Newspaper Page Text
TRADE EDITION.
THE 'ATHENS MANNER.
TRADE EDITION
THE STORY OF THE MAGNIFICENT PROGRESS
OF THREE GREAT BUSINESS FIRMS IN ATHENS.
The Hodgson Cotton Company’s Two Large Plants, Representing the Largest Retail Fertilizer Business in the World.
The Grocery Establishment of J. S. King &. Co. That Furnishes Food Supplies to Over Four Thousand Farmers in This
Section of the State. Hodgson Brothers, One of the Largest Brokerage Firms in Northeast Georgia. Members
of These Three Firms are Strong and Influential Factors in the Development of The Classic City.
It.would he like presenting t lie piny
r,f Hamlet with Hamlet left out to Ml
tlift story of the growth, the progn hh
tiiirt the futnre of Athens without devot
ing considerable spurn to the H "'gson
Cotton Coniptny, J 4. King .V anti
llodgsnn lirot,
Thom lirms have dnno as ninoh as any
other ngciielos for the nphollrllng of the
i >y. They Imvo achieved soccess for
tlicm-elves in a rental liable degree and
their success has t ontrihoted largely to
the ailvancement of the city,
Tho Hodgson Cotton Company sprang
. xtend over thirty miles in length.
When one considers that this guano is
not soltl to merchants hot to individual
farmers, the immense details of the hits
loess can he seen and thoroughly com
prehended.
Thirty Two lit.mill Agencies
The immense business of this llrm is
handled through thirty two branch
agencies in addition to the home Milne
in this city The agents at these places
are the heat known men in the column
nities Btid Iheir work has shown splen
did results These branch agencies are
UN follow*
Appalarh»*\
(iroon^born,
ArnohlMvillo,
Harmon v < Jrovo,
Avalon,
Hull,
Baldwin,
l/xington,
Riahop,
Madison,
Bogart,
Maysvil'o,
Row man,
Now horn,
< lari ton,
Nicholson,
Center.
1 'glee by.
Conn r,
Koyston,
1 tawny Rose,
Slul ham,
IvudanolloH,
S ophens.
Farmington,
Tocroa,
Fn o Forks,
V.irma,
(JiUsvilln,
Watkinsvillo,
( Josh,
Winder.
enlor member of the firm, Is a native of I its clientele is largely the same class of | in the junction of liroad and Oconee
streets.
While tho members of the lirm nre all
active, ahln and energetic workers, they
they have not only achieved success by
their own efforts lint by knowing hnw
to gather Into their service several ol
the Iicst assistants in the grocery husi
ness in the state.
Mr. M (J. Nicholson, a son of the ato
ent several years since firm selling to several thonsand farmers .lolin W Nicholson, of this city. Is the
Athens, and has since his youth been | men
one of the most prominent citizens. ; Through tins large grocery store is
Aside from tiis ability as a business J famish'd t lie food supplies of thousands
man, he has always evidenced a lively I of people ill this section of the state,
Interest in educational affairs. He has Mi at, ll nr, grain, hj and the like are
served as city aid'mi in with distinction the principal articles handled, though
and has for years been one of the most m iny others are carried an an accomo-
sllioipiit memlicrs of the Athens Hoard I dation to the patrons of the firm,
of K lneali ii He was a mcuilmr of the | The bnsiness is entirely retail, the
enilllll Ml e I flat
Mlt K II HODGSON, SH.
tnt-1 existence eight years ago upon the
dissolution of the old Henderson Ware
house Company and In those eight years
it has nchlevad a phenomenal success.
The mnmhers of this llrm are Messrs.
ElwardH Hodgson, Hr , Edward It
Hodgson, Jr., and Harry Hodgson.
The city of Athens is prond of the fact
that in this firm she has an establish
ment that does the largest retail fortlli-
•t. ir business in the world. This la not
idle talk. It la a fact, easily proven by
exaot figures.
The Hodgson Cotton Company began
to mannfaotnre fertilizers lire years
MK. JAMES S. KINO.
ago at the place where the Union Manu-
factuiing Company now stands, hut tho
business outgrew Its plant and the com
pany had to provide much larger and
morn convenient i|nartera.
The new plant was erected near the
Georgia Railroad depot and (quipped
with the very best machinery. In a
•ho. t while it b>came necessary to add
still another plaut, so that at present
tin. company owns amt operati s under
one roof one of the largest fertilizer
plants in the state. One of these plants
is run by electricity and the other by
•team. They have a combined cxpaeity
of 4,<HS) bags of ferlillz-rs per day of I
twenti -'our hours.
The output of these planlslsst season, ‘
retailed In farm r« in this section, was
over li'.'.OiKi hsgi, nr to give the reader 1
even u le-tler Idea, IIii car loads of :!()
000 pouuds each Tills was the outgo i
lng movement and represents, of course,,
an incoming hupi lynf the sime quail |
tity. or a business of ov. r hisi carloads |
per annum.
