USA > Georgia > Floyd County > Rome > A history of Rome and Floyd County, State of Georgia, United States of America; including numerous incidents of more than local interest, 1540-1922, Volume I > Part 42
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This curious place is located on the crest of one of the spurs of Dirtseller mountain, just above a circular val- ley through which flows Yellow Creek, a far-famed fishing stream. It covers several acres, and the towering bould- ers are scattered around with turrets and pinnacles, and regular streets and alleys between, and looks like a de- serted pueblo that had been inhabited by a race of giants.
Near Turkeytown, on a beautiful bluff crowned wieh groves of wild cedar, is the site of the old Moravian mission that was located there more than a hundred years ago. The rock work of an ancient landing place on the river is still to be seen, but why it was built in such a substantial man- ner is hard to imagine, as that was before the days of steamboats, and be- fore Rome or Gadsden, Birmingham or Chattanooga had been located.
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There is a legend that those Moravian missionaries learned the secret of the Raccoon Creek silver mines from the Indians, and that they took out a great deal of ore in the olden days. But they have passed away and few memorials of their existence remain, and the location of the silver mines has passed from the knowledge of men for lo these many years.
From that point up, the river in- dulges in a series of remarkable bends, now trending away to the southward in a mighty curve; now rushing back to the northward in the same eccentric manner; and in every fold of its mighty sinuosities lie bodies of fertile lands, on which wheat, corn, cotton and other crops are grown.
The amount of chickens and eggs shipped to Rome from this section is enormous and almost incredible. We took on several hundred dozen at va- rious landings during the night, and when morning dawned the bow of the Resaca looked like a large incubator.
As we glided along the river I asked Captain Benjamin if he did not con- sider it very crooked, as it is only fifty miles from Rome to Gadsden by land and 165 by river.
"Well," said he, "it bends and twists around pretty smartly, but it is noth- ing to a river on which I boated in my younger days. It was so crooked that sometimes we would have to shut off steam and let her drift because of the danger of fouling the rudder in the forechains at the bow of the boat." Then I went forward and looked out over the water and meditated.
Before we reached Round mountain I had retired to my berth, leaving the forward cabin in full possession of the "hill billies," who were piled and cross- ed on the floor enjoying a much needed rest. One of them slept with a fid- dle under his arm, and I heard Cap- tain Magruder making very emphatic remarks as he picked his way through the throng, and then I fell asleep.
Along about midnight I was awak- ened by the wailing blast of the whis- tle announcing the approach to some landing, and just as I opened my eyes I heard an old familiar strain from the front cabin :
"Oh, hop light, ladies, yer cake's all dough;
Hop light, ladies, yer cake's all dough; Oh, hop light, ladies, yer cake's all dough;
Ye needn't mind the weather so the wind don't blow!"
The fiddler had roused up and was regaling us with his choicest music, and it sounded so much like old times that I was real sorry when I heard the sound of his fiddle growing fainter and fainter as he left the boat at the landing and disappeared in the dark- ness.
FOLSOM'S FAREWELL TO
ROME .- Montgomery M. Folsom, one of Georgia's accomplished journalists, is believed to have lived about five years in Rome, in which time he was employed as a member of the staff of The Tribune. He wrote much verse and many editorials, as well as the squibs in the day's news. He was a prominent member of Cherokee Lodge 66 of Masons, and for a time lived at the Catholic parsonage on East First Street, between Fourth and Fifth Ave- nues. He is known to have been on The Tribune Nov. 20, 1892; on Nov. 15, 1896, he was still there. It is be- lieved he left in 1897 or 1898. His path led to Atlanta, where he contrib- uted for some years to the Atlanta Journal and the Atlanta Constitution before his deah. His lyrical valedictory to Romans follows :
"And now a few words at parting, for the day is drawing nigh when I shall turn my face toward other scenes than these that have become endeared to me through many trials and triumphs. Let us sit down and have a plain, old timey talk. You all know how near to my heart I hold you. That includes all. I make no reservation. I came among you without a friend. I want to go away without an enemy. If there be any of you who feel that I have wrongfully used you, I ask your forgiveness. All of you whom I feel have misjudged me I forgive freely. I love Rome and the welfare of her people above all petty person- alities.
