The Iuka vidette. (Iuka, Miss.) 1894-1912, 1909-08-12
To My Mississippi Friends.


land of our former years so very
pleasant that | am embolden to
believe that you will give time to
read line from the far west"
| ca149t express our estimate of
favoe rendered, and the pleasures
of mingling with friends. The
memory of the visit shall ever be
a priced souvenir in life's book.
After leaving the old play grounds
OF my youth and the fields of
many years labor, | toook in the
Confederate Reunion in Me phis.
We veterans made the nucleus
for mighty host that gathered to
honor the occasion" " Long live
these gallant young braves who
honor their sires."
Mrs. B. and | are back in Sun
Shine" our Brownsville home.
The tradition that this is rain
less country has been to say the
least, not applicable to last May
and June. 1t" has rained as /
never saw it" rain before. Eight
to ten inches rainfall in one Steady
downpo r with wind at high speed
1t stormed for twelve hours. Many
hastily constructed 'shacks" were
demolished. But little injury was
done to substantial buildings.
Most crops were injured more or
less, except sugar cane, which
will be staple crop, in the val
ley" Cotton that gave every
promise of bale and more to the
acre is yielding less than half a
bale. Some fields of corn we're
completely destroyed. The new
crop of corn planted since the
June storm is promising, but who
can tell whal a day may bring
forth. The old settlets say that
July and August is the time to
. plant corn for winter storage.
Many farmers are discouraged
and a few are selling out for less
than cost. Where shall they go?
Reports of disasters and short
crops come from all sections.
This is an unusual year" say the
close observers. The old settlers
in the Brownsville region say that
good crops are sure to follow the
tx .essive irrigation of recent date.
Land is no cheaper in 'the valley
than before the flood New
lumber yards are being establish
ed, houses are multiplying ir the
valley, and in the towns they go
up as if by Aladdin's fam" A
contractor was heard to remark
that at least two hundred and fifty
dwellings had been built in the
city of Brownsville within the past
year. A good number under way
now. Many business houses of
modern city style have been added
hotel capacity has been quadrupl
ed. Railroad companies are set
ting their compasses for Browns
vile, cotton gins are busy, and
sugar mills are being put in or
der for the cane. Grubbing land
continues. This is. prophetic of
larger acreage for the coming
winter gardens and next year. S
crops.
The thermometer has register
ed some hot days this summer.
Temperature was above 100 deg
AS high as 103 for a few hours.
Ordinarily the temperature has
been below % at noon. Nights
are cool, sleep refreshing, breezes
tanning day and night usually,
tho sometimes there is a quiet
calm along the Rio Grande, -
when the wind don't blow. Ex-
cepting few days and. these at
intervals, have passed the mos
pleasant summers of my life,
weather considered, in W Texas.
These few hot days, strong winds,
flying dust, and the recent inun-
dation remind us however that the
"elysian fields" are not here.
The thermometer pivots around
~ g. f1,o &-ao+a~ 4;,,,a of tha