St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1889-01-17
DECATUR,

DECATUR, ALABAMA.
Its Climate, Location and Resources
Yellow Fever Brought in with Fruif.
The New Soufh.-The Negro Question.
My old-time Neighbors and Friends:
1t is Christmas night, and such a
Christmas | eve saw, nor W ex-
pected to see. In the spirit of con
tentment which follows q magnifi-
cent four O'Clock Christmas dinner
and the lighting of the companion
able pipe, | fell to thinking of the
day as | have known it from child
heretofore helped to fill up the meas
ure of its happiness for me. Thinking
also that you might like to hear from
that part of your country whence
more rumors of evil than of good
have come, l determined to try to
reach you, one and all, through the
columns of the CaledOnian.
Of the climate no one can speak
authoritatively with less than a
years experience. But superb is the
only word which will describe the
weather we now enjoy. l write in
my shirt-sleeves, with the door open
and only a few Goals of the evening
fire in the CRATE. 1t is such weather
as we used to have in May in Yer
mont before winter took to himself
the lions share of the year. But
however warm the day, there is, |
am told, always q breeze at night
which insures sleep and brings re-
freshment. A white frost" is the
subject of remark when it makes oc-
casionaI visits, and the morning is
termed by the natives right cold"
And it is more chilly than the same
temperature in Vermont. But we
know it will not last through weary
months.
But man may not live by bread
alone" much less will mere climate
sustain him. The soil is a heavy
loan, cOlored a dull red from the red
hematitc or iron ore, beds of which
are scattered all through this region.
1t is strong enough so that crop after
OAoP vi dlib 0OllOh lol IN
hausted it; and it still Yields liberal
ly without fertilizing and under a
system of cultivation which in New
England would be ruinOus alike to
the farmer and his field. With proper
plOughs and men of sound Judgment
at the handles, two good crops of al
most anv kind can be grOwn here III
one year. 1t is common enough to
see the second crop of Irish potatoes
and the third or fourth of garden
vegetables. And for the benefit of
the ladies | will add that the rose
has not ceased to bloom, nor has the
magnolia cast its foliage, while the
holly and mistletoe of traditional in
lcrest III just in their prime. In the
mountains up the Tennessee river,
and to the east of us, there are prac-
tically unlimited forests of valuable
timber of the hard and soft varieties.
Within a radius of Il hundred miles
from Decatur, running northeast
and swinging southwark around to
the west, are undoubtedly some of
the richest ron mines in the world,
considering the ease with which the
ore is obtained and everything. The
quantity is ineStimable, and varieties
numerous and adapted to the re-
quirements of the general trade.
There is also the further advantage
that adjacent to these iron mines are
beds of coal and limestone in great
suitable for smelling and
working the IRON Silver and gold
| not mentioned because | have
as yet seen no primary evidence of
their existence here.
Decatur is in the Tennessee valley,
127 miles from Chattanooga, 50
from Birmingham and $50 from
Memphis 1t is the junction and di-
vision point of two of the best rail
roads in the South. and with growth
more will come from Georgia and
Mississippi. From it boats run to
and as soon as the gov
completes the work of open
ing the Muscle Shoals, 10 miles to
the west, they will run to the Ohio
river and New Orleans. So the ia
vOrable location and site, the facili-
ties for transportation, and the di-
versifed industries, which have been
kept constantly in view and encour-
aged. all seem to indicate that this
will be a commercial and manufac-
turing town of no small Importance
in the near future; ii have made no
investments or contracts here.) We
street cars, electric lights, the
plant of which is now being enlarged
without %clashing of companies; a
new water system of 40 miles of pipe.
IS miles of which is now laid; a new
system of sewerage in part of the
town, and the streets are being rap
macadamized. | will not under
to enumeratc the private enter
But the railroad shops alone,
the buildings of which are nearly
completed, will employ at least 5000
men, mostly skilled mechanics. There
IS a cotton compress with a capacity
OF 1000 bales Perday, machine shops,
furnace, foundry. backwards. and
various concerns for the manufacture
of lumber. The new buildings are all
substantial brick business
blocks or neat and sometimes elegant