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THE ATLANTA GEORGIAN AND NEWS.
SATURDAY. JULY 20. 1907.
CLAYTON. THE PRINCESS OF THE HILLS
The Coming Business Center of Northeast Georgia, in the
Grand Old County of Rabun.
By MINNIE QUINN.
Tucked away In a magical niche ol
the beautiful Blue Ridge mountains,
thoee ever-varying and never-tiring
panoramic settings for the stage of ac
tion. lies the busy and peaceful little
town of Clayton, and blest la he who
finds there a local habitation and a
name.
Our seers of finance tell us that the
success of a town depcnds'upon certain
natural advantages supplemented by
the brains and energy of its cltUens.
If this be true, Clayton Is, lndet
one of the garden spots of the earth,
and there Is no good reason why It
should not in time become a Veritable
paradise for home-seekers. -
More than a century ago, when the
camp llres of the Cherokecs still sent
their blue smoke curling toward the
midnight sky, and the trail of the red
man was the only guide through the
dense forests and bettveon the rugged
mountains, there came into the county
of Rabun a band of sturdy pioneers,
many of them possessing the noble
blood of the Huguenots, others scions
of the fine old English and Scotch fam
ilies, who cast their lot with the new
Land of the West, and here In the
heart of the mountains th'ey found their
one looks there are mountains, and on i the local undertaker, nud while he
< J. C. DOVER,
Vice-President Bank, of Clayton.
Ideal spot for a home, where they could
build and plant for future generations.
They were wise, thess children of
Revolutionary heroes, kind even then
they bullded better then they knew, and
the Clayton of today proves their wis
dom.
Clayton Is the county seat of Rabun,
and Is In the extreme northeastern por
tion of Georgia. It Is In the southern
tal springs that send forth sparkling
waters to tho valleys below.
"Pearl-slashed, purple and crimson.
And fringed with gray mist of the
hills,
To the music of rock-fretted rills."
The pennons of morning dance free
Just above Clayton Is the famous
Tmnessee valley, where rushing creeks
pour limpid tribute into the head
waters of tho Tennessee river. On tho
other side of the divide the Tallulah
rushes down through the "hills of Hab
ersham."
Delightful springs and wolls, who»9
waters are ley cold, furnish tho cltl-
Kjns of Clayton with Nature's spark
ling beverage—cold water.
The soil In the county of Rabun Is
unsurpassed In richness, and these fer
tile soils are found not alono In the
t alleys, but reaching to tho very peaks
of tho mountains themselves. Tiio
underneath soli Is of red clay with a
superstructure of volcanic and igneous
earths. In the valleys the rich alluvial
deposits left by ages of wind-swept
and storm-wrccked hills afford almost
inexhaustible foundation for crops of
corn, rye, oats, potatoes, grasses, clo
ver, cabbage, turnips, tobacco, beets,
and all the familiar products of the
garden.
Clayton' Is In tho land of the apple
trees. In every garden, tbolr gnarled
ond rugged trunks and spreading
boughs yield luscious bounty at har
vest time and glorious wealth of blos
som In spring time. In tho garden of
the Blue Ridge Hotel, os well as In
other parts of the town, are trees a
hundred years old.
Just east of Clayton an orchard cov
ering 160 acres of apple trees Is being
cultivated by Professor J. S. Newman,
who has held positions In the agricul
tural colleges of several Southern
states. Other orchards In ths Imme
diate neighborhood are bearing year by
year, and a poor year Is the exception
rather than the rule. A fortune awaits
the Individual or company that will
crown the hills of Clayton with tho
pippin trees and cultivate them to tbelr
fullest perfection.
The plum, peach and cherry will
thrive equally In this climate and with
this favorable soil, os Is shown by ths
trees that are cultivated for homo con
sumption.
Clpyton Is located on the Tallulah
Falls railway, which runs from Corne
lia to Franklin. N. C. At Cornelia tho
line Joins the main line of the South
ern railroad.
Mr. R J. Lambert, the station agent.
Is a young man who wins friends by
his courtesy, promptness and ability.
