davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1907-03-03
The County Seat of Gadsdefi
County, Center of Flori-
da's Tobacco Crow
ing Industry.
Market for $4,000, 900 of To.
bacco this Year and
More in Future.
A BEAUTIFUL LITTLE MIDDLE
FLORIDA CITY OVERLOOKING A
SURROUNDING COUNTRY OF Ex-
cEEoINe BEAUTY, FERTILITY,
AND PRopUcTivENEss.

The little CITY of Quincy is one OF
the prettiest, and without question
the most prosperous, in the whole
state of Florida
Located on high and picturesque
elevation which overfooks the rolling
hills of the surrounding country for
miles in every direction, with broad
streets shaded by magnificent oaks,
and with homes and churches and
business houses which all alike indi-
cate prosperity and civic pride, the
capital city of the tobacco section or
Florida is credit to its people and
a source of admiration for every Wis
itor whom good fortune directs thai
way
Quincy has been called the richest
city, per capita, in the United States.
/ have no doubt of the truth of this
claim. The place has the appearance
of wealth a. ii it has wealth A city
of 1900 people in the richest agricut.
tural county in the state, supplying
the trade, market, and banking facili.
ties for a section which produces a
tobacco crop worth s3,000,000 in the
barns and worth $10,000,00e by the
time 1t reaches New York City.
Quincy ought to be rich.
This little city has two banks, the
oldest one state bank capitalized at
$50, 900 and 1t carries deposits to the
amount of one million dollars.
Does not this indicate wealth?
What other city of the same popula-
ton can make such showing?
Quincy has two railroads, electric
light and water works systems. a fire
department, two banks, eleven large
tobacco packing houses, the largest
fuller's earth mine and mill in the
world, good newspaper, the Gadsden
County Times, an opera house, and a
long list of business houses that would
be a credit to any city Of five times
its size.
There Is also a good school and what
is as important as all of these things
there are five good churches-the Bap
list, Catholic, Episcopal, Methodist
and Presbyterian.
| But the homes of Quincy are what
indicate prosperity and the happiness
that goes with 1t. They are neat anu
well kept The houses are all painted
] the fences are in repair, the lawns are
trim, neat, and presentabie, and the
whole appearance OF the typical
Quincy home, indicates a pride and
: thrift and prosperity which combine
always to make happy and content
| ed community.
! City Government
The city government Of Quincy 10
in most competent hands. H A. Love-
/ formerly in the newspaper business
but now vice-president and in charge
of the business of the First National
Bank, is mayor and his administration
] fCou<iuued on Tenth Paoe.1
The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1907-03-03

Continued on Tenth Pase.I
The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1907-03-03

ment This met with such success
couraged the farmers to put up shade,
saying that on account % the protec-
ton which the duty existing on wrap
per tobacco gave them they could safe
ly go ahead and put the shade up Such
advice coming from the department of
agriculture has only encouraged the
southern grower to extend and in
crease his acreage Of shaGe tobacco.
But in the meanwhile we also have
been raising and are raising, in addi-
ton to shade tObaccos, tobacco grown
from Cuban seed for filler purposes to
compete with Havana filler tobacco.
1t is an absolute fact thar we, as well
as others, have already contracted for
the crop to be grown in 1905 for this
grade of tobacco for no less than 1000
acres and have agreed to pay the grow
er and farmer from IS 10 % cents in
the uncured state.
Island of Sumatra.
/ have before me the statistics of
the tobacco raised on the island of
Sumatra, which show the magnificent
comparison to what we are doing in
this country. They began the culture
of Sumatra tobacco in 1864, when they
only raised so bales. and it took them
ten years to increase it 20 about 1900
bales, which is the exact stage at
which we have now arrived in our
production of Sumatra, and to-day they
are now raising and have raised. &C
cording 10 the last statistics, which ]
have in front of me, 254,000 bales
They have raised since 1864, 4.4S412S
bales, which has been sold by them at
the average price of Ill Dutch cents
per half kilo, which in our money is
about 10 cents the American pound
but the average that they nave receiv-
edfor the last ten years has been "a
cents per pound Nevertheless, on
this selling price they have been able
and have paid enormous dividends to
their companies, amounting in some
instances to more than 100 per cent
rer annum-
At the present time We only use and
take about 16 per cent OF the output
of Sumatra, which is ABOUT 5000 00(
pounds per annum- The manufactur
ers of this country are to-day using 81
per cent of our shade-grOwn tobacco
Tor wrappers
L. A. Schroeder Conceived Idea.
In speaking before the same commit
tee. d. A. Shaw. of Quincy, Fla, said
In 1894 the lamented Hon. l. A
Schroeder. mayor of Brooklyn. employ
ed me to represent his firm, Schroedel
The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1907-03-03

