The National tribune., 1908-09-10

Ocmulgee, then in turn OEoaee MA
maha, Suwanee, Alapaha. C.ltta-
hoocnee and Ohoopee. South OF Cen
trail avenue the streets bear the names
of Georgia trees, the first being Pine,
then in order Magnolia q Jessamine.
Palm, Orange, Cypress and Lemon. East
of Main street the names Of Union Cen
erals are found. the first one Grant, then
Sherman, Sheridan, Thomas, Logan.
Meade and Hooker. West of Main street
the memory of Confederate Generals
is honored in Lee, Johnston, Jackson,
Longstreet, Gordon, Bragg. and Hill.
A school-house site, 1856 feet square, Isl
found in the center OF each of the four
wards. Reservations were also made
for city parks. The original survey
provided 1856 residence lots and 1,00s|
business lots, the latter being equally
divided between the four wards, right
in the center of the whole. Additions
have since been made Of 500 or 600|
acres, divided into building lots, out
side of the original town-site, the A. B.
& A. Railroad shops and the cotton
mill and several other industries re
in outside additions.
Before the town was fully surveyed
colonists began to arrive, some coming
from the nearest rail points, while 9TH
ers drove thru by wagon from their
homes in the North, q lorg trip and
full of experiences for those who came
in that way. The first arrivals, and,
indeed, hundreds who followed, found
10 town; in fact. no shelter, unless
they were fortunate enough to get un-|
der a tent or rough shack. At one cor
ner of the survey there were several
houses occupied by turpentine workers,
the making of turpentine and rosin
being the sole industry of the site of
the coming Magic City" the Queen
City of Wiregrass Georgia." the
Pivot City of Southern Georgia. as
citizens now fondly term their COM
munity.
The colony company soon had saw
mill at work, and rude buildings were
hastily constructed to shelter the
crowds. Slabs and rough lumber pro-
vided the first buildings, the miscella-
neous collection was dubbed Shack
town." and the principal street was
known as Midway" The date line of
the actual beginning of the city is De-
cember, altho the first permanent home
was begun Nov. II by VIM. Mccormick,
who is still resident of the city, and
a good deal more active now at 10
years of age than he was at go, when
he cast his lot in the piney woods of
Irwin County. ;'
Busy Winter.
The holiday season Of 1886 was a
busy one in Shacktown. Several thou
sand people were there. The weather
was delightful and a surprise in mild
ness for the Northern comers. Good
nature ruled, regardless OF personal
discomfort in living. accommodations.
1t was not found necessary to organize
a court nor appoint police officers. A
permanent city was rapidly rising in
the midst of stumps. The town was
incorporated by act of Legislature, and
approved by the Governor Dec. %, 1896.
The first election was held Dec. IS.
. The following were the first officials
of the new city: Mayor. c. c.. Goodnow;
Clerk, Harry Kabrick; Treasurer, Fred
]. Clark; Recorder, Samuel Flemming;
Assessor, Chas II. Felt; Alderman at
Large, Simon Fockler; Aldermen First
Ward, j. NJ. Merrill and J. L. Miller;
Aldermen Second Ward, s. M. Witch
ard and II. B. Lanning; Aldermen Third
Ward, w. NJ. Allen and Henry Drummer;
Aldermen Fourth Ward, Dr. c. B. White
and F. ID. Lee. .r isT'
Another important date in the history
of the city was Feb 13S 1896, when
the first railroad traln arrived inside
the city limits. ThislrsilrEad was then
known as the AbbevillesN& Waycross,
but now as a part 0f'the Seaboard Air
Line. 1t was a branch line, and SER
vice was not what IT. is to-day, but it
gave Fitzgerald direct connection with
the rest of the world. and the people
of the city began TO feel that they
were on the map. The year 1886 trans
formed the forest into a City, with near
ly every form of business represented
and people from nearly every State in
the Union. The Bander Bank Build
ing, put up in the Spring of this year,
was the first brick house built in Irwi3
County, which had been organized in
1913. There was newness in every
thing, but il was not to be wondered
at when it is known that the frame
work of handsome buildings had but
few weeks before been living trees.
the Colony.
The plan of organizing a colony for
soldiers had been a fancy with Mr.
Fitzgerald for several years, and as
immigration was largely to the West,
he had visited several of the Western
and Southwestern States with view
of finding desirable location. The
crop failure of "a rather discouraged
him, and his thought turned to the
Southeast as narrated above. His ad-
vertising in the American Tribune had
brought favorable responses; nearly
5000 persons had subscribed for stock,
taking in all over 1900 shares at sic
each. The distribution of shares and
the plan of allotment was substantially
as follows: No member was allowed
more than 10 shares Investment stock
was to participate in dividends, but did
not entitle the holder To an allotment.
Allotment stock entitled the holder to
draw "A city residence or business lot
or a suburban tract of five, 10 or 20
acres and also share in dividends. The
allotment, however, conveyed no title,
but the owner of the allotment could
hold the property selected, and let his
dividends pay for it, provided it was
settled upon and improved within n
limited period: otherwise the property
was to revert to the colony company.
| unless the shareholder availed himself
of the cash method and took deed at
an agreed price. The price decided
upon was not supposed to represent
the real value of the land, but the cost
10 the colony. which involved many
expenses incident to the laying out of
the property. me prices agreed upoG
were as follows: business lot, $50; resi-
dcnce lot, $40; five or 10-acre tract,
$50: 20-acre tract. $40.
The colony company published a de-
tailed statement of its affairs in April,
1896, and showed cash receipts of
s191.0s0.23, with SITE balance on
hand, and property (which it is esti-
mated viii bring in time. well on TO a
million dollars"
Like every enterprise involving the
affairs of large number of persons
there was more or less friction, and
obstacles We're interposed in various di-
rections by rivals and others. but the
town kept on growing. Mr. Fitzgerald
said at this time he had the names of
stock books, but many of them were
to hn ttte