Crossville chronicle. [volume] (Crossville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1916-08-23
COMMENDS OUR ARTICLE
Also Gives interesting Light on Range
Question as Seen by a Westerner.

Ihe following leCIef Dy Z. L. LcHl-
ert Is especially timely for several rea-
sons: 1t gives others an understand
ing of how a man who has spent many
years in the west views conditions
here. 1t also explains in very clear
and logical manner the range ques-
ton, which has been something OF
mystery to persons not familiar with
the conditions here. The letter by
Mr. Lemert follows:
Editor of the Chronicle:
Your article in last weeks issue
on the advantages and possibilities OF
this county suggested to me that the
experiep<y of western man who had
located here. might be of interest and
benefit to some of your readers, who
might be looking for a desirable place
to make home.
About ten years since, while IN
northeast Kansas, became impressed
with the advancing values OF all live
stock and the narrowing margin be-
tween stocker and fartened or finished
animals, caused by the steadily de-
creaslng production of meat animals.
Being familiar, through army exper'
ience. with the we'll distributed rainfall
of the Cumberland mountain region
and knowing how important a factor
an abundant and well distributed rain
fall was in grazing, | began an investi-
CATION of the Appalachian mountain
region.
Aware that the state experiment
stations had gathered much data with
reference to soils, suitable crops ano
climatic conditions, visited the Vir.
ginia experiment station. Blacksburg'
Va. and later the Tennessee expert
ment station. Knoxville. Tenn.
At the Tennessee station after Prof'
| H. A. Morgan. director of the station
had given to me several bulletins along
the line of my inquiry, he suggested tt
me that before leaving Tennessee,
visit the Cumberland plateau and
stated that, IN his opinion, the Cumber
land plateau afforded the best oppor
tunity for stock raising in TENNESSEE
and possibly In the United States
Acting on his suggestion l came tt
CrossvllIe and spent number of days
looking over the plateau.
While | was cognizant that the pla
teau was defined by the dictionary az
"a broad fiat body of land in an ele
waited position. -
/ had regarded it as rather the name
of a reg ion, like the Shenandoah Val
lev of Virginia, through which l hat
passed, and found not to be valley O.
a stream but name given to broat
belt of rolling country lying betweel
the Blue Ridge and the Alleghen.
Mountains The dictionary had th'
Cumberland plateau properly oe
scribed. ! LIKED 1T.
1T WAS AS LEVEL AS A KANSAS
PRAIRIE.
But what was the matter?
Not one acre in thirty with even
show of Improvement! Why had tn
country not developed? | asked al
sorts of questions, OF all sorts OF peo
nIe. Who owned this idle land
Where die they live? ETC., etc.
| obtained more bulletins and sol
surveys and geological surveys and re
read some history. After study o
the data obtainable | accounted TO
lack of development by the FOLLOWING
resaons:
, -Inaccessibility. Until tn
Tennessee Cert trail railroad was bull
over the plateau nothing could b
, marketed advantageously that coul
, not transport itself.
t Second-Speculation. Upon a gee
, logical survey of the state which lt
3 Gated the mineral deposits, much {
, the land was bought as a speculation
The purchaser, in most cases, havln
later gotten several times the first COS
of the land out of the timber sold. r.
tains the land tor its eoal-6l per cer
of the land of Cumberland county b'
o ing so held.
Such owner, individual or corporate
! was Indifferent to development OF tf
= land for agricultural purposes.
Such land constitutes the range
and is an advantage to the residel
e stock grower. But the western ma
e who has not seen this range" and wi
!, cIassifies "range' with desert or laI
worthless tor agricultural purposes,
. driven away rather than invited by
). After a residence of four years CT
d commend this country as the MOS
t PLEASANT PLACE TO LIVE TIA
HAVE SEEN and can endorse yo'
d article in last week. 8 issue as fair
J. stating the facts concerning it.
Edward L. Lemert.