Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1907-04-21

: profit days in Americus, continued
Mr.. -Fricker. 1.-The omnibus charge
from the depot to the hotel was 80 cents.
\ glass of beer 10 cents a whisky
straight % cents, game of b lizards
was also % cents, the cheapest cigar
sold was 10 cents. and the general de-
mand was for better quality, We
had not reached theIera of lower values
that came in subsequent years. And
l don't know that the people com
planned any more then about prices
thanrthey do; now in fact, not so much.
"Americus then had about 5000
population, but it was brisk trading
point and a good place in which to
make money, as many an old business
man here will testify. Merchants did
not feel the necessity of Keeping open
late. Not store pretended to have its
doors open after sundown.
Frequently the merchants knocked
oil early to play croquet, favorite
pastime then. A part of Col. Thornton
Wheatley's front yard was famous
croquet ground. If you could not find
merchant in his place of business
you were quite apt to locate him there,
knocking the wooden balls around
with as much pleasure as the billiard
expert finds now in that game. There
were many crack checker players, too,
and 1t was not an infrequent thing to
find merchant in his store with
chnm studying the checker board and
not worrying as to whether cotton
futures went up or down. They were
none the worse off for it financially
and doubtless lived longer and happier
because they had such recreations.
"They were keen business men,
though, continued Mr.. Fricker. ''They
had many advantages in Americus,
and they knew it.
There was no raiIrCa1 nearer than
Albany to the south, Columbus to the
west, Macon on the north, and Hawk
insyille to the east, except the South
western which connected Americus
with the great~world.
There was a tremendous country to
draw trade from. Cotton in those days
came here from far distant counties by
wagons. Often the wagoners camped
out at night on the way to Americus
Sometimes Ia planter drove in ahead,
letting his negroes bring the cotton to
town.
1.-The wagon yards were a great in
stitution. No cotton was allowed to be
sold after sundown. Wagons coming
in late would be driven to one of these
yards, the teams unhitched, and the
men would sleep in rooms provided in
the stables. The accommodations were
rough, but the majority were satisfied.
The stores opened at daylight to meet
the demands of this trade.
Before the cotton buyers were ready
the countrymen would make the
rounds of the stores inspecting goods.
sometimes leaving an order, and
generally departing with the popular
expression: III be back when / sell
my cotton
"Ame had number of cotton
buyers, men of experience and large
connections. Old Col Cults was the
king bee of them all, the grand mogul
of the cotton world hereabouts, and
probaly the largest handler of cotton
Americus has everfknown.
''The cotton was often~sampled and
sold on the streets. 1t was frequently
the case that a farmer driving into
town would meet buyer on the street
and sell his cotton then and there 1t |
was common accurrence'to see buy |
er dickering with a planter on the
streets and completing the transaction |
a few minutes after the wagon had
entered the town. We got cotton IN
those days from away over near
Columbus. The planters preferred to
drvie 40 or 30 to miles to Americus
rather than POOR 30 to Columbus, own
ing to the hill country nearer that
city.
sit was not necessary in those days
for a merchant to keep the varied
stock of goods that he is compelled,
by the requirement of his customers, to
carry now. He had a more stable
line of goods, and one not so subject
to the fluctuations of fashion and style.
There was smaller volume of busi-
ness, but there was not the same
shaving Of profits as at present. The
building of railroads, that cut up the
territory tributary to Americus and
developed competitive trading points
all around us, changed these condi-
tions.
''Americus has grown neverless, and
its future seems bright, yet at times
one must look backward with fond
eyes to the past and think, as men Will
doubtless always think, that the old
times were the good times, the old
ways the best ways"