The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1907-08-30

school building, where several relig-
ious bodies meet to worship.
One year ago the school building
provided by the fund was considered
inadequate for the accommodation OF
the pupils, so fund of three thusand
dollars was subscribed by the citizens
and more commodious one erected,
where there was an enrolment Of over
one hundred pupils with competent
faculty of three teachers the past
term. They also have telephone ex-
change and much of the surrounding
country is in direct touch with Sham
rock by means of four rural telephone
systems.
Wheeler, our little town, about
which we will write in the future, is
situated sixteen miles northwest OF
Shamrock in the most fertile section
of the entire county. Crops are ex-
ceptionally good around us and with
one or two more rains corn and cot
ton are expected to make fair yield
Not much oats were sown and the
weld was poor. Kaffir corn and milo
maize are promising and would
be good without any rain. All kinds
of vines grow fine, and watermelons
grow to be immense, it being nothing
uncommon to see them weighing as
much as seventy-f1ve pounds and some
times more, one vine often bearing as
many as ten, averaging fifty pounds.
The vines require little cultivation,
the hardest task being to take melons
from field to house and rinds from
house to hog pen. Since August hrst,
we Texans have been feasting on this
luscious fruit of the vine.
A sad calamity befell the family OF
Mr.. Rufus Edwards the last week p'l
July, while all the family except three
children were away from home Tne
house was burned and two chlldreh
in it, an eleven-year-old girl and four
vear-old boy. The little two-year-old
babe was found in the field with bad
burn on head, hand and face Inc
most plausible theory is that the girl
took the babe out of the burning build
ing. expecting the other child to follow
and as he did not, went in for MIN ano
was overcome with heat and smoke.
Nothing so appalling had ever oc-
curred here before and the extreme
sadness of the case appealed 10 the
sympathies of every one and every
assistance was rendered the amlcteo
family that could possibly be done
Inst after the last clods were placed
ON the little newly-made grave, tne
men held a conference, collected over
two hundred dollars and pledged tnem-
selves to meet next day and begin
rebuilding the home. In four Gays,
neat two-room cottage with porch, was
completed and furnished with cloth
ing and provisions as well as mouse
furnishings, costing about SIX hundred
dollars. Mr.. Edwards moved here IN
Dseember from North Carolina ana
bought a half section of land, but was
very much dissatisfied and had listed
his land for sale, but says he can not
now think of leaving such a good ana
generous people as these have proven
themselves to be. We relate this that
our friends at home may know some
thing of the kind q, people among
whom we have cast our lot.
we are Indebted to the Christmas
edition of The Wheeler County Tex
an" AT Shamrock, for our information
NJ the Panhandle. The altitude here
heinq twenty-three hundred feet, the
atmosphere is quite pure and Is said
70 be exceptionally fine for lung trou'
bles. We have seen two or three VINO
are seemingly in good health, that tell
MS they were barely able to be up
when they came here three years ago.
cne man. who was brought out or a
stretcher and having hemorrhages, Is
oulte healthy looking now. Two