About Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 3, 1902)
| Talks IVith Farmers I Conducted. By C. H. Jordan ♦ Subscribers are requested to ad- 4 ♦ dress an Inquiries tor information 4 ♦ on subjects relating to the farm. 4 ♦ field, garden and poultry to the 4 ♦ Agricultural Editor. AU Inquiries 4 ♦ will receive prompt and careful at- * 4 tention. No inquiries answered by 4 4 mall. Please address Harrie Jordan. 4 4 Agricultural Editor. Monticello. Ga 4 IMIMMI IM 4444111M14444 RAISING HOME SUPPLIES There is no question of greater import ance. demanding discussion and thought on the part of southern farmers at this time, than that of home supplies. The proposition, in the way of advice hereto fore. which has almost been worn thread bare in the columns of the press during past years, has at last resolved itself into one of necessity to the individual planter and the time has now passed when the farmer can glance over the columns of the agricultural writer’s page, and going con trary to the advice expressed there, hitch up his team and drive to town for his suppUes of bread and meat. The supply merchants who. during days of prosperity and good prices for cotton are wont to meet theii customers with smiles and use every means to run up heavy ledger ac counts. are growing exceedingly wary just at this particular time, and are beginning to plead financial inability to "run” the man Who has an empty corn crib and smokehouse. If it were possible to closely draw the lines of credit and have the farmers un derstand that the extensive planting of cotton was no longer the best class of se curity which could be offered for credit, rhe tndtvtdua* and country at large would soon be in a much more prosperous and progressive condition. The daily reports coming in from all commercial points indicate that the mer chants. warehousemen, hanks and fertili ger people by common consent will under take to draw the lines of credit tight this spring, and many a man who has been heretofore buying his corn and meat with a promise to give a mortgage on fifteen acres of cotton to the mule, will have to hunt other employment. The extensive cotton acreage plan with nothing else- to back It up. is becoming dhpopular in the minds of business men. and the system of farming heretofore pursued by so many men. will have to go out of the business. It is on* of the strange and unaccountable thipgsof this day and time, that so many intelligent farmers will make no apparent effort to keep out of the supply depart ment of the merchant’s store. Even if do by hard work and economy make both ends meet, when their cotton crop is / sold tn the fall, it would seem that the i pride in their business and the favored section of the country in which they live, would actuate them to a higher ambition. Thousands of farmers do make their supplies at home in abundance, and It is thereby absurd for any man to confess or even imagine that he cannot do the fame if the effort is made. The effort— therein lies the secret of the whole trou ble. The Cotton Acreage. Right now an important matter for so lution is that of the coming cotton acre age. It is a problem which we have to go up against every spring, and upon the aeroage planted will largely depend the price st which the staple will sell next fall. Reduc'ng the acregae by common con sent merely to reduce the output next fall is a falacy which has never yet resulted in anything tangible. The cotton produc ers of the south have no idea of reducing the acreage with such object in view. If fewer acres are planted this year than last, the cause of the reduction must be attributed to something. else. If it were generally reported that the acreage would be reduced to lessen the output. It would doubtless end tn the largest acreage ever planted. Each planter, going upon the Idea that his neighbor would reduce his own acreage would be voluntarily increas ed. and upon that proposition united con cert of action would be overwhelmingly saeured. The present restriction of the cotton acreage to anyt...ng like the world’s requirement for the production of American cotton is due solely to the ina « hillty of the planters to secure labor. It we bad the labor and the credit there can be no doubt that the south would aConce undertake to produce twenty-five per cent more cotton this year than all the spin dles in the world could spin up in twelve months. I do not think this Idea of the situation would be denied by anybody familiar with the disposition of the average southern cotton producer. But fortunately for the individual and for the country at large, there are two important elements which act as a curb on the spirit which so reck lessly favors the extensive cultivation of cotton, and those are. scarcity of labor and inability to secure unlimited credit. As labor grows scarcer and harder to manage, and the limit of credit is narrow- : ed down to the man who fills his cribs and ; smokehouses with something to eat. the price for cotton can be sustained at rea sonable figures and the financial strength of the south put upon a solid basis. It is a fact which is becoming more apparent each day that the merchants are getting tired of advancing supplies to farmers who raise but Utile else beside cotton, and many supply dealers have already openly stated that they could not and would not longer fake the risk of crediting farmers who had but little or nothing to sustain themselves on at their homes. This ought to be an incentive to increase the corn. VIRGINIA-CAROLINA CHEMICAL COMPANY, ATLANTA, GA. RICHMOND, VA. CHARLESTON, S. C. Largest Manufacturers of FERTILIZERS IN THE SOUTH. Importers of PURE GERMAN KAINIT, MURIATE OF POTASH, NITRATE OF SODA, SULPHATE OF POTASH. In baying fertilizers it is important, not only to secure goods of estab lished reputation and high grade, but to buy where YOUR WANTS OF EVERY DESCRIPTION CAN BE SUPPLIED. We are in position, with, our unparalleled facilities and our