The free press. (Poplarville, Miss.) 1890-19??, 1922-11-30


saw anywhere, and the next day
we went into Sawyer county and
went ten miles out in the county.
We went into the county by a
railroad built by the Hines Company
for the purpose of developing these
cut-over lands. We found all the
lands sold to settlers. We found
further that the Hines people had
opened up roads throughout their
territory, and l travelled over thir-
teen and half miles of road that
cost the Hines people thirty-one
thousand dollars to build. We
found roads cut out into section
lines in this territory, so no man
could buy farm and not be on or
very near public road.
! We found from 1915 to 1922 that
$50 actual settlers were on these
lands, opening up and developing
these farms, and they were happy,
contented and prosperous. We were
informed that there were nearly
twice as many settlers to whom
lands had been sold but that they
had not come to take possession, as
they hadn't made arrangements.
You will understand these settle
ments were made from the year
1915 to the year 1922, embracing
the entire war period and the period
Immediately after, which I imagine
would be the worst period in the
county almost for people to settle
up and make progressive farms.
We visited many of the farms, we
went on them, we went out and
talked to the settlers on them.
/ want to tell you men, and l am
telling you the truth, what I found.
am not boosting Hines or his
business. 1t is boosting itself suffi-
GENTLY, think. I am telling you
what. found and if you go there
you will find the same conditions.
I found one man whose eighty acres
cost him all told, $500. l asked
what he would take. for it and he
said, $4,000. / found only one man
among all the settlers we conversed
with that really wanted to sell. His
entire Improvements and land cost
him about $1,000, he said. He was
very anxious to sell, he said, and |
asked him what he would take. He
didn't know but what / was there
to buy. He said. "E think l ought
to get ten thousand dollars for
this am giving you these facts
so you viii know it is no fake;
so you will know these people are
really happy and prosperous and
ttisfied.
Now with reference to their plan
of settlement: / will give it brief
ly. If man has money he can go
and pay some on the land. Ii he
has no money he can get contract
and l believe has three years on
the land before he begins paying
for it. If he wants them to they
will 60 in and clear five or ten ac-
res for him. They will, if he wants
it done, build him house, or buy
him a COW and charge it up on the
contract. They will not only do
that, we found men at work clear
ing other lands at so much per
acre paid to them by Hines, so they
might have living for themselves
and family while opening up their
farms.
OF course these improvements
arid everything are charged up to
the men, and there comes a time
finally to pay before he gets a
deed to the property. l mention
that to show you that they allow
men without money to go there and
do something to make living while
opening up their farms. We found
ON. these farms splendid crops OF
Irish potatoes, wheat and all kinds
Of garden truck; hays and all the
clovers grow there naturally. Wei
found no trouble. v
One particular thing want tol
mention to you'll am afraid Mr..
Bass will think I am stealing all OF
his thunder; I am going to stop in|
q few minutes, but want to tell
you this: They had put up a cream
cry in the town where they came
to buy their supplies, and they have
! creamery line of rs miles along
there, and the cream is brought I'M
there and the money paid to the