"Time will efface all the scars. In the golden glory of the beautiful years to come I shall look back with pride and gratitude that I was once a citi- zen of Rome. I trust that the Great Ruler of the universe will strengthen and sustain me so that you may never have cause to deplore the confidence which you have so generously reposed in me. Your faults are so infinitesi- mal that they are lost to sight in the contemplation of your virtues. You are an ambitious and a high-spirited people, and fair as the dawn is the horoscope of your future destiny.
"I utter this prediction, and I do it
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without flattery, that the day will come when yours will be one of the fairest cities in all the Southland. I have traveled much and during my checkered career I have come in con- tact with many people. I have never seen the superiors of the good people of Rome and there are more genuine good people and fewer sorry ones to the size of the place than I have ever found anywhere. Your men would hold their own in any community and your women would adorn the highest circles in any sphere.
"When I speak of the women of Rome, a great flood of chivalrous ten- derness sweeps over my soul. I have watched them in their works and ways. I have seen their generous kindliness and their deeds of daring, their pa- tience and perseverance, and, above all, the ideals of moral and spiritual elevation after which their daily lives are patterned. Verily, the prediction of the future achievement of the race is well assured with such an exalted motherhood. These are not idle words, but the freely rendered homage of one who claims to be able to appreciate the splendor of their glorious exem- plification of true womanliness.
"Oh, I have had a good time in Rome. I have had some troubles, but I am going to forget them. When I think of the innumerable blessings that I have enjoyed during my stay here, the ills are already forgotten. My memory is very defective in regard to troubles, anyway. It is so much pleas- anter to remember the things that I have enjoyed. Recalling sorrows gives people mental indigestion and sourness of the intellect. Life is so short that we ought to keep the flowers bloom- ing inside when the frost nips them outside, and pluck up and cast out the weeds as fast as they appear.
"And your preachers. Now, you have caught me. I confess to being a jolly old pagan, for I have not been to preaching often. I have not heard them preach. But you forget one thing. I have felt them preach. I have seen them day and night in the highways and byways, in the privacy of the home and in public places, and what I have lacked in hearing I have absorbed through the pores of my heart, which I never allow to become clogged to the prevention of that re- ceptivity of good influences which keeps the trembling needle of con- science pointing steadily to the pole star of God.
"Oh, you are a good people, a great people, destined to be a grander still,
in the beautiful years to come. Call me an idle dreamer, an optimist, if you please. The sons of these gra- cious mothers shall yet inherit a richer legacy than falls to the share of many of the sons of men. They will inherit that faith and fortitude, that fidelity to duty and perseverance in the paths of progress that are so characteristic of those whose white hands are sus- taining their white souls in the uprear- ing of a fabric that shall stand till time shall be no more!
"Go on in your ways of energetic development. Give free rein to every noble aim and aspiration. You can- not place your ideals too high. Better that you should never reach them than that you should set them so low that when attained you would be mortified to realize that they were so ignoble as not to be worth the toil and trou- ble. I am following out my own des- tiny. My life is in the hands of God. All® that I ask is that He will strengthen and sustain me in my ef- forts until my life work is ended this side the river.
"I am sorry that I shall not be the first to discover the fringe of green on the grim old willows on the banks of the Etowah. Think of me when you hear the wild birds singing among their budding boughs. Remember me for the good that I desired to do, and not for the mistakes I made, for they are many. But you will do that. You are all too generous to treasure ill feelings and too high-spirited to be mean and malicious. We know each other, you and I. But here the roads fork. I must be going. So must you. And now God be with you till we meet again !"
"LORD BERESFORD'S" ADVEN- TURES .- The period of 1890-1900 was marked by the decline of the steamboat business, due to increased competition from the railroads, and the appear- ance of the plausible "Lord Beres- ford," known in real life by the name of Sidney Lascelles .*
"Lord Beresford" was "discovered" in New York City about 1893 by a young Roman named McGuire. He was living in style and to all appear- ances was a polished gentleman and everything else he claimed to be, in- cluding his descendancy from Lord Beresford, the English nobleman. Ac- cording to his story, he was looking
*One of the Lascelles family in 1922 married Princess Mary, daughter of King George V., of London, Eng.
ANECDOTES AND REMINISCENCES
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FOUR BUILDERS.
