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THE AME1UCUS DAILY TIMES-RECORDER: SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 2», 1891.
COL. SAM HAWKINS.
A HISTORY OF A SUCCESSFUL LIFE
THAT READS
Uka a Bstatasa-BIs Ufa Identified with
a Great Railroad Entarprlta-Enamr,
I Judgement aad Datarmlnatlon Are Wla-
nlnr Card.—A Para from Rlitory.
To-day the flnt train will pant over
the Savannah, Americas <t Montgomery
railroad from Americas to Montgomery.
* This event marks an .important era in
the history of Amerieus. Seven years
ago Americas, though at that time a
city of considerable commercial impor
tance, was really only a way station on
the Southwestern division of the Central
system of Georgia. It was not even
given “a habitation and a name" on the
ap of the Georgia Central, being known
in the freight business of that company
as “No. 0" on Southwestern division.
At that time the commercial prospects
of Amerieus were dark indeed. The
Central had already aided in building a
road from Buena Vista to Andertonville,
a station on their line ten miles north of
Amerieus. A charter had been obtained
and company formed to build a road
from Preston to Smitbvllle, ten miles
south.
Appreciating the gravity of the situa
tion; seeing that Americas was In a fair
way to be “bottled up," deprived of her
legitimate trade, which she had held by
her peculiarly favorable geographical
sltuatlomln spite of the burden of local
freight rates upon all her. commercial
business, a few of our leading business
men held a conference to devise ways
and .means to avert the impending
trouble.
A committee waa appointed to gp to
•Savannah and see If permission could be
obtained from the management of the
Central road to divert the terminus of
the Preston A Smithvllle road from
SmlthviUe to Amerlous. Col. Hawkins
was one of this committee. This wai
his first appearance upon Georgia's rail
road chess-board.
The result of this committeo’s visit to
Savannah was the reference of the ter
minal question to the local directors of
the Preston A SmlthviUe road, with
authority to act. Through the influence
and active exertions of Col. Hawkins,
Judge D. B. Harrell and the other Pres
ton directors consented for the road to
oomo to Amerlous. In conformity there
to the Amerieus, Preston 'A Lumpkin
railroad waa chartered in 1884.
git grew In Importance and waa ex-
tended eastward and westward, had Its
nanlh changed to suit the changed con
ditions, till now it extends from Lyons
to Montgomery, 200 miles, and is one of
the moat Important east and west rail
road lines of the South. The history of
this enterprise la thus briefly told
Chartered June 1884 to build from
Americas to Lumpkin, a distance of
thirty-eight miles; road opened to busi
ness Amerieus to Lnmpkln March 1886;
road extended and opened to business to
Lours!e, ten miles west of Lqmpkin,
April 1887; charter amended and author-
Ity granted to extend road to Abbeville,
In Wilcox county, October 1886, and
work commenced thereon November
1886; road opened to business to Abbe
ville, sixty one miles east of Amerlous,
In November 1887; charter amended in
September 1887, granting authority to
operate boat lines in connection with
road, and also to extend to Savannah;
five substantial boqte built and put In
successful operation in 1888, which con
nect the railroad with the ports of both
Brunswick and 8avannah; December 1888
charter amended by act of the Legisla
ture of Georgia, changing the name from
"The Amerieus, Preston and Lumpkin
Railroad Company” to “The Savannah,
Amerlous and Montgomery Ballway”
and authorising the directors to apply to
the Legislature of Alabama for a char
ter to extend this road from a point on
the Cbattnhooohee River, In the county
of Bussell, to Montgomery, which ebsr-
' ter having been applied for waa granted
by the Legislature of Alabama In Feb
ruary 1880.
Who has been the oontrollng power in
shaping and carrying to fruition these
grand results. Our whole people with
one voice would answer & H. Hawkins.
