The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1885-05-29
WHOLE NO. S29,
DOWN IN GEORGIA.
The Chattahooches-Misd Agricul-
ture-The High Georgians-

ture-The High Georgians-
[BeadIs in Cincinnati Enquirerl
Four miles from Gainesville we forded the
broad Chattahoochee, about as large there
as the Big Miami at its mouth-no slouch Of
a stream, though near its head. 1t Is an odd
fact that this stream runs on a ridge through
all the upper half Of its course; its water
level In many places is much higher than
valleys on each side of it, and but
q few hours ride distant But II
Is in a trough and shut off from
these lower valleys by higher ridges II
was pleasing to notice how regularly, as we
descended from the mountains, the improve
ment IN farm fixings kept even with our
descent, till at last, in the broad valley,
we found frame houses and barns big
enough to fill one bin in Indiana In fact
saw two barns near the Chattahooches
wbi~L would have haan big enough for
forty-acre renter "on sheers" in tne
Wabash valley; but these were the finest
have seen in Georgia. They looked so at.
tractive that we stopped at the farmhouse
and for "two bits" obtained hot biscuit, cold
milk, honey and butter, which completed
my capture. / am now clean mashed on
the Chattahoochee.
It is strangely soothing and restful to the
mind to be on the broad, fertile plains here
abouts after two weeks in the mountains;
but GAINESVILLE is a high-up place, too. and a
great summer resort Around 1t and Within
easy drives are sulphur, iron and chaly bsate
springs, and only two miles from town Is a
distillery which can sell by the gallon rs-
pardless of state and county. Tho air and
water are tonic. Society, too. they tell me,
is very good. Gen. James Longstreat lives in
ba a., hu rhc In alauant ratiramaut or rer.
haps it would be better to say complete re-
tirement He does not at present desire the
company of a newspaper man; but his
friends say he has some very emphatic iieas
for private circulation.
All this brings mo to speak Of the grandsst
mistake of north Georgia-her misdirectcd
agriculture Unless all the signs fail, the
region have lately traversed il the finest
grape country in America, II not in the
world. The underlay Is broken rock, above
which are powders, gravel and loose red
earth; the winter Is mild, the spring wet,
the summer uniformly warm and the au.
tumn long and dry. Frequently not drop
Of rain falls in August or September. Here
are all the cond ditions to make that the Bor-
deaux district Of America, and the very few
vines now planted are doing splendidly. 1t
Is also a first-class region for hops It is
such pity that the native waste their ener-
gies on corn and cotton.
What peculiar people these high Gsorgi
ans are, any how. What an odd, amiable,
clever, careless, and ne'er-do-well race. The
nearer got to the mountain the wilder the
life appeared big families in rude pole cab.
ins stout man could put up in two days;
neither house nor fence set with any regard
to compass points. and as often as any other
way no door or window on the side nsxt tht
road. But the oldest Of all are the country
churches, the mountain religion and the
polemical war between Baptist and Metho
dist Here and there among the
foothills, In the most unexpected
places, at the mouth Of q hollow or in
the middle Of pine forest, ran upon the
country meeting house. In it was neither
hanging door or window-glass. Scattered
over the floor were last autumn's leaves, and
the structure was reared on "stulls," fou
feet above the ground. This makes it nic'
for the long-nosed, up-backed, sandy am
spotted hogs of the woods, whose favorit
winter bed is there; but not so nice for tn
mountain maiden, who attends when ser
vices reopen in the spring. judge that tn
favorits text Is, "The wicked iea-when m
man pursueth, the righteous are bold, etc.