many plants located all over the territory, to furnish all classes of goods and in such quantities as buyers desire. When you buy of us, with our immense capacity, you knotv you atn get the goods, and edl you want of them. See our nearest agent to you, or write us direct. Address VIRGINIA-CAROLINA CHEMICAL CO., ATLANTA, GA. fe* the ktryinla-Carellna Lmmc Free for the aeking wheat, oat and other acreages upon which food supplies of various kinds can be raised. If not for market, at least enough to make the farm self-sustaining upon which they are produced. Sweet potatoes are toe. ay worth from 75 cents to 11.00 per bushel in our markets, and they are hard to get at that price. From 100 to 200 bushels can be easily raised per acre at but little cost, and sold at a profit far greater than could be real ised from the same acreage in cotton, even if one bale per acre could be produced. Corn 13 sel'ing at 11.00 per bushel and meat at 10 and 12 cents per pound. Southern farmers tan raise their cofn and meat for less than half these prices, upon certain ly a much more satisfactory basis. It has always been and always will be bad policy on the part of the farmer to purchase anything which he can profitably raise on his farm. Within ~ie past ten years a notable improvement has been made in Georgia and the other states in the more extensive production of supplies at home and the more general merging into the business of diversified agriculture. In every county hundreds of farmers can be foilud who make their farms self-sustain ing. and who are generally independent. But the majority of our people, particular ly the tenant classes, have grown to be lieve that because they rent land and must pay their rents with so much lint cotton to the plow, that they must plant ail cotton and but little or no corn. This clars of farmers are making but little progress, and their failure to make money is due entirely to their system of bad management, and not so much to the fact that they are renters. Diversifying the Only Hope. We have had all the experience wanted, the best and safest plan now Is to act. and act as each man's best judgment will dic tate. It is time td get out of the old ruts that have made so many thousands of far mers dependent upon the whims, fancies and dictates of the commercial world, and forge ahead on more substantial and solid ground. Raise more corn, peas, hogs, cat tle. hay. poultry, and other feedstuffs, whlcb are so absolutely essential to suc cess, and which every successfuly farmer at the present time produces. Read your farm papers carefully, grasp all the new, practical ideas that are advanced and en deavor to use them to advantage. We made less cotton this past season than we did in 1960. and sold it for SIO.OO per bale less, notwithstanding the fact that every spindle in the world is running on full time and a fine demand for all kinds of cotton goods exists. We cannot sell the new cotton for its value, when the major ity of our people are forced to turn it loose on an overstocked market to meet obligations due the merchants for corn and meat. Raise supplies at home this year, and if cotton does not bring a high price next fall the producers will at least be in an independent position. Don’t think so much about cutting down the cotton acreage, but determine to increase the corn acreage and the cotton acreage will then properly regulate itself. Get rid of a position which forces you to be refused credit by anybody, and out of the soil which is under your own control secure freedom and independence. 1t is easy to those "who try. and easier for the farmer than in any other line of business in which men are engaged. It is sincerely to be hoped that the food supply acreage of the south will be largely increased during the coming months and that the excess cotton acreage, for which there is no need, will be correspondingly decreased. HARVIE JORDAN. INQUIRY dFpARTmTnT. ATHENS. Ga.. January 16. 1902. J. H. B. to The Farm Editor of The Atlanta Journal: Dear Sir: I have been tlking the At lanta Journal (dally) for two years and would like to ask you a few questions which I wish you would answer in the dally journal as soon as you can. In the Journal of Monday evening. January 13th. appeared The Fertiliser Problem.” In one ton of fertiliser you say there is 300 pounds of phosphoric acid, 40 pounds of potash. 40 pounds of nitrogen. The other 1,720 pounds is filler. Now I want to know can I get the 300 pounds of phosphoric acid, 40 pounds of potash. 40 pounds of nitrogen. Then haul 1,720 pounds of sand, then mix al! together on a good floor and have a ton of good fertiliser. Or can I put the three different in gredients tn 1.720 pounds of stable manure and mix it up. will that make a better fertiliser for corn and cotton on red clay land? Is air slacked lime good for the land; if so what part does it dp? Is air slacked lime good to rnix with stable manure a long while before using same on cotton and corn? I mean would It be a good plan to put down a layer of stable manure then a layer of lime, then manure, then lime, and so on till I made a large heap of same to be used after It was in a pile for a month or so to get well rotted? You will confer a favor on yours truly if you will answer this. ANSWER: When commercial fertilizers are manufactured out of ingredients which are regarded pure, the fillers which they contain are natural, that is, placed there by nature. As an illustration, a pure phosphate rock when ground and acidulated analyses 15 per cent of avail able plant food to the ton, we have sot pounds of pure acid phosphate, and the other 1.7C0 pounds are a dead weight, or uselees as a plant food, but it Is the form in which nature prepared it. and as such we are forced to use it. 500 pounds THE SEMI-WEEKLY JOURNAL, ATLANTA, GEORGIA, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 1902. of cotton seed meal analysing 8 per cent of ammonia, will contain 40 pounds of