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THE ATLANTA GEORGIAN AND NEWS. MONDAY. APRIL 1, 1007. MAGNIFICENT GROWTH OF ATHENS; NOW A CITY OF MORE THAN 20,000 By D. G. BICKERS. A THENS, Go., April 1.—During the past few years Athens has pre sented one of the most splendid examples In the history of Georgia cities of steady and rapid growth; she Is now In as magnificent condition In all the requisites which make a model, prosperous municipality as any other city of the size In the country, and the outlook for even much greater things In the Immediate future Is exceedingly bright. Established In 1801 as primarily college'vlllagc, Athens grew 1 slowly t steadily as the home of the Unlversl . of Georgia, and later other elements of the making of a city appeared, and while there were vicissitudes and at times misfortunes, within the past five years the progress along all lines has been phenomenal. Rich in the years past has been the contribution of the Classic City to the history and the biography of Georgia. About her old buildings and on every hand are the reminiscences of the many great who have lived, or have been reared, or were educated here. But rich as Athens has been in these things, the present prosperity of the city in all lines of material progress, industrial activity and civic enterprise is the earnest of the great Importance she will be able to claim In the next few years. Along with this wonderful Im petus in these lines, the educational in stitutions, which were the original basis for tho building of the village 108 years ago, have likewise plans for infinitely larger things In the future than any period of their existence has ever yet known. The population of the city and en virons now number more than 20,000, and It is confidently asserted that with in five years that figure will be In creased by 6,000 to 8,000 more. The Increase for the past five years has averaged 1,000 annually, and there nre patent reasons for basing the prediction that the proportional augmentation will be greater for the coming few years. UNIVERSITY’S GREAT WORK. Of course, the University of Georgia Is recognised as the head of education al Institutions In the state and In Its history and work has made Athens the true follower of her ancient namesake. Recently, when Miss Louise Dubose, of this city, was selected to raise funds for the $10,000 sliver service to be present ed to the new battleship Georgia, It was desired to engrave upon the comport which Athens elected to contribute the coat of arms and the motto of the old college town. It was discovered that the city had neither official design for a coat of arms nor a motto. An ap propriate design was made and has this week been received. The motto was furnished by I Chancellor Barrow: "Oculus Georglae, artium mater.” “The eye of Georgia, mother of arts.” It at once appealed to those who know Athens as a happy epitome of the his tory of the city. But If the university has done great things In the past, the next years will witness the making of a great universi ty. the equal In slxe and equipment with the larger And older Institutions of the North. Pursuant to the great plans which were dear to the heart of the late Chancellor Walter B. Hill, and In which George Poster Peabody became thoroughly Interested, the work has begun. The philanthropist, the alumni, local and other friends of the univer sity and of broad educational plans for her for the future, and then by the act of the legislature these Ideal dreams are to be realized. Already land has been purchased and given to the'uni versity, which makes the campus more thun 600 acres, one of the largest in the country. The old Georgia boys have pledged a magnificent Young Men's Christian Association building, to cost >50,000. As the annual appropriations are available the plans for the new buildings, the agricultural college, the experimental farm, the horticultural nml botanical gardens, the lake and driveways, the arena, and all the other Improvements will be gradually exe cuted. It will require several years to put out the $2,000,000 and more which Is to be expended, but the work will be begun this year and continued as MAYOR WILLIAM F. DORSEY, OF ATHENS, GA. Union will have as great and ly well equipped seat of learning. The State Normal School wilt con tinue to grow In Influence and useful ness. Here several hundred earnest young teachers are trained nnnually, going out into every county of the state to do better work as teachers, more consecrated to their work, and more efficient In their service to the cause of popular education, Lucy Cobb Institute is one of the oldest and one of the best recognised colleges for young ladles In tho South. The city has a splendid system of pub- year to accommodate the rapid Increase In the attendance. Whether there are children, young men and young ladies to be educated, or If teachers wish training, Athens offers advantages which can not be obtained elsewhere. NEW COMMERCIAL COLLEGE. If any branch of education could be desired which the present