Newspaper Page Text
OTCIAL NUMBER
Over Six Millions and a Half of Construction,
Work Now Under Way in the City of Augusta
Magnificent Work Being Done On
Levee By Contractors A. J.
Twiggs & Son
A New Era Begun in Building the
New and Greater Augusta
In August, IMS. Augusta was visited
by the most devastating freshet in the
city's 111 story Vy which the flood d strict
was submerged, houses were wrecked,
and about twenty-five lives were lost.
The Augusta Canal, which furnishes
the power to drive the numerous indus
tries of the city, was wrecked from end
to end. liv having Its embankments de
stroyed, thereby throwing out of employ
ment six tnotisand lulo-jng peop'e. Three
months were consumed n repairing the
damage to the onnnl. hut the loss of
time' and the consequent suffering In
flicted Upon the working population was
Immense.
The levee to prevent the recurrence of
this terrible disaster was the direct out
come of the freshet of 1908.
A bill was passed by the Georgia leg
islature, authorizing the cty to Issue
bonds for the construction of the work.
An election was held and the citizens
voted for an Issued of $1,250,00 to cover
Augusta a City of Beautiful and Historic Churches;
Church Growth in Augusta Steady and Continuous
Tlio most valuable «>f any
community is its churches. The best
towns ami cities are noted tor their
progressive churches. Sections ot
the country where church life is low
show little progress. Business men
Know this and placing them on the
lowest and most selfish basis, are,
as u rule, willing to assist them in
their work. The churches through
their missionaries have been the
pioneers of progress, and not com
merce. As a moral force they are
admittedly tin* leaders. Out of them
the spirit of modern reform has
come: and to them society looks for
a settlement of her most difficult
problems. Tlie ehumhes ot Augusta
are her most valuable asset, and he
It said to their credit, they have not
lagged behind in their efforts to keep
parr with the spirit of progress so
evident in our city.
Augusta has long boasted of historic
churches. Dating back to the days of
the (Voider old Saint Paul’s Episcopal
church stands at the head of navigation
on the Sav mnah river with a splendid
record of service. Recently the church
building was modernized by a Sunday
school annex and parish house. The im
provements add much to the attractive
ness and efficiency of the church in ac
tion. The church is well organized and
under the leadership of llev. (». Sher
wood Whitney, rector, is keeping abreast
of the times.
Next to Ht. Paul’s in years, is St.
John's Methodist church. This organi
zation dates hack to 17BS. The church
was organized *in the home of Ebenezer
Doughty. The first building was lo
cated where the handsome edifice now
stands.' The house was 4ft Tat. a two
story wooden affair, and built at con
siderable sacrifice on the part of the
members of the church. The church has
had many distinguished preachers and
has stood in the front ranks of progress.
The First Presb'terian and the Fi st
Baptist churches arc noted for the par 1
they played in the sixties when fraternal
strife divided the sections. The Pres
byterians of the South organized their
Southern assembly at the First Presby
terian church. The Baptists of the
South met at the First Bantist church
and organized tin* Southern Baptist con
vention. These churches are known and
loved ail over the Southland for the part
they-.placed in giving birth to these great
organizations whose power has been felt
around the world.
It is not generally thought of. but the
churches of the city have been far in
advance of other Interests. Years ago
the churches huilt houses of worship that
wPI do splendid credit to Augusta when
she has three or four times her popula
tion. One of the handsomest church
buildings in the South is that of the
Church of the Sacred Heart, corner of
Greene and Mclvinne streets, while St.
John’s and St. James’ Methodist, the
First Presbyterian, the First Baptist and
the First Christian churches own and
worship in buildings far in advance of
our skvsempers. It speaks we’l for tile
wisdom of pastors and laymen of the last
generation that they built for a tlreater
Augusta.
Most of the suburban churches have
excellent houses. Some of the these date
back several-years, others are of recent
date. Tile Second Baptist has just about
finished payment of the debt hanging
over one of the prettiest little church
homes In town. The Woodlawn Metho
dist church has now ill course of con
struction a munificent building on 15th
streit. The Woodlawn Baptist church
lias raised a sum In cash and subscrip
tions ter a modern church building on
Oliafee avenue. Other suburban church
es have enlarged an dimprovod tlielr
houses of worship at considerable ex
pense.
