Newspaper Page Text
RN s ¥ v &) i . s >y Rl ST '}, z
)_"!i it ,—aiv S 9 ‘..{ B 4 B -g 7""5’ ¥ 3
£37ee . o T ?
e L% &1 S ‘e 0 &Y Wh.aed B BRL \§ig
&il b X OAT GGy wlm Wl LN
Fitzgerald!
Capitol of Ben Hill county, a city so
marvelovs in civi¢ accomplishment that
its development borders closely the mag
je; ‘acily that twenty years ago was not
on the map; a city that had for its birth
right a forest of majestie pines to:sed
for untold centuries by c_ooling breezes
of ocean and gulf; a city that had neith
er gold nor cilver nor other mineral
wealth to entice the vagrant speculator
or substantial adventurer in financial af
fairs and, finally, a city different, very
different from any other city in the
southland; a city that went right down
into the heart of Mother Earth and in a
love-labor sort of way wrenched from
her fecrtile goils the dormant riches of
ages.
Yes, Fitzgerald is vastly different fmm‘
any other city 1 have ever known. The
difference has nothing to do with brick
building:, railroads, or other manufac
turing plants, but entirely with the man
ner of her building; the splendid vision
that carved through the heart of a pine
forest, wide avenues for prospective com
merce, arteries for residential purpoces
saying to the coming people: “Qur court
house will be here, the county prison
there, the city hall yonder, and at agree
able di:tances there has been set aside
four seven-and-a-half acre plots for park
purroses, while surrounding the city the
land is divided into five and ten acre
tracts which will give us beautiful SU
burbs.” |
ffitzgerald is an epic in city bulldirg
like which there is none I ever heard of.
‘When the founder of Fitzgeraldbdirecte ;
the compass and surveying chdin t‘.‘.i
marked the city limits there wa t a
railroad within mi.es of the p p()-’cl]‘
municipality, while the county of B(:nl
Hill formed no part of the body politic
of Georgia.
Yes, Fitzgerald is different, very differ
ent.
Bt o I R ——— T ————————
e R¢RS i
; Glada bl e A O
R R R TR
: (e "j..‘?’"\i'."} ¥LA o Se S
Bt ¥KA gl5 PR g
'\‘-«’,‘\': ‘M iN7AN¥ ik e S 8 * ":",'3155"",3'7':-",-.11:’,' st
i ?“I & & e e S
¥ AT, Oy BFLe Y.!i n 5 ® b e SR 'Ej:<:;"‘f:i'§lj:-:fi':
Nl sS AN kAT XR PR MGk . L
R R £33 bR K k -“'@-‘.-’."‘i e i B
w’." ~L‘e."‘g-f;r;v"t -TARI)W P “ % e e / ¥
2R A Wil Rl geS Lo ¥ 4
, \‘ll ¥’AP ) sy Rl !‘J( ',: P oW% :‘:‘;,/v \
,&-*. \‘_Ai"s_‘w.‘»"r $ Pg 4 ‘ AN, 1 TR R 1* K B
SRR YARTP gk A .’it-;:(;:;._.-_ 2SR P
.v;}‘ ::. A R s i 3’.’%3: ":tf i Rb 2 R R ’}ZEE‘-:"-:{;/’ ¥
R, DI g s RS " i -,t-;;::,:;::;.‘;’::-’;.- AR eSS S % A
I e . T Qe DR, S RU Ne R i o = ]
sßit ; Sg 25 &&’b‘A L oSI e ahat
‘f!.‘;m“? h'.: \(‘,\f"'f AU L*& P, ,\‘\' By g P SRR U,'
ARt ;'.'7'=">'-"'2 YARi TS i ’ff::-cf';s;,-.':;5;'1;51'-_--':»5512'9-»-15?'4-,_'-_‘«:". i e Pit
Si P TN L Wi G i PoAes. & !
LRy e TONE bB B SR ESP Tl G@ s 5
m‘f‘.-!;,x‘;‘.-“z.fl '.'.“_,-,.1.‘-“x g N :;\:‘j..‘;‘,” N _.°3;,}-.s;3ss3ss.;‘._‘:::;j:'ég;’.:___ SRR 5 'j:‘:‘}::}:»:;:'»:jv:_' &\! ¥
}"'h"“»s,"”‘.:!:4\,’4‘]‘““sl‘\“9-*.“:- R ‘-;l’I"-:‘,‘;\A?\‘:‘ e iS S G s }? P e
VR YAO s ! N e B iLR 4
Ry YAV E ROE v(.f.l‘-i‘.- g; Sok 4 RRERE et (%] S ERAER 3 BAR 5
K VRS el MRS SO AT Db SRR e e PR EEAY bt & 390
e ARE RWi w,;,t,r"#a',xfl it e S P3B 111 LA 48
e it .r-v.“'cw}?fi‘@:é%w S % o Lt
PeR ff },fii‘» e&! ’% a&; LL g ".:ngfif.-;zi. lo T .
