Newspaper Page Text
The Cartersville Courant-American.
VOL. IX.
THE POOR GEORGIA FARMER.
Bill Arp Sympathizes Deeply with
The Poor Farmer,
jj,i( Gives Him Some Good Advice—The
Mortgage lJusmess- Hurts—Farmers,
After All, Should he Thankful.
Constitution.
] was thinking about the farmers—the
p oor , down-trodden, oppressed farmers,
the men who sweat and toil for the sup
port of t he country and get no thanks
for it. The men who are fleeced by the
merchants, robbed by the protective tar
iff, bled by the lawyers and doctors, im
poverished by the sugar trust, and the
jute trust, and the corners in wheat and
com and bacon. The meu who have to
work the roads and serve ou the juries,
and live hard and die poor, and have no
comforts except rest on Sunday and a
cheap religion.
Now 1 don't say that, but that is the
way the farmers talk about themselves,
and they try all sorts of remedies to get
oven and better their condition. Years
jgo they formed a trust to ship their
jotton direct to Liverpool and save bro
kerage, and stealage, and dockage, and
wharfage, and rattage, but the whole
concern was a bustage, and they lost all
they put into it. Then they tried the
Orange business, and that busted, and
iow they have got up ai. Alliance, which
seems to promise better things, and we
hope it will, and now let everybody say
‘hands off,” and let the farmers have
heir own way. Let them elect Mr. Nor
:hen for Governor and Alliance men for
numbers of the legislutdre, and let them
lass just such laws as they think will
leueflt them. Mr. Northen is a good
nan, and we can all trust him, and if the
farmers can’t help themselves then they
can't complain any more. Then let the
Alliance elect men to congress in every
district— men who will demand their
rights, men who will not be influenced by
the power of money or monopoly or
trusts or ambition. If it is the tariff
that oppresses the farmer, let them re
peal it and see how things will work.
But tilings are uol as bad as they
seem. It, is just as natural for farmers
to grumble as it is for them to eat. Most
everybody grumbles, but it is a fact that
the average farmer is a chronic grum
bler. He really has but two persons to
'rumble at, and those are God and him
self, and as he won’t complain of them
he growls at everybody else. The farmer
really has about as good a time as any
body else. 1 mean the farmer in the
South. The very fact that most of the
prosperous farmers move to town is a
sign that they are able to move and
that they want the privileges of schools
and churches and society. They don’t
sell their farms but they rent them or
farm on shares. Nabor Freeman has
moved to town and Nabor Munford and
Nabor Buford. Capt. Lyon is coming
and Mr. Tumlin and several others, but
they have no idea of giving up their
farms. It is a common mistake that the
Northern farmer is more prosperous
than the Southern farmer. He farms
better and works harder and is more
Jtonomieal, but his competition is ruin
jus. He can’t get cost for what he pro
luces. The whole concern is in debt. 1
•aw it stated not long ago that the
arms of New York State would not sell
or enough to pay the mortgages it a
:ash sale was forced upon them, and
liat Ohio and Illinois were in the same
ix. An Elmira paper is before me and
says there were 638 mortgages recorded
cithin the lust twelve months on the
arming lands of Chemung county.
These mortgages covered more than the
lumber of farms and aggregated three
mndred and eight thousand dollars.
That is just one year’s work. The editor
says that the aggregate of previous
nortgages that are unpaid runs up into
he millions. He says the county assess
es report a steady depreciation of farm
-11 g lands, and that many of them will
tot now bring the amount they were
mortgaged for a few years ago. The
'onnecticut bureau of lubor statistics
ays that on one thousand average
arms they found that fifty-your per
ent. were worked at a positive loss and
he rest at a nominal profit, and that
arge tracts of land have been abandon
id to grow up in forests and briars. The
'ame paper speaks of the returns from
ourteen counties in New York State that
ue in }lB bad a coudition as Chemung,
md that the insurance companies who
oaned the money will not be able to get
t back. And yet he says these farms
ire every where interspersed and environ
'd with afl kinds of manufactories,
ihink of that, you Southern farmers,
md be thankful that you live in a land
'here you don’t have to work one half
'lie year to support you in winter quar
ters the other half. A land where your
' a ttle and sheep and hogs can almost
winter themselves.
