The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1910-05-04
A Trip to Georgia.

McCalla to 60 with them on pleasure
trip to the land of the Historic count!
Hart. The Col. had ordered a fine Aut(
Car from Anderson for the trip. but un
fortunately it failed TO come on time, 81
he had his pair OF sleek bays hltched to hi
carriage and with his Majo DOmo George
to handle the reins. We started on our way
crossing the beautiful savannah river a
Harpers fiery, We travelled leiSurely up OF
the Georgia side, enjoying to the fulles
extent, the delightful weather, and balmJ
breeze Of early spring. At first the country
was rough and broken but after few
miles it gradually improved in appearance
and soon we were travelling through throuG
beautiful farming country thlckly doteo
with tastful rural homes and we'll Guilt
waited farms.
1t is astonishing what rapid progress
has been made in this part OF Georgia III
the last decade. when l last Travelled throu
gh here it was a typical Georgia backwood
settlement with log cabins, old fields, REQ
gullies and Georgia Crakers, who went to
meeting sat in the amen corner andi sang
long meter DoXology on Sunday, and mad
moon shine whiskey at night. Now it is
community Of thrifty wide awake up to
date farmers, proceeding on our way we
arrived in Hartwell about noon and stopped
at the beautiful and tasteful home Of Mr.
and Mrs. Clarence Linder where We Were
most Hospitality entertained. The town OF
Hartvill has improved greatly since l last
saw it. At that time there was but one
brick store on the square, and the old
wooden Court House in the middle of the
square looked like it dated back to the
time when judge and lawyers rode the
circuit" on horse back, some OF the streets
were overgrown with weeds and grass
where the town cows were tied out to Craze
now they have q new brick Court House
that would be a credit to any town, the
square and some of the streets are built up
with fine brick stores, the streats are well
kept and lined with rows of beautiful water
oaks.
In the afternoon I went with Mr.. j. T.
Speed out to his home at Speedville, about
four miles South West of town, where he
and Col. Asbin McCurry are engaged in
farming on large scale, these gentlemen
believe in intensive farming, and live up
to their convictions, they have their land
in a higher state of tilth than any1 have
ever seen it looks more like we'll culti-
waited garden than q Iarge cotton farm
there is scarcely stump, rock, weed, or
briar, to be seen on the farm. Eight years
ago this land was bought at nine dollars
per acre, it was poor, worn, washed in
eullies and grown up in old field pines like
The average farms of today. Now it is i'm
proved until it will make five hundred
bound bale Of cotton per acre, and they
have refused forty dollars per acre for it.
1t makes splendid crops OF wheat and oats
Mr.. Speed informed me that their wheat
last year averaged thirty five bushels per
acre, and on some of the best they made
fifty bushel. they shipped car load to
Chicago for which they received one
dollar and fifty cents per. bushel this looks
very much like sending Goals to new castle
they have now one field Of forty acres OF
the finest wheat have ever seen, and large
fields of very fine oats that promices large
Weld. A noticeable feature Is their onion
patch Of about five aces, it Is something un-
ique for this part Of the country, they were
very successful last year and shipped a
receiving one dollar per bu. F. o. b.
Col McCury is member OF the Georgia
Legislature and does large law business
in Hailinee and also cne OF the most ener-
petic, practical, and progressive farmer IN
Georgia and is withal big limited whole
soul gentleman.
Mr.. Speed has the active CONTROL of their
farming interests, and conducts it wit h
consumate skill and success.
noticed that q good deal OF corn is being
planted, their method ofplanting is inter
middle buster, and then run a coles cotton
planter with corn dropping attachment In
the bottom of the ditch looks like they
want their corn roots to form fraternal
relations with the tea roots OF the almond
eyed pig tails Of the Orient.
I spent day and night most pleasantly
with Mr.. Speed on Saturday afternoon. He
drove me Into town where we spent the
night at the elegant home OF Col. McCurry
and we're entertained with kindly cour-
tesy We will never forget.
On Sunday morning we returned TO Mr
Linders where we paltCok Of repast
that reminded us of the princely hospital
ty of certain typical southern county
home on this side Of the Savannah, where
The Queen" reigns with gentle grace. We
had the pleasure Of meeting some dear
friends and relatives whom I had not seen
In wears. 1t has been ten long years since
brother Joe and last met. Old father time
has touched him with light fingers he ap-
pears to be cOntented with his lot, he tips
the beam at two hundred and twenty live
pounds. His size and avoirdupois
made me feel like "a lean and melancholy
Cassius" by comparison. had the pleasure
CT meeting at Mr.. Linders, Jim Carter who
used to keep the P. D. at Lowndesyille.
Jim is now one of the solid business men
of Hartwell. l did not recognize in this
solid man the STRIPPING l used to know. He
has expanded horizontally and has notica-
BILE protuberance in the middle that speaks
we'll for his prosperity and good cheer
regret that limited time prevented me
from renewing acquaintance with genials
John and handsome Jim Magill, owner
and Editor OF the Hartwell sun, they pub
lish good paper full Of special sunshine
and good sense. They have had much to. do
with the building up OF Hartwell
After dinner we regretfully took leave
that took us back in vivid retrospect to
antebelum days before little adversely and
the advance Of commercialism branded the
souls of southern gentlemen with the dol
lar mark.
Without incident matter of notice we
arrived at home in good time, after most
enjoyable trip, rested, refreshed, and ready
to take up work k with renewed hope anC
courage, well pleased to be back in ole
S. C. the best state in the union and Able
vile the best county in the State. But
Abbeville has got to wake up from hel
Rip Van Wrinkle sleep, get IA move on hel
and join the march OF progress. We are be-
hind times in farming, most OF US are Still
in the ruts made by our fathers years ago
Only few Of us have adapted modern
methods apd use improved labor saving
implements, among these is Mr.. McCallf
who despite his years and impaired health
has more aim and energy than a cow=per
| full of so called farmers who sit on the
fence masticating their nickle plugs anC
complaining Of poor crops and hard times
.Sambo, Cuff, Jake and the rest on whom
they depend for labor fill their capaclous
gourds with worums and 60 fishing
and let the crops go to grass. We have a:
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