Left to right, J. K. Williamson, a member of the Rome City Council in 1889; Col. D. B. Hamil- ton, for many years pres- ident of the Board of Trustees of Shorter Col- lege and the Board of of the University of
Fra
Georgia; Foster Harper, of the well-known family from Cave Spring; at bot- tom, Rev. A. J. Battle, president of Shorter Col- lege in the nineties and a minister of the gospel who occasionally filled the pul- pit of the First Baptist church.
for an opportunity to invest $1,000,- 000. Mr. McGuire told him he knew where such an opportunity reposed- at Rome, Ga.
"Lord Beresford" may or may not have had the price of a railroad ticket to Rome; he got to Rome nevertheless, . and was immediately taken in tow by the proprietors of the Etna Iron Works. This concern's properties were given in for taxation at about $30,000, but out of consideration of the plight of such an exceptional stranger, he might have half of the stock of the concern for $500,000. After negotiat- ing for a week, during which time he expressed complete satisfaction over his contemplated trade, "Lord Beres- ford" stated that he would need a bit of "change" to complete his arrange- ments. He proposed to give his per- sonal check on a London bank for something like $2,000; the Etna inter- ests accepted the check and financed it through the First National Bank of Rome.
Long before the check could reach the astonished officials of the London institution with which no such indi- vidual had an account, "Lord Beres- ford" had bought a ticket back to New York without saving goodbye to his
hosts, and he carried with him a dia- mond ring loaned by a young woman friend of short acquaintance.
J. W. Laneaster, local photographer who had at one time or another snap- ped nearly every family group in the Hill City, was kept busy several days making copies of photographs of "Lord Beresford" for detective agencies and police stations throughout the coun- try. Eventually the culprit was ap- prehended in New York, and Deputy Sheriff Dallas Turner went up and brought him baek. On the train re- turning was a Roman who engaged in conversation with His Highness, and was so deeply impressed with his phil- anthropic pretensions that he declared to his fellow townsman that nothing but good could emanate from this man. Indeed, "Lord Beresford" had friends whose sympathies were so thoroughly touched that they sent flowers to his cell in the Floyd County jail and sup- plied him with every toothsome viand and literary morsel the heart could wish. The steady stream of visitors taxed the patience of the sheriff and jailor, Jake C. Moore; those stories of the castle in England and of princes and princesses, taken with the laven- der in his silk handkerchief and his
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exquisite get-up in general, proved ir- resistible.
"Lord Beresford" appeared to have been looking for money rather than for an opportunity to spend his own. His note book was full of the names and addresses of persons he had met here and there, so he dropped them a line explaining the horrible misapprehen- sion which had led to his temporary detainment. One of his former travel- ing companions was the late George Selden, head of the Erie City Iron Works, of Erie, Pa., an uncle of the late George D. Selden, until his death recently also head of that concern, and well known to older Romans through business deals at Rome. Mr. Selden wrote a friend to advance "Lord Beres- ford" a reasonable amount of money. The erudite friend visited the jail, heard from the lips of Sheriff Moore that "Lord Beresford" did not need any additional physical comforts and was an unconscionable scoundrel, and wrote back to Mr. Selden these im- pressions. It was learned later that Mr. Selden sent him $200 or $300 through another individual.
The prisoner had married a wealthy woman in New York, through whose influence with Atlanta friends and rel- atives he was freed on bond. While awaiting trial, he opened a bicycle shop on the ground floor of the Arm- strong Hotel; the bicycle craze was at its height, and he sold a lot of bicycles in Rome and elsewhere, and probably made part payments on some of them. He gave a Rome boy a nice bicycle and touched his "daddy" for a loan of $600. He always said he would explain the whole affair at the proper time, but when the time came, his excuses were too flimsy; a jury found him guilty of cheating and swindling, and Judge Jno. W. Maddox sentenced him to two years in the pen- itentiary, or similar term. He was represented by Attorney Linton A. Dean, and prosecuted by Solicitor Gen- eral Cicero T. Clements. He served part of his sentence in a lumber camp as time keeper and sort of secretary of the gang; and it was said he was so smooth that he would soon have own- ed the "works" had he not decided to depart and breath the air of freedom. He was captured near Americus and put back again, and finally his sen- tence ended.
During his confinement he enjoyed considerable leisure, as before, and wrote a humorous paper on his ex- periences, which he published in pam- phlet form at perhaps 25 cents a copy,
and which his friends bought eagerly to see what he had to say about Rome. From the memory of one who read a copy the following is quoted:
"I was much impressed by the thoughtfulness of my host and hostess, and also occasionally amused. The good lady inquired of me, 'Milord, at what hour would it suit Your High- ness to breakfast?'