His masterful financial genius has led
our people from the Egypt of commer
cial bondage to their present independ
ent position in the financial world. To
detail fu)ly how and by what meana be
accomplished these grand results would
be too tedious to publish. But a few
tacts will serve to prove the truth of the
When the Uttle narrow gauge road bad
been built front Amerlous to Preston
tiiely by local money, and graded to
Lumpkin, an effort was made to sell
some bonds to obtain funds to oomplete
the road. Northern capitalists, who had
been applied to, wrote to certain finan
cial firms in Amerieus to know some
thing of the basis of security of the bonds
offered. The answer was returned: “It
is a Uttle road that begins nowhere and
ends nowhere.” This, of oonrse, de
feated the sale of ths bonds. Something
must be done to obtain money or ma
terial to continue the work or ths. im
portant enterprise would prove a failure.
Colonel Hawkins was president of the
company. He called a meeting of the
directors. Several propositions to raise
the necessary funds were discussed and
abandoned. The board adjourned dis
heartened. Colonel Hawkins did not
know the word—Faili.In the vocabulary
of his youth which fate h
for a successful manhood there was no
such word as—Fail!
As President of the Bank of Americas
He had personal credit in the commercial
world. This he used. Alone be con
tinued the work, pushed forward the
enterprise until he was able to engage
the attention of capitalists and effect the
sale of bis bonds.
The final grand result we record the
completion of the “Sam" road to Mont
gomery, to named by common consent
in noble recognition of Sam Hawkins'
services to bis city and bit section.
Probably we should not have written
“final result,” for we feel safe in assert
ing, though not authorized to do to, that
the work will speedily' he pushed for
ward from Lyons to Savannah, a gap of
only sixty miles. Surely no road in the
south can show such grand results en
tirely from local effort.
The road thus far has been built, is
owned and successfully managed by
home people and borne capital. Not
dollar of stock was subscribed away
from tlio road's line of progress. Not a
share of stock is owned outside of the
state of Georgia, and the original stock
of the company It worth par.
Surely no other railroad in the South,
probably no other road in the United
States can make such a showing.
The average capitalized account of
dividend paying roads In Georgia ranges
from (35,000 to (55,060 per mile, while
that of the S. A. M. railway does not ex
ceed $14,000 per mile
These results are directly due to the
superior financial ability and able man
agement of S. H. Hawkins. He has had
able assistants in Col. H. C. Bagley, P.
C. Clegg, J. W. Sheffield, his son, W. E.
Hawkipt and others, but each and all
recognize and place Implicit trust in the
unerring financial judgment of Col.
Hawkins.
A glance at the map will show that
the “Sam" road is built on 32nd parallel
of latitude, where Hon. A. H. Stephens
many years ago predicted would be built
a great through line east and west
across the American continent.
The publio would probably like to
know something of the history of the
man who has accomplished these won
derful financial results from such small
beginnlpg.
* Who is Sam Hawkins? We will try
to answer.
He Is 55 years old, was born in Jones
oounty. His father, Ezekial Hawkins,
moved to this oounty and' settled near
the Plains of Dura, now a station on
Sam road when Sam waa only two years
old. Ezekial Hawkins was a plain
fanner, frugal in life, honest In all finan
cial dealings.
Sam grew up between the plow han
dles, attended the schools of the neigh
borhood in the fall after “crop time.'
At 16 years of age, we find him going to
school to Dr. Bansou at Magnolia
Springs, near his father’s home. Here
occurred one of the first publio exhibi
tions of one of his. leading. character
istics, perseverance under difficulties.
He was one of the speakers at the
commencement exercises, a fair repre
sentative of an overgrown oountry boy.
He spoke Patrick Henry's oration. When
he readied the well known sentence,
'They tell us we are weak!” he lost his
me.
