The Leader, enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1915-1921, 1917-02-19
MONTAGUE TELLS
OF LAND SHOW
by L. c. Montague.)

IT, Southeastern Land Show which
was held in Atlanta February 1st to
the 18th Inclusive, was intended to
convey to the outside sections Of the
county by exhibits and literature the
natural resources and possibilities OF +
the Southeastern section Of this coun-
try, and from an educational stand I
point in my opinion, the Land Show
was a bowling success, but from a fl
nancial standpoint, it was failure.
This failure was due to various rea-
sons First: The attendance was not
as large as was expected during the
period of the show owing to the un-
usual cold weather and incessant
rains during the period OF the show,
in addition to the resultant frame of
mind OF the public due to the war
news. Furthermore. being the first
show of its kind held in this section
mistakes were made by the manage
ment, as we'll <as by the exhibitors.
and | believe that by the time the
next show is. given, that both the
managers and the exhibitors will have
pro6tcd by the mistakes of this year.
We have seen letter after letter
from prospective buyers OF lands in
this. section that would have made a
/ personal visit to the land show, had.
not the inclement weather caused
them to stay away And further
more, we have seen letters where
plans have been readjusted owing to
the uncertainty of whether or not
there would be war with Germany.
During the time the Montague
Realty and Investment Company and
J. A, Justice and Company represent
ed Ben Hill county and the city OF
Fitzgerald, at this show, there was
distributed 5000 buttons 5000 des-
criptive books and 5000 or more
property listings, making a total of
$4,000 different items of publicity for
which Ben Hill county cannot help
but reap benefit from later on. In
addition. advertisements were placed
in the Atlanta papers and our booth
compared favorably with any that ap-
peared at the show when considera-
ton is given the fact that we did not
go into this proposition until ten days
prior to the time the show started.
aln those ten days we were COMPEL
ed to get whatever photographs that
we Gould have made suitable for our
purpose and what few samples of pro-
ducts that were available.
The expense OF the booth, adver-
Using matter, hotel bills and railroad
fares amounted to something like
4 $4,000, all of which has been paid by
the Montague Realty and Investment
Corporation, but owing to the public
spirit shown by subscribers to a list
to help defray this expense this loss
will not fall entirely on this firm, as
they gave their time to the up-build-
ing of Ben Hill county and the city
, of Fitzgerald, and will be glad to do
so al any time. To those subscribers
we wish personally to thank them for
their cooperation, assistance and sug-
gestions
Next year another Land Show will
be held, and South Georgia is going
to have a very prominent part in this
show if we can personally place them
there, and at this time there is a
movement on foot to have the Show
held in Jacksonville, as an individual
Florida and South Georgia Land
Show, and in addition to this there
will be a Southeastern Land Show
covering the states OF Alabama, South
Carolina, Florida and Georgia to be
held in Atlanta.
We think that this show is going to
develop into the biggest movement
that ever started in this section of the
country and will prove to be more of
a financial return than any one other
thing, as it is awakening the public
to the possibilities of our section and
our actual resources.