the; ALABAMA OPPORTUNITY. 83 



cial value to Ozark. It has given to Ozark a substantial and 

 continued prosperity. It has given the town a contented past 

 and an assured future. It has brought Ozark through the 

 crucial periods of its history, periods which every town has, 

 when it booms for awhile and the inevitable reaction sets' in, 

 periods when the town suffers from some financial depression 

 that chills and sickens the whole country. Its diversified farm 

 interests' were as a sheet anchor to the windward in time of 

 storm for Ozark during the continued pv^jic of tht '90's. In 

 time of panic the man who doesn't owe anything is the man 

 who is going to suffer least. 



A THING OF PRIDE. 



"I honestly believe." said Joe Adams, of The Ozark Star, 

 and Manager of an Ozark oil mill, "I honestly believe, that 

 the most prosperous time for the farmers about Ozark was 

 during the financial troubles of the early '90's. Their way of 

 living at home, their way of diversified farming made them 

 independent of any demands from frightened and alarmed 

 creditors. The financial troubles helped them in a way for 

 they gave the farmers a better price for the many things that 

 were raised on Dale County farms, besides cotton." 



And the agricultural conditions which exist about Ozark 

 have given the place not only firm and stable business condi- 

 tions, but they have given the town vigorous and prosperous 

 banks, excellent schools, costly churches with large congre- 

 gations, a wide circle of men who began life with nothing 

 and who have independent fortunes and they have given the 

 town a healthy and wholesome social life. It means much to 

 be "the capital of the hog and hominy county." There are 

 many, many sections of Alabama which could learn things 

 of value and importance from Ozark's agricultural section. 



DECLINE OF ^ADVANCING." 



One significent difference between Ozark and other towns 

 of its size in Alabama, a difference brought about by the live 

 at home policv of its farmers, is the slight importance of the 

 advancing business in Ozark as compared to the other towns. 

 The business of advancing money to farmers by merchants 



