Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-01-23

and inspiring experience
than a face to face Observa-
ton of the growth and the promise Of
south Georgia.
For many years the wiregrass region
of Georgia, it's pine bowers, its re-
puted fevers and its heavy sands have
been deemed the undesirable, and by
some short-sighted persons, the hope
less section of the state. Its progress
has been slow and its speculative val
ues have all been dwsrfed by the mil
liant booms of mineral and agricul-
tural- and industrial development in
north Georgia.
1t is expressing it conservatively to
say that south Georgia's day has
come-and come apparently to stay.
The spirit of progress has shifted its
capital from the hills and valleys of
the north to the level plains and the
prolific forests of the south. The gen.
ius of growth has followed the seasons
and gone to the milder zone.
Certain IT is that no man, having
been long absent from this southern
section of the state, can revisit south
Georgia at this time without sense
of amazement and delight.
Fifteen years ago / got of mid
night train at BaXley as an envoy
extraordinary of the Appleton Publish
ing company, to interview its school
authorities upon the merits OF the
newly famous Appleton textbooks.
felt blank sense Of disappointment
when awolEe next morning to find
only a ramshackle hotel, couple or
inconsequential stores and-a- sugar
cane patch, which was the Baxley of
1885. Last week 1 lectured at Baxley
to a cultured and responsive audience
wraIlr ad
back to a comfortable hotel through
two lines of brand new brick stores,
flanked by an iron warehouse and a
handsome bank, with the church
spires cleaning in the moonlight.
Fifteen years ago / knew there was
a Hazlehurst in Georgia only because
1 had heard it called by the sonorous
brakesmen on the Southern passenger
trains and because there was ringing
in my ears that humorous Jingle OF
Montgomery Folsom:
LAS we went down to HaZlehurst,
We got so full we thought we'd
AS we went down to Hazlehurst,
burst,
When we went down to Hazlehurst."
And now the sound of the saw and
hammer almost keeps a man awake
at night in Hazlehurst; new buildings,
residences and stores meet the eye in
every direction, and the spirit of the
people is hopeful, progressive and ele-
waited.
Waycross is one of the most impress
sive and beautiful little cities in the
south 1t is built to attract instant
attention, and it does catch the eye
and the fancy of the thousands Of
people who float i'm the winter tide to
Florida. There isn't in New York or
Pennsylvania a prettier town of $500
people than this metropolis OF the
wiregrass. 1t is cosmopolitan in It's
citizenship, cultured, refined and pro-
gressive in every way, and its stores,
hotels. churches and private resi-
dences are. scarcely surpassed by any
thing in Macon, Augusta or Savannah.
Barring the climate and the foliage one
might think in Waycross that he was
i'm one of the neatest of eastern or
western towns. The metropolis OF the
wiregrass is the only city l have
ever known that under-advertised its
own importance and population. Upon I
the huge water tower that stands in
the center of the town--as 1t ought not
to stand-there are blazoned in white
letters the legend; 'Waycross-the
Magic City. Population $500! That
was put there several years ago. ana
with the new NdyCIOSS ~
nearly 1000 souls by the census, 1t still
stands to minify and misrepresent the
proportions of the town. The city
council should slide a darkey on
pole with a pot of paint to write those
figures out or write them larger.
And here is Douglas, capital OF Cor
fee. a hamlet of small Importance
few years ago, that has quadrupled its
population within five years. and looks
today like a new magic city growing
out of the wilderness into strength
and beauty. Douglas has perhaps the
prettiest courthouse i'm South Georgia.
1t has one of the finest and completest
schools in the state, and is building
new brick hotel. L am indebted TO
Douglas for the largest and finest lee
ture audience-save one-that met me
in two weeks of travel and / was i'm
pressed with the courage and conf1-
dence of the town. Douglas is reached
bv the Waycross Air Line of two years
ago but now grown INTO the Birming-
ham and Atlantic. a western road with
steam heat and electric lights, run
ming four trains a day each way,
growing fast toward the west, and Of
icered by as clean a company of gen.
tlemen as ever bossed rail. Colonel
Machen's new road is scheduled
through Douglas and seems bound to
come. while the new road from Wad-
lev to Mt. Vernon is already graded
and laid with crOssties.'
Fitzgerald, nearby. is one of the
wonders of southern progress within
the decade 1t has grown from the
wilderness almost within a twelve
month into a prosperous city of nearly
5000 people, and with steady and rapid
strides is going forward with as wide
and delectable a repute as any little
city Of the south.
Triton is a type Of life and progress
in all the southern section of the state.
1t has more railroads than any town
of it's size I'm the south. its leading
hotel presided over with grace and
tact by one of the most charming of
Atlanta college Park girls, is always
crowded to cat ROOM and its growth
and progress are assured.
Abel a little village without a name
or even a recognized existence few
years ago has now a main street that
would do credit to Rome or Athens or
Griffin. and hotel that is scarcely
surpassed in the state.
Valdosta has d history OF growth so
remarkable. a promise so glowing, and
a present so vital and thrilling that 1t
demands and shall have a separate
article at another time.
But the wonder town Of the region