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PEARSONftTRIBUNE VOL. 3—A0.12. PROPOSED ATKINSON COUNTY Some Reasons Why The Tribune has already stated I that a-great number, if not a ma jority, of the people living in the Coffee county territory within the boundaries of the proposed Atkin son county reside from 1(1 to 30 miles from the county site —Doug- las. They have the choice of three routes to Douglas when they have to transact anj kind of.busi ness: First, by private convey ance over much neglected and miserable roads. Second, by At lantic Coast Line railroad to Wil laeoochee and then the Georgia and Florida to Douglas—a distance of 30 miles; the morning connec tion at Willacooehee to Douglas is fairly good, arriving at 10:30, but you have no connect ion the saint' day to reach home and you are forced to remain all night at either Douglas or W illacooehee. Third, by Atlantic Coast Line railroad to Way cross and the Atlanta, Birmingham and Atlantic to Doug las —a distance of 73 miles, and you reach Douglas about 10:00 at night; returning home by this route the connect ion at Way cross is the except ion to the rule, you almost invariably have to spend the night at Way cross. All these routes are undesirable, thoroughly miserable and expensive, and really not much choice between them. Besides 1 hose living soul h of the Atlantic Coast Line rail road —fully one-third of the popit lation —have to walk or drive to the railroad before entraining, some a distance of nine miles, 'this is a burden these people should not be forced to bear any longer; such miserable condit ions do hot exist any w here else in ( leorgia. There is another condition in this territory which calls for a remedy such as the county would provide; and it is an ugly, menac ing condition. Many misdemea nors are committed against the people, their property or proper ty rights. The cost of prosecut ing the offenders are so enormous that those offended can't afford to have them arrested and carried before the court. So the guilty parties go un whipped of justice, because the parties aggrieved haven't the money with which to pay the expense of going the great distance, back and forth, to attend the trials. This lack ol prosecution and punishment em boldens law breakers to violate the law with impunity. The remedy for this evil, this menace to the good order, peace and dignity of society, is tp place the source of punishment so easy of access that all the people can af ford to prosecute and punish crime. The cheapest trip to Douglas from this territory is not less than £5.00, if you have to hire a conveyance, Among the general objections to the creat ion of new counties is that (leorgia has more counties than any other State in the Union except Texas, and Texas has three times the territory of Georgia. Upon investigation this argument will be found to be baseless. By referring to tin map of Texas you will find that seven eighths of the counties of Texas are on the east side and covers a territory not larger than Grorgia. You will find further seme very small counties, viz: Aransas. 240 square miles; Camp, 208; Delta. 201; Galveston, 305; Gregg, 312; Hood. 505; Marion, 391; Morris, 295; Grange. 303; Bains. 207; Rockwall, 149; Somer vell, 184; Titus 398: The proposed Atkinson county w ill have approxi mately 400 square miles of terri- lory; and will be larger than any one of twelve of the foregoing , Texas counties. The state of Rhode Island, liav mg 1,007 square milesof territory, is smaller than tin-present Clinch county, and a very little larger than the present <'offee county. It has long since been divided in to five counties, viz: Bristol, 24 square miles: Kent, 171: New port. 114: Providence. 430; Washington. Georgia is not the only State in the Union engaged in the creation of new counties. The census re port of 1910 shows that all the States bounding Georgia created new counties between 1900 and 1910, and the next census will show that they are continuing to create new counties when and wherever the convenience, wel fare and happiness of their people make it advisable. That seem to be the policy of all the States —to afford their citizens every possi blc advantage in transacting their business, husbanding (heirlime and resources. As to the creation of Atkinson county; its bitterest opponents will admit every proposition ad vanned in favor of its creation; that ii will have abundant terri lory, population and property values to make if abundantly self-supporting. They will admit that I lie people within the new county boundaries are laboring under inconveniences that are unreasonably burdensome. Then, the legislature must reach the conclusion that there is some sinister motive behind the opposition. The Willacooehee op position is because that city stands no possible chance at any time of being the county site. The people I In-re w ant a new county, but they would keep Un people from the ad van I ages of the new county unless the county site goes to Willacooehee. That is t In spirit tln-y manifest. So determ ined wore t hey last summer that they made an active canvas of Clinch county, spending money lavishly, to proven( the noniina lion of Senator Dickerson, who is and has been favorable to this new county. In Coffee county tln-y induced the candidacy of the strongest man in the county to defeat Representative Stewart, who was running on tin* new coun ty platform. They failed in both instances because* the people are in favor of ‘ Atkinson county, with Pearson as the county site-." The people of both old counties realize that it would be advanta. geo us to tin-in to have some of tln-ir territory cut off and tin old count ios made smaller. The Hon. Daniel Gaskins, of Douglas, writes: "I served one term as sole county commissioner of roads and revenues for Coffee county, and have lived for many years at and in the vicinity of Douglas. My experience in ad ministration of the county com missioner’s office convinces me that Coffee county, with its 990 square miles of territory, is