The express and telegraph service are
good, and there aro two malls a day.
The moll Is handled by tho efficient
postmistress, Miss Elisa Duncan, who
is descended from the pioneer who
built the first house in Clayton and
e nee owned about half of what Is now
the main street of the town. Miss Dun
can 1s never too tired or too busy to
minister to the needs of inquirers, to
answer questions, or to do a favor.
Plans have been accepted for
handsome new court house which Is
to be built In the near future. The
cc*urt house will aland on the brow of a
bill In West Clayton, and will be an
elegant, convenient and up-to-date
building. . ..
The present court house contains the
„,nces of the county officials, as well
as of Colonel W. 8. Paris and Colonel
J. T. Davis, two of the leading lawyers
of tho section. ‘ .
. The mayor of Clayton, Mr. J. A.
Reynolds, genially Informs strangsrs
that he holds all the positions that no
one else desires. He Is at one and
ed material, he has the skill and knowl-
etlge to make with his own hands any
kind of casket, and not only this, but
any kind of furniture ns well.
He has Just completed two beautiful
cabinet mantels, made of native oak,
dressed by himself, elegantly polished
and decorates, with handsome mirrors
and brackets, that would do credit to
any manufacturer. While Mr. Dover
has long since acquired a competency,
ho Is devoted to hts craft, and would
not be happy If ha were tdla. Ha left
his pretty Jiome In Clayton and fought
In the Confederate army, and when the
war was over returned to tho land of
his love and again set up his house
hold goods In tho Queen City of the
Blue Ridge. An hour's conversation
with Mr. Dover leaves one lllli-.l with
aspirations to lead a cleaner, nobler,
better life, for ha Is a living emblem
of tho gentleman, sans pour et sans
reproche.
Blue Ridge Hotel,
The oldest hotel In town, and the one
irequentod by the commercial travelers,
known In hotel parlance aa "drum
mers," Is the Blue Ridge Hotel, con
ducted by Mr. W. T. Doxler. The orig
inal structure was begun 166 years ago.
It has been added to from time to time
until It will accommodate fully fifty
guests. and with Its gray ceilings and
wide fireplaces It reminds one of Long
fellow's Wayside Inn.
The service Is excellent, and the ta
ble all that could be desired.
L. T. Mitchell’s 8tables.
Mr. L. T. Mitchell, proprietor of the
Mitchell Stables. Is a typical son of the
mountains. Tall, stalwart, straight-
limbed and fearless, Mr. Mitchell rides
like a cowboy of the Western plains,
and knows horses as a student knows
his books. Besides this, he knows
where every vein of mineral may be
found, where every wayside hostelry Is
located, and the personnel of Its so
journers. He Is special agent for the
Rock Hill buggies, which he buys by
the car load, but deals with several At-
can Livery Stable, which Is operated
In connection with the Blue Ridge Ho
tel, as well os running an Independent
business. Mr. W. H. Duncan Is the
present proprietor of these stables, and
his manager, Mr. J. J. Duncan, 1s one
of the most efficient and accommodat
Ing persons In Clayton.
Mr. Duncan furnishes good drivers
and excellent teams and carries trav
eling men to the nearby towns and
camping parties to the adjacent val
leys.
Mr. Duncan remembers the days of
"Auld Lang Syne," when there was no
railroad, and .Duncans" was the only
dependence for transportation to
Franklin, Hlawossee, Tallulah, West
minster, Wathaila and other distribut
ing points.
Eiberton Oil Mills.
One of the most promising enter
prises In this section Is the branch
of tho Eiberton Oil Mills, conducted
by the active and popular young man
ager, Mr. E. O. Marsenglll. This
business deals In cotton seed products,
selling extensive quantities of meal,
hulls, oil, etc., and shipping Its goods
along the Tallulah Falls railroad and
by teams into tho Inland sections of
Rabun county, Georgia, and Macon
county, North Carolina.
Mr. Marsenglll's business this year
will amount to at least 125,000, and
Is steadily Increasing.
