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About The Butts County progress. (Jackson, Ga.) 18??-1915 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 24, 1909)
i VOLUME 27 BOND ISSUE BEING PLANNED FOR CONVICTS AND GOOD ROADS MANY FAVOR ESTABLISHMENT OF A CHAINGANG Plan Is To Have A Small Bond Issue To Provide For Working of Convicts—Revenue Will Keep Gang Going—Much Interest Shown. In view of the recommendation of the last grand jury that the county’s convicts be put to work on the public roads as early as possible, a bond issue to provide for the establishment of a chain gang is now being advocated and is meeting with general favor. The plan is to have a bond is sue of say $20,000, maturing in twenty or thirty years, one bond to be retired every five years, or such time as may be agreed upon. It is thought that a bond issue of twenty thousand dollars will be sufficient to get the chaingang installed, to buy all equipment, machinery and things nec.cessary and when once on its feet there is revenue enough to maintain the chaingang. The present plan of letting the county’s convicts out to another county is not very pleasiug to the mass of tax payers of Butts coun ty. Perhaps the largest item of expense in the county in the su perior court costs. At least two weeks in the year are spent in convicting criminals who are sent away from home to build up the highways in another county. It is an expensive process. Then, too, it is pointed out by those who favor a bond issue, Butts county’s roads are suffer ing, because the convicts are not being worked on them. Every one to whom the matter lias been mentioned has given it his endorsement. . Farmers, county commissioners, business men, professional men and all classes favor the bond issue. If there were any better plan than a bond issue to . get the chaingang started that would meet with just as {hearty.approv al, it is said by those favoring: convicts and good , roads. " It is hoped to have a chaingang in Butts county, by. the first of ; .January. This cannot be done unless more revenue is provided in some way. Tire only way to get more revenue is to vote bonus. ° Once the convicts are put to work on the public roads and when the reduced cost of convict labor over free labor in seen, and the beneficial effects upon the roads are shown, it is believed -hit the people of Butts county will always want a chaingang. ' if you favor bonds let it be kl r°f you want to see good roads in Butts county at much less cost than the work being done now, 1, n, word for bonds. SP to case an election is held for bonds it wM probably be within th MavSs.°a Ham, one of the S in favor of the proposed * u , t c , ne He said: bo "r am heartily in favor of a ii bond issue to equip a chain get it started. Then I that the income is to maintain a gang. Our public roads demand atten tion. We are suffering on ac count of the condition of the roads in Butts county. It seems to me that Butts county ought to keep her convicts at home and use them on her roads instead of letting them out to another county. The tax payers have to bear the expense of convicting our criminals and they should get some returns in the way of improved and modern highways. ’ ’ ‘ ‘lt is the very thing we need, ’ ’ said Mr. George R. Ridgeway, ex-treasurer of Butts county and an earnest advocate of good roads in speaking about the matter. Continuing he said: “We need good roads in our county and leading towards our towns in stead of leading towards towns in another county. I certainly hope that we will be able to put the chaingang system into effect on the first of January. There is no way, so far as I know, to work our convicts than by a bond issue.” mrs. L. and. mckinley DIED LAST THURSDAY After a lingering illness and longterm of-ill.health Mrs. L. D. McKinley, one of the most promi nent women in Butts county, died at her home near Jackson last Thursday afternoon .at five o’clock. Her death was due to' dropsy and a complication of diseases.,.'??. .... Before her marriage Mrs. Mc- Kinley, was Miss Sallie Moss,, be ing the daughter of-Mr. and Mrs. W. M. Moss bf Cork. She is sur vived by her husband, - Mr. L. D. McKinley, her father, Mr. W.- M. Moss, one sister, Miss Lou Moss,, four orothers, Messrs Marion, Jim, Henry and Jess Moss, all of Butts county; -;: .. • Mrs. McKinley, who. was 40 years of age, was. a native of Butts county where she was known and admired by a large circle of friends. N The funeral took place at San dy Creek Friday afternoon at 3 o’clock, the services being con ducted by the Rev. Mr. Goodrum of Flovilla. The bereaved fam ily have the sympathy of a host of friends in their sorrow. LADIES OF M. E. CHURCH TO SEW FOR ORPHANS The ladies of the Methodist church will observe next Tues day as work day for the Decatur Orphanage, when they will sew at the armory. The occasion is held under the auspices of the Home Missionary Society. The ladies of the Methodist church and other friends are invited to attend and take part in the exer cises. JACKSON, GEORGIA, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 1909. CITY RRICES PAID FOR COUNTRY LANDS STARK REAL ESTATE ON A BOOM Several Changes In Real Estate At Stark Took Place Last Week—-Land Brings High Price. City prices for country lands. That was what took place at Stark last week when real estate sold for one hundred dollars per acre. Maybe that is not going some. It proves that Butts county lands are the highest priced in the state. That within itself spells a great deal. Among the deals announced are the following. For SIOO.OO per r ere Mr. G. W. Wyatt of Stark bought 19 acres from Mr. J. C. Jones of Jackson. Miss Mary Ann Reeves sold 6 acres to Messrs J. 11. and C. N. McClure for SIOO.OO per acre. Mr. J. H. Duke sold about 26 acres to Mr. J. W. Benson for $45.00 per acre. Mr. John McClure sold 88 acres to Mr. O’Neal for $50.00 per acre. All of this land is well situated being.in and near Stark, and in one of the best farming sections of the county. The land is in a state of high cultivation. This is a record that will stand until it is broken, which will doubtless not be long at the way Butts county lands are going. • There is no county in the state in the same class with Butts when