The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1900-03-30
COLONISTS COMING SOUTH.
Season Vigorously Opened BY
Railroads and Activity Is
At High-Water rIarR.

The Chicago Herald says;
The colonization season has been
vigorously opened by the railroads
which extend into southern territory,
and the work OF building up the south
commercially is to be carried on this
year on a scale hitherto unknown. In
dustrial agents declare that the year
promises to be a record breaker for
immigration to southern states and
for the location Of factories and in-
dustries.
Activity in the phosphate mines, re-
newed interest in the cotton industry,
the discovery Of the value of cassava
as a money-making plant, the knowl-
edge that the railroads have countless
sections Of unoccupied and fertile
farming lands, together with the re-
newed prosperity Of the entire coun-
try, has made new possibilities for the
south that we're little dreamed Of sew
eral years ago. The work Of tho Illi-
nois Central road is a fair example for
the boom that is now on. Up to the
present time the road has exceeded last
years record of new factories located
along the re by so per cent. This
remarkable showing has been made
despite the fact that the months of
April, May and June have always
proved to be the best months for pros
ecuting this work.
In Kentucky, Louisiana, Missis-
sippi and Tennessee there have been
established a larger number of new
cotton, paper and saw mills and cream
cries. Some of the roads whose agents
declare that the rise of business is ex-
ceeding all expectation, are the Plant
System, the Louisville and Nashville,
the Mobile and Ohio, and the Southern
railway. The Louisville and Nashville
is doing an unusual amount of work
in developing phosphate lands in Ten
nessee and in colonizing farming lands
and disposing of timber lands in Ala
bama and Florida.
Cassava plantations are becoming
numerous in Florida and especial at.
tention is being paid to inducing peo-
pie to engage in this new industry.
The fact that from this plant can be
made starch and glucose of fine quail
ity and that as fattening agent for
stock it has no equal, is engaging the
attention of northern farmers.
In Virginia, North Carolina, Ala
bama and Georgia the Southern rail
way is locating large colonies and
thousands are taking advantage of the
homestead seekers excursions which
are run every first and third Tuesday
in the month. Over 800 families have
been located this spring between Dan
vile and Richmond. At High, Point,
N. O., there have been established
twenty furniture factories; at Rome,
Ga; a new basket factory, and at
Knoxville large hat and wooden facto-
ries. At Huntsville, Ala, another
large colony has been located and
many are visiting the peach belt with
view of engaging in that industry.
The Plant system is developing its
phosphate fields and locating factories
and colonies all along its route. AT
the present time it has all of this class
of business it can attend to and it is
expected that the rush will continue
throughout the summer. Several OF
the roads are watching with eager eyes
developments in the Cuban aud Porte
Rican situations, with view to being
field for colonization purposes. One
or two roads have already made plans
for large business in Cuba and when
matters become settled there they ex
pect to get all the business they car
handle.