The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-11-04

one man, somewhat elderly, but full of
NE and Vigor, gave up his prosperous bus
mess and lovely home In Vermont town
TO invest all at Fort Payne. This man.
suddenly aged. by this bhghting trouble
ms nervous condition developing into i'll
sanity died alone and deserted in a Mass
achuSetts insane asylum last July.
another man was so overcome with eN-
citement in the early days-so troubled
that he could not get all the land he
Nahted-that his brain became unbal-
ahced and he is now an inmate of an in
sane asylum. Many others followed in
ms pathway and suicides were frequent
one young man who had inherited a
snug fortune placed IL all in the hands OF
d trusted agent to be invested for him at
orr fayne, so great was his faith in the
pace. y charming villa was to be built
LOT MIN on the outskirts of the town for
ne was coming with his bride In the fan
Inc mousse was never occupied save nv
tramps. and il stands alone and deserted
one OF the chief officers of the company,
man respected by all of strictest integ-
rlty' surrounded by friends and every
comfort. prominent attorney in his own
city leIt all behind to place his fortune
mere This man thoroughly believed in
the greatest success for the venture, and
reaching out in all directions, brought
every friend and relative he could to the
place, desiring them to share In the glo-
hind him to begin life anew in a northern
city. He is broken i'm spirit To all his
own troubles he has the added pang of re-
morse-for the friends and kindred
wrecked through faith in him Many.
many other instances of horror and des-
pair could be quoted, for of all the bright
glory only ashes remain.
The writer was painfully impressed by
the desolate appearance the little town
presented recently. 1t was night when
the visitor arrived, and the blaCkness of
old Lookout, grim and dark against the
horizon, but emphasized the painful con-
trast to the appearance of the gay little
city four years ago. II is a tragic tale
the rise and fan of this little town, carry
ing with 1t desolation and despair into so
many once happy homes and hearts In
New England
The beautiful homes, costing so many
thousands of dollars, laid out with such
loving pride, are owned now by the ma
yves OF the place-people who had lived
in cabins" before the boom, whose
farms had so eagerly been bargalned
for and who could afterward use the
money thus given them to buy for a mere
song the lovely homes built there Those
who do not buy calmly select house
anywhere-and proceed to dwell therein
No rent can be collected from them, for
they once more rule the town so wonder
fully improved for them by the yam
KEGS"
All the Industries are lying idle, many
OF them dismantled by the men having
charge of them for the past three years
selling the fine machinery to pay their
own salaries. All Is waiting for a pur-
chaser. The whole town, costing more
than $5,0000OO could be bought to-day for
$4,000 or less. But who will buy?
While people from so many sections of
the country were deeply interested in these
various southern investments, 1t was re-
markable that so few New Workers were
involved. With their own many charming
suburbs, rapidly growing. ever increasing
in value and having a certain future, they
were not easily tempted elsewhere
OF all the outsiders who invested in
Fort Payne. but one is recalled who did
not suffer by the reaction. He did not
wait for it to come. He arrived early in
the spring of 1889, without money and ap-
parenty friendless. Fer weeks he sat
around in the different real estate offices
constantly smoking an old pipe. No one
paid any attention to him, but he was get
ting points, and, finally, managed to Dor
row some money from a good natured
broker. He invested in land, was very
lucky, and had many quick returns from
his real estate ventures. Then, while the
fever was at its height and enthusiasm
boundless, while he might safely have
fingered and increased his winnings he
quietly departed for his western home
without saying good by and with $4,000
in his pocket.
A strange feature of 1t all is that the
honest leaders of this enterprise lost not
only all the money they ever had, but all
prestige besides. 1t was all tragedy for
| the investors.
A rumor recently came to the writer that
the whilom manager of the enterprise,
whose very name is hateful to so many
/ sad hearts in Now EN- GLAND IN
| return to Fort Payne to live with his
family, seemingly much Interested either
! for himself or in behalf of some one else,
in getting control of things there once
more. Is there yet to be balm for the
| broken hearts of New Englanders?