The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-08-26
PROSPEROUS CULLMAN
THE TOWN CONTINUES ITS GREAT
 GROWTH.
Thrifty German Farmers Who Culti- vate Small Bodies of Land and Raise Several Crops
 During Year.

Cullman. Aug. 25.-(Speoial.) )-While the country Is being shaken by strikes and suspensions, Cullman continues on its way of prosperity and contentment. Cullman County's history is unique. For years after the valley lands skirt ing this plateau were settled by pros. porous farmers. the territory now com prised in Cullman was a mountain will derness, thought to be unfit for human habitation. It was wild and unbroken. the home of deer and turkey, which were found here in abundance.
 In 1872. the Louisville and Nashville Railroad was built across the noun tain, and John c. Cullman, an enter prising German of Cincinnati. looking over the South for A suitable location for German colony, discovered this locality and made an immediate inves- tigation. He found a wilderness, 1t Is true, but he recognized the ideal spot for the founding of his colony. He acted at once, secured a tract of land where Cullman now stands, and laid off a town.
 He went back North and induced few German planters to return with him. They found that with thorough culti- vation the land was very productive and adapted to a variety of fruits and vegetables. These first settlers were followed by a steady stream of their countrymen and the growth of the community was marvellous.
 During the first year, 123 families were located in the new colony. In 1877 the county of Cullman was formed from the counties of Blount, Winston and Morgan, and named after the founder. The county government was organized in March, 1879, and the court house, beautiful brick structure was completed in November. 1879. Tho present population of the county Is 24.- 900. of which 1900 are in the city prop CT. All sections of the county have had a steady growth and have filled up with both Germans and Americans all of the best class. The only negroes in the county are located at the Stouts Mountain coal mines, in the southwest part of the county and they never give any trouble. The court records show only three or four cases against ne- groes in the history of the county.
 In 1878, the total valuation for taxa ton purposes in the county was but $20O, 900; in 1880, 1t had risen to $i,- 392,306, and in 1901, $2,662,976.
 The people of the county generally own their own homes and are independ- ent. They have learned that by thor oughly cultivatiffg a few acres they can realize more clear money than by partial cultivation of twice the amount of land. Scarcity of farm labor Is one cause of the reduction of acreage, and in the long run has proven a blessing to the people. Comfortable bank &C., counts and full barns and pantries are the happy results.
 The farmers of Cullman manage 70 have a money crop at all seasons of the year First in the spring they have strawberries, of which from 20 to 30 cars are shipped annually. bring ing about S25.0o Next comes dew berries. raspberries and other such fruits. which are shipped in large quantities. Hundreds of barrels of Irish potatoes are shipped. Cullman ships from 5000 to 10000 barrels of sweet potatoes annually, realizing an average of $2 per barrel Cullmau handles about 25.000 bales of cotton each season.
 Besides this. the people produce their own foodstuffs for man and beast, and it is easy to see the secret of Cullman County's prosperity. The acreage in strawberries and other fruits is being steadily increased and the lands inns