USA > Mississippi > Newton County > History of Newton County, Mississippi from 1834 to 1894 > Part 20
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If Newton county could get sale at remunerative prices for the fruits and vegetables that could be - grown contiguous to the railroad through the county. it would more than equal the cotton crop. If it could so be arranged that buyers from a distance, who
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needed our fruits and vegetables, would send some one to our section and buy what we could make, it would offer a market for our products, and in this way we would be remunerated. When such perishable stuff as fruits and vegetables are shipped, all advantages may be taken, and no benefit accrue to the producer. Exorbitant charges, great waste, and often dishonest dealing, will cut off the profits of all such crops. No good will ever come of fruit and vegetable growing until a general concert of action is had among the grow- ers, and such action taken as will secure the return of the value of the products shipped.
PRODUCTION, AS SHOWN BY CENSUS OF 1890.
From the census of 1890 will be shown what New- ton county produced, as returned by the farmers of the county. This will show the crop of 1889, as the estimate was made in the summer of 1890, before the crop was matured : Bushels of corn, 392,619 ; bushels of oats, 47,990 ; bushels of rye, 45 ; bushels of wheat, 13 ; proceeds of rice, $1900 ; proceeds of tobacco, $1762 ; number of bales of cotton, 13,097; number of farms, 2496; acres of improved land, 90,868 ; value of land, improved and unimproved, including fences and build- ings, $1,427,870 ; value of farm implements and ma- chinery, $73,330 ; estimated value of farm products, $919,390.
A comparison between the census of 1880 and 1890 is very striking. No one can look at the figures, as shown by each, and not be fully convinced that New- ton county is largely on the increase in every- thing pertaining to prosperity and material develop- ment of its resources. In 1880, the products of the : county were : Bales of cotton, 6341 ; bushels of corn, 261,207 ; bushels of oats, 58,336; bushels of rye, 82;
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bushels of wheat, 653; gallons of molasses ; 30,356 ; tobacco, 8526 pounds ; rice, 29,673 pounds ; sweet pota- toes, 64,601 bushels; estimated value of all farm products sold, consumed or on hand, $634,264 ; cost of building and repairing fences, $36,278; value of all farming implements and machinery, $58,253; value of farms, including fences and buildings, $868,866; unimproved - lands, 61,045 acres ; number of farms, 1493.
A comparison will show about 25 to 50 per cent. on everything except tobacco, wheat and oats. Cotton is over double. Everything that is supposed profitable or that enters into the productions of the county for profit, will be shown has largely increased. The pop- ulation, all classes, in 1880, was 13,436 ; in 1890, 16,624; showing less than 25 per cent. increase in population ; and the increase of the various productions of the most prominent classes, running from 25 to 100 per cent.
There are several reasons given for this large increase of substantial wealth and productions, with not a cor. responding growth of population. First, it is the large increase in the use of fertilizers ; second, the im- provement in farming by a more intelligent use of farm implements and better methods being used, which were obtained by a freer intercourse of the farmers among themselves at various Grange meetings-county and State-and a general discussion of improvements yearly for the last ten, at Patrons' Union ; also, the in- creased reading of agricultural journals Summing it- all up, it may well be called a more intelligent and practical use of all the means in the reach of the farmer to increase his crops on less acreage. There are still some who do not agree, or at least do not act with the progressive portion of the agricultural world-who are not pressing every; advantage and freely adopt- ing every new method that proves itself to be a success.
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CHAPTER XXXI.
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS SHIPPED ON OUR RAIL- ROADS IN NEWTON COUNTY - AMOUNT OF LUMBER AND TIMBER SHIPPED ON THE RAILROAD IN NEW- TN COUNTY-OTHER INDUSTRIES AND RESOURCES TO BE DEVELOPED - PROFITABLE TIMBERS AND HOW USED-NUMBER OF GINS, MILLS, PLANERS, ETC.