available ammonia, and aside from a small percentage of potash and phos phoric acid, the balance is dead material, but we cannot extract the ammonia from the meal for fertilising purposes, without using the whole 500 pounds. Take for another illustration, milk. About 80 per cent of pure milk is water, but it is placed there by nature, and while it is a filler, it is a natural filler, and the milk could at once be reduced in value by the addition of water from outside sources. Now this has been the trouble with low grade fertilizers. Some manu facturers would take a high grade phos phate and by mixing with it a foreign ele ment, such as ground railroad cinders, slate, etc., which contained no plant food and had no value, reduce the good goods to a low basis, and such mixtures are known in the trade as foreign "fillers” or “make weights.” On the same principle you can take one ton of guano, analyzing 14 per cent plant food, and mix a ton of sand with it. and you would have two tons of cheap, low-grade goods, running about 7 per cent available plant food. You cannot buy the chemically pure elements without and filler and use them for fer tilizing purposes, because the proportions would be so small you could not mix them properly. You can buy the more highly concentrated forms, though, such as dried blood, taniuige and nitrate of soda or mu riate of p<wash in place of kanit, and a high grade pure acid phosphate, and by mixing them together under proper for mulas secure a very high grade goods. Cotton seed meal will average 8 per cent ammonia, dried blood 16 per cent and ni trate of soda 20 per cent. The commer cial value of nitrogen or ammonia is about 15 cents per pound, hence the value of the sources from which ammonia is secured is based upon the relative number of pounds of ammonia they contain as shown by analysis, the more highly concentrated forms being the most valuable. Kanit contains about 13 per cent of potash and muriate of potash about 50 per cent, hence the latter is about four times the most valuable and has four times less dead weight about it. A phosphoric acid analyz ing 20 per cent available plant food is twice as valuable as one containing only 10 per cent, because you get twice the quantity of available plant food, weight for weight, in the latter. Dime it worth nothing as a fertilizer in itself, but it tends to break up, release and render available forms of plant food in the soil which might otherwise remain dormant. Hence when lime is applied to land which is naturally deficient in that element, a decided improvement Is noted in the growth and development of the crop. Lime should not be mixed with compost until just before it is to be applied to the land, else the ammonia will be released and will be carried off into the air and lost. The best way to apply air-slacked lime to land is to spread it broadcast to the land after the soil has been well brok en and harrowed. Lime should not be plowed in, as it strikes downward Instead of upward. The cheapest and best fertili zer for the farmer is made by mixing at home a good high grade acid with muriate of potash and cotton seed meal Or dried blood. The different Ingredients mixed in such proportions under a formula that will analyze the three plant foods as re quired to meet the demands of the crop planted. Please Inform me through your paper what to do for a sick mare; she often stretches out as if she desired to urinate, but does not, except occasionally, and then it is scarce, thick and highly colored. I am inclined to think she has gravel. Please tell me what to do for her. 1 am a subscriber to your paper and take great interest in reading the agricultural page. Swainsboro, Ga. W. R. K. Answer—Give 35 drops of muriate acid, in a pall full of water for the horse to drink, and repeat twice a week. Apply hot water cloths over the kidneys several times daily until relief is had. This is a good treatment for gravel. In a recent issue of The Journal you give the following as a proper fertilizer for cotton: Phosphoric acid, 9 per cent. Potash. 3 per cent. Nitrogen, 3 per cent. As this is a little higher percentage of potash and nitrogen t.ian can be obtained by mixing acid phosphate, muriate of pot ash and cotton seed meal. I would be glad to know the materials you use. When I want a high grade perfect plant food I mix 65 pounds of acid phosphate, 30 pounds of cotton seed meal and 6 pounds muriate potash. This will analize: Phosphoric acid, 9.10 per cent. Potash, 2.50 per cent. Nitrogen (about). 2.40 per cent. ' Os course you can get as high grade aa you want by the use of dried blood, suj pnate of ammonia or concentrated tank age. Nitrate of soda can also be used, but is it not too volatile to mix and use with other fertilizers at time of planting? When I want to get a higher percentage of potash and nitrogen. I select land from which peas have been cut and decrease the cotton seed meat and increase the potash or supply what I think is lacking in nitrogen by using nitrate' of soda on the growing crop. W, O. P. Gainesville, Ga. Answer—The formula which was given in a recent article and to which reference is made in your inquiry, was intended to meet general conditions where the land upon which cotton was to be planted is generally deficient in all the three prin cipal elements of plant food, as for in stance. lands which have been continu ously planted in cotton without change for many years. The’ intelligent planter who rotates and studies the needs of his soils and plants will regulate his fertil izers to meet the conditions as he finds them. The analysis of the cotton plant shows that it contains about three times as much phosphoric acid as either nitro gen or potash, hence a soil deficient in all three of those elements should be fer tilized with a guano proportioned to meet the requirement of the plant. Such a formula as mentioned could be secured by the use of a high grade acid phosphate, muriate of potash and either first class cotton seed meal or dried blood. I do not advocate the use of nitrate of soda, except as a top dressing during the growth of any plant because it is so quick acting. The formula which you name is a good one upon under the system of rota tion pursued by you. It is well to have an excess of phos phoric acid, as it is not a costly ingre dient, but a highly essential element in perfecting and building up the fruiting of the cotton plant. If the land produces a good weed, a reduction in the use of the ammonia, which is expensive, might be judiciously employed, particularly if the cotton crop is to follow a crop of field peas. This plan you seem to have pursued and have doubtless secured satisfactory results. FIRST TRAIN IS RUN p c d d OVER M., D. & S. R. R. MACON, Jan. 30.