One Is frequently reminded of the
wickedness of the citv, and the failure
of the churches to develop a spiritually
minded people. The people are not all
that could be desired but they have made
great strides toward a better life. George
G. Smith, In his "A Hundred Years of
Methodism” tells us of the times follow,
lug the Revolution and the Independence
of the Colonies In speaking of Augus
ta he says: "There was 'lttle disposi
tion for any class to listen to the de
spised • Methodists who had no kind of
compromise to make with the world. It
was n time of great ea'etv The voting
women who had. during the Revolution,
been debarred from the ma-kets of France
and the e'eganries of fashion, were now
enjovlng their liberty to buy pretty
things to the full. The men never met
without passing the decanter, and to
spend the night in revll-y and the day In
the court house practicing law. was the
usual course of the attorneys. The young
dudes were now wearing suspenders and
French pantaloons, and with their rich
red waistcoats and their blue swallow
tailed coats, with their brass buttons,
they and their carefully lied cues, their
shoe buckles and their ‘all, slick heaver
bau. Uiuy ware picturesque objects. Cards
the cost of the work, together with the
cost of two hospitals for the Medical
Branch of the University of Georgia and
the enlargement of the city's water
works.
A second election was held and a sec
ond bond issue was authorized, making
a total of $2,000,000 of bonds that have
been issued for the purposes specified.
Two Millions Expended.
Tlie work was let by contract and the
fiyin of A. .1. Twiggs & Ron were found
to be the successful bidders. They pur
chased 40 acres of land from the Alex
ander estate at what Is known as War
ren Heights for the purpose of furnisn
lug the material for constructing the
levee.
The place is very conveniently located,
being just wheve active operations be
gan, on the t anks of Lake Olms ead,
near to the canal. There is there an al
most inexhaustible supply of the finest
material known for such a purpose, it
were as common as wine, and both were
found everywhere when wealth and fash
ion met.”
Thus it will be seen that the churches
of Augusta have developed higher stand
arils of morals. The best people of Au
gusta are found In the. churches, and of
recent years the spirit ot reform has
taken deeper root in every church or
ganization.
The most splendid Work ot the church
es in Augusta is seen in their effort to
reac h the people. beading in the work
ot social service are the Methodists.
Several years ago they opened what Is
known as the King Mill Settlement
Home in Greggtown. near the King
Mills. This institution is reaching the
people of that community as the church
es could never hope to do outside the or
ganization. They take the people who
need them from the cradle to the grave.
Already a number of strong young men
and women point to the mission as the
organizer and developer of their better
manhood. The Boys' Home is another
institution reflecting credit on t lie
churches in our midst. This is under
the auspices of the Episcopal church, and
is in a thriving condition. The young
est ot our settlement experiments is the
Settlement Home, with Miss Daisy Cum
mlng, an expert social worker at Its
head. The home is located nekr the Sib
ley Mills and fostered by the Baptist
churches of the city. It. is in these
homes where the least of His children are
served that the churches of Augusta are
laying tlie foundation for a finer hu
manity.
It is a blunder to try to reach the
masses through any organizations other
than the churches. In all ages they
have defended the poor and the helpless.
In all the wide world they have done
more to elevate mankind than any other
organization. The churches, when led
by faithful pastors, come in direct touch
with the masses. The churches of our
city are deeply Interested in the problems
confronting the poor. They may have
arrived late, but they nrc ahead of any
other organized body in their service,
and the homes founded by them will
grow and materially help ns In lifting
the whole of our people.
Our churcnes are composed of a very
fine class of citizens. A good test of a
church is the treatment of the pastor.
The churches of the city are noted for
the kindness with which the pastors are
cared for. The government of tho
Methodist church reqUlrs a limited pas
toral, but a number of the Augusta
Methodist churches have kept their pas
tors the full four years. Rev. A. I>.
Ecliols is now closing up his fourtli year
at Asbury. The Episcopal churches have
bud pastors who were noted for long pe
riods of service. At the First Presby
terian church the pastors have labored
from youth to old age. Notable among
ihese Were tlie lamented Doctors Irvin
and Blanket. The First Baptist and
the Second Baptist are both noted for
extended pastorates. At the former Dr.
Lansing Burrows labored for almost 20
years, while at the latter, llev. Thomas
Walker, now at ('rawford Avetiu Bap.lst,
spent seventeen years as active pastor.