TN VR Rs 44 > ’ T RN b adl B B RAR Cov eL> 'l
Yop e S aroied o BRS Rl eoB T oB % W if::_g,.l, T e SERET
oy oo Rv"o W IR s ;{m!« W u;-;.,‘? AN e
ov \ .e B i 2oy y‘ 9 i
TR ot ,Wm% 5P o~ B "&"371 Rkt psl ~;.'}'}i.~»l:" R
Bh A DRI TN ¥ **;‘w‘-»«';.‘. AR iR AL Qkfl! oe. o X :“b's'd i e i
e e f'-"»,‘?!‘-;\w.:'\{;\:‘_."-f-s -.‘,‘;‘,‘_*,::g»g»‘a;» ISR SR Wi 4 ifiz ) SR /P i
sRS eg e N
iy R Yoed AR SR gPN o A R & s
____;,;;;’_:v\"»‘«.; WY ab AN REEIAR %By¢ ek il
LR PO SPNTN ek ::a’\','f»,;ls'-'?‘ e RE it ia RS
ORI RS ‘*%A;m L X IRV
eaidell et
%Ay SRR AY )
.____;_‘fic::“fi-.fi‘,' .'f?'w:.-;'-:‘ %et SR
S S SRGR e R
«’h?{-.ur":efial?‘&"lfisé'{'}fi* NN
LN S
B
SEE FOR YOURSELF
HOW DIFFERENT.
. When I reached Fitzgerald a gentle
man said to me: “My auto it at your dis
posal; to go over the city and then visit
the five and ten acre tracts; we much
prefer the world to see Fitzgerald through
yYour eyes than oursg, Then whatever in
the way of faets relating to the past and
present of Pitzgerald we will gladly sup
ply.” :
And so I went my way: over paved
streets, araded county road and . the
wonderful seetion of the Dixie highway
traversing Ben Hill
When I reterned my courteous ac
quaintance said, “Well!”
“It is well,” 1 answered, “and so very
different from any eity. Now tell me
all about it beginning with the felling of
the first tree, down through the eighteen
years to the present. 'We want to know
how it all came about.”
OTHER WAY ABOUT;
FITZCERALD FIRST. :
- Ordinarily one speaks of a county as
the parent of the county seat. In the
case of Fitzgerald and Ben Hill it is
rather the other way about.
Following crop failures in 1894 in the
northern and middle west states, . H,
Fitzgerald, of Indianapolis, conceived
the idea of a coleny in some section of
the southland where bounteous crops
. \:‘ ‘ _ e il
v , ‘p#im.. i 33 'T';-.fi':’ o 6 3 :
~~ ¥:g £ = \~,,:“\ :
‘F i *5 ;g : R;; AR :,,:;s
| -l $ ké;&% ' »*‘\%fi'\%& % £ g,
SR AR TR ol e T 3 R
& };’fi ?g i< S P Bt s RIS ?&;fi B
s _..:1,"‘ ‘f‘f:: 'Lgéf' ¥ & E Y R P
R & e
e é%}i 5 SN
et G R S bl bl BRErE .
ST “§ §5 % T ;e : A& S
é, !:' 5 eATTR TN e
‘U{;:Sh AAR x ‘;._»".' ) t E’ »\ifi Btk \ W ~'t e G 5" "" 7&“ i
eLost i kel o Ry ARS é:fi o
TN SRRt SR R xR SRR R R ,‘*_??“— e R 1 F e i
WS O A T AN Pt SRR SIS
Garbutt Rongvan B'dg., Fitzgerald .
As seen by a Special Reporter. Facts Stranger Than Fiction.
would be’ assured. With the thought
came the recollection of thé sixties when
as a northern soldier, he literally drunk
the balmy air and absorbed the soothing
sunshine of south Georgia. On the in
vitation of the then Gov. W. J. North
ern, he visited ~his war-time haunts,
carefully investigated the various offer
ings ‘and from the ensemble selected the
present site of Fitzgerald.
During the following year, 1895, the
American Tribune Soldier Coleny com
pany was organized and the work of
lnying the foundation of which has grown
to be a city of pretcntious present worth
and certain future greatneszs, commenced,
EYANKEE AND CRACKER
'WORK HARMONICUSLY.
The planning and building of any com
munity carries with it twin companions—
hardships and vexations, but with ‘“Yan
kee” and “Cracker” working in splendid
upity and harmony, Fitzgerald so quick
ly came into her own that in 1896 a city
charter was applied for and obtained.
Then came the real growth, by leaps and
bounds. The earth yieclded its riches to
the plow, the harrow, the harvester.
Railroads scarcely could get to Fitzger
!nld quick enough; manufacturers put up
their plants; great warehouses invited
the white staple of counties, while om
presses added to the general solidity;
wholesale and retail merchants and
banks seized Fitzgerald as one grasps
an opportunity; industry followed indus
try, civic pregress lock-steppéd with the
spirit of the hour, whj church and
school contributed thei” powerful influ
ences to the uphuildi of this new striv
‘cr after whose oluments to which
every honest city is heir-apparent and
‘whi(-h Fitzgerald has signally earned
io\‘m' sister cities less blessed by nature
and less favored by the ideal citizenship.