"Midam, at 11 o'clock," I replied.
"She had thoughtfully instructed the colored butler to observe the royal etiquette and to follow the royal form, and so he said to me at table:
"'Won't you have some buckwheat cakes, My God?'
"I had exceeding difficulty repress- ing a smile."
"Lord Beresbord's" wife received ev- idence of his pranks with other wom- en and quit him; presently he turned up in Fitzgerald and married another with money, and when she died shortly afterward he got about $40,000 of her funds. Everywhere he went he left in his wage a string of shady transac- tions. His real name and defalcations bobbed up in New York; he went west and got into another peck of trouble, and finally succumbed to consumption at Asheville, N. C., about 1898.
The confidence which certain friends had in "Lord Beresford's" good inten- tions was expressed in the following incident : After he had made bond and entered the bicycle business, the Merchants' Association had occasion to hold a meeting and elect a delegate to a convention in a far-off city. Somebody seriously nominated "Lord Beresford," and it appeared that he might have no opposition until a mem- ber arose and declared if Beresford went, he would resign. This bomb- shell broke up the plan, and another delegate was chosen.
HAIR FOR THE HAIRLESS .- In the year 1895 a fraud was discov- ered that outdid "wooden nutmegs." A salesman appeared who guaranteed that in a month or two he could grow hair on the baldest head. He showed a photograph of his own shiny dome "before using;" and, quoth he, "just look at me now!"
Sure enough, the picture was a hope- less sight; only a lonesome fringe hung around his ears; while on his head as he stood before the prospective "vic- tim" was as fine a growth of hair as could be found. For $25 he would warrant a "cure" to anybody, no mat-
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ter how everything else had failed; only $10 was to be paid on receipt of a large bottle of "hair restorer," and the balance was due after the hair appeared in luxuriance.
Quite a number of leading Romans who had almost given up hope added to the man's worldly store; but along came one noted for his sagacity and ability to detect fakes, and said:
"Stranger, you can't sell anybody in this store. The day of miracles is past. It looks to me like you shaved your head for that picture, and the photographer made you a sleek dome instead of one covered with fine stub- ble. Get out of here!"
** *
ROME SUBMERGED: A REAL FRESHET .- When town is built upon a hill, it must encounter high winds, and when it is built on a river, it must combat high water. Rome has hills on all sides, but the heart of Rome is between two rivers at their junc- tion, and when the high waters come, Romans move upstairs and paddle about as best they can until the reces- sion sets in.
At the Azores Islands the natives are constantly battling plagues which take their fruits and other crops. Now and then a volcano spews forth its hot lava and covers a town; but the na- tives never give up, and neither do the Romans lose heart when the Eto- wah and the Oostanaula occasionally break out of bank and race through front yards. For that matter, pre- ventive measures have been taken which greatly lessen the inconven- iences; Broad Street has been raised a maximum of eight feet over its for- mer level, and every possible approach to it has been elevated corresponding- ly. Perhaps once a year, as in most river towns, a little water goes in store basements, so that shifting of "cargo" to an upper "deck" is necessary; the rabbits are all driven out of the low grounds, and the rabbit hunters have a picnic for two or three days. Event- ually all the inconvenience will no doubt disappear, for the town is grow- ing in the direction of hills which tower high above any possible rise; and it has even been suggested that some 100 acres at the forks be left elear of buildings in the distant fu- ture and converted into a park. Some people think there is no further dan- ger of a serious flood, while others claim that the backage from the Mayo Bar Loek (lock and dam), eight miles down the Coosa, has raised the nor-
mal level of the water two or three feet at Rome above the old level.
Suggests Something to Think About. -Things used to be different. There is a legend which says citizens once hitched their canoes on Tower Hill above the old court house. This yarn related to the time the Indians were still around here, and it sounds like Virgil A. Stewart after a feast of ice cream and catfish. Old settlers tell of a freshet in 1881 which broke through the banks at Foster's Bend, Coosa River, some 16 miles below Rome, and washed clear a lot of In- dian relies in a mound on the Foster (Moultrie) farm, so that Wesley O. Connor went over from Cave Spring and got a lot of valuable specimens.