This Indicates the spirit of building
which lias pervaded the whole of our
church life from the founding of St.
Paul's 111 1750 to the good year of our
Lord 1914. If the supreme work of the
church is to build men then the churches
of Augusta have not failed; for the pas
tors wdio have led men to Christ in many
cases have remained long enough to de
velop them into strong Christian man
hood.
Of course the churches have not done
all that tlielr leaders mid members have
longed to do. 11l many things they
have failed. A number of giant evils
thrive right here in our midst. Many of
us think that the good Christian people
should combine and crush them. But
the tide is rising, and the conservative
people of today will he the radical peo
ple of tomorrow and we shall see evil
i hastened and diminished. But taken
as a whole no other organizations in
the citv have shown such steadv growth,
such determination to succeed as the
Christian congregations. It will take
the city In many respects a half cen
tury to come up to the firing line where
our churches now stand It is pleas
ant to contemplate that in the coming
years the churches will continue to he
bur pioneers in all that is good and
great.
POWER OF HABIT.
Mrs. Tucker gave some food to a
tramp one morning, and as he was
eating it she noticed a peculiarity.
“Why.” she asked, “do you stick out
the middle fingor of your left hand
so straight while you are eating?
Was it ever brokenV"
“No, ma’nm," replied the tramp,
“but during my halcyon days I wore
a diamond ring on that finger, and
old habits are hard to break.” —Na-
tional Monthly.
being a mixture of clay and broken
stone, which, under the action of the
weather, becomes very hard and tena
cious.
An April 4th, 1918 dirt was bvoker. an 7
active operations began on the great
work of protecting Augusta from the
disastrous floods that have devastated
he city lit Intervals since its founda
tion. A period of universal rejoicing has
prevailed among the citizens and well
wishers of Augusta, ever since the aus
picious inception of the huge undertak
ing, that will require such an enormous
sum of money and take such a long time
to complete .
The details of such a jo!? are almost
Infinite and the labor "* /dirking them
out was prodigeous.
Removing Mountains.
The contractors. Messrs. A. .1. Twiggs
& Son made preparations for moving
on a fel'“s.t scale. They set to work with
a large steam shovel with the capacity
of three cubic yards to the dtp, three
d ! ps to the minute. They started in to
cut down a hill and the earth of that
hill is now in the levee.
The steam shovel can pile on dirt fast
enough to keep three trains moving, with
seven western self-dumping cars to the
train. While one train ts loadtng, one
train is dumping at the fill, and one is
on the run. The trains run on a tres
tle and they are now filling in behind St.
Paul's church.
The cars are provided with self-dump
ing apparatus which is operated by an
air pump on the engine. The train stops
on the trestle, over the fill, and the cars
are dumped automat'cally and righted
and the whole operation consumes only
five minutes’ time. It is the quicket
method of unloading a train In use.
A ditch is dug in the space to he oc
cupied by the embankment, which is kept
filled with water. Water is also kept
playing on the embankment as it grows.
Progress Shown Among The Catholic Churches
and Educational Institutions in Augusta
History of St. Patrick’s.
The Church of the Holy Trinity,
generally known as St. Patrick's, was
consecrated April, 12th, 1863, when the
civil war was at Its height, by Bishop
Verot of Savannah, accompanied and
assisted by Bishop McGill of Rich
mond, Bishop Lynch of Charleston and
Bishop Quinlan of Mobile. In an early
print about the church it is stated
that the church, the third to be con
structed by the Catholics of Augusta,
"was under the title and name of
the Most Holy Trinity but as the cus
tom of the church requires a patron
saint or saints, the primary patron
of the church is Saint Patrick, who
was chosen as such ; by the vote of
the clergy and people on Easter Sun
day, 1863. The secondary patron Is
Saint Vincent of Paul, under whose
invocation the church was placed it
tile laying of tlie cornerstone, July
19th, 1857.”
The naming of the church as Saint
Patrick’s is significant and of histori
cal value. It marked the ascendancy
of the Irish among the congregation,
for it is evident that early in the his
tory of the parish those of French
birth and descent were largely in the
numerical majority.