—The first train to Vi dalia over the Macon. Dublin and Savan nah railroad was run yesterday. It was a freight. A passenger train is to be run on Saturday. Early in May the trains will be run on through to Savannah. The line has been completed to Vidalia, but here the busi ness is transferred to the Seaboard Air Line. After the first of May the trains will go straight through over the Sea board's tracks. The management of the Macon. Dublin and Savannah railroad is regarded as a benefactor in this section of the state, and the country developed already along its line is a splendid one. Macon will have a new route to the sea after the first of May. Note premium list In this issue, make your selection and subscribe at once. Elder Hess to Preach in Macon. MACON, Jan. 30.—Elder Hess, the mil lionaire preacher of the Primitive Baptist faith, will fill the pulpit at Bethlehem church, in south Macon, on the second Bunday in February. Elder Greene, of Jones county, will assist him. ♦ ♦ 4 WITH THE EXCHANGES. 4 4 ♦ 4411 I 144444444441 I <4444444 Employ System. Rural New Yorker. Many farmers fall to make their labor profitable because they do not work sys tematically. While they recognize the im portance of system in any other business, they practically deny it in their own. Very few farmers keep any record of their op erations by which they may determine the amount of profit or loss of the year's op erations, or of their cattle, hogs or sheep. If there be a loss, it cannot be located and amended, but must remain to affect the future operations. If there be a net profit indicated by palpable assets, its source or sources cannot be traced up and con served. Competition is so sharp these days that permanent success cannot be reason ably expected where recognized business principles are neglected. Educated Farmers. American Agriculturist. Many farmers make a practice of pok ing fun at the scientific farming done at the experimental stations. They call it "book farming," “white shirt farming” and other equally significant named to in dicate that a man who has been brought up on the farm knows all there is to be known about the business, and that no man who goes into the business on such a small scale as does the professor at the experiment farm can tell them things they do not know kbout their work. It is hu man that it should be so. The Chinese look upon the attempts of the western world to "civilize” them in the same light, but that does not alter the facts that in each case the parties are laboring under a mistake. There is no industry under the sun that is more complicated than farming. The diversity of Interests, the number of different things that the farmer is expected to know, the number of "irons that he has in the fire” call for a vast amount of knowledge on his part if he would make no mistakes. It is true that a man may farm all his life, make a living and die respectable without hav ing fitted himself by special education for his business. AH that signifies is that he has chosen a very lucrative occupation or he would have become bankrupt. It does not show that he would not have made more money if he had been better fitted to conduct the work he had before him. The fact that some farmers have better success with their catne than others is not a piece of luck, but because of better management. It may be that the success ful feeder and breeder did not learn his methods in- an agricultural school, but it docs show that he had better methods than the man who raised nothing but scrubs. The man who always raises a good crop, year after year, while his neighbors .with just as good soil and other things equal, fails every two or three years to raise half a crop and never raises as good yields as the good farmer, may not be a college graduate, but he has methods that the others have not learned. These things show that there are better methods than the ordinary farmer uses. Local Organizations. Farm and Ranch. It would be greatly to the advantage of farmees if they would organize local asso ciations in every rural'neighborhood. Os course, they will not do so. There is no reason why they ought not to, but many reasons why they will not. No public en terprise is ever inaugurated without at least one leader ,and Jn many places there is no man ready to say, "Come on, boys,” and then go ahead. Generally, all that is necessary is for one or two or more farm ers to desire such an organization and to begin by talking about it. A little well directed talk will generally prove conta gious and develop the one thing needful, to-wit, a leader—a man who has energy td begin with. The necessary enthusiasm can then be 4<jrked up later, In any neighborhood where there is one man who desires an organization for mutual bene fit. and who will ride around and talk to his neighbors on the subject, a practical working organization can be secured. The writer has participated in more than one such enterprise, and in eich case much good resulted, and one of these organiza tions has existed since 1880, and that neighborhood and another in t|je same county under a similar organization, have become the most prosperous in that sec