The Savannah morning news., 1902-02-02
DUBLIN ON THE 0C0NEE.
THE THRIFTY, UP-TO-DATE CAPT.
tai OF LAURENS COUNTY.

wnx.Named After Old Ireland's Cap
itaI on the Liney, But Bustles
with American Life and Enter
terprise-Some of the Men and In
stitutiOns That Are the Backbone
of the HustIing Lower Georgia
City-The Early History of Lau-
rens Filled With the Names of
Distinguished Men.
Court week found me in Dublin,
where I went to meet the people of
the county of Laurens. 1t was the
largest gathering that 1 have attend
ed, save one, and my reception was
most cordial Hon. Dupont Query was
a fellow visitor, and offered to divide
the honor of addressing the people
with me, but 1 declined. Mr.. Query
made an excellent speech to an at
tentive audience.
Dublin ION the Oconee" was named
after Ireland's capital city on the banks
of the Liffey; and like every other good
thing, a woman had something to do
with it, The neighborhood was called
by its first settlers, Sand Bar but
Jonathan Sawyer, a native of Massa-
chusetts, proposed to give a site for
a court house, if the location of the
settlement were slightly changed and
he be permitted to re- name it. The offer
was accepted, and Mr.. Sawyer, who
had married Miss Eliza Mccormick,
a daughter of another early settler
DIR. James Mccormick, a well-to-do
Irishman, who with his daughters were
natives of the city across the water,
honored his wife and her birthplace
by calling the future city Dublin. The
date of this historical event varies
Some place it at 1892 others at 1904 and
1906.
While the county of Laurens grew
apace it's county seat, though incorpor-
ated in 1920 did not, and rs years after
had, only 1870 inhabitants! However,
Dublin always had a conspicuous place
on every map. I remeber years ago
steamers were regularly advertised to
leave Savannah for Dublin. 1t was
not until the railroad people discov-
cred it, and the hack and saw began
their work, that the city began to grow
apace.
The last census shows that Dublin
district had 629S inhabitants, about
5000 of whom lived within the limits
of the city of Dublin. OF course, there
has been a large increase in population
since 1900, and doubtless 1000 is nearer
it's present population.
The city is well built; the business
blocks and stores are of brick, and
in a few instances of stone, and are
attractive. The residences are of mod
ern architecture, and are generally
surrounded by spacious gardens. There
was a great fire several years ago
which swept away the business part
of the city and all it's ancient struc-
lures, and the good effect of that mis-
fortune to many of it's people is to be
seen to-day in the stately ediices that
line it's streets.
It would fill page or two of the
Morning News to give Dublin the
write up" it deserves. made mental
memoranda of what / should say about
this and that store, but where so much
could be said about all, 1t would be
invidious to mention any. Semi-public
buildings and enterprises, like the Dub
lin Courier Dispatch, the banks, ETC.,
however cannot be omitted.
The Courier-Dispatch is doubtless
one of the best equipped and best man
aged printing establishments for city
of the size of Dublin to be found in
Georgia 1t has four power presses,
there appeared to be work for all of
them; and cutting machines and all
the machinery which comprise an up
to-date newspaper outfit and printery.
The compositors pressmen and others
looked as though they knew 1t
was first-class office, and
kept themselves fully up to that
classification.
The street front of the establishment
is divided between editorial rooms, and
a neat stationery and book store. The
owners and editors of the Courier Dis
patch are Messrs. Stanley & Hilton.
Col. H. NJ. Stanley, though native
of Laurens county, spent several
years of his life in Savannah; his
brother, Mr.. Vivian l.. Stanley, is
prominent in Democratic political cir
cles, and Mr.. A. p. Hilton is a gentle
man who takes pleasure in stating that
he was at one time with the Savannah
Morning News. 1t is a strong trio.
Col. H. NJ. Stanley and several other
friends met me at the depot on the
arrival of the evening train and took
me to the New Dublin Hotel, an excel
lent house. The next morning, bright
and early, under the guidance of Mr..
V. l.. Stanley, who acted as my escort
during the day, and l might say in the
night also, 1 made the rounds of the
city. do not exaggerate when l state
that he introduced me to upwards of
300 gentlemen, nearly all of whom like
him, were my good friends
The court was in session, and the
citizens of Laurens county who didn't
belong to the cant get away club,
were there and they were reinforced
by friends from other counties. Judge
John c. Hart presided. In his address
to the grand jury he pronounced what
was thought to be his valedictory pre-
paratory to resigning from the bench
to enter the list of candidates. The
Judge desires to be Attorney General,
and as he is kinsman of the wife of
a gubernatorial aspirant, as well as an
able lawyer, 1t would be pleasant to
have him succeed in his aspirations.
Dublin has four railroads: the
Wrightsville and Tennille; the Macon,
Dublin and Savannah; the Brewton
and Dover branch of the Central of
Georgia, which by the way has been
put in splendid condition, and the VII
dalia branch of the Macon, Dublin and
Savannah, which win be completed this
week, and which will connect at vi
dalia with the Seaboard Air Line, Civ
ing another direct line from Savan-
nah to Dublin.
IT has been only fifteen years since
the hrst railway was completed TO