Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 180, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 August 1919 — FROM THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY [ARTICLE]

FROM THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY

CHAUNCEY WOOD WRITES A LETTER FROM HIS TEXAS HOME. I■ - • McAllen, Texas, July 24. Mr. Harvey Davisson, Rensselaer, Ind., Dear Sir: Thursday evening and supper over so will visit with you a little while. We have been having, more rain the last few days. Last Thursday afternoon I was in town in the car after some woven wire and a little lumber. I hadn’t been in town but a short time till I noticed a storm coming, so I loaded in one roll of thirty-two-inch hog wire and beat it for home, but the storm caught me before I was half way there. Ihe rain soon made the roads slick and the wind turned me around in the road three times. When I got to the levee the wind was so strong I could not drive the car up grade against it and had to wait two or three minutes before I could get' across. Once the wind blew the back end of the car around so I was crosswise in the road headed for the ditch and a fence post. Before 1 could stop the car I was in the ditch and on top of a fence post with the top barb wire up over the radiator. I slammed her in reverse, backed off of the fence, out of.the ditch and started on again. Well, I finally got home just as the rain was over, but nothing was broke about the car, so we are as happy as ever again. It started in raining again about supper time and we had a steady rain most all night. It suited us fine, for we had cut the alfalfa and sudan hay and were thinking about irrigating in a few days. Say, I received ■ a letter from mother a couple of days ago, and she says people at home have the (impression that everyone who invested in land here has lost everything they put in it, myself included in the bunch. Some one told mother that Lawyer Parkison had been sent down here to get anything he could out of the company for us Jasper county people. Now, this is all news to me. No one has lost wlhat they put into the land that 1 know of; . I was talking to Parkison when he was here. F was trying to find something wron with everything, and fishing for i he could get. I don’t know what got, but don t think he got much. The last letter I received from you, you were ready to start down here with some prospects. I met the train with my car but you failed to appear. I -would have answered your letter at the time, but it would not have reached you before you started for the south. I have looked for you most every week since then. Then I received mother’s letter telling the reports she was hearing. Now, I wish you would write and tell me what you know idbout it. Does Mr. Lattaner know of the report? Do you think 1 could straighten things out any by coming home this fall for a week ; or so?

We have 'been eating roasting ears out of ithe corn fields for some time. Some of our corn is beginning to dent. Will. soon sbamt feeding it to the hogs. Did I tell you I had purchased four brood sows and a (boar? The sows will have pigs in about two months. We have a few chickens, but haven’t been able to find a cow that suits us. We went deer hunting several days ago but had no luck. We saw several fresh tracks, but could not catoh up with them. I killed a rattlesnake -on the trip measuring six feet nine inches 'with thirteen rattles. We are goi ing deer hunting again soon and hope at least to see one. I I notice by the paper that quite a tittle land is changing hands un Jasper county. I suppose you are pretty busy. How are the crops looking in Jasper county? How is that new brand of rye turning out ‘that was sown last fall? | Some corn here has been gathered quite a 'wha® and is Bellm g around two dollars a bushel. Broom corn is a bad crop here this year and the quality is pretty low. My prospects on broom corn look pretty slim, but |we hope 'there is a better

day coming. < land values are increasing herd as well as in Jasper. Last week McColl had four coaches of excursionlists here. I wrote to Mrs. PaAison the first part of this month, sending her a bill for her Mexican house and the flat water on her farm for the first half of 1919, which I sent down with Charles Spitler. She told me to send her these bills and aha would forward the money. Mr. Horn advises me to divide the crop with her, giving one third and keeping two-thirds, she paying for the water used for irrigation. Several are renting this way this year. I also sent her a bill of $l4O , for water to irrigate. I have not heard from her since writing. I wonder if you would care to speak to her aibout it But if you would rather not, let me know and I twill write to her again. Must dose now. Please answer and toll me what you

know about the reports that mother heard and see if you can find, out how they started. I have not written home to anyone against Anything here. Tell me what you think About my making a trip north some time this fall so I can plan my work. When would be the best time to come? My regards to your boy, Verne, and all my Jasper county friends. CHAUNCEY WOOD.