and grower in the south not having
the means to properly fertiiize the
ground, to put up the proper barns and
the necessary accessories to raise and
cure tobacco.
Consequently, capital was necessary
and we, as well as other, bought land
ETC., cleared the ground, and started
, to thoroughly fertilize, build and inn
PROVE the properties by building ade-
quate barns, large warehouses, and
putting up houses for labor We there
by raised a better article than the
farmer had done by making large ex-
penditures to improve the soil.
=. A. Shroeder's Brilliant Idea.
We made slight Roadway, but still
this tobacco had not the exact require
ments of Sumatra, until one very bril-
liant man, Mr.. F. A. Schroeder, con-
ceived of the idea, having seen pine
apples grow under shade. to expert
ment raising tobacco under shade.
The experiments werc made and
have finally proved successful, but the
tobacco formerly raised in this loca-
was naturally prejudice existing
against it. which prevented the rapid
increase of extending acreage OF to-
bacco planted under shade that this
tobacco actually deserved, but by pa
tient experiments and enormous out
lays in the last few years We have
been able to overcome the faults of the
@ohaaoo apd tho Yarasud;oo of 4ba 49,,
sumner. and it is now an eSta blished
fact that in Georgia and Florida to-
geather from what was a quarter of
an acre of tobacco rai.ec under shade
in 1894 it has steadily Increased wear
by year until to-day there are nearly
5000 acres of tobacco raised under
shade, or more than $4,000 bales. This
acreage is not confined to the largo
Individual firms or growers, but a
great many individual small growers
a majority of which ar coTored. who
started with one-fourth acre and now
have three or four, having reinvested
their earnings until they have now put
their all in this industry.
u. S. Experimental Stations.
Since Georgia and Florida interests
have been raising tobacco under shade
the department of agriculture about six
: years ago engaged gentleman by the
name of Mr. NJ. L. Floyd, of Quincy
Fla. who had been engaged in RAISING
tobacco under shade, at a large salary
in the department to start experiment
al stations in Connecticut TO raise to
bacco under shade under the supervi
sion and at the expense of the govern
The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1907-03-03

= u e
and that is. how the Florida Sumatra is
produced The shade consists of two
kinds-slal and garze The former is
made by covering the tobacco field
with wood stats about three inches
apart and eight feet above the ground.
The latter is made by using cheese
cloth, or gauze, instead of Stats, and
lacking it to the frame work of wood.
The Shade System.
The history of the development oil
this shade system which began with a
quarter acre of shade tobacco in 1894
is told by Chas. ]. Waxelbaum, Flor
ida tobacco grower, when he appeared
before the ways and means COMMITTEES
of congress to protest against the ad
mission of duty-free tobacco from the
Philippines when the Philippine tariff
bill was under discussion. Mr.. Waxel
baum said in part:
Tobacco was raised IN Georgia be
fore the civil war, and after the wal
was discontinued. and not until aboul
the year 1888 did some farmers again
attempt to raise tobacco there; out
they met with absolutely no success on
account of Sumatra berng able to be
imported with the then existing diff
ferential duty of 80 to 20 cents Con
sequently this industry of raising
wrapper tobacco in Georgia and Flor
ida was only brought to life on account
of the Mckinley bill raising the duty
on wrapper tobacco from a differentia
duty of 80 to as cents to 81 per pound
At this time Sumatra was king Of
wrapper tobaccos. and on account Of
the raise of duty, of an increase o.
from s1.25 to s1.65 per pound
more than old duty, led us. a:
we'll as other tobacco merchants
to investigate whether this to
bacco raised in Georgia and Florida
could be improved so that it coult
compete in every respect with Sumat-;
tobacco. So. in the year 1891, oul
firm as well as others. bought some
of this tobacco raised by the farmer!
! in these states, but met with little Of
no success. on account OF the farmeI
The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1907-03-03