tion; and, to begin with, there was a vast expanse of room for improvement. Such associations, properly managed, can be made more beneficial in their sphere than the more prominent county or district as sociations. The field of their operations be ing small, it can be better cultivated. Such organizations can not only meet to dis cuss methods and make all the knowledge of all the members common property, but they can, by concert of action, make their influence felt where it will do the most good. They can co-operate in buying seeds, plants, nursery stock, fine breeding animals and labor-saving implements be yond the reach of the members individu ally. They can secure concert of action in all measures affecting their Interests as farmers. Many of our most profitable crops are unprofitable unless grown in sufficient quantities to attract buyers. A creamery cannot be successfully operated unless there is concerted action on the part of the patrons. Cotton gins, mills, roads and bridges, transportation compa nies, schools and schoolhouses, markets and marketing, as well as agricultural methods, are proper subjects to be han dled by local farmers’ organizations. The very independence’ that farmers boast of has worked to their detriment in this day of combinations. The farmers must or ganize in self-defense. WANTED—Two traveling salesmen in each state; permanent position; S6O and expenses. Write Central Tobacco Works Co., Penicks, Va. STOCKSOF PRUNES ARE VERY LIGHT NEW YORK. Jan. 30.—Acecording to W. G. Allen, a prominent fruit dealer, of Salem. Ore., who is in this city, stocks of prunes on the coast are light, particularly the Oregon prod uct. "These stocks are pretty well concentrated and are in strong hands.” said Mr. Alien. “Early sales or Oregon prunes were satisfac tory. but later there was some pressure among holders to sell and the F. O. B. market declin ed. There has been some improvement in con ditions and. while stock is offering freely at tH cents F. 'O. B. four-size basis, 'there are holders who ask up to 2% cents four-size basis. The present market conditions are regarded as favorable, stocks being in good control, both tn Oregon and California.” AMERICAN LABORER - IS SUPERIOR TO ENGLISH NEW YORK, Jan. 30.-Gllbert Parker, the English author and member of par liament, said before sailing for home on the St- Paul: “One of the objects of my visit here was to look into the labor question for parlia ment. In my opinion, the American work man is mqre enterprising than the Eng lish. The American workingman welcomes machinery, while the English working man has not come up to that yet.” Sell Fruit Trees. We want energetic men all over the southern states to sell Nursery Stock. Our terms are liberal and our prices low. Our stock is fine and will please the salesman and the planter. No trouble to sell our trees. Write for terms. SMITH BROS., Proprietors Concord Nurseries, Concord, Ga. BOSTROM’S IMPROVED FARM LEVEL Is not a makeshift, but aKayEjSCi&tiSwMM tbe best one made for Ter ef: racing Ditching and Drain- ape. Price $5 00 including Tripod and Sliding Target o 3 ° Rod. Send for descriptive z.IA circular and Illustrated sSW ’ Treatise on Terracing, free. J. M- ALEXANDER 4 CO.. M & 58 S. Pryor St., Atlanta, Ga. 4 OTHER PEOPLE’S VIEWS. 4 44444444 I I ill lilt I I l"l 1'4444 ANOTHER SUGGESTION ABOUT DEPOT PROBLEM Editor Journal: The depot business has been ludicrous all the way through. In the first place, the state of Georgia has mgde a fool of itself for trying to force the railroads to build a house on the state's property. The very idea of such a thing is ridiculous. Os course, the railroads can be forced to repair the old shed, but nothing more. Now the state proposes to have the rail roads to pull out |30,000 or $40,000 per an num more to pay for depot facilities. Why, of course, they won’t do it. They have rented the Western and Atlantic road with depot facilities, and it is the state's duty to put on the property a suitable depot, and the railroads have a right to demand it, without any more expense. Os course, our governor had no reply to the notices sent out to the railroads, and he won’t get any. As stated before, it la the duty of the state of Georgia to give the Western and Atlantic a depot in keeping with the city. This can be done on the ground floor by covering all the space from Loyd to Forsyth. The state possibly may then arrange with the railroads that they pay extra for any space they occupy above the ground floor. Tbe state will, of course, want to carry the building up ten or twelve stories high, and the frontage on Whitehall, Broad and Forsyth street bridges, and the upper sto ries will pay the state a handsome income, not less than 10 per cent. No doubt the railroads would take up half the building for offices. The state has a frontage on Whitehall, Broad and Forsyth street bridges of at least 900 feet, which would readily bring $1,500 per front foot, worth at the least calculation $1,000,000. No doubt the rail roads would use all the space of the sec ond floor, not otherwise used as store rooms, for waiting rooms, etc? Such ar rangement as this no doubt would be ac ceptible to the railroads and profitable to the state. This would incur an expense of about $1,006,000 to the state of Georgia. This property is right in the heart of the city, and any space not occupied by rail roads would rent readily at a good price. Yours truly, J. K. McCALL. WANTS INFORMATION ABOUT HIS RELATIVES ' HANDY, TEXAS. January 21. 