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One of Georgia’s Best Ag
ricultural Sections Dr.
Crawford W. Long First
Used Ether Aneasthcsia
in Jefferson
(By Ilarllec Branch, in Atlanta
Journal)
Jefferson, Ga., July 3.—Jackson
county, which is one of the best
agricultural counties in the state, is
peopled by a contented and God
fearing citizenry who are giving due
regard to things spiritual, things ed
ucational, things moral and things
cultural.
One does not find the unrest in
Jackson that is encountered in some
other counties. Here the people are
proud of their county. They rejoice ;
in its past and have an abundant
faith in its future. And a spirit of
helpful friendship prevails among all
the people. Old-time southern hos- 4
pitality is the rule in Jackson and '
the people really take a keen plea
sure in entertaining strangers.
This has been manifested in many |
ways and upon many occasions, but
no more so than at the recent bar
becue given by the people of Com
merce to the large party which made
up the motorcade from Anderson to
Atlanta over the Stone Mountain
highway and the entertainments giv
en by the same city to the three big
motorcades which traveled over the
Atlanta Journal-New York Herald
national highway a few years ago.
Dr. Crawford W. Long
Here in Jefferson Dr. Crawford W.
Long discovered and first used ether
anaesthesia. All the progress of mod
ern surgery has been made possible
by Dr. Long’s discovery. It was on
March 30, 1842, that Dr. Long first
administered ether anaesthesia. He
gave it to a man patient from whose
head he removed a tumor.
This notable and history-making
operation was performed in Dr.
Long's little one-room oilice which
stood under a mammoth shade tree.
Both office and shade tree have gone
the way of all such things, but in
the center of the principal street
near the spot where the office was
located there stands a magnificent
jnonunient to Dr. Long. The monu
ment was erected in 1910 by Dr. L.
G. Hardman, a prominent physician
and philanthropist of Commerce, and
was unveiled by the Georgia Medical
association. Speakers of the occas
ion were Pleasant A. Stovall, editor
of the Savannah Press and former
niinister to Switzerland, and Dr.
Woods Hutchinson, noted physician
and writer.
Firtt Girls’ School
The first school for girls in Geor
gia is said to have been the "Female
Academy of Harmony Grove," which
was chartered in 1824. Harmony
Grove was the name of the village
which preceded the city of Com
merce.
Perhaps the first school to be en
dowed in America was Martin’s In
stitute, at Jefferson, which was en
dowed in 1818 by William D. Mar
tin. Upon the headstone over Mr.
Martin’s grave appears this rather
„Unique but impressive epitaph:
“Remember, man, as you pass by,
As you are now, so once was 1;
As I am now, so you shall be,
Prepare for death and follow me.”
Among the pioneers of Jackson
county were the following: families:
Bankston, Easley, Smith, Clerk,
Moore, Hill, Williams, Callahan, Can
dler, Miller, Brown, Cullins, Lively,
, Strong:, Gathright, Hardman, Shan
kles, Hood, Bowden, Hancock and
Holder.
Representatives of three genera
tions of the Hancock family have
been members of the state legisiu
ture from Jackson county. John R.
Hancock, the first of these, was a
prominent farmer; his son, Hugh H.
Hancock, also was a leading farmer.
while Homer Hancock, the grand
son of John Hancock and the
of Hugh Hancock, is a banker and
a member of the present legislature.
Crop*
In 1911 Jackson county produced
84,000 bales of cotton and cami.x sec
ond among the counties of ;h ? state
in cotton growing. In 1901 this
couty stood first with approximately
47,000 bales. As late as 1918, and
after a portion of the county had
been given to Barrow county, Jack
eon produced 37,000 bales. Before
the boll weevil the county averaged
30,000 bales. After the boll wee-1
HOSPITALITY, FRIENDLINESS, PROMI
NENT CHARACTERISTICS OF
JACKSON COUNTY PEOPLE
vil the production went as low r as
9,000 bales, but last year 17,500
bales were grown and the prospects
for this year are from 20,000 to
25,000 bales.
