Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1915-09-11
captain JNO A. COBB's ADDRESS
At LESLIE BOOSTER MEETING


Court of Ordinary of Sumter, and
president of the State Agricultural So
eiety. Judge Cobb, upon coming to
reside in Sumter county more than
fifty years ago, acquired very large
farming interests in the locality now
occupied by the fiourishing town of
Leslie. In fact the town site is upon
lands which he formerly owned, and
ne has watched with pride its growth
and development.
1t was peculiarly fitting, therefore.
that he was invited to address the aud
ience Of two thousand people present
upon this occasion. Judge Cobb's ad
dress in full follows.
My Friends: It it a great pleasure
for me to be with you today. When |
come to the Fifteenth district I can
fully realize the feelings of the Scot
tish chieftain who, on returning to
his home after long absence, proud.
ly exclaimed, "McGregor is on his
native heath" 1t is inspiring and
cheering to me among you, for 1t
brings back many pleasant memories
of the past-for here | spent many Of
my happiest days. l do wish to claim
to be an old man, for although | have
lived many years on this earth, age
does not bear a heavy hand on me. vet
when | look back to the time when I
first came here, and think of the won.
derful changes that have taken place
since, it brings before me the uncer-
tainty of life, for today A. 7. Roberts
is the only white man now living in
this district who was here when
first came.
There are other great changes. The
county was considered new one-the
eastern portion, where the growth was
oak and hickory, was considered the
most productive, and was being bought
up and owned by non-residents for
cotton plantations, to be worked by
negroes; not one-third of the area had
been cleared; wild game of every kind
was PLENTIFUL the soil productive,
easy of cultivation and grass interfer-
ed very little
The western part of the district.
where we now are was an almost sole.
pine forest; few isolated settlements
of white people, with small clearings
around their homes, depending largely
upon sheep and cattle for support.
the area being used largely by ths.
plantation owners of the eastern part
of the district as stock range
In sight of where I now stand is
land lot No. 1874, which l bought Of
VIM. B. Johnston, of Macon, since the
war for $125.00 1t did not appear on
the tax books of Sumter county. but
was entered by him in Bibb county, as
wild land.''
Two acres of that lot would sell for
more than l gave for the whole lot.
A wise Providence in developing this
country, has brought here an intelli-
gent progressive and energetic peo-
pie, as is shown by the present condi
tions; see your magnificent, we'll culti-
waited and productive farms, your fine
buildings, churches, school
houses, banks, handsome residences,
we'll laid-off streets, pure and invigor
ating water brought from the deep
bowels of the earth from streams
having their origin in the Blue Ridge
three hundred miles dis
tant
The agricultural interest is the main
stay of the prosperity of this country
much has been done and great inn
provements made, when we fully real
ize that with our climate, soils, sea
sons anything can be raised here, and
profitably, that can be grown any
where outside of the tropics our full!
possibilities have not yet been reach