The Savannah morning news., 1902-02-22

of the Wrightsville and Tennille Rail-
road. / was told that it contains 400
acres. The earliest peaches received in
Savannah last season were from Mr..
Williams orchard. The trees this year
will be nearly in full bearing, and with
no setback there will be large crop.
At Donaldson, Laurens county, there
is what would be called on the coast
plantation, but here it is a large farm.
1t reminded me of the prairie farms in
the far West, where they extend be-
yond the horizon. This place is owned
by Capt. James l.. Manning. ] saw
many other places along the Wrights-
vile and Tennille almost as noticeable
as those named.
Johnson is the smallest and about the
northernmoSt of the wiregrass counties.
Its surface is undulating and the soil
fertile. Cotton is it's principal crop, but
the farmers have of late years been di-
versifying their crops and raising corn,
oats, wheat, sugar cane, and / might
say almost anything that can be grown
in Georgia. Many of them not only
raise all the meat they eat, but have
bacon to sell.
The county is one of the youngest in
the State, having been laid off in 1859
from Washington. Emanuel and Lau-
rens, and was named in honor of one
of Georgia's most distinguished sons,
Governor Herschel " Johnson. The
census of 1900 gives the county a pop
ulation of 11,409. which is an increase
of nearly 81 per cent. in ten years.
| Thirty years ago the county was almost
a forest, and had not quite 5000 in
| habitants.
| The building of the Wrights
vile and Tennille railroad mark
ed the beginning of new
era, which saw the forests clear
| ed away, and we'll titled fields take
their places. The people of the county
are enterprising and industrious, and
every year sees them more and more
prosperous.
The, Wrightsville and Tennille Rail-
road was first built to Wrightsville.
and afterwards extended to Millen, and
| by the purchase of the Oconee and
| Western Railroad reached Hawkins
| Vile, a distance of rs miles from Ten
/ mile. 1t connects at Empire with the
| Southern Railway.
The Wrightsville and Tennille Rail-
road stands by itself in railroad his
| tory, in as much as it has no bonded
debt. The original line was built at a
cost $500, 900, and it's extensions and
purchases have been paid for from the
earnings of the company. 1t pays taxes
| on a valuation so per cent. greater than
|
the President and General Counsel of
the company is citizen of Wrights-
Vile. The other officers are Messrs
| Il. T. Hollomon, Supt., E. K. Bryan
Jr, General Freight and Passenger
Agent, d. r. Thomas, Auditor. My
trip over the railroad from one end
to the other affords me an opportunity
to bear testimony to its first class con-
dtion, physically, and it's comfortable
equipment.
Wrightsville, the county site of John
son county, is seventeen miles from
Tennille, and ISL from Savannah. The
town was laid off in 1859 and named
after the late Hon. ]. b. Wright, an
honored citizen and large land owner,
who was a jealous advocate of the or
ganization of the new county. He was
the father-inlaw of Capt. John l..
Martin, formerly of Savannah. and
now a prominent farmer of Johnson
county. Capt. Martin was one of the
| Oglethorpe Light Infantry, and served
in Virginia with that corps until COM
missioned a captain of cavalry. / wish
to thank Capt. Martin for his kind at
tention to me during my stay in
Wrightsville.
Wrightsville has two banks, 1.-THE
Bank of Wrightsville," over which pre-
sides President ]. e. Linder, with r..
=. Bryan, cashier and Robert Kent,
| bOokkeeper, and the johnson Banking
Company" E. \. w. Johnson, vice
president, and w. w. Cook, cashier
and manager.
/ Hon. j b. Page is Mayor. and the
Board of Aldermen consists of Messrs.
j. B. Stephens, NJ. +. Burch. T. NJ j..
Hicks, Il. A. w. Johnson, and j. w
Brinson, Jr. The latter is a son of that
well known gentleman, DR.. ]. w.
Crimson of Wrightsvlle, who is placed
| by his fellow citizens at the head of
the list of the best men of Georgia.
The religion Of the people of Wrlghts-
Vile is represented by the Baptist,
Methodist and Christian denominations
each of which have stately edifices in
| which to worship.
The County Court House is a new
and handsome structure. / have seen
a number OF such buildings in my tray
els, and 1t seems to me that It is fully
up to the best of them, and somewhat
better than several of them.
The City Court was In session while
| was in town, and Judge Vernon b.
| Robinson was dispensing justice.
The offices of the county officials are
comfortable and neat. Hon. Edward
Page Is ordinary, ]. w. Linder sheriff,
j. NJ Mason clerk of the two courts,
Adam Hutchinson tax collector, Allen
| rage receiver OF TAX returns.
The pride of Wrightsvile and john
son county Is the Mamie Lou Warthen
College for boys and girls. OF which
Prof. G. ". Woodward IL president.
The building would do honor to any
community. and the college Is well pa
tronized, its pupils coming not only
from johnson. but from many OF the
nearby counties. The college WAS
founded IN 1883 by the contributions
OF the citizens OF the county. and was
named In honor OF the daughter OF
Hon. Lee Warthen. who was the prin-
cipal contributor 90 the foundation
fund IL ~ such Institutions as this
college tket giyo encouragement 20
those who see Va the education 0f her
children the future glory OF Georgia.
AmOnB the students a. Warthen Col
leae is son ~ Rev. haHc0m Anthony
1 N savannah
Education ie receiving more attention
every tear lu Johnson county Accord
1913 fp thf i4fesi report of the state
school c1pmifsl 0nfr there nrO 81
Wliir and ~ r1ipIfl schools in fhe