The Savannah morning news., 1901-12-04
DODGE coUNTYS CAPITAL.
EASTMAN ONE OF THE PRETTIEST
TOWNS IN GEORGIA.

porous ana
Some of the Men Who Contribute
to Its Prosperity and Welfare.
Dodge the Youngest County in
Georgin, but Is Giving Its Elders
a Lively Chase.
There is no prettier town than East
man." said Col. J. H. Estill on his re-
turn from Dodge county a few days
ago. 1T is built on a ridge, or several
of them, on the highest of which is an
extensive and well kept park and in
the center of the area is the best wood
built court house in Georgia.
There is certain finish to every
thing about the town that is pleasing
70 the eye" Col. EstiIl said. THE
houses are Hastily built, and the streets
we'll kept. A large tourist hotel, the
first erected in Georgia, is or was one
of the attractions of Eastman. and for
some years was the favorite resort for
health seekers. I don't think there are
many winter guests at Eastman in
these days but l cannot imagine a bet
ter place at which to spend that sea-
son. did not stop at the tourist ho-
tel; in fact, l don't know that there
Is still such hotel, but put up at the
De L1tch House. a very comfortable
nostelry. L went to bed about 8 a. M
mat Is, just as soon as l could get to it
from the train, and in the room to
Wnlch l was assigned there was an
other traveller asleep, whom found on
awakening in the morning to be an old
acquaintance. j. J. Harvard. edition. of
VINO was looking after his newspaper's
interests during the session the court.
court opens early in interior towns
suppose because the judges, LAWYERS
and jurymen don't sit up so late ar
night as elsewhere. and though | had
eaten an early breakfast, I found
Judge Roberts and the bar quite busy.
me Judge came down off the wool
sack for a few minutes to shake
hands with me, and kindly gave me
an Introduction to many of these pres
emf IN court. Judge Roberts is an old
lrlend; ne was member of the DEM
ocrat1c State Executive COMMITTEES
when l was its chairman. He is a typ-
lcal Georgian of the old school. able.
iull or good sense, and with a vein of
humor that has made him famous
among the members of the har Of
the state. He is of the Joe Brown
Alex. stephens genius, having some of
the traits of these celebrated Czaor-
gfans, mixed with a large supplv of
the milk of human kindness and kind
ly humor
"A good story is told of Judge Roh-
erts, said Col Estill ''It is said that
ne tells 1t himself, but he didn't tell it
TO me. Some years ago and during a
previous term as judge. while in At
lanta he visited the Capitol. and look
ing about saw the legend over a door.
supreme Court" Just then he met
friend who said, Judge, would YOU
IKE TO see the man who reverses the
decisions of the Superior Court
Judges|' Yes" said the judge, and
ne was taken into one of the rooms
ana young clerk was pointed out to
him by his friend. 9Th ere is the fellow
that does the work for all the Judges
but yourself" WELL" said Judge Rob
erts, where is the fellow that re-
verses me?" Taking him to the eIeva-
tor boy, his friend pointed to him:
There is the fellow that attends 10
your cases!'"
~"Once in charging a grand jury.
Judge Roberts is said to have addressed
the body thusly: Gentlemen, the law
supposes you to be a body of intelIi-
gent citizens. but. of course. it is mere
ly supposition," etc. If the judge is
d little inclined to humor, it must not
be supposed for an instant that he per-
mits anything of the kind in his court.
He is clear-headed and a quick dis
penser of justice"
Col. Estill had the pleasure of re-
newing his acquaintance with j. F. De-
Lacey, Esq, solicitor of the court and
Mr. S. Herman, None of the members of
the bar; and of meeting Hon. ]. w.
Bonhanon, ordinary, County Clerk J.
G. Rawlins, Esq. Capt. ]. c. Rodgers,
the sheriff, and also Hon. Walter Glenn
ents, the Mayor of Eastman: L. NJ
Curry. Esq, Col James Bishop. Sr.,
editor of the Journal and his old friend
Burton of the same paper. Col. J. Z.
Wooten, formerly of Savannah, is a
prominent and prosperous lawyer of
Eastman.
Dodge is the youngest county in the
state. 1t was laid off about 1870, from
the counties of Telfair Montgomery
and Laurens, and was named for the
late VIM. E. Dodge of New York, who
had large landed interests in it, East
man, the county site, was laid off by
and named for VIM. Pitt Eastman, an
Eastern man who was also largely in
terested in property in this part of
Georgia.
The census of 1900 gives Dodge coun-
ty a population of 1895. an increase
of % per cent. in ten years. In edu-
cational matters Dodge is about the
same as the average county. Its to-
tai enrolment of pupils for last year
was 1921, of which 1926 were white
and 1905 colored. Number of teach
ers, white As, colored 2S
II was informed that in radius of
twenty-five miles of Eastman" said
Col. Estill, there are a half million of
acres of land, which has been turpen-
tined and saw-milled. that offers splen-
did opportunities for settlers. AS every
one knows the country is undulating
and we'll drained, the soil is rich and
productive, and anything properly
planted and suitable to the climate.
car be grown with profit. 1t seems to
me that some movement should be
made to get people to come in and take
Zip these lands. The owners, doubtless,
would be glad to sell at very reasonable
terms to actual settlers. There are
men in Georgia who could get up an
organization and study out a plan by
which the owners could get their mon
ey out of the property, and at the same
time do the state a service by increas-
ing it's white population. 1t is an OPP
portunlty in which money. philanthro-
by. and patriotism could be combined
for the benefit of the state, and those
who should underwrite the scheme be
called blessed among the children of
men. i wish / could have remained
longer in Dodge county, but l wanted
to be at home on Thanksgiving, and,
therefore, curtailed my visit"