Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-04-29

Magnificent Farm-POIItfcaI-CO
Jones' history OF Georgia.
AUGUSTA, April 90 Editor Morning Netos:
Your correspondent, in passing over from
Macon to Camak, observed for the distance of
at least thirty miles that the trunks of a
majority Of the email trees had been bent
almost to the ground. while the tops Of the
larger pines and evergreens were badly broken
and shattered. Upon inquiry, he was told that
this was the work OF the severest sleet Storm
that, despite the open winter. had ever visited
this section in the memory of the oldest inhabi-
tants Its path resembled that of a cyclone;
and but for timely rainfall. the destruction
of timber must have been immense. The track
Of this cold wave was very narrow. and affords
another illustration Of the weird freaks of old
BOreas, when he emerges from his Arctic
caves and goes upon bender"
The grain crops were heading out finely with
out symptom OF disease, and so favorable
has been the growing season that it is surpris-
ing what a crop OF oats even the thin Ian Is
will produce. Without the aid of another drap
of rain an excellent yield is assured, and the
corn. too. seems to have started off well. Cot.
ton planting was progressing rapidly. and in
many instances already the tiny weed had ap-
peared above ground. On the whole the agri-
cultural outlook Is decidedly cheerful.
At Camak the writer encountered g dear old
college friend, Rev. e. P. Palmer. d. d whom
he had not seen for a quarter of a century.
The doctor is a distinguished Presbyterian
divine, and brother of the great Benjamin
Palmer. The father of these brothers. Rev
Edward Palmer. is "a years of age. and still
retains his intellectual facultieS in full ygOr
Mobile to occupy one of the professors chairs
of Austin College, Texas. Such meetings con
centrate, as it were, in single moment Of
time, the vicissitudes and joys, the wrecks and
sOrrows OF long decades of years. Their reve-
lations are sacred.
Augusta seems to be sharing the common
prosperity (the slang word is "boom'o which
obtains in most OF our Georgia cities While
few changes seem in progress on the old thor
oughfares like Broad street. the area and pop
ulation of the city is steadily and rapidly in
creasing The cutting of the famous "canaI"
was like letting in a sluice OF liquid gold and
the inha abitents are justly proud Of it. 1t was
the talismauic stroke that reused a whole COM
munity from the asphixiation of long years of
ments of population. enterprise and
energy. At present, to the num-
Der of her citizens, Augusta is
probably the richest city in the South, while
the esgle eye Of capital, already fixed upon
her admirable water power. viii never be with
drawn until her canal has been fringed with
factories and its motive capacity exhausted. A
proud destiny awaits this lovely and advancing
Georgia ritv.
Like Savannah. however the want of com
modious hotels with the modern improvements
is sadly felt IL the proprietor of the PLANT
ers" Mr.. Dub. had such an establishment as
the Kimball House, it would be blessing TO
the town. and attract large crowds of visitors
who now winter at Aiken. No man is better
ADAPTED for the position. and his hotel IS
as well kept as any Southern hos
teIry But what a comment upon
Georgia industry. that he should be forced to
procure bis beef and mutton by refrigerators
from Cincinnati
It is more than rumored that, reused to the
exigencies of the situation. a company has
been formed and arrangements perfected for
the erection of a mammoth hotel on the
heights Of Summerville which will almost rival
in size the largest of the Saratoga structures.
The belief is confidently expressed that such
house could Re kept full for al least five months
in the year while many of the merchants and
their families would he glad to make it their
summer quarters Mr.. Dub. it Is said, will he
Dlaced in charge. and under his management
the enterprise viii prove an undoubted success
The Press Convention meets here on the 10th
OF NAV, and after hey have explored the
raging canal, - viewed its towering factories,
and, under the guidance of the veteran Walsh
and aesthetic Moore. sampled the creature
comforts usually provided at the locks" we
venture the assertion that both canal and city
will be the best advertised institutions in the
State.
