The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1917-08-22
A Pen PICTURE OF
HATT|eSBURG, MISS,
And Camp Shelby, To Be Invaded
By::Iudiana, West Vagina
and Kentucky Troops.
By Howard S. Williams.
Newspaper Correspondent.

Miss. where / have been for several
days "sizing things up" with the
idea in view of writing my impress
sions and the result of my observa-
tions, knowing that thousands and
thousands of people in Indiana, Ken
lucky and West Virginia are anx-
ious to hear all about conditions here
abouts. Letters by the dozens come
to- the Hattiesburg Commercial Club
every day from people in the three
States mentioned. AID all want in
formation. Out a. Camp Shelby,
where huge piles OF yellow pine lum-
Der stretch out fcr miles and miles.
early arriving officers of the Guards
men of Indiana and Kentucky tell ne
that they receive letters by every
mail requesting this or that bit Of
information. The:' state there is
dearth of information in their States
about this section of Mississippi. so
this yarn is going to be in the nature
of newsy letter. giving accurate &C.
counts of conditions as l find them
both at camp and in the city, of the
attitude of the people, of work being
done to lock after the moral welfare
of the soldiers. of plans for socia.
and recreational activities after the
boys in khaki arrive. Of the cant
paigns being waced from sanitary
and health headquarters. and many
other features. just those common,
everyday things that folks "back
home" want to know all about before
their sons leave Cor Dixieland.
Parents. listen Your sons are
coming to one Of the cleanest and
prettiest little cities in all the broad
Southland. Don't take my statement
alone as gospel, but write your sons
after they get here. and see if they
| don't bear me cut. Hattiesburg has
population oh about $4,000 people.
and it is 30 years old. 1t is only 10
miles from the Mississippi coast
where bathing, boating, fishing and
|
the months of the year. The historic
city of New Orleans. La. is only III
miles away. Six railroads enter Hat
tiesburg, and quick transportation to
and from the city is feature that
struck me as being very unusual for
town of this size. The town is sit
uated in South Mississippi, amid the
"piney woods" great pine forests
that today are furnishing such enor-
nous quantities of lumber for the
erection of environments and the
building of ships to take our bows
across the deep blue sea to whip the
Kaiser, and transport food to sustain
them. The large and well cultivated
lands, now growing corn, sweet pora-
toes, garden truck and fruits, where
once the giant pines flourished. will
furnish much of the worlds food
supply during the period of the war.
The soil of the cut-over pine lands
lends itself admirably to the growing
of crops that bring good returns in
a financial way, especially where fer
tilizers are used intelligently, and
Fl, thrifty farmers oversee all features
of farm work. which can be done all
the year around and cattle can be
raised with comparatively little eX.
pense, owing to the climate, which
never gets severe. / am told bv re.
liable men.
A Moral Community.
/ find here a moral community. A
handsome Y. M. C. A. building. fully
equipped, attests this fact. There are
about a dozen churches. two large
colleges, half dozen public grarl-
mar schools. a central high school
and many private institutions. am
told that some of the best educators
in the South are members of facpl-
ties of Hattiesburg's schools and col
leges.
Just to show YOU the moral atti-
tude Of the people. today witnessed
| di UNUSUAL SSCiC. saw tudh
dozen Modern Magdalenes" leave
town. This came about as a result
of the determination Of the citizens
and city officials not to tolerate any
immoral resort. and the mothers and
father "back home" can rest assured
that there will be no "tenderloin" dis
trict here when their sons arrive.
Darkened are the lights of. what was
once a small vice section. The doors
and windows Of the houses are
closed, and "for keeps" too. the Off
GERS tell me. 1t was only few days
ago that committee met with the
city authorities and talked over the
moral tone of the community. II was
decided that even the few women of
the underworld here must go. They
have gone. They We're told if they
returned they would be Swallowed"
by secret service men and the warn