Trench and camp. (Augusta, Ga.) 1917-1919, November 21, 1917, Page Page 13, Image 13

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Nov. 21,1917. SOMETHING ABOUT AUGUSTA W Augusta is one of the oldest cities in Georgia, being settled in 1735. It war laid out by General Oglethorpe, who founded the state. It was at first designed for an Indian trading camp, at which point traders from the Carolina and Georgia coasts would come overland and by the river to meet the Indians from the west and exchange white man’s goods for the things the Indians had gotten out of tfr'j forests. The first settlements were down on what is now known as lower Broad Street. The city was named Augusta in honor of the granddaughter of George 11, King of England, who was about two years old when the city was founded. The city has a population of about 60,- 000. of which 35,000 are white and 25.000 negroes. Its principal industry is that of cotton manufacturing. Os the 35.000 white people, probably 15,0<t0 are en gaged in the mills or else are dependent upon them for their support. The com bined-output of cotton thread of the Au gusta mills is sufficient to go around the world once every thirty minutes. The mills spin enough cotton thread to reach to the sun and back again once every years. The Sibley mill is built upon the spot, and, in part, of the brick that was the old Confederate powder mill. In front of the—Sibley mill there is still standing the drying stack of the powder mills, which is left there as a monument to the old industries of the South. The Augusta Canal is one of the great est of all its civic enterpries, being own ed entirely by the city of Augusta and built at a cost of several million dollars. It contains more water for its length than any other canal in the United States. It is nine miles long and reaches up to the locks, at which point the water is diverted from the Savannah River into the canal to operate all of the cotton mills of Augusta. The water is sold for J 5.50 per horsepower per year, which is the cheapest waterpower in the United States. Augusta is the second largest inland cotton market in the United States. Mem phis being the largest. We annually han dle about half a million bales of cotton, which is about one-twentieth of the en tire crop of the South. Immense cotton presses are in Augusta, which compress the cotton bales into very small areas for storing inthe holds of trans-Atlantic steamers. It ix interesting to visit these cotton presse;. and see how a bale of cotton is reduced to about 18 inches in thickness and become a hard as stone. Augusta is situated at the headwaters of navigation of the Savannah River, about 135 miles by rail and 30b miles by water from the city of Savannah. It is a matter of historic interest that upon the Savannah River, in 1802, an inventor by the name of William Longstreet first operated successfully a steamboat, which preceded the Fulton steamboat by five year's, Longstreet’s boat was a very crude affair, but it did run by a paddle operated by steam. The newspapers of that day state distinctly that it ran down the river for about a mile and ran back again and was tied up to the dock amid the cheers of the assembled crowd. Longstreet was a poor man and not a very pushing in ventor, and after demonstrating the fact that a steamboat could be*run, he let it THE MERCHANTS BANK Extends a Most Cordial Wel come to Soldiers, Visitors and New Citizens. Our ample capital, favorable connections, conve nient location and large corps of efficient assistants who are trained courtesy and the transaction of business in the simplest, most direct manner enable us to offer a most satisfactory service to those desiring to transact banking business, large or small. Accounts, subject to check, large or small, are invited. We conduct a Savings Department in which we pay interest at the rate of 4 per cent per annum, compounded. Deposits are accepted in any amount from SI.OO up. We have a large number of safe deposit boxes which we offer for rent for storage of valuables and other papers, at very low prices, ranging from $3.00 to $25.00 per year. Please remember our bank is located at No. 821 Broad street, in the center of the city. MERCHANTS BANK AUGUSTA, GA. CAPITAL AND SURPLUS $300,000.00. ALBERT S. HATCH, . E. E. ROSBOROUGH, President. Cashier. Wm. H. BARRETT, B. H. ELLISON, Vice President. Assistant Cashier. TRENCH AND CAMP stay at the dock for a while, after which it became damaged and was thrown on the bank and nothing further was said or done about his invention. The Augusta Arsenal was built in 1836 and has been an ordnance department ever since that time, being one of the oldest, though not one of the largest of the departments, in the United States. An interesting historic relic in Augusta i.t Meadow Garden, an obscure little house on the banks of the canal, which at one time was the home of George Wal ton, signer of the Declaration of Inde pendence from Georgia. It was at this place that George Washington was en tertained upon the occasion of his visit to Augusta. The Richmond Academy, on Telfair Street, in the rear of the Court House, is one of the oldest boys’ high schools in the United States, founded immediately after the Revolutionary War, and has been in continual existence for nearly 110 years. Three miles below the city is the famous Sandbar Ferry, which has been in opera tion since the Revolutionary War. It is an old-time ferry, very interesting to see in its