‘ And’ this has come within less than
‘fw:-nty yea:s, a city literally carved ocut
of the heart of a virgin long leaf pinc
S .reet Scene, Fitzgerald
forest. 1 hold no brief for TFitzgerald;
she needs none, and for the very good
and concrete reason that she has builded
so well it does not take an economic
seer to forecast her future commercial
g eatness if but a cursory glance at pres
i“nt soundness is given, The building of
l;*‘il:agvr:;‘.\‘. is perfect.
|“i‘:~f(’_ CiTrY:
ln':. BUILDING.
§ {n planning Fitzgerald the founder did
Ew\t economize in width of streets and
’:;!‘.r; S Ile mada the main arteries sgixty
i feet in width; alleys fifteen and twenty
;:\ et and two broadways running north
{and south and east and west, each twc
hundred feet In width., Surrounding
thege Beautifully shode@ highways is a
splendid fivesmile sixty foot drive, an
ideal automobile ' path. Immediately
abutling this five-mile driveway lie five
and ten acie tracts of which more will
be "said.: In all there are ninetesn miles
of sixty foot well graded strects run
ning north and south' and the same
nwaber running cast and west.
One of the most impressive of all Fitz
gsermdd’s siviv advancement is sixteen
locks of vitrifled brick pavement in the
heart ef the businéss section, the per
fection of which is equal to any. Miles
of cement and tiled sidewalks laid en
an’ established grade range over the city,
while beautiful parks in the center of
THE LEADER-ENTERPRISE. TUESDAY, NOV. 16, 1915
- s
2 R, 3}33"';:‘;;;2, % Sas i R v :
: G R, :
i o ;;g'?'%:";l:f\ff-;'é: 3 e :
; G B IE S S
g AR ‘ R
: £ LB T, et
A G i A B SN :
M LTI ey i :
“ Y R G o R A kel, RN, 3
A IR "(‘.:;:»3:4:::2::'4:-;:,:-4,.4~.;:-v SRR
lil yéfé“ ” 35:-:-::~:.~»- Al o R T
4 T - e o 7 R A g i i
e S ,sz’ i g ol g U
TSR e B SR :v-,_.,.é’(u-»z;v.»:-' By AR Ry R Ry
conn T W e g eKW ebR
SFIENE AR CRE sRNNE M S ILRok g A o EARE wE
,'vg_g, o B R, e R e B N R R
SR LeY s 4 3 o B s R R R TDU Wy R
w 8 ', & R As e B RR R
SO T O o A -.-B il R MR SO
s R e A T e R SRR R g 3
B o S e R b :,%»:: RN R B BRI
A Tk o 8 TR NBk N R 35?5-" : s‘g FAKSY D%
? SRRk AT NG L eSR A (W RNk R R 2
oARSR U ¥ IR e R i {g’ s "3"‘ 28 3.{:’"“ AL
5 RS O R SRS 2W WA e < B PR
5a 8 ot S 5 :t‘.,?;_--‘;;-, B S ~%}:,;:,;:;/.;;;_. e 24 P & R
¢ ond] REE R 0 ol o RRN s ] o % Tt gSO
b Ras ow e a&"”’f“' BMg oR T
NS 800 so o o £ 2 BT TRR ee i
~ - %
-
- Ben Hill Countyv Cecurt House
the two main thoroughfares add greatly
to the substantial appearance of the
whole.
CITY PARKS;
HOW PROVIDED.
Fitzgerald has made liberal’ provision
for the amusement and entertainment of
its people as well as the physical beauti
i fying of the municipality, four splendid
plats, each containing seven and half
acres, having been dedicated to park pur
poses. Only one of these congregational
playgrounds and resting places has been
completed, but the remaining resorts will
lbc placed in commission as rapidly as in
¢rease in population demands.,
In naming the rleasure ground now
open Ititzgerald has followed the same
“different way'’ that so markedly char
acterizes her every physical endeavor.
Tle place bears the patriotic and har
monious name of Blue and Gray park,
and well does it fit the city and the
Qenple. S e
SLUE AND GRAY
WCRKED AS ONE.
It 'is just as well here as any other
Jlace to make mention of the happy min
:ling of these former followers of the
Fiue and Gray. Twenty years ago
wiaen the sturdy founders of Fitzgerald
.entured to the heart of Dixie land they
came with open mindg and clean hands,
leaving in their beloved northland what
sver of prejudice and misapprehension
the troublous days of the sixties might
have engendered. So frank their pur
ose, so high their ideals that they were
welcomed by a people whose hearts car
vied only love, whose hands gave the
arip of sincerity and whose minds were
lofty encugh to range only along avenues
of hope. progress and true unity. There
are no ‘‘northerners’” or ‘‘southerners,”
s these terms unaffectedly mean in
many sections, in Fitzgerald; they are
':bf\'e all else citizens of Fitzgerald, Ben
ilill county, Georgia, U. S. A.
STREET NAMES;
HOW SELECTED.
liven in the naming of its streets Fitz
gerald has followed ‘the different way.
