The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1915-10-27
A LETTER FROM SOUTH GEORGIA
MIR. e.. E. Martin Rcncws His Ac-
quaintancc With Watchman Read
crs-llc Tells OF Thomas County
Crops, Fair and Other Things.

4
enclosed check to cover same.
I went to Richmond and my old
homo in North Carolina some days
ago and intended stopping by Sumter
on my way back, but while 1 was gone
| was taken sick with a severe attack
of rheumatism, and as l could hardly
walk 1T all. came back home without
having had the pleasure of meeting
my Sumter friends, fact which l
regretted very much. 1 am still suf-
fering. but hope to get we'll enough in
the near future to pay Sumter anoth-
er visit. The Watchman is always
looked for with pleasure, as we al
ways want to know what is going on
at home. as we call it.
Well, as l am writing will tell you
a little of what is going on over here.
We had dry year, though the grain
crops are fine. / have never seen bet
ter corn crops than we have this year
and we have a good many hogs, SO
we are safe, if no disaster comes on.
Tor provisions for another year. The
late crops have all suffered from the
drought, especially care and potatoes,
the latter being a big crop with us.
The cotton crop is short---not over
ffty per cent, but prices are good
for cotton and seed and as the people
have lived very close this year, most
everybody Is wearing a pleasant smile,
and we don't hear SO much complain
ing about the government not helping
the cotton growers. They are learn
ing to help themselves.
They say we have the boil weevil,
but 1 have not seen it yet. 1t Is said
that one was discovered on the ex-
pertinent farm, but this Is the only one
have heard of about here. I can't
tell what the result will be when they
come, but 10 many things are planted
here. one will not starve If he half
tries.
We had fine fruit crop this year.
Quite number Of car loads
of pears were shipped from our sid
ing. The Lecont pear was shipped
in barrels. The buyers paid $3.50 per
barrel for Lecont pears at the siding
and furnished the barrels and did the
grading. The Keifer pears were pour
cd loose in the car. They only
brought fifty cents per barrel, which
was very low. but the crop was so
heavy 1t amounted to a good deal,
then they are not so hard 10 gather.
On two acres I gathered ll5 barrels
and / think half Of that amount was
left on the ground, gathered ten
barrels of Lecont pears from thrce
trees in my yard and did not get any
thing like all of them. This will give
you some idea of what kind Of fruit
crop we had.
The Thomas County Fair will come
Off on November 4th and 9Th and we
are preparing for the bigges time in
the history Of the county. On Novem-
Der 9th they are preparing to have q
barbecue dinner sufficient to feed
fifteen thousand people. and they are
expecting that number to be there.
One of our big hearted lawyers has
agreed to furnish enough beef, pork,
mutton and kid to feed five thousand
people. The city and county will fur
nish the rest of the barbecue. The
'Possum Committee is to furnish 15O
'possums. They have q large cage
full of them now at the fire depart
ment and the firemen are feeding
them, SO they will be fat and fine for
the big day. There will be a parade
made up of floats from all the towns
and large farms In the county, from
the finest decorated automobile to the
old time OK cart. Also all the school
children In the county will participate.
The parade is expected to be four
miles long. Now, Mr.. Editor, If you
or any of my friends will just come
over. we will be able to convince you
that there is plenty in Thomas County
for all who come.
Thomasville is having quite a lot 60
ing on this week. The superior court
is I'm session; a big revival meeting is
being conducted by Rev. Arthur
Moon. the South Georgia evangelist,
and Rev. Charley Tillman OF Atlanta,
Is conducting the musical services.
Moon Is fine preacher and Tillman
is fine singer. Also the first tourists
over the Dixie Highway from Chicago
to Miami arrived yesterday and was
royalty welcomed. They said they
had found the best roads i'm Georgia
al Nk.Bn nj