Three separate times be asserted—
They tell us we are weak!" and as often
was commanded by Dr. Bansom to “sit
down.” But Sam would not sit down;
like the boy on the burning deck, he
stoodJiis ground. Finally, as if by In
spiration, he continued, “Butwben shall
we be stronger?" passed safely over the
grade, and finished his speech and
received thq plaudits of the assemblage
Leaving Dr. Bansom’s school, he fin
ished his eduoation by a six months’
term at Mars Hill academy in Stewart
county, a school taught by a well known
teacher of that day by the name of
Grubbs.
At Mars Hill, as a school mate, he met
Miss Cordelia Mathews, whom he, some
years after, wooed and won. She is
now his devoted wife, and mother of his
eight oblldren. In this selection he
ly one of
1 She
William
ooanty,
Either#
In 1855.
location
mn try-
lad (van
her con-
He sent
went by
benoeto
it Mont-
ik at the
bis boat
ble that
1 faclli-
line his
acted'
“gone,
d, when
ake no
t.tosae
-oonneo-
;tom bo
le river
i, stand
ing upon Canal sweet viewing with won-
of the
Betook
mer for
vor, at
a slum-
upon the deck, the steamer struck a log,
the rebound rmwittled some oi ths veto
eel's foretimbers—they fell, and killed
one man, the bead of a large family,
movtng to Jexas. Our Sam, whom we
assert Is not the hero of the book “Sam
Simple," written by a former resident
of Amerieus, was knocked senseless, but
recovered without serious hurt. He
traveled over a great part of Texas, re
turned home, told his father that Texas
was a good land for young men to go,
but an old man with family had better
abide upon the “old homestead." Sam
wanted to go to Texas; bis father would
not consent; Sam was an obedient son,
so to Georgia Is saved' one whom would
undoubtedly have proved a conspicuous
citizen of the “Lone Star State.” Sam
came to Amerieus, read law. The war
came, Sam went Was he true to the
cause? Let us see. In the retreat from
Missionary Ridge, the cavalry company
In which he was lieutenant, was rear
guard, his friend, Moses McUarrab, was
killed, shot through th» bead. They
camped for the night, with this dead
friend between the linen. Lieutenant
Hawkins wanted to recover his body,
that It might be sent home. He went
through the company in searoh of two—
of one—who would join him in risking
their lives to recover the body of bis
friend. There was not one with suffi
cient temerity to join him—he could not
go alone.
At the eud oA the war he was with
Johnson In North Carolina. There was
distributed to each soldier upon the sur
render of General Johnson's army $1.17
in silver. Three dollars and fifty cents
was given to Lieutenant Hawkins and
two comrades. They could not change
the fifty cents so they out “the high
card" for the half dollar. Lieutenant
Sam cut the ace and got the half dollar,
the only time in .bis life that he ever
staked a cent upon a game of chance.
He still has that $1 50, a souvenir of the
war. In this connection I will state that
only a short while ago one of my old
schoolmates oalled at my office to see
me. He has lived all his life in thirty-
five miles of Americas and is now a
grandfather.
In speaking of the war he said: “What
has become of Sam Hawkins? 'He was
lieutenant in my company. Wasn’t he
from Sumter county?" Only one other
ease of such blissful Ignorance Is on rec
ord.
Daniel Webster after he had reached
the United States senate and acquired
fame that extended beyond the borders
of his county visited the homestead of
his youth np in New Hampshire.
Ae he neared the hallowed spot of his
childhood he met an old man in* the
road and questioned him about the
Webster family. What had become of
the old man,-where was this boy and
that? The old man was dead, told what
be knew of this boy and that, but would
say nothing of Daniel. Finally the dis
tinguished statesman said: “There was
a boy named Daniel, what beoome of
him?” *The old man scratched his bead,
then said: “I don’t know, the last I
beard of him he went down to Boston,
aad waa trying to make a lawyer."
Sam came home from the war, prac
ticed law, went into the banking bual-
k* Has been successful in all finan
cial ventures, 1s a consistent Christian,
amembor of the Baptist oburoh. In
fact he Is “every inch a man.”
