Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1897-01-20
ALABAMA'S INFANT CITY.
BIDS FAIR TO BECOME A MONU
MENTAL SUCCESS.
Fruithurst,s Future and Past Told by
j. A. Westerlund, General
Agent There.

montgomery, Ala, Jan. lS-kopecldl.J-
Mr. J. A. Westerlund, of Fruithurst,
spent Tuesday in the city. Mr.. Wester
lund is the general agent of the Ala
bama Fruit Growing and Winery asso-
citation, and Fruithurst is Alabama's
young and fiourishing fruit colony, locat-
ed in Cleburne county. Mr.. Westerlund
has been in this state just two years,
and he has contributed in no small de-
gree to the upbuilding and improvement
of the section which was fortunate
enough to attract his attention. Old
fields and hillsides Of Cleburne, unpro-
ductive and almost desolate, have, un-
der the magic of his direction and energy,
been made to blossom like the rose and a
country which little more than two
years ago was almost uninhabited is now
the site of one of the prettiest modern
towns in the south, filled with cosy cot
tages, the homes of a thrifty and indus
trious population, who see before them
prosperity and comfort at the expendi-
ture of the minimum of energy.
"Fruithurst," said Mr.. Westerlund, sis
Alabamas baby city. 1t is yet in it's
swaddling clothes, but 1t is a most prom
ising youngster. The first acre of land
which now composeS the FruithurSt colo
ny property was purchased November
rs, 1894 The tract contains about TO-
900 acres and contained when bought,
old fields woodland and some cultivated
land, but of the latter there was not
great deal and that of not very high
grade. Its adaptibility to the fruit cul-
ture was seen by Mr.. Merrill, and the
tract was divided, after setting apart
a portion for the town into vineyards
of ten acres each. was engaged to pre-
sent the situation to the farmers and
fruit growers of the northwest and of
the east and in the first year, notwith-
standing the hard times, 1 succeeded SO
we'll that sold more than 400 of the vine
yards, and up to this time the total sales
will aggregate more than 800 vineyards.
"Fruithurst now has a population of
about l 200, who came from all parts of
the country and from several foreign
countries. The bulk of the people COM
ing from other states are from Minne-
sofa, Wisconsin and Iowa and from the
New England states Canada is repre-
sented by several members of the colony
as we'll as England, Germany and Swe-
den. The people coming from the states
of the northwest are delighted with the
climate. The winter is delightful when
compared with the rigors of Minnesota
and Wisconsin winters, and the summers
are not marked by those periods of
sitting heat which are so frequent in
those sta tes. They are contented peo-
pie, nd the question of returning to their
former homes in the north Is never for
an instant considered.
Newcomers from the northern and
western states tell us that nearly half the
population of those states want to come
south, and that very many of them will
do so this year. Fruithurst has an eye
open for them, and will extend them
hearty welcome.
Now, all of the 800 vineyards are not
planted, but large number of them are,
and the success which has attended the
fruitgrowers SO far satisfies them that
every representation made by the COM
pany will be more than fulfilled. During
the year just past Fruithurst manu-
fatcured 10000 gallons of wine shipped
thirteen car loads of grapes to various
northern markets, paid out for labor more
than $4,000, constructed ten miles of
new roads, built more than twenty miles
of hog-proof fence, built 125 new houses,
established rose garden which con-
tains more than 200 varieties of the
choicest American and foreign roses and
completed the Fruithurst Inn, which is
one of the most complete modern hotels
in this or any other southern state. This
is pretty good showing for town not
yet three years old. We have magnif-
cent free school system and our public
school is attended daily by an average
daily of more than 100 pupils.
"At the Atlanta exposition the exhibi-
tion of the products of Fruithurst was
the finest of its kind at the exposition
and it was conceded by all to be the
great attraction of the Alabama exhibit.
Fruithurst will be seen also at Nash
vile. The men behind this enterprise do
not believe in hiding their light under
bushel, and while they are willing to
help out the state exhibit they have al
ready taken steps to secure space in case
the state cannot give the display as much
room as will be needed to make credita-
BILE display.
"The success of Fruithurst has been
marvellous, but 1t is convincing. When
we started out we had to talk up Fruit
hurst to everybody. but now the people
are coming in to make investments with
out solicitation. At first they came only
on excursion days. but now they drop in
preceded them usually leads to an in
vestment, and later to moving into our
little town. The company gives an abso-
lutte guarantee to every purchaser of
ten-acre vineyard, plants two acres in
standard vines and obligates itself to re-
fund the purchase money to any pur-
chaser who may be dissatisfied at the
end Of three years.