Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1911-11-01
THE BLUE AND GRAY REUNION
Interesting Letter by One Who At
tended and Enjoyed.

tclUeu ana fnloScu.
Editor Keowce Courier: Taking
advantage Of the cheap rates offered
to Memphis, Tenn, and return, the
occasion being the reunion OF the
Blue and Gray, my W. ID started
from Westminster Sep. .ember Esd.
On account of a head-cnd collision on
Peachtree trestle we were delayed
some four hours or more, arriving in
Atlanta sufficiently hungry to enjoy
our breakfast. We spent the remain
ing part Of the day sightseeing and
resting, leaving Atlanta at 8 o'clock,
Central time, for Memphis. We pro-
cured berths in a sleeping car and
Immediately went to bed and woke
up at O'Clock next morning in Nash
vile. What progress the world is
making! TO think that one can go
to bed in Atlanta and wake up in
Nashville, hundreds of miles apart,
oblivious Of time and distance, dash
ing through the country, over rivers
through towns and cities at a speed
OF forty miles an hour, the rocking Of
the train lulling one into fOrgetful-
ness and dreams as pleasant as If at
home
The ride through Middle Tennes-
see was pleasant, the scenery pictur-
esque, but was not impressed with
that section Of the country too
many rocks in the way to make farm
ing pleasant and enjoyable. The
towns generally were small and to
me appeared lacking in growth and
progress.
Great Vegetable Section.
We changed ears at McNinscy from
the n, {. & st. l.. to the L. e y.
That is where | would cal! the begin
ming Of West Tennessee. From there
on to Memphis is fine section of
country. We stopped OFF at Milan.
Tenn, the crossing OF the l.. & y.
and the |. c., some ninety miles from
Memphis, and spent several days very
pleasantly visiting friends and rcla-
tivcS. That part Of Tennessee we
found rich and fertile. the lands level
and easily cultivated, the people pros
porous and contented. On" thing
that struck me most forcibly was the
number OF small farms and nice lit
tie cottages, all painted white, with
well kept yards, from ten to thirty
acres being considered good farm
Gibson county is considered the
finest tomato section in the United
States, and on all these little farms
they grow tomatoes, Strawberries and
other vegetables, cotton and corn be-
ing their secondary crops. Not that
IT does not pay to grow cotton and
corn, but there is more money in
other things, tomatoes usually net
ting from three to five hundred dol
lars per acre, and Strawberries the
same. At all the depots in that sec
ton You see large sheds built near
the depot. on the side OF the railroad
" hn
fruits are sam! led and sold, Just like
we sell cotton here. The buyers
from Chicago. Cincinnati and other
large cities stand under these sheds
ana nuy and pay for any and every
'hlhg mat man can eat, and load and
snip by the car load. The land is
rich and will make a b;lc or more
OF cotton per acre without any fcrti-
llZ"r, and half worked, as we work
cotton here, and corn does equally as
well.
The country | Was in was all
fenced, and on every farm could be
seen stock Of all kinds. especially
hoSS. don't think ever saw as
many line hogs. They don't have to
rclS on one crop as we do here. They
have something TO sell all the time.
All seemed to have money. and are
more on an equality than We are
mere. IN" people are honest. whole
hearted, friendly. hospitabic and
kind. But still do not want to live
there. would not swap our rough
and rugged hillsidcs for their rich
and fertile level lands. There is not
enough water there for me- On
every farm could be seen a hole dug
in the ground that caught the rain
water for the stock. They would
stand in 1t, chnrn il up until our red
clay mndhOlcs looked nice compared
to them; the creeks looked like they
were too lazy to move and too nasty
for anything to live in mosquitoes
and gnats, horscflics and chills can be
found in many places. The we'll
water, where the wells are properly
dug is very good.
All that section Of country is fine
and desirable to live in, yet YOU find
great many things like they are
hcrc--cSpccially the public roads.
VIII the country never learn how to
work and make good roads? On many
OF the roads over which | travelled