The city government OF Quincy 10
in most competent hands. H. A. Love,
formerly in the newspaper business
but now vice-president and in charge
of the business OF the First National
Bank, is mayor and his administration
The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1907-03-03
From a Quarter Acre of
Shade" in 1894 to Over
1900 Acres for 1907.
Florida Sumatra Protected
by $1.85 Duty Per Pound,
Equal of Native
Product.
fHE STONY OF A GREAT INDUS
DRY WHICH MEANS MILLIONS
TO eADspEN COUNTY AND TO
= ALL FLORIDA IN THE NEAR FL
TuRE.
TOBACCO rs KING.
ALL NAIL the KING.
LONG LIVE THE KING.

Quincy, Ga6sdsn county, Florida,
the center and market or the tobacco
growing Industry of Florida and the
richest town, per capita, in the United
States
Mere than one and a half million
dollars paid 10 tobacco producers
around Quincy an 1906, and more than
three million dollars to be paid to the
same people by Oct /, of 1907
This IN concrete form and simple
|qauguage Is the situation as explained
ITO the nan who visits Quincy or takes
"a drive over the red clay hills which
constitute SO large portion Of Gads-
den county's physical makeup
The story of the tobacco Industry
and the Asddinlike fortunes which
have followed It's development in Gads-
den county reads like a romance.
But first let two facts be noted In
their logical order:
Fact one Sumatra tobacco, raised
son the other side of the world, on the
island of Sumatra and imported into
this country as the king of wrapper
aobaccos for the making OF cigars pays
an import tax of S1.s5 per pound
Fact two. The Gadsden county
tobGpcc growers are raising product
that IN every respect equals the native
Sumatra tobacco and they have no i'm
port tax to pay-they have at the
start an advantage OF $1.S5 per pound
over their competitors on the island of
Sumatra-and their product is worth
as much In New York City as the lat
ter.
This constitutes one reason for the
Tremendous profits that the Florida
baccc grower is now redping and for
e great fortunes which the Gadsden
bunty people are building up.
The Story of Florida Tobacco.
The story of Florida tobacco is a
story of INCONSISTENCIES which
though a long time coming. is now as
infectious as laughter and as general
as the rain Fall and the sunshine
which help to make it possible.
No one would have believed that
Sumatra tobacco product of the
tropics and supposed to be indigenous
to that cline and that soil alone
could be grown successfully in Flor
ida. equal In quality. size, and flavor
20 the native Sumatra article But
what no one would have believed has
been absolutely demonstrated and Flor
Ada Sumatra tobacco nov sells for as
snuch In the markets of the world IA
the island-grovn product itself.
The secret hes in the development Of
the happy idea of an ola tobacco mar
FOR the growing of tobacco under shade
The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1907-03-03