In 1810, a charter of incorporation
was obtained from the legislature, and
the number of Catholics had increased
so far as to justify the residence of a
pastor. The first resident pastor ot’
Augusta was the Rev. Dr. Brown. At
a meeting of the congregation held
February 9th, 1812, a committee was
appointed to hand around a subscrip
tion paper to the citizens for contri
butions to enable them to build a
Catholic church. The subscription was
liberal enough to take further steps
in the building of the church, which,
in fact, was constructed in the course
of that year and also probably of the
following. The books do not allude
to the date when the new church was
opened to divine worship, although
there is an entry in the books fo«r
1814. The dwelling in which the clergy
have resided since, was put up In
1818.
Many French Here.
The first church was but about
forty-nine feet long and twenty-four
wide, but it was sufficient for the
needs of the congregation, which un
der the eare of Father Barry, throve
wonderfully until in 1843 it was found
too small and a resolution was passed
to enlarge it, which was done by .add
ing a transept to the nave, making the
church cruciform in accordance with
general usage throughout the Catholic
world.
Mr. A. M. Mac Murphy, to whom the
writer is obliged for many details
about the early history of Saiht Pat
rick's, as the church is universally
called now, is a descendant of the first
Catholic known to be born in this
section, his mother, Mary Drummond
Mac Murphy, who first saw tile light
of day in Augusta. He gives them
in three groups. French. Irish and
German, anil a glance will show how
many more there were of the former
than of the latter two combined. The
brick for the church was furnished by
Nicholas del’Aigle and Ferdinand
Phinizy, who was the first of the
name of the family now so widely
known to live in Augusta.
Among the French families were
those of Talvande, Brux, Boulineau,
Gardelle, Mondeville, Boisclair, Carrie,
Baudry. Lang. DeCottes. Boutette, Pie
quet. Bnitz, Rabat, Deßeauregard, Al
lude, Babie, Bouyer, Caftin. Gieu, Cre
pue, Lafitte D'Antignao Rosslgnol,
Robert, Cantelyou, Simmonet, Broshan,
Dortle.
Among the Irish patronymics found
are those of Hurley. Maguire. Duffy,
Starling, McTier, Gargan, McCann.
Kinehley, Riley, Grady, Wilde, Mar
kay, Norton. Dunbar, Henry. Quinn,
Boland, Maher Corconv Haekett, Bar
ry, McGraw, Shields and Tobin.
THE AUGUSTA HERALD. AUGUSTA, GA,
to make the dirt settle. This is called
puddling.
The Controlling Gates.
Where the levee starts, on the canal
east of Lake Olmstead, there is a large
controlling gate by means of which the
water can he cut off entirely from the
city. These gates are of reinforced con
crete and are rfiost substantially built.
There are four concrete controlling
gates, the one across the canal at Lake
Olmstead, one at each of the cotton
mills, and the one at Hawk's Gullev. The
one at Hawk’s Gulley is the largest and
most important. It s the most import
ant because It is at the danger point and
furthermore, it is at the outlet of the
third and lowest level of the canal and
almost the whole efficiency of tne levee
is dependent upon that gate.
At three places along the line of the
levee there are retaining walls, built of
reinforced concrete, at the Atlantic Tee
& Coal Company’s, at Re d’s Warehouse
and at the Rlve-'side Mills. The one at
the Riverside Mills is 800 feet long. The
object of these ts to keep the earth of
the levee from the wal's of the mill. But
for them, the dirt would bank up against
the side of the mill, shut up its windows
and pos'hly crush Its walls.
Practically Three Miles Finished.
From control gitrs at Lake Olmstead,
to Washington street a distance of
more than three miles the embankment
of the levee, stretches a'ong the river
front like mammoth se-pent lying with
tils full length along. It will be completed
to that point by August Ist in case no
untoward event occurs.
The levee Is fifty feet In height,
which leaves a margin of eight feet
above the highest recorded height the Sa
vannah has ever risen. It Is not sup
posed that tlie levee will cause the food
water to rise much higher than the ordi
nary, but that it will cause the water
to run off with greater velocity.
Sacred Heart Parish.
Ten years after the consecration of
St. Patrick’s it became evident that
additional church facilities were need
ed for the Catholics of Augusta. The
zealous and energetic Fr. Theobald
Butler, S. J„ set to work to collect
the necessary funds. He was met
more than half way by the generosity
of the people of this city. The corner
stone of the old Sacred Heart church
was laid June 6, 1874, and on Oct. 6
of the same year mass was said in
it for the* first time. For well nigh
a quarter W a century this unpreten
tious brick building served as the
place of worship for the members of
the Sacred * Heart parish. In 1897 the
project w«re formed of erecting a more
commodious and more artistic struc
ture—one more in accordance with
Catholic jjtjeals of the splendor be
coming the Lord’s House.