‘There are two chief central arteries,
Main street and Central avenue. The
irgt runs north and south, and all streots
a3t ' of Main perpetuate the names of
arihern generals, whiie those on the
est side memorialize leaders of the
‘onfederacy.
Southern rivers are represented in the
itreets running north of Central avenue,
vhile thise on the south side carry the
names of those indigcnous to this sec
tion.
There is nct a street in Fitzgerzald that
'3 not in harmony with the splendid
wmes adorninz them, Wide-snreading
shade . trees abound everywhere.
THE SCHOOLS; :
THEIR STANDING.
There are so many elements which en
jfer into a review of this character--nec
ssavily .brief and therefore prchably un
satisfactory to the homeseeker—that it is
not always an easy: matter to dctcrmine
which foot should be put forward first—
when both are good. However, it appears
to me that while Big DBusiness is the
nursery, stepping stone and guardian of
churches and schools, it equally is true
that without these pacific children of
prosperity there would be no Big Busi
ness to act as foster parent, for the good
and sufficient reason that reople will no
longer abide in communities which deny |
the best in education and matters relig
iots. Therefore the live concrete Fitz
ecrald will be first presented in the re
ilection of these two institutions.
Uducators throughout Georgia recog
nize the genuine worth and progressive
ness of Fitzgerald's school system, and
it constantly is referred to and patterned
after. I do not mean to affirm that
there are not many other excellent edu
cational bodies, but I do mean to say
that Fitzgerald is not a laggard in any
department but is in the van with the
best. 1
CITIZENS CONTROL
AT ALL STAGES.
Control of the school system of Fitz
gerald is directly in the hands of the
voters, they selecting a board of education
of five members, which body in turn
names the superintendent and such teach
e€rs as may meet the requirements. of
tho electorate. At present there are
thirty teachers required in the high and
two ward schools devoted to white chil
dren, while four teachers take care of
the 400 negro pupils. = There are 1,200
‘\\ hite students, the school term for both
’races running nine full months,
In Titzgerald's school standard the
literal free school system is carried.
There is no tuition, ne fees for any pur
pose whatsoever and no buying of text
books by pupils. No parent in Ben Hill
county can éxcuse the ignorance of hic
or her offspring on the vague ground of
“not able,” as the tutalege of city and
county is free from the primer stage to
the more or less academic period. It
weuld not be a far reach to apostrophize
the system as a whdle, but it -probably
will prove more satisfyving to the 'lé.yman
as well as the pedagogue to -epitomize
these - factors outside the elementary
“three R's”’ which are doing so much
for the mental expansion of the youth
cf Ben Hill. In times lcng agone—the
aposee of the topic iln discussion—the
“teacher’’ held his or her position with
the single, as well as singular ambiticn
of teaching the ‘‘young idea how to
shoot”” presumably at verbs, adjectives
and nouns and nondescripts in areas and
writing. ;
ADVANCED GROUND T
ALWAYS THE AIM.
While these mental tonics always will
fcrm the'basic foundation of youtl'’s cd
ucation, Fitzgerald and Ben Hill adopted
a sort of allcmerphism, meaning by this
the difference between the allopathic
suzgestion of ‘““whether or no'’ and the
homearhathic idea of “just a little.”’ This
advanced ground has been so scrupulous
ly followed that illiteracy hardly can be
counted an undesirable asset in Ben Kill
county, having been reduced from 7 1-z
per cent in 1911 to 4 3-4 per cent in 1914,
The current year will witness a stil
larger attrition in illiteracy.
In other words the ‘‘three R’s” have
been, so added to that ‘‘going to school”
instead of being irksome to youth has
been made the prime desire of youth.
Many avenues have becn traveled fo bring
about this end but the chief contributors
may be summed up in the {cilowing:
House economic department for girls
from the sixth to the eleventh grade.
Manual training for boys of same
grades.
Fully equipped business department,
where shorthand, bookkeeping and bank
ing are taught.
Good buildings, all modern comforts
and devices essential to mind training
fe*es'y e e e ]
B RS 5'5'*5'5:1'*55’35':55551511‘:15:51?1515151515151515135:3rE15:*-it%:%:i:‘:‘~1555§EEEE:E:E:ErE:E:E:E:E:E:E:E:E:E:E;Ez:;;‘;:;:;:{:5:E:E:E:E:5:E:E;E;E;:;:‘;:z:z:;:;&.}:5:E:E:'::::E;:;:5:;:;:;:5:2:3:5:5:5:E:S:E::;Ez:;:;:;:3:2:3:;:5:5:3:5:5:2;‘:355:;:;:3:;:5:;:- Sl
o Se i B SRR sBSy SR ::’:;E:E;E::;ZEZEEE?::':E:::::::::':EEEEE:':'::"::::E:‘ZEAE:E::;:»E:EEEEZEE555:3:5:::3:5:5:5:5:5:5::‘:5::::5555:515557‘3515511:2552553323155551515251313Fii3135{53555}’?}:;:5:}:3:5:5:5'3:}:{;E;;gigg;;;;;;;:;;-'-:~;;~
e e .