There is no doubting the utility and advantages of the railroads of our county. The old methods of transportation have all given way to newer means of railroad travel and an accommodation in getting over the country, and in turn, in receiving whatever may be necessary for the farm and in the family. The highest production of cotton any one year since the settlement of the county, will probably run to 15,000 bales. Con- . siderable portion of this went to ;other towns in the State, and not shipped on the railroads in our county. Yet there is more cotton coming from other counties to the railroad towns in this county than goes away from this county to other towns. The best shipment of cot- „ton any one year, going from the depots in the county, are given by their respective agents as follows : From Newton, 1888-'89, 11,203 bales ; From Lawrence, about 250; from Hickory, 6,500; from Chunkey, about 250; showing an aggregate of 18,103, and will brobably go to 20,000 in 1894. This is a good showing for the county. It must be taken into consideration the large amount of other things brought to the road in this county ; for
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a number of years large amounts of lumber, both . rough and dressed, have been shipped not only from the mills situated immediately along the line of the road, but those on both sides of the road and a con- siderable distance in the interior. The white oak for staves, both long, pipe and barrel, have been brought in large quantities ; spoke timber, of oak, has also been largely brought to the railroad. Hickory for spokes and felloes, has also afforded large exporting material. Hoop-poles, of which our county has a great abundance, has for years been brought to those railroad markets. Cross-ties, since the establishing of our towns, have from year to year been furnished to supply the road in the county and also wherever else they were needed. Live stock, in the way of cattle and sheep, are sent from our county on the road. To these are added hides, wool, furs, butter, eggs, chickens, geese, turkeys and ducks. The towns of Newton are among the best in the State for country produce. All these things aggregate an amount both large and surprising.
There is at Newton a spoke lathe, owned by Mr. Z. T. Doolittle. P. E. Blelack, in 1893, erected a hub lathe and furnished the Progress Manufacturing Com- pany, at Meridian, a large supply of hubs. The town of Hickory has a hoop manufactory, and the town of Chunkey has a barrel factory, at which are made the best and most substantial cypress molasses barrels, made of the cypress off Chunkey river and hooped with the best kind of hickory. These barrels com- mand ready sale at home and there is more demand from other places than can be supplied.
There are about fifty cotton gins in Newton county, most of them having feeders and condensers attached. None of them, as yet, have the Mounger attachment, which does all the work of ginning and packing and
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unloading by machinery. The most of these gins are run by steam, a few by water ; probably not more than one or two in the county run by horse-power.
There are probably twenty steam saw-mills ; several planing mills with dry kiln's attached to them. The greater part of this lumber is shipped to other States, though much of it is being used in the county for building purposes, fencing and bridge building.
The sweet gum that is now found to be valuable in our own and foreign countries ; the young hickory that has come up in the rich alluvial prairie slough lands, offers the very best material for buggies and wagons of superior manufacture. The elm, growing among this rich young growth of hickory, is the best of its kind anywhere to be found. The young ash is very superior. There is a vast amount of beech of ex- cellent quality, of good size and good heart, which, if it could be used, would prove very remunerative. It might be shipped to Virginia, North and South Caro- lina, Kentucky and Tennessee, for making tobacco boxes. There is a considerable amount of magnolia, which might be used in making furniture. The large swamp poplar is being brought to our road and shipped both northwest and to foreign countries. There is a great quantity of dog-wood which might be made useful in the construction of the best Texas saddle trees. Tupelo gum is in great abundance for the construction of bowls, trays or any wooden ware into which they may be turned.
In the northeastern part of the county there are some lands that have large deposits of iron ore. These lands are on the headwaters of Chunkey, and there is no doubt of this mineral deposit. To what extent it is valuable hhs never been tested. The large amount of iron in various parts of the country, and where fur-
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naces are already erected, would preclude the neces- sity of the ore in Newton county being, any time soon called into requisition, though the time may come when it will be valuable.
PROFITABLE TIMBER OF THE COUNTY.
There are yet profitable timbers in the county that will sooner or later all be brought into requisition. The timber near the road has, to some extent, been used, though far from all being exhausted. There still remains much off from the road to be used. This is the long-strawed pine, for milling purposes ; the white- oak, for staves, still in the swamps not yet penetrated ; the post oak, for hubs, enough in reach of the A. & V. road to serve for years the most extensive factory in the United States.
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CHAPTER XXXII.
NEWTON AS A STOCK-RAISING COUNTY-KINDS OF STOCK-NUMBER OF YOUNG HORSES AND MULES IN THE COUNTY.
