Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1891-02-23
Letter From Georgia.

Mr.. EdHor,-Perhaps a few facts
in regard to Tallapoosa may be of in
terest to some of your readers. At
ter leaving Washington, we took an
account Of stock and found on board
our train nine Vermonters enroute
for Tallapoosa, in search of health,
recreation, etc.
We have been here about seven
weeks and are all gaining in health
Perhaps one thing that helps little
is that we do but very little work be-
tween meals. | think as a health
resort Tallapoosa is all it has been
advertised to be. 1t is situated on
high ground amid pine forests with
good air and pure water. There is
less rainfall and foggy weather here
than nearer the coast, hence it has
less malaria. Some nights during
the month of January the ground
froze a little and occasionally we
have little frost, but most garden
vegetables will grow throughout the
year. People have begun to make
their gardens and are planting their
potatoes.
The city about three years ago was
a pine forest. 1t now contains about
four thousand acres, the most of it
laid out in building lots fifty by one
hundred feet. Many of them have
been built upon, while many others
are still covered with pine trees. The
city at present is supplied with water
from wells. Every one who builds
house digs we'll and obtains good
water at depth of about twenty-five
feet. The city is also putting in
system of water works, taking the
water from a clear running brook
about a mile from town. The water
is forced through an eight-inch iron
pipe, by two powerful engines, to a
tower in the east part of the city,
thence conveyed in pipes through the
streets. The tower is fifteen feet in
diameter and one hundred feet in
height. 1t is built of thick iron
plates riveted together, and when
completed will abundantly supply the
city with water for all purposes.
Business is dull here, as in all South
ern towns. One cause of this is the
stringency in the money market, in
some cases as high as two per cent
month being paid.
Another cause which the North are
finding out is that Southern towns,
like Birmingham, Admission, Fort
Payne. Blifton and others have been
doomed until the thing has collapsed
and business is at standstlll. Yet
there is no doubt that business will
be resumed and the abundant miner
al resources of the South developed,
but not by booming, as that has play
ed out.
The colored people here support
two churches and a school separate
from the whites. They seem to be
very poor, but happy and Industrious.
Farming does not pay here, although
some farm products are very high.
Hay is worth twenty-five dollars per
ton and Irish potatoes two dollars
bushel, Notwithstanding they can
raise two crops year. Cotton seems
to be the main crop. Why don't
farming pay? In the first place, the
farmers here are more than a hun
dred years behind the times in all
their farm work, and then the climate
is SO mild the people become indo-
lent, not being obliged to provide
against the cold as people do in the
North.
But for fear, Mr.. Editor, that |
may make this too long, L will close
by saying that if any of your readers
need a health restoring climate, come
to the highlands of Georgia, but if
looking for a place to earn living
by their daily labor, stay in Vermont.
With respect, j. CowLEs.
ID. X. Densmore, West Burke, guaran.