Winston-Salem Folks Buy Large Tracks Near Voss; Plan on Farming, Aug. 19, 1921

One of the most significant things that has happened in a long time was the closing, a few days ago, of two big real estate deals by Henry Matthews. One of these was the sale to James Garner and to B.O. Cornelius and John and Ernest Hancock, of the Shaw tract northeast of Vass. This lot contains something over 500 acres, of which Mr. Garner gets 90 acres and the others the balance. Mr. Garner is already living out in the vicinity on the new acquisition; the others are Winston-Salem folks. Mr. Cornelius is a Southern railway conductor. It is their intention to get the land under cultivation. This tract is out in the territory near the Hoke and Harnett corners on the Moore county line, and on the road that is projected to run from Vass to Pineview over on the Coast Line in Harnett. It is about five miles out from Vass.

Close by this purchase is the big tract of 857 acres known as the Poole land. This Mr. Matthews has already sold, the buyer being John M. Taylor of Winston-Salem. It is Mr. Taylor’s intention to get the ground in order soon and set peach orchards and dewberry vineyards. He is a man of means and is much interested in the Moore county Sandhills. This tract is also on the proposed new road, and when that road is built will be one of the valuable locations of the county.

Out along the Harnett county line is an empire that awaits development. One of the finest ridges in the state extends from Vass out toward the hill country of Harnett, and from the towering height of Cameron hill, not far below Pineview, clear through into Moore county that ridge dividing Little River and its tributaries from the Cape Fear and its tributaries, is a commanding elevation. On the Poole tract the ridge is the highest for miles, a view from the top of it extending down into Hoke and Cumberland counties on the south, and to the far distance in Harnett and Lee on the east and north. It would be hard to pick a better peach range in all this sandy belt than that one that runs out into the Poole lands, and with a good road to permit easy shipping of fruit from out that way those who know that section predict that it will become one of the most profitable peach belts in the district. Good crops of cotton, corn and tobacco on the farms out that way show that it is good general farming land, as it is heavier in its type than most of the sandy land of the county. Some excellent farms are found on the road out that way.

The region of the new purchases is historic. At one spot is a mound near what is called the Huckleberry pond, and the mound is said to be a burial place used by the Indians in one of their wars in remote days. The story runs that away back the Roanoke Indians came down this way and encountered the Cherokees, which such disaster that most of the Roanokes never got back. At the mount out on the Poole ridge curio seekers have dug from time to time in search of Indian implements, and even now the ground shows that digging has taken place in recent years.

Another point of interest out that way, but a litter farther toward Camerion Hill, is the old race track. A generation or more ago a track was maintained out on the broad table land, and it is told by tradition that many an exciting meet took place there in the depths of the thinly settled pine forest. Much fine land awaits settlement there on the broad high planes, and it is assumed that the beginning that will be made by the new purchasers means the opening of that country to a population that will develop it.

Farther out, and southward toward Lobelia, many new settlers have been going in to plant tobacco, and Mr. Matthews says that if tobacco brings any price this season he will have more folks down here from the mountains to locate out between Lobelia and the Poole place, and he has hopes of filling that region with some good people.

A road from Pineview is talked considerably, and as it would be an easy road to build, with few grades and few bridges, and several miles of the route already in fair shape, it is not beyond the probabilities that the road will be undertaken one of these days. Some day that region, with a good road through it, and a railroad on each side, will be one of the best bits of farming country in Moore county, and it may not be a great while in developing. A few farms are out on the county line, and a little saw mill work is carried on out that way, but pretty much a new world, and ready to take care of a goodly number of people.

A drive out that way is interesting. The road leads out past the Methodist church, and at several points a turn can be made to cross over to the Lobelia road, or by Cameron, or even if a longer ride is desired, by Pineview and back by Lemon Springs. Some of the road is nothing extra, but it can be negotiated with little trouble all the way, and the trip is worth taking. It gives a broad view of all that wild country after the ridge is reached, and the picture is a great one.

From the front page of The Pilot, “Devoted to the Upbuilding of Vass and Its Surrounding Country,” Friday, August 19, 1921