It was no easy matter to collect the
amount necessary for so ambitious an
undertaking. But once again the open -
handed liberality of the people was
equal to the occasion. With the cer
tainty that in the course of time the
heavy expenses would be defrayed, the
work was begun immediately and the
cornerstone of the present magnificent
edifice on the corner of Greene and
McKinne streets was laid, Feb. 20,
1898. tin Dec. 2, 1900, it was dedicated
and on Nov. 17, 1912, with the last
cent of debt paid off, it was conse
crated by the Right Reverend Benja
min J. Keiley, Bishop of Savannah, in
the presence of a large concourse of
bishops, priests and laity. The Seered
Heart church is one of the hand
somest in the South.
Catholic Schools of Augusta.
The Catholic church lius always
shown herself a strenuous advocate of
the alliance of religion and learning.
Her children have at all times and in
| all countries contributed generously
towards the support of schools in
which the interests of the soul will
receive as much attention as the cul
tivation of he mind. Augusta is go
exception to this rule. In 1853, under
the administration of Bishop Gartland,
the Sisters of Mercy established a
convent and school, and on Feb. 7 of
the following year were incorporated
I under the title of St. Mary's Academy
"for the advancement of the cause of
education and charity, and the per
formance of acts of mercy and benev
olence.” The superior court of Rich
mond county empowered them to con
fer diplomas, honors, degrees, and sim
ilar testimonials of scholastic distinc
; tion.
I
| By dint of rigid economy and saint
i like self-denial, Fr. Duggan was en
abled to lay aside the sum of from
eight to ten thousand dollars for edu
cational purposes. At his death he
; left this money for the building of a
school, and St. Patrick's Commercial
Institute, for many years under the
care of the Sacred Heart Brothers but
at present ably conducted by the
Christian Brothers, is an eloquent tes
i timonial of the good father's zeal.
i At a later period the Franciscan
Sisters established a school for the
education of colored girls and are do
ing excellent work in that important
j field of labor. Besides caring for the
J orphans and academies committed to
| their charge, the sisters are untiring
| in their attention to the sick and suC
i sering.
St. Joseph's Seminary.
One of the largest and handsomest
j college buildings In I his section is the
new St. Joseph's Seminary, which has
been erected on Monte Sano. It Is
the biggest step forward in an educa
tional way for the girls of this sec
tion and community that has over been
undertaken in Augusta. It fills a long
■ felt want in the educational needs of
[ this section.
To complete the work according to
the plans, :t will be built to New Sa
vannah, a distance of nine and a half
miles from Washington street. This will
afford flood protection to a fine farming
section lying below the city on the Sa
vannah.
It is not thought that the earth for the
embankment will come from the pit now
In use; the distance Is too great to haul
it and other material more available.
That portion of the levee southeast of
ho city is more in the nature eff wing
dam and serves the purpose of giving tlie
flood water direction.
Radical Changes Had to Be Made.
The Charleston & Western Carolina
Railroad hud to change ! ts grade from
the Sibley Mills to a point beyond Wray s
Creek, in order to cross the levee. A
lift bridge lias been put into the levee
trestle to allow the passage of trains
while the work of raising the grade Is
in progress.
The Riverside Compress had to be
moved to clear the right-of-way, and
many buildings have been demolished
and the ground utilized for that pur
pose. The Charleston & Western Caro
lina Railroad freight depot has been
taken down and a larger depot erected
nearer to Reynolds street. Whole rows
of buildings lying along the river front
are being icmoved to make way for the
big work.
The entire sewerage system of the
city Is being revolutionized in conse
quence of the building of file levee. In
stead of discharging, as at present, the
sewers will, in future, empty either into
the third level of the canal, or they will
< mpty into the Beaver Dam ditch.
The sewer work alone that is being
done will cost hundreds of thousands of
dollars. The 1 earing up of street pave
ments digging trenches, and laying sew
er pipes is in itself a big job and a
very costly one.
Church of the Immaculate Conception,
for Colored Catholics of Augusta.
