Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1895-09-21
ATLANTA EXPOSITION
THE CHICAGO OF THE SOUTH"

The Government Exhibit {,
Excel That at Chicago Build,
ing and Exhibit of the South.
crn Railway.
The most important event of tn,
current year 10 this country and IS
pecially to the South, and still NOR,
especially to the city of Atlanta ant
the State of Georgia, is the Cottol
States and International Exposition
which was formally opened at At
lania, Ga, on the 18th day of Sep
tember. and will close on the 3lst Ia,
OF December.
That Southern city of about 10.
600 population should have tine enter
prise and public spirit, moi To say tn,
temeritv, to undertake, almost sincl,
handed, an enterprise 50 wide in it,
scope, 20 mammoth in its proportion,
and requiring such vast outlay o.
money as to richly enlitle il IL tn,
designation OF "lnternational' in the
face of Il universal commercial lepres
sion and financial panic, and that At
lanta, Ga, which was left hut littlC
more than heap of ashes and smouI
dering ruins, with its populotion ot
10000 scattered and homeless hy
Sherman's army, when it took up lis
famous ''March to the Sea" should he
that city. il is not surprising that the
first suggestions Of such an enterprise
were received with general misgiving
and that even the Southern States and
cities counselled against it. and were
slow TO come to the assistance of sis
ter city IN an undertaking which at
snch time was regarded as hazardous
in the extreme and too mammoth to
promise even measurable degree nt
accomplishment.
\ visit To Piedmont Park. however.
about two miles nortl: Of the centre Of
Atlanta, will dispel every doubt of the
realization of degree of success sur
passing the most sanguine expectations
OF the projectors Of the Cotton States
and International Exposition.
From the roof garden of the new
and modern "Aragon Hotel" which
occupies the highest hill in this hill
city, magnificent panoramic view of
the city and lis surroundings is afiorl-
ed. All around you. spread over hills
and valleys, Just sufficiently pronounce
ed to afford pleasing variety to the
topography. is the compact well.built,
hustling Chicago OF the South, Gate
City OF the South. Atlanta, with It's
wealth Of well paved streets and ave.
nues laid out apparently regardless oi
rule or plan. which join the nacalam-
ized roads that lead through the pie
turcsque suburbs TO the rich farming
lands beyond
There is an appearance OF soIi,iiiy,
grandeur and beauty in her public
buildings. her hundred churches. her
seminarieS, colleges. numerous public
school houses, her Henry Grady Hos
pital, her stores and private houses.
suggestive OF abundant buillin. ma
terial near by. and looking away to
the east. fourteen miles ac:o<> the
foothills, the famous Stone Mountain
looms up, Il solid mountain of granite.
where immense quarries arc operated
now. but where, thirty one year. ago.
grim visaged war held sway and ihous-
ands were slain. and their blood trick
led over the rugged, granite sides Of
Stone Mountain.
In looking over these lovely hills
valleys clad in the gladnes- ~ South
ern verdure and yielding abundantly
to the hand Of the happy husbandman,
il is di:!icult TO realize that il was ever
the theater of war, and that the soil
was literally soaked with fraiernal
blood.
In such an undertaking the question
OF transportation is one of natural
prominence, and every person in anv-
wise interested in this exposition, every
person proposing to become an exhib.
itor or visitor has doubtless pro.
pounded the inquiry, whether the
Southern railroads are equal to the
emergency of handling the enormous
travel and traffic to and from Atlanta
during the period Of the exposition.
This question OF course has long since
been answered To their satisfaction hv
the Committee on Transportation of
the Atlanta FAIR; hut for the benefit
of many who acquired their knowledge
OF the railroads of the South during Il
period ot ten or fifteen wears succeed
ing the close of the war, perhaps il
will he well To say that no comparison
can he well drawn between the mi>era
bile apologize, for railroads in the
South during that period. With the
really splendid roadbed> and equip
ment and service OF the present
&&&SS~&&S&&&S#SS%%&S
THOUSANDS Of WOIn6nS
n 81