The late A. E. Thornton, of Atlanta,
was former president of this company,
CHARLES A. RAFTER,
Vice-President and General Mana
ger North Georgia Lumber
Company.
foothills of the Blue Ridge, on a plateau
that rises LI66 feet above sea level, and
In easy reach of both the Carolina*, of
classic Hlawaesee and world-famed
Tallulah, and In direct communication
with the capital of the state.
The climate Is Ideal. The average
summer temperature Is about 66 de
grees, while winter gives an average
ol about 48 degrees. It la seldom that
the mercury climbs above 86 or drops
to sero.
Within a radius of a few mlle.i of
Clayton there is more beautiful and
picturesque scenery than In any other
portion of our Empire State of the
South. Robed in emerald and veiled In
blue and purple hare, the grand and
lofty mountains lift their sun-kissed
pssks to the cerulean eklea. To the
east Is the famous Screamer mountain,
a peak over 4,000 feet high, where Geor
gia’s Grand Old Man, the late Logan
F- Bleckley, lived for months at a time
In Isolated contentment on Its breezy
summit. Toward tho west, the lofty
Black Rock towers 4.760 feet In the air,
and sends forth volumes of bird song
and of whispering winds that waft tho
breath of cedar and hemlock and all the
aromatic odors of the forest acroes the
roofs of Clayton, bringing health to the
body and roses to the cheeks of the
prosperous dwellers therein. Wherever
the same time mayor, county survey
or and editor of the bright llttlo week
ly. The Clayton Tribune.
The 660 citizens of this ambitious
town pledged to good government and
loyal to their home Interests have or
ganised a campaign for better educa
tional facilities.
There Is now a public school which
opened this week with two teachers
end sixty-five pupile. but the people of
Rabun have pleuged themselves to
erect a 810.000 school building on a hill
donated by a leading citizen and thus
afford educational advantages for the
167 children of school age In walking
dletance of the site and for more than
a hundred aspirant* for higher educa
tion In the county. The new school
wm be cafied the Logan E. Bleckley
Memorial Institute In honor of the be
loved and distinguished son of Geor
gia who was always proud to ac
knowledge Clayton oe the scene of his
birth and childhood.
While enterprising home-seekers are
carrying ihe apple and P«arh orchard*
to the very summit of the mountains
and sDreedlng waving seas of verdant
corn and ry* In the
er and Pinnacle and Black Rock look
down upon a stately edifice, where the
future clllsens of Rabun will be j**™’
Ing how to become grand and useful
men and wow*n.
But my interact In my them# ha»
‘‘Sfewii tfrsss.
yes'rs * ago'° when the Tallulah Fall.
Railway Company extended the line
from Cornelia to Fr a n *“?’?•,
Mr. Dover Is one of the moet Inter
estlng character* In the place. His eye
Is as bright end his step ss firm as
that of a youth, and he still carries
iS hi* business In *•»&**&"JL“fe
shop in on* corner of hi* yard. He is
TO BE ERECTED AT CLAYTON, GA.
The Bleckley House.
On the crest of a green hill, near the
center of lowij and In sight of the
neat little depot, stands the Bleckley
House, a modern two-atory structure,
with hardwood doors, wide windows
and modern conveniences. -
The Bleckley House Is conducted by
. ra. E. Wall, a sister of the late Judge
Bleckley, though the real head of the
house seems to be her capable and
thoroughgoing daughter. Miss Blanche
Wall.
The Bleckley House la open all the
year round, and It Is hardly necessary
to say It sets a good table, since that
goes without saying In this land where
the yellow-legged chicken rune ram
pant and where sleek cows graze In
every pasture, and vegetables may be
bad almost for tho asking.
A piano In the attractive sitting room
lanta firms as well. He Is In for a
aquare deal, but knows his man and Is
never duped by appearances. Hit na
tive wit and unfailing good humor serva
Jilin aa so much stock In trade, but he Is
proud of hls superb physical strength,
and likes to recall the terms be served
as marshal.