W. P. Bubt.
A BIG ENTERPRISE.
THE AMERIOUS GROCERY COMPA
NY'S Vast business.
A Corporation of Power aad Importance.
Which Is a Pride to the City and to the
State- 4 Glimpse of Its Mammoth Store
house.
We can’t begin to tell you of all the
beautiful things we have that are suit
able for Christmas presents. Call and
see them for yourselves.
James Fbickzb a Bbo.
Notion to the Baptist Sunday-School.
Mr. M. Callaway, superintendent, de
sires us to give notice that the Baptist
Sunday-school will not meet this morn
ing. Teachers and soholars are request
ed to call on Dr. J. J. Ford to-morrow
at the drug store and get the lesson
papers for next Sunday.
i Borneo the monkeys are caui
considerable sxoitement by pillaging the
houses of the inhabitants; but the bavoo
is not so extensive as that made by colds
and consumption before Dr. Bull's
Cough Syrup was Introduced, whioh is
now the great life-saving remedy.
It you have found someone who knows
how to scratch your back Just where it
itches you have come pretty near finding
your affinity.
Got the Mittoa Every Tim*.
“I can marry any girl I please," was
his sxclamation, but unfortunately then
he did not please any: and there was a
plain reason for it He bad contracted
catarrh of the worst form, aad, although
a wealthy, edueated, attractive person
every other way, be was positively re
pulsive to his lady friends, a number of
whom rejeeted his offers of marriage.
A friend advised him to use Dr. Sage's
Catarrh Remedy. He took his advice,
aad now is the most popular beau In
town, and ha really can “many any girl
he pleases” to ask. It mads his breath
pure and sweat, he has no hsadache, no
offensive discharges from the noee, In
short, Is In perfect health, and all from
using a jew bottles of Dr. Sage’s Catarrh
Remedy.
We have more novelties this season
than aver before. We invite everybody
to look them over.
James PnicKEn A Bbo.
Wood! Weed It
Chambliss Bros.will deliver wood any
where in-the city, oak and pine, out any
length desired. Orders left at their
linnery, near Central depot, or at Davis
ires.’ furniture house will receive
prompt attention. Satisfaction guaran
teed. novl2-sun-tuesAfri-lm.
It you want your house painted with
I aint that is guaranteed to be more
durable aad more economical than other
paints, buy I* A M. paints, sold by
Da, Eldbiuoe
Sixty thousand square feet of floor
room! and even that hardly adequate to
the demands made upon Its capacity by
the enormous stock of goods constantly
carried by the Amerieus Grocery Com
pany at Its warehouse near the
A. P. A L compress; and the
piles upon piles of valuable goods
stacked to many feet In height impress
the observer with the feeling that he
must have reached the storehouse of
some feudal chieftain who has gathered
for his thousands of followers provender
to sustain during a long and bloody war.
And yet tbls great stock, if unreplen-
ished by fresh invoices, would, so great
Is the trade the company commands,
soon melt Into nothingness.
Covering a large territory and counting
among its regular customers many of
the firmest and most extensive business
bouses In the state of Georgia, there
must be constant arrival of additions to
the stock to supply the ever-increasing
demand for the unimpeachable class of
goods which tbls firm handles.
Standing upon Its sidetracks are sel
dom less than ten can, some being un
loaded Into the warehouse and others
loading for shipment to surrounding
towns and cities.
So it goes on continually, goods ar-
reiving and goods departing, the estab
lishment forming the distributing point
for heavy groceries, which afford suste
nance to hundreds of families through
out Southwest Georgia.
The consolidation of both branches of
the business at its railroad warehouse is
one of important significance to its custo
mers, the $000 which was before ex
pended in drayage monthly being now
saved to the buyers.
To see the meat one would imagine
the quantity displayed sufficient to pre
vent for years any scarcity, and yet in
only a few days it is completely ex
hausted. It would be unsafe to state
how many thousands of feet of lumber
are used In making boxes for its trans
portation, at which work several men
are always kept busy.