What is now the flourishing parish
of the lmaculate Conception, devoted
to the spiritual welfare of colored
Catholics, at the corner of Kollock an/
Gwinnett streets, had a very humbif
beginning five or six years ago.
Bishop Keiley had given this worn
throughout the diocese to the Society
of African Missions, with headquar
ters in Lyons, France, and Very Rev.
I. Lissner was placed in charge. Fr.
Lissner opened this mission in person
and took a small house on Pine street.
With him was Rev. Eugene Peter, who
acted as first pastor.
Shortly afterwards the property on
the corner of Marbury and Florence
streets was bought and the work act
ively started. With Fr. Peter was as
sociated Father A. Laube as assistant.
Rail and Crosstie Notes
Passes for Wives.
As a result of the safety records
made by the Western and the Ozark
divisions of the St. Louis & San Fran
cisco, for the year ending May 31, one
woman in every employe's family on
these divisions will receive a pass
good for six months over the division
on which she is located. These pass
prizes are also awarded to one woman
in every employe's family at the St.
Louis and the Memphis terminals, the
winners being allowed, in this in
stance. to designate over which di
vision they wish to have their passes
extend. The idea of awarding passes
for prizes originated with Mr. Nixon,
the chief operating officer, and the
incentive thus provided has resulted
in a remarkable decrease in the num
ber ot casualties.
The pass prizes are awarded on two
different plans: One, for the division
making the greatest number of train
miles per casualty; the other, for the
division showing the best gain in this
respect for the year ending May 31,
1913. The western division made a
reduction of 46 per cent, from its re
cord for the previous year, showing
9,146 train miles for each casualty as
compared with 5,588. The Ozark di
vision—which has been a consistent
prize winner—shows 10,112 train miles
per casualty, which is the best record
of all the Frisco divisions, but because
ofs being a prize winner the previous
year, it does not show the large gain
made by the western division.
The Memphis terminal —which has
won the prize three times in succession
■—reports 790 switching hours per cas
ualty, the best of all the terminals;
but the St. Louis terminal shows the
best gain this year over last —523
switching hours per casualty as com
pared with 345. The basis of com
putation for the terminals on the road
is the greatest number of switching
hours made per casualty.
The receiver and chief operating of
ficer awards a semi-annual *p ass to all
female employes and to the female
head of the family of all employes on
the division and at the terminal mak
ing the best record on the basis in
dicated
The Railway World, studying the
last annual report of the Interstate
commerce cimmisston, finds that in
June. 1913, the number of persons
employed was 852. The list includes
ten chiefs of divisions, 32 attorneys,
:75 examiners and 501 clerks. This
statement evidently was made before
I many persons were engaged in the
valuation division, as only the five en
| gineers are mentioned under that
i head. The appropriations made by
congress for the work of the commis
| sion for the last fiscal year amounted
|to $1,853,629. In 1888 the number of
The Beaver Dam Ditch.
The utility of Beaver Dam Ditch was
practically demonstrated during the last
high water that vis’ted Augusta. Broad
street, being oval shaped, acted as a
levee. While the water on the north
side of the street remained a day and a
oalf on a level with the top of the street,
it had follen eighteen inches on the
south side of the street.
Meanwhile, the water from the river
was pouring througli the sewers and
Spouting up from the manholes and
sandtrups on the south s'de of the city.
It had never done that wav before. It
was most noteworthy and significant.
Beaver Dam Ditch had just been cut
and therefore the changed action of the
water can be attributed to nother cause.
While the water in the river was going
nine miles around, the water in Beaver
Dam ditch had to go only five. The
■fall being the same, the water from the
south side reached its destination nearly
twice as quick as the water from the
north side.
If Beaver Dam Ditch cleared the
water from the'south s‘de of the city, its
value can not be estimated. It should
he enlarged. A steam ditcher would do
the work economically* and the outlay
would be small in comparison to the
benefits to be derived from Its enlarge
ment.
Mr. F. B. Pope has the credit of d!g
ging the ditch, which his already paid
for itself In draining the swamps and
making available thousands of acres of
tertlle lands below the city. It has also
afforded an outlet for the sewage of the
city With the expenditure of a com
paratively small sum It might be so
enlarged ns to admit the passage of
boats to the industries of the south side.
The levee plans contemplate a set of
antes at tlie mouth of Butler's Creek
where Beaver Dam Ditch has an outlet
into the Savannah.