Mr. Mitchell made n creditable race
for aheri rr In the recent election, but
the traveling men who have made
cross-country trip* with him and the
tourists who have been carried by him
Into the adjoining valley* would be
sorry to seo any other Interest Inter
fere with )iIh work of carrying the peo.
pie everywhere, all the time, and In
first-class style.
Burrell’s Stables.
The only stables located In East
Clayton ar 0 operated by Mr. V. M.
Burrell, who Is proud of hls handsome
livery barns, good carriages and well
and one of the founder* of Ha auc-
ceas.
Hamby Hardware Company.
Clayton has a hardware store that
will compare favorably with those In
cities twice Its alxe. This well-stocked
store Is owned by two brothers, Messrs.
T. J. Hamby and U. E. A. Mamby, and
Is actively managed by Mr. T. J. Ham
by. Here one can find nny article In
Ihe hardware line from a carpet tack
to a patent plow.
Here the hunters go for equipment
when they start out In search of game;
here the farmers come for farming Im
plements, and tho lumber men buy
their logging chains, cant hooks and
other tools of the trade, and house
wives chine to fit up their kitchens.
Tho popularity of this store Is attested
by the fact that It Is the gatherlm
BANK OF CLAYTON AND GR EEN & DOVER’S DRUG STORE.
LOGGING NEAR CLAYTON*
adds to the pleasure of the guests, and
Just now a tennis court Is being planned
back of the house that will afford fur
ther amusement. A bevy of pretty girls
from South Georgia, who are spending
ths summer at ths Bleckley House,
have turned tho heads of the beaux of
the community, besides winning the
hearts of everyone by their beauty and
sweetness.
Next to tho hotels, the traveling men
and summer visitors are interested In
the livery business. Clayton is not
behind In this particular. There are
three first-class IIvery stables that In
dulge In a friendly rivalry and Illus
trate the time-worn maxim, “competi
tion Is the. life of trade.”
»fr. Burrell Is quiet and unassum
ing, but he does the business Just
the same," to quote hls own worde,
and that he gives satisfaction Is at
tested by ths fact that he has such a
lares number of regular cuitomers.
Burrell also does a sales busl-
and hln, motto Is "Best of rigs,
drives, courteous attention.” Hls
stables are located near the depot and
overlook one of Ihe prettiest little
farms In the county. Mr. Burrell never
loses a customer add has the faculty
of making and keeping friends.
The Duncan Livery Stable.
The oldest and most widely known
ness,
good
I BBB Ml HR | gal
>lac« for the local politician .
headquarters for visitors from the
country round about.
The senior partner. Colonel R. E. A.
Hamby, ex-member of the state legis
lature and ex-senator from tbl* die
imminent lawyer am
gure In state politic*.
Derrick <1 Tilley.
The largest store In Clayton Is op
erated by Derrick A Tilley, and 1* lo
cated In a handsome brick building,
facing the public square and occupy
ing two store house*. It would not
be exaggerating to say that here a
housekeeper may find alt she needs
to make her home comfortable In the
way of dry goode, mlUlnory, groceries,
furniture, atoves, sewing machines,
queensware, toilet articles, country
produce and even graphophonea.
This store la modern in every
of the word.' and the success of the
firm since going Into business less than
three years ago Is something phenome
nal.
Betides the expenses of thslr busi
ness which Is conducted on a strictly
cash basts, they have deposited In the
Bank of Clayton during the past nine
months over 816,490 clear money. This
firm carries on an extensive trade in
country produce, shipping eggs, chick
ens, butter, ate., to points south of
Clayton.
They handle first-dess goods, as I
Judged from the ten mattresses j saw
loaded on one wagon last week to bo
carried to a mountain hotel.
The millinery at Derrick A Tlltey’e
crones from a leading Atlanta firm, and
of course Is pretty and atylish.
They carry a line of nammecks, holt,
day goods and crockery that would
please the most fastidious taste, and
If they do not have an article a pur
chaser rail* for, they order It.
The firm I* composed of Mr. Nelson
Tilley, an affable and popular young
citizen, and hls brother-in-law, Mr. J.
R Derrick, who la known as a man
of keen judgment ond discrimination.
