Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-04-14

ure In ROme-The state Four Per
Cents-Atlanaa EnterPrise-ScraPso
ATLANTA, GA, April I1.-There has never
been a winter in the experisn nee of Atlanta
when there has been such a tide of hotel pat
ronage as this one. The Kimball House has
been crammed to its utmost capacity, and its
exquisite and capacious dining room filed
daily to overlooking. There are also a very
large lumber of families of residents enjoying
its fine fare. There seems to be an increased
disposition among families to board, probably
growing out of the difficulty of getting
good servants, a difficulty that seems
to be getting greater. Mr.. Scoville,
the proprietor of the Kimball House, is a re-
markable young man, who is destined to be the
leading hotel manager of the South. He looks
like a youth, is slender. smooth-faced, erect
and quiet, and one would never Imagine him
the genius of a great superbly kept hotel, with
a wonderful capacity for management and
business. He has had the cleverness to inau-
gurate an attractive home for families. He has
delightful concerts twice q week. His terms
are such that men of moderate means can af-
ford to board with him. He has thus solved a
very important problem of vast value, viz:
furnishing a frst-class boarding place within
the range of an ordinary income.
THE COTTON EXPOSITION.
Our big Cotton Exposition bids fair to be an
entire success. 1t is a grand scheme not only
for Atlanta's benefit, but for the States advan-
tage; ana II; properly uIlilzeo' contains the
world The concentration of ingenuity and en-
terprise upon the production and manufacture
of cotton, the controlling staple OF the world,
cannot but result in the invention ana discovery
of improved methods and machinery. Every
effort is being made to give a practical direc-
tlon TO the enterprise, and 10 insure us complete
success. The selection of II. |. Kimball to can
vass for it is admirable. Mr.. Kimball has a SUI
preme genius for grand things like this, which
appeal to the admiration ef men and use other
people money. 1t wouIo pay any AMBITIOUS
city to employ him to think up and work up
schemes Of public utility and adornment. His
invention is extraordinary; his resources mex
haustible and varied. He is a plausible talker,
with a vivid fancy for roseate possibilities. AS
President of a cotton factory, or any such place
requiring economy and careful management
he could not be a success. | do not know of q
team less fitted to make a cotton factory pay
its owners than Mr.. Kimbsl and his good
friend Mr.. Bullock. The fate of the cotton
factory, which has gone into the hands of a
receiver recently upon the motion of one of
the main owners is an illustration in point.
The thing went night and day, and gorgeous
reports famed out along at intervals, but the
inevitable smash came. Dir. Kimball. l have
no doubt, had in view three or four railroads
and perhaps eight or ten great iron foundries
in contemplation to be built out of the profits
of the factory. But none the less did the re-
ceiver turn up. And Mr.. Kimball has lit upon
his feet right in the lead of the Cotton Exposi-
ton. and he is just where mis- undeniable quail
ties suit precisely, where he can be of real
public benefit.
One of the finest features of this fine project
is the competitive raising of cotton under the
supervision of the Commissioner of Agricul-
ture. There are twenty half acre lots that
have been allotted out. and some $4,000 of
prizes will reward the superior competitors.
Among the gentlemen who have put their
names into this agricultural pot are Mr.. Chas.
Howard, Col. Tom Howard, Maj. Jim Warren,
etc. The test OF fertilizers will be thorough.
The sub soil blowing and two horse blowing
that are going on are wonderful. Mr.. Warthen,
of Washington county, raised five bales of cot
ton on one acre. He used pine straw largely,
which has much potash in 1t. No man can
come in for the prizes unless he raises 1000
pounds of seed cotton on his half acre. If his
yield falls under this, he is out.
THE BANK OF ROME.
The failure of the Bank of Rome, one of the
State repositories, illustrates the impolicy Of
the State depository law. 1t was a popular
measure, but an unWise one, and in contraven-
ton of sound policy. 1t removes RESPONSE
bility from the State Treasurer, inasmuch as
it takes from him that control of the States
funds hat he alone should have, and for which
he alone is bonded. 1t requires the deposit of
more than a million of tax money in certain
banks that give only a $4,000 bond under the
law, and receive two and three times that
amount Of State deposits. The law requires
the payment of the taxes of a large number
of counties to these repositories, except what
mag be sent direct to the State Treasurer. The
appointment of the repositories is for four
years, and is limited to the State chartered
banks. Between the State and national
banks. which may be the strongest, there
can be no choice. but the State hanks
must be selected, though the weakest. The
Treasurer should be left to the selection of
repositories with the approval of the Governor,
and then held responsible if the money is lost.
AS 1t Is now the Treasurer is relieved from all
responsibility for the funds while in the Gus
tody of the repositories. The sworn reports OF
the Bank of Rome showed an entirely solvent
condition. and yet it made a STUNNING break,
that no official vigilance could forecast. Tenn
porary Overdrafts to a large amount were made
on the funds of the bank by officers of the
bank for the accommodation of firms outside,
to which they belonged, on speculation, and
the crash came inevitably. Yet these sudden
perilous uses of funds could neither be antici.
pated nor are they reported. The system of
State repositories, as at present operated,
should be changed at the July SESSION of the
Legislature, or strong restrictions thrown
around it.
THE FOUR PER CENT. BONDS.
Another unmitigated and plausible nuisance
is the State four per cent. bonds. They were
pulled and praised. Made of small denomina
tions of IS and upwards, the issue Of $500, 900
would have imposed in the record and payment
of coupons an amount of clerical labor for the
Treasurer's office that would have taken the
services of one clerk about all the time. The
bCAAdD WIZ N6oNAANA0 Va VIZ GAlA GA AEoN
of Treasurer Renfroe. who got the banks to
take them as a consideration. A four per cent.
81, 900 bond may do, but a four per cent. S., or
SO or $50 bonds a humbug, and but for an un-
commonly smaltTreasurer. would have proved
failure and improperly given a blow to the
States credit. The bonds have been nearly all
redeemed, and the issue stopped.
ATLANTA ENTERPRISE.
Atlanta is growing marvelously. On every
street are new buildings, some of them very
ornate and ambitious. We have a rare set of
progressive spirits here. l have always had a
special admiration for Captain John Kelley as
a typical specimen of the true Atlanta mer-
chant. A daring advertiser, punctiliously hon
orable, audaciously and yet safely enterpris-
ing, q brilliant operator in seductive bargains,
a model OF business promptness and personal
courtesy, and a prolific inventor of captivating
surprises for his patrons, Captain Kelley, a
gallant Confederate officer | regard as the
retail merchant prince of Atlanta. We have
in the Inmans here a very gifted set of bust
ness men, that will become commercial mag
mates.
SCRAPS,
Major Green, the Engineer of the Georgia
Western Railroad, was here last week, and is
about to commence the survey. The people
here are so deeply interested in the road, and
have been so often disappointed in the enter
prise, that they feel uncertain about it. But
General Gordon is going to build it, and it will
be a magnificent stroke for Atlanta.
We are having cold weather here yet. 1t is
the latest spring known for years. Farming is
very backward.
Salvini played in 1.-THE Gladiator" He is as
fine a physical specimen of a man as was ever
made, and he has genuine tragic genius. The
people were delighted with him.
Uncle Toms Cabin" was played here. Let
no more bloody shirts be waved hereafter. A
drama that miSrepresents the South and
wounds every tradition of slavery, that falsi-