The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1879-01-16
LETTER FROM gEoRoI1.
ATHENS, GA, Dec. Is, rs,
FRIEND McGREaoR:

According TO promise write you again; and,
hrst, VIII say something concerning this beautiful
and thriving inland city Of the sunny South, y
where have for the present pitched my tent.
Athens has an elevation OF l,4OO feet above the
level Of the sea- For the szo Of the place, 1t is do
ing very respectable mercantile and manufac.
turing business. One house alone sells to the
amount OF one million dollars annually; another
half million; two more one hundred thousand
and quite number do what we would consider
an extensive business. The State 10 nominally di
vided into Northern, Middle, and Southern Geor.
gia, Athens is In the northern portion Of the mid
die division and draws her trade principally from
the country north, even as far as North Carolina
1t is quite common to see the old. fashioned GOV.
cred wagon, like the Pennsylvania wagon of ear.
ly days or the modern "prairie schooner" of fKan.
sas, come to this place from North Carolina often
from four to six In line drawn either with mules
or oxen, loaded with apples, dried fruit and chest.
nuts, all of which find ready market here am
told that North Carolina is the most successful
fruit growing State Of any Of the Original thir.
teen."
This place supports twelve churches, and they
are all well attended. SO far as have observed,
the people here are more generally in the habit
Of attending church, and paying more respect to
the Sabbath day, than with u.s. There are two
large churches exclusively for the aCcommoda.
tion Of the colored population.
The facilities for education here are ample. The
cost is from 50 to IS per month. The colored pop.
ulation are making quite an effort to educate
themselves They have now two schools of their
In OnnFa linn uoh hui iao nbn - tboIv
own race They are remarkably initiative and
ambitious to be like white people, They are easy
TO get along with, and easily controlled, for they
have great fear Of the law. The whites are Civ
Ing them every proper assistance and encourage
ment In their efforts at improvement. few man.
ifest commendsble disposition TO accumulate
property but the large majority are a reckless
prodigal, jolly set, like Jake BocksOm. ! often
hear Jakes laugh. Generally when several get
together you are certain to hear bOisterous
laugh,
l was told by appointment citizen of this place
that ift was not for the care and assistance given
the black race by the whites they would degener
ate into condition Of barbarism.
This place Is much scattered, extending about
mile each way from the center There are many
private residences of snowy exterior, with coonn-
ade fronts and large yards that are at this time,
as green and beautiful as any yard ever saw in
Canton In midsummer. Some with large trees
festooned to the very top with the English ivy,
There Is less attention given to the improvement
Of the streets and sidewalks here than in the
North. In the business portion of the town, the
streets In many places are almost blOckaded with
bales Of cotton, which is left exposed to all kinds
Of weather. The traffic in cotton here seems TO
me immense, though presume will not compare
with that Of Augusta or Savannah. The two rail-
roads running from this place takes out east long
trains loaded with cotton bales morning and sAe.
ming.
The oConee river which flows through the town,
give motive power to several cotton factories a
paper mill and several machine shops They
manufacture checks, sheetings and shirtings Of
which they ship largely to Philadelphia and New
York Some Of these same goods have no doubt
are handled by Canton merchants.
Near the center Of the city, upon an elevated
spot the citizens have erected beautiful monu.
ment upon which is inscribed the name Of every
soldier from this locality who fell in the defense
Of the confederacy; or as they term It here, the
lost cause Here, as with you reference Is rarely
made to the late civil war May the feeling OF
alienation it engendered between the North and
the South be forgotten, and as a united brother.
hood, with a common interest, may we continue
to prosper multiply and replenish until we be.
come as we are certainly destined to be- the great
est nation upon earth.
The farming community or planters" as they
are called, are an intelligent class OF persons So
cial and hosptable. Cotton is the staple product
They appear to know but little about raising grain
Since the depreciation of cotton, however, few
of the more enterprising farmers have turned
their attention 10 general agriculture and stock
raising. They find that by proper tillage and the
judicious use Of fertilizers they have succeeded
beyond their expectations. They can now raise
from 40 to 30 bushels Of corn to the acre. Wheat
from IS to 25 bushels. Corn brings very readily
In this market 75 cts per bushel. Most Of the corn
and wheat consumed here is brought from East
Tennessee. l have learned Of one farmer who
gives his entire attention to raising clover hay, in
which he has been quite successful. He bales
large quantities each season for shipping, and up.
on this product alone is getting rich.
Land is comparatively low here. Good improv-
ed farms located within three to six miles of the
city, can be had from s. to S15 per acre. The soil
has peculiar red appearance, like that of dark
red brick dust. It washes very much on hill
Sides sometimes In deep gullies. This is said TO
be from much ploughing in the cultivation Of cot
ton. This would not be the case II titled for grain
and grass 1t has occurred to me that If a young
farmer had few thousand ahead, or in expecta.
tion, this country has inducements for q settle
ment rather than the West 1t cost but little to
keep cattle through the winter. The wages for
common Tabor is from 50 to 65 cents per day. Me.
Qhanics from S1OO to $3.50.
To-day is Christmas, and such merry time as
the people have here, I never before witnessed
They commenced last night by firing guns, sing.
ing and yelling. Business places are all closed,
and everybody makes 1t a holiday, especially the
"culled folks" During the forenoon some go to
church, some hunting, others to a shooting match,
This afternoon there were street paIades Of fire
companies and others in fantastic dress in imita-
ton Of Mardi Gras exhibition. This evening
there Is to be a display Of fireworks and any
number of negro dances. The week from Christ.
mas to New Years day has always among the
blacks been observed as a continuous holiday.
Since my stay here have been treated very
courteously by citizens of Athens, and have learn.
ed that their feelings toward the Northern and
Western people are warm and friendly. They are
ready and willing to assist persons coming here
with the intention Of remaining to do business.
Especially do they invite Western merchants to
settle here, as they are much pleased with their
enterprising way of doing business.
1 will close by wishing you and all your read
ers amerry. Christmas.
LUE MILLER.
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