Mr. Derrick has repr-sented hls peo.
pie In the Georgia legislature for five
terms, and holds their confidence and
r-wpect. Business men predict for thli
Integrity and sound tense are sure to
win.
Cannon Brothers.
One of the best Indications of suc
cess In any line of business Is for a
store to outgrow its environment
This Is the case with the merchandise
business of Cannon Brothers, dealers
In general merchandise, grain, hay and
country produce. They are now utiliz
ing a commodious store and an addi
tional warehouse, and still their quar
ter* are Insufficient. Henco they are
now negotiating a deal which will
make them possessors of one of the
finest business sites In Clayton and
give them a comparatively new two-
Mory building, well equipped and ca
liable of being handsomely Improved.
Cannon Bros, already carry a heavy
slock of groceries, hardware, farm sup
plies, dry goods, and notions, and deal
extensively with the larger cities In
country produce, and It reams to me
thnt they must have sold llour to half
the population of the county In the last
thirty days.
The firm Is composed of Messrs. C.
R Canuon and Henry Cannon, and
their word Is as good as their bond In
a trade.
Mr, J, C. Green's 8tore.
js principal street of Clayton, like
that of many mountain towns. Is a
long slope ending In a green valley.
Down at the foot of the street. In a
setting of locust and walnut trees, with
a background of purplo mountains. Is
the neat and attractive store of Mr.
C. Green.
dr. Green also carries general mer
chandise, and supplies the tables of
Clayton with the famous Rabun county
chickens tliat must be -ested to bo ap
preciated.
Stores have personalities as well as
people, In my opinion, and Mr. Green's
store Is so arranged ns to appeal to ths
domestic taste of the housewlfo and at
the same time please the aesthetlo
taste of the viator. Mr. Green handles
a fine line of shoes, among them the
reliable make of Friedman Bros., of
St. Louis.
It Is hero the summer visitor goes
to secure totivenlrt In the shape of
unique baskets made of slender white
oak splits and shaped in various fash
ions. These baskets vary In size from
those three Inches In diameter to some
tliat will hold a couple of bushels.
They are mode by a tall, brown-eyed
boy who lives way up In the mountains
and Is too shy to respond to the ad
miring comment* of tho pi
Mr. Green la comparatively n new
comer In Clayton's commercial circles,
having been In business here not more
than two years, but a* the town grows,
this store will continue lo toko rank
among tho best.
Green A Dover’s Drug 8tore.
Nenr the top of the main street, „v„.
the depot and Joining Ihe bank Is the
beautiful drug store owned and con
ducted by Dr. W, J. Grt^n nnd Dr. J.
C. Dover.
This drug store will compare favor
ably with any In cities three times Its
slzo. Indeed, I feel aa If I had stepped
Into one of our Atlanta stores when *
go to Green A Dover's.
There Is a reliable prescription de-
partftient, a complete stock of drugs,
stationery, and toilet articles, an up-
to-date cigar stand, and a fine Unu of
holiday novelties.
This store carries a good stock of
fancy candles made by a well-known
Atlanta manufacturer, and has n flno
soda fountain, where tho genlol elork,
Mr. Docklns, dispenses soft drinks and
the omnlpresont Coca Col* to tbe thirs
ty citizens of Clayton.
Green & Dover are special agents for
Heath A Milligan's paints and carry a
full line of oils and varnlshos.
The senior member of tho firm. Dr.
W. J. Green, Is well known as a popular
nnd successful physician and ox-stnte
senator. Dr. Green baa been for a num
ber of years president of the board of
education and ban hls heart set upon
securing better opportunities for ths
school children of the community.
Dr. J. C. Dover I* one of the coming
men of mark In North Georgia. Start
ing In hi* profession with the best pos
sible preparation, he ha* built up al
ready a wide practice and won tho con,
fldence of hit people.
Dr. Dover le a prominent Mason, be
ing worshipful muter of the local lodge,
which numbers sixty-five members. He
Is vice president of the Bank of Clay,
ton and takes a vital Interest In munlc,
Ipal affairs.