It was in Jackson county thac the
first 100 bushels of corn to the acre
was produced in Georgia. Joe Stone
made this record in 1911. In addi
tion to cotton and corn, oats, rye,
wheat, peanuts and various other
crops are grown on Jackson county
farms.
Jackson is rapidly shifting fr'.m
the old one-crop system to a safe and
self-sustaining agriculture. Peaches,
dairy cattle, poultry, hogs and for
age crops are becoming an impor
tant supplement to cotton.
Farmers are taking an interest in
soil buildig and a big program is
under way which calls for the sow
ing of much vetch, alfalfa and clover
this fall.
Farming
Jackson county lies almost wholly
within the Piedmont plateau. The
typography is that of a gently roll
|ing to undulating plain. Eighty-five
to ninety per cent of the land is un
der cultivation, of which about GO
| per cent is classified as improved
! land. The farms are small, avera
ging about fifty-five acres.
Most of the farmers are white,
above the average in intelligence,
and progressive.
Approximately 50 per cent of the
cultivated land is planted to cotton,
the remaining 50 per cent being de
voted to corn, wheat, oats, forage
crops and peaches. The small acre
age planted to apples proves that
this section is well adapted to this
fruit.
The average cotton receipts in
Commerce from wagons for the sev
enteen-year period prior to the war
was 17,500 bales. The 1924 re
ceipts were 8,000 bales. The esti
mated receipts for 1925 are 10,000
bales.
One hundred and eighty-seven
cars of the finest quality peaches
wefte shipped from Commerce to
northern markets in 1924. The peach
cfop this year is equally as large.
Twenty-five thousand dollars’
worth of milk, crepm and butter will,
it is said, be shipped from Commerce
in 1925. The dairy industry is
growing by leaps and bounds.
Two car lot shipments of poultry
have already been made from Com
merce this spring, and the express
and truck shipments have amounted
to several cars more. A commercial
hatchery of 16,000 egg capacity has
recently been installed in Commerce.
Pure bred flocks are rapidly replac
ing scrub flocks.
A car lot shipment of poultry was
also made from Jefferson, and also
a car shipment from Talmo, this
spring. f
J. B. Hardman, of Commerce, is
the owner of one of the best pure
bred herds of Jerseys in the south.
Several cows with official records of
over 700 pounds of butter in. one
year are included in this herd. There
are four other good grade herds in
the community. Dr. L. G. Hardman,
also of Commerce, has under devel
opment an excellent foundation herd
of Guernseys. ,
C. J. Hardman, of Commerce, owns
a herd of Berkshire hogs that have
won in competition with some of
the best herds in the whole country.
There are about a quarter million
peach trees in Jackson county, most
of which are of the Hiley Belle, El
berta and Georgia Belle varieties.
Dr. L. G. Hardman, of Commerce,
has 17,000 bearing trees and will
have 27,000 bearing trees next year.
Last year he shipped 42 cars of
peaches. The W. B. Hardman or
chards. of Commerce, have 20,000
J bearing trees and have shipped as
many as 50 cars a season. C, J.
Hood has 50,000 bearing trees nnd
has shipped 1,250 cars in a single
| season.
The famous Shockley apple was
originated in Jackson coun'y on the
South Oconee river.
Jackson has no county agricultural
agent, but instead has three voca
tional agriculture teachers, one in
each of the high schools at Com
merce, Jefferson and Braselton.
These teachers also advise and assist
the farmers in their several commun
ities.
The county has two home demon
stration agents. Reha Adams
looks :i£*er the work among the
white families, while Mrs. Rosa
Love is in charge of the work among
the colored people.
History
Jackson county was created Feb
ruary 1, 1796, from Franklin coun-^
ty, and was named for Governor
James Jackson, Revolutionary pa
triot, who resigned,his seat in the
United States senate to return to
Georgia and fight the Cazoo fraud.
The population of the codnty is 25,-
000 and A. L. DeLaperriere, of’
Hoschton, is chairman of the board
of county commissioners.
