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THE ATLANTA GEORGIAN AND NEWS, 1‘RIDAY, MAY 17. 1W.. ROCHELLE, PROSPEROUS SOUTH GEORGIA TOWN Surrounded by a Section of the Most Productive Soil in Geor gia—Climatically Attractive, and Offers Many Advan tages to Prospective Investors or Home Seekers. Has a Population of 1,200 People—Is a Junction Point of Two of the Largest Railway Systems in the South, Giving Low and Advantageous Freight Rates—Plans Being Made for Many Large and Substantial Improvements, Among Them a New Cotton Mill and Fertilizer Plant. Its Splendid Schools and Comfortable Homes. Reid Hotel, Rochelle, Ga. Wilcox county went dry by an overwhelming majority, therefore Rochelle has no saloons, and in all probability will never have them. She has a splendid system of pub lic schools which is prospering under the superintendency of Pro fessor H. J. Lawrence, an A. B. graduate of Mercer University. This school U the pride of the town. There are two churches, Missionary Baptist and Methodist of 150 bales per day. She has also the following industries: A plan ing mill, a variety works, a grist mill and a naval stores plant. Her standard of citizenship cannot be excelled. Mr. John T. King, the well known editor of The New Era, is mayor of the town. The aldermen are Messrs. 4. P. Doster, S. B. Reid, W. E. Smith, W. B. Owens, E. J. Cook and Z. W. Lassiter. Mr. Reid is The town is located in the cen ter of Wilcox county, on the Sea board Air Line Railroad, 149 miles west of Savannah and 60 miles due south from Macon. It is located on a cluster of gently undulating hills just at the verge of the water divide between the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean, with an altitude of 500 feet above the sea level, and is the highest point between Savan nah and Americus, which makes it an’ideal town for drainage; therefore, the health of its inhabi tants is unsurpassed in Georgia. A few years ago a citizen of this section, Mr. Micajah Owens, took his first railroad ride from Seville to Rochelle on the day he was 100 years old. From such geographi cal surroundings its scenery could not bo other than charming. The town was laid out in 1887. Hon. John M. Warren, the present ordinary of the county, was the first person to buy property, open a store and move his family to the new town. Since then its growth and development has been gradual and steady. Rochelle is one South Georgia town which has never undergone a boom of any kind. It is surrounded on every side by the largest Ijody of red pebble soil of any town in South Georgia. When Rochelle was first laid out there was not twenty-five bales of cotton raised within 3 miles of the town. It is now stat Weeks’ Artificial Stone Building, Rochelle, Ga. ed on good authority that n din ner horn blown in the center of town on a warm May day would be answered by the brny of mules plowing lands which produce a thousand bales of cotton. However, much tho larger por tion of the lands adjacent to Ro chelle arc still undeveloped. These landfc can be bought for from a quarter to half the price of aver age lands in north and middle Georgia, and which produce from 25 to 50 per cent more than the average lands of north and middle Georgia. Besides, a farmer can cultivate from 25 to 331-3 per cent more of this soil per mulo than he can similar lands in north and middle Georgia. The climate is that of South Georgia—ideal. Surface wells af ford excellent free atone water in unfailing supply. Also, the town has two splendid urtesian wells. The citizens of Rochelle are for the most part middle class folks who live the simple life, dwelling together in peace and harmony. At the last local option election Episcopal Church South. The membership of these two churches are living together in perfect Christian harmony. There arc about twenty mercan tile establishments, and most of these are substantial and prosper ous. The railroad people inform us that there are more goods ship ped to Rochelle and more fotton and other farm products shipped away from Rochelle than any oth er town between Americus and Savannah which is not a junction point There are two excellent banks in the town; both are prosperous and doing a large business. Rochelle lias one real good weekly newspaper, The Now Era, which is'edited by Mr. John T. King, who is always found on the side that makes for the better ment of his community. Rochelle has three largo modern ginneries, with a ginning capacity Bank of Rochelle, Ga. also representative-elect from Wilcox county. Mr. Doster is a member of the board of county commissioners. Judge D. B. Nich olson, judge of the city court of Abbeville, is also a resident of Rochelle. This community boasts of as good a class of colored citizens os school and several churches. The population of Rochelle is about 1,200. The town has been built almost entirely from the ef fects of the farming interests of the community, and it can be safely said that no set of business men in South Georgia have done better with the same capital than Rochelle business men. The most progressive banker in the town be gan business in Rochelle a few years ago with about a thousand dollars. The most enterprising and wealthiest merchant in the town, Mr. Henry Mnshburn, who is worth not less than $50,000, commenced business at Rochelle about ten years ago with about a thousand dollars capital. Mr. .John Doster, the wealthiest and largest farmer in the county, came to Rochelle about eight years ago practically bankrupt. Others have done just as well, in proportion that we might mention, and it can Be truly said that Rochelle has steadily grown in population and wealth regardless of its extreme poverty at the beginning. How ever, at this time she is in 'as good shape financially as almost any town of her size in the state, and a very bright future is just ahead of her. Railroads are recognized by all men of enterprise and brains as being one of the greatest develop ers of the resources of any coun try. The Ocilla and Valdosta Railroad has been chartered, and 33 miles has been built, which will connect Ocilla, Ga., with either Hawkinsville or Fort Valley. This road will cross the Seaboard Air Line at Rochelle. As the writer sees it, the Southern Railroad, which is the largest railroad in the South, will of necessity be com pelled to buy the Ocilla and Val dosta Railroad, which will give the Southern an outlet to the Gulf of Mexico. Now, with Rochelle ns a junc tion point for the two largest rail road systems in the South, name ly, the Southern and the Sea board Air Line Railway, together with Rochelle’s natural advan tages, will just simply of necessity cause her to develop with leaps and bounds beyond the imagina tion of her most enthusiastic citi zens. In the near future, in fact the movement is now on foot, to build a cotton seed oil mill, together with a fertilizer mixing plant, and with the new railroad which will give Rochelle freight rates equal to Helena, Cordele, Fitzgerald and other competitive points, she will then be in a position to bid for such industries as have to be located at competitive points. As Goldsmith’s “Sweet Au burn” was the loveliest village on the plaint so beautiful Rochelle is the Gem City of the Piney Woods. Keep your eye on Rochelle. Residence of E. J. Cook, Rochelle, Ga. Rochelle High School Building. Georgia affords. Such men as R. C. Baker, William Locke, Jr., and Professor J. D. Moseley, principal of the colored school, together with others who might be men tioned, deserve much credit for their enterprise and their readi ness to always maintain law and order and to help forward any movement for the good of the town and community. The colored people can boast of a splendid