Newton as a stock-raising county will probably class high with any in the State, particularly that kind of stock of the must useful character. The county cannot boast of any fine race stock of horses, nor does it need any, as the breeding of that kind of horses has a very demoralizing tendency on any community in which it is practiced. It encourages gambling and all kinds of dissipation and immorality, and what can be more damaging to a community than an enterprise that would increase sin and immoral practices, and worldly indulgences, and obtaining money by the most doubtful and improper means? Men who breed thorough blooded horses for the turf are not the best models for the youth of the country.
The kind of stock bred in our county is the good work and saddle horses and the best of mules. Also some of the best of cattle have been brought into our county in recent years, such as Jersey, Holstein, Gurn- sey and Durham, which crossed upon our common stock, make excellent milk cows. At the close of the war there was not a good stallion or jack in the county, and a Jersey cow was not known only as they were read of. About twenty years ago, Dr. G. E. Long- mire, a physician and practical man, saw the necessity
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of good mules, and introduced a very fine jack into the county. There are many of these mules yet in the county, all showing the blood of the sire. About that . time Mr. W. H. Martin, of Decatur, placed his fine horse before the people, but not with the success which he deserved. About twelve ago Mr. J. V. Knight brought one of the finest jacks that has ever been in the county, and placed him on his stock farm, seven miles southwest from Newton. Mr. Isham H. Brown, about the same time, placed a fine jack on his farm in the eastern part of the county, and the products of these two fine animals may now be counted by the hundreds, of fine, large, well formed, quick growth young mules that have filled our county. Mr. G. L. Doolittle, about this time, or a little later, introduced his fine horse on his farm, three miles north of Newton, and his colts are probably the best in the county. Dr. G. H. McNeill, a physician at Newton, and farmer and stock raiser, brought to Newton as fine a thorough bred stallion as has been in the county, and his colts show some of the best saddle stock that has ever been in the county. He also, at the same time, had a jack, which did valuable service. These have been followed in rapid succession by different men in the county- McMullen, Holliday, Wedgeworth and others-until, at the present writing, there are at least ten fine stal- lions and as many jacks in Newton county.
The product of these animals may be seen at the various places of gatherings of the people in the coun- ty, and particularly at the Patrons' Union, where yearly there are premiums offered for the best stock of all qualities produced in our county. Mr. W. B. Richardson has recently brought to the town of New- ton a fine stallion, "George Gordon," probably the most thoroughbred animal that has ever been in the
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county. He also has some fine mares and colts that will compare well with any ever seen in this county. This policy of stock-raising has caused Newton county, which has been a buyer of fine mules and other stock, to be able to supply each year to other counties as many as five hundred young horses and mules. The laws of this State to encourage the raising of stock, make the colt responsible, and in this way parties are - always more sure of their money and more pains are taken, and more good stock raised.
The farmer of years ago did not appreciate that he could raise his mules and horses in this country, even where farmers were wealthy, had large slave property and abundant pastures, but pursued a more expensive policy of buying what he needed on his farm and paying for it with cotton. The Tennessee and Ken- tucky stock-raisers, taking advantage of this, made good use of it by shipping all the spare young stock that they could raise to the Southern cotton States, and the failure on the part of Southern planters to do their duty, was largely the gain of the stock-raisers farther north. A very conservative estimate of the number of young horses and mules foaled each year in the county of Newton, would be at least 500. - As a general thing these mule colts are fine size and quality. The best and largest jacks are bred to the county mares and produce a stock of mules both of fine work- ing and riding qualities and of good size, The horse colts are of good breeds, from fair to fine, and make good riding and work stock.
To show the increase of this particular industry, a comparative review of the live stock and some others, as shown by the census of 1880 and 1890, will not be uninteresting: Number of horses as shown in the year 1880, 2049; mules and asses, 749; working oxen,
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1623; milch cows, 3630; other cattle, 6762; number of hogs, 19,376 ; sheep, 4838; wool grown, 10,756 ; butter, 117,420. The year 1890: Horses, 2666; mules, 1372; asses, 22; working oxen, 2387; milch cows, 4873; other cattle, 8405 ; hogs, 24,624 ; sheep, 7855 ; pounds of wool, 15,836 ; butter, not given in report. The smallest increase is that of the horses ; yet that is ac- counted for from the fact that people saw the great need of work stock and turned their attention to the raising of fine mules, which the comparative state- ment of census shows to be nearly double in ten years.
