The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-08-31
BY Richard II. Edmonds.

|
Texas $4,000 settlers from the West
and Northwest. On one day that line
took out of Kansas City as the gate
way into Texas over 5000 settlers.
Careful estimates make the number
of new people locating in Texas dur
ing the last year or two average
200, 900 annually. 1t is a notable
fact that they are as a whole we'll
to-do. a very large number of them
travelling in Pullman cars, and hav-
| ing ample ready money when reach
ing Texas to purchase land for culti-
| vation. Many of them are locating
| in towns and cities, for there Is a
remarkable growth in such places as
San Antonio. Dallas. Houston, Fort
Worth and other large cities, while
| towns are springing up almost over
night, but the majority Of these new
comers are farmers who have been
selling their high priced lands in the
West and investing in Teaxs, expect
ing to reap a profit in the advance
Of lands. just as they have done in
the West. While some Of them are
giving their attention to cotton rails
Ing. most Of them are going into di-
versified agriculture. especially into
fruit raising and trucking On the
Gulf coast Of Texas the development
Of onion raising has been so remark
able during the last five years that
the Bermuda onion growers have
been practically run out of business,
and some months ago 80 Bermuda
onion growers arrived in New York
on one steamer, stating that their
business had been practically Destroy
ed by the competition Of Texas onions
and that they had come to this coun-
try because Of that fact.
The movement of population into
Oklahoma is of course generally un-
derstood. for that State in the last
lS years has grown with such amaz-
ing rapidity that 1t now has a popu-
lation Of a million and a half to two
million, according to local estimates.
There are towns of 10000 to 10000
people where rot single dwelling
existed 10 or 15 years ago.
The wonderful drainage operations
In Louisiana which are attracting the
attention of corn growers in t. West
are resulting in bringing into that sec
ion many Western farmers and land
operators, expecting to duplicate
In corn growing the amazing results
which have been accomplished Ia
rice growing in Southern Louisiana.
In limited district where scarcely
human being lived 20 years ago
there are now about $4,000 Western
people, mainly engaged in rice grow
ing and in city pursuits in the dozen
or more thriving towns which have
developed as an outcome of the rice
business, 1t Is estimated that in that
immediate district $500, 100000 Of
values have been created in the last
10 or 20 years by the rice industry,
and land which 20 years ago was not
salable at rs cents an acre now
brings SIS to 500 an acre, and a
dozen thriving towns of 1000 or g.
600 to 10000 population are existing
where there was then an unbroken
stretch of wet prairie land.
There Is very heavy movement of
population to Florida and a more
limited but active movement to other
Southern States.
In connection with these facts 1t
may be interesting to your readers
TO know that the emigration from
the South, which was the greatest
drain on the business life and vital
! ity of that section after 1865, has
| practically ceased. Southern people
now find ample opportunity at home
for the employment of their energies.
The Wreck After the War.
Prior to 1860 there had been a very
considerable emigration from the
South TO the West, due In part to
the Anglo-SaXOn love of adventure
and the opening up of new lands and
new countries, and in part to the de-
sire OF many Southern people to get
away from slavery. In 1860 96O.-
600 Southern-born whites were then
living in other parts Of the country.
mainly In tho West. They had been
largely instrumental in the settle
ment or Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and
Michigan. the movement having fol-
lowed the old trail Of Daniel Boone
across the mountains through Ken
lucky and thus on into the far West.
| These DoODlo and tboir ao.o>.aa..