facilities do not afford, the movement on foot this week will complete the list. Messrs. Byrne and Glenn, of Tyler, Texas, have been in the city the past few days at the Invitation of the citizens here for the purpose of arranging for the estab llshment of a great business college here for the teaching of all commercial branches taught in any commercial university. The citizens will purchase more than 100 scholarships to Induce the management to feel safe of sup port from the start. Only a few more scholarships remain to be taken—these are all from Athens and the territory and special advantages of Athens as a location will make an annual enroll ment of the business school easily a thousand students. NOT A SINGLE VACANT HOUSE. A certain Index to the growth for the past year will be apparent when It Is recorded that the tax assessors who have Just completed their work for the present year have reported an Increase of $375,000 In the valuation of real es tate. The assessors have served for several consecutive terms and their ap praisement of realty has been uniform ly conservative. Opening their office for the consideration of objections to their assessments, there has not been one complaint. Another remarkably encouraging fact was discovered In their canvass. There was not a single residence.-even a cottage, nor a single business house In the city vacant. They found that 165 new houses hail been erected during the year—most of them residences at an average cost of about $2,000. RAILROADS SPEND THOUSANDS. More than two million dollars Is be ing expended in railroad improvements by the roads entering Athens. The Gainesville Midland, which has Just got fairly Into the city, Is, with the Seaboard Air Line, putting ill about five miles of belt line and sidings and yard track. On Broad street In the heart of the city these two lines are excavating for the largest freight terminals of any lie schools' abio, and two new public city "> the state, with the exeeptton school buildings will be erected this I of Atlanta. The Central Is spending thousands in their new terminal yards. Tho Southern has under advisement extensive improvements and additions to their faclilttes. The Georgia will likely overhaul Its lino from Union Point, and there Is authoritative report that at least two of the roads will unite this year in a union station, which will be a credit to the city. • • • • SEVEN-STORY OFFICE BUILDING Since before the war Athens has been famed for the number and beauty of her rare old colonial homes, addition to scores of these Imposing houses, set back In old-fashioned groves, there have been In recent years erected scores more of modern residences, some costly and handsome. Along the residence streets the visitor Is at once Impressed with the city as a home town. In the business portion of the city he Is Impressed with the solid and substantial appearance of the business blocks. One of tho best business buildings, the office structure of the Southern Mutual Insurance Company, Is this week being removed, stone by stone, to a different location, where it will be occupied as the headquarters of the Athens Electric Railway Company, that company having leased It for tho next ten years. In place of the three-and-a- half-story building now being removed work will at once be begun on the erec tion of the handsomest office b'ultdlng In the state north of Atlanta. The new Southern Mutual home will cost more than $250,000. It will be seven stories In height and will occupy more than twice the ground room of the present building. The material will be the best obtainable and the furnishings and fin ishing of the edifice will be elegant and up to date. • • • A $100,000 HOTEL. Athens Is also to have a magnifi cent new hotel to cost $100,000. The plans have already been drawn by a well-known Atlanta architect and In every appointment It will be one of which the city will long have reason to be proud. The movement for the new hotel was begun by active, enterprising citizens some time ago, who hod the Interests of the city at heart. For a while it seemed that a suitable site was not procurable. The gentlemen who have had the matter In hand, however, have one or two propositions recently made which make the new building a practical certainty. Within a few days the detutls of their plans will be made public. . Athens has one of the finest city halls of any city of Its size In the Union. Standing on a commanding eminence, built of cream brick and white stone, It challenges the admiration of all who see it. Jt Is finished beautifully throughout and will for years be ade quate for the requirements of ail the different branches of the city govern mental affairs, and a pride and pleasure to the citizens. Across the street stands the large Federal court building and postoffice, quite an Imposing structure, and Inside finished beautifully. The postotfice bus iness here has been un accurate regis ter of the city's growth and progress, the receipts for the last month being nearly 50 per cent In excess of the re