The building was a combination
church, school and rectory, the school
being in charge of the Franciscan Sis
ters. The work grew until it was seen
that larger quarters would soon have
to he secured and Fr. Lissner began
to look around for a desirable loca
tion, finally selecting the corner of
Kollock and Gwinnett streets.
Father Peter about this time left
foi Savannah, to work for the colored
people there, and Father Laube was
placed in charge, his assistant being
Fr. A. Barthlen. Plans for new build
ings were drawn and work commenced
something over a year ago, the build
ings being finished early in the fa!'.
They consist of a beautiful church
and rectory and a modern school build
ing. The school season just closed
was a remarkably successful one con
sidering the short time it has been in
existence and showed an enrollment of
over 200 pupils.
With such tireless workers as Frs.
Laube and Barthlen, the parish of the
Immaculate Conception is growing
rapidly and a visit to it on any Sun
day will show the hold it has on the
colored people of Augusta.
persons employed by the commission
was 33 and the expenditures in that
year were $113,008.
A. M. Mortensen, traffic manager of
the Panama-Pacific International Ex
position, estimates that the visitors
to the exposition will number 2.132,-
500. This Includes from points in the
United States east of the Rocky
Mountains, 1,000,000; west of the
Rocky Mountains, exclusive of Cali
fornia. 250.000; from Europe and Af
rica 50,000. Mr. Mortensen thinks that
the attractions of California outside
of the exposition will largely offset
the disadvantage of being situated so
far from the centres of population.
The city of San Francisco has voted a
bond issue of $3,500,000 for electric
car lines to convey passengers between
the centre of the city and the expo
sition grounds, the existing lines being
inadequate.
Dixon Fay Kirkland, whose appoint- .
ment as general manager of the Geor- |
gia & Florida, with headquarters at
Augusta, Ga„ has been announced. |
I was born on June 1, 1866, in Lowndes i
! county, Ga. and was educated in the |
: common schools. He began railway |
work in 1883 as a laborer with a i
bridge gang of the Plant Investment ‘
Company, building the South Florida
railway. He was then consecutively )
work train conductor, locomotive fire- j
iman, and from the latter part of 1885 i
i to 1887 telegraph operator at various ]
: points on the Savannah. Florida & j
j Western, now a part of the Atlantic :
i Coast Line. From 1887 to January of i
1 the following year he was copying j
operator in the despatcher's office at
Savannah, Ga., and then was appoint- '
, ed despatcher on the Georgia South
i ern & Florida in September. 1889,!
1 remaining in that position until April, !
1891. when he was appointed de- •
1 spateher on the Plant System. From
; July, 1898, to September, 1900. he was
trainmaster, and then to December,
1905 was division superintendent of
the same system which is now oper- .
ated by the Atlantic Coast Line. From
July to December, 1906, he was su- |
perlntendent of transportation of the 1
•Georgia. Florida & Alabama, and from ,
! May. 1907, to April, 1911, was chief !
clerk to the superintendent of trans- I
portation of the Central of Georgia, '
and then, until the following October, I
was acting superintendent at Savan
nah, Ga. He was then trainmaster j
on the same road at Cedartown. Ga.. j
until January, 1912, when he became I
superintendent of the Georgia & Flor* |
( ida, and from April 15, 1913, to June
;1. 1914, he was superintendent of the
Atlanta, Birmirgham & Atlantic, at
Manchester, Ga., which position he
held at the time of his recent appoint
ment as general manager of the Geor
gia & Florida as above noted.
“AUGUSTA IN 1914"
The Effect of the Levee.
The direct effect of building the levee
h"S been marve'ous upon the growth and
advancement of Augusta. For many
years this city stood at a standstill.
There was litt'e confidence, public en
terprise and small demand for real es
tate. Capita! seemed to be satisfied
with what had been accomplished and
there was no ambition to better con
ditions.
But when it became apparent that pub
lic sentiment favored the levee and was
determined to have protect'on against
the periodical overf'ows of the Savan
nah that were so destructive to life and
property and a continual menace to pros
perity the city took on new life. Be
fore’ the levee got under way. new en
terprises hegan to spring up and grow.
Broad street seemed suddenly trans
formed. Old hulldtrgs wre torn down
and modern structures quickly tiv*k tlielr
places. On one block of Broad . street,
at one time, were improvements
going up amounting to SBOO,OOO.