Now here is Bartow county that is
nearly twice as large as Chemung and
has nearly as many farms aud farmers
and there were only thirty-six mortgages
on farm lands recorded tu the last twelve
months, and these aggregated only
twenty-four thousand dollars. More
than half of these were for renewals and
consolidation of indebtedness. Tee sum
total of past and present mortgages on
Bartow farms is less than #50,000.
Twenty-oneof these thirty-six mortgages
are for sums under #4OO, and seven of
them are for the purchase inouey of the
lands.
Now let us hear no more of the pros
perity of Northern farmers, or of their
growing rich through the benign influ
ence of a protective tariff that gives
them a home market at Hip factories.
The truth is the North is weakening un
der climatic influences. It takes too
much to build barns and winter stock
and provide cellars and bins for their po
tatoes. It takes too much to pay for
reapers and mowers and improved ma
chinery; too much for manures and fer
tilizers and fuel. Just to think of those
magnificent barns that cost more than
the dwelling houses. Haifa century ago
wften the barn burners kicked up such a
row in New York, they never thought
about burning the houses but they burn
ed the barns to revenge themselves. A
good clever man from up there settled
near Cartersville a few years ago and
went to farming. The first thing he did
was to build a thousand dollar barn and
he painted it and fixed it up Yankee fash
ion, and then he built a five hundred
dollar cottage and set it behind the barn
and for awhile you had to go through
the barn to get to the dwelling house,
but he has got a side track now. and
you can find the cottage if you have on
spectacles. Heard a man say that he
has seen folks go up to the barn door
and knock and say “Hello” many a
time. Well, he is a good farmer and a
good citzen, and his land has advanced
from twenty dollars an acre to a hun
dred.
Tlie only' drawback upon the prosperi
ty of our farmers is that they don’t work
enough, and they neglect the side shows
that are better than the circus. They
bad rather buy a mule or a horse than
to raise one. I was looking at a beauti
ful two-year-old filly that Gus Bates
raised and asked him what it cost to
raise her, and he said : “Nothing—noth
ing at all. I never missed what she eat.”
Well, he can get $l5O any day for that
colt. Every substantial farmer ought
to raise two or three a year, just like
they do in Kentucky and Tennessee, and
he ought to raise a few cattle and sheep
and hogs to sell. I gave a man two dol
lars for that pet pig that eat up t he hen’s
nest and that pig never cost him a Pent
and he sold more the same day and the
old sow will have three litters a year.
Every farmer ought to raise apples -and
peaches and grapes and strawberries
and nave some to sell. He ought not to
buy a sweet potato, nor an Irish potato,
but he ought to sell some. I have never
seen our market glutted with anything
that is good to eat. Another mistake
our farmers make is they buy too much
expensive machinery. I know one who
gave three hundred dollars for a screw
pulverizer, and he never used it two
months before it was about used up and
he can’t sell it for old iron now. These
sulky plows are mighty pretty but they
break more corn in turning at the end
of the rows than they are worth. I had
a reaper, and it worked splendid when it
worked at all, but, counting repairs and
time lost, Marion Rowland could take
his big long-bladed cradle and beat me
every time; and now I can’t sell the
reaper for ten dollars. Small farmers
can’t afford these costly machines, and
they don’t need them.
I am glad that I investigated this
mortgage business. lam glad to find
out that our farmers are not in debt any
to hurt. I saw it stated the other day
that in one of the low country "bounties
there was not a single mortgage on re
cord. Think of that, you poor Northern
farmers! But then that county may be
too poor to hold up a mortgage. It
takes good, stiff soil to stand oue. Sand
won’t do at all. Nevertheless, our farm
ers ought to be thankful for their general
condition. A kind Providence has blessed
them abundantly, notwithstanding our
infamous rebellion. Somebady sent me
a late paper from Oswego, Kan., and
marked the speech that a preacher de
livered the other day to a wing of the
Grand Army of the Republic, and in his
peroration he said that when Gabriel
blew his trumpet their dead comrades
would all rise aud be marched into
heaven with the sheep, while Jeff Davis
and all his sympathizers would go to the
left with the goats and be marched into
hell to keep company with the devil and
his angels. I would like for Sam Jones
to get hold of that hvproorite for about
ten minutes aud shake him. I don’t care
auything about that preacher, but it
does worry me to know that he had a
sympathetic audience who applauded
his sentiments. Their lauds are all under
mortgage, too, they say, and I reckon
that is what’s the matter with them.
But we will get even with them some
day ; see if we don’t. Bill Arp.
