Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-12-07
GEORGIA SCENES.
Our Richmondcr Drops Into the Empire
state of the south.
lcnrrnsnondence Of the RIchmond pIspatch.l

Correspondence OF the Richmond Dispatch.l
ATHENS. Ga. December l. 1889.
Your correspondent has scraped the
mud of South Carolina from his feet. In
leaving Oconee county. with its mountains
and loC-cabins. and coming TO this univer-
sitv city he has exchanged the company
of the untutored bighlanders for the arts
and cultivation of one Of the most reilned
communities in the great Empire State OF
Georgia.
Here once lived the Cobbs of ante-war
times. and Senator Ben. Hill, OF later Con
federate and reconstruction fame. Inc
latter was the Quntessence oil Democracy,
and il was by his standard that Malone
measured himself when be said that he was
" as good a Democrat "a Ben. Hill.
A searching look has been taken nj
Athens. The city y too expansive ior any
known purpose, and | should say occupies
about one half of the area OF Richmond,
although il has less than one twelfth OF our
nnuulation This bigneSS Is the result
of nearly every resident having small farm
attached TO his house.
This is especially the case with an
the old residences built before the
war, the owners Of when must nave
been persons Of education and cultiya--
tion from the STYLE of architecture and
the magnificent gardens with which they
surrounded themselves. Some idea OF the
beauty of these old homes may he formed
when the fact Is mentioned that there are
scores of them like General Anderson's on
Franklin street, and nearly ali with much
lareer gardens. Shrnbbery and MOWERS
grow here with great Insurance, and III
many places gardens are hedged WIN rose
bushes of a running species that are so
thick and thOrny that an Old-fashlon
New Kent poker could not push his
WAY through.
The residences here of the best type and
purest architecture have large portlcos.
and in nearly every case present Ir0nt OF
immense columns. similar to the south cnd
of the Capitol building. The enect Is very
prnttv and strikingly reminds one OF 10
man villas and temples The modern
Queen Anne houses wedged IN between
them look fimsy and temporary. as they
really are in comparison.
The curious spectacle was presented 10
me this morning of TOse-bushes III full
bloom and in some places OF woodbine
also. while iciclcs foot long were hanging
from the bottom Of wator-tanks.
The negro here dominates most of the
trades and does much work, He Is IN the
house. on the wagons. on the buildings
and in the fields. and he is in many cases
rs good a Democrat o. he is Baptist I'D
Richmond. So the Georgia Democratic
maiorities are accounted for.
Athens imprcsses me as having no busl-
ness outside of the cotton trade. There
are few or no smOke-stacks. and no hum
of machinery but a mill or two.
II has fewer stores than any town OF It's
size ever saw, and wonder how It's peo-
ple get a living. Evidently, as II Is UNI
vcrsitv place and full of schools, IT must
live on the arts and sciences, and apparent
IN thrives. ~ il has grown much since re-
construction times. Although II seems
sound asleep at present, the residences
average fine: but the streets are utterly
uncared for, not the slightest attempt IS
made at their improvement. There Is little
or no pavement. curblng, or cutters ms
is incOmprehensIble since II Is with tins eX-
ception a really beautiful city, and IS
worthy of the best street Improvements:
Although this is college town the
Georgia cracker" comes sometimes TO buy
his "tcrbacker." | saw him yesterday in
ludicrous position. OF course he was
driving a steer between shafts. Unlike the
little brindle bull that tried to butt the
locomotive of the track this One-eared
steer got scared and ran away like any
other horse.
The steer dialect used by the "cracker"
was as rich as Mississippi mud.
Cigarette smoking has struck Athens
like a cyclone. And to this late habit of
the Georgians is added the foolish one of
being the first to kick at cold weather and
afterwards to sit with the doors open.
No we'll raised" Georgian thinks Of
closing a dOOr-it Is a crime not to be con-
dOned. GREED