The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1910-07-22
AUTOMOBILING In
the CAROLINAS
John Crosby's Party Does Some
Pathfinding and Gets in
the Mud.

In Camp Thirty Miles North of

In Camp Thirty Miles North of
WinSton-Salem, n. c., July 49,
Friend Russell:-Glad to hear from
you at Charlotte. The Crosby -Gowen
combination still on the way and moving
slowly north, foraging on the country
eggs l5c, butter zoe, milk Sc, chicken,
dressed, 25c. Our tent is big thing, as
we can run till dark and pitch camp any
where and start at any time.
Left you last at Lawrenceville, Ga.
We are sending the ladies ahead by rail,
as we were advised we could not get
through; left the national highway, At
lanta to New York, and took the back
country roads, and struck the highway
again at Livonia. Got stuck twice by
sliding into side bitches in soft clay
mud-axe and spade put US back on the
road.
We drove the car 1906 miles this day,
running till $3.50 p. m. and stopping at
Anderson, S. c. Reached Greenville,
S. c., at noon, after run of "a miles;
remained there until next morning. We
passed through GreerS, S. c. (where
Rev. T. c. Potter preached after leaving
Crescent City, Spartanburg and other
smaller towns, camping for the night on
the side of a mountain with beautiful
view.
Cotton mills all through this country
have brought prosperity and cities are
growing fast. Labor is scarce and every
one is working in the fields, including
father, grandfather and children; cotton
and corn fields everywhere-75c day
for hired labor from sunrise to sunset.
Every farm has big bell which is rung
morning, noon and night. We have
passed men working long after sun
down, which is about p. m. in this
mountain country.
All fences are done away with after
reaching the Georgia line, hence better
hogs and cattle. Cultivated fields run
to the roadside ditch, and in the Caro-
linaS apple, peach and pear trees are
planted alongside the road. Crossroads
have sign boards, and these would be
good thing for Florida good roads, as
we lost 10 miles our first day out in West
Putnam by going astray.
Georgia is wonderful agricultural
state-Splendid fields of cotton and corn
everywhere. Wells are dug down
the red clay with no lining and
at nearly every farm are right by the
roadside. We crossed several rivers and
ran over a beautiful macadamized road
into and out of Charlotte, N. c., stop
ping there several hours. Beyond we
saw red clover fields and permanent
pastures; crossed Catawba river and
just beyond Salisbury alongside
a big nursery of apple trees, which the
gray sandy clay soil is peculiarly adapt
ed to.
Oats yielding rs bushels to the acre is
grown on uplandS, and wheat in the
country. Wheat is worth 81
to SIPS per bushel at the local mills
yield small and costs all it is worth 10
raise. We crossed Yadkin river, ran
through Lexington and reached Winston
Salem before noon and remained several
the car was cleaned up
and put in shape.
We have met some nice people on the
way, and here we met charming lady,
a Dent, whose brother was
groomSman to Gen. Grant in Missouri.
This fact saved their house and planta-
tion when the country here about was
over-run by Northern soldiers during
The war. A MoraVian cemetery is stu
die are buried side by side; young mar
ried men the same way; wives and
mothers the same way; and male and
female children by themselves in rows !
Every Easter a wonderful service is held,
10 which people come from near and far |
We saw the old brick hotel where a
brass plate states George Washington
occupied at one time in revolutionary
times.
The Reynolds tobacco factory here is
said to employ 5000 hands. This fac
Iory manufactures the celebrated
''SchnappS," and most tobacco users
know what that brand is. The factory
belongs 10 the tobacco trust and they fix
he price on leaf raised about here so
here is very little for the grower.
Cotton gives place 10 tobacco as
money crop from WinStonsSalem on.
The lands are poorer, corn growing on
he bottom lands, tobacco on uplandS
Two TO three acres TO grower is sell
1om exceeded, as the numerous cotton
mills use all surplus labor in the larger
owns and there is none lett TO cultivate
tobacco, which is an exacting crop.
One hundred dollars is an average gross
receipt per acre. A 10 hour labor law
prevails.
apple, pear and peach trees on every
arm-no local demand and not worth
shipping. The people here are simple,
kind and very hoSpitable. A good
sized pile of apples, pears and plumS,
brought as a gift by several, lies in front
Of the tent.
We leave next for Roanoke, Va.