The writer and our excellent State Commits
sioner of Agriculture, DR.. j. T. Henderson. es-
corted by one Of the pr7prietors. Captain Edge
the late William Eve Esq This is one of the
most celebrated of the river piaces" near
Augusta A pleasant drive of two miles ard
half brought us to the old Eve mansion. To-
Gated in the heart of the estate. The building
IS surrounded by an embankment to protect it
from the waters of the river when on a ram
mage First we examined the barn. where at
least 590O OO0 pounds of forage, composed of pea
vines and several varieties of the grasses were
stored or stacked outside This hay is worth from
SOD to $50 per hundred, and the enormous
. vvmfff of IL
duced and nicely cured during the past year.
All around a sea of oats in full head greeted
the vision. many acres of which will yield over
fifty bushels each. Conceive OF one vast ex-
nanse Of grain. nearly ripe for the harvest
covering over five hundred and fifty acres
The sight to a Georgian was both novel and
exhilerating. DIR. Henderson was delighted,
and said he had never beheld such a spectacle
before in his life. Fifty-fve acres were laid
down in " heat. all fully headed out, and free
from disease. 1t was the opinion of those
prezent that the oats would yield forty bush
els average per acre, and the wheat about
twenty-five bushels. Certainly a splendid
The party drove all over the plantation visit
ing the levees erected at the cost Of many
thousands OF dollars. and corn field, one acre
OF which has been known TO produce one hun
dred and ten bushels. It fairly teens with
fertility and. like the region about the Nile. is
annually enriched by the debris from the ove~--
flow OF the river. The average production is
placed at seventy-five bushels No fertilizers
are used on the place save the stubble from
the peavins, which is turned under and proves
amply sufficient About one hundred acres of
cotton are In cultivation, which, with favoring
seasons, viii yield over one hundred bales. It
is the oat and hay crops that are most relied
The proprietors run thirtv plows, end
use the screw pulverizsr. Acme harrow, Nc
C0rmick reaper and many or the latest inn
pr0vementS in agricultural implements Ma
chinery is made to accomplish all that is pos
sible. and for the most part labor is employed
and paid OF as needed-by the day only. This
is a vast saving Of expense. Returning to the
old mansion. after partaking OF refreshments
from Captain Eve and Colonel Campbell, who
is interested In the crop and general manager,
the party drove back to the city charmed with
their visit, aud prouder than ever of our grand
old State.
There is nothing new in Georgia politics. save
the conceded fact that Mr.. Stephens will not
retire Still there is quite scramble among
those who wish to be his successor. A Pottle
man told the writer that it was reported that
the great commoner" had written private
letter announcing that he would stand for
Governor This is not generally credited how
ever. as his physical condition Is thought to be
too feeble for the proper discharge or the rou-
tine duties Of the Executive office. In the House
an appearance for a few hours on special occa-
sions is all that is absolutely necessary. Besides,
an intimate friend of the Congressman says he
has nothing to retire upon. The same gentle
man declared that the much talked Of heavy
donation of General ToOm bs to relieve the Obli-
cations OF Mr.. Stephens as the publisher of the
Atlanta sun. amounted to very little. Inc
General did advance s.. 200 to his friend. but it
was all paid for in land. This uncertainty as
TO the long des red vacancy keeps expectant
and wistful aspirants to Congress in the Eighth
district constantly on the ragged edge
Col @. c. Jones' history of Georgia has pro-
gressed through the first volume. which occu-
pies in manuscript fourteen hundred pages of
fOolscap and ends with the administration of
Wright the last Colonial Governor. The work
will embrace three volumes and the author
has expended an immense amount of time.
money and research in compiling the facts and
resurrecting old documents and MSS, which
were essential in the premises scattered
throughout Europe When completed it will
supply an indispensable want OF the State.
The genial Randall Whose Washington let
ters are so universally admired) is at his post
again. and doing good service for the venerable
ChrOnlcle ana CO1tstituti0ndltst, which has
hufeted the storms of well-nigh century.
Like old wine however, this ancient instltu-
ton continues to improve. and is now enjoying
its pallniest existence. May it survive until
the wreck OF matter and the crush of worlds"
This is Memorial day. and the exercises
promise to be of much interest But the wri-
ter viii not be there, but has already departed
and for an hour has been scratching these
fragmentary notes upon the rail-" He viii
trouble you no longer. II. II. J.