& Bon, of New York City, in Florida,
to grow, buy, and pack cigar leaf to
bacco for them, which | did with vary
ing success until 1896, when he asked
me TO grow some TOBACCO for them
under trees on his plantations. since
he had found fancy wrapper tobacco
had been produced in Cuba under
banana and fruit trees dissuaded
him telling him that the trees would
sap the plants in dry seasons, but to
let me try it under artificisI shade, and
thus conserve the moisture in the soil.
He permitted me to erect and grow
rone-quarter acre of shade tobacco.
with which he was pleased. Next year
he let me increase il 70 one acre,
which was grand success. Then he
wired me to come to New York, and
told me to erect and grow all the shade
tobacco | could from Sumatra seed up
to half million of dollars.
Patent Was Refused
I'VE tried to get patent on the
idea of growing tobacco under shade,
but this was refused by the commits
sioner. In my humble opinion we were
as much entitled to this patent as
Westinghouse was to his on the air
brake; but | am DEPRESSING We then
had some trouble about getting a good
burn, the shade causing the soil to
acidify to some extent; but after many
trials and tribulations this industry
has finally triumphed, and, against
/ prejudice and the fine types of import
ed tobacco, we now market our goods
at profit But this shade tobacco
costs US for land structures, barns,
fertilizers, irrigation, and houses for
employees $1,000 per acre for the first
year to install"
Great Investments In Florida.
! J. l.. McFarlin, of Quincy, Fla, who
also appeared before the committee,
gave some almost startling figures re-
garding the industry in Florida. He
said:
I'm Florida there is in four counties
more than 100000 invested in the
culture of tobacco. giving employment,
including those who are engaged in it,
to no less than 100000 people The
annual production from this state
alone Is over 4,000,0 600 pounds. and the
value is more than 100000 This
industry is now in its infancy, for l
am speaking more particularly of what
you might term an artificial tobacco,
or that grown under cloth or stats.
For years the people of Florida in
these counties have experimental and
battled, with success, to grow to-
bacco that would compete with
Sunlatra and just as IL mas passed
the experimental stage, and as they
can now see the dawn of success, to
have this industry crippled and per-
haps totally destroyed by legislation
and for the benefit, not OF our equal
or our fellow-man, but for lower class
of cheap and worthless mongrel labor,
seems to me an injustice
4 If given the same protection that
We have enjoyed in the past in a few
years these three states (Florida, Ala
bama, and Texas that I have men
toned above will produce enough to
bacco of the finer grades. comparing
with the Sumatra, to supply the Unit.
ed States This viii mean the taking
IpIace of 81, 900 bales of Sumatra an
nually imported and valued at more
THAN sc, 0Oe.e0"
Interests Are Larger Now.
The figures and statistics given in
The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1907-03-03

State Senator Jas E. Broome, one
of the best known men in Florida and
one of the states most eloquent ora
tors, is resident of Quincy and he
has for years been identified with
the city's progress and deveapment.
Senator Broome is courtly gentle
man of distinguished presence, with
the manner and bearing of the old
time Southerner, and he stands TO-DAY
for all that is best in both business
and politics. He is known Esm one
end of the state to the ot-~-dnd is
extremely popular with all who know
him.
Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1907-11-20
Complaint from Ferry Road.

Editors Keowee Courier: At the
request of some of the citizens of the
county Of Oconee, I write what they
say In reference to the road from
the ferry on Seneca river to Pen
Teton. r.0.
l am informed that the supervisor
employed a man from Anderson
county to work this road. Now, I
am Informed by reliable citizen OF
Oconee county that there has nor
been work on this road for three
years. and the man who pretended
to work 1t this year made q "budge"
OF 1t, allowing the hands who did not
pay their road tax to play off, and
they simply walked over the road
Now, Messrs. Editors, these people
who live in this section pay their
taxes and are entitled to good
road. well know from personal
observation that there is no good
road done at this time. viii the
supervisor please come down and in-
spect It? Am sure he viii do some
thing to give these folks a road to
get out to town and to their churches
and schools. 80
Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1907-11-20
New Advertisements this Week.

Attention Is directed to the new
advertisements of the following mer-
chants this week:
w. d. Holland, Seneca.
Hunt &c Harper, Seneca.
Bank Of Walhalla.
Bcll's Drug Store. Walhalla.
G.. w. e. j. E. Bauknight, Walhalla.
w. 8. Hunter e. Co., Seneca.
Moss &c Ansel Walhalla.
Numerous legal advertisements.
Watch the advertising columns of
The Courier each week and keep
posted. The live merchants Of the
county advertise In The Courier be-
cause 1t reaches the people.
Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1907-11-20
WRECK ON BLUE RIDGE.
Spreading Rails Cause Engine and
Cars to Leave Track.

