The Savannah morning news., 1904-12-18
COMING SOUTH
To FIND HOMES
EXCURSIONS ON RAILWAYS.
FARMERS FROM THE MIDDLE
WEST SEEK NEW COUNTRY.

A-ASStn&tE wen
Large Parties of HOme-seekers to
SOutheast-Tired of Bleak PrairieS
Many Are Investigating This Re-
gfOn for Better COnditiOns-Immi-
grafton VIII BE Heavy This Year.
By William NJ. Crockett.
Home-seeking in the Southeast is
not a new suggestion, but it has never
received the serious consideration it
merits from the farmers of the Middle
West. Now, however, railway pas
senger officials assert, the subject is
coming into popularity.
Though a very early settled portion
of the Union the Southeast, by that
meaning the states of Georgia, South
Carolina, Alabama and Florida, partic-
ularly, is still virgin territory for the
farmer who tills the soil intensively,
rather than extensively.
The fact that a profit exists in small
areas intelligently planted and har-
vested has but recently dawned upon
the agriculturists of the great Middle
West. Heretofore. they could only see
reward for their labors in vast
tracts hastily titled a few months of
the year. Migration of the farming
class has been altogether toward the
great Northwest, with its vast stretches
of prairie sod and it's inhospitable eli
mate.
Pleasures of sbe south.
The pleasures of farming three
months of the year and alternating
the remaining nine in some dug-out
underneath great banks of snow, have,
however, lost their charm to many.
There are reading up on the Southeast
as a home and are awakening to the
fact that people down here live twelve
months in the year and enjoy every
minute of the time.
Passenger men say the home-seek-
ing migration follows the tide of
Christmas travel. 1t is their opinion
the migration will attain greater mag
nitude this year than last.
Special rates have been arranged this
year similar to those which prevailed
for past seasons. One first-class fare,
plus 81, is the rate, with a few ex-
ceptions which covered a limited terri
tory. This rate is for points south of
the Potomac and Ohio rivers, east of
the Mississippi river and gateways be-
yond. The rate prevails for the months
from December to April, inclusive
Two days in each month, the first and
third Tuesdays, are the dates the ex-
cursions run. The time limit of the
tickets is twenty-one days from date of
sale.
Will Come After Christmas.
The excursion rates have been in eff
feet only a short while now, and little
idea can be gained of the probable ex-
tent of the number taking advantage
of the rate this season. 1t is after
Christmas that the travel of this char
acter is expected to assume it's great
est proportions. This class of travel
is distinct from the winter tourist class,
the time limit precluding those who
desire to spend the winter South from
taking advantage of it, Twenty-one
days is, however, sufficient time for
one to gain a good idea of the coun-
try, its state of development probable
chance of profitable investment and of
any particular community in view.
The Chamber of Commerce has many
requests from Northern farmers de-
string farms of various sizes South.
These requests come in and are not
chrOnicled like the inquiries of manu-
featuring enterprises, but they too,
have their degree of Importance. The
countryside has it's part to play in
the permanent growth of any city.
Many of the requests received are for
small tracts. Gardening spots near
large cities in the South command good
prices and return a good per cent. on
capital and labor necessary for their
production. AS Savannah grows mar
ket products will continue in good de-
mand. But there is also much land
adjacent to Savannah and in the
Southeast that awaits the coming of
the intensive farmer. About Savannah
especially are many splendid oppor-
tunities for the Middle West farmer
who seeks to better his condition. A
good market awaits the products many
could produce.
Passenger officials Active.
The passenger officials are alive to
the interest of their roads and know
that the encouragement being offered
settlers is not falling on barren ground.
Their persistent campaign in the ad-
vertisement of the advantages of this
fertile section of the nation will pro-
duce results Off character warranting
their efforts. Once the country's agri-
cultural resources are being worked to
their fullest. the railways will be the
beneficiaries in abundant measure
Savannah will receive her full quota
of the home-seekers from the North
Georgia, too, will benefit.
These visitors will find many things
about the South they never knew be-
fore. They will find Georgia raising
more corn than in the past, thus keep
ing at home wealth otherwise diverted
to the North. They will find cities
thrilled with the spirit of progress.
They will find as much prosperity
South as they left in the North And
last but not least, they find the South
so much to their liking they will re-