The Savannah morning news., 1901-12-07
TATTNALL's THRIVING TOWNS.
A DAY IN REIDsvILLE DURING
COURT WEEK.

Some of the People Who Contribute
ia the Prosperity of One of the
Livest Counties in Southern Geor-
gia-TattDail Showed the Largest
Percentage of Increase in Popu-
Intion During the Last Ten Years
of Amy County in the state Except
One-A Lot of Busy, BustltnB
Towns within Its Borders.
My itinerary called for a trip to TAFT
nall county during the last session of
it's Superior Court, but I was unable
to make it, and postponed my visit to
the quarterly term of the County
Court over which Hon. Pembroke W.
Williams presides, and, thereby spent
last Monday in Reidsville. Judge Will
liams is somewhat cosmopolitan, and
when he departs this life, which ]
hope will not be for many years, sew
eral counties will claim him as a citi-
zen. His honor represented the First
Senatorial District as a citizen of
Bryan and as Chatham's choice, but
his domiciIe is now in Tattnall. The
fact is that his ability and geniality
make him favorite son wherever he
sheds the light Of his countenance.
The Judge was kind enough to insist
on my visiting Tattnall without delay,
and appointed the time when l should
have the opportunity of meeting many
of the good people of the county. 1t
was a pleasure to shake hands with
the sturdy farmers and energetic pro-
fessional and business men who had
gathered at court
The Seaboard Air Line connects at
Collins with the Collins and Reidsville
Railroad, and a pleasant ride of seven
miles over the latter took me to the
county seat by. II a. m. Unlike some
short lines which have ridden over,
the Collins and Reidsville Railroad is
in excellent condition, having a good
roadbed and rails, and comfortable
cars. The conductor, who 1 suspect
is also the president and general man
ager, agent, treasurer, ETC., was Mr..
A. A. Reppard, the son of Mr.. r. b.
Reppard of Savannah, who is largely
| lilttIeSIC0 III AnO AalAiOo0s NNSR
pard, Jr., is a chip of the old block
! only larger, and of course much young
err, energetic, and attentive to bust
ness.
Arriving at Reidsville, i was taker
| in charge by Messrs. George c.. Fol-
som and H. B. Folsom of the Tattnall
| Journal. These gentlemen are of the
! same name, but not related, as far as
! they know They escorted me to Mr.,
| George c.. Folsom's new and handsome
home, where after depositing my inn
| pedimenta, l was taken to the Office OF
the Tattnall Journal. The Journal has
building of its own, not far from Mr..
| Folsom's residence. 1t is an exceeding
| ly clean and well equipped establish
ment with a large cylinder Hoe press
| and two jobbers, a cutting machine and
other facilities for getting out neat
newspaper, and doing first class job
work. The Journals type is all set at
! home; no patent-inside or outside or
plate matter is used. The paper pre-
sents an excellent, might say elegant
| typographical appearance. Besides Mr.
! Folsom, editor and proprietor, and Mr..
Folsom's associate editor, there is Mr.
| Frank Cowart, the foreman. All OF
them are printers, and to the manor
/ DOIH. ALLCI lIiS W AAie
personal surroundings, Mr.. Folsom es-
corted me to the Court House, where
was introduced to a great many gem
tlemen. At the sound of that "tocsin
| of the soul, the dinner bell" court was
adjourned, and soon thereafter, we,
that is, our host and his other invited
guests, were arrayed around the dining
table at Mr.. Folsom's. The Messrs. Fol-
som occupied either end of the table,
and the sides were well filed by Judge
| Penn. Williams, Capt. E. j. Giles, So
licitor General and captain of the Mel
drim Tattnall Guards, w. M. Rogers
Esq, DR.. Lucien Kennedy, w. w
] Sheppard, Esq, DR.. j. d. Rogers, Mr..
Frank Cowart and myself The Chef
d'oeuvre of the table was a dish that
! is supposed to produce the same effect
upon a gubernatoFial candidate tina;
the left hind foot of a graveyard rab-
| bit does on colored citizens good for
tune at playing craps, a baked pos
sum. wreathed with sweet potatoes. ]
ate u piece Of the animal as apruden-
tial and patriotic measure. The pos
sum Is to Georgia what the lion is to
Great Britain, and the bear to Russia
and thought it my duty TO honor him
in the usual way, even at the risk OF
an offended digestion.
Tattnall county by the last census has
population of 20.419, an increase OF
1916, or 1871 per cent. In 10 years
Tattnall shows the largest percentage
of increase of any county of the state
excepting one. and exceeds that IL
the actual increase in number of peo-
pie, and in the latter respect, that il
!. increase in population, it is, leaving out
counties In which there are large cities
1t exceeds every county in the state.
Thirty years ago, 1870. the population
of the county was only 1880. This re
n1arkable increase is due to the build
ing of railroads
A citizen of Reidsville. speaking OF
days before the advent of the iron
horse, said that he can now visit Sa.
vannah, transact his business and re-
turn in a day Fifteen years ago II
took five, four days on the road, two
each way, and one in the city He
had to cross two rivers, the Canoochee
and the ogeechee. paying ferriage over
each, and also paying for keeping his
team i'm the wagon yard. His living
cost him nothing, as he brought prov
ender for man and beast in the wagon
but IL cost in cash about what he nov
pays for railroad fare, TO say nothing
of the value of four days time foI
himself and two mules. The old way
of travelling, however, said my &C.
auaintance, had it's pleasures. A party
would start and camp together: some
had their families with them. He had
often seen thirty to forty wagons In 2