Jefferson, the county seat, was in
corporated in 1806, and was named
for President Thomas Jefferson, the
“Sage of Monticello.” It has a pop
ulation of 2,000 and W. H. Epps is
the mayor.
Through a contract with the state
highway department, Jefferson will
this year* have nearly a mile of street
paving, which will cost $20,000. This
paving will be through the center of
the city and on one of the principal
highways. The city has two miles
of paved sidewalks, and it obtains its
electric lights and power supply from
the Athens Railway and Electric
Company.
The city’s water supply comes from
a clear water creek that flows
through the city. From the creek
the water goes to a large reservoir
and from there into a clear water
basin, thence through the filters and
is then pumped into a big stand pipe.
Jefferson has a system of sanitary
sewers and a volunteer fire depart
ment with motorized equipment.
The county court house, which
stands on a high hill and is surroun
ded by beautiful shade trees, is a
very attractive building estimated to
be worth SIOO,OOO. .
Health conditions are excellent.
The city not only has pure water and
a good sewerage system, but it is
well drained and has a number of
health and sanitary regulations. Dr.
J. H. Campbell is the city health of
ficer.
1 Industrie*
Among the industries here are a
cotton mill, gins, grist mills, a flour
mill, a cement plant, three cotton
warehouses, all equipped with auto
matic sprinklers, and two of which
are bonded. The storage ca
pacity of these warehouses is 10,000
bales. There are 30 business houses
in Jefferson.
! The Jefferson Cotton Mills, of
which R. L. Carithers is president
| and M. M. Bryan general manager,
has 12,000 spindles and 256 looms
and manufactures twills, sheetings,
silk' brassiere cloth and automobile
side curtain cloth. It runs night and
day, has 350 operatives and con
sumes 7,000 bales of cotton a year.
W. H. Epps is the superintendent.
Postal receipts last year were $5,-
000, which was an increase of S6OO
j over 1921. Last year 5,500 money
orders were issued; 2,250 insured
parcels were mailed and 1,200 pieces
of registered mail were handled.
4 Banks
There are two banks in Jefferson—
the First National bank, which has
resources of $565,00(1 and deposits of
SI9O,OCU* and the Bank and
I rust Company with resources of
$325,000 and deposits of $160,000.
hive white churches in Jefferson
have a combined membership of 1,-
100 and church property worth $125,-
000. Anew $35,000 structure is
being erected by the Methodist
church. Business men of the city
have an evangelistic club with 30
members, of which J. C. Turner is
president.
Various forms of recreation are
enjoyed by the people of this city.
In addition to the baseball, football
and basket ball grounds on the
school campus, the Jefferson Recrea
tion club, of which Mrs. M. M. Bryan
is president, operates a large
concrete swimming pool, and nearby
are picnic grounds, a free camp site
for tourists and the camp of the club
girls of Jackson county.
Jefferson has one hotel with 30
rooms.
The city is served by the Gaines
ville Midland railroad, which runs
from Gainesville to Athens and Mon
roe, and which has two daily passen
ger trains each way. Bus lines give
service to Commerce, Winder, Law
renceville, Stone Mountain and At
lanta.
One of the best weekly newspap
ers in the state is published here—
The Jackson Herald, of which John
N. Holder is editor. Mrs. John N.
Holder, associate editor, and W. H.
W illiamsoiy business manager. This
newspaper began publication in 1875
and has been edited by Mr. Holder
for 35 years. Mr. Williamson has
*lso been connected with the paper
for 35 years.
Hurricane Shoal*
Dr. L, G. Hardman, ,of Com
merce, is constructing a hydroelec
tric development on the North Oco
nee river at Hurricane Shoals that
will generate 225 horsepower. This
development is on the Jefferson-
Maysville highway about seven miles
northeast of Jefferson. Hurricane
Shoals, known to the Indians as
Yamtrahooehee, have a most inter
esting history. About 1790 there
were a number of substantial dwell-
ing houses at the shoals as well as a
strong fort, a small grist mill, an iron
furnace and a school house. The first
school in the county was taught here
by Dr. Therraul with a maximum
number of ten pupils. Iron ore for
the furnace was taken from mines
near the present city of Commerce
and from near Dry Pond. The
smelted ore was hauled in wagons
to Augusta and other cities. In 1840
the great Hurricane flood, a; it war
called, swept away the thriving in
dustrial center.