ceipts of the corresponding year 1906. If the Increase continues propor tionately till the beginning of the next qunrter the postofflee at Athens wilt be entitled to rank as a first-class office another year. The Federal court over which Judge Newman presides fwlcl year has the second largest business of any Federal court In the state. BANKING FACILITIES. There are two national, two state and two savings banks In Athens, abundantly able to furnish facilities for the business done here. BUSINESS $25,000,000 ANNUALLY. The annual volume of business of the city In.retail and wholesale trade amounts to more than $25,000,000. The retail trade Is drawn from a rich farm ing territory embraced In a radius of thirty or thirty-five miles, easily reach ed by the tines of railroad which ra diate In six directions. The wholesale business Is tremendous for the size of the city and the competition which exists In almost atl lines—especially In groceries do the Athens wholesalers reach out Into distant territory. In and around the city are numerous factories —cotton mills, knitting mills, machine shops, and a variety of small Industries which are the life of any community, turning out a diversity of products, em ploying hundreds of skilled hands and paying them uniformly good wages. VOLUME OF COTTON MARKET. As a cotton market Athens does heavy business. Last year’s receipts were for the season closing In Septem ber 93,000 bales, nearly half of which was from wagon receipts. This season to date the total receipts have been nearly 106,000 bales. The local mills consume a part of this marketed sta ple, but the major part Is compressed and shipped. There are this week In the warehouses of Athens about 17,500 bales on hand. THE CITY GOVERNMENT. The city has never had a mayor and council who rendered more faithful or efficient service than Mayor William F. Dorsey and the following eight al dermen who have co-operated earnest ly and harmoniously with him: First ward, W. D. O’Farrell and W. Weatherford; Second ward, C. T. Young and E. G. Whitehead; Third ward, F. A. Lipscomb and C. M. Shell ing; Fourth ward, B. Y. Harris and H. J. Rowe. The administration has care fully safeguarded the financial Interests of the city and even with heavy ex penditures for public Improvements the treasury Is In better condition than for years. Every department has been kept up to the highest standard dltional street paving has been -put down, macadamising the outlying streets, new sewer laid, more, lights Installed, the already efficient police force and fire departments strengthen ed, the city schools increased In effi ciency, the night school and kindergar ten taken under the care and direc tion of tho city school department, and various other considerable improve ments. M. G. MICHAEL. President of the Athens Chamber of Commerce. MUNICIPAL TAXES. The vexed tax question does not trouble Athens, and yet there Is ap parent a strong and healthy conserva tism wisely blended with enterprise and public spirit and liberality toward every worthy cause. The taxable prop erty is slightly more than $7,250,000. The tax rate has not exceeded one per cent ad valorem, and while the county Is carrying forward extensive road Im provements there are only five coun ties In the state In which the county tax rate Is as low as that of Clarke. The total debt of the city Is less thun $275,000, of which $5,000 Is nnnually retired and the Interest paid seml-un- nualiy. Athens' credit is excellent In the money markets and every obliga tion has always been paid promptly. Her assets are far In excess of her In debtedness. here of the big commercial college, the perfecting of the plans for a magnlfl cent hotel, the regulating of matters such as railroad schedules, relieving the freight blockade and other Impor tant considerations. It has been in strumental In consummating the Issu ance of a >100,000 bond Issue for better roads In the county; it raised $$0,000 hy subscription for the assurance of the Gainesville Midland railway, which has been running on schedule time for sev eral months; It assisted In raising the $14,000 fund for the university exten sion which was given by the people of Athens; It has entertained distinguish ed visitors time and again, and has sent its .representatives to the Important commercial and Industrial meetings over the country. ATHEN8 REAL ESTATE. In no way has Athens shown a more decided Improvement In recent' years Uma In the real estate line. PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS. Within the past six years the city has expended $300,000 in street paving There hits been a marked advance In real estate values here for a number of years, until It now commands splendid prices. This advance has not been In the nature of any boom, nor are the real estate values of today In this city too high. It represents a steady and con servatlve advance along with the growth of the city, which has for the past few years been something phe nomenal. This growth of the city has made a demand for good lots, and those on the car