The value in 1880 of a good four-year old mule, county raised, from 16 to 17 hands high, was from $125 to $175 ; now, in 1894, a good mule of that description may be bought easily for $100 cash, demand poor at that. Horses are lower now in this county than at any period since the war. Large numbers of Texas horses were brought here years ago. With few exceptions they were of very little account to the farmer. Their wild nature and bad qualities, made them very trouble- some to work, and when once broken they were nearly exhausted by having to use such force to subdue them. This influx of stock, with the raising of all kinds in the county, and a large introduction of horses from the West, sold at auction, all combine to make stock lower than ever known before.
Quite a spirit of improvement is noted in the intro- duction of better cattle. About the same time, that better horses and mules were introduced in the county, better cattle were brought, particularly milk stock. The first full-blood Jerseys brought to the county were introduced by Hoye, Barber, Gallaspy, Johnson, Har- ris, Rathral, Chapman and Richardson. Mr. Rich- ardson, at Newton, probably has the purest Jersey stock of any. one in the county. They have never been
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allowed to run at large, but have been pastured, and are the purest strain in the county.
It is found that the introduction of the Jersey cat- tle into our county is a wonderful improvement, par- ticularly in milk stock. A grade Jersey, that is, a half Jersey heifer from registered bull and good com- mon cow, is one of the best milk cows for our country. They are very hardy, more so than full-bred. The milking qualities are nearly as good as full-blood, and the butter making qualities is far superior to the old common stock of the country. One good grade Jer- sey cow is worth two, or sometimes three, common cows for butter purposes.
The people of Newton county have prided them- selves on their cattle and young stock. The Patrons' Union has for years offered premiums on good stock. The owners also of jacks and stallions have offered premiums on best colt shown at stated periods, sired by their respective animals. All these things, togeth- . er with the great advantage of having young, hand- some and able horses and mules, home-raised-that would serve for any purpose, has greatly increased the spread of good stock in the county.
· Not so much can be said of sheep and hogs, though by comparative estimate of the census of 1880 and '90, there is a large increase of both, and nearly fifty per cent. on the growth of wool ; yet there is not such in- crease as should be. This county offers many advan- tages for sheep-raising. The great trouble is in the fact that there are so many dogs, that the sheep can- . not live in the range; some law of protection should be made to remedy this great destruction. The sheep may, by full indemnity from this great destroyer, be made to pay as well, if not better, than any other stock now in the county. Hogs should be raised to
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fully supply all the pork and bacon to be used in the county. Trouble by theft no longer exists, as the severe penalty for such offences, and the improvement in the morals of those heretofore guilty of such crimes, have remedied the evil. There are some very fine breeds of hogs in this county. The Berkshire is a good breed ; so is the Poland-China, and Essex mixed, considered the largest hog, and one of the most valu- able now in the hands of the farmer. Great efforts should be made to acclimate and breed these hogs up to their full measure. There is no longer a range for hogs in our county. The farmer must depend upon what is grown in the fields to raise and fatten his pork. This can easily be done by properly preparing and planting crops for hogs. A very great drawback in the raising of hogs is the diseases with which they are attacked. All hog-raising counties have to contend against the same trouble. Much depends upon what a hog is fed as to the health of the animal.
Food for hogs, as for persons, should be varied ; they should be fed on such things as will not only produce fat, but health and quick growth. A man should not. be discouraged if he lose some of his hogs every year by disease; he should look well to the sanitary con- ditions, as to where they sleep, to a change of pasture and food, also give some remedies to act upon the liver and general system ; endeavor to study up something with which to cure his hogs, if they get sick, the same as he would other animas in same condition.
POULTRY RAISING.