CARTERSVILLE. GA., THURSDAY, JUNE 27. 1889.
A TERRIBLE EXPLOSION
Tin? Hartow Powder ami Dynamite Works
Hlown I'p.
At about, two o’clock Monday after
noon, a terrific explosion startled this
vicinity for two or three miles around.
It was soon learned that the nitro gly
cerine factory at Ladd’s Lime Works,
two miles from the city, had been blown
to atoms by the explosion of 700 pounds
of nitro glycerine which was made up
last Saturday. The factory had not
been worked prior to this lor ninety
days. Mr. Clark Robinson, the superin
tendent, with Foreman George Gates,
ai.d others, were at work in the packing
house, where the dynamite cartridges
are made.
Mr. Gates was just ready to start to
the factory for a bucket of nitro glycer
ine when the explosion occurred, having
been to the tauk just a few minutes pre
viously.
The factory was located on the side of
the bluff, near the creek, one hundred
feet away from the packing house. The
glycerine tank was situated under the
building containing the machinery and
workers. The situation of the works
near the base of the bluff had much to
do with preventing more serious injury
to the surroundings. A large tree which
stood at the lower side of the structure
was blown up by the roots and put into
cord-wood shape. The hillside, small
trees, etc., were blown with such terrible
force that they bore no resemblance to
their former appearance. Window glass
were shattered in houses three miles west
of the works. A little store which was
six hundred feet across the creek, was
considerably shaken up, the crockery
and other articles being thrown from
the shelves without serious loss, and a
small dwelling which stood opposite to
and seven hundred feet from the explo
sion, had one side blown in, seriously
bruising a child of one of Ladd’s labor
ers.
There were not so many spectators on
the scene of disaster, us is usual for such
occasions, ns people have never consid
ered these works a safe or desiruble re
sort.
Thomas Everett had started from the
store to the works, anu a few minutes
later would have been on the bridge,
from which he would have been blown
into Baker’s mill pond below. His um
brella was blown to pieces from his
hands, and he can't remember just how
far lie was lifted over the ground. Every
one about the lime works near by were
also shocked, more or less, but the bad
effects did not last long.
The cause of this explosion is a mys
tery to all concerned, unless it was the
heat of the sun through a crack in the
boards. The loss can be replaced for
about f1,500, The wonder is that no
man was hurt.
An Knjoyabie Occasion,
Seven members from Cartersvillelodge,
F. A. M., accepted the invitation from
Cherokee lodge, at Rome, to members
of sister lodges to join them in a cele
bration of St. John the Baptist’s day,
on Tuesday last.
They each report a most enjoyable
time, speak in glowing terms of the man
ner of their entertainment and avow the
entire success of the occasion.
The assemblage numbered nearly a
thousand Freemasons, nearly every
lodge in the seventh Congressional dis
trict, being represented.
A barbecue was given at the North
Georgia Exposition building and was
highly enjoyed. Addresses were made by
prominent members of the order in the
afternoon. Notable among- these was
that of Mr. Max Meyerhardt, Deputy
District Grand Master. The Armstrong
hotel band by furnishing some excellent
music contributed no little to the pleas
ures of the occasion.
At night at the hall of Cherokee Lodge
work in the third degree was exemplified
and at eleven o’clock the lodge enter
tained their visiting brethieu with an
elegant spread.
Asa token of their esteem and also
his fidelity to the cause of Masonry the
members of Cherokee Lodge presented
Mr. Meyerlmrdt with a handsome gold
watch.
Very pleasant memories of the occas
ion will linger long with ull who were
present.
Free Transportation to the State Alliance
Meeting.
The State Alliance convention will
meet in Macon, on August 20th. Presi
dent Livingtou is in Atlanta to secure
cheap rates for the delegates on the rail
roads.
The Western & Atlantic, the Richmond
& Danville and the Chattanooga, Rome
and Columbus have offered him free
transportation to the delegates aud
officers.
It is expected that +he other roads will
act as generously.
Bottled soda, ice-cold and all flavors,
at Akerman’s.
Buy some of those real J uue apples at
Akerroau's.
A DeLANDITE ABROAD
Dr. Cornish Compares De'nml to Sam
Jones’ Town.
Florida Agriculturalist,
Dr. ll E. Cornish who left DeLund
several weeks ugo to take up his residence
in Georgia, writes as follows from Carters
ville, in that State:
EuITQK SuPI’LR.MKNT:
lam lost without the Supplement, so
please send it along to my address.