: ey . s
g S N R R ;\*
& Jh%@:“%flfi :;..,-*;;-;;g:;;:;:;.;,;._, oaaa e s SR e
£ e PR o SS s
& %pE B GRS ‘6? e‘X S R S G R ]
e '2%‘?‘\" m;?'gfi'efhg%fl' - e S SEaa
EWA SREeeE s e e R SRN S
kf §°s S - \_.,-..‘.A\f‘*:«__ fl\fi’,’\ S G S GRS ';3}:9?"":55:33332135EEE?{E{E}EE:E?::EE::755135:3??-3-‘ ’s‘-§-.fij AR
B RLReI s SR e "_:_'».—3‘l‘_,3:»t:i’,.i-:fi:E.EfE::'f%fiilsls:fj:}“;:E:E:Eiii'éi{Eiffi}f}’:f’ BS PR
gTB R WAy S :j.E‘3&:;(filfi-“;fi:}:?:i:E:EZE's'2332sl2.2:{:s:;._:’ S
SPGB I e SR eok TRE Ty
?&%‘ ik%‘ A:""&P% z“% S£ S e \',’Bl**»’6,«%{ ":?fi? S
F P Ak G 3 Yo, TR e S SEE B GS G ‘ svs Ha
\“t\;': :&%A% % ;g\ 43; ““\ Ve s B LSRR SRR "i\,@’fi? A :._:’11,." e ‘
shataiß e& SO IR G PESP ey o s S R : R R RS SN
fifk‘?"fl% Q‘(%‘ A ’&3"’ 55 ’%Q ‘3\\ T DL St R }:?v}\“{v. P "-%‘;' R
TR A A B R o o ee SR S R R g S BAR S RS e e
ToI R AN FEhe G S B R L D
SR YO SRROSURRE SR e SRR MO AN AR R
o R RSR SRR R G R RRR S S IR G BRNPR OO
3SR %'rv(f‘ N ‘,3(,",“’ PR \,“) EX k e e Sss R R S A @w‘:é‘- S
AR e S e o A B
OAC R v%’ . L ;.-'Ci",.;'i}ii’f?@'fl vf; RE R e'_ &
eAN DS Wbtk S og TR Yo BB ES
v‘.;{_.‘:-: KGR iR ?&‘,“gfii 42532 LR R S .ol e ‘lm‘i'*’fi%g‘" Y
BRI S 00 TRRNSN O N e T SRR : RSR SR RR R R 2
S %“ikf}‘:'%"' St B ReE SO e pRE SR SB e SR I
e e e . o s T e e
& *»?..z,v\ a_‘(';».fg.s{‘s*-.'.,"\“4!_‘:-»;:..’s;;;::;- )5,3\ R A J-.';?’<-;‘;;j:‘__;:;‘»'¥‘ SR SRR V\‘(»‘w RO E ‘3‘l‘3\‘l‘33 R e v?\i:’;%%
SR TAtSB Kb UM IR, AT PRy -y SORRB AR S oRe e e el
%‘}&..@tz‘&'fi‘f\\% “Té@‘\(“ .f;;\&k;{..\x_q-.if,tw;»‘\- ROR o 8 SR(g g R ;_:-L_', 3T E Y M’&{'{' B *3su§:fi§‘&4 Y
2Ee B N SRR 5, )RBDe 1 Oy S - eo R PROTR e eIR AP SALe ad
[t q)\“\‘&g‘( ‘ t"'»;‘{i}“éé: BR R FATAIL R ';'&:",f::é; RS S 7')?-:','-“?’_;3{;: e’G Nt I;)‘-%
‘SN san eiGSR AR R R R SRR RN RN TA P S AR RN BT IR
G x,;s‘g\<*§% ’gxfi’;fi'n” et iR R R ”33\33 Y
gg R S heeote. io R Rig TRS S 43‘:% Rt
PR ee e NIRRT D PR eeBT S R BRI R A SRR R R
‘%&fii«f\f&‘:{wg»;‘ ?3: 'R%(’ Pl‘g3 ;& 5 .;'- ;:;._; o :)',:I:I-j, i 3 i Ereß iy 17'- 3 """,(‘,',n‘? ,f R ku,{ e J {%-{" ,:; (S \ A w\:’ +
T 5 .k‘,':‘i?&’if:w <“AN&S OSSR PR Kl ey L, ,:'.~:f:1513135535{555‘:‘:135:E?E:Ef{?if:-. LRI :s';'@"'.‘-' SRR O ~ ,-?3(%‘ eRgAS,
bAR S ERgßou et BL SR ReR TS 51‘»'~:;;:2s-;1.l::i7$-:~--::::p’c'éést SRR RBT S S
~'\:«.-i\‘;f;‘ff..‘, ST R 7Ab PR 3 BVE SAeMRSN S B K 2 ] «.;.;4;,;:‘:5.;.;.;:.“ .;:;:;.:.;.;:;::3:;;:1:;:;:;:::;.5.;45;,_ '{T??.?\\::; ;;:&\..._.,.i__;};:.\,}sa ._\_\, AR 4 R 7:” h(%\}““
AR GBI RS ISO Leßek R e SRR BAN Sel A
&}{‘&w\\“s"‘”\}~ R e RGS AR \,,w" A &é;fl :"\v\“?% ‘
R R Re P S R T eRRSReIB O R g R o S AN ?» SRR
']§§"“§;§’\«’ \‘?\;&f“*wgvv e ':“""';”5’1"*'33:5:55’;:5’55;3=5:3555’5'55:5:5:5’::5:5‘5'5:::5:5:5555555:‘5 sB¢ % 0y '1515?3;15:31fitE'-‘.i:’-:32’::E:';fii;:}f{f'::i-ilfi:?i:A:"?;":%{5"'-%&3' % _%g-';“!%‘w