Back in the days before the War
Between the States there was a fam
ous corn and wheat mill here known
as Merchant’s Mill, to whichh the
people from the mountains and the
surrounding country brought . their
grain to be ground. While awaiting
the grinding they camped there, and
there was constantly a good-sized
camp at the mill in which the men
and womep from various points ex
; changed news.
On a creek a few miles from Jef
ferson there was in the days before
the War Between the States a large
industry known as James McLester’s
Mill. This mill was equipped with
wool carding machines and people for
many miles around hrought, their
wool to this mill to be carded. In
connection with the mill was a wool
hat factory in which Mr. McLester
manufactured wool hats to be worn
mostly by slaves. These hats were
sold in several states to which they
were transported by wagons.
Martin Institute
Martin Institute, as the city schools
of Jefferson are known, is one of
the most celebrated schools in the
state. It was incorporated in 1818
and prior to that was the Jefierson
Academy. The school took its new
name from William Duncan Martin,
a prominent citizen, who endowed
it by-turing over to it 150 shares of
stock in the Georgia railroad.
Among the many distinguished
Georgians who received their prepa
ratory education in these schools
were Ex-Congressman W. M. How
ard, of Augusta; the late Justice Jos
eph R. Lamar, of Augusta, who was
a member of the United States su-
preme court; Dr. Joseph Jacobs,
prominent druggist and philanthro
pist, of Atlanta; Dr. H. Stiles Brad
ley, noted Congregational minister,
at Worcester, Mass., who was for
merly pastor of Trinity Methodist
church in Atlanta; M. G. Michael, a
leading merchant of Athens; Colonel
John .T. Strickland, attorney of Ath
jens; Thomas Shackelford and Frank
Shackelford, attorneys of Athens;
John N. Holder, of Jefferson, chair
man of the state highway- commis
sion; Dr. J. J. Bennett, Baptist min
ister and former secretary of the
Baptist Mission board; Rev. L. E.
Roberts, of College Park, Baptist
minister, and Miss Moina Michael, of
the State Normal school at Athens.
Martin Institute embraces the city
public schools and is also a designa
ted county high school. J. C. Turner
is president of the city board of
education, W. T. Foster is superin
tendent of schools, and O. C. Ader
hold is the vocational agricultural
teacher and principal of the high
j school.
The institute has two buildings,
one brick and the other a frame
structure. There are 350 pupils in
i the grammar grades and 150 stu
dents in the high school grades. The
high school is state accredited and
has a splendid auditorium and libra
ry. The home economics and voca
tional agricultural courses are very
popular. During the past year about
$2,500 was expended for improve
ments in the schools. There are 13
acres in the campus upon which there
are 100 pecan trees. .
School* And Road*
There are £5 white schools in the
Jackson county system, of which two
are consolidated! schools. Located
in the county are nine high schools,
four of which are accredited. The
high school at Commerce is on the
southern list, while those at Mays
ville, Jefferson and Braselton are on
the state list. Enrolled in the white
schools are 4,692 pupils. For these
there are 115 teachers. There are
19 colored schools in the county sys
tem with 1,804 pupils and 30 teach
ers.
County school property is valued
at $200,000. All high schools are
housed in commodious brick build
ings. The county board of educa
tion pays the tuition of rural pupils
in the city high schools. The school
term runs from six to nine months.
W. 11. Maely is chairman of the
county board of education and T. T.
Benton is superintendent of schools.
Jackson county has 830 miles of
public roads, of which fifty miles
have been top-soiled. The county is
now, constructing three miles of
hard-surfaced road on the Jefferson-
Athens highway. Three important
highways traverse the county—The
Atlanta Journal-New York Herald
National highway, the Stone Moun-’ 1
tair. highway and State Routes No.
45 and No. 7.