1902. Please publish in your valuable paper a letter of inquiry. I have a father and brother, if living, somewhere. My father’s name is Henry Sawyer. My brother's name is Samuel H. Sawyer. Have not seen or heard of them since May 18th. Was living in Lighamingo county, Missis sippi. wpen last seen. Any information of their whereabouts will be thankfully received. A. A. SAWYER, Hardy, Texas, Montague county. ENDQRSES DEKALB MAN FOR SCHOOL COMMISSIONER BROAD, Ga., Jan. 18, Editor Atlanta Journal: We rise to endorse what Dr. Landrum said about Dr. A. J. Beck and hu candi dacy for state school commissioner. There is not one in the state who is better fitted for the position than he. He has had ex tensive dealings with both country and city schools. He is from a stock of educa tors. His ancestors away back helped to establish one of the best Institutions of the state —Mercer university. He and his ancestors have been potent factors in the education of the people of Georgia. MAHONE’S BRIGADE MADE FIRST CHARGE IN RE- CAPTURING CRATER Editor Atlanta Journal: I notice In The Journal of the 4th in stant a communication from a member of the Tenth Alabama Volunteers, in which he seems to claim the honor of the retak ing of the Crater for his regiment. It has been a long time since the battle of the Crater, and to the average mind the facts of the case are necessarily more or less dimmed. I write from memory, the actual occurrences as I saw them on that memorable day. After the springing of the mine by Gen eral Grant the federal forces rushed in and occupied something like 300 yards of our works. The Confederate lines at this point were intersected at intervals of 30 or 40 yards by traversles, to protect the men from an invilading fire, which the enemy were able to pour into them from some batteries on the right. It was nec essary to state this fact in order to make clear what is to follow. Mahone’s old brigade made the first charge in recapturing the works, and from what I- saw afterwards, I presume they retook something like one-half of the space occupied by the enemy: those of the enemy not being killed or wounded run ning over the breastworks or into the traversles still occupied by their friends. The second-charge was made by Wright’s Georgia brigade. Wright’s brigade did not charge in a body, but by regiments, the space being too small to handle the whole brigade at one time. The brigade had moved up the ditch left in front and the Sixty-fourth Georgia was the first to charge. I could not see the result of this charge, nor the charge of the Twenty second Georgia. The next regiment to charge was the Forty-eighth Georgia. This charge was in plain view of where I stood, and I noticed that they recaptured and held the space of one terrace. The next and last charge of Wright’s brigade was made by the Third Georgia. Our regi ment undertook to retake two but only succeeded in holding one; the men on the right being so overpowered by numbers that they were compelled to give back and to come into the terrace occu pied by the balance of the regiment. This, according to the best of my recollection, left two terraces still occupied by the en ema* I had been wounded soon after the charge' of my regiment, and at the first lull in the firing had gone to the rear. Several hou?s after I had gone back to the field hospital, which was on the road between the Crater and the city and be tween one-fourth and one-half a mile from the former, the Alabama brigade passed by going to the Crater. The charge of the Alabama regiment finished the fight, but the brunt of the battle had been won several hours before. I think I have given the charges and the results about as they occurred, and that my statements will, in the main, be borne out by eye-witnesses. I could not see the casualties in my regiment as we charged, but it looked to me as If the Forty-eighth Georgia lost one-fourth of her men in charging a distance of 75 or 100 yards. My company went in that morn ing with twenty-four men and came out in the afternoon with eleven men in com mand of Second Sergeant McCrutchen. We passed that morning a member of Mahone’s brigade who had in his posses sion four stands of Yankee colors and th his body seven holes made by mlnie balls. If he recovered fron) his wounds and is still living, I would be glad to have his autograph. C. M. SANDERS, Co. C, Third Ga. Regiment. Penfield, Ga. For $1.40 we will send The Semi- Weekly one year and the Five Vaseline Toilet Articles and any one of the premium papers offered with The Semi-Weekly at SI.OO. This is the greatest offer ever made and you should take advantage of it without delay. Mrs. Jeff Davis to Present Home. JACKSON. Miss., January 30.—Mrs. Jef ferson Davis will arrive in the city to night. She comes here to offer the state "Beauvoir” as a soldiers home. She will be the guest of the governor and wife. This is her first visit to Jackson in some ten years. § Gubernatorial Campaign Will | Be Warm and Interesting £. Terrell Ready to Leave Attorney Gen- :< eral’s Office—What Will Brown and •** Smith Do?—Clark Howell to Run for the Senate Again. Sj $ :? BY T. J. SIMMONS, JR. ’ J. Render Terrell, of Greenville, cam paign manager for J. M. Terrell, candi date for governor, was at capitol Thurs day conferring with the new candidate. Mr. Terrell brought a whole bag full of letters from Greenville which were sent there to Candidate Terrell in answer to his announcement for governor. The let ters are all favorable, so it is said, and the attorney general is assured much sup port. Manager Terrell says he feels very much gratified by the letters and the promises of assistance which have come in since Candidate Terrell made his an nouncement. He says that no definite plans have been decided on just yet, but the program for speechmaking can be an nounced a little later on. Many invita tions have already come in for the new candidate to make his opening speech, but where the first gun will be fired has not been determined. The people of Meriweth er are anxious for the first speech, and may use a strong pull to get it. When Mr. Terrell leaves the office of attorney geheral and delivers his first speech the Interest in the campaign, which interest has been lagging for sev eral months, will take on new life. The coming campaign is going to be a campaign of campaigns. From what I can gather the people will be treated to speaking of the