much too large for the good of tin- peo ple I heartily coin mend the Rearson New County Proposition, and will do all in my power to assist in getting the re lief that is so righteously deser ved.” Hon. W. W. Southerland, ex- Sheriff of Ccffee county, says: "1 served three terms as Sheriff of Coffee county and now live with out the territory of which 1 shall PEARSON, GEORGIA, FRIDAY, .JULY 20, 11)17 COEFEE COUNTY PROTEST A Douglas correspondent to the Savannah News, under date of July 17th, says: “At a mass meet ing of citizens of Coffee county in the court house to-day, arrange ments wen- made to make a streng tight against the creation of the proposed new county of Atkinson, with Pearson as the county site. The bill as drawn lakes practical ly all the territory for llie new county out of Coffee, which will be about one third of the present area of Coffee and about one-third of the tax values of Coffee, and w ill leave a debt on Coffee of SBO, 000. and the northern line of the new counly will come williin seven miles of the court house in Doug las, while it will only take two strips of land lots from Clinch county, which is poor, sandy hind. “The business interests of Doug las and the heavy tax payers of the county were represented, and a committee was named to raise funds to defray t.lieexpenses of t he fight. A delegation was sent to Atlanta tonight and will remain thereuntil tin- matter comes up before the committee of'he House Friday.” The above plaint is amusing to one who has been in this new county tight from its inception, who has seen it in all its phases, and the various kaleidoscopic chan ges presented by tin* opposition. In 1905 Ihe plea was one of pure unsolicited guarilianie soliei tilde for the welfare of the people who wanted the new county. Members of the opposit ion actual ly made the statement before the com in i t lee t hat tin* lauds of tin proposed new county was not Avbrfh 3f>c an acre and too poor lo sprout cow peas. Tin- sympa tin-tie committee decided not to recommend for creation a new county that would not be self-sup porting. This is one of the ph iltres presented by the kaleidos cope. Fight years Later two new conn ty propositions went up from this territory. One wanted \\ illaeoo dice for the county site and Kn ot her Pearson. The poor land feature had been forgotten. It was conceded that the new county would be prosperous ..ml self sup porting. It was purely a question where tin- comity site should be, and the commit tee sent both par ties back with the injunction — settle your differences at home. Another view from the kaleido scope. In 1915 two new- county propo sitions again went up from this territory, went with the same yearnings for the eoulity site. The committee saw the merit in t In- proposition and with a mind single to doing the greatest good to the greatest number of people recoin mended “The creation of Atkinson county w ith Pearson as county site. ’ It passed all tlu ordeals of legislation except one, it failed to get a constitutional ma jority' vote in the Senate- Sena tors were astounded at the result —because they knew that I lie Senator from the Fifth district, who lived at Douglas, had been speak and. therefore, I feel that what I shall say will be directly disinterested and thoroughly' un biased. Coffee county, with her 960 square miles of territory, is too large for one counly with her imputation, and no one man can fill her shrievalty wit h justice to all parts of the county. This can be remedied by the making of a new county from her southern ter ritory and tin* northern part of Clinch county I speak of the ter ritory embraced in tin* Pearson New County proposition. PROGRESS OF THE WAR The news from the war zone lias been meagre this week. There is continued activity' on the eastern front although the progress made by t in- Russian army has not been so pronounced. The Germans rushed reinforcements to that front to stay the Austro German retreat, and temporarily stopped the Russian advance. However, the Russians have brought up fresh troops and are now slowly making their way along the rail roads leading into Lomberg, the capital. Galicia. However, an uprising in Russian capitol. Pet rograd, has caused con siderable disquietude, its effect upon tin- Russian army is not known. The provisional govern meiif continues in control of the city. The ad visibility of moving the scat of the provisional govern ment to Moscow, where it could perform its functions amid quiet surroundings, is under discussion. The western front has been the seem- of lierec light ing —t he ad van tage being with the British and French. The French has re captured all the positions north west of Verdun, which cost the Germans a great toll in men and munitions to capture from the French last year. The affair cost the Germans not only the loss of tln-ir former conquest and about 500 prisoners, but more losses in in the counter at (acts made to recover the last grounds. elected upon the issue of creating (his new county, otherwise he could not have been elected. Third picture from the kaleido scope. The- proposition to create “At kin soil county, with Pearson as the County sHc,” is before the legist-,ture again. The people of the territory are still insisting that they need and are entitled to the conveniences which this new county would give them, lifting from tliei r shoulders a burden in I lie performance of (he duties of citizenship without a parallel in the Slate of Georgia. From the above except i! will be seen that the opposition al solutely aban dons the “poor land’’ argument except that sn-.all s' rip of I r< in eighty-live to an hundred square miles of territory taken from Clinch county. They now admit that the new county will have the area, the population anil the tax values necessary to be prosperous and self support ing. The plaint now is. “Coffee county is £BO,OOO in debt,'’ and “Hie northern line runs too near Douglas.” These conditions have existed from the inception almost of the Atkinson new county movement, but this is