The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1907-07-02
OHIO TO EDEN
AND BACK AGAIN
Mrs. Johnson Suspects a
Snake in the Grass.
PROPERTY \ ETY.
Disappointed Wculd-be Immigrant
who has Paid Money 10 Bind a
Trade in Harnett County Land
Laws rlcr Case Before Agricul-
furaI Department.
turaI Department

.yayz Tier Case Before Agricul-
turaI Department
In Secretary r K Rlurers office
Yesterday sat Mrs J ? Johnson. Of
sidney Ohio. dispassionate, but in
dignant-
Mrs Johnson averrcd that she had
come t. North Carolina all the way
from Sidney in order to complete the
purchase of lands from one w "
Giles. Of IIarnett county, III sends
ont highly descriptive circulars sign
ed the Eden Truck Growers Associa-
ton and General Merchandise
After looking over Eden Mrs. Jonn-
son wax inclined to peheFe that 81
saw a snake in the grass anu SAID a.
much. but what she chiefly wanted
was her money back or q title TO the
lands on which she had made a FIRST
payment which her LAWYERS would
approve. It seems that ore lawyer
as his opinion that the iatter\ has .
good title and right TO convey: while
other LAWYERS consulted by Mrs john
son and r II. Battle, Esq, attorney
for the Board of Agriculture, are
doubtful.
the interests Of about eighteen faml-
lies of Northern and Western people
who have answered Mr. Giles circu-
lars and taken his deeds for lands III
Eden. which is on the old G i II
Y Y. road. near Spout Springs.
Mrs. Johnson, who pointed re-
~proaohfully to paragraphs in the cir
cular. had looked to see black, loamV
river bottomed lands. and when she
encountered the sand hills Whereabouts
was not favorably impressed. Inc
circulars are we'll written by Mr..
60 l. ~ rao77oe comes n~Tlgin91V
from the North himself, and say,
among other things, that one of his
nf,ying motives is to help his breth-
rem north of Mason and Dixon to
come South into Eden, where they
can buv lots cheap and make enough
on four acres of land to live com
fortably during the year. This. SAYS
Mr.. Giles. IS a duty which he felt I'M
PEELED to follow or account OF his
reading of the teachings of the Bible,
that he believes that the second com
ing of Christ is not long delayed, but
that, in the meantime, and for the
few wears that he has to live before
the Judgment seat shall be erected,
he desires all his poor northern
friends who can crowd in. to come
to Eden. which is the land Of promise
so far as the limited time left IS con-
cerned
Il am not q church member" con-
tinues Mr.. Giles pamphlet, 'so-ca1led,
but believe my name is written in the
Book of Life alongside of them that
are good church members.
In supper of this assertion presun-
ably, it is stated emphatically that all
shall agree to use their influence for
who purchase lots in or near Eden
the promotion of "TEMPERANCE.'
spelled in big black types
The Demon Rum is not to enter
this garden if Mr.. Giles circular can
help it, but all purchasers of lots are
also to agree, in addition to planting
the Whiskey evil. also to plant rasps
berries.
Mrs thomson. who was much inn
pressed with the roundabout method
of getting to Eden via Fayetteville,
Spout Springs and Swans Station. and
who had visited Jonesboro and Lilltng-
ton in the course of her Investigations,
was inclined to be somewhat bitter
about the trade she had entered into.
She av~ouched that the land she had
bought would not raise a "moutlful of
lettuce and that most of the raspber-
w plants that had been set out on her
lots had died before she arrived For
two lots of approximately IS and Z
acres she had agreed to pay $500 and
had the money in hand, having al
ready paid 500 down and probably an
equal amount in getting here from
Ohio and looking over the ground. She
stated that the other settlers in Eden
were having a hard time and had
fallen into the habit of holding indig-
nation meetings. Among other state
ments in the circular letter with which
Mrs. Johnson found complaint. was
the statement that there was in course
of construction CRYSTAL Lake cover
ing three acres of TN There is no
lake, she said, and no place for one
Mrs. johnson wanted Secretary Bruno
to take action, but what action he can
take beyond investigating the matter.
is not clear.
Mrs. johnson is a matronly woman
of a pleasing face and an honest,
brown eye. She says hat she and her
husband are DESTROYS of moving South
to get a better climate, and that she
was attracted by the inducement held
out by the word-painting of the cir
eular. She emphatically does not
want the land. but wants her money
back in the absence of d good title.
Notwithstanding which she is game
enough to say that, if the title is
made good. she recognizes that she
has made her trade.
Possibilities of Sandhilis.
As a matter of fact. provided she
gets q good title. Mrs. Johnson need
not despair Of her bargain. There is
nothing in nature quite so deceptive
in appearance as the typical North
Carolina Sandhifi It appears to be
the ultimate of desolation. and to an
eve that IS accustomed to measure
land by its apparent richness and its
natural verdure. it would seem. as
the lady in question says. not Mt to
raise a "mOuthful of lettuce on" As
g matter of fact the sanihills have
poven to be fertile for many val
Qaole money producing crops. The
melons, the berries. the grapes and
small fruits that are grown on these
apparently barren tracts bring each
year millions Of dollars into the State.
When the late Mr. a. F PAGE had
cut the timber off the lands he owned
in. Moore county he would probably
have been willing to give them away
TO anyone who a a burning desire
to become 4 free holder by taking
their title and the consideration of
love and affection" would have been
a bitter satire. Yet these same lands
have been found susceptible. of cult
walton and have become rich pro-
duceTs. II Mrs. Johnson Will read in
this issue q clipping from the Car
thage Blade showing what can be
done with dewberries in Just such q
section of county as thai in Which the
lots she has contracted for lie. she
VIII view the raspberry portion Of
her contract more hopefully than she
IS now inclined fa 1a IT,