The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-08-14
ARP AND THE BOOM. e
He is in the Midst of One of
Them.
FOR the Constitution.

meat and make it into steel rails for our rail-
roads to haul us something to cook. 1t takes
power of hot work TO keep these poor car
cases of ours in good condition. l would have
been rich man but for this everlasting cook
ing business that never stops nor tires But
we are all built that way, and SO the business
goes on.
The furnace ball opened yesterday, and Dr.
Pratt and Mr.. Martin are busy looking over
the ground and directing the surveying and
ieveling and plating and locating. Very soon
the grading will begin, and there will be
plenty of work for the toilers. The
white man will plan and the negro will
execute. He will shovel and dig and lift and
drive the steel and mine the ore and lay bare
his brawny arms and sweat and toll, and crack
his jokes and sing his song and eat his humble
fare and enjoy his rest and never complain.
1t is most astonishing how much life and
vigor these manufacturing industries instill
into community. Even the prospect of them
is awakening and stimulating and everybody
moves around with livelier step and bright
er countenance. "Maior," said an old lady
friend to me, 'do you think the boom has
come sure enough?" ooh yes," said l, "there
is right smart boom down town. "And can
get any more for my property?" ooh yes"
said /, good property like yours is in demand.
do you want to sell" "Bless your soul,
no (! don't want to sell. I expect
just wanted to feel like my property was worth
more than it was"
ooh, yes,' said I, "the tax assessors will
convince you of that. expect they will nearly
double your taxes for the next year." So there
is no pleasure without its pain.
The real estate men are circulating pretty
aively now trying to get options. That is
new word to the children and so had to ex-
plain and tell them that If I was willing to
sell my home for five thousand dollars, would
say to one of the real estate agents: eff you
cell my place within ten days you may have
all you get over five thousand dollars" So
then he would have an option for ten DAYS.
THESE real estate all 9nXiOuS n
hold of property TO sell for other people that
they pay something for these options. One
asked Mr.. White what he would take for
his lot and workshop, and he said
he would take eight hundred dollars. ''What
will you take for your option ?'' said the agent.
s'Twenty-five dollars" said Mr.. White. 'For
how long?' said the agent Until sun down"
said Mr.. White as he hammered away on
bureau. Our people won't give long options
now for property is rising pretty fast. 1t is
now up to just about Its prime cost. Two years
- storebouse titst cost two thouEand dollars
TO build, could have been bought for fifteen
hundred with the lot thrown in. That same
store house and lot will bring twenty-five hum
dred now. But property can't be doomed
beyond it's fair value in Gainesville. There is
too much OF it. There is not a town in Geor-
gia that has such beautiful suburbs for inn
proyement. Situated on high plateau with
gently rolling surface and good drainage and
beautiful views of the surrounding mount
aims and fast flowing streams on every
side, she offers inviting homes and good bust
ness prospects to those who are seeking homes
no matter whether they come from the north
or from the south. The Pratt Henderson COM
pany that have just located their steel work
and manganese works here are delighted with
their selection. Mr.. Martin said to me yester-
day: "You have the loyeiest and most at
Gractive country I have ever SEEM" That
company made a thorough inspection of all in
viting localities around us, from Sheffield to
Birmingham and chose Gainesville, and will
invest $4,000 here at once. Within three
months farming lands adjacent to the town
have risen from $40 to 500 an acre, as was
proven by guardians sale at public cutlery last
Tuesday. There will be demand for the
products of these lands, and the last crop of
cotton isnow upon them that will ever be seen.
These mechanics and laborers will want
something to eat. There will be more con-
Sumers than producers. Mr.. Camp, who farms
near Rome, planted ten acres in sweet potatoes
last year and melted eight hundred dollars
profit. What encouragement is there to a hen
to lay eggs at ten cents dozen? Cobe says
she is toe much ashamed to cackle, and Just
drops it and goes along. Now, we expect to
see before long hundred teams hauling iron
ore and manganese to our furnoces, and hum
dreds more digging and mining and working
I'm the furnaces, and they and their families
will be hungry three times a day, and want
watermelons or peaches or apples between
meals. The stove factory is to follow the fur
mace, and we are going to make horse shoes,
and nails, and axes, and stone hammers, and
most anything else that can be made out of
2ron
Evan Howell says the finest turnout he saw
at Long Branch last summer was carrying a
man he supposed was Vanderbilt or Astor, or
an English lord or a French count, and so he
got out OF the way quick and took off his hat
as the fellow passed. and then he found out he
was Connecticut chap who had made for
tune making hairpins, believe 1 will make
come hairpins or fish hooks or carpet tacks or
buckles or buttons Or something. They say a
man can make more money out of little things
than big ones. l think that could keep busy
making such things for my own family. Good
gracious! If was a merchant what o SPLEEN
did trade would have from one family.
We have contracted for waterworks and gas
works, and the next thing will
be an ice factory and street railroad,
and we are just obliged to have a railroad to
Gainesville with branch going up to Coosa-
wattee. zone industry calls for another and all
of them will help the farmers. They need
help. 1t looks like everything gets help but
farming. l see that those everlasting rascals
up north have formed bagging trust to put
up the price three cents pound, and that will
take million and a half more out of the far
mers' pockets. Most every business has trust "A
pool, a combination to speculate upon the peo-
pie. but the farmers can't get trusted at all,
unless they mortgage their crops and pay about
fifty per cent for advances. The merchant adj
,Vances forwards but the poor farmer advances
backwards. A merchant told me that he had
so charge big interest on account of the risk he
took in advancing-the risk of drought
and storms and caterpillars and boll-worm-
the risk Of dead horses, and stolen mules, and
thefarmer dying, and his widow gobbling up
the crop, and lawyers fees, and doctors bills
Tor the last sickness, aud money panic, and
war in Europe -. :" "That will do" said /;
81 see it all now. L didn't know it was so
risky. don't think you charge enough. You
ought TO do like DR.. Wildman did when he
cured Niger Of the smallpox. He Just took
the whole niger for pay"
Our people are watching the Farmers ALI
snce with good deal Of interest. Can they
90 anything, and will they do il? Many efforts
haye been made heretofore 10 unite the farmers
for their mutual benefit and have failed. and
pow We have anxious doubts about the alliance
But may be they have q better plan. Experi-
ence Is good schoolmaster II they were mean
.anough 70 form cotton trust for two years