Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-04-18
LETTERS FROM THE INTERIOR.
Once More On the Line-FOrt Valley
Her improvements and Business
The Section and the Agricultural
outlook.

Fort VALLEY, April 16.-Editor Morning
Netcs: After a respite of several months | find
myself ION the road" again, and from the in
terror viii commune with the readers of the
NEWS The first point have visited is this
charming village. Fort Valley is in Houston
county, and the point where the Southwestern
Railroad branches-one line to Eufaula the
other to Columbus. The Perry branch road
leads from this point also, to the county site of
| Houston some twelve miles distant
This is one of the best agricultural sections
in the State, and take it for granted that the
condition of crops here is fair sample for all
other sections. The report is very far from
being satisfactory. The winter oats although
not sufficient in acreage, were nearly all ruined
by the cold. The weather has been so bad that
not more than half crop could be planted,
and these look thin and sick. The result is
that there will be three or four months more
to consume corn than last year. The corn
crop cannot be estimated yet, as all the first
planting was XII led and farmers are now en-
gagged in plOughing up and planting over their
entire crop. One thing may be assumed, how
ever, there will not be an adequate acreage
planted The cotton lands which have been
carefully prepared will all have to be re-bed-
ded, so that cotton planting is in the future
yet. Experienced farmers tell me that every
operation is at least three weeks behind the
regular time
There has been almost constant stream OF
wagons coming to the town and going away
laden with bacon, corn and guano, all pur-
chased on time at heavy per cent. Knowing
the lands to be equal to the best in the State
yet, after careful examination OF the facts,
am clearly convinced that iG will be utterly i'm
possible, even with the best possible yield, for
the land to return the amount of money ex-
pended upon it. Take the money to be paid
for the mules, the corn, the bacon, and the
guano on one of the best plantations, add to
this the price of labor necessary to run it,
well as th- interest on the investment, and you
have a sum that will appal any man who is
acquainted with business. The risk of success
is as great in agricultural as in commercial
affairs although the world regards it other
wise. The deceptive figures of paper calcula-
tions have we'll nigh ruined some of the fairest
and most productive sections of Georgia.
While reason, common sense and personal ex-
perience has demonstrated beyond all doubt
that the only prosperous farmer in the State
is he who produces his own supplies, yet men
follow the phantom light OF ali cotton" and
year after year grow poorer.
Having confined my Investigations and OBJ.
servations to cities and t9wns for months past,
| was confident that Mr.. Stephens was in error
when he claimed thGt Georgia was growing
poorer every year. But having been thrown
into the country for the past month, and
watching the movements OF farmers and hear
ing their honest confessions, am profoundly
although the fact is paradoxical.
The business in cities and towns shows uncom-
mon prosperity. There are greater signs of
Improvement in the way OF new buildings and
inaugurating new enterprises than have been
known since the war ia all our towns and
cities. The fact is equally true that there is
greater want and poverty in the country dis
tries than was ever before known. If, we
have always been taught, agriculture is the
foundation of all prosperity, the seeming sue
cess in cities and towns cannot be of long du-
ration The walls that have gone forth from
Rome and Atlanta may be but warning of
the coming storm. usually take the bright
side of all affairs, but every surrounding i'm
presses me that troubles and endorsements
await US as a people.
Fort Valley is a pleasant and an attractive
town. 1t is healthy, the people intelligent,
blessed with good schools and church facilities,
and the moral tone of the community excel
lent There is enterprise and energy apparent
everywhere New buildings are being erected
and old ones repaired. The celebrated Miller
cotton gin and the Dow-Law cotton planter are
manufactured here en- a large scale. Rumphs
celebrated ''Willow Lake Nursery is near
here, and other large fruit orchards in the vi
cinity 1t supports an excellent county paper,
the Mirror, published by S. B. Burr, Esq.
Captain G. w. Maddox has recently been ap-
pointed Postmaster. vice Moore who recently
died He has long been a subscriber to the
WEEKLY NEWS and will be an earnest agent
for all the News publications hereafter. [ go
hence to Perry. JACK FLAME.