The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-04-16
AIRS GROWING
 IN POPULARITY Clay County Abreast of the
 Times HOME OF.GREAT MEN People of Alabama Have Long Had the Wrong Impression of the
 Famous County of Hills and Dales ~
By WALTER HARPER


 Almost all the agricultural counties of Alabama are preparing to hold county fairs this fall. Some of them have al- ready issued attractive premium lists.
 In a few of the counties like Tuscaloosa, Limestone, Baldwin and others perma- nent fair associations have already been perfected and previous annual fairs have been held. A number of others are being organized and will hold first fairs this year.
 Calhoun is among the counties that has | just taken up the idea. The business men of Anniston as well as the farmers of the county are enthusiastic and successful Il event is assured. most attractive and credtable premium list has been issued and everybody is becoming interested | The fair will be held at Anniston in Oc- | tober.
 Wherever these county fairs are being | held there is noticeable increase of in- | terest in agriculture and stock raising l The annual exhibition of products stimu lates a desire among the people for ex- | cellence and the exchange of practical ideas is eventually beneficial.
 There is another and important result to be obtained: That is, closer relation ship and sympathy between the people of the towns and the rural sections. Clay county is also preparing for coun- ty fair This will be of peculiar interest on account of the great variety of prod ucts to be exhibited.
 It is said that Clay county has a larger variety of minerals than any other county of the state, ranging all the way from the precious metal gold, to brown iron ore.
 Graphite and mica are now being ex- | tensively mined.
 Experts from the Geological Survey have recently made investigation of the graphite deposits in Clay county, and it is indicated that their official report will give some most interesting informa- tion.
 Besides it's mineral wealth, Clay is rap idly developing along agricultural lines. While large part of the northern and western sections is very rough, the south and east sections are rolling or plateau lands and are wonderfully strong. Corn, cotton, wheat and hay grow in abund- ance and their culture is being rapidly de- veloped by intelligent white farmers who of the population of Clay county is white. Fruit growing and stock raising are inn portant industries.
 The average citizen of Alabama has a mistaken idea that Clay county is back ward, that it's people are slow and lacking in enlightenment.
 This is a broad mistake It's rural schools are above the average of many other counties of the state and its town schools will compare with any. The county high school, established two years ago at Ashland, has the largest enrolment of any of the county high schools of the state, being TO | I.ineville for half a century has main tained one of the best schools of the state and is now taking the lead in the south in the establishment of a school for the teaching of agriculture and domestic science in the elementary grades. The county has always been more or less independent and this to a degree ex- plains the general ignorance of people as to conditions in that section.
 Clay county has been self supporting; has had to buy but little except few clothes and books. They stay at home until they are ready to go to the United States Senate, to Congress or to fill other high positions in all lines of endeavor. Before the building of the Atlanta, Bir- mingham and Atlantic railroad through | Clay county, it was one of the isolated sections of the state. It is a literally true saying that "Clay county was 30 miles | from anywhere" Cut off from the rest of 1 the world as it was by almost impene- | trable hills and wide stretches of unde- veloped wilderness, the outside world had | but little idea of the true worth of the people and the possibilities. l Though some of the greatest men of the state found their way out from among these hills, we soon lost sight of their | origin in the brilliance of their careers. Even when John T. Morgan climbed the | barriers that hem Clay county like a Chi pese wall on the south and west, and moved the minds and hearts of the nation with the force of his rugged honesty and native mental power, Clay county shared but little in the honors that were bestowed | upon him.
 The old home of John T. Morgan. the house in which he was born, was torn down near Claremont Springs less than | year ago.
 Morgan never forgot his boyhood home among the rugged hills of Clay county | it was Talladega county when he was born, but is in what was later made Clay | county. Clay was formed from Talla- dega and Randolph. The old line between | the two counties ran along the main street | of Linevile' Hence the name.