The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-10-01
TROY'S MAYOR HAS
EYE FOR FUTURE
Looks to Pecan Orchard for
His Returns
HEAD OF BEAUTIFUL CITY
Troy's People Are Happy and Pros
perous-ls City of Flourish
ing Industries and
Happy Homes.
HEAD OF BEAUTIFUL CITY
BY WALTER HARPER.

Troy. September S0-(Special.) 1.-THE
man vino builds for future generations
is real world benefactor. Too many
of us can see no farther than the pile
of dirt that will some day cover our
own bodies and we have too little re-
gard for the welfare of those who are
to come after us and who are depend
ent upon us to some degree.
Mayor w. b. Folmar of Troy comes
in the world benefactor class He is as
big in heart and purpose as he is in
stature and avoirdupoise and that is say
ing some. From the generous elevation
of his mental attic he takes a good, far
view into the future and with his ample
substance builds for centuries.
Twelve years ago Mr. Folmar planted
a pecan orchard. On Al acres near town
he planted 1900 trees. Then he went
about his work and waited-he is still
waiting. Twelve years is not long some
may say, but for a money investment
It would seem long to some people. But
Mr.. Folmar is not through waiting. He
will die before the orchard reaches its
prime, even though he lives another so
years. One century from now the orchard
should be at it's best. His grand chill
dren may reap the benefits of his early
sowing but Mr.. Folmar is one of the hap
piest men in Troy in the prospect of
the comfort of his children's children.
In the Orchard.
I walked through this orchard with
Mayor Folmar. The trees have begun to
bear little They begin bearing as
a rule in ten years after planting. Mr..
Folmar showed me one tree that pro-
duced SO worth of nuts last year. The
average was So per tree. A few years
later this should be doubled. The in
crease in profits will increase steadily
for almost a century The expense is
nominal. The fruit literally skaters off
the trees into your lap without expense
and can lie on the ground for some time
without injury. Other fruit crops must
be handled and marketed on the instant
1t is mature, but the pecan nut gives
you time. More than that it Is a sure
crop
pecan expert who was in this or
chard a few days ago declared that 1t
is worth $4,000 as it stands today. Dur
ing these u years since the trees were
planted Mr.. Folmar has made the land
pay all its expenses in corn and cot
ton Is the investment a good one? Fig
ure 1t out yourself.
saw one pecan tree standing alone in
the town of Troy today that is as large
as the average forest oak. 1t is laden
down every year with fine nuts. The
tree has stood for more than a quarter of
century. 1t is probably rs feet high.
Mayor of Troy.
Besides all this Mr.. Folmar Is mayor
of one of the finest and most progressive
little cities in the state of Alabama. 1t
is ideal in every respect. No man should
be ashamed to live and die in Troy. Here
he can enjoy the fullness of life and
the supreme comfort of death. The peo-
pie of the community live up to the full
limit. There are no real poor people.
There are no miserably stingy people.
They live. They keep the laws of God
and man. They are happy They are al
lowed to prosper No man here is
ashamed to do honest work. I could dis
cover no lines of social distinction. There
is one millionaire and the scale of finan-
cial position extends down to the news
paper worker with his usual lack of
actual assets But he is happy. Wealth
would bring misery and, therefore, he
avoids it studiously
Troy has fine system of streets, sani-
tary sewerage water works and electric
lights. IT has one of the best public
school systems in the state and the State
Normal college located here is one of the
most efficient and popular In Alabama.
Prof f. NJ. Shackleford is in charge of
the normal school.
Big Oil Plant.
The STANDARD Chemical and Oil COM
pany plant here is the biggest of the
kind in the south. 1t is capitalized at
half a million. A veneering factory gives
steady employment to 70 men and spoke
and handle factory employs a large num-
Der of men and is an important industry
Troy is on the main lines of the Cen
trail of Georgia and Atlantic Coast Line
which give access to a very
large territory. Troy does quite an ex-