
There seems to be some source of in
fection in the autumn air. The blaz-
ing advertisements of homeseekers ex-
cursions and highly colored descrip-
tions of the glowing possibilities of the
New Eldorado runs the fever up to
white heat. Thus the mountain home
is broken up again and part or all
of the family makes the journey west
ward. 1t happens very frequently
that one finds families in the noun
tains of East Tennessee who have been
to Texas or Oklahoma once, twice or
even half dozen times The young
men especially have surprising ac-
quaintance of the west and southwest.
Among a few of these flying trips to
the west have developed into mania
and such as these have no idea of stay
ing permanently
Now and then, however, there are
homeseekers who have sold their
holdings in this section and who go to
the west with the avowed purpose OF
investing their money in more profit
able land. The north and northwest
furnishes perhaps larger per cent OF
these The movement of such as these
is not spontaneous, but the result OF
business methods on the part of land
agents. In the last two years practic,
ally all the big ranches in the Texas
Panhandle have been bought by land
companies. These arranged with the
railroads to run excursions from the
various points in the central and south
ern states. The agents gather up al
the farmers who will come and these
are punched at some central point.
Railroad men are also in the pay OF
the land agents, and they make good
additions to their salaries by the ad
vice they give travellers. The specula
tion that has prevailed for the las
year has caused steady advance in
prices, but the conservative fellows
the old timers, say that the prices can
last. Twenty dollars an acre is to-
much for the land. There'll be a 10
of dead towns in the Panhandle whel
the bottom drops out of this boom
as it will, but while it lasts the folk
are having good time. Men who ha'
nothing few years ago are rich now
Two thirds of the business blocks ar
occupied by land agents
Amarillo Teaxs, is the center of tn
big land boom. Two years ago it wa
cattle shipping point, the center Q
the gigantic ranch, with several hund
red inhabitants. Today it has 5000
and nightly people have to sleep on tn
streets for lack of accommodations.
The old ranch was twenty-seve
miles wide and sixty long and was al
under fence. There were 1,200 sec
tions, or nearly 770, 900 acres. TIL
company bought the land original
for 90 cents an acre.
The land boom in the Panhandle b'
gan when the company that owned th
ranch divided it mp into sections an
began Offering it at from ST.
81. 500 section. A fourth of th
land is yet unsold, but the compan
has gathered in six millions for tn
land disposed of.
Its sale value is now from $40 to s.
An acre. Thhere are other big rancl
es in the Panhandle, ont in the Bi
Pasture, as they call il. These ar
all being cut mp and offered 10 th
hungry landseekers. - Chattanoog
News.