it comes to the value of farm lands. WORK ON INTERURBAN LINE BEGINS SOON _• <■ i, \ Within the next week develop ments in the interurlmn railway movement promise ‘ many good things for the scores of business men here and throughout the Central and southern portion of £he state who have been eager to' gather assurances that the line's will soon be in operation. Those' who are closely’ associated in the business enterprises state that by October 1 announcements from the general offices in Macon will be made that will be received with a great deal of satisfaction. This will probably mean that the union of interests between the local street railway company, the interurban lines-and the Cen tral Georgia Power Company is so well planned that only the business formality of passing the boards of directors and the stock holders in each company will be the only remaining duty to be accomplished. President Massee, of all three of the big corporations, is hack at his home in Macon after a long trip that has required much labor. Activity is promised. Of ficials have nothing to announce until the enterprise is ready for a general move forward, but the assurance of the interurban lines becomes more and more a reality. The Ix)yal Temperance Legion will meet next Sunday afternoon at four o’clock at the Methodist church. STOCK WILL BE SOLD FOR TROLLEY LINE TO JACKSON AND GRIFFIN CAPT. W. F. SMITH WRITES OF ELECTRIC LINE Jackson People Can Secure Preferred Stock If They Desire It—What Northern Capitalists Think Of The Movement —Work Will Be Taken Up Again Soon And Line Graded To Jackson. Atlanta, Ga., Sept. 15, 09. Editor Progress. I saw a short item in an Atlanta paper from Jackson saying the grading on the trolley line had stopped on account of my being in Atlanta for treatment. This is true only in part. My son could go on with the grading but I am in a dilemma. I had an agreement with par ties who promised to furnish the money to build the track to Jackson provided I would get the right-of-way and furnish the money to make the road bed. I was working under that agreement up to the camp meet ing when it developed that Jack son did not take any stock in the college. Then my friends said “You had better hold up on our part of that,” claiming that as large a town as Jackson that wouldn’t put one dollar in a col lege to be built that near them, and on the proposed line wouldn’t patronize the line after it was built. In the meantime our friends from the north had sent a com petent representative to look over our proposition, see our country, our people, our franchises, our towns and cities. He was highly pleased . with what he saw,- went back and made a favorable report. . His company made us a defin ite proposition, to come down and make a Contract, to furnish all the money needed to complete and equip-' the ..line to Griffin, MonticellofdnH Social Circle. I have written them of my, dil lemma since their man was here. I have a,letter in reply, before me, dated. September Bth from which I .quote. “You know Mr. ( Smith* that you could; not get a bank or trust company to loan you a thous and dollar?,,on a piece of proper ty worth only one thousand dol lars. *, . ■ t l -• * ' ‘ ‘They would perhaps loan you seven hundred or seven hundred and fifty. “If you could sell enough stock to build your line to Jackson and put it in operation, you would then have sufficient equity, on which to base a bond issue, and you would have no trouble in placing it. “In conclusion we will say to you that we see no reason why your proposition should not be carried through to a successful conclusion. When you get your affairs in proper shape and your company properly organized, we are willing to go down and make a contract with you upon the basis named in a previous letter. ” At a meeting held in Atlanta last Saturday of those who own the franchises, road-bed etc., the situation was fully explained and the details carefully gone into. At that meeting it was decided to offer for sale a sufficient amount of stock to build the track to Jackson. I will carry out my part bf the agreement to grade it to Jackson. I have had severel friends in Jackson and other places ask me if we would sell some stock, but until now I couldn’t give a defin ite answer. I can say to those who would consider buying stock, that this would be made preferred stock if they wish it. Now Mr. Editor, I have stated the situation as briefly as I can, and in your next issue I want to tell the people of Jackson and Butts county the whys and wherefores of the college propo sision, and why it had such far reaching results. There has been a great misun derstanding of the proposition as it was, and I want to make it as plain as I can to the people, so that they may understand the position I took in the matter. Hoping that we all may have health and prosperity, I remain as ever your faithful servant, W. F. Smith. LYCEUM LADIES CAP TURE JACKSON HEARTS If the remaining numbers of the lyceum course are as good as the first attraction the course is sure to be the best in the memory of the city. To the Christine Ciles Concert Company was given the honor of opening the season and the hon or was well bestowed and highly deserved. The company is com posed of artists whe excel in their work. The entertainment was one the best ever seen in this city and each number was the signal for liberal applause. The audience made up in enthusiasm what it lacked in numbers. The work of Mrs. Ralph Bing ham, who will retain her maiden name of Miss Christine Giles dur ing this season, was highly pleas ing and she acquitted herself in a most complimentary manner. Asa vioilnist and sweet singer Mrs. Bingham occupies a unique place in the lyceum world. Miss Marie Adams won the au dience by her reading and clever work at the piano. Her versa tility, like that of Mrs. Bingham, is artistic and pleasing. Miss Louise Giles as celliste-pi aniste came in for several rounds of’applause and her work proved her to be a valuable member of this clever company. The second attraction of the season will be the Robley Male Quartette on October 15. Mr. J. M. Holifield and family have moved from Mcßae to Jack son, and occupy Mr. T. J. Giles residence on Indian Spring street. NUMBER 39
