Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-08-24
GOOD ROADS PLANS
IN NORTH GEORGIA
Secretary Cooper, Chamber of
Commerce, Tells of Necessity
for Improvement and What the
Counties Mean to Do.

Secretary W. c. Cooper. OF the Cham
Der OF Commerce. who has been spend
ing part OF his vacation investigating
Industrial and economic conditions in
ncrth Georgia, says that the big triangle
bounded on the east by the Southern
Railway. the north by the state line and
the west by the L. & y. Railway. with
Atlanta for it's lower point could be
made one OF the NEST valuable and most
productive districts Of the entire south
II Il were just opened UP by railroads or
even good turnpikes.
Inside that big triangle. more than Co
miles in its greatest diameter, there is
not a single railway line. and few good
roads. The result Is that splendid natu-
raj resources lie unused and the country
instead OF advancing has been retrograd-
ing.
Properly developed. Mr.. Cooper believes
the apple crop Of north Georgia could be
made as great a factor in the states
wealth as is now the world-famous peach
crop.
Said Mr. Cooper Saturday. recounung
some Of the things that had forcibly
impressed him during his trip:
THE country is mountainous. but In
terspersec with fertile valleys which cah
he MADE to produce 20 bushels Of corn 10
the acre. and wheat in proportion. while
the hills are productive OF a variety OF
fruits the most important OF which are
different kinds OF apples. 1 believe the
time Is coming when the apple crop OF
that section will bring as much money
into the Golfers of the state as the peach
crop OF Georgia The country is abso-
utely ideal for apple growing. I saw one
tree there IS years old and stIll bearing
fruit.
GREAT APPLE COUNTRY.
"A week ago today. I rode IL miles
from Blue Ridge. up into the moutains.
60 see OF. orchard of 2.oo0 apple trees
owned by Moses Payne Mr.. Payne has
lived in that same spot for % years. About
Is years ago he began to plant apple
trees. planting what are known as root
CRAFTS. I saw one OF those trees loaded
with fruit which Mr.. Payne estimated az
so bushels: its trunk was Is inches in d.
ameter. the spread OF its limbs was IS
Ieet and its height was betEeen 40 and %.
In the same orchard I saw another tree
about the same size which produced g.
bushels by actual measurement. In 1905.
OF a variety known as Arkansas Blacks.
which sold in Blue Ridge at BIS the
bushel. the product of one single tree thus
bringing ss1-25. This tree. of course, was
exceptional
Il saw too a number OF small trees.
only seven or eight years old. which had
already begun to yield one and a half
or two bushels each. II is expected that
a good 10-year-Old tree should yield at
least five bushels and 15-year-old tree
more than 10 bushels.
BIGGEST ORCHARD IN STATE.
II also visited the orchard Of Mr.. John
Northcutt. six miles east OF Ella jay on
the north slope Of Walnut mountain.
which contains 1900 trees and is probably
the biggest apple orchard in the state.
Most Of these trees are only six years
old. but they are beginning TO bear this
year: the leading varieties in this orchard
are the iimber-twig. the wine sap. the
black warrior and Remarks choice.
Mr.. Northcutt has a summer home on
the side OF this mountain, where he has
all the modern conveniences of the city.
There he treats his guests with good.
oId-fashioned Georgia hospitality. seating
them at an old-time board with before
the-war cookery. and peaches. water
melons. canteloupes thrown in The but
termiIk was good enough 10 make a man
hit his daddy. The Rev. John Z. White
and I were Mr.. Northcutt's guests last
week: Mr.. r. H. Northcutt. OF Marietta,
was also present.
After dinner, We climbed to the top Of
the mountain. which is about 5000 feet
above the sea level and three enjoyed
glorious panoramic view. covering the
entire sweep OF the horizon for s. or -
miles in every direction. We could dis
tinctly see the smoke rising from the
chimneys OF the Tennessee Copper COM
pany at DucktOwn. Is miles distant. The
sulphur gas from the copper smelters has
done a great deal OF damage to the vege-
tatiOn OF north Georgia, and its effect
IS noticeable on fruit as far south as
Walnut mountain; the black warrior APP
pie which is more tender than the others,
is withered when the smoke simply blows
over IT, Mr.. Northcutt showed us a tree
50 affected. In the immediate vicinity OF
Copper Eill.s where the works are loca-
ted. the country is bare Of vegetation.
THE SULPHUR FUMES.
las a result of the suit instituted some
time ago by the state OF Georgia to stop
this smoke. this copper company mas spent
$1,000 on an accessory plant which
transforms the sulphur gas into sulphuric
acid. This bl-product is worth about
s1oO.Oc0 per year"
The plant viii eliminate the sulphur
fumes from two furnaces. but the COM
pany has SIX furnaces and ii will require
additional facilities to handle the gas
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