St Ret i e RO TR 2‘ PR e R esSB RO R SRS
Sil Lo %&‘o&. oL TG e S e
Sibedhapioge SR G GGRO A es s e GNRN h et
CPMRt TR '""::::‘::::::::::::;:s:s:s:s:ss::”s*:*3:s3s‘s:sl‘3:::’*s:7s:s'3s*s?‘l*'s?'sls‘ss'sl':iilslsls'*sls:':izf:ftiz?:f:E:E:E:::::zzzE:::;:;':"-:::: B) R RSRo B SR SRYIL S G
Se A .:.-.;:;:;:5:;:E:;:;:;::::2:5:215:5:?:‘:':‘-.::::5:1:1:£:::E:5:E':::=:=:‘::5:3:5:2:2:2131:::55:5:1:1‘5:5:54212:5::::»:r:;:::3:::5‘5:5:;5:‘;:i:::%:‘::i'-'::‘.::‘ar:::3:2:2:5:5:5:3:3:%@ %‘ R b k@{%&v \x M O &fg&@&@
PR R SRR M‘?"'3'~'f.*:-:-:-:':~:':~:~2':'1:-:-:«:.:-;-:-:»:»;~:-::-,1:.:~:~u:~tv:-:;:;.:~:-:-:-:-:-:v:;:,.--:.;.:.4.:.:._ e A R B ERS RN G ORI T RS SR SRR S 8 BN T 8 B
R; SR *-.:_&'-: AR E:i‘;rzi-5:;:5:3-5:3:}:\5:{::2;:;:5:5:5:;:5:5:5:5:5:_::;:;:;:5:5:3:;:;:;::;;;:;;;:;:;;;;;.;;;:,:;:;;;;,.,.;:;g;;_;;;;;;j:::;:;;;;:;;;;;;;;;;;;:;;;;g;;;:;;:;;:\;:;:3;;:;:3;-:;;-_::;355;;2_ &n s *’\};,;g ;;,.,..;‘fi‘;it“' e S \,{é 3‘.} t 3 »’)? 3’;: L {;:\ 3
o _.,..%?;:::;:;:::4.3:555;%55;5;.5-:{55:1:1:::E:5:';:E55;E;E5E5:5:5:3:E:Er‘:::-E;‘:;E;:=:5:=:2:?-5=E:E=‘:§Ez:;5;3:5:5:3i:f.=35Er:';:5:5:5:5:5:5:5;’::&;‘:.5;:;:5::';:‘.:5:5:5-E;E;Z;E;E5&525:::5:E:::z::'5:2:5.5.351;E;i;E;:;E;:;E;E;::::- AR B N f""~’. GeTN A SN Sl ee e RN +
o S PO Be o A 0 g
155553‘5?:35-f'a,;,**it‘-&gl"'Esiifi':“fi?;?zia:z'::s::s:%azsees;zeizsfisifis-ez::észéz?s:?ei:s;ss‘si;%s’:fi:si:sas&;‘:?;:‘;s.\::e;z,:.’,v::zzszis:sts%s:z:z:zzz;s;:;z;‘:;‘:siziaisiz-z:::z::;a;s;z;e;:zz;z;zzsssizizs;:;l;Ez:z:z;zgz;zga;=;z;:;:;,;,;.._,,._.;ex*‘ RR S 2 o ISR S
o ':gm}::s:E::;E;EEfi:3::":\'@';&%‘E@fi:"{:%’7‘s’?’:’3:s:3%’s3;,@:?"":*’s:s’:’3::::s’s*:ss'4:s’s:s:s:ssssf==3¢3'~3ls:s:3§s=s:fis%iEr%:i=€:'::?=‘:=%f%rS=E'-?fi:’:%:5rEi%z%;:s:e:z:z:z.e:3:?.5:5:5:5;355;z;:e:z:;;a::;;;;:s::::;;.:;.:._.,‘ e eL IR R CRe
S e R <::'E:s:i:i::::::::;:;:5:;:5:;:5::::::::::::;;;:;:;.3:5:5:5:;:;:;:;:::::::;::;:;:;:g:j:g:g:1:5:z:;:;:;:::::;:;:;:,:g:::;:z:;:;:::;:;:;:::;:;g;:::_:g:g:g:a:z:a:;:;:::;;:;;3:3.3:;:1:;:;.;.;‘,,:.;.A e o SRR o TN G B
W“‘“\’%@‘\\Wi fifis\\k_v*;‘p \.;.;.g:::3:-_.;?5:54:2:2:5:5:E::;:;:;:z:g;;-.i:5:3:5:z:;;:;:;;5;g;g;5:g:;:3:5:5:5:5;5:;;5;;;;;;;;g;g;:_:;:5:;:;:::;;;:1:;;5;;;;;;{;;;;;;;;;;;;;;:;:;:;3;;;;;;;;;;;:;:.j;;:;:;~;;;;:;:5;5;;;;;;;;;;;:;;;E:3:5zg;fififi:fi:fgm;;:::?Eg,cA.' fi; e, s'&,;’:; s “._:A s %
R S S B :'.‘:*;;‘.}4:&*"':::::::::E:?':E::::::::::i:::E:E:E:E:E::::::::::E:5:5:E:E:E:S::::;:::::::E:E:E:E:E:E:E:E:::E::::::::::::E:::::E;::E:E:5:5:;:i:Z:Z:I"Z:51:,ZE:E1;5:111:?3351:1:1:?;1:3:1:::5:3:1:3:5;-:«:':-:-Z-::‘.v:~2;;-.‘~u»:.;.;.:.-,:.;.:.;.;-;.;.,.,.,-,-V RRB RS R R
B S A
9 TNI I = 4
Picturesque Scenc on “Short Routc” Dixie Highway near Fitzgerald,
and development.