Greatest in the City's History.
The period of prosperity now being ex.
perieneed is undoubtedly the greatest In
Augusta's history. Never before has
Augusta d ! rt been held in such high re
quest and has there been so much activ
ity In real estate. The development is
all pervasive.
Besides tlie levee, the most notable
commercial enterprises now on foot are
the Barge Line, the hydro-electrical de
velopment at Stevens Creek, the Em
pire hui’ding. the Chronicle butid'ng. the' i
new Postofflee building and the Swirt |
Fertilizer Factory, j
it Is estimated that there are now in I
progress of construction, new improve/ '
ments to the amount of six million
five hundred thousand dollars. Wherec
is there a city in the South that can
match it?
Tile New York, New Haven & Hart
ford has just pensioned 13 employes,
making 51, altogether, retired within
three months. One of those who have
just been pensioned is George C.
Crocker of Hyannis, Mass., a crossing
n an, 82 years old, who has been in
the service 59 years.
Ttie Pennsylvania railroad, since
January 1 last, has sold 100 pieces of
real estate for. approximately $1,000.-
000. The directors have voted to sell,
as fast as purchasers can be found,
all of the real estate owned by the
company which is not needed for its
uses, of which there are 647 separate
parcels. Station agents of the com
pany will give all desired informa
tion.
J. H. Barr has been appointed trav
eling freight agent of the Central of
Georgia, with headquarters at Kan
sas City, Mo.
“QUEEN PEACH” IS
REIGNING IN STATE
NEXT TO KING COTTON
Georgia’s Sweet Fruit is Noted
Throughout the Nation.
Growth of Delicious Fruit
Has Beer. Made During Fifty
Years
The Georgia peach is queen along with
cotton as king. In coloring, taste and
lasting qualities this fruit has become
famous throughout tlie Union, arid today
the markets of the North and West con
sider the Georgia product as absolutely
the best.
The growth of Georgia’s peach indus
try lias been .remarkable. Fifty years
ago tlie only peach orchards in the state
were small groves near Augusta. With
improved transportation faeilites and
methods of packing, the intelligent or
ganization of this industry was attempt
ed. The Aleaxnder peach was intro
duced in Georgia from Missouri, and ten
years later tlie famous Elberta peach
was produced. This peach has done more
to promote the industry than all other
varieties combined. It is today the most
extensively grown peacli in Georgia. It
attains large size, is unusually showy
and stands shipment well.
From ISB9 to 1887, when tlie first re
frigerator car of Georgia peaches reach
ed the New York market, the industry
grew steadily, the peacli belt being ex
tended northwestward to Athens, CcT
nelia, Marietta and Rome, and south
westward to Macon, Fort Valley arid
Marshallville. Within tlie past twenty
years the pencil industry lias been revo
lutionized, in number of peaches grown,
1 o cultivation and in packing and mar
keting. Thirty years ago tlie largest
peach orchard in the state was forty
acres, but today tlie great peacli orch
ards with tlielr individual railroads, in
dividual packing houses, some with ;00,-
000 trees in bearing, ave tremendous in
stitutions.
The Georgia Fruit Exchange, with
headquarters in Atlanta. is the out
growth of the difficulty and loss caused
many shippers In the field, who in mar
keting their crops individually could not
get the very best prices possible. This
exchange is carefully managed by prac*
tleally railroad refrigerator service men,
and now handles a Mg part of tlie en
tire peach crop of the state.
The Georgia Fruit Exchange reports
the industry grew, until in 1912, 7,157
cars were shipped from Georgia.
Peaches are shipped in six-basket car
riers, each holding nearly one bushel. A
car contains an average of 525 carriers.
The average selling price in 1912 was
97 cents per six-basket currier and In
1913 the average sel'lng price was $2.02.
Prices are f. o. b. cars shipping station.
From the tlrirtteentli census of th#
United S'ates taken In the year 1910, it
Is learned that the number of Georgia’s
peach and nectarine trees was 10.609,118,
yielding 895.613 bushels In the year 1909.
It is estimated that there are in Geor
gia 18,000,’’Oft peach trees.
The hulk of tlie peacli business Is in
the counties southwest of the central
portion, the greatest shipping points
being Fort Valley and Marsha ilvlli*.