Last Monday the midday accSfn-
modation train out Of Walhalla was
wrecked In the cut at Thomas.sYhill.l
about 900 yeards west of Phinnex's
crossing. The train consisted Of the
engine, five freight cars and the pas
senger coach. One car was being
pushed behind the engine; which was
running backward, and this car was
the only one to escape. !. 1t passed
over the faulty track all right, and
then the heavy engine spread the
rails, allowing the following cars to
tbump cross-ties till the engine stop
ped. Comparatively little damage
was done to the rolling stock, though
the engine was more or less shaken
up and made stiff in the joints-so
much SO that 1t will have to go to a
hospital for repairs. None of the
crew or passengers were hurt.
Tuesday morning temporary
track was built around the wreck,
and trains were run practically on
time. Trains after the wreck Mon.
day were several hours late.
Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1907-11-20
IN MEsroRIAM.
Resolutions OF Respect by the Wall
halla Methodist Sunday School.

Whereas, 1t has pleased our Heav-
enly Father to call our beloved
friend and former superintendent,
: Dresden Aaron Smith, from his
earthly home and labors to house
not made with hands, eternal in the
heavens, and to rest and peace; and,
whereas, while here he was here
with us he exemplified In his life a
conscientious devotion to duty, a
strict integrity in his dealings with
his fellow men, honesty and upright
ness in his business transactions and
the other qualities which distinguish
the Christian gentleman; be it, there
fore, resolved: s H.
l. That in his death the Waihalla
Methodist Sunday school has sus-
tained the loss of faith III and be-
loved friend,
"a II. That we commend to the mem
bers of our Sunday school and the
youth Of our country the high quail
ties Of Christian manhood daily ex-
iemplified In his life as worthy of en-
ulation. -
III. That we sympathize with and
pray the Fathers love and blessings
/ for his bereaved family.
Nv. That a page in our record
book be dedicated to his memory.
". That copy OIL these resolu
3tions be sent to the members of his
family, and that copies be sent the
county papers for publication.
F. A. ". Schroeder,
II. l.. IIerndon,
c.. G. Jaynes,
(Miss) May Bell,
(Mrs.) w. M. Brown,
Committee.
Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1907-11-20
Shot Daughter and Took Poison.

Santa Cruz, Cal, Nov. 17.-Major
Frank Mclaughlin, prominent politi-
clan and capitalist, shot his daughter,
Agnes, In the temple, the bullet com
ing out on the other side Of her
head. Soon after he committed sui
eide. The girl Is still alive, but un-
conscious. No hope is entertained
for her recovery.
After the shooting Major McLaugh-
lin telephoned to former Lieutenant
Governor Jeter to come over imme-
diately to his house, saying: have
killed my daughter Agnes, and l in
tend to kill myself"
he told Jeter to bring a doctor.
Jeter and friend drove rapidly to
Mclaughlin house, where they ar
rived in time to see his breathing his
last. He had taken Prussic acid.
In the room was found number
of letters. One Of them was address,
ed to The Santa Cruz Sentinel ask
ing the editor to please treat my
memory as kindly as you can. Dur-
Ing my life did much good and but
little evil"
Mr.. Jeter also received letter say
Ing that on McLaughlin's breast
would be found key to his private
desk, in which was his jewelry. He
asked Jeter to take charge of his af-
fairs and to "give my diamond ring
to my colored servant girl. as that Is
all have to leave her.
Mclaughlin wrote to DR.. T.. j..
Morgan that he was financially en-
barrassed and that he was going to
'end 1T all" McLaughlin's wife, to
whom he was much devote |, died
just two years ago. The daughter
whOm he shot was 80 years old. Nc
Laughlir was known throughout Cal
ifornia as leader Of the Republican
party.