old-fashioned sort. Every candidate is going to speak in every coun ty if possible, and the voters ■will have every opportunity of sizing up the aspi rants. I hear that the registration will be heavier than ever before, and that the voters are going to flock to the polls on election day. I learn that there is going to be more enthusiasm than has been shown in years, that clubs for the differ ent candidates will be organized and that every candidate is going to have five or six hard workers in every county. If all signs do not fall things are going to be at a fever heat before many weeks and the Georgia people will learn more about the condition of affairs than they have heard in several years. Colonel Estill and Mr. Guerry have already begun their speech making and Mr. Terrell will start soon. Mr. Guerry has told his platform on the stump and in the newspapera and Col onel Estill has done the same. Mr. Ter rell has announced in the papers and by circulars, and in a short while he will be on the stump. All that is now known. But The people want to find out something else. They are making numerous inqui ries every day. They are a little worried, especially the political class. They are anxious to know* whether Pope Brown is going to be in the race or whether he will hold on to his position as railroad com missioner, which pays $2,500 a year. They are also eager to discover whether Jim Smith is going to desert his farm and become a gubernatorial candidate. Both men have been talked of as candi dates for quite a while. First it is an nounced authoritatively that they will be in the race and then it is announced posi tively that they will not. I think that since the three other candidates hav. put the people on notice it is time Mr. Brown and Mr. Smith were doing the same thing. I am sure that if Mr. Brown intends run ning it wou!4 not injure his chances to say so, -and I am equally certain that if Mr. Smith has made up his mind to stay out or enter the contest he would not lose any friends by making known his Intentions. As I said the other day, both men have a large number of friends who woula like very much to vote for them if they should run, and who are anxious to find out, as they are desirous of settling on some of the others in the event Mr. Brown and Mr. Smith are not in it. Will Mr. Brown and Mr. Smith make known their intentions? Hon. John T. Boifeuillett. of Macon, is going to have opposition for his position § THE .. . | Wanderer “Well,” said the Wanderer, cocking his feet up on my best mahogany table and accepting with alacrity one of my beet cigars, "I’m glad to get home!” "Where have you been, anyway?” I asked. “New Orleans. Ever there?” "Never,” I replied; “but I have wanted to go. It must be a lovely city." The Wanderer looked thoughtful. . “Well,” he said, reflectively, " ’tis and •tisn’t. It all depends.” “On what?” I asked. "Lots o’ things,” he made reply, "I’m not talking about New Orleans in carnival time, you know. That’s different. You kinder expect to run up on queer things, you know. I mean at other times.” "Is it much different from Atlanta?" I hazarded. The Wanderer looked at me scornfully. "Different!” he echoed. In his voice was a great feeling. "I sh’d say it was. Here— suppose you went to the theatre and asked the man for a seat in the pit, where’d you suppose you were going to sit?” “Why, downstairs,” said I. “Well, you wouldn’t,” grunted the Wan derer. “You’d go in the peanut. That’s where you’d go. When they mean peanut they say pit.” "Why?” I inquired. "Don’t ask me. I don’t know. Just their way, J gufess. Do you know which way the Mississippi river runs by New Orleans?” "The Mississippi river? South, I should think—at least, southward.” "Wrong again,” returned the Wander er, laconically. "It runs north. Don’t ask me why. I don’t know. It just does, though. That makes'north down town and south up town. You have to stand on your head to tell where the sun rises.” "But the Mississippi river—” I begun. “Don’t talk to me about the Missis sippi river!” interrupted the Wanderer, wearily. "I know all about ft. I tell you—” and he leaned over confidentially, “I didn’t dare to say so down there—a fel low had to fight a duel once for making fun of the Mississippi river—but I’d just as lief see the ’Chattahoochee. Which way do you suppose the gutters run in New Orleans?” “To the river, I guess,” I hazarded. "Wrong again,” sniffed the Wanderer. “They run the opposite way. Some of ’em have boiling water in ’em. A kid fell in one not long ago and was scalded to death before they could get him out. Why don’t they cover ’em up? I don’t know. They don't, though. Ever hear of part of a street being called neutral ground?” "Never did,” I admitted. "Me neither,” went on the Wanderer. “That’s what they call the middle of the street down there. I don’t know why. You smoke, don’t you? You can splash through mud up to your shoe tops, but you daren’t smoke on a street car. They don't think it’s healthy. I suppose. No— not on the front platform, either. No where. Know what batcher is? They don’t spell it that way, but that’s the way you pronounce it. It’s the mud between the levee and the river. Fond of smells?” “What kind of smells?" I asked. "Any kind—all kinds. They've got mill ions of ’em in New Orleans, an’ when you get used to the ordinary ones you can go down on Tchoupltoulas street and get an other million. Then all the theatres run as clerk of the house. Hon. Mark Hardin, who held the place for years and years, but who gave it up to run for secretaryH of state and raise peaches, has said he win run again for his old position. He has made no formal announcement yet, but in an interview with a Journal reporter Tuesday he said that he wants to be clerk again. He finds raising peaches a ; very profitable business, but is inclined to the opinion that the S7O a day paid the clerk of the house for himself and assistants is worth having if ib can be gotten and he is going