Newton county is one of the foremost in the State in poultry raising. The fowl mostly raised is the chicken ; these are not the improved breeds that are mostly brought to market, but the old-time mixed
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colors and styles that appear to belong to this climate and latitude. The improved breeds, such as Brahma, Plymouth Rock, Wyandotte and others, do well for a time, and the young ones thrive and get ther growth very quick; yet they appear to be far more subject to. disease, which usually proves fatal; they are usually taken with these diseases when in their best appear- ance. These diseases in poultry should be met and treated heroically, with a full determination to cure and stamp them out if possible. There is no doubt of fine breeds being far superior in size and quick growth ; if the disease can be kept off they would prove a val- uable addition to the acclimated fowls of the county.
The town of Newton probably receives as many chickens, turkeys, geese, ducks and guineas, as any railroad town in the State; these are largely from Newton county. The geese are used for feathers ; they are abundant in the county, and materially assist the farmer in keeping the grass down in his cotton; it being claimed that ten geese are equal to one good hoe-hand in keeping the grass subdued in young cot- ton. Geese are rarely eaten by country people; they are shipped in large quantities to the cities and used there for the flesh and oil.
The same may be said as to the receipts of eggs at the towns of Newton county, only in a far greater pro- portion, as it is supposed that there is more profit in selling the eggs than the chicks. The amounts re- ceived and shipped from Newton county is almost incredible, and in the year aggregate a large sum of money ; the firm of Rew & McClinton shipped from Newton a car-load of eggs to New Orleans in the spring of 1894. There were 200 cases, containing 30 dozen each, which was 6,000 dozen eggs; these eggs were gathered in the town of Newton in a very short time,
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as they cannot keep them at that season long. The · average price of eggs is from ten to twelve cents for the year, and that is very good considering the price of everything else.
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CHAPTER XXXIII.
TAXES OF THE COUNTY-AMOUNT OF TAXABLE LAND- PERSONAL PROPERTY-PRICE OF IMPROVED AND UN- IMPOVED LAND.
THE importance of all countries is, to some extent, to be judged by the amount of tax they pay, as back of this tax lies the substantial wealth of the citizen. The more tax a man pays the more he has of the wealth of this world, and where it is given in as it should be, is a true index to his possessions. A com- parative statement of the United States census and the .county assessment will not be uninteresting to those who would be inquisitive as to the amount of wealth the citizens of Newton county have. The census of 1890 gives value of land, including fences and build- ings, $1,427,870 ; value of live stock, $507,560. County assessment for the year 1893 gives the value of lands, fences and building, $1,083,774; personal property, . $655,666. There is not so much discrepancy in these estimates as one would suppose. When men give in their property to the enumerator of the census, he is in no way particular about the price, as there is no tax to pay, and the matter may often be left to the enumerator to price it as he wishes, and as persons of same neighborhood price their property. When in is to be valued by the county assessor, it is a matter of more material concern, and one upon which a tax has to be levied. As a usual thing, the smallest price that
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can be placed upon property, and which the assessor and owner can agree upon, is the value placed. Exor- bitant valuations should not be placed upon property, but a man should not claim as his prerogative to place his property lower than reasonable conservative valu- ation. Possibly a good rule to be governed by in this matter would be that a man would give in his property at just what he would take in cash for it, provided he wanted to sell it.
The amount of taxes collected in the county on the assessed valuation of property for 1893 was $17,742.57. Rate of tax is nine mills. The county is out of debt, with money in treasury. The average of improved lands in the county of Newton for the year 1890, shows $6.11 per acre. This being an average, as a matter of course, some of the lands of the county would run to a much higher, and some much lower, price than this. There are some select places, well improved, that the owners attach a high value to. There are many good places in the county of large bodies of land, which are valuable, and yet they would not bring their value, owing to the size of the tracts and poor improvements. The wild, uncultivated lands are also variously estimated ; some of them bring good prices, while others only nominal value. The railroad, which has large tracts of land in the county and are constantly selling. usually offer and sell their lands with one-fourth cash payment, from $2.50 to $3.00 per acre, giving three years, with interest at eight per cent. from date, on three-fourths of the land. It is not expected that the railroad lands should represent the best class of uncultivated lands in the county, and yet there are some lands in the hands of private indi- viduals that could be bought for less than the price of the railroad lands. There is great fluctuation in the
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