The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1893-06-09

DALTON, Georgia, June list, 1S93.-Very
often, within the last two years, have thought
of writing you IAN open letter., and more than
once, having taken my seat for the purpose,
have / changed my mind and determined
still to keep silence. But of late many kind
letters of sympathy and inquiry have come to
me from tine readers of The IBqiS that If you
will allow me a little space in your columns
will in the first place be guilty of the egotism
of explaining why it has been impossible Tor
me to answer in detail all of the letters above
referred to, and then, possibly, give some of
my impressions with regard TO Dalton and
parts adjacent.
About the middle of March was indscreet
enough to jump from train while i'll motion,
and although it was not by any means lat full
speed" as stated in the Baltimore San, it was
going more rapidly than 1 supposed, being
very near the station which it had just left, and
fell heavily, breaking the collar BONE shat
tering the point of the shoulder blade and bad
ly injuring otherwise my right arm, which is
still, after the lapse of SO many weeks, almost
useless. am obliged to write with my left
hand, which is very labOriouS, but some of my
correspondents may not object to that, as it ne
cessitates condensation and some Claim, your
brother of the Southern Chuchn.dn, for exam
pie that my left hand writing is more legible
than the old style ever was:
As to this region of northwest Georgia into
which and my family drifted after our a de- de-
scribed as being possessed OF many and pecu-
liar advantages. Prominent among them is its
superb climate, which is not surpassed if
equalled on the continent. But the country
is only beginning to be developed, even along
the railroads. and on either side of all the lines
of public communication stretch mile after
mile of virgin forest, almost undisturbed by
the axe. The land is generally of excellent
quality. The mineral riches of this section are
simply incalculable, and as already intimated.
there are fortunes waiting for future lumber
men, in every direction.
don't want to be understood us asserting
that nothing has been done here in the way of
development. There are many "clearings' i'll
the forests, and along the railroads some towns
of considerable size, many OF which call them
a;t; nifx- of olf nT fn ng fam
ciiiiIIIs niOre iiIaII tuaf. Or Daiton say
of your readers, but this letter is meant to be
general and / restrain the natural impulse to
magnify this city CT my adoption. Resuming
then the thread of my discourse l say that
away from the railroads and rivers there are
large areas of land remaining substantially in
the condition in which the Indians left it, lin
the fOrtes," all through upper Georgia and
without claiming the gift OF prophecy, can
see Il great future before this portion of the
Empire State OF the South" But we need
capital we need waking up; we need better
country roads; we need improved methods in
farming and Il greater variety of crops; we
need more people with brains and muscle, to-
gether with some ready cash.
Compared with Baltimore and its envirOns,
taking say Il circle with radius of 80 miles
around your Incompatible city, it seems to me
that so far the people of North Georgia have
been only ''cracKing Che crust" But my pen
Gil needs to be checked in mid-career; so
bring this lengthy communication to II close,
the weekly visits of The IEgis have been Il
wonderful comfort to all of us; for after all, if
the truth must he told, we have something of
the feeling of exiles, notwithstanding the fact
that kind friends have been raised up for
and strong ties are forming here. But we can
not forget, and would not if we could, that
wears and that it is the birth place of one of
my boys, as well as the dwelling-plaee of some
of the best people ON the planet. With kindest
regards to all old friends l am yours, sincere
ly, JAMES Is. CRAIGHILL.