lines and on the sewer lines and within reach of the Halit and water Bervlce of the city have come to bring excellent prices. This has created a demand for even less desirable lots and thus the real estate market has ad vanced and Is today In a most healthy condition. Tills great growth In the population of the city has been steady and has been on account of the ninny advan tages offered by the city In many ways. The people who come here have to have homes, and these homes have to be located on land. This demand causes the price of the land in Athens to go up and to remain at splendid values. Just now the problem In Athens Is how to build more residences and more store property. It Is recognized that there must be a large number of new houses built at once. Borne of the citi zens of Athens are building a number of neat and attractive cottages and others contemplate doing so at once. The problem with the real estate agents of the city now Is not the find- CITY HALL AT ATHENS. GA„ COMPLETE D IN 1605. e houses In which to put the people. The way of tha real estate agent In Athens Is hard, because the people besiege him with alt kinds of Importunlngs and let him have no peace until he finds them homes. . _ In some way or other the enterpris- and more Is contemplated this spilng,. | n(f rea) e „ tatc aBem „ find a p i ace t0 the business portion of the city being paved with vitrified brick, the heavy grades with belglun block, and the res idence streets In macadam. It Is al together one of the best paved cities In Georgia. It is likewise one of the best lighted cities In the South. One hundred und seventy-five 2,000-candle power arc lights furnish street light, and Cost about $60 per lamp per annum. Power plants which furnish current to lhe| splendid street effr line also furnish In candescent lights; there Is also a good gas plant. The fire and police protection are the best. A chief of each department and sufficient men to maintain these organ ized bodies. The different departments of the city are under the following of ficers; City clerk and treasurer, W. W. Turner; city attorney. H. S. West; city engineer and building Inspector, J. W. Barnett; chief of police, J. 8. Mackle; chief of fire department, George W. Mc- Dorniun; sanitary Inspector, J. A. Men tor; superintendent waterworks. W. L. i Wood; superintendent of city board of education. Professor G. G. Bond. STRONG CHAMBER OF COMMERCE The Athens Chamber of Commerce, | the strong and active business organ-] I tzation, was founded In 1003. Us ex- j perlmental stage has passed, and now I numbering most of the leading citizens, It Is accomplishing much for the up-1 building and progress of the city. The •officers ore: President, M. G. Michael; j [first vice president^ A. H. Hodgson; 'secretary. T. W. Reed; treasurer, Wil liam Fleming. The Chamber of Com merce has been persistent In Its Intel ligent advertising of Athens among the I residents of other sections of the city. It has now In hand the establishing put each person who comes, but It Is often hard work. If one hundred new residences were erected today there would be a demand for all of them within thirty dnys, and the greater number would be rented before the lumber could be placed on the grounds. The demand for store property Is also good, and a number of new stores could be rented easily. Just now there are In process of erec tion In this city not less than fifty resi dences, and tho labor market Is prac tically exhausted In the effort to secure enough hands to do this work. Michael Bros. Company la erecting a handsome three-story brick adjoining the present five-story building of the company, on Clayton street, and Cap tain James White Is preparing to erect a neat and commodious two-story brick store building on Broad .street. The' Davlaon-Nlcholson Company will add a story to their building on the Wash lngton street end soon. Other store buildings are In contemplation during the year, including the building to be erected by Mr. R. J. Hancock on Broad street aqd also the building that Mi Bernstein Is to erect on that street Lynwood Park, a beautiful tract, for. merly the old Phtnlzy homestead. In a fine residence portion of the city, was a few months ago opened to the public, and scores of beautiful lots have been purchased there by home-builders, stipulation In the sale contract la a __ qulrement to erect a residence of cer tain cost and quality, which Insures a beautiful section of residence territory building there. COMING CONVENTION CITY. Athens this year will be a conven tion city. The Mayora' Association of the state meets here the latter part of April. The Great Council of the Im proved Order of Red Men of Georgia and the associated Grand Lodgo of the Degree of Pocahontas will convene here In May. The local Odd Fellows are to Invite the next session of that great body of fraternity men to meet here next year, when it is more than likely the present deputy grand master, Hon. J. H. Dozier, of this city, will be In the chair as presiding officer. INSURANCE CENTER. Athens