Prof. Connor took a one-horse wagon to the same place after the freshet of 1886, and carried it home well filled; he got mortars and pestles, toma- hawks, wampum, spear heads, peace pipes, pottery, Indian money and at least a bushel of arrow heads, and also several skulls of warriors bold.
The rain appears to have begun falling Monday, March 29, 1886. It kept up in a deluge for several days, until the waters were at flood stage on Wednesday, March 31, and worse on Thursday. Rome was not the only sufferer. The South suffered, from Virginia to Texas. The towns in the hills did not escape. A number of lives were lost, but none definitely at Rome. Atlanta's waterworks plant and pumping station were seriously crippled and many of her streets made impassable.
The Rome correspondent of the At- lanta Constitution sent messages by wire to his paper as long as the wa- ter remained below the operator's transmitter. Then he went out to get a ham sandwich by canoe and left the field to the late Edward C. Bruffey, who was admirably qualified to paddle through it. "Bruff" tells all about it in the last three dispatches quoted be- low. The items are all from The Con- stitution and the dates of dispatching and of printing are affixed at the opening and closing of each article, respectively :
Rome Drenched .- Rome, Ga., March 29, 1886 .- (Special.)-The heavy rains have swelled the creeks and rivers, and there is great danger of freshets. Advices from the headwaters of the Oostanaula report heavy rains. -Tuesday, March 30, 1886.
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A HISTORY OF ROME AND FLOYD COUNTY
Rome Submerged .- Rome, Ga., Mar. 30 .- (Special.)-Rome is threatened with the greatest freshet in her his- tory. Since Friday night it is estimat- ed there has been a rainfall of more than six inches, nearly two inches more than preceded the great freshet of 1881. Worst of all, the end is not yet. The rain still continues, and at noon is pouring in torrents. The old- est inhabitants shake their heads gloomily and are despondent.
The Oostanaula River
is rising eight inches an hour, and the Coosa and the Etowah are making terrible headway. The water has just reach- ed Broad Street and will be two or three feet from the Rome Hotel to Norton's corner. At the foot of How- ard Street (Second Avenue) and in the Fourth Ward it will be deeper.
Early this morning the middle sec- tion of the new bridge of the Rome and Carrollton Railway washed away and is now lodged against the piers of the Broad Street bridge. Great fears are entertained for the latter bridge, and men are at work trying to remove the debris.
Broad Street this afternoon presents a busy scene. Merchants are remov- ing goods from their stores and tak- ing every possible precaution against the flood. Being thoroughly fore- warned, there will be no damage to the merchandise. At the foot of How- ard Street the residents are moving from one-story houses, and those resid- ing in two-story buildings are moving upstairs.
The Superior Court, which has been in session, adjourned until Monday.
Our railroad communication is en- tirely cut off, no mail having been re- ceived or dispatched today.
At this hour, 8:30 p. m., Broad Street from Norton's corner to the bridge is one sheet of water from two to four feet deep. Every leading bus- iness house, except for a few between Norton's and the Central Hotel, is sub- merged. The cotton warehouse, water works, gas house, and a large number of private dwellings are under water. The flood is now within a few inches of that of 1881, which was the highest ever known in Rome, and the rivers are still rising eight inches an hour. It is raining in torrents. We do not know what tomorrow will bring forth. Intense excitement prevails and groups of people are on that part of Broad Street that is still dry. It is feared that many merchants have not raised their goods high enough, though
all have raised them four or five feet above the high water mark of 1881. No loss of life is yet reported. The streets are in darkness. Thus far there is little damage except to the railroads.
Nine O'clock P. M .- The rivers are still rising. The water is nearly at the top of the tables in the Western Union office here, and communication can be held but a few minutes longer. The operator is telegraphing while standing on his table and momentarily looks for a break. Your correspond- ent has just returned from-(At this point the wires refused to work, and communication between Rome and At- lanta ended for the night .- Editors Constitution .- Wednesday, March 31, 1886.
The Delayed Wedding .- Mr. Geo. N. West, of Carrollton, who came to Atlanta two evenings ago, intend- ing to go on through to Rome, where he was to have been married yester- day at 1 o'clock to Miss Mary Lou Colclough, is still in the city. He could get no word to Rome, and the people there have no idea where he is. Nor does he know anything about the people in Rome, except the fact that the home at which he was to have been married is more than ten feet under water .- Thursday, April 1, 1886.
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