the first time they've thought of it. The northern line is no nearer Douglas than it was in 1905, and Coffee county has been in debt all the while, perhaps no! 880,000, for it has increased wonderfully since the November election —if a reputable member of the Board of <'minty Commissioners can be re lied on, a commissioner who con sistently opposed the creation of a new county with Pearson as the county site. The Tribune has no vitriol to throw at anybody, but. desires equity and justice to bo done in this matter. The people of the proposed new county should not he called upon to pay any part of the original indebtedness of near 860,000, because the old county and Douglas will retain the goods purchased with it, and the benefit will accrue to them. The new county, if created, w ill have paid before the final dissolution lakes place its prorata share of the cur rent expenses. They have no ob jection to that because it is good citizenship. PEERLESS PEARSON Her History and Growth. From the granting of the new charter in 1900 Pearson began to move out of the lethargic rut it had been in for a number of years. It was. as it were, the beginning of a new era for the town. As has already been staled Pear son Banking Company, the finan cial institution of the town, was organized in 190(5 immediately fol low ing t lie new charter, and opened itsdoors for business on the first day of October. 1906, with the follow - ing officers: 11. F. Sears, president: Jelf Kirkland, vice-president, and James S. Roberts, cashier. There were many doubling Thomases whether or not it would succeed, but it did a good business from the start and lias grown to be at the top notch of financial institu tions of (lie county. file gentle men who have handled its affairs have done so carefully, but with liberality towards its customers and the public generally, and has attained public confidence beyond measure. The new charter of 1906 also begat a public school system for the town, providing for local taxa lion for school purposes. The sys tern was put in operation in the fall of 1907, and closed its tenth year this spring. This charter al so provided for bonding the town to build and equip an adequate school building. This was com pleteil in 1915. A cut of the new building was published in these columns last week. This build ing provides live literary class rooms, a music roofn, art anil ex ..." i h TIIIG NEW HOTEL MALONE pression room and the largest, and most up to dale auditorium in the county. Should the new county of Atkinson he created it will furnish ample iaeilitics for tin holding of the courts until a suf ficient sinking fund can be had to build necessary comity buildings, and at no cost whatever to the people. In 1940 Mr. L. L. Sutton con ceived and established a local tele phone exchange, and in 191 I it was incorporated as the .Merchants and Farmers Exchange. Its wires reach every section ol the terri tory and, with ils "Bell system" connect ion for long distance ser vice, brings all the people in close touch with the social and business affairs of the world. Pearson, from her beginning, has been the centre of religious influence for all I his great teri tory. Baptists, .Methodists and ('ongregat ionalists, predominate. The home of the Methodist preach er in charge of the Pearson circuit is here, and has been for more than half a century. Baptist ministers live here and preach to churches located in easy reach of their homes. There is one .Methodist and two Baptist churches for whites and three Methodist and two Baptist churches for colored s 1.00 A YEAR people within the city limits. Two miles north of the city, at Sweetwater, there are Methodisb and Primitive Baptist churches; the latter is a new and capacious building. Four miles southeast of the city is a large and nourish ing eon gregati on a 1 church. Within a radius of eight miles of the city there are numerous other church buildings, Baptist and Methodist. Pearson has long been the cen tre of influence for fraternal and benevolent orders Masons, Knight of Pythias, Odd Fellows and Wood men of the World, with their usual degrees for women, and all in a prosperous condition. Satilla Lodge, F. & A. M., which is loca ted in Pearson, and the only one in the county owning a lodge building- separate from other inter ests—a splendid two-story frame structure, most eligibly located. Its history in an interesting part of tin- history of Coffee county, going back lo 1858 or soon after the organization of Coffe -county. It was first located just south of tin- Satilla river; a little later, for convenience sake, it was moved further south to what is now known as "Sunnyside.” <>n the advent of the Brunswick and Wes tern, now Atlantic Cows LiiU'j railroad the location was again moved lo Kirkland station, three miles west of Pearson. Later, when (he towns of Willacooehee and Pearson sprang up —the first eight miles west and t he ot her t hree miles east of Kirkland and each claiming a goodly portion of the membership, it, was divided. The parent body came to Pearson and the Willacooehee contingent organized a new body. Speaking from t lie viewpoint of the proposed new county of Atkinson, Pearson would be tlie centre of the territory, centre of populal ion and centre of wealth. The militia district, (1130th), in which Pearson is located, is the largest in territory and the second largest in populat ion (Dou glas lining first) in the county. Prior to the creation of Mora (1713th) district from a good por tion of its territory, it had approx - mately 675 registered white voters and 144 square miles of territory. Since then the registration list shows 525 white voters. The tax valuation of the district is near 8750,000. Pearson has always been the centre of commercial activity for this section. Stacks of various merchandise are sold from her business houses, and an immense quanity of freight goes to market through her railroad office. Her commercial foundation is on a so lid basis. Subscribe for the-Tribune. < >u ly 81 a year in advance.