to try harff to get it. Clerk Boifeuillett’s friends claim that "Uncle Mark” is going to meet with a rough road when he attempts his travel to the clerkship, but "Uncle Mark” says he has traveled rough roads before and he is not at all afraid of the stony way. With Mark Hardin against John Bolfeuif lett and William Clifton against Charlie Northen there will be an interesting fight on hand when the legislature convenor next fall. The Marietta Journal in its last issuo’ says that Col. R. T. Nisbet may become a candidate for commissioner of agricul ture after all. According to that paper . the friends of Colonel Nisljet are urging him to oppose Mr. Stevens, and now the former commissioner has decided to take, the matter consideration. As The Marietta Journal is perhaps the official organ of Mr. Nisbet, the statement re garding his probable candidacy may mean something. M. L. Johnson, of Bartow, and Lucius Stubbs, of I.*urens, have also been spoken of as possible candidates for the place now held by Mr. Stevens. There is now some doubt about the Hon. Joe Hill HaU, of Bibb, becoming * candidate for the legislature again. It is said that because his law partner, Hon. Dupont Guerry*. is a candidate for gov ernor the Hon. Joe has decided not to get into the biennial scramble for legislative honors in Bibb county. Nobody from tha Godfrey district in Bibb told me thia but I get my information from other source*. The Hon. Joe made the Bibb county peo ple an able legislator, and despite tho fact that one member of the firm is out in politics the voters may prevail on him to run anyhow. It is generally* understood that Hon. Clark Howell, of Fulton, will be a candi date for the senate again from this dis trict. Although, under the rotation sys tem, it is Clayton county’s time to elect a senator, it is said that the people in Clay ton are perfectly willing to have Mr. How ell as their candidate. Mr. Howell is one of the most brilliant young statesmen in the south, and will again be a candidate for the presidency. He made an able pre- , siding officer at the last session, and it la not likely that he will have any opposi tion for the position. Since the supreme court decided that, the public property fund could be used to pay the interest on the bonded debt, there has been no talk of opposition to State Treasurer Park. For awhile it was noised about that former Treasurer W. J. Speer would be a candidate, but Mr. Speer has not yet announced. There was also a re vival of the report that W. A. Broughton, of Madison, would run, but Mr. Broughton says the report is untrue. From the looks of things now Mr. Park is going in with out any opposition. He has made a splen did official during his term and the peo ple will no doubt give him another. t • . T. J. SIMMONS, JR..‘ IT Ts’ A REAL PLEASURE to us to speak favorably of Painkiller, know* almost universally to be a good and safe rem edy for burns and other pains of the body. It is valuable not only for colds in wtntea but for various summer complaints, and should be in every family. The casualty which de mands it may come unaware—Christian Advo cate. There is but one Painkiller, Perry Davis . Price 25c and 50c. TELLS OF NEW ORLEANS AND ITS UNEXPLAINABLE THINGS. on Sunday—big day, Sunday. Some of the churches have service at 7 o’clock, so’s to let out in time.” I expressed incredulity and asked if there were any more odd things about New Orleans. "I ain’t started," continued the Wander er. "Ever see mosquitoes in December? No? They have ’em. You have to sleep under mosquito nets Christmas night. I don’t know why. You do, though. A man went out hunting In tbe marshes near New Orleans the week before New Year’ei and was most bitten to death by ’em. Never heard of cuite, did you? I don’t know what it Is. exactly. Then you ge to the opera house and they caH the cast of characters the ’distribution.’ That 1 * French, you know. You like dope?” "Coca-Cola, you mean? Yes.” “They don’t have IL They have some thing they call that, but it ain’t. Like to bathe? I lived in a house where I don’t suppose anybody bathed—at least, not in the house. They said there wasn't any water »n the cistern. No rain, no bath.” The Wanderer paused. "This is very interesting,” I said. ••Walt ’’ put in the Wanderer. "I wag just getting breath. Know what lost bread is? That’s a great dish. No, X d’know, either. They have it. though. X don t know why. Never heard of caUaa. either, did you? They* bury folks on top of the ground, you know. All water un derneath, you see. Good deal of trouble about building foundations, too. Three boys played mumble-peg in a vacant lot one time, and the contractors came along and found they had made a fine excava tion for a tremendous four-story hotel-* only the excavation was too big and had to be filled in some. But mat ain’t near all " “Suppose you come out to supper with me next Sunday, and tell me the rest as it?” I suggested. The Wanderer’s fasq took on an expression of intense aston ishment. "Supper?” he ejaculated. "On Sunday? Oh! I forgot. You know it isn’t custo mary to have supper in New Orleans on Sunday. Nobody does—l don’t ,-now why. Say, you got to go? Well. I’ll tell you th« rest of It Sunday.” ALLEi* GRAY. STAR PEA HULLER S 3 10 tc 15 bushels per hour. Write for circulars and prices to the Star Pea Machine 00., Chatta nooga. Tenn , CANTALOUPE SEED I One thousand pounds finest market va rieties Acme, Nutmeg, Jenny Lind, Hack ensack and Rocky Ford, 56c pound by mail. If by express 10c pound less. Water melon—Jones, Dixie. Early Market. Fa vorite, Pride of Georgia, Rattlesnake same price as cantaloupe. Bliss Triumph, Potatoes, finest and earliest yet introduc ed, $4.75 barrel, $1.75 bushel, 60 cents pack; Early Rose. $4.25. $1.50, 50c. Sweet Peas Grandlflora Mixture, 100 ounce; one-quarter pound, 20c; one pound, 50c. by mail. i Garden, Field and Flower Seeds in large supply. Send for catalogue. MARK. W. JOHNSON SEED CO., Atlanta, Ga. • 5
