The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-06-14
[FaoM OUR TRAVELLING oonarsporpENr.l


MACON, Ga, Juno 10, 1S69.-This the .'cen-
tire town" of Georgia, is situated on the Ocmul-
gee River, six miles from the geographical
centre OF the Slate, which central point lies
between Macon and Milledgevllle. A more
healthy and salubrious situation for city,
combining SO many marked advantages, could
not be found in the State. Tho city is built
upon hills which rise in three tiers from the
river bank to an altitude of $50 or 200 feet
Socially, Macon is delightful place. it's wo-
men are beautiful and refined, and hence the
society (like our Charleston circles, and from
the same causes is pure and cultivated. The
private residences are the most cornmodious
and handsome that have seen. and. su1ronn-
ded as they are by terraced gardens, present
on attractive appearance to the visitor. One
Of the most striking features Of these houses
is the square turret which surmounts nearly
all Of them. A Charleston eye misses the
double piazzas. Mr.. w. B. Johnston Ca self.
made man) lives in colossal brick dwelling
with o white marble cupola and white marble
facings, and when the brick work was con-
cealed with cement it resembled g marble pal
ace. This is probably the handsomest house
in the South. The building alone is said to
have cost $780, 600. 1t is superbly arranged,
and gives evidence OF great wealth and great
taste. y
Macon does not appear to have suffered
much by the hand OF war, and is evidently
piosper1ng. In business point of vie " Macon
money can be more easily made. The bank
interest is one and q half per cent. per month,
and planters drafts accepted by factors are
discounted at two and 9 half and three per
cent. p,r month. This is good business for
tue numerous banking houses here but how
the farmers expect to make money at this rate,
ls more than your correspondent can surmlse.
There are several large and we'll kept hotels
here, nnd they have no cause to complain, for
even now at this dull season of the year they
average from thirty to forty arrivals per day.
The business houses are large ard some Of
them handsome. Macon is regularly laid out,
with wide and partially planted streets.
There is one street-Cotton avenue-which re-
tains it's primitive windlngs and meanders
throuRKthe towq. The streets from the City
Hall. going down hill. are numbered above
College-street and several short streets. The
cross streets are named after trees and run
parallel to the river. The retail stores are to
be found upon Triangular Block and the blocss
streets, and intersected by Cotton avenue.
Third and Fourth streets lay claim to the cot
ton and commission houses. The new court
house Is to stand ON the corner OF Mulberry
and Second streets. The old courthouse at the
foot OF the former street is now the property
of the Central Railroad, and is to give place TO
depot for the Central and Southwestern Ra l.
roads. Churches and public buildings are nn-
marcus. including 9 Metnodlst Female College.
the State Blind Asylum. Macon Cotton Manu-
featuring, Findlay Milling aud Manufacturing
works, ana several foundries and machine
shops; There are two daily papers. the Journal
more weeKlies. 'Ss"
What Macon wants is little energy and en-
terprise 10 its municipal governments, It's city
city. and the streets and sidewalks are exc
cradle. A squad OF wOrkmsn and eight or ten
carts are kept busy all the time, but the sys-
tenn adopted is bad. A two-hours' har rain
changed by grading both streets and side
walks, costing the city much less IN the end,
and but little more at the FIRST. Again, Lhs
wide gaps in the rows of trees should be filed
rows Of trees dividing them into drives, and
o middle promenade for foot passengers.
Tue citizens are anxious for these changes.
and as the municipal government Ia In the
why their wlshes should be d.sregarded. With
anything like energy and business push, Macon
must rival Atlanta. 1t now has O. larger num-
ber Of railroads centreinR here, and these
nate at the seaboard or stretch away to the
South and Far West. 1t surpasses Atlanta In
the character OF Its surrounding county, and
10 q large cotton market.
Wnu0 speaking or c0ttOn, y would menviOIa
| that the factors mere are paid Tor their cotton
the same day that they sell, and do NOT allow
| Ave days credit In their cotton bills The
merchants are anxious for the completion Ol
the Augusta and Macon Kaalroad. They expect
| TO operate 10 some extent with Charleston, and
| II our merchants pursue liberal policy, and
the railroads cooperate with them, the Cen
i trai Road and SavRnnah will feel the change
percepfibly. The Central Road has pursued
such an ilhberal policy OF high tariffs Alpce the
| war that the Maconites re3ol0e that ,theys viii
soon be freed nom that monopoly "a 80 Sl,ls
| But & have NOT mentioned an entefpgIaes 9Cs
gSshcsl a oh avfAr haS,
ilii pushed tlsr0ugh, win 3o spdoi 9or Macoi1
fThts ~ the hriidfng OF 8 canAf TO mp 4he $fyel
| posed route has been surveyed for seven mIies
| and 1t is found that ut this distance from this