The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1896-01-01
The Northwestern Exodus.

readers that the S0utn was not SoOu
place to emigrate to, the public failed
to understand what was behind these
sermons against the South. But now
that the facts have come to light it is
found that our esteemed contempo-
raries in Iowa and elsewhere were
doing their best to put an extinguisher
on one Of tho largest and most sue
cessful emigration schemes that have
ever arganized in this country.
Considering the little attention it
has attracted, the movement is the
most remarkable that has ever been
undertaken in the United States.
There have been emigration move
ments from Virginia to Georgia, and
from Georgia and other South Atlantic
States to Texas, but these movements
were desultory and without organiza-
tion. Whereas, the movement from
the northwest to Georgia has been
carefully considered, the ground has
been cautiously gone over, all the
drawbacks have been weighed and
measured alongside the advantages.
The result is that in Irwin county,
in the heart Of the fruit-growing Sec
tion of Georgia, town has sprung up
in night-a town that is peopled ex-
clusively by white people, and these
people are all from the northwest.
There are many young men among
them, but the bulk Of the population
consists Of middle-aged people who
are making new home for themselves
and their families in one Of the garden
spots Of the world.
These people have not come to
Georgia because they have failed else
where. On the contrary, they are all
well-to-do, having succeeded even
amid the climatic vigors of the north
west in making something more than
an abundance. But they have core
to Georgia to seek more congenial
climate. They have grown tired Of
the long and hard winters of the
northwest, tired Of the snow and the
billiards and the desolate experiences
that belong to such climate.
The movement sprang up outside of
G Georgia. No scheme or project Of
speculation has entered into it. Men
and women who desire to enjoy the
benefits and advantages Of temperate
climate-old soldiers resting easily on
their pensions and farmers who have
accumulated a little money-have
formed themselves into cooperative
association and bought tract Of land
in Irwin county. In the midst Of
their possessions they have establish
ed town which, springing up as sud-
denly as any mining town in the West
but on more substantial and endur-
ing basis, has already population Of
from three to four thousand inhabi-
tants. A thousand or more tempo
rary houses have been built, and these
will be supplanted in due time by
well-built residences and stores.
A special correspondent of the Con-
stitution told Of the movement and
some Of its results in last Sundays
edition. When the correspondent left
the ground the emigrantS we're coming
in at the rate of from 800 to 500 a
day, and they were people from Mis-
souri, and northwestward as far as the
Pacific coast.
While the movement originated
outside the State the new settlers
have been greatly aided and encour-
aged by Ex-Governor Northen and the
association which he is the head Of.
Indeed it was a pamphlet written by
ex-Goyerner Northen that first attract
ed the moving spirits Of the north
western exodus to Georgia.
This exodus once begun-and the
beginning is already very substantial
one-there is no telling where it will
end. Ex-Governor Northen is Of the
opinion that there will be $4,000
arrivals from the northwest during the
next twelve months, while Mr.. Fitz-
gerald, one Of the leaders Of the move
ment and in whose honor the new
,o-a kho& ho