In connection with the business de
partment a school savings bank is oper
ated. According to the federal depart
ment of education this feature of child
economic progress is not practiced else
where in the south, One other factor
contributing to the high standard of
Fitzgerald's school system is a house
gardening course at the high schocl, two
acres of the campus being devoted to
demonstration work. -Gardens at the
homes of pupils are partially supervised
by teachers in charge of school work.
Even from this casual summary one
readily may understand why I have un
dertaken to introduce Big Business
through these eternal companions, school
and church. There is a chamber of com
merce in Fitzgerald prepared to properly
amplify the school system of Ben Hill
county and Fitzgerald. If you are inter
ested write them. 2
CHURCHES AND
THEIR WORK.
Scarcely were leveled the tall pines
which then, held the right-of-way on
Fitagerald’s future streets before the one
igreatl and permanent evangel of peace,
lprotress “and - prospa'lty-gtbe‘*thurdx—-r
Wk e
made its appearance. And from the mo
ment of their beginning they have been
tire chief factor in the social uplift aof
the community. The denominational
ncaies which have collectively worked to
this end are DBaptist, Methodist, Chris
tian, Episcopzl, United Brethren, Chris
tian Science, Catholic and Presbyterian,
All of thein have fitting liouses of weor
ship, one havirg recently comileted ‘e
£40,000 edifice. Other followers of ihe
true way as ners:inified in the Nazarenc
are centributing full smeasure to the
moral toche of the city. ’
BBis BUSINESS
HAS ITS PLACE.
It is with some fear I approach Titz
gerald’s buginczs nterest—fear born of
ny limited .stay. .becausa it ig quite as
easy for cnc to cverdraftias it is to‘'do
‘a¢ other thinz. If I.possessed the clever
2onceit of troubadcuring er even the
gentle art ol logerdemain I might “‘wich”
‘nto; this topic, with proper ealaams, all
manner of sapient things or, with sar
gasso-like impudence present tlie surface
Jfferirzs of {Lat commercial ctaff which
—-ery city carries and which often passes
muster as the real thing in civic &tid
bility. - . ,
But beirng necither minstrel nor black
art manipulat.r—or yet a reciter of ab
ctract actualities—l shall mill alonz With
cold figures trusting that, despite the
fact they have not reached the voting
age, they will be so strong as not to re
juire the support of prurient accesscries.
LAECR’'S INCOME
PROSPERS CITY.
Any city with a payroll of practically
fifty thousand a meonth is a gcod place to
live because hard coin frightens Loth
wolf and leach and at the same time
builds hearthstones. Given a city of 8,000
souls with an annual " income of more
then half a million dollars, cxclusive of
galaries drawp by bank clerks, mercan
tile employes, city help and wage earn
ers in other aliicd interests, and you
have a cemposite moncy power that dceeg
things, .
Tuis is Flizgerald, and the lesson telis
&0y bractically every man in the city
owns his home. This annual payroll, ex
clusive of the items named, is derived
from the following resources:
Rallrafamamcoi s atern i oaiers 508400000
Gotton mills .o il sl 36:000
OHEAVIHIE cat vv oy e e e T 00
doe plante oo asa el - 12,000
Miscellaneons, /sl st sis 130,000
Lobdde sl o s s a e i Sp 10,000
If these figures fail to carry to the
homeseeker and the builder a most po
tential story then indeed is my agreeable
labor lost in a maze beyvond my reach.
ANNUAL BUSINESS
REACHES MILLIONS.
Backing the splendid monthly and an
nual income are the wholesale and retail
stores, cotton receipts, lumber and tur
pentine interests, cantaloupez, melons,
trucking and pecans. Fitzgerald has four
wholesale houses, 173 retail concerns with
numberless minor mercantile interests;
receives: annually by wasgon 25,000 bales
of cotton and compresses €O,OOO bales.
