Interesting History...

While looking for information on J.T. Brown and the murder in Chico. I came across some other interesting history.
This is a letter written by a man (1908) who was in Chico working.
Letter is as follows:




FROM THE WEST.
Our Absent Friends Write "Back Home."
Chico, Texas,
Jan. 31.
Editor News:
As so many people asked me to let them hear from me, I will do so through your paper if you will give me space.
Dear people and friends of old Alabama: I have been here but a short time but have already learned why people work more and make more than they can in old Alabama.
Now I have worked seven days and I have helped make more plow points and pointed more in those seven days than I would have done there in a whole year.
The people have not lost a day from plowing since I have been here. They are complaining of the ground getting hard. I have not seen a drop of rain fall in Texas. The roads are as dry here now as I ever saw them there. Now we have had two blizzards since I came and the people all said one of them was the hardest they had this winter, and if they don't have any harder weather than that the cold weather is a matter of no consequence.
Now I noticed in The News where everything was frozen up in Leighton. We knew nothing of that.
Also notice that the negroes of west Leighton defied the officers to put the hog law in force. Now that is a shame but I can live here and be out of all that. The people say here if a negro would come here and make such expressions he would not last as long as a clean shirt at a hog killing.
Now I have seen one negro since I have been here and he came from Jack county. They don't allow Mr. Negro here.
And another great blessing—I have not seen a man who was thought to be intoxicated. The people are as rough on liquor as on negroes.
This place is much larger than Leighton and all white people; are as social and clever as can be. They have a good school of more than three hundred pupils—six teachers.
I was out in the country today and I actually saw where people were plowing under half as much cotton as a lot of the Leighton valley land would make. Now I don't say this to slur the old country. They say they have picked all they have time to pick and will use that as fertilizer.
Everbody here seems to be well except colds. My family have had terrible colds but are about well now. We have seen a few of the old Alabama people. Have not sold all of their cotton here yet.
I guess I had better close. My best wishes to The News and its readers.
Yours.
A. T. Braidfoot. (Leighton News 7 Feb 1908)

The next one, is called:
Lynching of Dr. B.E. Ward
That didn't happen here, but he was buried here. His brothers came from Chico and brought his body back to Chico.
The story is to long, so here is the link:
Lynching of Dr. B.E. Ward