Everything is bought in oarload lots.
Just think of a carload of matches and
make an approximate estimate of the
number of single ones there are In this
quantity. Flour by carloads, meat by
train loads, corn, oats, sugar, coffee,
molasses, canned goods, tobsoco, cigars,
ties, bagging and everything In the same
line in like quantities. It is no unusal
thing for this concern to pay a draft of
from $15,000 to $25,000 for a single in
voice.
Their sample room holds more than
many another grocery store, and In It the
reporter saw In one lot 40,000 cigars.
The offices are in the northeast corner
of the building, and are most comforta
bly and conveniently arranged, ample
light, well heated and carpeted, and
within easy observation of the outer
warehouse.
The house Itself is full Iron-clad, and
with two hydrant fire' hose within the
building a conflagration can be easily
and quickly controlled.
Without the most complete and
smoothly working system, suoh a busi
ness could not be successfully bandied,
and this system, both in the executive
and clerical departments and in the
smallest of minor details, is fully and
methodically carried out Besides the
hca*ds ot the firm, Messrs. G. W. G'.over,
president; Fraqjc Lanier, Jr., vice pres.;
R. L. MoMatb, Secretary and Treasurer;
there are in the office, Messrs. Will
Mauk, stenographer; W. C. Sullivan and
Roy Balsden, shipping clerks.
Eaoh of these gentlemen has shown
himself thoroughly familiar with and
fully competent to discharge bis partic
ular duties, and their mutual oo-opera
tion In working for the good of the firm,
when coupled with the unusual directing
ability of Ita heads, has gained for the
Amerieus Grooery Company a reputation
for reliability and business integrity
second to none in tbs South.
That such an institution exists In our
midst is a pride to the city of Amerieus,
and goes to demonstrate the undeniable
fact that business, pluck, energy and
uprightness may accomplish a great deal
In these days of commercial competition
and rivalry. And the steady and rapid
extension of the influence of the Ameri
eus Grocery Company is erecting for tbs
men who oompoee it and direct Its af
fairs, a monument to the enterprise and
progress of themselves and the city,
which will be enduring and unshaken.
To just such solid Institutions is owing
most of the prosperity whioh the (city
now enjoys.
The Amerieus Grocery Company is
only eighteen months old, and slnoe Its
organ!cation its growth and progress
has been remarkable. Already having
attained commercial proportions seoond
to none In msgnltude arte credit in the
Amerieus Grocery Company, uaderthair
management, Is In the hands of men. who
doeth all things well. They are busi
ness all the way through wh*n the occa
sion demands; yet they do not allow
themselves to become so absorbed in the
management of their Interests as to for
get sociability and companionship, but
enjoying life, they individually form the
happy combination which avoids ex
tremes and compels the liking and re
spect of those with whom they are
thrown in eommerciaT intercourse.
The interest of the Grocery Company,
like that of other large business enter
prises In Americas, is identified with the
interest of Americas, as the firm are
purely of and with the city In all its im
provements and progress. Ever liberal
in aught that will redound to the com
munity’s welfare.
Isn’t it about time to look about for
Christmas presents? Call and see what
an elegant line we have.
James Fbickeb A Bbo.
OBDEB or COURT.
Court will Coutlaae la Session Until the
Docket Is Cleaned.
On Monday, the 20th Inst, civil busi
ness will be attended to in the superior
court, continuing the entire week until
Monday, the 6tb, when the criminal
docket will be opened up. This docket
is a heavy one, and Judge Fish has as
signed two weeks to clearing it up.
Three murderers will be tried and al
most every other crime in the calendar
will be represented. The court will
then take a recess of two weeks during
the Xmas holidays, oonvening again on
the first Monday in January, when the
civil docket will again be opened con
tinuing until it Is cleared.