Organizations
Civic and patriotic organizations
of Jefferson with their officers, fol
low:
Jefferson Chamber of Commerce,
President, H. T. Mcbley; vice presi
dent, Homer Hancock; secretary, T.
T. Benton.
Woman’s Club of Jefferson. Pres
ident. Mrs. W. 6. Holliday; vice
president, Mrs. Kathleen Holder
Flanigan; recording secretary, Mrs.
M. M. Bryan; corresponding secre
tary, Mrs. M. L. Mobley,-Jr.; treas
urer, Mrs. J. E. Randolph; chairman
American citizenship committee,
Mrs F. M. Bailey; chairman applied
education committee, Miss Lucy
Wood; chairman fine arts commit
tee, Mrs. M. M. Bryan; chairman
publicity committee, Mrs. John N.
Holder; chairman public welfare
committee, Mrs. Ned Pendergrass;
chairman Tallulah Falls school com
mittee, Mrs. J. E. Randolph, chair
man cemetery committee, Mrs. Sam
Kelly; chairman membership com
mittee, Mrs. V. A. Niblack. The
club, which is twelve years old, has
30 members and does much civic
work. In addition, it does a great
deal for the city schools, having in
stalled playground equipment, sani
tary drinking fountains, lights, sca
les, etc.
A post of the American Legion is
being organized in Jefferson.
Jefferson chapter of the United
Daughters of the Confederacy. Pres
ident, Mrs. J. C. Bennett; vice pres
ident, Mrs. N. N. Pendergrass; re
cording secretary, Mrs. Sam Kelly;
corresponding secretary, Mrs. J. E.
Randolph; treasurer, Mrs. Clifford
Jennings. This chapter erected a
handsome monument in 1913 to the
Confederate soldiers, has marked 50
graves of veterans, takes an active
interest in all educational and patri
otic affairs and contributes to a
scholarship for a needy girl.
Another article will be devoted to
the city of Commerce and to the
noted citizens of Jackson county.
THE CARROLL COUNTY TIMES
W,ANT EXPENSES REDUCED
The Carroll County Times is of the
opinion that there should be house
cleaning everywhere. The Times'
says:
* * *
John Holder, Chairman of the State
Highway Board, following the re
port of the Auditor, has prepared a
set of resolutions or regulations for
adoption by and for government of
the State Highway Board that if
adopted by the Board will result in
a direct saving to'the state of SIOO,-
000 or more annually, t* say noth
ing of the graft, that might be elim
inated. /
, It is to be seen whether the other
two members will vote with Chair
man Holder. It is inconceivable that
they shall not do so, since it is man
ifest to all that there is much and
good reason why these regulations
should be adopted.
. Governor Walker’s efforts to re
form taxing methods in our state
would appeal with a great deal more
force to the masses if he would first
have a house cleaning and cut out
many of the useless bureaus and
commissions and cut down the heavy
burdens entailed by others on the tax
payers. Possibly there is not a de
partment or bureau 'that could not
and should not curtail expenses by
using more strict and economical
business methods.
i Georgia’s tax methods may be an
tiquated and out of date but that can
, no more be said of taxation than can
be said of honesty in handling pub
lic funds; so antiquated has that be
came that it is no longer recognizable
around the state house. This is
more essential than is more money to
be raised by new methods of taxation
hence we shall be glad to see Mr.
Holder succeed.
Should Mr. Holder succeed in his
efforts we shall almost be persuaded
to change our policy and support
some of the “fancy good roads”
movements and vote for bonds, which
otherwise, we shall not do; since
there are entirely too many leeches
fattening off the road funds now,
and if it be made larger, there will
be many more attach themselves to
the money bags.”
A TONIC
Grove’s Tasteless ‘.hill Tonic restores
Energy and Vitality bv Purifying and
Enriching the Blood. When you feel its
strengthening, invigorating effect, see how
it brings color to the cheeks and how
it improves the appetite, you will theu
appreciate its true tonic value.
