12 RESOURCES OF SOUTHERN ALABAMA. 



The aim of this report is to describe conditions in south- 

 ern Alabama so fully and impartially as to reduce the new- 

 comer's chances of disappointment to a minimum ; and it is 

 believed to be more complete than anything previously at- 

 tempted for an area of that size. Although there is already 

 a large amount of literature on the subject, some published 

 by the State or Federal government and some by private 

 individuals (in newspapers, magazines and elsewhere), rail- 

 roads, and land companies, it is very scattered, and varies 

 considerably in accuracy and up-to-dateness. Some of the 

 most reliable publications deal only with some special sub- 

 ject in a rather technical manner, and are rather inacces- 

 sible and unintelligible to the general reader, while at the 

 other extreme are pamphlets that expatiate with many glit- 

 tering generalities on the advantages of Alabama or some 

 county or city therein as a place to live, but do not help the 

 home-seeker much in making a decision between Alabama 

 and some other state, or between different sections of this 

 very diversified State ; and besides the tone of this "booster" 

 literature is usually so thoroughly optimistic that the cau- 

 tious reader may become a little skeptical. 



The statements in this report are based wherever pos- 

 sible on statistics, which even if not absolutely accurate are 

 at least impartial ; and whatever errors may have occurred 

 in gathering, digesting and printing the data are bound to 

 counterbalance each other to some extent, and are not likely 

 to give any one region an advantage over another. A large 

 part of the statistical matter is devoted to showing the size, 

 value, equipment, production, etc., of the average farm in 

 each region ; and it is well for the prospective settler to bear 

 in mind that even if the average standard of living in a 

 region he is interested in is higher or lower than that to 

 which he has been accustomed, in every community there 

 are many people below the average in wealth, education, 

 efficiency, etc., and a few far above the average, as will be 

 shown graphically in a later chapter; so that one can find 

 neighbors of his own station in life almost anywhere. 



SOURCES OF INFORMATION. 



The principal sources of information hitherto available 

 for the various geographical features may now be indicated 

 briefly. 