Bank of Clayton.
'Directors: W. II. Greenwood, Nelson
Tilley, W. S. Long, W. 8. Wltham,
financial agent: W. J. Green.
The North Georgia Company.
No section of the South has finer op
portunities for the lumber business than
northeast Georgia, and nowhere Is it
being more practically and more suc
cessfully operated.
It would amazo tho average Georgian
Who Is tea busy nr too Indifferent to
Acquaint himself with the resources of
hts state to be told what vast sums of
money may be realized from thp prod
ucts of our forests.
The moat extensive holdings In this
section of the country aro those of the
North Goorgia Company, which has In
vestments In mineral lands and farms
in addition to Its Immense timber Inter,
ests.
The property of this company win
amount to about 64,000 acres, of whlcn
over 40,000 acres Is lino timber land.
Tho property of tho North Georgia
Company lies In Rabun. Habersham
nnd Towns rinmtlfs. In Georgia, and In
Clay county. North Carolina.
Rabun county I have talked about
already, and Habersham I hesitate fa /
praise, since words aro Inadequate to
describe Its magnificent scenery, with
llttlo bank, which Is located In the first
brick building erected since the Civil
war.
The Bank of Clayton hu been In
operation for three years and In that
time hu so prospered that Its clearings
for the third year doubled the per cent
of the first year.
This bank owe* no borrowed money
and carries good deposits to the amount
of nearly 880,000. It* resource* at the
close of April 16, when the capable and
courteous cashier, Mr. T. A. Duckett,
Issued hls statement to depositors,
amounted to clone upon $100,000.
The Rank of Clayton has an Insu-
Itort BHHHHPMHHB
or other loss, and Is given without cost
to the depositor.
Tbe assistant cashier It Mr. Charles
A. Evans, a popular young man and
one of the "bright particular atara" In
Clayton's baseball team. ,
The Bank of Clayton doea business In
Rabun county. Towns county and In
part of Western North Carolina. Its
officer* are:
J, IV. Peyton, president; J. C. Dover,
vice president; T. A. Duckett, cuhler.
L. T. MITCHELL.
Liveryman, Clayton, Qi,
Us majestic mountains. Its picturesque
gorges. Its wonderful waterfalls and
cascades, nnd Its Indescribable charm
of forest ond valley.
Turn to your copy of Sidney Lanier
and read hls "Bong of tho Chattahoo
chee," and you will glean some Idea of
the Impression mado upon a poet's
mind by these beautiful hills of Huber-
sham.
V. M. BURRELL,
Stockman, Clayton, Go.
The forests seem to stand In TCp
.rlmeval beauty, the mountain* sppaas
to bo frosh from the hand of th* Crea*
tor ami tho volleys to dream In faro*
docked beauty as they have since time
began.
tut deep In the heart of these maun* .
tains lie rich deposits of valuabl* ml*. I
erals, the gleam of gold and of copper
greets the geologist’s hammer, while I
nny valuable varieties of quarts re-
ard the search of even th* amateur.
Tb* North Georgia Company waa
not making a hazardous experiment!
when It purchased these lands In Rib
and Rabun, as time will surely !
. _ These counties contain a gala {
vein which Is of the same character and
richness a* that which has boon sue j
cessfully mined In tho neighborhood of
Dahlonego. On tho property of this ]
company alone la a fissure vein over j
five miles long, which was once sue- I
cessfully worked by the Spanish ex- I
ranee feature which protect* Its deposl-
In case of fire, burglary, defaulting plorers nearly two hundred years ago.
Mica exists In great quantities and of a
good marketable variety.
There are large beds of kaolin, rich
deposits of coruqdrum. quantities f
amethysts and other varieties of quarts
and asbestos mines that are in proflt-
Besldcs its nfineral wealth, the
North Georgia Company owns In Ra
bun county alone nearly 160 little farms
(Continued on Page Fifteen.)
livery service In Clayton is the Dvr- firm a bright future, since try* merit.
A FAMILIAR SCENE IN RABUN COUNTY.