If the H.'.iss) tiags of fertil.z rs thus
•old in one season by this enterprising !
firm were laid end to end they would '
The Company's Splendid System.
One of the strongest features iu this
company's business is the magnificent
system under which it is conducted.
Reports come in two nr three times a
week from I lies" agencies, showing every
transaction. Every record is kept in
triplicate, so that the home otlice in
Athens lias tho identical copy of the
transaction nt each depot and the local
i.gene and the customer each have a
copy.
Over 1,00(1 individuals trade directly
with this lirm. Such a business cannnt
he handled in a successful manner
without perfi ct organization, the most
modern system of bookkeeping and am
ple capitnl. The combination of these
three n qnlsites has made a marvelous
uccras of the business of the Hodgson'
Cotton Company. The simplicity with )
w Inch the business is handled Is nne of
the sinking features limt appears to,
anybody who is privileged to examine!
their methods.
The Qualify ol the Product.
It Is not only the quantity sold lint the '
loality of the fertilizers that makes this
a great business. Eroui an output of
Mil rntis in INilfi to an output of (i.flH'.l
tons in I'.HW is a long jump, but it was
made purely because of the merits of
"Gem of Athens," "Red Star, ' "Tap
llmt" and other fertilizers man n fact - j
nred by Ibis lirm. The farmers of North j
east Georgia have tried them and know '
their worth. They have won for Iheir |
users prizes ill agricultural contests nnd
have brought money into their pockets
nnd plenty into their hotnrs.
This llrm has done Northeast Georgia
a great service by the offering of prizes
from year to year, such as Jersey helf
era, Durham breeding cattle, and during
the coming year thoroughbred Herk
shire pigs. These prizes have had the
etfect of stimulating an interest in lines
nf work thnt will he of great benefit to
the farmers nf this section
Personnel of the Tlrm
Mr. Edward It Hodgson, Hr, tin
PLANT OF THE HODGSON COTTON COMPANY.
to Hoston, Hoboken, and the t>clinical and ^nt to country nic^/huntM. Athens
schools ol the east to study the work- ' has a number nf large wholesale grocery
ings nf those institutions and form plans houses, hilt this establishment is her lar
upon which the Georgia Hohnol nf Tech- gust retail store. There is not a retail
nnlngy was to he established, lie took grocery establishment in this section
an active hand in the formation of those that enjoys the immense pntronage of
plans, nnd has since the founding of this store, in fact it is very doubtful if
that institution been one of its trustees. J there is a retail grocery store in Atlanta
Messrs. E. K. Hodgson, Jr., and I fiat can compare in amount of sales
Harry Hodgson, the jnnior members of with this splendid business.
This tlrm has an unique plan of man
agement, prculiarly its own, the effect
iveness of which has been fully demon
slrated. The plan has been evolved
from the study made nf the conditions
of the fanners ami their requirements
and it has worked out to the emiuent
satisfaction of all parlh h.
Ilrnriqinirtrrs for farmers
I luring the fall season (he store of J.
H KmgiV Co. is Die busiest place in
Alliens and one of Die busiest pi ices in
tile state of Georgia
From their office payment is nude for
at least 7.000 hales of cotton per annum, |
and a. n is in ihn very henrt of the not- I
ton district, during the cotton season
hundreds of farmers v.eit there daily |
I: lias become a eomuion tiling for pen
pie desiring to see any given farmer
who miy lie in Athens to head str- ight
way for J. H King Ar fins' store witli
the llrm, are among the most active and • the full expectation of finding the per
progressive young luisiiiesN men of 1 son there for whom search Is lining
Athens. They, ton, like their father, made.
' fficinnl bookkeeper and there is none
better in the stale Those in charge of
the salrH departments are Mr. J. A. Pit-
tier, tlin popular treasurer of Clarke
county; Mr J. L Burch, Mr. Henry
Comer, Mr. Tom Comer, Mr. E. F Hol-
leman, Mr. Joe Hnrch, Jr , Mr. W. O.
Turner. These gentlemen have an ac
quaintance covering the entire north
east section nf the state, they know their
business thoroughly and the consequence
is lhey keep the firm constantly before
llie people with the n suiting iffeet nf
are very much interested in educational
Wurk and have rendered anil are mill
rendering valuable service ton number
of edocxtional movements. Mr E It.
Hnlgsnn, Jr . is nt tli
This firm was organized fifteen years
ago and for several years did business
in the building on tho corner of Hroarl
and Thomas streets This hnllding lie-
Mr A. II HODGSON
an ever increasing business.
Personnel of the r lrm.
The two leading members of the firm
are Mersri-. James H King and Joseph
M HudgiiOn.
