The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-10-01
COMING TO THE SOUTH
THE TREND OF IMMIGRATION
 THIS WAY.
Unequalled Advantages Offered the Settler and Home Seeker-Pros- porous Colonies Established by
 Different Railroad Companies.

of immigration In this country, especiaiy since thousands of foreigners have flock ed annually to the United States, has been the activity of railroad lines run ming cast and west. Following the pio- neer and established lines of trade be- tween the coast and the backwoods' such roads were the earliest to be completed, and the general rule of immigration that parallels of latitude are followed was reinforced thereby.
 During the past ten or fifteen years a number of independent lines, some oi them weak, have been united into strong systems, giving prompt ana comior'aoie means of travel between the North ana the south. The first effects, the diver sion of outward-boun trade from the Middle West and Northwest to South At lautic and Gulf ports, have been followed by an increasing tendency of farmers to move toward the South. with its vir- gin opportunities and its promise or large profits on comparatively small invest ments.
 This movements has been accelerated by persistent and intelligent work by sev- eral of the leading railroad systems of the South and the results are becoming strikingly manifest. Since the days sixty and seventy years ago, when the new lands of Alabama, Mississippi, Louisl- ana and Texas invited settlers, there has been no stronger interest in Southern lands than there IS today. The movement is so important that The Southern Farm Magazine n it's October issue publishes several special articles from representa- tives of railroads who have for years been active in immigration work for the South Their statements are not only Val- uable as records of what has been &C., complished, but they are full of sugges- ton about the future.
 M W. Richards of Washington. D. C.. Land and Industrial Agent of the South ern Railway, writes:
 "To the general public the best proof of the growing influx of settlers into the territory tributary to the Southern Rail- way lines Is found in the gradual ad- vance of real estate values, the opening up of wild lands to the extent of mill lions of acres and the enormous increase of Southern travel locally. Prosperous colonies have been established. while grain, fruit and stock areas have been created and improved and extended in numberless directions along onr lines. Within the past year 635 new industries have been located along the Southern Railway system, 215 industries have been enlarged and 155 industrial enterprises are now unler construction. which, with other important developments, aggregate total disbursement of $117,00O,000, all this adjacent to and upon the Southern Railway lines only The effect upon inn migration has been marked. Thousands have come southward in consequence of this industrial activity. assured of em- ployment; and as we are in close touch with every portion of our territory, we are constantly in a position to know whether these people are content and prosperous. We have no information to the contrary, and believe that as they become accustomed to the new conditions and familiar with climatic and soil re- quirements and effects, their own domes- 1 tic life and welfare are bettered and their prospects brighter than ever be- fore. The present outlook is emphatical- ly encouraging, and the present decade will, we feel assured. round up with a totality surpassing that of the palmiest year of immigration westward"
 Col J. B. Killebrew of Nashville, Tenn, Industrial and Immigration Agent of the Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway, writes:
 ."The immigrants now settling on the line of the Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway are of high character, industrious habits and great intelligence. During the past eighteen months not less than 75O families and single men nave bought farms in the territory tributary to the road and settled on them. There are many that have not been reported to my office Many of these have paid from s5,O ,OOO to $12OOO in cash for farms. and nearly all of them are not only pleased with the soils, markets and climate, but they are making efforts to have for mer neighbors and kinspeople to join them. I estimate that during the past ten years something over 5000 heads of fam flies and single men have purchased farms in the region traversed by the road which I represent They have bought on an average something like 100 acres each, maxi lg about S00,0OO acres that are now occu pied by Northern far mers.
 ''The tendency of thought throughout the Northwest Is leading to a better un- derstanding and a higher appreciation of the agricultural capabilities and advan- tages of the South. The thousands of new immigrants now buying lands at high prices in the Northwest are causing the earlier settlers to seek new fields, and these are provided with ample funds and are acquiring better in formation of the South through the dis tribution of literature by the Southern Railroads The prospects, therefore, for an increase in immigration are very good"
 MT. w. l.. Glessner of Macon, Ga. Commissioner of Immigration of the Georgia, Southern and Florida Railway, after alluding to the pine forest yielding to fertile farms, orchards and vineyards, and to saw mills replaced by cotton mills, cotton oil mills, knitting factories, etc, writes:
 "It would be unfair to allow you to in fer that this increase of population and prosperity has been brought about en- tirely by the immigration of Northern farmers. for they do not represent even a majority of it, although they repre- sent large proportion, most of them coming from the Northwestern States. We have had comparatively no dissatis- faction and few removals, for as a rule they are prosperous and contented, and where one Northern farmer settles oth- CTS from his old neghborhood follow him. For this reason the prospects for addi- tional immigration from the North and West are very favorable, as every satis- fled Northern farmer in the South Is an active and influential immigration agent. In South Georgia and Florida We are expecting a new class of immigrants from the Northwest--stock farmers-for we have demonstrated that cattle, sheep and hogs can be raised, fattened and market ed cheaper in this section than in the Northwest, and already several large tracts of land have been taken up by Northwestern farmers for the purpose of grazing cattle.