has won the reputation of being the Hartford of the Bouth—hav ing no less than two established and successful fire Insurance companies, two mutual life Insurance associations II with their headquarters here, be sides the general agencies of a num ber of other companies. NEW HOSPITAL. recent addition to the features which add value to the city Is the St. Mary's hospital, beautifully located on an elevated and beautiful site on Mil- ledge avenue, it was only a short time ago established by Drs. It. M. Fulll- love and P. J. Proctor, and haa recently been Incorporated and added a depart ment for the education of trained nurses. Already the benefits derived from the presence'of this hospital have been Incalculable. ANOTHER $1,000,000 COMPANY. Athens has also the distinction of being the headquarters of one of the largest gold mining companies In the South, the Loud Gold Mining - pany. limited, having been only a few weeks ago chartered here, with R. K. Reeves at Its head, associating with himself a number of capitalists from Canada, to operate the celebrated Loud mines in White county. The company la capitalized at a. million dollars. CHURCHES OF ATHENS. The numerous churches of the city compare most favorably with those of other cities. The First Baptist Is one of the handsomest church buildings in this part of the state. Tho First Pres byterian has recently been almost re built and is a magnificent building. Tho First Methodist has beep this year repaired and a handsome new pnrson- age will be ready for tho occupancy of the pastor by April 15. The other churches of the city havo pretty edi fices. THo pastors nre universally pop ular and Athens Is known ns a church going and church-supporting city. TWO CURIOSITIES. Every visitor to Athens, besides see ing the historic homes of the great Georgians who have lived bore—the | Orudys, Cobbs, Howells, Hulls, Hills, Toombs, and many others—Is Inter- 1 csted to see two curiosities which tha ] Classic City claims. One Is the "Tree I That Owns Itself." This tree was years j ngo given a deed to Its home. Thej deed was recorded, and this year] George Foster Peabody provided that neat stone and chain fence should bo' placed around It and the little piece of realty which Is owned by tho ancient tree shall be kept. Tho other is tho only double-barraled cannon In existence, which stands on tho city hall squnre between tho Elijah Clarke monument nnd tho Confederate shaft. It was made os an experiment during tho wnr, to carry two balls and a chain, but after trial was found to be a fail ure. THE COUNTRY CLUB. The Country Club is an Important feature of social life. Clovcrhurst Is now un attractive place—tho club houso Is admirably located nnd is a charming spot. The g"ir links and drives nnd tennis courts aro all that could be asked. r.m ih>- Huh only last week purchased an extensive tnut amt will ill mice begin tie- making of prac tically a new place far exceeding In at- t raet iveness tile present site. ANOTHER GREAT MILL. tending business man stated this week that when Athens can get cheap electric power In greater quantities there wilt bo n million ilolbir mill be gun hero nt once. Tho development of Anthony Shoals Is now under way and that plant will bo In rench of this city. Negotiations aro pending to secure the transmission of a large part of tho power there generated to Athens and when tills is accomplished tho big mill will then bo assured. There nro al ready more than a dozen large fac tories and manufacturing plants In the city, anil about forty smaller enter prises of manufacturing nature. MAIL ORDER BUSINESS. Athens la rapidly coming to the front as a matt order business center. Its territory growing every day and stretching not only ovor the state, out reaching Into other states ns well. With Increasing railroad facilities this Important branch of business will greatly Increase. FIVE MORE RAILROADS. Athens will have direct communica tion over five other lines within tho next ten years,” remarked a citizen who Is high In business circles nnd In close touch with the situation. “Ono to Chattanooga, two to Savannah, onn to Charleston, and one to Anderson, S. I should be willing t• > l ink my Judg ment ell 111" assertion Unit Ibi- line to Charleston will bo under way within the year. This Is not tnlk-ln-the-ulrp know what I am speaking of.” Y. M. C. A. ANDY. W. C. A. The Y. M. C. A. building of Athena Is one of tho best In tho state, Waltea Forbes, the general secretary having built up a magnificent organization. In every department It Is excellently man aged and has done untold good. Tho Y. \V. C. A. Is also now a strong factor In the, life of the city. A beauti ful hall, lunch room nnd rest rooms, a fine membership, hearty cooperation of ull tho citizens und faithful work upon tho part of tho leaders havo been tho features of Its work. Plans are now jerfectlng for a Y. W. C. A. boarding louse, where tho young ladles employ ed In the city can secure home Ilf,' and social pleasures and conveniences. VIEWS OF PROMINENT STREETS OF ATHENS.