Mr J. H King has been a citizen o'
Alliens for many years and has seen the
head of the work exme inadiqnate for lh. ir constantly I c | ly „ row f rom , H iiiall town lllto
of providing buildings am growing business and new quarters hail j H pb-ndid proportions of |today. He has
for the East Athens Night S tio.,1 and t. In secured. The business was then j ln , hH m , r( ,, Dtiln bu , lDBfl a long
Mr Harry Hodgson is chairman nf tho j transferred to the building now occupied \ xim „ h „ P ,pertenoennd ability com-
executive committee of (he University I
things agricultural he takes a keen in
terest.
Mr Joseph M Hodgson is one of the
acknowledged leaders in the hnsmess
world of AiIihiih His record has been
one r.f strictly htisim ss pursuits. He is
in lie found dully in Ins office anil
through his hands pass nearly all the
business transactions of the large firm
of which he is a member. Fur sound
business judgment he is not In lie ex
celled. He h is in v< r aspired to puli
lie office, hut a few years since lie was
chosen ns arneiiibir of the Hoaid nf
co inly coiiiiiiissionerH fur Clarke enmity
which position Ini filled with great
credit. During his t -rill cf t ffi -e sen rnl
splendid iinproveui-nts were made
through'.hi the riiunt v and hi llie sane
time the lax rate w»* man ually re-
duoi d.
Tlrm of Hodgson Bros.
Another j-rniiiiiii el tlrm in me busi
ness world • I \iliens i- ilmr of Hnlgsnn
| Hros. The liiokirrge Immuras ron-
duotid Ii? this linn is rue* nf Die largest
in Nm I Iii-khI Georgia, and is im-ri using
every day.
This film sells in earln.nl lots mainly to
the norcliaiits of Athens, and Iminlles
its full share nf the business nf this
growing i i y.
Athi ns is one nf the largest distrihnt-
! ing p dll's and wholesale centers in the
slide and her grocery interests are es
pecially large. There are quite a i um
ber of brokers in the field, striving to
handle the immense business of this
city, but there are none more successful
than this firm.
The firm of Hodgson Hros. has linen
in existence ten years, during whiob
time Us bnsiness has steadily increased
nntil it now ranks nt the top.
Personnel of The Firm.
Mr. Asbnry H. Hodgson, the senior
memberof this firm ranks among the
leading citizens of Athens, both as a bus
iness and public man. His business
reputation is well-known both in the
line in which he is engaged as well as
iu the manufacturing lute.
\ Ha was president of the Alliens Man
ufacturing Ouiiqiauy for a season, dur
ing which time that company made a
distinct advanoe. He lias servnl as di
rector III the old Northeastern Kailrnad
Uo . the Healinird Air Line Hallway Co.,
and is now a director in the new
railroad company that is In build a road
from Charleston to (Ihailunwiga
K-manlly he Inis been engag'-d in the
j w °fl< of directing tile improvements at
I Tallassee Hiirmla where I lie new electric
power plant has just been completed.
Thrre is no man in Alliens whose im
print is left upon more snieesslul enter
prises that Ashury ii Hodgson
Mr Hodgson has serveil several terms
jas alderman ill Hits city and also two
terms as mayor He is now alderman
i from the fourth ward. His public record
has been one of apb-mlid achievements.
Mr. K P Hodgson, the junior lum
ber of the firm is a son of Mr. A II.
Hodgson, and is following in the foot-
steps of his father as a business man.
He has already achieved n distinct sun
0“is and gives promise of still greatir
achievements in the future
mk E it. Hodgson, jit.
of Georgia Auxiliary.
J S hinjt h Co
Th Ii in nf .1 S King A-Co is mm-
posed of M' -nr. .lames S King, Joseph
M. Hrelgeti . E It Hodgson, Sr , and
A-liur) II Hodgson
I Ir would lie a difficult matter to gather I
together ill Athens four men with more ;
thorough business qua ideations than !
these gentlemen w ho make up tin, |i rn j
Toe record r.f the tlrm Mars out tins
statement nine! fully
The establishment of .1 S King a
Co i« primarily a farmers' supply boas,,
its offices are in conjunction with those
J of the Hodgson Uotton Company aud
MR. HARRY HODGSON.
blued make him ail admirable man for
the place he occupies.
He was formerly with the firm of
Sanfoid. Nicholson A Cn., general mer
chandise, m this city, amt when thst
j firm dissolved, he hecamn a pail e r In
I the firm of J. S King A- Cn. His enrr-
gies have been untiring and to them in
a large degree may lie attributed the
phenomenal success of this tlrm.
In addition to his interest in tie
grocery business, Mr. King takes spec-
j lal interest in farming. He owns sev-
j eral farms aud under his direction they
, have been made pn litable and aatisfao-
i tnry investments. Tbis work is a pleas-
| ure to bun, as well as prolit, and in all
MR. R. P. HODGSON.