Grog's Tasteless chill Tonic is simply
Iron and Quinine suspended in syrup. So
pleasant even children like it. The blood
needs QUININE to Purify it and IRON to
Enrich it. Destroys Malarial germs and
Grip germs by its Strengthening. Invigor
ating Effect 60c.
The South’s Progress
Growth of the south in the last
few years has been nothing short of
amazing. When H. H. Flagler built
the Florida East Coast Railway and
the late Henry H. Rogers built a
model railroad to the rich coal fields
of West Virginia from the seacoast,
such activities were regarded as the
fancies of multimillionaires who
could afford to indulge their senti
mental proclivities. But they were
merely anticipating, events and
events have'now caught up to their
imaginings.
Capital Coming South
1 Capital invested in cotton manu
facturing by the south now exceeds
$1,000,000,000. New England mill
owners are meeting the situation by
buying into existent southern mills
or by building additional mills be
low the line. During the last eigh
teen or twenty months it is estima
ted that approximately $1,000,000,-
000 of New England capital has gone
south. In the last five years 90 per
cent of new cotton mills have been
built in the south.
Each year has seen an increasing
stream of winter travel to th® south
land. At first it was only great
caravansaries at Palm Beach and Mi
ami which catered to the wealthy,
but the establishment of public
camping grounds all over the south
makes it possible for those of mod
erate circumstances to enjoy the
pleasures of a winter vacation.
For every private car which mi
grates southward, ten thousand fliv
vers now cross the line at the begin
ning of winter. The farmer from
Idaho, the shop-keeper from New
Hampshire, the artisan from Michi
gan, in fact, representatives from
practically every state in the union 1
can be found rubbing elbows and liv
ing in contentment at almost any
public encampment.
In many parts of the south a real
estate boom is flourishing. The dai
ly prints are full of tales of poor
and rich persons who bought a few
or many acres a year or so ago, and
who have sold them at thousands of
per cent profit. Miami is a real es
tate El Dorado, as long as the boom
lasts. Men talk in millions of build
ing operations where a few years
ago they talked in thousands.
600 Hotels Built
During 1924 the total amount of
contracts let for building operations
in the south, not including any build
ing costing less than SIO,OOO, aggr<-
gated $070,000,000, compared with
558,000,000 in 1923. Almost every
day, it seems, we read of the plan for
some mammoth hotel which will cost
$5,000,000 or more.
During 1924, more than 600 hotels
with an aggregate cost of about
$250,000,000 were built in the
south. At the -same time, the south
is building with equal rapidity, office
buildings, bank buildings, insurance
buildings, schools, churches and other
costly edifices.
In short, the south has come into
its own weary years. No more
need to moan, “Gone are the days
. . .” For while the old days have
indeed gone forever, they have been
succeeded by an effulgent day more
sunshinny than any of the past.
The present boom will subside,
eventually, as all booms must do,
but the great progress the south
has made will not be lost. With it
great, natural power resources, vast
forests, rich minerals, unusual fer*
tility, varied climate and accessibil
ity to the world’s great markets, all
the south needs to place in the fore
front of the country’s most prosper
ous sections, is additional popula
tion and added capital. And the
south is getting both!
WOULDN’T DRINK HER PRO
DUCT
In Omaha, a female bootlegger
w r as given the alternative of a fi ne
of SIOO or to drink a pint of her own
moonshine in the presence of the
court. SlJie elected to pay the fine-
She was willing to sell it to others
but knowing the potency of her own
liquor, she refused to drink it her- j
self.
In commenting on this the Omaha
Bee thinks that the incident offers a
suggestion for limiting the hooch in
dustry. More fines, or even inipri s '
onment, does not deter the hoocs
maker. Why not try the despera 18
alternative and make the illicit dis
tiller consume a quantity of his ware*]
in the presence of the court?
might not deter other foolish indi
viduals, but it certainly would put a®
automatic limit on the number of
licit distillers, for only the most Har
dy would survive the ordeal- —
vannah Press. '
Wanted, 500 pounds But*
ter each week. Bring it t®
us, old or fresh. We wi"
buy it.—Kesler & Legg-