These various items will be better ap
preciated under divicional heads to which
has been added the value of DBen llill
county products, because sooner or laier
and in some form these products come to
‘this city. The subdivision follows:
’ Wholesale .................$1,000,000
Coßetaat . Lo Lo ok e e 1260 00
ORI i e 1,500,000
Lumber, turpentine ........ -250,000
CRpIRIOUDER 0o vy o i 100,080
OO - i s 5,000
Miscellaneous ..... 100,000
Grand . tatal ... ioeooooea . $4:200,000
Looked at from any angle, these are
pleasing figures, and what gives larger
emphasis to them is the fact that they
do not represent all the active business
of the city, such as banks, restaurants
and the lesser =atellites of a great mu
nicipality—launderers, luncr stands,
pressing clubs, ete.
CANTALOUPES-TRUCKING
PROVE PROFITABLE.
At this juncture it appears opportune
to make especial mention of the two
rapidly growing industries, cantaloupes
and trucking. During the season just
about ended Fitzgerald has shipped 150
cars of cantaloupes, ‘the price per ear
ranging from $6OO to $7OO. So rapidly and
successfully has this agricultural branch
rdevglmfi‘* many «planters - already
have arranged’ to double their acreage
for 1916.
Cetting off to an unsatifactory start,
trucksters within the last two years
have made such wonderful strides that
ano‘her scason likely will witness them
dividing honors with melen growers
This scrt of cffort, in addition to yield
ing a splendid profit, also carries the
pleasing ceriainty of instant money. And
this is vital to a!l men of Lmited means,
TITZGERALD'S BANKS ;
GUARANTEE STABILITY.
It makes small difference whether a
county or secticn is poor or wealthy if
there be not sufficient banking capital
to mect all emergency demands.
Fitzgerald is particularly happy in this
vital respect, since it has three banks,
with a total capitalization of $275,000,
with a surplus and undivided profits of
$218,000 and deposits in excess of $860,-
000. Few cities enjoy such resources and
the broad policy of the several heads of
these institutions has conspired greatly
to the expansion of Fitzgerald and tha
removal from her midst of that hydra
headed eovil known as ‘“hard times” or
the cry thereof. Right now every Amer
ican city is feeling, in greater or less
degree, the bared wolf fangs of ma’
‘Europe. so whatever of supineness may
temporarily exist here is directly tracg
‘able to our ravish-mad brethren across
the big pond. Such a concrete thing as
'a “panicky time” has not been known
in Fitzgerald and Ben Hill, and her peo
ple say such a condition is difficult to
conceive beccause the central storehouse
from which she draws her perennial
wealth—gocd old Ben Hill Mother Earth
—never has failed those whno cultivate
her with even a modicum of intelligence.
SUBURRBS L LR S v e
A DELIGHT. L R,
~ In the carly part of this brief recital
I made casuzl menticn, of a very unique
Idca-—the Fitzgerald different way—the
founder of the city cmployed to foster
‘anl culminate a rural population which
woull enjcy substantially all the privi
‘leges and benefits of an urban people.
. To accomplish this end impartially the
‘simple expedient was adopted of divid
ing the immediate territory surrounding
jFit;:gcx;:\ld into five and ten-acre tracts.
The rare wisdom 'of this policy “is
proven by the fact that .these. tracts
were quickly taken up, substantial homes
erected, and now in 1915 Fitzgerald has
an urban-rural population of approxi
mately 2,000, and growing every 4day.
CERTAIN MONEY N
FOR THE WORKER. :
These near-city dwellers are by no
manner of means idle; in fact, a ma
jority of them actually are on the road
to financial independence, ciearing from
$l,OOO to 84,000 a year, the quality of
effort governing the profit. Those who
do not make money simply do not try.
I have never had anything to appeal
to me quite so strongly as these five and
ten acre tracts lying within a half to a
mile of the very heart of a city of 8,000
or more pecple.
If I were a lyrist of even 'mediocre
tvpe I probably would attempt zoine-
thing more pretentious than mere prose,
but being neither a singer nor poet, -1
‘must. perforce, content myself with a
bald statement. These lands surround
ing Fitzgerald are fertile to a -degree,'
level as a board floor and will grow well
anything, but their close proximity to
shipping render them particularly adapt
ed to all manner ‘of trucking. It is not
an idle or chance statement to affirm
that by following the intensive form of
cultivation any owner of a five acre tract
can become independently rich, Then,
too, there is the poultry end to be con
sidered. There is good big money in
cklxickens and eggs, and one would 80 a
long way before finding a location more
ideal for such purpose.
Jutting out from the great 60 foot
driveway that ranges on the four sides
of Fitzgerald are splendidly graded roads
which place every five and ten acre tract
in immediate tcach and hailing distance
of the city proper. Incidentally, this en
circling highway is well lighted, as are
the roads leading from it. Hence 1t re
quires no trick of imagination to con
ceive of that period when every rural~
vrban home will enjoy electric lights and