The Tupelo journal., 1906-06-29
1t has been truthfully said by someone
By IL. E. B~LAKESLEE, Jackson.

Souiu oe hau Dy Shopping anu PichihS
up. The possibilities of a section are
likely to remain unknown until some
man, who is considered strenuous or
drastic, comes along and organizes a
movement that gradually develops them.
The possibilities of Mississippi are as
yet largely in the undeveloped state, and
this truth was forcibly impressed upon
the writer by a recent visit to the truck
ing city of Crystal Springs. 1t is a fact
that the people of Crystal Springs are
developing their possibilities to a great
extent and reaping the benefits thereof,
but this fact more forcibly illustrates
the lack of development elsewhere.
Crystal Springs is located in a section
of country that would generally be
termed poor hill land. 1t is billy in that
part of the county, and the land has lit
tie soil, but while nature has been spar
ing in distribution of a fertile soil, other
favorable conditions have been given
with a lavish hand. The people have
taken advantage of them in a manner
that makes it today one of the richest
communities in the State of Mississippi,
A clay subsoil insures the retention of
fertilizers until taken up by the plants,
and enormous quantities are being used
N'<iD NNol NtIh ~ N5NAN' ~hh
opportunity presented itself and was tax
en- advantage of by the citizens.
On this day in question, nearly thirty
carloads of tomatoes were shipped from
Crystal Springs to Northern markets.
Think of this! Thirty cars, averaging
over 1000 crates to the car; 10000
crates, that Melted the grower more than
81 per crate. More than $50, 900 distrib-
uted in that little city in one day. This
Is only a part of the story. The cab
bage season is over, beans are gone, and
the tomato season is at its middle, and
by the time the last car is loaded and
sealed, something like 1000 ears of pro-
duce will have been shipped from this
station alone. Considerably more than
half a million dollars brought into one
community in a single season, and this
is not the end. After taking off the
truck the land is planted in corn and
cotton, producing something like fifty
bushels of the former and a bale to the
acre of the latter. Two crops every sea-
son, and both splendid money producers.
This is in reality developing the re-
sources of a community.
The sight that met the eyes of a
novice there during the shipping season
is an amazing one, and pleasant, indeed,
to the man who Is interested in the ma
terial prosperity of his country. A town
and loading tracks teeming with men,
wagons and teams, unloading into re-
frigerator cars for the journey to less
favored sections. where vegetables are
not yet in the bloom. For hours at a
time the string of wagons reached al
most to the incorporate limits of the
town on several of the principal streets,
aoch {, Dutoi+jnn hir turn To unlDah'
At the height of the jam, about 4 o'clock
in the afternoon, it was almost impossi-
BILE to traverse the streets, so thick were
the teams and vehicles, and the side
walks were equally as impossible. Bust
ness houses were taxed to their utmost
to wait on the trade, and street stands,
of which there were a great number,
were as busy as busy could be. The peo-
ple. though hard worked and continually
rushed, were prosperous and happy, seem
ingly contented with the prosperity and
plenty that prevailed in great profusion.
A drive over the country revealed toe
fact that their land was well cared for,
being i'll a perfect state of cultivation.
Their homes were splendid and comfort
able. They drive the best of stock and
ride in the most modern vehicles made.
Churches. schools and like institutions
are numerous, and every convenience of
life has been provided. 1t is a commu-
nitv without a rival in the State, and is
the result of the work done years ago by
a few public-spirited citizens, who grasped
the great opportunities that lay in store
for the men who wC3la go after them
in the proper manner.
Dozens of other communities in Missis-
sippi could be doing just as well if the
proper effort was made. 1t cannot all
be accomplished in a year, neither can it
be done in two, but a systematic effort,
with counsel and instruction from compe-
tent men, will produce a revolution that
would be the greatest boon possible to
the citizens of a community.
One of the greatest missions that Jul
people have to perform at the present
is to impress upon our young people, the
coming generation, that Mississippi is one
of the best States in the Union, and that
not one offers greater inducements to
the young man or woman, who, at ma
turity. seek a home for the future, than
ours. Too long have the young people of
orr State left us, to make their homes
in Western States, lured by the highly
colored literature sent broadcast, to the
;mpoyerishment of our own country. Mis-
sissinpi was slow to advertise her adj
yantaoes. and has lost thereby, but the
time to put a stop to this is right now.
We need the young people to assist in
tbe great work of development now TAX
inc place, and it should be the mission
of every loyal citizen to see that they
are impressed with the fact that Missis-
s;npi is as good as the best and better
than a majority. We can and should Go
this. Now is the time to begin.
Clarksdale is to have a factory that
will manufacture tents and awnings. The
concern will be owned and operated by
nome people, and its success will be an
ether straw to show that our people are
capable of, manufacturing the greater
norton of what they use, and that the
habit of sending to other parts of the
country for such articles will soon be
abandoned.
The newest railroad is chartered to
RIM from Newton to Carthage, and the
charter was recently secured by III. A.
Camp. J.. A. Love, E. P. D%aughdrill and
q II. Banks. 1t is to be a lumber road
first. and afterwards changed into a
fuIl -1edged passenger and freight line.
On of the Holly Springs papers asks
the question, "Are we growing? ?" and pro-
oeeds to answer it with a long list of
Substantial improvements being made
and Others contemplated. Holly Springs
81 doing well. and the section of country
surrounding it is equally prosperous. The