operation. On the South Carolina side is the famous Sandbar Ferry duelling ground, upon which a number of duels have been fought in past years. It is the most famous of the duelling grounds south of the one on the Potomac River, and is almost as famous as the one on the Hudson River, where Hamilton and Burr engaged in their famous duel. The -Sifts of the old duelling ground is almost obliterated since duelling has gone out of practice. There has not beep a duel at the Ferry in 40 years. In front of the Court House, on Greene Street, stands a monument to the signers of the Declaration of Independence from Georgia. The three signers from this state were George Walton, Lyman Hall and Button Gwinnett. Walton and Hall are buried underneath that monument. Gwinnett was killed in a duel in Savan nah and so buried that his grave has never been identified. On Broad Street, in front of the Albion Hotel, stands a monument to the Con federate soldiers. On the four corners stand memorial statutes of four Confed erate generals—Generals Robert E. Lee, Stonewall acksonj, W. H. T. Waller and T. R. R. Cobb. The last two named were generals from the state of Georgia. On the top of the monument stands the figure of a private soldier. In front of St. John’s Church, on Greene Street, stands the poet’s monument, to the four Southern poets: Ryan, Hayne, Lanier and Randall. Ryan was the au thor of “The Conquered Banner,” and Randall was the author of "Maryland, My Maryland.” Both of them were resi dents of Augusta at one time. Crossing the canal at Fifteenth Street is the Archie Butt Memorial Bridge, built by the citizens of Augusta in honor of Archie Butt, an Augusta boy, who be •came the confidential aide of President Taft. Upon returning from a mission to Europe, he was drowned in the disaster of the steamship Titanic. Near the bridge stands a simple monument to Dennis Cahill, a citizen of Augusta, who several years ago lost his life in an at tempt to save a child who had fallen into the canal. Not far from the camp. General Joseph E. Wheeler was born. There is a road known as the Wheeler Road, that leads from Augusta to the neighborhood where he was born. The Wrightsboro Road leads from Augusta to the old town of Wrightsboro, some thirty or forty miles away. Over the Wheeler Ropd. President McKinley came when he visited the camp at Augusta during the Spanish-American War. That camp was situated where Camp Hancock is now. It is also worthy of note that President Wilson spent several years of his young boyhood in Augusta, when his father was pastor of the First Presbyterian Church. The home in which Presklent Wilson lived still stands at the corner of Seventh and Telfair Streets, diagnoally across from the Presbyterian Sunday School building. The people of Augusta have always tried to be hospitable to the stranger within their gates, it is an old Southern town of the typical sort, wide streets, many old Southern homes, old Southern customs and Southern ideas. Many of the families that live in Augusta date their -ancestry back to the early history of the state and have carefully cherished the traditions of the town for many gen erations. Among those traditions is to extend the “glad hand” of welcome to those who sojourn with them or near them, and to express to all sojourners and comers their earnest hope that their stav in Augusta will be one of profit and pleasure. VFanfec/ Secretary To Buy Him Dice One of the Camp Hancock secretaries had an amusing experience recently. While visiting a sick man, he was sur prised to hear the invalid say: “Say, friend, will you buy me a set of dice?’’ The secretary was busy at the time and said: “Sure I’ll buy you a set of dice. Wait a minute.” W’hen the secretary had finished, he went to the sick man and asked him for the money. He was handed one dollar. "Is that ail you have?” he asked. “It won’t take a dollar to buy them,” said the invalid. “The kind I’m going to buy you will cost much mo>e than one dollar,” an swered the secretary. Before he left tbe sick man’s bed, he had taken every cent of the man’s money —so? safe-keeping—and got a. promise that he v uuld write to his mother—the first time In two years. SOLDIERS HURT' Sergeant Grady Lynch and Private C. Mundeleit of Camp Hancock were severe ly injured last Thursday night, at 7:30, when their motorcycle and side car col lided with a touring car on the Milledge ville road. Mundeleit had his leg broken and Lynch suffered a dislocation of the knee. They were taken to the University Hospital. Both machines were damaged badly. Pennsylvania Home Restaurant Ninth and Walker Streets, one Block from Post Office. Near Union Station. U’ "THE PLACE TO MEET HOMEFOLKS.” Special Dinner Cream of Celery Soup 50c Roast Chicken with 50c Dressing Roast Tenderloin of Beef Mashed Potatoes Green Peas Stewed Tomatoes Corn Muffins Waldorf Salad 50c Tapioca Pudding 50c Coffee Tea Milk Special Turkey Dinner 75c “Come in and get a Real Pennsylvania Welcome.” PNEUMONIA AT WHEELER Pneumonia has claimed many victims at Camp Wheeler, the most prominent to succumb being Major Richard Weil, chief of staff at the base hospital, who died Monday. He had been ill for eight days. Two other deaths occurred the same day. The Augusta Herald Delivered to Your Company Street At Camp Hancock. Afternoons and Sundays, 60c a Month. Phone Your Order to 2036 Augusta. Notify Herald Wagons. Write a Post Card and say, Send Me The Augusta Herald Daily Sunday Evening Morning Page 13 ' ' ! 1 J |h-4l