I am located and practicing here and
think we like it for a summer home, but
will probably be back when the “beauti
ful” begins to hustle around the corner
and mimrle with the red clay, causing our
foot-prints to resemble blood tracks.
Cartersville is a city of 3,500 inhabi
tants, is 1,000 feet above the sea-level,
on the side of the mountains, a lovely
and agreeable spot.
This is the home oj the noted evange
list Sam Jones, and his residence and
large tabernacle is within a stones' throw
of us. But Sam is making things lively
out in California, they say he will begin
to make this place lively about the first
of September. He or some one else has
done wonders for this town, for it is
certainly a very moral one, not unlike
DeLand in that, respect. We think we
are fortunate to strike such a town
among the mountains and mines, for
they are considered rough places. No
stimulants are sold here; neither have 1
heard a particle of profane language,
and the .people stem very social and
friendly., F. E. Con visa.
We clip the following from the Young
Man, published in England: “The col
leges of the United States never had so
many professing church members in
them as at present. Yale in 1759 had
but four or fivestudents who werecliurch
members; to-day nearly one-half hold
such membership. Princeton in 1813 had
but two or three openly professing the
Christian faith; to-day about one-half,
and among them the best scholars. In
Williams' College 117 out of 2-18, and in
Amherst 233 out of 351 are members of
churches.
Egyptian Remedy. Do not
suffer the pangs of Diarrheea
and Dyaintery, when you can
relieve it instantly by the use
of this great remedy. A cure
guaranteed. Price 50 cents
per bottle.
THE CARTERSVILLE
Improvement, Gas and Water Company
BOSTON DIRECTORS. *
Hiram Blaisdell.
Elisiia Thayer,
Peter W. French,
Geo. W. Learnard,
Edward H, Mas in.
Geo. H Drew.
Would respectfully announce to the citizens of Cartersyille that it is
'
PREPARED TO FURNISH GAS
. To citizens along the lines of its pipes. It has opened at its works on Cook Street, a
General Plumbing and Gas Fitting Shop
For all departments of such labor and is nrenared to pipe hons's for hoth ess and w te on short n-*tiv. C
office, on Main Street, a large unply of
GAS FIXTURES AND CHANDELIERS
ARE ALWAYS ON HAND.
The Piping will be Furnished at Cost, to Introduce the Gas,
until July 15th. *
*
All piping done for gas must oe aporoved by the Gas Company an 1 superintend, nt ail man are provided with passes for
protection to citizens, i.nl no persons ctaiming to be in the company’s employ should be aim tted to residences without a pass
Leave all orders at office on Main street, over Satterfield’s building, or at the works,
HIRAM BLAISDELL, Pres’t. THOS. M. GRIFFIN, Sup’t.
DADTT7D Jp. VniTPUnN
1 WIVIJLjIA & VjnLUUilrllN
HAVE DETERMINED TO CLOSE OUT THEIR STOCK OF
Summer Goods.
HERE ARE A FEW OF OUR BARGAINS:
/
Beautiful Figured Muslins, 3*c., worth 6c.
White Cheek Muslin, 5c., worth 7c.
White India Linen Lawn, 5c., worth 7ic.
Our Entire Stock, of Satteens at Cut Prices.
Satteens at lUc., worth 16£c.
Beautiful Satteens at 15c., worth 22hc.
Finest I Best Satteens at 19c.,worth25to30c.
PARASOLS AT COST!
Our jirices on FANS have been reduced to please all. See them. Our
SHOE DEPARTMENT
Still in the lead. We will receive tliis week the most complete line of LADIES' FINE
SHOES ever before shown in this market. All styles, all grades of the celebrated
CLEMENT & BALL’S SHOES!
We are headquarters lor all styles and grades of Shoes.
PORTER & VAUGHAN.
Leaders of First-Class Goods and- Lowest Prices.
CARTERSVILLE DIRECTORS.
Rev Sam P. Jonfs.
John T. Nobius,
Col. (’has. P. Ball,
John H. Wikle,
R. M. Pattillo.
OFFICERS.
President —Hiram Blaisdell
* Secretary —Geo. H. Drew.
Assistant Secretary —John H. Wikle,
Vice President— -Elisha Thayer
Treasurer —Peter W. French.
NO. 4.