Wichita eagle., 1888-11-10
GLIMPsEs OF GEORGIA.
Rapid Growth Of q Marvelously Progressive
Southern State.
ESPECIAL Correspondence

|
| Especial Correspondence
NEW YpRK, Oct 15.-Of the thirteen origi-
nal states of the American republic Georgia
| had been the latest settled It was the farthest
south, and, in some respects, was least able Of
| oil the colonies to successfully repel armed in
/ vasion or raise a blockade of its ports;
| Savannah being then, as now, the chief coast
| city. The planters, rich in acres and slave
1 labor, were more devoted TO generous hospi-
1 tality than nibued with martial spirit
/ Their fair and fruitful province. with q sea
/ front Of nearly 500 miles, became an easy
conquest of the British land and naval forces
! Neither the iInpetuous patriot Lincoln, with
| his brave militia nor the cooperating
/ French feet could disiodge these victorS
/ Pulaski, Jasper, and thousand valorous
! Americans were sacrificed, bu. the English
/ maintained occupation of Georgia from
/ Christmas, 177s, until midsummer of 17S3, or
| within eight weeks OF tho signing Of the
treaty Of peace Of Paris.
After the revolution the Southern Atlantic
states made, for time, very slow progress,
and during the second war with Great Brit
ain the commerce of Georgia and the Caro-
Hnas suffered heavily With an area ex-
(
dozen more or less navigable rivers, Geor-
gas agricultural wealth was incalculabie.
Yet no estimate of it seems to have been a
serious consideration of the people Of that
section until quite recently. In 1860 there
were g. 600 farm lands in Georgia Twenty
years later the number had increased to 140,-
000. Capital and industry had at last firmly
joined hands There was a new birth Of
fh, ia
Of the state, rising superbly from Its ashes,
is marvel among this counry's many en-
terprising cities. Its merchants, bankers and
manufacturers are men Of nerve, foresight
and quick decision Their influence has been
felt not only in Georgia but throughout the
United States
Briskly following Atlanta's rapid stride,
Savannah, Rome, Augusta, Macon, Athens,
Milledgeville, Brunswick, Columbus and
other places broke away from the letters of
ante-bellum prejudices, and are now keeping
pace with the march Of national progress.
The past five years have witnessed vast i'm
provements in Georgia's railway systems.
By a consolidation of the Columbus and
Rome, the Eufaula and East Alabama, the
Eufaula and Clayton. the Columbus and
Western, the East Alabama and the Buena
Vista and Ellavilie roads with the Savannah
and Western, the latter has become the short
est route through Georgia to Columbus and
Birmingham 1t also has direct communca-
ton with trans Mississippi territory. About
500 miles of well ballasted track runs from
Charleston, S. c., through Savannah to the
Chattahochee river and to Jacksonville
Fla, including branches to Albany, Balm
bridge, Gainesville and Brunswick. \ quick
service steamship line from Tampa to Key
West and Havana has also been a recent
important factor in developing the passenger
and freight carrying trade from Cuba and
Gulf ports to Georgia, South Carolina and
the farther north.
The city of Ausguta has the present au-
tumn been seriously damaged by an unpre-
cedented river overflow. One of the most
attractive exhibitions of southern products,
skill and industry yet held will mark th
present year in Augusta. The flood
Sept. 10, disastrous as it was, will not ret; r.
this timely exposition, although the los I
the business portion of the city from ON.
breaking and warehouse inundatiOn is ,ver
million dollars. But Augusta has be am 70
long fired up to permit its pal ,rf,or r
be dampened b. high water. Ever now
nVely leai es'Ste oooin 10 III luli VI gor. Lii
tie more than two months ago p ot of fort
acres of land, adjoining Expos ition mari
sold for $500 an acre. 1t is bclnf r.nidIv ~,
into streets and building lots. and ali tb
Druid park property, outside ihe expositio
grounds, has been similarly q ,viIad and soil
at auction TO eager buyers. The nrincina
local novelty, roomy a Nd marnificenrl
furnished hotel, is aPproac ain, connletion
There is TO be double ,raoi, stroat 70 ;l,,-,.
on Augustus ii1iu III inesS thoroughfare
This Improvement, begt N ,Julv rs of tho r,res
eIit year, is nearly finn ,bed Another line !
10 run Hoih 'he 1ei tier of the city to tn
ex position depot, c. nnectino the great fai
Yin notes, leaoinS stores and places of even
IL amusement here is also new line o
ST yhsh Herdlc co Achea Special locomotiv
u ans VIII De a. PATCHED, every half hour o
s., to and from Exposition park. Carriac
G rives through. Augustus beautiful suburb
I'd along tn e leafy arched boulevards O
ireene stref It (probab ly the widest highwa-
Il the soutf) reveal interesting features O
JeOrgia's .ormer m odes of life cropping on
'ere and there am ID the gayety and busti
81 new order of hings.
In Macon, at u le shops Of the Central rail-
way, was sho' yn q car which mad been ex
pressiy built u, traverse northern and west
ern roads unf .er the management Of tina
reads inning ration bureau. This car is I
veritab!e roll ing museum. Its length is fit
feet- Space Is reserved at one end for {
/ private Oil ce. The bulk OF the car is wei
niled with Georgia's field products and man
uiactureu goods. A shrewd practical OhiC
/ man twb has lived in Dixie long enough Il
become convinced that it is land moro saiu
/ orious ban his fancy painted ig has superin
tender zee Of this car and its exhibits. 81
never tires OF praising Georgia, and, wher
1 his .aree show is side tracked at differeu,
stat and county fairs, he commands bott
thf ears end the eyes ot apprec;ativs rural
/ Is s.
| Indications now ere that the eleventh
census lSa0l VIII credit Georgia with popu.
2toa equal 70 oaethirrieth O; the total nun
: Der OF inhabitants ii the United States This
VIII DO en- increase Of almost 400, 900 In ten
years. When the last Official computation
YVES made, the sexes were about equal
divided II Georgia The foreign born in
habitants numbered 10,564, and there was a.,
excess OF whites over blacks Of 5000. In
1850 the average value per acre Of cleared
land was s.; OF woodland $545. At that
ti-ae more than 70 per cent. Of the iabo-ers
we're engaged IN farming, but this percent
age wiz be materially reduced for, during
tee first six months Of ISIS, the capital In
vested in new manufacturing establishments
In different parts Of this thriving stane agxrs-
gated IS. 79s, OO3
Georgia ranks first II the production Of
long staple cotton, second IN rice and sveet