Judge Fish will move his family to
Amerlous this week,-where he resides In
the future.
Did I understand you to say that
could get single and split zephyr, Ger
mantown and Saxony wool at Allen’s?
Why, of course; any shade you like?
No Baptist Meeting To-dajr.
The Baptists will not have ohnrch ser
vices to-day. The city hall has not yet
been cleared of the booths, furniture
and other appurtenances of the Military
fair.
Mr. William T. Price, a Justice of the
Peace, at Bichland, Nebraska, was con
fined to bis bed last winter with a
rare attack of lumbago; but a thorough
application of Chamberlain’s Pain Balm
enabled him to get up and goto work.
Mr. Price says: “The Remedy cannot
be recommended too highly.” Let any
one troubled with rheumatism, neural
gia or lame back give it a trial and they
will be of the same opinion. 50 cent
bottles for sale by W. C. Russell, Ameri
eus, Ga. novl-lm.
Tuesday night In the Odd Fellows’
hall, the new Lodge of the Golden Chain
will be instituted. Let all be present at
7 o’clock.
(4
MOTHERS’
IEND”
To Young
Mothers
Makes Child BMh Easy.
Shortens L&bor,
Lessens Pain,
Endorsed by the Leading Physician*
Rook «• •‘Xotkero”maUed FREE.
BRADFIELD REGULATOR OO.
For sale by J. B. DUNN, Amerieus,
DOMESTIC • COAL I
For Silo this Season.
I shall be p re pal red to furnish a Ugh
grade Lump Coal for Grate purposes, in
any quantity this fall and winter.
b. R. SIMS.
Sept. 8, tf
Registration Notice.
The excellent business capacity of the
company’s president, G. W. Glover, and
vioa-president Frank Lanier, Jr., has
gone far towards making the present
aoooess. These gentlemen have devoted
years to the grocery business aad every
detail is familiar to them.
They have eoeoeeded in all their pri
vate and publio enterprises, 'aad the
™ optMfl Ilonas j. November 2nd, sna will
be kept open as ths law regains unlU Hat-
unity, December Utb, lSui, when they will
be dually closed. Hour* for recUtralton are
from S o’clock a. m. to U m. aad from 1
o’clock to0p.m. D. K. Brinson,
„„ . Clerk and Treasurer
Nov O.lltl. till dee UL
Lime, Cement Brick,
Plaster Paris, Hair, Laths.
For aale tor cash by
A. J. H A M I L ,
IB ^OoWon ^avenue. New Bam BaUdlsg
A Great Oiomity!
f N consequence of my con
templated removal to the
two large and elegant stores
recently vacated by the Bee
hive and Amerieus Grocery
Company, I will, during the
coming week and until remov
al, make an
in the prices of all goods.
Now is the time to buy your
suits, either for Men, Youths
or Children, as we will show
you prices never before seen
in Amerieus. Our great sale of
now in progress, and we
hope to close out the entire
stock by January ist, if low
prices on good goods consti
tute any attraction.
We have had an immense
trade the past week in Over
coats, but in consequence df
new arrivals in this deparment,
we are still prepared to offer
you a stock that cannot be
equaled in variety, and at
prices that you will be sure to
find agreeable to the times.
We have some special at
tractions in
We want to close out a big
lot’of these before removal,and
will offer at prices that will be
sure to move them rapidly.
Bring on the boys and fix
them up. It is predicted that
we are to have an unusually
severe winter, so I give you
good advice: Take care of the
boys’ comfort and save big
doctor's bills. “An ounce of
prevention is worth about a
ton of cure.
Remember we are closing
out several lines of
and will give you prices never
before seen in Amerieus.
The above notice on all bus
iness and no buncombe. Give
me a call and you will be con
vinced.
Thanking you for your very
liberal patronage during the
Pall and Winter season, and
soliciting a continuance of the
of the same, I am, as ever,
iMoa Me;.
